Macavity watched the silent queen for a while before speaking again.

'Listen. I know you're not sleeping so maybe you could talk to me?'

'And why would I talk to you?' She didn't even turn to look at him.

'Because I want to know why Demeter has thrown you out.' At this the black and scarlet queen sat up.

'How do you know about that?'

Macavity allowed himself a lopsided grin. He'd hit the nail on the head.

'I know your mother better than you think.'

'Really?' Jemima crept slowly closer to Macavity, her eyes wide with anticipation.

'Erm… yeah.' Macavity was starting to get uncomfortable about how close the young queen was getting to him. Pushing her back gently he smiled. 'So then Jem, why did your mother throw you out?'

Jemima sat back on her heels obviously not impressed that this handsome tom was ignoring her.

'I was getting to close to Tugger she said. She told me I needed to spend some time away from him.'

Macavity watched the pretty queen closely, seeing the doubt flash across her eyes.

'But you don't think that's the reason do you?'

Jemima looked down, shaking her head and fiddling with her paws. She remained silent so, gently Macavity lifted up her chin so her face was level with his. He looked deep into her eyes smiling at the shock that flickered across them. She was really going to have to learn to control her emotions. With those eyes, she could hide nothing.

'So what do you think the reason is?'

Jemima just stared, tongue tied, straight back at him.

'I… err… I'

Macavity's grin widened as he leant back.

'Cat got your tongue?'

Jemima ripped her gaze away from his.

'Something like that.'

'Get some sleep kit.' Macavity lay down quietly, watching the dazed queen curl up with a bemused expression. It was silent for a while before Jemima spoke.

'I'm not a kitten.'

Macavity just chuckled and closed his eyes.

Macavity drearily opened his eyes, let them close again and then opened them wide.

'Well,' he said quietly to himself. 'That wasn't what I expected to wake up to.'

Curled up in his arms, contentedly purring to herself, was Jemima. Macavity smirked. She wouldn't get him that easily.

'GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MOOOOORNING!' He exclaimed, sitting up and stretching so that Jemima slipped from his arms and woke up with a start.

'Sleep well?' He asked, winking sheepishly.

Jemima scowled.

'Stupid Ginger.'

'Silly Kitten.' Macavity retorted. He was enjoying this.

'I'm not a kitten.'

'Well you're a bit young to have been made a queen already.' Macavity raised his eyebrows suggestively. Jemima just looked down blushing.

'You know, if your mum wants to use you in her schemes, she's gonna have to teach you to control your emotions.' He stroked her cheek gently and, leaning in, he brushed his lips softly against hers. Jemima stared at him, awestruck.

'Get home kit.' He said, winking as he left her. Jemima just stared after him, desperately trying to get her breath back.

'Jemima! You're back! Thank the everlasting cat!' Jemima could only scowl at her mother's fake happiness.

'As if you care' She muttered quietly but Demeter heard and frowned at her daughter.

'Did you do what I asked?'

'He wasn't there. Looks like you were wrong about Pounce. Anyway, shouldn't we be getting to his hearing?'

Demeter just watched as her daughter marched away. Well this was something she hadn't expected. Macavity falling for her daughter – maybe. But her daughter falling for Macavity? No. Maybe she really was telling the truth.

Tugger stepped forward, preparing to face the crowd of cats expectantly watching his every move.

"As you have heard," he said. "We have a potential new member. He's only young, I don't think he's much older than Etcetera. His name is Pouncival."

Etcetera at this point had a silly grin on her face from hearing her idol say her name in a way that wasn't him yelling at her to leave him alone.

"He was a house cat but his owners locked him out and he wandered off and got lost. He has nowhere else to go and if we leave him on the streets I don't think he will survive."

Tugger waited for the inevitable flood of questions.

"How do we know he's not working for Macavity?"

Cassandra had said that. The graceful Burmese cat stood at the back of the Jellicles, close to where Alonzo and Bombalurina lay, watching him.

"Because he's Etcetera's age and I don't think even Macavity would use agents that young."

Cassandra sat down again though her expression remained worried.

"Who will be looking after him?"

It was hard to tell who had asked that particular questions: Tantomile or Coricopat. They didn't speak at public gatherings much. Jennyanydots was just getting up to speak when Tugger spoke.

"I will."

The assembled Jellicles looked at him in shock and even Jennyanydots was speechless for a moment though only a moment.

"You will!"

Tugger merely nodded, he wanted to get this over with so he could go back to Pouncival.

"You will! What can you teach him?"

"I'll teach him the ways of the Jellicles." He replied.

"What do you know about that?" Jennyanydots was angry now.

"I'm Old Deuteronomy's son I hope I know quite a bit."

Jennyanydots wasn't the only angry one now; Munkustrap could sense where it was going and quickly intervened.

"All those in favour of allowing Pouncival to become a member of the tribe raise your right paw."

Munkustrap counted the votes quickly before Tugger could count half of them.

"And all those in favour of allowing Tugger to look after Pouncival?"

Again Tugger didn't have time to count the votes before Munkustrap but he could see that less had voted for him than before. All the kittens had voted but with the possible exception of Jemima he doubted that they actually knew what they were voting for.

"The matter is settled then. Pouncival may stay with the tribe and The Rum Tum Tugger will care for him until he comes of age."

The tribe began to drift back to whatever they had been doing before the interruption but Bombalurina stalked over to his den to glare at him until he came over. He knew it was payback time for not telling her earlier what was going on.

"Are you sure you can look after a kitten?"

Munkustrap was stood on the steps behind him. Tugger turned round to face him.

"I have to."

Munkustrap frowned.

"Jenny or Jelly would be more than…"

"Pouncival won't let Jenny or Jelly near him."

Tugger replied, Munkustrap nodded.

"Demeter and I could look after him, if you want? You don't exactly have the most conducive lifestyle for looking after kittens."

Tugger sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I'll be fine. I kinda like the little guy."

Munkustrap shrugged.

"I still think you should let me and Deme look after him. It would be more sensible."

"Honestly Munkus I'm fine."

"Listen to what your older brother tells you,"

Munkustrap joked.

"Only my adopted brother."

"Still counts."

"Ah but I am the curious cat remember. I like to be awkward."

Munkustrap laughed.

"Can't say fairer than that. Anyway Bombalurina looks unhappy with you. How is she these days?"

Tugger shrugged and Munkustrap winced slightly.

"Still with Alonzo?"

"You know the rules, she is until the next Jellicle ball."

Munkustrap sighed.

"Anyway I'm gonna go talk to her."

Tugger moved away quickly and heard his brother retreating into the outskirts of the Junk yard to continue his patrols. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lonz n Cass slip off together. He looked back towards Bombalurina and smiled with a cheeriness he didn't feel at the red queen. She smiled reluctantly back at him as he arrived.

"Hey."

He tipped her chin up so he could see her face better.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head and pulled away from him.

"Nothing, I, I don't want to talk about it."

Tugger sighed, he seemed to be doing that a lot recently, he would respect Bombalurina's wishes and not press her further.

"Do you want to meet Pouncival?"

She glared at him.

"You are going to explain everything you know or that over combed mane of yours is going to be mysteriously shaved off."

Tugger pouted.

"You always used to like my mane!"

"Pouting like that makes you look like an idiot."

Bombalurina turned away and ducked into the den where Pouncival was now awake. Tugger followed her into the den and Pouncival immediately ran to his side.

"You have a good sleep?"

Pouncival nodded, staring wide-eyed at Bombalurina as she smiled at him then looked up at Tugger.

"Can I stay?" He asked.

Tugger nodded.

"Pouncival, this is Bombalurina, she's a friend of mine."

Bombalurina crouched down to his level and smiled wider at him.

"Hey," she murmured, stretching out one paw to him.

Pouncival slowly slid forward to nuzzle her paw. Bombalurina smiled and stood up.

"You definitely okay with looking after him?"

Tugger rolled his eyes and pointed at her.

"Don't even start with that."

"Munkustrap get you with it?"

Tugger nodded and Bombalurina laughed.

"Pounce do you want to go and meet the other kittens now?"

Bombalurina leaned down to ask him smiling sweetly. Tugger raised one eyebrow trying to work out what Bomba was doing. Pounce nodded eagerly and Bomba held her paw for him to take, The trio left the den together with Pounce in between the two adults swinging from their paws. The kittens were still playing in the corner but the moment they saw Tugger and Bomba they came racing over, the tom kits, Plato, Tumblebrutus, Admetus and Quaxo surrounded Bombalurina while Etcetera, Electra and Victoria mobbed Tugger. Bomba and Tugger, realising they could happily leave him with the other kittens, wandered back to Tugger's den.

"So spill,"

Bombalurina grinned at him as she tossed herself on the unmade bed and patted the space next to her. Tugger sprawled next to her.

"Macavity came to visit."

"Really? Never would have guessed."

Bombalurina's voice was just dripping in sarcasm.

"And he told me about Pouncival and asked me to take care of him. So I agreed. He didn't want Demeter finding out about him."

Bombalurina nodded then stood up and walked out.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"So do I, love, so do I"

Tugger murmured as she walked out.