Jemima was quietly walking through the Junk Yard in search of someone to play with. Sootaput was playing with Victoria, Electra, her sister, was flirting with the male cats, along with Bombalurina. Pouncival, Alonzo and Tumblebrutus were playing on the ropes, and Etcetera was bugging Rum Tum Tugger. She had no one to play with. Jemima sighed as she jumped onto a mattress to lie down.
“ What’s the matter Jemima?” It was Jennyanydots. Jemima was startled, then she looked up to her mother.
“ I can’t find anyone to play with,” Jemima whined. “I hate being thesecond youngest kitten. I mean Sootaput took Victoria, my best friend away.”
“ Why don’t you play with your sister?” Jenny asked concerned for her young daughter.
“ She’s off with Bom, flirting with the males.”
“ Oh,” her mother replied, pained to see her Jemima so hurt.
“ Hey Jenny, the mice are ready for their lessons,” a voice called out to her. “ I’ll be right there,” she called back. Then she turned back to Jemima. “ Cheer up honey, I’m sure you’ll find someone to play with.”
“ I’ll play with her,” Demeter said coming up from behind Jemima.
“ Thank you Demeter,” Jenny said, then she hurried off to her pupils. The sleek adult female cat jumped down from a pile of clutter to the mattress.
Jemima sat up and began to growl playfully, while Demeter got into pouncing position. She jumped playfully onto Jemima, and then they began to wrestle in the night.
“ Are you okay, little Soot?” he asked helping her up.
“ Yeah, sorry about that. Victoria was chasing me, and I must not have been watching where I was going,” she said, then Victoria surprisingly pounced on her again, which made Coricopat jump back into his twin sister Tantomile. She didn’t fall, instead she started to walk to where it was safe, and Coricopat followed her. They left the ball of white fur to play with the black and white ball of fur.
“ What has gotten into these kittens tonight Munku?” Tugger asked after catching his breath.
“ They’re growing up. Besides I thought you liked being the ‘Ladies Cat’,” Munkustrap laughed.
“ I do, but not when it comes to that little ball of terror, Etcetera.” As if to speak of the devil, Etcetera jumped up to be face to face with Tugger.
“ Oh, no. Not again!!” Tugger pleaded, for he did have a reputation to protect.
“Etcetera, leave The Tugger alone,” Munkustrap said sternly. “ Go find someone else to terrorize for right now.” Etcetera did what she was told, and slunk sadly away.
“ Hey, thanks Munku,” Tugger said gratified.
“ You’re welcome, but don’t ask me for another favor. Handle love problems on your own,” Munkustrap said as Tugger proceeded to Pouncival’s chair, but before he did he said,
“ I didn’t ask you. You did that on your own.”
“ But, but—,” Munku couldn’t think of anything to say to that, so he just gave him a low growl, as The Tugger laughed, when he left.
. “ Perfect, she’ll let me out,” he thought to himself.
He meowed loudly, and she came over to pet him. She stroked his head, and scratched his back. He began to purr loudly, then walked over to the front door.
“ What’s the matter? Do you want out?” He mewed his response. So, she opened the front door and he slipped out into the night. A few moments later, from inside the house he could here his little girl’s mom yelling at her for letting him out. He felt bad for her, and decided to go back to the house.
“ See mommy, he came back,” the little girl said proudly.
“ Well, I guess you can stay out if you want to,” the mom said to Mistoffelees. He rubbed against her leg to thank her, then ran off to the Junk Yard. It was barely night time, so he would have a little fun before the night was over.
“ What’s wrong Cettie?” Misto asked her. She looked up at him, and rubbed her head on the white spot on his chest. Then she sighed, as she said,
“ Munku told me to leave my Tugger alone.”
Misto looked down to her andsmiled. Then he licked her cheek and told her he’d talk to her later.
He walked past Tantomile and Coricopat whom he gave a nod to as he passed. They nodded back and smiled. Finally he found Victoria. She was with her mother Jellylorum, who was talking to her. Misto kept his distance until they were done. Jellylorum gave her daughter a quick grooming on the top of her head before leaving. Then after she was gone, Misto walked over to Victoria.
“ Hello Vici,” he said as he sat next to her.
“ Oh, hi Misto,” she said giving him a small smile. “ Did you just get here?”
“ Yes, my master lady wouldn’t let me out, because I got muddy paw prints on our neighbor’s car.”
“ Oh, so how did you get out?” she asked, her blue eyes catching the moonlight. Misto had to catch his breath before speaking again.
“ My little girl master let me out,” he said just watching her as she looked up to the rising moon. Just then Alonzo (Victoria’s night in black and white fur) showed up.
“ Hi guys,” he said as he plopped down next to Mistoffelees.
“ Hi Alonzo,” they both said in unison. They watched him as he rolled onto his back, then back to his side. He shook his head to get any dirt he’d gotten on him, off. Then he lazily began to play with Misto’s flipping tail. Misto didn’t care; Alonzo was his best friend.
“ So, did you want anything?” Victoria asked Alonzo.
“ No, just wanted to see what you two were up to,” he said as he batted Misto’s tail away from him, then pulled it back.
“ Oh,” she said as she lied down, Misto decided to lie down also, then Victoria laid her head on Misto’s paws. Misto looked to Alonzo in surprise at what she had done. Alonzo just placed his head on his paws, which held down Mistoffelees’ tail. Mistoffelees decided to groom Victoria’s head, (the female cats loved it when other males did that to them) and she began to purr loudly. Alonzo got up, smashing Misto’s tail. Misto winced, but didn’t cry out. He looked back to Alonzo who said,
“ See ya later. Have fun.” He gave Misto a wink then left.
Misto began to groom her head again, until he felt kitten teeth in his tail. He looked back to find Etcetera at the end of it. She dropped it and said,
“ I thought you were going to talk to me tonight?”
“ I still am,” Mistoffelees reassured her.
“ Well ya’d better make it soon, we have to leave in a bit,” she said as she batted his tail, just like Alonzo had done earlier.
“ Did ya hear that sis?”
“ Hmm?” Victoria replied in a daze.
“ We are leaving in a few minutes. Geez little sister’s can be such a pain,” Etcetera said, walking to the other side of Misto, coming to lie over his back. Misto lied his head down, and began to purr with Victoria, which made Etcetera purr. Tugger happened to walk by and notice the scene. He walked toward them, and stopped in front of Misto, who looked up at him.
“ Well, well, well. Aren’t you the ‘Ladies Cat’ now?” Etcetera and Victoria looked up when they heard Tugger’s voice, but they didn’t move from where they were. Instead they lied their heads back down.
“ It looks that way,” Misto agreed.
“ If this keeps up Victoria will stop thinking about Alonzo, and be mine in no time,” Mistoffelees thought to himself. Tugger just shook his head and chuckled as he chose to lie on the other side of Victoria. They all began to purr, and soon all of them were asleep, except for Mistoffelees. He had come to the Junk Yard to visit, not to sleep.
“ Oh, well Misto, you can’t get everything you want. At least you got out of the house,” he said to himself as he lied his head down. Soon he was asleep with the others.
“ Victoria! Etcetera!”
“ Etcetera, wake up,” Victoria said sitting up, and batting her sister on the head with her paw.
“ What do you want?” she said yawning.
“ Mom’s calling us,” Victoria said just as her mother stepped in front of them, and on Tugger’s paw. Tugger woke up then with a slight meow, because she was hurting his paw.
“ No, mom’s right here,” she said to her daughters.
“ Jellylorum, you’re also on my paw,” Tugger said, trying to pull it loose. Jellylorum lifted her paw, so Tugger could withdraw his, and then he began to lick it.
“ I’m sorry Tugger,” she said looking at him apologetically.
“ No offense by this, but you’re not as light as you look,” Tugger said shaking his paw out.
“ None taken,” then she turned to her girls. “ Come on it’s time to go home.”
“ We’re coming,” Etcetera said with a yawn, then got off of where she lay on Mistoffelees. Victoria rubbed her head with Mistoffelees' before she stood up; Etcetera did the same after Misto himself had stood up.
“ Good night girls, I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Good night Jellylorum,” Mistoffelees said.
“ Good night Mistoffelees,” Jellylorum replied.
“ ‘ Night Misto,” the girls said in semi unison. Then they all left for their house.
“ I should be getting home myself,” Misto told Tugger.
“ Yeah, me too,” Tugger agreed. They said their good-byes, and went in opposite directions to their homes.
The thin calico got up the tree and into the window with no problems. Once inside the bedroom, which the window led into, she noticed Mistoffelees wasn’t there. She also noticed that it was the big master’s bedroom and she quickly scurried out the open door into the hall. She looked to her left and saw another open door. Walking towards it, she heard some noise from he big master’s bedroom, and she froze, until the noise ceased. Then she continued on her way to the open door. When she reached it, she glanced about the room for him and found him asleep with the little girl master.
His black body, with its white face, three white paws, and white tip of his tail, really stood out against the pink of the girl’s covers. Misto sensed Jemima’s presence, and woke up. He stood, stretched, then jumped off the bed to join her in the hall.
“ How did you get in? I don’t have a cat door,” Misto asked confused.
“ I came in through an open window, in your big master’s room,” she mewed quietly.
“ Oh, okay,” Misto replied.
“ Come on, let’s get out of here, before they wake up and find me,” Jemima said heading in the direction of Misto’s big master’s room. They were still asleep when the two cats slipped out of the room through the window.
Mistofelees joined her. He had just lied down when all six cats (the sleeping four heard it too) heard a high pitched giggle, and they knew a loud, “ Shhh!” was soon to follow. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer had entered the Junk Yard. Then Alonzo, who was a big grouch when woken unexpectedly, meowed loudly,
“ Hey Jerrie, Teazer! There are some cats who are trying to sleep!” The two pranksters came out from their hiding place, with solemn looks on their faces, but the looks didn’t stay long, once again Rumplteazer giggled. Only this time Mungojerrie didn’t quiet her. Instead he pounced on her. Alonzo was getting very tired of them, and Jemima knew that he was about to do something rash, so she jumped off the truck, and walked over to Alonzo, who was now walking towards Jerrie. Jemima stopped in front of him though,
“ Leave them be. They’re only playing, besides you should be waking up now anyway, the other cats are starting to show up.” Alonzo looked down to the kitten who was much more mature than her age of only 6 months. He licked her cheek and told her that she was a good kitten, then he walked back to his group of sleeping strays to get them up. Sootaput hissed at him, but then got up when Alonzo nipped her ear. The other two got up without complaints and headed to Coricopat and Tantomile’s chamber to get some breakfast. Alonzo picked up a still very sleepy Sootaput in his mouth, and followed them.
Jemima walked back to her truck hood, to resume her sun-bath. When she got to where she was standing in front of it, but below it, she noticed that it was now occupied by her sister, and Etcetera. Mistoffelees had left, but she didn’t know where he went. Electra saw her little sister below her, and called to her.
“ Hey Jem, come here!” Jemima looked up to her older sister, then jumped onto the truck.
“ Yes, Electra,” she said once she had sat down. “ Why’d you leave the house so early this morning?”
“ I just woke up early, I guess,” Jemima said sofltly.
“ Oh,” Electra said lazily, for she was still not fully awake yet.
“ Hey Jemi, where are you?” Victoria called out to her.
“ I’m on the old truck!” she called back to her best friend. Victoria appeared in front of the truck a few moments later, and Jemima jumped off the truck to greet her best friend.
“ Hey Vici,” she said playfully batting the white cat’s head, leaving a little dirt on it, which she quickly licked off. She was so happy to see her friend without Sootaput. Then her spirit’s dropped when Victoria asked,
“ Have you seen Sooty?”
“ Yeah, Alonzo took her to the twins chamber for breakfast,” Jemima said crushed that her friend didn’t want to be with her.
“ Thanks,” Victoria said, leaving her friend who just sat and watched her as disappear into the pipe that led to the twins home. Jemima then looked around for Munkustrap, and spotted him sitting alone, just like her watching the now, alive with Jellicles, Junk Yard. She walked over to the large tire on which he sat, and joined him.
“ Hello, little Jemima. What brings you to sit with me?” he asked smiling down at her.
“ No one likes me anymore,” she pouted.
Munkustrap chuckled lightly at what she said, and replied.
“ Why sure we do,” he paused when she looked away from him, “ What made you say that?” She looked back to him,
“ Well, no one wants to play with me anymore. You adults are always to busy, and the other kittens have each other to play with, and Victoria left me for Sootaput!” Munkustrap looked down to her sympathetically, and said,
“ This isn’t about the other cats being to busy, or playing with someone else, this is about Victoria leaving you to befriend Sootaput, isn’t it?”
Jemima looked up at him, pain all over her tan and white face.
“ Yeah, I guess it is. I guess she’s just like that, make friends with the youngest kitten that comes along, and forget about her other friends,” Jemima sighed, and slightly whined.
“ Now, that’s not true, Victoria is still your best friend, she just wants to get to know Sootaput better. See what she’s like when it’s just the two of them. You know, I bet Soot would like to get to know you better too,” Munkustrap said quietly, looking at Jemima to see her reaction to what he had said. She thought it over for a moment, then her face lit up.
“ You know Munku, you’re right. I haven’t really given Sootaput a chance yet, except for the first day we met her, when Victoria and I told her the story of the Jellicle Ball. Hey, that was me and Vici both that told her the story! Thanks Munkustrap. You know you are going to be a great leader,” she said then jumped off the tire and raced to the twins chamber.
“ Sootaput told Victoria she didn’t want to play with her today, she said that she wanted to play with you instead. Victoria took it personally, and I took her to a secret room of ours. I've already talked with her, but maybe you should go talk to her now.” Jemima nodded, and followed Tantomile down a small passageway, which she had never noticed, every time that she came into the chamber. She thought it was spooky. When they reached the room, they saw Victoria sitting in a desolate little corner. She frowned when she saw Jemima. Tantomile shook her head at them and left.
“ Hi Vici,” Jemima said to her best friend that was still frowning at her.
“ What, did you come to gloat because Sootaput wanted to play with you and not me?” Victoria hissed.
“ No, I would never gloat, besides, I have missed you these past couple of weeks. You have always been with Sootaput, and never wanted to play with me, so I’ve had to search for someone to play with. I got lucky yesterday, when Demeter said that she’d play with me. That was the first time in weeks that I have played with another cat, after you left me for Soot. I admit, that I was jealous of Soot because I thought that she took you away from me, but Munkustrap told me that I should give her a chance, I agreed. That’s why I came to the twins chamber. I was going to actually get to know Soot,” Jemima said looking to the floor. Victoria was shocked and felt so guilty that she’d been ignoring her best friend.
“ I’m so sorry Jemi,” Victoria said walking over to where she sat, and rubbed her head on Jemima’s, Jemima rubbed back. “Friends.”
“ Best friends,” Jemima said, then she jumped on Victoria, and they began to wrestle. Victoria pinned Jemima, but then Jemima got free, and said,
“ Let’s go get Soot and play with her.” Victoria agreed, and they ran out of the secret room into the chamber. They would have knocked over Tumblebrutus, but jumped onto his back, and over to the other side of him.
“ Hey watch it you two, someone could get hurt,” he said to them, and they stopped in surprise that he actually said that. He realized that he surprised himself too and said, “ Did I just say that?”
The girls began to giggle as he shook his white and brown head at himself. Sootaput came from behind Coricopat and asked,
“ What’s so funny?” Jemima and Victoria looked at each other, then back to Sootaput, and got into pouncing position.
“ Oh, no!” Sootaput screeched just before she got landed on. She wiggled out from under the two older kittens, and ran out of the chamber laughing. The other two followed leaving the twins shaking their heads and smiling.
