Thursday

"You know you like kinda tough", Tugger said teasingly the next day when Asp showed up with a dark bruise on his cheek and jaw. "And the queens luve bruises. It gives them something to fuss about."

"Tugger do us all a favor and shut up", Alonzo growled before Asp could.

"What got your tail in a knot", Tugger asked the patched tom. But Asp could clearly see it. Alonzo had cuts and bruises and when he looked across the clearing he saw Munk looking the same. Munk had said something wrong to Alonzo and the patched tom had snapped and they'd lunged at each other. It had taken Misto's magic to separate the two of them.

"What are you doing here anyway", Admetus asked.

"Well Munk dragged me out of bed early so I'm trying to find a way to annoy him", Tugger said. It resulted with Ad, Asp, Cori and Plato getting up, grabbing his arms and legs and lifting him up. "hey let me go!" They didn't answer and walked towards the edge of the pile they were laying and sitting on. Tugger's stomach tightened when he saw the mud below.

"Alonzo!" he yelled and the patched tom looked up.

"What?"

"Can't you handle your gang?"

"I can", Alonzo said, yawned and curled into a ball. "When I want to."

"ALONZO!"

"On three", Plato supplied.

"GET UP YOU LAZY BUM!"

"Yes", Asp said.

"ALONZO I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T GET UP RIGHT NOW!"

"One", Cori said.

"Come on guys", Tugger prayed in a lower and more begging voice. "Can't we talk about this?"

"Two", Ad said.

"Okay guys har di har har really funny now put me down! PLEASE"

"Since you asked so nicely", Plato said. When they put him down Tugger looked relieved but then they pushed him towards the edge and he waved with his arms to keep from falling. But he did, he fell forward. But Alonzo was faster he grabbed Tugger's collar can the main coon gagged but hung forward, but secure.

"Thank you Alonzo", he said. The patch tom's face was blank.

"Whatever", Alonzo said.

"Can you pull me up?"

"I didn't hear you say please."

"Please!"

"Please what?"

"Please do it?"

"What I asked for?"

"Which is?"

"You know!"

"I do?"

"Let go-" He was going to say 'let go of the dumb act' but didn't get so far. Because when Tugger said let go Alonzo let go of his collar and the other tom fell into the mud. The other toms roared with laughter but Alonzo's face was still blank. He sat down again but Asp looked at him and Alonzo looked back. Asp was met with a small smile and then Alonzo curled into a ball so he'd be able to sleep. Asp heard a spluttering noise and turned to where Tugger was trying to get up on the pile again. He was struggling to get over the edge and Asp hurried forward and dragged him up.

"I'll kill you", Tugger told him.

"Me what did I do?"

"Hadn't you become a stray the alley cat over there wouldn't have brought you to the northern parts and Munk wouldn't argue with him and he wouldn't be this moody!" Asp growled darkly.

"Are you blaming me for this?"

"Who else?"

Asp flew at Tugger and started to clobber him. The others were too shocked to act at first but then Cori and Ad jumped forward and pulled Asp off.

"Take that back!" Asp yelled at Tugger who got up and fled. "Get back here you coward!"

"Asp calm down", Admetus said.

"I'm not going to fucking calm down! I'm going to kill that fucking dick head! I'm gonna kill him! Bloody hell his gonna be dead as a fucking door nail!"

"ASPARAGUS JUNIOR!" Jelly shrieked and all anger Asp felt disappeared and was replaced with fear.

"Uh oh", he said and looked down and saw his mother. "Uhm hello mother a fine day no?"

"What was that you just said?"

"Uhm a fine day?"

She glared at him.

"Get down here now", she ordered.

Asp looked up at Admetus. "Help."

Admetus smirked. "No."

"Ad!"

"Using that language there just one thing to say."

"And that is?"

"You had it coming."

TBC