The next day, the Sleeping Car Express had been closed because the track needed to be fixed. Skimbleshanks was able to stay at the junkyard and look after Frisky. The Railway Cat soon learned that kittens could wear you out very quickly. Rum Tum Tugger was keeping Skimble company as the orange cat rested. Frisky crawed around Skimble eager for the cat to get up and play again. Skimble looked at Rum Tum Tugger.
" This kitten's got more energy than both Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer combined," said Skimbleshanks. Rum Tum Tugger glanced at the kitten, then grinned.
" You want to go chase mice?" asked the maned cat. Skimble looked shocked.
" But, the kitten..." started Skimble.
" Don't worry! I got a kitten-sitter," explained Rum Tum Tugger.
" Really? Who?" Skimble got up and Frisky slid to the ground.
" Tumble! Hey Tumble!" shouted Rum Tum Tugger. Soon the small brown-patched cat appeared and slid over to the maned cat. Tumblebrutus looked up at Rum Tum Tugger.
" Yeah?" asked Tumblebrutus.
" Watch the kitten for us," said Rum Tum Tugger. Tumblebrutus was taken aback.
" Huh?! Why me?!" exclaimed the brown-patched cat.
" Because I said so," growled Rum Tum Tugger.
" But Pouncivil and I were about to have our tournament!" stated Tumblebrutus.
" It can wait," sneered the maned cat. " Let's go Skimble."
" Right behind you," said the Railway Cat. Skimble and Rum Tum Tugger then left, leaving Tumblebrutus with a mewing black and white kitten. The brown-patched cat sat down and glared at Frisky.
" You know, I have better things to do," growled Tumblebrutus. Frisky hissed at the cat. " Same to you!" Pouncivil then hurried over.
" Hey Tumble! What gives? We were supposed to..." Pouncivil then saw the kitten. The gray-patched cat grinned. " Oh."
" We'll have to have our tournament another time Pounce," explained Tumblebrutus. Pouncivil shook his head.
" Well, have fun!" jeered Pouncivil. The gray-patched cat then scurried off. Tumblebrutus' tail wagged with annoyence. Frisky pounced onto the cat's tail and sank his teeth into it. Tumblebrutus leaped up with a snarl of pain and spun around puffing out his fur. Frisky smiled at him.
" Oh! So this is a game?!" snarled Tumblebrutus.
" Game!" laughed Frisky. The brown-patched cat then smiled. He waved his paw over the kitten and Frisky leaped up trying to get the paw. Tumblebrutus laughed as he continued the game. Frisky then arched his back and let out a playful growl. Tumblebrutus did the exact same thing.
" Look at me Frisky! I'm big bad Macavity!" laughed Tumblebrutus. Tumblebrutus began clawing the ground. Frisky mewed in entertainment. Tumblebrutus then let out growl with a huge grin on his face. Frisky smiled for a moment then frowned. The black and white kitten began to hiss. Tumblebrutus got out of his playful position and stared at the kitten. " Hey Frisky. It's just me." The brown-patched cat then noticed that Frisky was not looking at him. The cat spun around. There was Macavity. Tumblebrutus leaped infront of the kitten and growled furiously at the Mystery Cat.
" I'm here to pick up the kitten," hissed Macavity.
" Oh no! You got Demeter! Then you got me! You're not getting Frisky!" snarled Tumblebrutus. The ginger cat began to approach. " He's not going to become one of your tribe Macavity!" Tumblebrutus then grabbed Frisky in his mouth and started off. Macavity roared and started after him. The brown-patched cat leaped up onto a washing machine and began to climb up the junkpile. When Tumblebrutus got close to the top, Misfurtune and Sharkspaw appeared. They were two of Macavity's henchcats. Tumblebrutus turned back and hopped down onto a pipe. Tumblebrutus set Frisky down for a moment. He looked up. Misfurtune and Sharkspaw were quickly making their way down to the cat. " HELP!" cried Tumblebrutus. Once again, the brown-patched cat took Frisky in his mouth. He leaped off the pipe and landed harshly onto the ground. Frisky fell out of his mouth and landed a few feet away from the cat. Sharkspaw and Misfurtune were now at Macavity's side. The three approached the kitten. Tumblebrutus quickly got back on his feet and leaped infront of Frisky and snarled at the strays. Sharkspaw bared his razor-sharp claws and leaped at Tumblebrutus. The brown-patched cat recieved a painful slash in his side. Tumblebrutus forced Sharkspaw back. The brown-patched cat turned to Frisky. " Run for it!" Frisky spun around and started to hurry off as fast as his small paws would allow him. Misfurtune rushed forward and grabbed Frisky in her mouth. With the squirming kitten in her jaws, Misfurtune turned around to leave. She was then struck aside and Frisky fell out of her mouth. When she got up, she found Skimbleshanks infront of Frisky. Sharkspaw saw his wife in trouble and tossed Tumblebrutus aside. The male stray rushed to Misfurtune's side. He let out a roar of fury and bolted towards the jellicle. Skimble flipped Sharkspaw over his back. Misfurtune then rushed forward. Frisky scurried away from the fighting cats. Macavity then leaped infront of the kitten. Just as the Mystery Cat reached down to snatch Frisky, Tumblebrutus leaped infront of him and swiped his claws at Macavity's paws. Macavity snarled in pain and swiped Tumblebrutus across his already slashed side. The brown-patched cat fell to the ground. Macavity once again raised up his claws. Tumblebrutus pulled back his feet and kicked Macavity right in the face, scratching him with his clawed feet. Macavity leaped back and began shreiking. Tumblebrutus got back up and turned to Frisky. Frisky was most obidient when the cat took him in his mouth. Tumblebrutus then rushed off into a pipe. Seeing that Tumblebrutus had gotten Frisky away. Skimble thrust Sharkspaw to the ground and swiped Misfurtune across her flank. The Railway Cat then rushed into the pipe after the brown-patched cat. He found Tumblebrutus and Frisky with the other jellicles. Tumblebrutus was licking his wounds and Frisky was rubbing against Jellylorum's front paws. Skimbleshanks hurried over to Jellylorum.
" Is he alright?" asked Skimble. Jellylorum nodded.
" He's just a little nervous," said Jellylorum. Tumblebrutus then looked up.
" And who can blame him? He almost got catnapped by Macavity! That filthy stray will get any kitten he can get his claws on!" growled Tumblebrutus. Tumblebrutus then licked his torn up side. The brown-patched cat winced the second his toungue reached his side. " Yee! That stings!" said Tumblebrutus with a hiss. Jemima hurried over to Tumblebrutus and rubbed up against him. Skimbleshanks turned to Tumblebrutus.
" I'm dreadfully sorry for leaving you alone like that. Are you alright Tumble?" asked the Railway Cat.
" Well, my side got scratched up pretty bad. But I should be back to normal in about a week," said Tumblebrutus. Frisky then left Jellylorum and scrurried over to Tumblebrutus. The kitten looked up at him.
" Brudder!" mewed Frisky. The kitten then rubbed up against the brown-patched cat's front paw. Tumblebrutus stared at the other jellicles, then began to laugh. Jemima smiled at Frisky.
" That's so cute Tumble! He thinks you're his older brother!" chirped Jemima. Tumblebrutus gleamed at the small black and white kitten.
" That's right Frisky." purred Tumblebrutus. " I'm your big brother." Snarling was then heard. The Jellicles spun around. Sharkspaw and Misfurtune were standing in the entranceway. Munkustrap and Alonzo stepped forward growling.
" We've come for our kitten!" snarled Sharkspaw. He pointed to Frisky and the kitten cowered behind Tumblebrutus. Skimbleshanks and Jellylorum got infront of the brown-patached cat.
" He's not your kitten!" hissed Jellylorum.
" Well, he was until Shambles stole him from us!" shouted Misfurtune. Skimble was taken aback.
" Stole?! I've never stolen anything in my life!" snapped Skimbleshanks.
" Oh sure! You just come upon a kitten and claim it as your own! I call that stealing Shambles!" snarled Sharkspaw. " I am the kitten's rightful father! I am his blood! His kin! And you..." Sharkspaw squinted at the Railway Cat. "...you are nothing," he hissed. Munkustrap stepped forward.
" Get out strays! Even if what you say is true, I cannot allow this innocent kitten become a wicked stray! He shall become a Jellicle Cat! Now get out!" snarled Munkustrap. Misfurtune began sobbing on Sharkspaw. He laid a comforting paw on the black cat. Sharkspaw glared at the Jellicles.
" And you call us the lowest of the cats!" hissed Sharkspaw. Frisky crawled over to Skimble and rubbed against his hind legs. Sharkspaw let out a huff, then turned around with his wife. " Just yu wait until his brothers and sister grow old enough! Then you'll be sorry!" grolwed Sharkspaw. With that, the two strays left. Skimbleshanks lowered his head and rubbed it against Frisky's.
" One less stray, one more Jellicle," Skimble whispered to Frisky.
" Dad!" the kitten mewed. The orange cat beamed proudly at Frisky.
Skimbleshanks did not have to worry about finding someone to take care of Frisky now. Frisky now had a big brother to hang around with; Tumblebrutus. Frisky looked up to Tumblebrutus like a hero. The cat was Frisky's role model. Frisky found pleasure in hanging around with Tumblebrutus, because that way the kitten got to be in the company of older Jellicles. Tumblebrutus also enjoyed Frisky's company. It was hard for him being the only kitten in the litter, Tumblebrutus had no siblings. Now he had Frisky, who thought Tumblebrutus to be the greatest Jellicle in the whole tribe. Frisky would always mimic whatever Tumblebrutus did. If Tumblebrutus yawned, so would Frisky. If the brown-patched cat washed his face, so would the kitten.
A few weeks later, Munkustrap held another Jellicle Meeting. When the cats started to arrive, Frisky sat obedientely between Skimbleshanks and Jellylorum. That is, until Tumblebrutus leaped out. Frisky instantely scurried over to the brown-patched cat.
" Tumball-ootis!" meowed Frisky as he rubbed against Tumblebrutus' side. Rum Tum Tugger made a face.
" Blech! All this affection is going to make me lose my Fancy Feast!" snapped Rum Tum Tugger. Tumblebrutus gleamed at the maned cat.
" You're just jealous because he likes me more than you," sneered the brown-patched cat. Rum Tum Tugger stuck his nose in the air.
" Me? Jealous of you? That will be the day!" growled Rum Tum Tugger. Alonzo and Cassandra then stalked into the junkyard. Frisky turned to the black and white cat.
" Zeebwa!" chirped Frisky. Alonzo glanced at Tumblebrutus. The brown-patched cat shrugged his shoulders innocentely and made his way over to Jemima. Frisky followed him. Once Tumblebrutus was beside Jemima, he began to scratch his ear. Eying this, Frisky lifted up his small foot and began to scratch his own ear. Seeing that all the jellicles were present, Munkustrap cleared his throat.
" Thank you for coming. For starters, I just want to point out that Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer's party had been moved to next Monday." A few of the Jellicles grumbled. " The Jellicle Ball is now only four months away! Don't be late!"
" We're never late!" exclaimed Etcetera. Munkustrap smiled at her.
" Also, the Rumpus Cat is has come. He has something for our newest member." The Rumpus Cat then appeared from the shadows and walked over to the gray tabby's side. " Frisky, could you come over here?" Frisky turned to Tumblebrutus.
" Go with!" said Frisky. Tumblebrutus got back on his feet and made his way over to Munkustrap and the Rumpus Cat with Frisky trotting just beside him. When they got there, Frisky looked up at the Rumpus Cat. The feline held out a collar. Engraved on the gold license was the name 'Frisky'.
" Now no one will mistake him for a stray," said the Rumpus Cat as he put the collar around the kitten's neck. Mistoffelees stared at the Rumpus Cat.
" Where did you get the collar?" asked Mistoffelees.
" I just happened to know a dog who had the name 'Frisky'," answered the Rumpus Cat. Frisky held up his head so that Tumblebrutus could see the collar. The brown-patched cat grinned.
" You look great Frisky," said Tumblebrutus. Frisky then rushed over to Skimble and Jellylorum.
" Mine?" asked Frisky, not sure if the collar was his to keep. Skimbleshanks smiled at the kitten.
" Yours," replied Skimble. Frisky meowed and rushed over to Alonzo.
" Zeebwa! Mine!" meowed Frisky. Alonzo forced a smile, then glared at Cassandra.
" He's better not be raised up calling me that!" hissed Alonzo. Cassandra just smiled.
" Don't be such a hothead Alonzo. He's just a kitten," said Cassandra. Frisky hurried over to Pouncivil and pawed at the gray-patched cat's arm. Pouncivil grinned at the kitten. Frisky then hopped up next to Rum Tum Tugger. The maned cat turned his head away, pretending he didn't see the kitten. When Frisky moved to the other side, Rum Tum Tugger turned his head again. Frisky glared at the maned cat.
" Sourpuss!" hissed Frisky. Rum Tum Tugger spun around and stared at the kitten in shock. Jellylorum placed her paws on her hips.
" Where did you learn that?" demanded Jellylorum. Frisky pointed to Electra. All the cats stared at her.
" How was I supposed to know he would repeat it?" exclaimed Electra. Skimbleshanks shook his head. Tumblebrutus took Frisky in his mouth and carried him over to Skimble and Jellylorum. Once Frisky was set down, he spun around and playfully batted Tumblebrutus' face.
" Play!" mewed Frisky. The brown-patched cat turned to Munkustrap to see if it was alright. The gray tabby nodded his approval. Tumblebrutus batted the kitten's rear and the game was on. Frisky leaped up and held onto Tumblebrutus' paw. The brown-patched cat shook his paw trying to get Frisky off. The females jellicles giggled in amusment. The males chuckled at how stupid the cat looked. Once Tumblebrutus' paw was free, he set it down on Frisky's tail and tickled the kitten's face with his whiskers. Frisky squeeled with glee. Once the kitten's tail was released, Frisky scurried up Tumblebrutus' back and nipped at the cat's ear. The brown-patched cat rolled onto his back so that Frisky had to let go and land on the ground. Tumblebrutus then rolled back up and playfully growled at Frisky. Frisky let out a soft hiss and sprung at the brown-patched cat. Tumblebrutus hopped out of the way and grabbed Frisky's tail in his mouth. He carefully dragged the kitten over to him and pinned Frisky down with his paw.
" Give up?" asked Tumblebrutus, knowing the kitten's answer.
" No!" squeaked Frisky. Tumblebrutus released the kitten and it sprung onto him. The brown-patched cat fell backwards making it look like Frisky had knocked him down. " Give up?" asked the kitten.
" I surrendor," purred Tumblebrutus. Frisky moved up Tumblebrutus' chest and licked him on the nose. Frisky then hopped off so that the brown-patched cat could get up. Once Tumblebrutus was back on his feet, he saw all of the Jellicles staring at him. Many with amused grins.
" Tell me, do you have any dignity left?" growled Rum Tum Tugger.
" Indeed! That was quite an embarrassing act you just displayed!" hissed Alonzo.
" Zebra!" snapped Tumblebrutus.
" Zeebwa!" growled Frisky. All the other Jellicles burst out laughing. Alonzo's fur stood up. The black and white fighter cat then left with a huff. Cassandra grinned at the kitten.
" You sure showed him Frisky!" meowed the siamese. Frisky stuck his nose in the air and sat next to Tumblebrutus.
" They're two of a kind!" laughed Skimbleshanks.
The months passed by and Frisky grew bigger and stronger, but he still tagged along with Tumblebrutus. Soon he was five months old. One night the Jellicles gathered together. They waited for Tumblebrutus and Frisky. Tumblebrutus appeared, leaping into the junkyard. He turned around.
" C'mon Frisky! We're late!" shouted Tumblebrutus. Frisky leaped out next to him.
" I'm here!" exclaimed Frisky. Mistoffelees smiled at Frisky.
" Look at that, a pure Jellicle cat," purred Mistoffelees. Frisky smiled.
" So I'm now a real Jellicle cat?" asked Frisky. All the cats laughed.
" Sorry, I said that wrong. You're a Jellicle kitten. You have to go through the Jellicle Ball to become a cat," explained Mistoffelees. Tumblebrutus gleamed at Frisky.
" Don't worry Frisk! You'll be a cat in no time!" said Tumblebrutus. Five cats then leaped into the junkyard. Actually, three of them were still kittens, but were at the point of adulthood. The two cats were recognized as Sharkspaw and Misfortune. Coricopat and Tantomile hissed at the strays.
" I told you we'd be back," growled Sharkspaw.
" These are Frisky's siblings," said Misfortune. The three kittens stepped forward. There were two males and one female. " The black and white male is Lucifer." Lucifer gleamed at the Jellicles wickedly. " The female is Deville." Deville hissed at the Jellicles. " And last there's Beelzeebub." Beelzeebub was the largest of the kittens. Practically the size of Alonzo. Tumblebrutus arched his back as he stepped forward.
" Hey! As far as we're concerned, I'm Frisky's only sibling!" hissed Tumblebrutus.
" You?!" sneered Deville.
" Pathetic shrimp!" snorted Lucifer. Tumblebrutus' fur puffed out and he started to growl.
" That's odd for you to say considering that I'm older than all of you," snapped Tumblebrutus. Beelzeebub stepped forward.
" Well then, why don't we see how strong you are?" sneered Beelzeebub. Frisky gleamed at the brown-patched cat.
" Go get him Tumble!" cheered Frisky. Tumblebrutus winked at Frisky. The brown-patched cat then leaped infront of Beelzeebub and swiped his claws at him. Tumblebrutus missed and Beelzeebub thrust his claws into Tumblebrutus. The cat was flung back and crashed to the ground. Frisky let out a gasp and rushed over to Tumblebrutus, as did Jemima. Alonzo leaped infront of the brown-patched cat and snarled angrily at the strays. Frisky rubbed against Tumblebrutus' head. " Tumble, are you alright?" asked Frisky. Beelzeebub scowled.
" Hey c'mon! He's not even related to you. I'm your real brother," said Beelzeebub. Tumblebrutus got back to his feet and growled at the black stray.
" I've been more to him than you have!" hissed Tumblebrutus.
" Oh that really hurt!" sneered Beelzeebub. Skimbleshanks walked forward.
" I thought we told you never to come back! Frisky is going to become a Jellicle and be a part of our tribe!" exclaimed Skimbleshanks.
" Why would he want to be with a group of weak housecats?" snarled Lucifer.
" Frisky...son," started Sharkspaw. " Wouldn't you rather be with your real family and work for the all-powerful Macavity?" All the Jellicles stared at Frisky. Frisky glowered at Sharkspaw.
" Macavity is a wretch and a disgrace to cats everywhere!" snapped Frisky. " And I have no idea what you're talking about! The Jellicles are my real family!" Skimbleshanks beamed proudly at Frisky. Deville hissed.
" Them?! They're nothing! You could be tough and strong! All you have to do is come back to us!" stated Deville. Frisky turned to Skimbleshanks.
" Are they my real family Dad?" asked Frisky. The Railway Cat glared at the strays.
" I wouldn't know, but turning to them would be a grave mistake Frisky," said the orange cat.
" Who are you to talk?! You're not even his real father! I AM!" roared Sharkspaw. Skimble hissed at Sharkspaw.
" Well at least I raised him up to be something everyone could be proud of!" snarled Skimbleshanks. Sharkspaw approached Skimble angrily. Alonzo, Munkustrap and Rum Tum Tugger got beside Skimbleshanks and growled. Misfortune rushed over to her husband and held him back. Sharkspaw stopped and stared at her. He then glared at the Jellicles.
" Don't think this is over Shambles. We're going to be coming back, and next time we're going to finish this!" hissed Sharkspaw. The five strays then left the junkyard.
