A/N: I see no one has gotten the Shakespeare reference in Chapter 2. So, I've decided that the first person to send me a message telling me correctly what the lines in the story are, and to which play and which characters they're referring, will get their name posted in the next chapter in an author's note. :]

Ch 6: An Invitation

I woke up the next morning in a surprisingly bright mood. "Good morning, Mom and Dad!" I shouted as I got up and stretched.

"Good morning, Pepper!" Dad shouted in return.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to catch your own breakfast this morning, dear," my dad said. "Your mother's visiting Jennyanydots and I have to go talk to Alonzo."

"Oh, alrighty. I'll bring Brutus and Lecty with me," I said as I walked out the door. Hunting, one of my favorite things to do! I padded over to the den Tumblebrutus shared with Pouncival and their parents, Admetus and Cassandra. "Hey, Brutus, are you home?" I called outside the dishwasher.

"Yeah, I'll be just a second!" I heard him shout. A moment later, he emerged from the den.

"Hey, Brutes, do you want to go hunting with me and maybe Lecty?" I asked him.

"I do, but Lecty can't. She and Etcy are out and about with their mother today," he replied.

"Ah, well we can still hunt," I said before racing off. "I bet I beat you to the hunting grounds!"

"In your dreams!" he shouted. A race of epic proportions ensued. Okay, maybe not epic, but it was a good race. When we got to our destination, we were both panting from effort. He barely beat me by a whisker. "HA! In your face, Pepper!" he shouted in victory.

"Ah, shut up," I laughed. We rested for a moment before going into predator mode. I stalked a small rabbit, and Brutus hunted a large rat. When we had both made our kills, we sat down to eat.

"So, who're you going to the Jellicle Ball with?" he asked me, talking around a tuft of rat fur.

"I don't know yet. No one has asked me, and I kind of doubt that they will…" I said.

"I disagree. You're the type of queen that toms like, but are much too shy to ask out. Maybe someone will get the guts to ask you before the Ball next week," he replied.

"You think so?" I asked.

"Most definitely," he replied. "Let's go back to the Junkyard."

We padded back to the Yard, both full from our tasty rodents. When we got back, we were greeted by Jem, Vicky, Addie, Pounce, Misto, and Plato.

"Hey, guys!" Brutus and I both said.

"Hey! Wanna play Den with us?" Vicky asked.

"Sure," I replied. Brutes just nodded affirmatively. I always felt kind of bad for the tom-kits. They really didn't want to play Den at first most times, but it was the queen-kits' favorite game.

We decided that the old tire was our den.

"I wanna be the mom this time!" Jemima said.

"Okay, then who's the dad?" Misto asked.

"I will be!" Pounce replied. Ah, young love. Okay, maybe not love, but like. I ended up being the aunt, of course, and Plato was my mate. Vicky and Addie were Jem and Pounce's kits, and Brutes and Misto were mine and Plato's. Odd combinations, I tell you.

"Mom! Misto keeps shocking me with his stupid magic!" Brutus play-whined. However, Mistofelees was shocking him. Well, he was between fits of laughter.

"Mistofelees cut that out! Apologize to your brother, now." I said in my "pretend mother voice".

"Fine, sorry, Tumble," Misto sulked.

"Now that's better," I said, triumphantly.

After a while, as kits do, we got bored of Den and played good old Tag. No one had run after me yet, so I felt pretty safe when Plato got tagged. However, just as soon as Vicky tagged him, (he had let her catch him), he bolted after me. What the? I took off running, dodging the occasional friend and running in amoebas and squiggles around the Junkyard. My goodness, he just doesn't give up! I finally got tired and had to stop, and received a hard smack on my right shoulder.

"You're It!" Plato said, laughing. He ran off toward the other kittens. I trotted after, still tired. When I got near to Brutus, I saw Etcy and Lecty enter the Junkyard with their mother, Exotica. Yessssss…

I ran up to Etcy, smacked her on the back, and yelled," YOU'RE IT!" and took off, laughing my head off. Etcetera had a confused look on her face, and when she registered what happened, she giggled and chased after Mistofelees, who was the closest cat besides Lecty. I went and sat down on the tire, still panting.

"Mind if I join you?" Plato's voice asked from behind me.

"Not at all," I said, making room.

"It sure is a nice day, isn't it?" he asked me.

"Yeah, it is. The clouds are so beautiful," I replied.

"Just like you…" he said softly. Did I hear him right?

I blushed. "Well thank you, Plato. That's so sweet," I responded. I looked over at him, and the sun was reflecting off his coat, making it shine. He looks so handsome today… Wait, what? His eyes, they're like crystal blue pools of water. Well, come to think of it, Plato was a rather attractive kit. He was really sweet, too.

"I have a question for you, Pepper. I want you to just answer me, as honestly as you can. And please, just answer. Don't beat around the bush…" he said.

"Ask away," I said, mesmerized by his eyes.

"Will you go to the Jellicle Ball with me?" he asked, his face showing hope and anxiousness.

[A/N:] I don't believe I'm going to answer this question until the next chapter. =^.^= I heard the funniest thing on the TV while I was writing some of the dialogue, but now I can't remember what it was. :/ And I rather like the word amoeba. Anyway, enough of my little random rant. Like I said at the beginning of the chapter, first person to message me with the correct Shakespeare characters and play from Chapter 2 will get their name in an Author's Note in the next chapter! :]