"I can't believe you two. Picking on a helpless kitten like that. You make me ashamed to call you my sons. Why can't you be like Munkustrap? He is younger than you both but he does far more to help this tribe than you. You are both confined to the den." He raised his paw to silence Tugger's protests. "And that includes the Jellicle ball. Now go!"

Tugger and Macavity slunk past their father, they knew from past experience it wasn't worth arguing or even attempting to tell their side of the story. Demeter was automatically believed, since she was the youngest. Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks stood with their daughter next to Old Deuteronomy. As the toms walked away Demeter smiled from her parents arms, then immediately burst into tears as Tugger glared at her.

"Tugger! You can't blame others for your own faults," Old Deuteronomy had seen the glare and, as they walked away, Bombalurina ran up.

"What happened?" She asked, worried about her two friends. They shrugged; they were used to getting into trouble or at least getting the blame for trouble.

"Dad confined us to the den," Macavity sighed, obviously more bothered about the scolding he had just had then the punishment. Tugger merely looked back towards Demeter, not meeting Bomba's eye. Bomba gasped.

"He will let you out for the Jellicle ball won't he?" She asked, her voice shaking. It was her turn to do the mating dance at the Ball and she knew she wanted Tugger there to dance with her.

"I'm not sure," Tugger smiled half-heartedly at his ex-mate-to-be. "Don't worry babes! You're a pretty queen and there are plenty of toms your age. Alonzo, Coricopat, Admetus and…" he trailed off seeing Bomba's expression.

"I don't want them! I want you!" she ran off, wiping away the tears that had begun to fall.

"Bomba!" Tugger was about to run after her but Macavity grabbed his arm, stopping him

"Let her go."

Macavity watched in despair as his usually cocky and arrogant brother broke down in tears. All of a sudden Tugger shot to his feet and turned to his brother. Staring after the queen he loved, he took his brother by the shoulders.

"It's a month to the Jellicle ball. If we're really good Dad might let us out before then."

"I don't think…" but Tugger cut in before he could continue.

"Please Mac! I have to be the tom Bomba dances with. I don't think I could bear it if she danced with someone like Alonzo!"

Macavity shook his head; he didn't think anything would change his fathers mind.

"Right, if you're not going to help me, I'll try to persuade him myself!"

Macavity followed Tugger into the den. As he began to help, Tugger ignored him so Macavity curled up in a corner as from him as possible.

He still couldn't get over how quickly Demeter had turned on him. He would have to find a way to make it up to her when his father let them out.

Demeter was sulking in her den. It wasn't fair! She hadn't asked for much and she really liked salmon paste. Anyway, it had been a dare and, according to the rules, Macavity had to do it.

She would make Macavity do something to make it up to her somehow. She knew she had him wrapped around her little finger and if she worked this to her advantage, who knew what she could do.

Settling herself down to sleep, she concluded that today had been a good days work. She wasn't happy about Tugger though, she would have to sort him out. At least she had managed to get him into trouble too. Her only worry was what would happen once Old Deuteronomy lifted his punishment. Tugger was really going to get back at her, especially since he was quite likely not going to be able to do the mating dance with Bomba.

As she was thinking about her, Bomba entered the den. She had been crying and Demeter began to feel slightly guilty about what she had done.

"I'm sorry Bomba, but they deserved it…" Demeter began but stopped swiftly when Bomba turned to face her. Bomba's face was so full of emotion it was hard to tell what she was feeling.

The emotions surging through Bombalurina's body were all mixed up. She felt pain, betrayal, sadness, anger, pity and detest all at the same time and she didn't know which of these emotions she could show. Eventually anger won through.

"No, they did not deserve it Dem. You just think they deserve it because you are too selfish to ever think of anything but yourself! Macavity did nothing and as for Tugger." Bomba stopped, tears rolling down her face. "He didn't do anything, yet you've got him in so much trouble, his father won't let him go to the Jellicle Ball. Do you know what that means?"

Demeter stared up at her best friend, shocked and scared. No-one had ever spoken to her like this before and it hurt. Bomba didn't wait for an answer before continuing.

"It means that I won't be able to dance with Tugger, the only tom I want! How would you feel if it was your turn to dance and Macavity was the one you were dancing with? You would be left with someone like…. like…. Munkustrap! But I'm sure you wouldn't care, as long as you got what your pretty little self wanted. Well guess what! You're not the only queen in this junkyard and I promise that one day you will be shown for what you truly are and until then, I promise that no tom will ever look your way again!"

With that, Bomba stormed out of the den, leaving a frightened Demeter.

What did she mean, "No tom will ever look your way again?"