Brothers: Rum Tum Tugger & Munkustrap

Munkustrap point of view.

I sat atop the broken down car that overlooked the Junkyard, keeping watch on its inhabitants. Grizabella had head off to the Heaviside layer, and the kittens were heading to their homes, at least the one's that had homes. Quite a night, I thought to myself. It was then that I remembered how exhausted I was. The Jellical Ball was tiring under normal circumstances let alone when a kidnapping's involved. I heard a rustle behind me, and turned to find my brother slump down next to me. He had that look in his eye that said something was wrong. It took me a long time to figure out when something was bothering him.

"Hey Rum," I greeted casually. "How you doing?"

He merely shrugged in response, I big red light that something was wrong. It wasn't often that he didn't have a response to something. I turned to face him better.

"You okay, Rum? I mean, we just had the Jellical Ball, we got to see Dad again, and the kittens were fawning on you all night. You should be happy, right?"

The corner of his mouth turned in a small smile and muttered "good point, little brother." That, in turn, made me smile. Not many cats knew that Rum was actually the older brother. Common mistake, he didn't come to the Junkyard until I was young kitten, not to mention with me being the 'protector' everyone always assumed I was older. Of course, Rum doesn't mind. He prefers having no responsibilities. But that still didn't answer the question of: what is bothering my big brother?

"Seriously, Rum what's wrong?"

"Should've known you would pester me," he joked. But the smirk soon disappeared from his face as he stared intently at an old bicycle on the other side of the yard. "It's just… she left again." He spoke so softly I wasn't sure if I'd heard him and then it took me a minute to understand what he meant. Grizabella.

"It's different this time, Rum. She was chosen."

"I know and she deserved it, I just…. I don't know I just feel like that little abandoned kitten again."

Another little known fact was that Grizabella was actually Rum's mother. Back then she was the Glamour Cat and many toms fell under her spell, including Old Deuteronomy. It was after the death of his first wife and he was feeling a little down. And who better to make him feel better than a carefree glamorous queen like Grizabella? Well not too long after that Rum Tum Tugger was born. But poor Grizabella wasn't ready for motherhood, and when she left to find greener pastures beyond the Junkyard, Rum was left to fend for himself. He was alone for the first few years of his life before father found him and brought him home. I was just a newborn, but I remember when my new big brother entered my life. I had just opened my eyes, and Rum was there to show me the ropes. Of course it wasn't long till he went off on his own. Rum always liked to be alone. Come to think of it, I never knew what happened those first few years when he was left to himself. Dad probably knows.

I was brought out of my reverie by the sound of a loud yawn. I looked over to see Rum up stretching trying to look as nonchalant as possible.

"I think I'm gonna head to Bom's" he said casually. Ah, I thought, Bombalurina. Or as Rum called her Bombshell and in a way she was. She was where Rum would always go to when he was upset. He may brush her off, and fool around with the other kittens and queens but in reality, Bombalurina was the Queen he'd been in a relationship with the longest. Somehow they would always run back to each other. A lot like Rum in every relationship he has. Of course, he's usually the one leaving.

"Okay," I said, "But Dad's leaving tomorrow. Be back in time to see him, yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah." He said brushing me off. "See you later, bro" He called over his shoulder as he leapt across the Junkyard to see his 'Bombshell'. And I couldn't help but watch, wondering if I'll ever fully understand my big brother.

Well, that's the first chapter. Let me know if you like it! And as always review's make me smile with happy! Next relationship is the friendship between Bombalurina and Demeter.