CHAPTER 18: Explanations and Questions

"Ya sure they won't foind me 'ere?"

"I'm quite sure they won't," Tatiana told Rumpelteazer in a soothing voice. "Don't fret so. I'll protect you. I promise."

Rumpelteazer gave her friend a weak smile. "Thanks, Tats."

Tatiana returned Rumpelteazer's smile affectionately before walking off so that nobody became suspicious of Rumpelteazer's hiding place. As she approached the clearing, she saw Mungojerrie coming towards her, but Tatiana's smile froze when she saw Bombalurina and Demeter heading in the same direction, though a fair distance behind him.

"She orlroight?" Mungojerrie asked as he gave Tatiana a hug.

"She is now," Tatiana replied, "but she won't be if those two come near her. What the heck do you think you're doing?" she asked in a fierce whisper. "Did you tell them?"

"Yes," Mungojerrie answered unrepentantly.

"Why? She's your sister, for goodness' sake!"

"Moiybe, but she's gonna 'ave ta foice up ta it sometoime."

"Agreed, but she's your sister! Besides, I promised her that no-one will find her and that I'd protect her. She'll kill me!"

"If she's aloive by the toime those two are done with 'er," he said as he watched Bombalurina and Demeter walk past, closer to the bushes where Rumpelteazer hid, "which Oi 'oighly doubt."

Tatiana looked as him, incredulous. "How can you say that? She's your sister!"

"That's the third toime ya've said that. Don't worry 'bout 'er – she needs ta learn ta foice up ta thin's."

"Yes, but –" Tatiana broke off, defeated. "Whatever."

"Ya'll be foine, too. Especially if yer not 'ere when she's discovered," Mungojerrie said soothingly, "which Oi think would be about…now."

Tatiana screwed up her face, pretending to think. "What was that you said about facing up to things?"

"Oi meant that ya 'ave to foice up ta thin's sometoime."

"Well, I'll add something to that: it's better to face up to things sooner rather than later." Tatiana turned on her heel and went to find Rumpelteazer, leaving behind a protesting Mungojerrie. As she neared Rumpelteazer's hiding place, Tatiana heard quite a commotion.

"Oi didn't wanna! Oi swear!"

"You're a thief!"

"Oi'm not!"

"Who cares? You tried to steal Munkustrap from me!"

"As I said, she's a thief!"

"In front of me! In public!"

"Oi didn't!"

"She's a thief!"

"Ask Etcetera about it!"

"Why would I? She's a liar."

"Now, Bombie, you know you have no evidence of that."

"So? Everyone knows she is."

Tatiana rounded the corner at that moment.

"Tats!" Rumpelteazer's voice rang out desperately. Her facial expression was a strange mixture of anger, relief and indignation.

The two older queens turned.

"Go away," snarled Bombalurina.

"Bomba!" cried Demeter, looking shocked.

"Well, it's between us, not her."

At the thought of protecting her friend, Tatiana gathered her courage, stood tall and looked Bombalurina straight in the eye. "I offer you an explanation," she said boldly.

"Okay, let's hear it," Demeter said patiently, shooting a warning look at her sister.

The red queen folded her arms. "Fine."

"Rumpelteazer is only partially guilty. Bombalurina, Rumpelteazer wasn't stealing from your den."

"Then what was she doing, if she wasn't stealing?"

"The day before, the kittens and a few of the older cats, including myself and Rumpelteazer, played 'Truth or Dare'. Mungojerrie dared her to move things around in your den all day, much as a poltergeist would."

"Besoides, what in yer den would be werf stealin'?" Rumpelteazer scoffed.

Tatiana, much as Demeter had just done, shot her friend a warning look while Bombalurina scowled. "Because you caught her, she couldn't complete the dare, and Etcetera ruled that she would have to complete another dare. This was in the form of singing all day. Rumpelteazer was so preoccupied that she quite forgot about it, so she had to complete yet another dare, which was to kiss Munkustrap on the lips in front of you." Tatiana turned her gaze to Demeter.

"Then what about Alonzo?"

Tatiana turned to see Cassandra standing behind her.

"Having not learnt her lesson, Rumpelteazer played another round of 'Truth or Dare' yesterday, and, once more, chose 'dare'. I still don't know why you did that," she added to Rumpelteazer, "but that's beside the point. Her dare was to proclaim her undying love for Alonzo." Tatiana stared at the three older queens. "So none of it was serious. Okay?"

Demeter was the first to nod and apologize to Rumpelteazer, and Cassandra followed suit. Bombalurina kept a hateful eye on the cheeky queen.

"Bombie?" prompted Demeter.

"Sorry," muttered Bombalurina before stalking off.

"Oi'm sorry, too," Rumpelteazer told the other queens. "Oi'm so stupid, but it wasn't entirely moiy fault. But Oi'm sorry."

"We all accept your apology, Rumpelteazer," Demeter, always the diplomatic one, told her.

After Demeter and Cassandra left, Tatiana turned to Rumpelteazer. "Before you ask how they found you and you go blaming me, I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention for them to find you."

"Lemme guess: Jerrie."

"Don't go blaming him. He did it for your own good. Okay? It's over now."

"Yeah, well…thanks, Oi guess," Rumpelteazer muttered.

"You should thank him, too."

"Okoiy, Oi will. But thanks fer savin' moiy fur back there."

Tatiana smiled and hugged her friend. "I told you I'd protect you, didn't I?"

Later that day, Tatiana and Mungojerrie were wandering paw-in-paw through the forest. Mungojerrie wanted to make this day special for both of them, but Tatiana was blissfully unaware of his nerves.

"I think one of my dancing groups is rehearsing tomorrow," Tatiana commented. "Demeter and Vicki say I'm getting the hang of the dances. I just hope I can keep up!"

"Oi'm sure you'll be able to," Mungojerrie told her confidently.

Tatiana smiled. "Have you got any rehearsals tomorrow?"

"Oi'm not certain, but Oi think so." He sighed. "Oi 'ope we 'ave no altercations between Plato and Tugger tamorra. That chewed up 'alf the re'earsal toime the other doiy."

"Tell them you're not doing it unless they stop bickering," Tatiana said with a grin, causing Mungojerrie to laugh.

"Who do you think will perform the mating dance at the ball this year?" Victoria looked at Plato through half-closed eyes as he stroked her back.

"I don't really know," Plato replied. "I haven't thought about it. Maybe Tugger will finally settle down with Bomba."

Victoria shook her head. "I don't think so. Have you seen the way Tugger looks at Tatiana? I wouldn't be surprised if he was after her now. I guess he needs a challenge."

"Then who do you think will do it?"

"I think Tatiana and Mungojerrie will do the dance."

"They make a nice couple, don't they?" Plato commented.

"Yes."

"Perhaps they will then. But we can speculate later, can't we?" Plato pulled his mate closer and planted a tender kiss on her lips.

Tatiana and Mungojerrie sat down upon their favourite rocks, the latter with his arm around Tatiana's waist. The queen laid her head on Mungojerrie's shoulder.

After a few minutes, Mungojerrie shifted slightly. "Uh, Tatiana?" he began.

"Mmm?"

"Oi 'ave somethin' ta ask ya."

Tatiana looked at him curiously. Usually, Mungojerrie just plunged straight in without telling her that he had a question. Besides that, he hadn't used her full name in quite a while. "What is it?"

Mungojerrie stood and moved away slightly, then turned back to her. "Ya know Oi love ya, roight?"

Tatiana nodded. What sort of a question was that? "Yes…"

"'N' yoo love me, don't ya?"

"Of course." By now, Tatiana was thoroughly bewildered.

Mungojerrie knelt in front of her. "Then would ya please consider becomin' moiy moite? Oi love ya, Tatiana, 'n' Oi want ta spend moiy loife wif ya. Will ya consider?"

Tatiana stared at him in shock, the words hardly registering. "What was that?" she whispered, her throat becoming dry and constricted.

"Will ya be moiy moite? At least, will ya consider it?"

Finally, Tatiana realized what he was asking of her. He loves me…he wants me to be his mate… She smiled tenderly. "I don't have to consider it. I love you, too, Jerrie, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, as well. I'll be your mate."

Mungojerrie felt like his heart was going to burst from the happiness he felt at her words. He stood and slipped a silver bracelet over her paw.

Tatiana looked down to see a love-heart-shaped charm attached to the bracelet. She smiled as she traced it with her claw. "Just like my collar," she whispered.

Mungojerrie nodded as he stood and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Thankyou, Tatiana. Oi promise Oi'll orlwoiys moike ya 'appy," he whispered before drawing her into a long and passionate kiss.