There was a shriek and two giggling Queen kittens made their escape, having surprise tickled one of their elders successfully.
"Who started this tickling game with the kits?" asked a cross Jellylorum, the older yellow calico cat with more than enough on her mind. She was hoping her father Gus would ascend at the upcoming Jellicle Ball and she was worried about his health.
"Pouncival!" Alonzo, her nephew, summoned the most likely guilty party with a loud yell.
Caught in mid leap Pouncival gulped, being in trouble with Alonzo was worse than being in trouble with Munkustrap. The silver tabby had more of a sense of humour than his black and white second in command.
"Wasn't me!" the cheeky kit squeaked. "It was Mistoffelees!"
"You don't even know what I was going to say," Alonzo accused, his dark eyes narrowing.
"It wasn't me either!" Mister Mistoffelees declared, popping up besides Pouncival.
"Still don't know what I am talking about, do you?" Alonzo demanded, tilting his head.
"Was it about the mice costumes, because Misto said…," Mistoffelees elbowed his friend in the ribs, but it was too late.
"So that was you!" cried Jennyanydots, appearing from nowhere and grabbing them both by an ear. The kits howled as they were dragged away to remove the silly faces they had drawn on the mice masks for her song and dance routine.
The nephew and aunt watched the kits being hauled off and grinned at each other. Those mice costumes were Jennyanydots pride and joy, it had taken her ages to bully the other cats into finding the bits to make them.
And she had crafted them with loving care. To hear her speak the kittens' vandalism was on par with defacing a Rembrandt.
"If anyone could make mice and cockroaches do her bidding, it would have been that cat," smiled Jellylorum, her fingers going to the yarn collar her Gumbie friend had made for her.
"Yeah, and … oh, I think I see our tickling culprit," Alonzo told his aunt, as the sound of giggling grew near and Skimbleshanks appeared, tickling his daughter Jemima as he held her suspended upside down in his arms.
"Skimble!" Jellylorum scolded the ginger Tom. "Put her down before she falls down!"
"Anythin' for yir m' dear!" Skimbleshanks grinned, tumbling his daughter to the ground. The little red kitten laughed even harder, before scampering away to join her friends, who were trying out some dance steps.
"Is everything goin' well for the Ball?" the railway cat asked, watching the girl kittens practice more dance moves as they moved around the junkyard.
"Gus isn't sure about going yet," Jellylorums confided. "But I'm worried that if he waits too much longer, well, he is getting on."
"Not all cats need tae go tae the Heaviside Layer, Jelly," Skimbleshanks reminded her with a gentle touch to her shoulder.
"He's my father, I don't want him to…," Jellylorum broke off and began industriously cleaning the fur on her flank. The two Toms looked at each other in discomfort, knowing she wanted them to ignore this display of unhappiness.
"So, uh, how is the security goin'?" Skimble asked to distract them both.
"Plato saw some large rats skulking about, but they had gone by the time the rest of us got there." Alonzo's lip curled with disgust. "They were sewer rats, you could still smell their stench."
"What are sewer rats doin' here?" Skimbleshanks asked in alarm, glancing around at the peaceful junkyard as if expecting rats to jump out at them. "The river is down, there has nae been any rain."
"I know, it's a puzzle. It's why Munkustrap is so happy Mistoffelees is providing some light this year."
"Aye, so Mistoffelees can produce light now?" This was news to the ginger Tom and he perked his ears in interest.
"He can make old lights go again, so we won't have to rely completely on that, er, battery? I can never get the terms right with human – and then I said, 'sure, I'll chase those rats down, be my pleasure'!" Alonzo suddenly took a heroic stance, just as Cassandra came into view.
The short furred Queen gave him a mysterious smile before slinking off in the direction of the fields to hunt. Her tail gave a 'come follow' flick and Alonzo quickly gave his excuses and left, almost, but not quite, in the same direction.
"Oh tae be young and in lust," smirked Skimbleshanks, watching them go.
"Will you and Jennyanydots be trying for more kits?" Done with her grooming Jellylorum turned to her friend and gave him an assessing stare.
"Well, that is, I … I dinnae ken if…," The railway cat stumbled to a halt, patting at his side for his pocket watch, which he took out and fumbled with distractedly.
"What happened wasn't your fault, Skimble." It was Jellylorums' turn to lay a comforting paw on the Toms shoulder. "Nobody could have predicted it. Demeter certainly doesn't hold it against you, and you and she made a lovely kitten."
They both turned to watch as Jemima gave a screech and jumped on Exotica's tail. The other kit fell over and laughed, waving her paws in the air in surrender.
"I just canae feel right about it. I was supposed tae be protectin' her, escortin' her home after her ordeal with Macavity, and then …," Skimbleshanks trailed off, the memory of his failure still bright in his mind, even after all these months.
"Nobody was to know she would have her first heat then," Jellylorum gave him a quick hug and then stepped back so she could look him in the eye. "She called and you had to go. There is no reason for that to stop you having more kittens with the Queen you do love. And Jennyanydots is a determined Queen. I'm sure you'll work it out."
She touched her nose to his shoulder, then gave a herself a vigorous stretch. "Now, I have to go help Admetus with his costume, he's having a bit of trouble with it, the poor dear." And she bustled away to find the sewing challenged performer.
"Poor dear mae furry butt," Skimbleshanks muttered. "That Tom is milkin' his role as Rumpus Cat f' all he's worth." With a chuckle the ginger Tom moved off, stopping to give Exotica a tickle, and receiving a surprise one from Jemima in return. He was looking forwards to the Ball.