It had taken weeks for the Jellicles to finally feel safe.
Weeks of staying in dens, of hunting only when necessary. Weeks of headcounts and panicky calls for those who were missing. Weeks of mourning and grief, and freezing at any unfamiliar scent that wafted into the junkyard.
But slowly – slowly - the Jellicles started to relax. To renew.
Skimbleshanks left them after the first few days – eager to get back to the Night Mail to grieve by himself. He'd wished Jenny and Asparagus the best of luck, and offered his help to Old Deuteronomy if he needed to call on him again, before slowly heading home, to learn the way from the Junkyard to the nearest station.
The first day he had been gone, Munkustrap couldn't sleep. He stayed at the entrance to the kitten's den, barely blinking, to wait for their end. By mid-morning, he was stretched out on an old beam, tail lazily flicking back and forth. None of the other Jellicles stirred, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something would happen.
It was only as the sun started to set that he slowly padded back to the den, collapsing in a heap around Tugger. Nothing had come.
They were safe.
Of course, Munkustrap still tensed whenever he smelt anything unfamiliar. He would stop mid-conversation, or mid-tumble to listen, ears twitching. But there were no threats, and soon he even learnt to relax.
"Tugger, don-no, stop! Tugger, get down!" the silver and grey tabby screeched, leaping after the kitten who had barely grown into his own paws.
The Maine Coon leapt with paws outstretched, crying out as he latched onto the edge of an old tyre, scrambling until he was over the top. Munkustrap cleared the jump easily, landing in front of the maned kitten with a glare.
"You are going to get yourself killed," he reprimanded, "What did Jelly say about climbing the junk piles? We can't be risky until we know whether they've been properly stacked. You could fall through!"
Tugger raised an eyebrow, laughing, "You worry too much," he grinned, "I'm the Jelli-Coolest cat there is! Nothing can hurt me!" he sniggered, darting between Munkustrap's legs and sliding through a pipe.
With a frustrated grunt, Munkustrap leapt after him, "That is not a word,"
Tugger cackled, his tiny body weaving through the piles of junk. Munkustrap was faster, but the kitten was still small enough to evade him. The tabby ghosted him until he reached the end of a large pile, watching the kitten leap. His eyes widened as he could see it precariously swaying, even in the gentle breeze. In a flash, Munkustrap jumped, grabbing the kitten and shielding him as they crashed into the stack.
Metal clanged and tore as the tall tower of junk collapsed in on it. It sounded horrific – scraping and churning as it all fell. Alonzo's cries were drowned out by the metal on metal, but neither him nor Bombalurina felt game enough to try and go forward. Their hearts raced as the dust started to settle, eyes wide and watching for any sign of life.
"What is going on out here?" a disgruntled Jenny hissed, her eyes wide with alarm. It was rare to see the queen out of her den. Despite Tumblebrutus' eyes opening and his starting to walk, she never let him out of sight.
Her eyes focussed on the disaster, and then flicked around the junkyard, silently doing a headcount.
"Munk and Tugger!" Alonzo pre-empted her, "Tugger was being a rascal and Munk was only trying to stop him!"
Jenny let out a quiet mewl, mouth falling open, "Kittens… stay back," she called, tentatively stepping forward. She leapt onto one of the sturdier looking trunks, and it buckled beneath her. Quick reflexes allowed her to skit away, finding stable ground.
"Munk!" she called, taking another leap onto another pile – this one holding her weight, "Tugger?"
Bombalurina's eyes flooded with tears, burying her face into Alonzo's shoulder. How could the two cats have survived a fall like that? With the falling metal – jagged edges and the heavy wood. It seemed hopeless. They couldn't lose two more. They just couldn't.
Asparagus appeared in the clearing moments later, eyes wide as they took in the scene, "Who's in there?" he asked, glancing at Cassandra. The Abyssinian had also emerged from the den as a result of the huge crash.
"Munkustrap and Tugger," she said evenly, concerned eyes glancing for any sign of movement.
Asparagus winced and joined Jenny in trying to find the two boys, leaping gently and carefully.
Jellylorum was the last to leave the den, carrying Tumblebrutus, with Plato behind her. When she saw the two older Jellicles rifting through the mess, she passed the tiny kitten to Bombalurina, Plato moving to stand with her as well. The red kitten stared at the infant – not quite sure what to do or how to hold him, while Jellylorum started to paw through the rubbish.
"Here! Here, they're here!" Jenny cried, using her shoulder to lift a large barrel.
The three adults all moved quickly, moving the barrel and leaving it to the side. Jenny gasped as she saw the blood on his fur, the torn flesh on his back. One or two small shards of metal poked out from his fur, his back hunched over someth- Tugger. Over Tugger's tiny body. The kitten was breathing harshly, half crushed under the weight of his older brother, but he looked unharmed.
"Alonzo, careful now. Come and help me grab Munk," Asparagus called, and the black and white adolescent picked his way carefully, nervous as he lifted Munkustrap up, wrapping one arm around his lower back while Asparagus supported his shoulders.
Together they shuffled until they cleared the junk, while Jellylorum took Tugger and held him close.
"Into my den. Cassandra – some water," Jenny ordered. "And a cloth!"
Asparagus and Alonzo made their way slowly, lowering Munkustrap onto his stomach as the tabby finally came to with a groan.
"Munkustrap, thank the Everlasting Cat…" Jenny breathed, bringing a cup of water to his lips.
Munkustrap drank without speaking, closing his eyes and groaning again.
"I know, sweetheart. Be still and I'll fix your back…" she said, taking the bowl from Cassandra and eyeing Bombalurina as she moved into the den, holding a squirming Tumblebrutus, "Pop him on the floor, love. Just keep an eye on him and away from Munk."
Bombalurina did as she was told, gratefully to be partially relieved from the burden, "Is Munk gonna be okay?" she asked softly.
"Should be, lovey," she nodded, sinking to the floor and dipping the cloth into the water, wishing it were warmer. She dabbed at his wounds, each touch met with a hiss and a flinch, but at least the kitten was awake, "You're so brave, Munk."
"Tugger?" Munkustrap asked weakly, eyes closed, his face pressed into the floor of the den.
"Safe, because of you…" Jellylorum said with a wide smile, stepping into the room with a very sad, sheepish looking Tugger at her heels. "He told me what happened. He was disobeying Jenny's orders, playing amongst the junk piles, and Munkustrap was trying to get him to stop."
"We hit the junkpile with a smash!" Tugger whispered, eyes wide. "I thought we were gonna die. But Munk had his arms around me and it hurt a bit when we landed and he's heavy but I was fine!"
Munkustrap smiled absently when he heard Tugger's voice, letting out a breath of relief.
"Don't sleep just yet," Jenny warned, "Let me check your head,"
Munkustrap gave her a grumble, but allowed her to stroke, touch and massage his headfur, feeling for any lumps or bruises. Satisfied that he wasn't concussed, she tended to his back again, plucking the few small shards of metal that had wedged themselves in his flesh. "Not too deep," she said softly, inspecting the wounds they left and cleaning them gently. "You'll heal well. You'll just need to take it easy for a few days. No leaping or running… and sleep on your belly for a little while, just until they scab…"
Munkustrap let out a depressed little sigh, nodding, "Can I just…can I stay here for a moment?" he asked softly, and Jenny smiled down at him, leaning in to nuzzle the top of his head.
"Of course my dear," she whispered, and Munkustrap relaxed.
The older cats left, Jenny scooping up Tumblebrutus on the way, until only Bombalurina, Cassandra, Alonzo and Tugger were left.
Tugger stepped carefully, moving towards his brother hesitantly, "Munk…?" he asked quietly, "Munk, are you okay?"
Munkustrap grumbled in response, and Tugger let out a little breath, stepping forward and nuzzling him gently.
"I'm sorry, Munk…" he whispered, the most apologetic any of the kittens had ever heard from him, "I didn't mean to knock over-"
"It's okay,"
"But I…"
"Tugger…it's fine. Accidents happen," he breathed, leaning up onto his elbow.
Bombalurina tutted, "Lay back down," she commanded.
Munkustrap didn't really protest, huffing out a sigh and laying back on his stomach.
Tugger mewed quietly, curling up against his brother.
"What happened here?"
Munkustrap went tense at the sound of their father, hissing in pain as his cuts stung.
"Father…" he winced.
Old Deuteronomy had chosen a den far away from the general clearing. There were many reasons for it – he wanted to be far above the trials and tribulations of the junkyard, free to think and experience by himself. But mostly he was removing himself from the picture – letting Munkustrap take over naturally.
But once he had heard the commotion, he made his way over as fast as he could.
Tugger curled closer to Munkustrap, trying to pretend he hadn't heard the call of Old Deuteronomy. Bombalurina and Alonzo subtly slipped away, out of the den. Old Deuteronomy was intimidating at the best of times…but if he was going to get angry, they didn't want to be there for it.
"We were playing…" Munkustrap said slowly, covering for him, "It was an accident."
Old Deuteronomy knew the truth, and he paused, waiting for either of them to slip…but his boys were silent.
"All the more reason to make sure the junkyard is secure…" he said slowly, moving over to inspect Munkustrap's back, "Will you live?"
"Yes," Munkustrap answered in all seriousness, huffing out a breath. It had been ten minutes and he was already fed up with being immobile, "The sooner I heal, the better."
Old Deuteronomy chuckled, "You wouldn't want to miss your Hunting Trials, would you?"
Munkustrap's ears perked up, "Hunting Trials?" he asked, "You'd let me?"
"It's almost time for me to move on," Old Deuteronomy said gruffly, and Munkustrap's ears flattened.
"Oh…" he whispered.
"Move on?" Tugger blinked, and Munkustrap startled, hissing when his cuts stretched. He thought the kitten had been fast asleep, "Where're you goin'?"
Old Deuteronomy smiled, gazing down at the two brothers. They seemed so different, yet so similar.
"I have other matters to attend to outside of the Junkyard. And I now have to notify Old Gus, and Bustopher Jones of our whereabouts."
Munkustrap always loved the fact that his father never treated any of the kittens like infants. He never spoke down to them, as if they would understand every word he said. It was frustrating for the kittens – Munkustrap had hated it when he was growing up – but it was almost good, in a way.
"What matters?" the kitten asked insistently, no doubt confused.
"He has a Human Family…" Munkustrap explained patiently, "Several, in fact. They let him come and go as he pleases…but he knows the tribes around where they live, and visits them too…"
"But he's ours, right?" Tugger asked suspiciously.
"Yeah," Munkustrap nodded around a yawn, "He's our father…our leader..."
Tugger nodded, gazing up at the large tom with a proud little smile. Munkustrap's tail curled around the young kitten, smiling fondly down at him, before he glanced to his father again.
"So…the Hunting Trials?"