"So… how come you never play with us?" Bombalurina asked softly, startling Cassandra from where she was napping in the sun.
The Abyssinian glared at the red queen, keeping her mouth shut.
"You're pretty boring, you know that – right?" Bombalurina commented, stretching out above her and rolling onto her back happily.
"What do you know?" Cassandra finally said, "You're just a kit."
"A kit? Not for long. But at least I'm a fun kit," Bombalurina amended, "But really…Munkustrap said that maybe you were just adjusting to our new life. But it's been months. Are you not adjusted yet?"
"I'm a lot older than you, Bomba…"
"Being old doesn't mean you can't have fun…" she whined.
"I have fun in other ways…"
"Really?" Bombalurina turned her head, rolling back onto her stomach, "How…?"
Cassandra wrinkled her nose, "Not in ways you want to know about…"
Bombalurina frowned slightly, thinking for a moment, before her eyes widened, "Gross!"
Cassandra laughed, half amused and mortified that she'd put the idea into Bombalurnia's head.
"Wait, you and… Alonzo?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Cassandra hesitated before nodding, wondering exactly how far this conversation would go, starting to get nervous.
Bombalurina contemplated, frowning slightly, "Did you guys talk much before now?"
Cassandra laughed softly, "You think I'm a floozy? Of course we did. When Alonzo wasn't at Munk's side, he was with me…"
"Mmmhm…" Bombalurina smiled knowingly, a teasing grin on her face, "So… not often, then?"
Cassandra hissed, but it wasn't malicious, and tiny smile on her face.
"Do you think you guys will have kittens someday?" Bombalurina asked, almost wistfully.
Cassandra noted the tone, tucking that away for later, and let out a long breath. "Bomba…I'll tell you a secret if you promise not to tell anyone else,"
Bombalurina's eyes gleamed and she grinned widely, nodding and stepping closer to the queen, "What is it?"
"Promise not to tell?" Cassandra confirmed with her, and the red queen nodded eagerly.
"I will have kittens, Bombalurina... I believe I'm pregnant," she whispered, and Bombalurina shrieked.
"What?!" she exclaimed, and Cassandra almost pounced on her to keep her quiet, "Ew, yuck!" she laughed, "That means you're old…" she giggled, dropping her voice to a whisper "And you're going to have kittens and be a mother."
Cassandra failed to see the downside of this, raising an eyebrow at the kitten, who was all but rolling around laughing.
Suddenly she sat bolt upright, gazing at Cassandra, "Alonzo is going to be a dad?"
"Shhh…" Cassandra eased, "He doesn't know yet. Nobody knows yet… I don't really know. I just… think I do. There's something… different, about me…"
Bombalurina screwed up her face, "Sounds silly…" she murmured, "Maybe it was a bad mouse?"
Cassandra shook her head, sighing quietly, "Maybe you'll understand some day…"
Bombalurina shrugged, flopping down next to her again, "Aren't you a little young for kittens? Despite what you said earlier… you're not that much older than me…"
"Almost four seasons…" Cassandra said indignantly, "Besides… when you're ready, you'll know."
"Do I have to have kittens in four seasons?" Bombalurina asked, and the queen laughed, shaking her head.
"No, not at all. You don't ever have to have kits if you don't want to…"
Bombalurina nodded thoughtfully, satisfied with that answer, before another popped into her head, "Now that you're pregnant, you're not ever going to play with us, are you?"
Cassandra chuckled softly, "Nope…"
Bombalurina huffed softly, "When are you going to find out from Jenny?"
Cassandra wrinkled her nose, "I don't know. I doubt anyone would really approve…"
"I think another new kitten would be fun…" Bombalurina shrugged, "Besides, by the time your kit is born, Tumblebrutus will be old enough to wrestle…"
"You'll be older too…" Cassandra reminded her, but Bombalurina shook her head.
"Bomba!" Alonzo called, ducking as Plato flew over his head.
The kitten perked, grinning wide, "Bye Cassandra."
Cassandra watched with a small smile as Bombalurina joined the tussling, sighing quietly.
"Do you think Cassandra is okay?" Jenny asked softly, watching as the queen didn't seem to be involved in all the playing.
"You forget, she was the same back in the warehouse…" Asparagus was upside-down beside her, moon-bathing.
"And you have to admit, she's smiling more now than she was back then…" Jellylorum pointed out.
"I might check in with her anyway…" Jenny murmured, mostly to herself, before glancing at Munkustrap.
The kitten was watching over his tribe, pretending to play, but mostly Jenny saw that he was keeping an eye on them.
"Munkustrap…" she called, and the kitten's ears perked, head turning their way.
Within a few leaps he was on their level, smiling warmly, "Good evening,"
"We have a favour to ask you…"
He cocked his head, sitting back on his haunches. He threw a glance behind him, a practiced headcount in seconds, before settling with the older cats.
"How can I help?"
The adults exchanged pleased smiles, before Jelly spoke.
"The Jellicle Ball is fast approaching… and we were wondering if you wanted to help organise it?"
Munkustrap's ears perked, his eyes alight, "Oh! Yes, that would be…" he cleared his throat, "It would be an honour…"
Asparagus rolled his eyes at the formal tone, "I swear to the Everlasting Cat that if you don't start behaving more like a kitten, we're going to banish you from any and all responsibility…"
Munkustrap froze, and his gaze saddened as he stared at the adults, unsure what to say. His mouth twitched slightly and his ears drooped as he tried to fight the emotion bubbling behind his lips, until he could only bow his head.
Jenny nicked Asparagus with one claw, a gentle reprimand, and tilted her head, "It's okay, Munk…"
Munkustrap almost bit his lip so hard it bled, trying not to cry. He had thought he was doing the right thing, and yet nobody appreciated how hard he was trying. He wanted them to look up to him – to think of him as their great leader… but he was still just a dumb kit to them. As if he was still playing pretend.
Munkustrap bit harder as he remembered Growltiger and Genghis with Alonzo, wincing slightly. He was still playing pretend.
"Munk?"
"It'll start with the Pekes and the Pollicles," he whispered, not wanting to look at them. Finally he lifted his head and met their gaze, face serious, "And then…I want to sing for you, Jenny…" he breathed, "And you, Jelly…" he murmured, "I'll make it up… and this year, maybe we can play games… and you can tell stories?"
The adults were silent, concerned for the kitten and his change in attitude. His earnest face made them nod slowly, and he nodded back.
"It'll be small this year… but that's okay…" he breathed, gaze shifting as he started to think.
"Munk…" Jellylorum said quietly, "We can help you…"
"No," Munkustrap murmured, "No…I'll be fine. I…" he let out a sigh, rising to his full height, "I… I need to think."
"Munk!" Jenny exclaimed, getting up, "Munkustrap…you're not alone in this, sweetie. I know you think you are, but you're not."
He fixed her with an indulgent look, but his eyes were almost glazed. He was clearly elsewhere already.
"I know…" he said quietly, none of the adults believing him, "But I can do this on my own…"
Before they could protest, he turned on them and faced the kittens, arms outstretched to address them all.
"Everyone!" he called, waiting until all eyes were on him before speaking.
Bombalurina ended up with her legs over her head, but she still listened, cocking her head.
"The Jellicle Ball is coming! And on the night of the Jellicle Ball, we will all rejoice, for Old Deuteronomy will grace us with his presence once more!"
The kittens mewled excitedly, and Munkustrap smiled, pleased that they were all paying attention.
"In preparation for the Ball, we need to make sure the junkyard is secure. It's time to make a clearing, and to sort out dens for our returning Jellicles who may want to rest before heading back home. We need to be sure none of the piles will collapse while we tell our stories, dance and sing our songs…"
Alonzo was nodding, and Munkustrap smiled, "Alonzo… I want you to be in charge of the dens with Tugger. Bombalurina, can you organise the junkpiles with Plato?"
His gaze switched to Cassandra, "Cassandra… would you be able to help me hunt?"
"No!" Bombalurina cried, and everyone in the junkyard turned to face her, confused, "Um, I want to hunt. Cassandra can do the junkpiles…if that's okay with her...?"
Cassandra knew that her pregnancy didn't limit her, but she was grateful to the young kitten, who seemed to know a lot more than she let on.
"That's… reasonable…" the Abyssinian queen shrugged, trying not to look too pleased about it.
Munkustrap frowned, before shrugging, "However it happens…" he smiled, before gesturing to Bombalurina.
"Come on,"