Rumpleteazer

Something strange just happened. I don't really know how to explain it. But I later found out what did happen: a kitten named Rumpleteazer was born.

My eyes were still closed but I could sense four other furry bodies around me. Three were small kittens, like me. The other one was huge and I guessed it was my mother. Now, who in the world Rumpleteazer was I couldn't guess.

" That's you dear," my mother's voice purred," Your name is Rumpleteazer."

" Mew," I replied. Oh, that was who Rumpleteazer was. It was me!

" What's this one's name?" another person asked. I assumed this was my father.

" I'll call this one, hmm, Mungojerrie," my mother announced," The ginger will be, I'll come up with a name for the ginger later. And for my calico, I'll call him Loriek."

" Where does she come up with these names?" a different cat whispered to my father.

" I know!" my mother purred," I'll name the ginger Sirius after the star. After all, his father is named after a constellation."

" Your kittens are beautiful Delilah," another cat told my mother," Especially your only daughter."

See? I was about ten minutes old and they already thought I was beautiful. " Mew," I said again.

" Awwww," the person who said I was beautiful drawled out.

It was right then that me and my three brothers began to cry for food. We supped on our mother's milk for a while then I drowsed off to sleep. When I woke up, I heard someone talking, I think it was my father.

" Draco, are you sure about this?" another person asked. I think Draco is my father.

" Of course," my father hissed," I have no need of a daughter. All I want is my two larger sons Sirius and Mungojerrie. Loriek and Rumpleteazer can go."

" And Delilah?"

" As soon as they no longer need her milk, Delilah will go too," Draco replied menacingly, " She's served her purpose. I know the ginger has my power. Mungojerrie is the older of him and Loriek. They will be useful to me."

" Do you want me to kill my wife as soon as our kittens are born? I'm sure one has my power," the person talking to my father replied.

" It's your choice whether or not you want to kill Farina," my father had a shrug in his voice," But remember Wrenner: if any of them resemble a red tiger tabby, take that one. Whether or not it's male or female. That one is the one with the power."

" And any others?"

" For you to decide," Draco said," I hear Delilah coming. You'd better go."

" I await your signal Draco," Wrenner, the one talking to my father, said," Until then."

" Until then," Draco returned.

I heard that cat leave and another voice rang through the room. " Draco, how are the kittens?"

" Just fine Delilah," my father called," Just perfect."

I felt someone pick me up. I assumed it was my mother. " Hello Rumpleteazer! How's my only daughter?"

" Mew," I mewed hoping for some milk.

" She is so sweet," my mother giggled.

I imitated her giggle. It didn't sound too bad. I heard the conversation between my father and the stranger named Wrenner but I was too young to understand it then.

Time passed and soon, my eyes opened. I was a red tiger tabby. My brother Mungojerrie looked almost exactly like me because he was a red tiger tabby too. Sirius was a ginger cat and Loriek was a calico. My mother was a red tiger tabby and my father a ginger. My grandmother was a calico.

Diverse family huh?

" Your eyes are beautiful Rumpleteazer," my mother said," You too Loriek."

" Momma," I said," Who's the black and white mix poppa talks to a lot?"

" That's your uncle Wrenner," my mother told me.

" Momma," Mungojerrie called," When will we stop drinking milk?"

" In a few days I'll start bringing you all mice," my mother assured us.

" Poppa," Loriek glanced at my father," What were you talking about with uncle Wrenner about taking Mungojerrie and Sirius?"

A look of fear got into my father's eyes but it quickly disappeared as he laughed and said," Loriek, why would I do a thing like that?"

" But I heard you," Loriek insisted.

" It was probably a dream," my father assured him.

" Sirius," I whispered to my brother," How come you get to be bigger than us?"

" Because I'm the eldest," Sirius shrugged," Wanna play?"

I giggled the way mother does and jumped on my brother. He threw me off playfully and pinned me down. I batted his face, and his tail, and kicked him off. We rolled around a while mewing and play hissing until we were tired. Mungojerrie and Loriek were playing their own game.

Mother was watching us with delight while my father looked somewhat bored. I didn't really care. I was playing with my siblings and that's all I cared about.

Mungojerrie

I had taken instant liking to Rumpleteazer and Loriek. Sirius was ok too but he plays a little too rough with me. Any ways, he likes Rumpleteazer a whole lot more than me.

About two months passed and it was a very happy one. Then one day, our family was shattered. I had just taken a nap and when I woke up, I couldn't find my mother. Rumpleteazer was awake but my other two siblings were still asleep. " Teazer, where'd momma go?" I asked. I had given her a nickname because she had a long name.

" I have no idea," she shrugged," I woke up just a little while before you did."

" Today she's going to feed us a mouse," I said excitedly," I can't wait to eat it. I love mice."

" I know," Teazer nodded enthusiastically," Should I wake Sirius and Loriek?"

" I guess."

Teazer giggled the way mother does and pounced on Sirius. He woke up with a start and threw her off. Soon the two were engaged in another round of wrestling. Rumpleteazer finally lost and Sirius lay down beside her playing with her tail.

I used the gentle method to wake up Loriek. The gentle method being: jump on him and bite the scruff of his neck until he fought back.

Teazer suddenly jumped into our pile, Sirius not too far behind and soon all four of us were in one big pile hissing, biting, clawing, and laughing as we tumbled all over each other. When we tired ourselves out, I lay down beside Teazer and batted her tail while I could feel Loriek batting my ear. Sirius I could see was kneading Loriek's back. Teazer was playing with Sirius's tail. All in all, we were a pooped out pile of happy loving siblings.

It's a memory that I'll treasure forever.

" Kittens," a voice called.

" Poppa!" we all cried.

Our father appeared in the doorway of our home in an abandoned warehouse. He looked very grave and I could almost make out some red stuff on his paws. I didn't know what is was, but it smelled weird.

" Kittens," his voice was grave," I'm afraid I have to tell you something very bad."

" Is it about momma?" Sirius asked," Is she ok?"

" It's bad news for all of you," our father said guardedly," Kittens, your mother was just killed. A Peke came and mauled her. I found her dead. I got you two mice to eat."

I heard it but I didn't know what it meant. I thought it meant that mother wouldn't be back until later. But I had my mouse and that's all that mattered.

Teazer and I shared a mouse with each other. When only the bones were left, we snuggled next to our siblings to take a nap.

I heard a slight shuffle of paws on the ground and my eyes snapped open. I didn't move lest I alarm the intruder that I knew he or she was there.

" Little Mungojerrie, you're going with me," a voice whispered.

" Poppa?" I demanded jumping up just as my father jumped at me," What are you doing?"

" Mungojerrie, come with me," my father coaxed," Do not wake your sister."

" What are you doing?" I repeated tensing myself just incase my father intended something bad for me.

" I'll be honest with you Mungojerrie," my father shrugged, then he smirked," You and Sirius are going to come with me and together, all three of us could rule over all cats."

" I don't want to do that," I shook my head," I just want to be with my sister and brothers."

" Don't make me force you Mungojerrie," my father hissed," Or you'll meet the same fate as your mother."

" Poppa, what's going on?" Loriek woke up suddenly and went to my father.

" Loriek no!" I cried. He stopped and after a second of thought, ran to me. He was the youngest of us all. " Leave him alone," I hissed. I didn't know why I suddenly got so protective or why on earth I was defying my father when I was only two months and one week old.

" What's going on?" Rumpleteazer cried springing up and clutching to me," Poppa what are you doing?"

" Sirius, wake up," Loriek pleaded.

Sirius opened his eyes and stood in front of me. He was the oldest after all. I was second oldest. I was confused, scared, but more than anything I was mad at my father for waking me up so abruptly.

" Mungojerrie, Sirius, join me and I'll let your siblings go free as strays," my father, no it's not right to call him my father, Draco, said holding out a hand," Refuse, and I'll kill you all."

" Why?" Loriek cried clutching to me.

" It's all about power little Loriek," Draco chuckled," Now come Sirius. You're not going to be as stupid as your brother."

" Do you promise not to hurt them?" Sirius asked.

" My word," Draco smirked.

" Sirius," Rumpleteazer clung to his arm," Don't go. I don't trust him."

" I trust my siblings poppa," Sirius told him. The situation was ridiculous, four kittens not even a year old, were defying a full grown tom.

" Then, you'll all die," Draco rushed at us without warning.

" Run!" Sirius told us," Split up, he can't catch us all."

Rumpleteazer grabbed Loriek and darted away in one direction to hide somewhere amid the junk in the warehouse. I ran to a ladder to go up to the roof and Sirius took off to hide somewhere else in the junk. Draco came at me.

Fast as my kitten legs could carry me, I scampered up the ladder and jumped onto the nearest rafter. Draco was not too far behind. I jumped from rafter to rafter hoping to get to the opening at the other end and call for help.

" Your strong for a kitten Mungojerrie," Draco hissed as he jumped after me," But not stronger than I am."

" Mungojerrie!" I heard Loriek cry.

" Hide Loriek!" I ordered as I reached the opening. I crawled through and emerged outside.

Rumpleteazer

What was my father thinking? What was he doing? I, being third oldest, took responsibility for our youngest. Loriek and I crouched inside a box I had stuffed ourselves in and held our breath. He was trying not to cry as he clutched onto me to so tightly I was afraid my fur would come off. We were a pair of trembling, terrified kittens.

" Oh Rumpleteazer," my father, no, Draco, drawled out," I know where you're hiding. Make it easy for you and your little brother and just come out for poppa."

" Teazer he knows where we are," Loriek whimpered breathlessly.

" No he doesn't," I whispered back," He's just trying to make us come out." He whimpered more and dug his head into my chest. I held him tight also.

" There's nothing you can do for Mungojerrie Sirius," my father added," He's dead."

" No, I'm not," Mungojerrie's voice sounded far away," I'm safe for now."

We heard pawsteps coming closer to where Loriek and I were and he began to tremble more and I could feel his tears making my fur damp.

The cover of our box exploded off and he screamed. Draco towered above us cackling. " I told you I knew where you were," he mocked and grabbed for Loriek. I covered my brother and Draco grabbed the scruff of my neck and pulled me up. Loriek started screaming and crying hysterically.

" Rumpleteazer," he looked into my eyes hoping to intimidate me," Looks like my only daughter is the first to go."

" I'm ashamed to be your daughter," I hissed scratching his face. He screamed and dropped me. I bit his foot and screamed at Loriek," Come on!" He leapt out of the box and I grabbed him. We ran towards the closed door of the warehouse. We collided into the door and tried the handle. It was locked.

" There is no escape from me you insolent kittens," Draco sneered at us as he snaked closer to us.

" Sirius!" Loriek cried.

I was plenty scared, but I didn't scream or cry. I had to be brave for my brother. I shoved him behind me and hissed at Draco. I stretched my claws but it was a feeble attempt. He was a grown tom, I was a female kitten.

Draco laughed at my attempt and said," You know Rumpleteazer, I may have some use for you. You can join me now and I'll let Loriek live."

" Empty truths are whole lies," I hissed. I heard mother say that a lot.

" Fine," Draco shrugged and retracted his claws," Let's see how you do in a cat fight with me Teazer." He came closer to me and I still stood in front of Loriek trying my best to protect him.

" Leave her alone!" a voice erupted.

" Sirius help!" Loriek cried.

" Leave both of them alone Draco," Sirius raged. It's funny how when he got mad he seemed to grow a lot bigger.

" Are you going to stop me Sirius?" Draco leered.

Sirius boldly stepped towards us and hissed," Your fight is with me and Mungojerrie. I am older, fight me."

" Brave little kitten," Draco laughed sinisterly," Brave but a fool." He turned around to face my eldest brother.

Taking advantage of the situation, I pushed Loriek in front of me and the two of us ran away to hide behind Sirius.

Just then, Mungojerrie dropped from the ceiling, he landed on his feet of course, and ran to us. It was futile but brave of him. After a moments thought, I ran between my brothers and the three of us stood in front of Loriek who was clutching to my back fur.

" How sweet," Draco drawled out looking at us. He laughed wickedly and said," What's the best way to kill four kittens? By drowning them!" He twisted his hand a bit and suddenly we were in an glass aquarium with no way out. We pounded the glass a bit but it didn't give way.

Draco cackled again and twitched the other hand. The aquarium suddenly filled the water and we couldn't breathe!

I pounded the glass at the top of the aquarium holding my breath. Mungojerrie pounded the top with me. Sirius was trying to kick it and Loriek was struggling in the water.

I was starting to feel dizzy. I opened my mouth and water rushed in. I gave a cry which only let out more air. Slowly, I drifted to the bottom and it was all starting to grow dark. I tried to keep my eyes open. And just when I was about to give way to death, a miracle happened.

Sirius got a sudden fire in his eye as he saw me near death on the floor of our watery prison. The glass of the aquarium suddenly turned fiery red. There was a slight cracking sound and a hole appeared near my on the side wall. With my last bit of strength, I drew my paw back and slammed it on the hole.

The glass blew open and me and my siblings were drawn with the current out. I lay on the floor unable to move, trying to gasp for breath. I heard the sound of two of my other siblings breathing. I snapped my eyes open and saw Loriek on the floor. I put a paw on his chest to feel his heart.

I felt nothing.

" Noooooo!" I raged and shed the first tear since the whole thing started.

" No," Draco took a step back seeing us burst out of the aquarium," No, no, no! This isn't supposed to happen!"

" You killed him!" I screamed glaring at Draco. I shot up despite my weak state of being.

Sirius was already up and Mungojerrie supported me. I was shaking in rage. " He killed Loriek," I choked out.

Sirius glared at Draco. His eyes got the fiery look again and before I could say anything else, Draco burst into flames. He gave a blood curdling cry and fell to the floor writhing and screaming. The flames caught a wooden box and pretty soon, the whole pile of boxes was aflame. I grabbed Loriek's dead body and dragged him to the door. Sirius got the look in his eye again and the door crumbled to ash as a fire flew from the top down. My brothers and I ran from the warehouse dragging Loriek and then collapsed in a heap once we reached a nearby junkyard.

" Oh god, Loriek," I whimpered shaking him," Sirius, Mungojerrie, please say that he's not dead."

Mungojerrie felt Loriek's heart and shook his head. " I'm sorry Teazer," he put an arm around me shoulders as I tried not to cry," Loriek, Loriek's gone."

" Noooooo," I screamed and buried my face into his chest," No, Jer." I started crying right then. I felt Sirius's paw on my shoulder and the three of us just sat there and cried.

When we were out of tears to shed, I made up my mind and began to dig in the dirt. My brothers got a clue and we dug until we had a hole deep enough and large enough so that we could bury Loriek and his body would be left in peace. We put him in gently and after we each kissed their youngest brother good-bye, we buried him and patted down the dirt.

" Can we sleep here tonight?" I asked weakly.

" Sure Teazer," Mungojerrie agreed," We can sleep in that car."

" I'm with that," Sirius agreed. We crept in through the window of a broken car a cuddled up. I couldn't stop trembling and neither could Mungojerrie. Sirius was still and even though his body was warm, I somehow sensed that he was cold.

But in time, I fell asleep against my two brothers.

Mungojerrie

Rumpleteazer looked so heart broken. I didn't know what to say to her. She had loved mother and Loriek so much. Sirius was silent and me? I was broken too. I missed Loriek and mother.

" Sirius," I called.

" What?" my brother shook his head as if coming out of a trance.

" I've been meaning to ask you," I began," How in Heaviside's name did you do that trick with the fire?"

" I don't know Jer," Sirius said looking at his hands," I knew we were all in danger and you know how much Rumpleteazer means to me. I saw her and Loriek at the bottom of then tank looking dead and I was filled with this sudden anger. I had an urge to twitch my hand and before I knew it, we were out."

" Are you a conjurer?" I asked.

" I don't know," Sirius shrugged," Maybe I am Mungojerrie. Or maybe the Everlasting Cat decided we needed a miracle."

" I'm thinking your being a conjurer more likely than the Everlasting Cat thinking we're special enough for a miracle," I smiled half heartedly," I mean, you'd think a miracle would include saving all of us right?"

" Yeah," Sirius looked up at the sky," You know what?"

" No."

" When I was born, I heard this strange song," Sirius looked at Mungojerrie," I felt like it came from the moon."

" A miracle from the EC is more likely than the moon singing," I said skeptically," How come I didn't hear it?"

" I was born before just before dawn, you were born a few hours later because mother had a problem with you," Sirius explained," The moon doesn't come out in the day time when you and the rest were born."

" Oh well, who cares?" I shrugged," We need to figure out a way to keep Teazer from snapping. She still hasn't stopped crying."

" Teazer," Sirius called.

" Yes?" Rumpleteazer asked in a weak voice.

" Come here."

" I don't want to leave Loriek," she sobbed a bit. She was sitting over his grave.

" You can go back once I finish talking to you," Sirius assured her. Reluctantly, Teazer stood up and walked to us. Sirius pulled her into a hug and said," Sis, It's not your fault Loriek's dead."

" Yes it," Rumpleteazer's lower lip began to tremble again," I should have giving him some air. He might have lived." She started bawling again as she buried herself in his fur. He rocked her back and forth for a while until she stopped crying.

" We need to go somewhere else," he told her," We can't do anything for Loriek now. We need to live on Teazer."

" But we can't just leave him here by himself!" she cried out.

" He's up in Heaviside now," I put a paw on her shoulder," He's in good hands."

She was silent a while. Then, she looked back at the grave and looked at us. " Ok," she whispered," We can go. We'll live on. Where can we go?"

" We can live in the forest!" I suggested," We can train ourselves to hunt and make our own home and everything."

" And climb trees," Sirius added.

" Ok," Rumpleteazer said, her voice still weak. She went back to Loriek's grave. I think she was saying good-bye. Then she came back to us and we led her into the nearby forest where we would try to live, grow, and forget what had happened.

We walked in silence. My mind was thinking how on earth we had survived. Maybe Sirius was a conjurer. I looked at him. and flashed back to what Draco said. It's all about power little Loriek, he had said. Was he talking about my brother's power? If he had any of course.

" What happened to Uncle Wrenner?" I asked suddenly.

Rumpleteazer stopped dead in her tracks. " What if…" she stammered," What if Uncle Wrenner tries to kill us too? I don't want to loose either of you!"

" Trust me Teazer, we don't want to loose each other either," I put and arm around her to try and stop her from crying," Let's worry about Loriek and momma later. Until then, let's try and find something to eat. I'm hungry."

" How can you think of food?!" Teazer demanded.

" I can't think of anything else when I'm hungry," I hung my head.

" Food's a good idea," Sirius agreed," I don't know how to hunt but if I am a conjurer, maybe I can whip up something." Sirius closed his eyes and twitched his left paw. Three mice appeared in front of us.

" You are a conjurer," I whispered poking one of the mice to see if it was real.

" You were a conjurer and you didn't even tell us?" Rumpleteazer smiled sorrowfully. It was the closest thing to a joke she had said in what seemed like ages.

" Even I didn't know I was a conjurer," Sirius looked at his hands," We'd better eat."

Teazer nodded and started on her mouse. I examined mine before eating it. I mean, maybe magic does something to food or… I forgot the thought and ate the thing.

When we were all done, we licked our lips and cuddled up against a tree to rest. Somehow, I managed to fall asleep. When I woke up, I found myself looking into a pair of brown eyes. And none of my siblings have brown eyes.

" Ahhh!" I screamed jumping up and tensing.

" Hello kitten," the stranger said holding his hands out in a gesture of peace," I won't hurt you."

" That's what they all say," I hissed and bristled my fur.

" My name is Munkustrap," the stranger greeted," I found you three here and I was wondering if you needed help."

" Why would you care?" I asked.

" Jer, what's going on?" Rumpleteazer woke up and saw Munkustrap. She studied him and concluded that he was harmless. " Hello," she greeted," What do you want?"

" Are you three new additions to the Jellicle Tribe?" Munkustrap asked us.

We looked at each other. " What's that?" Teazer asked.

" Then you probably aren't," Munkustrap nodded," Come with me. I can help you find safety and protection from whatever you're hiding from."

" We aren't hiding from anything," Sirius said standing up.

Munkustrap must have known that we were lying but he let it go. " If you don't want my help, then I'll leave you three in peace. But if you need me, then head northeast until you see a cave. That's where my father lives. We'll be happy to help you."

I studied him closer. He was a gray and black mix tabby. I guess he would be attractive had I'd been a girl. He looked older than me and something about him, he had this feeling of importance and responsibility to him. I don't know why.

" Thank you very much but I'm sure we'll manage well without your help," Rumpleteazer told him standing up also," Come on. So much for living in the forest."

The three of us walked away from Munkustrap and decided to try living in the park. We walked on listening to the birds, and every now and then looked up at the blue sky. There were hardly any clouds that day which was remarkable. When we reached the park, we saw that it was extremely crowded.

" Look at that forest area back there," Sirius pointed out," We'll try there."

I nodded and trotted beside them. There were humans everywhere. I learned about humans from my mother. When I was older, I was to avoid the humans known as cat catchers. We made it to the shelter of the park trees and picked a place atop one of the trees where we were lucky to find an abandoned nest made by some kind of eagle.

" Maybe we'll be getting lucky now," Rumpleteazer said optimistically," Who would think to find cats in a birds nest?"

Sirius nodded and said," We have everything we need here and now the possibilities of us bumping into that gray tabby are slim or none."

" He said his name was Munkustrap," I told my brother," Do you think he really wanted to help?"

" Maybe," Sirius shrugged," What do you think we should do now?"

We were silent, thinking about what we wanted. " I think we should look around," Rumpleteazer said," It's no use living here if we don't establish our territory."

" Yeah," I nodded," But how do you establish a territory?"

" I think we're supposed to spray at trees or something," Sirius suggested," I know we can but I'm not sure about you Teazer."

" Want me to try and get something for us to eat?" she asked.

" I guess," I shrugged," But we can't hunt."

" No," Rumpleteazer got a mischievous smile on her face," But we can steal."