The Truth About Cats and Dogs
Written by Bomby cshort@pisty.swinternet.co.uk
Note: This fic was inspired by her good friend Matty, because in fics everyone treats dogs like monsters. {Matty stands up and waves. 'what a pal!'}. Thank-you Matty! {you're welcome!}
CHAPTER ONE
Jemima sat in the drainpipe. The rain fell all around her. She was bored. There was nothing to do, unless she wanted to count raindrops all day. Electra and Etcetera were nowhere to be seen. Even Pouncival had vanished, that proved she was desperate for company, Pouncival was too unruly for Jemima to take, he was bouncing everywhere, she didn’t like that one bit. Unfortunately for her though, Pouncival did like her. "It shows something about days like this when I’d be happy to be sitting with Pouncival to keep me entertained!" she laughed, "Pouncival’s not so bad, but he’s not as handsome as Tugger, as funny as Mungo, as brave as Munku or RumpusCat or even half as mysterious as Misto and Macavity. She got up and walked towards the entrance of the junkyard. She peered out through the gates, she looked left. All she could see was fog and rain. She looked right, fog and rain that way too. She looked ahead, she saw a pair of eyes staring back at her. She shot up and bared her claws. The creature walked towards her, it was no bigger than she was, but she could tell it wasn’t a jellicle. She didn’t actually know what it was, she’d never seen one before, she was only nine months old, how was she supposed to know what it was, she hadn’t even had her first Jellicle Ball yet. She looked out at it. "Hello? Anything there?" she whispered, something in her voice broke, she thought of saying anyone, but until the creature emerged into the moonlight, she was a bit dubious about what she should class it as. The creature ran forward, it leapt. Jemima screamed. All she could see was the looming shape of the creature.
All of a sudden the ‘fearsome’ creature Jemima had panicked about was licking her face. "What are you?" she asked tactfully. "I’m a dog, a pollicle to be precise." came the reply. "Pollicle?" Jemima thought, she’d heard that name before, maybe her step-dad had talked about them, she didn’t know. "Pollicle, what are you doing in the junkyard?" she asked quietly, she didn’t want to wake anyone up incase they or the pollicle got alarmed. The pollicle scratched his head. "My name’s Karenza" the dog said. "What is this place?" he continued. Jemima looked at him. She remembered something about battles, whenever she thought about the word Pollicle, and an image of RumpusCat flashed into her head but whenever she saw that she just swooned. She shook her head and tried to pay attention to Karenza. "This is the junkyard, home of the jellicles, including myself......would you like to take a look around?" she asked softly. Karenza nodded, as they walked through the junkyard Jemima took Karenza’s paw and lead him around the junkyard. "This is Tugger’s patch, he’s one hot cat, but he’s taken." they walked around the whole place until they got to Pouncival’s patch. "This is Pouncival, he’s one of the most lively jellicles, and he likes me." Jemima said quietly. Pouncival stretched. "Jemima?" he asked rubbing his eyes. "What are you doing her?" he smiled at her. "Pouncival, get over yourself I’m just having a walk round the junkyard." she replied sassily. She learnt that from her ‘aunt’. Bomby loved teaching the young queens how to lead their toms on, okay so Pouncival wasn’t her tom, but she did deserve some fun whilst she looked for her one true love. Pouncival suddenly saw the pollicle standing behind Jemima, "Look out!" Pouncival yelled, shoving Jemima over, he stood up to the pollicle pup and started to fight him. Jemima watched in horror. "Pouncival stop it!" she screamed. "Don’t worry I won’t get hurt!" Pouncival yelled. Jemima was amazed the other jellicles managed to stay asleep with the noise that Pouncy was making. Pouncival was about to strike Karenza when Jemima leapt in between them. Pouncival swiped and caught Jemima across the face. Karenza knelt down and tried to help Jemima up. "Get away from her!" Pouncival yelled. "Pouncival leave him alone!" Jemima cried. "WHAT? He’s a pollicle Jem, he was going to attack......" "He wasn’t! Karenza’s not like that, no pollicles are. Dogs are good." Jem said sobbing. Pouncival tried to put his arm round Jem, she pushed him away. "Pollicles are bad news Jem, you should know that, you spend enough time near RumpusCat." Pouncival replied. "He’s different, I know he’d never do anything like that! Anyway, what if I do spend more time near Rumpus?" Jemima snapped. "Just remember whose queen you are" Pouncival warned. "Pouncival, I am not yours, I am my own, I haven’t found the tom for me yet now get out of my way." she yelled. Pouncival reached up and stroked Jems fur, he began to play with her ears he went to nuzzle her. Jem pushed him to the floor and ran off taking Karenza with her.
CHAPTER TWO
Pouncival ran over to Munuk’s place to apologise to Jem. He saw Demy pacing up and down going frantic with worry. Munukstrap spotted Pouncival and walked over to him. "Pouncival, have you seen Jemima, she wasn’t here this morning and we can’t find her now." Munkustrap whispered, Demy was so worked up, she thought that Macavity had kidnapped her daughter again. "I haven’t seen her." Pouncival said. He knew where she was, she’d gone off with that pollicle somewhere, he couldn’t tell Munku, he’d go insane that Pouncy had let her go away with a dog, and if Jem was right about the pollicle anyway then Munku would never believe Jem that a dog could be nice. Tugger strolled over his arms round Bomby. "What’s happening Munk?" he asked, nuzzling Bomby. "Jemima’s gone!" Munku and Pounce said in unison. Bomby shook her head, she could see an image of a dog. "Pollicles" Bomby said. "I’m sure it’s true!" Tugger said. Bomby tickled him. "No I mean I can see a pollicle." she laughed, she was trying not to laugh because if her niece was with a pollicle who knows what could happen but when Tugger was whispering in her ear she found it rather difficult not to laugh.
Bomby walked out of the junkyard, Tugger followed her. "Where are you going?" he asked. "To find my niece" Bomby said. "If she’s with what I think she’s with you’vr got to control your fists" she warned. "Macavity?" Tugger raised an eyebrow at her. "No, not Macavity, but I know how you like to play the hero so just don’t." Bomby replied. "I’m your hero though aren’t I?" Tugger asked smoothly sliding his arms round Bomby’s waist. Bomby removed his paws. "Now is not the time Tugger, Jem may be in danger, but she might not be." Bomby said crossing her paws. "She’d better not be in danger" Bomby thought.
CHAPTER THREE
Karenza rolled a bone over to Jemima. "What’s that?" she asked turning her nose up at it. "It’s lunch." Karenza replied. Jemima sniffed it. "It’s rotten!" she exclaimed. "They’re better when they’re rotten Jem." he answered. "I can’t eat this!" Jem said, pushing the bone away, "I need some mouse or cream, I can’t eat bones! I’m a cat!" she purred. Karenza raised an eyebrow at her, Jem crawled into a dustbin and tried to search for some fish-heads or something like that. As Jem was in the bin, she didn’t see three bigger pollicles approach Karenza. "Ah so here’s the runt," one of them said. Karenza backed up against the bin. "Karenza, what are you doing so far off our patch? We don’t like our fellow pollicles leaving us." said the largest one. He growled deeply. Karenza tried to growl at him. "Hey listen to him Frankie, he’s trying to purr....he should probably go live with those jellicles in that junkyard, he’s too soft to be a pollicle." he laughed.
Jemima crawled out from the dustbin. "There’s no fish in there Karenza, I’ll have to eat the bone after all." she said. Jemima had failed to notice the other dogs. A huge paw landed infront of her. "And what have we here?" Frankie said. "Looks like a kitten to me boss!" said one of the other dogs. "I know that doofus, I meant what is a kitten doing with Karenza?" Frankie threatened Karenza.
Karenza backed up and tried to push Jemima behind him. "Oh I see," Frankie began "you’ve caught a kitty for us to play with." Frankie smiled baring his sharp teeth. Jemima hissed at him. Karenza tried to make himself look bigger. "She’s not for you!" he snapped. Frankie looked astonishedly at Karenza. "Did you hear that boys, little Karenza’s not going to let us share his little kitten. I think we’ll have to watch him fight his first cat though, won’t we lads." Frankie said looking round at the others. "I’m not fighting Jemima!" Karenza shouted. He knew that he’d just said something very dumb. "Oh really Karenza? Well then....." Frankie clicked his fingers "Lads. Now ‘Renza, either you fight your little kitten girl-friend or we fight you......which is it going to be?" The other dogs advanced on Jemima. One grabbed her and growled at her. Suddenly a voice shouted "Don’t you lay another paw on her!" The dogs looked round. They saw another cat approach.
"Ah now, that’s more my style of cat." Frankie said about to attack. "Listen dog-food face, don’t even try it, I’m about 50 times stronger than you, and here’s a health tip, try brushing your teeth with a different toothbrush, rotting meat flavour isn’t becomming!" Bomby smiled. She walked over to the dogs that were holding Jem. She looked at one of them. "Oh stop drooling, you’ve seen a cat before, and just for the record, yes I have a mate and no I don’t want to date a drooling mangy slobbering canine, nothing personal you understand!" she looked over the top of the hill she’d just walked over. "TUGGER!" she yelled. Tugger came staggering over the hill. "Bomby, stop running, I can’t keep up with y........POLLICLES!!!!!!!!!" Tugger yelled. Bomby rolled her eyes "Although sometimes I do think about finding a different tom!" she whispered to Jem "Well done Tugger, they’re pollicles, now get your leopard fur tail over here now and help!" Bomby shouted, sometimes he was so exasperating but you gotta love him, and if he wasn’t her mate then she’d have to be with Pouncival and that just made her feel weird! And anyway, Tugger’d be too depressed and he wouldn’t be as flirty if Bomby wasn’t his!
Tugger and Bomby stood facing the three pollicles, Karenza and Jem were in the middle. "Karenza, time to chose, fight with us or we fight you." Frankie said huskily. Jem looked at Karenza. Karenza stayed still in between the jellicles and the pollicles. "Times up!" Frankie said. The two sides launched their attack.
CHAPTER FOUR
The dogs advanced towards Bomby and Tugger, pushing Karenza and Jem aside. Bomby leant across to Tugger, "Baby, if we don't survive this, remember I love you." she whispered. "Oh do you? I hadn’t noticed everytime you tried to squeeze my breath out of me when you hugged me!" Tugger laughed unconvincingly. Jemima watched in horror as her aunt and uncle were being encroached on by three pollicles. Karenza screamed out "STOP!!!!! Frankie, don't hurt them, there’s no reason for it!" Frankie looked at him. "No reason? Karenza, they are cats, we are dogs, that’s your reason!" Frankie said.
"What sort of reason is that?!" Bomby demanded, Tugger squeezed her paw. "What?" she whispered. "Can you learn to keep your mouth shut?!" Tugger hissed. "Well I can.........." Bomby whispered. Tugger blushed as he heard Bomby’s last comments. "What sort of reason?" Frankie said repeating her question. "That’s what the lady said" Tugger answered. "I can’t see no lady here, only a couple of tooth picks with fur on!" Frankie snarled. "Okay, you can call me a toothpick, you can call Bomby a toothpick," Tugger began, Bomby shoved him, "But when you say that my Bomby isn’t a lady you have picked the wrong cat to annoy Frankie!" Tugger continued. "Awwwww Tugger that’s soooo sweet, but I told you NOT to play the hero!" Bomby reminded him. "You want to know what sort of reason that is, it’s a good reason that’s what! Cats and dogs have always fought, that’s the way it is so we’re gonna fight you!" Frankie replied.
"You’re scared!" Jemima said to Frankie, she bit her lip, was she beginning to say dumb things at the wrong time like her uncle? "What was that my little hors d’oeurve?" Frankie asked. "You’re scared to change the world. Just because dogs and cats have fought in the past doesn’t mean they have to fight now does it?" Jemima finished. Frankie built himself up to his full height. Karenza grabbed Jem by the arm and pulled her out the way. Tugger stepped in front of Frankie, Bomby rolled her eyes and held her head in her paws. "Jem’s right. Anyway we haven’t always fought, there was a time when we all lived in the junkyard, and that argument that caused the rift wasn’t even between a pollicle and a jellicle!" Tugger said. Frankie pulled up his sleve and drew it back to hit Tugger.
CHAPTER FIVE
"Stop it Frankie baby" a voice came from behind him. He turned to see a female pollicle. "Go home Tallulah, we don’t need you here." Frankie said. "He’s got a point," Tallulah began, "the jellicle, he’s got a point." she snapped at Frankie. She walked down infront of Tugger. "Hey Tugger baby!" she smiled. Bomby looked at her and then looked at Tugger. "Oh no, don’t tell me you had a relationship with her!" Bomby complained. Tallulah laughed. "Has a queen finally got her claws into you Tugger? No he didn’t have a relationship with me, we knew eachother when Tugger stayed in the city......how’s Ziantha by the way Tugger?" she asked.
Bomby nuzzled Tugger which threw him off guard. "Z....z....Ziantha? She’s fine......umm Bomby?" he said. "hmmm?" "What are you doing?" Tugger asked. "Staking my claim!" she laughed "Not that I need to of course, cos you’d never leave me would you?" Bomby told him. "No of course I wouldn’t!" Tugger replied, then he whispered to Tallulah "I love Bomby, and she’s a purrfect feline, but sometimes she can be too much!" he smiled at Bomby and nuzzled her back. "Yeah, talk about paranoid!" Tallulah agreed. "I’m not paranoid," Bomby said "I’m just insecure, like Tugger!" "I do have to agree, Tugger is insecure, but there is a big change in him from how he was then and now he’s with you!" Tallulah said trying to make peace.
Frankie coughed. "Excuse me dah-lings," he began in an English theatrical’s accent "could we possibly break up the little reunion party? Tallulah beat it, we’ve got us some kittens to deal with." Frankie continued. Tallulah joined Tugger and Bomby. "You want to fight them, you have to fight me!" Tallulah said. Frankie stared at her. "Now this is getting ridiculous!" Frankie said trying to laugh it off, "You’re joking aren’t you Tallulah baby..." Frankie said trying to nuzzle her. "No, Tugger and the kitten are right, its time cats and dogs stopped fighting, even if its only the pollicles and jellicles!" Tallulah said defiantly.
CHAPTER SIX
Frankie stared at her as if she was a leg of meat in a butcher’s window. Tallulah stared back at him, she fluttered her eyelids. "Okay" Frankie said quietly, "What’s that I didn’t quite hear you Frankie honey....say it louder!" Tallulah teased him. "OKAY!" Frankie yelled. "That’s better! Don’t you feel better for that?" Tallulah asked. Frankie nodded unconvincingly. Bomby put her paw round Jem but she shrugged it off and threw her arms round Karenza. Bomby shrugged and turned back to Tugger. Her mouth dropped as she saw Tallulah and Tugger flirting. "Right that’s it!" she thought to herself and went over to Frankie. She draped her paws round him, he looked at her quizzically and she nuzzled him. Tallulah looked up and laughed, she whispered to Tuggy "She’s worse than you! I’ve only ever known you to flirt with someone when your partner was being flirtatious with another!" she said tickling Tugger under the chin. "I thank you!" Tugger said taking a bow. He walked over to Bomby and whispered something in her ear, her face was an absolute picture, she went from anger to blushing to happy back to anger!
She took Tugger’s paw and started back to the junkyard, Jem started to follow but Karenza tried to stay where he was. After some gentle persuasion from Jemima, and some levering from Tallulah he followed Jem. Tallulah turned to Frankie "You did mean that didn’t you Frankie?" "Of course Pum’kin" "Cos if you didn’t it’ll make me sad......and you know what happens when I get sad baby." "I vaguely remember!" "Good!" Tallulah finally replied. She took Frankie’s paw and literally dragged him to the junkyard.
Demy looked up, she saw Jem walk into the junkyard. She rushed towards her....then she saw Karenza. She arched her back, her ears flattened and she hissed. "Mummy, where are your manners?! This is Karenza, he’s my FRIEND" Demy looked at Karenza suspiciously. She bowed at him and walked back to Munku. She whispered something in his ear. Jem could tell it wasn’t looking good. Munku marched over. He stopped and looked at Karenza. "Karenza! Long time no see buddy! How are you?" He hugged the pollicle. Demy was quite taken aback, I’m sure Bomby and Tugger would’ve been taken aback too.......if they were paying attention to what was going on rather than paying attention to eachother but if they weren’t flirting then they wouldn’t quite be the same Bomby and Tugger we know and love would they?! Pouncival walked over. He kissed Jem’s paw. "I didn’t tell Munku you were with a pollicle, I thought he’d go crazy if he knew that!" Jemima nuzzled Pouncival. He nearly fell over with shock. "Thank you" she whispered and licked his cheek, Bomby winked at Jem. "You go girl" she thought "You’ve found yourself a guy at last..........even if it is Pounce!" she turned her attentions back to Tugger as the sun fell over the junkyard.
