|
" I told you I won't stop, I work hard at what
I do and you can't maike mi stop!!!"
" You're my daughter and you will listen to me, stop stealing
and stop talking like that!"
" I hate you!"
This was a typical evening in the
junkyard, Skimbleshanks begging his daughter to stop stealing. Rumpleteazer yelling and explaining to her father it's just
something she does.
" Don't worry she'll be fine Skimble, she's a teenager she'll be over her mood swongs soon."
Gus told his friend.
" I hope you're right..." Skimble muttered and sighed to himself.
" I'll
talk to her if you like?" Bombalurina butted in, she was one of the youngest adults in the junkyard and was very good at comforting
others.
" I think it would be best..." Skimble muttered, looking at the ground.
Rumpleteazer was
in her room, cursing under her breath.
" Why doesn't he understand, I work hard stealing stuff, it's not my fault it's
so much fun..." she thought to herself, staring at the ceiling of her cardboared box, " if mum was here, she'd let me steal..."
*************************************************
Rumpleteazer's mother died when she was born, she wasn't strong enough to give birth. According to her father, she was beautiful
calico(like herself), a stray, and a theif. They had met when Skimble first started working on the Midnight Mail. Argentum
(her mother) was planning to steal food. When Skimble found her, he could have reported her but didn't, a while later they
became mates and lived in the junkyard. When finding out a kitten was coming, they were both excited and disscusing names.
Her mother loved the name Rumpleteazer. It was precious to her because it ment hard worker, successful. When Rumpleteazer
was born her mother died and Skimble named her Argentum's precious name.
*************************************************
She cried softly because Rumpleteazer didn't remember her mother. According to Skimble, she had a cockney
accent (which Teazer also had) which her father said was beautiful. Yet her father always wanted her to stop and talk like
a normal Jellicle.
" Hey Teazer," Bombalurina popped her head through the shreaded blanket that was her doorway
" can I come in?"
" Sure..." Rumpleteazer said without taking her eyes off the cieling.
" You
know Teazer, your dad loves you, he just worries about you I mean he's been raising you his whole life by himself and...
" E' asn't raised me is' whole life, e' was to busy working on that bloody train," she yelled at Bomba, though she did nothing
wrong.
" He has a job Teazer, he's a busy tom, he has you to worry about, I mean at the next Jellicle Ball you're
going to be a queen." Bombalurina tried to comfort her again.
" Ug, please don't remind me about that, it's
stressful... e' jus doesn't get mea Bomba, mio mum was just loike mea parantly and e' doesn't get it"
" He just
worries about you Teazer, you know that, he hates fighting with you," Bombalurina tried again hoping this would be the right
thing to say.
" Yeah I know, thanks Bomba.
Bombalurina trotted outside the door, happy she wasn't
upset.
The next day, Rumpleteazer was on her regular route for theivery. She went into an empty house, seeing
if there was anything useful, or cool she could take when she heard a rumbling in the attic. She was curious so went up to
see what it was. When she went up the rumbing stopped and out poked a calico head.
" Oo are you? I always come
up ere' and I aven't seen you before," the tom asked, cocking his head to a side, half grinning.
" Moi
names Rumpleteazah sept there's an 'r' at the end that Ioi can't pronounce." she said, curious of this tom.
" Noice to meet you, I'm Mungojerrie, nevah met a cat woo ad' an accent loike me before, you're a Jellicle roight? cause'
I only know Jellicles got cool names loike ours? He asked, still smiling.
" Yep I'm a Jellicle, live in the
junkyard."
" Roilly, I aven't been there since Ioi was a kitten."
" You should come sometime, it's quite
noice," Rumpleteazer suggested, "all they do is ask you some questions..."
"Questions are always fun to answer,
lead the way Teaze!"
When they got to the junkyard, many cats gave Mungojerrie odd looks, Munkustrap
came, asked him questions only a Jellicle could answer, and then sent for Old Deutoronomy for his permission.
He still sat, patiently grinning, something Rumpleteazer wasn't used to seeing.
" Why do you smile
allthe toime?" she asked trying to be polite.
" Not quite sure, there are many good reasons but Ioi guess
it's cause' it's fun." Mungojerrie concluded, still smiling.
She giggled to herself, a laugh everyone
knew but found annoying.
" You've got a pretty laugh," he said looking at his paws.
" Thanks, the lot of cats ere' think it's annoying." she said quietly, blushing.
Old Deutoronomy
came into the junkyard, his ancient face looking for the Jellicle tom. He came up to Mungojerrie and smiled and asked him
questions on who his parents were.
" Hello young tom, I just want to make sure you are a Jellicle, I
hope you aren't bothered about these questions."
" Of course not sur, you just want to keep the troibe safe"
Mungojerrie said, still smiling but uneasiness clouded his eyes.
" Who were your parents?" Deutoronomy asked, trust
in his eyes.
" Moi mum was Griddlebone and moi Pop was Growltiger but he died before I was born." Mungojerrie replied,
saddness in his eyes.
" Do you remember what she looked like?" Deutoronomy and Asparagus (Gus) knew who Griddlebone
was and what she looked like, she also remembered her bringing her kit to the junkyard once.
" Yep, she ad'
a lot o' white fur all around her a persain in shortah terms." he said confidently.
Rumpleteazer was
standing far away, making sure not to disturb them, shockingly, none of the cats paid attention that a knew cat was here.
They seemed to know he was a Jellicle.
" Have you ever been to the junkyard before?" this last question
would determine if he was a Jellicle, all Jellicles had to either live in the junkyard *for a little while* or at least visit
the junkyard when he was a kitten. so the cats knew who you were.
" yep, Iove been ere' before with moi
mum, once or twioce anyway, don't entirely remember, Ioi was a kit.
Rumpleteazer was getting extremly
worried, she didn't know why. She had seen cats before with this question thing and didn't worry, but now she did and it frightened
her.
Her fear quickly vanished when Mungojerrie came trotting along to her side.
" So how was the question thing," Rumpleteazer asked full of curiosity.
" It was easy, Ioi can live ere'
to if Ioi want."
" That would be cool."
" Ioi think Ioi will, Ioi'm tried of livin' on the
steets anyway." He confirmed " all Ioi ask is one thing, if Ioi'm gonna be livin' ere' I'll need to know everyone, could you
introduce me?"
"Sure," excitement filled her, again she didn't know why.
The
day had gone by fast. All the Jellicles accepted Mungojerrie and were very nice to him. Throughout the day they had found
out they had very similar personalities. Such as they both loved stealing, they both loved teasing others and they just had
a greeat time together. Throughout the whole day, Rumpleteazer didn't feel well. Her stomach kept knotting up when she didn't
know what to say, she still didn't know why.
During the day she also helped Mungojerrie make a house
(out of a cardbourd box). They wished each other goodnight, and went to there houses.
" Hio dad!" Rumpleteazer
said shyly walking into her house wanting to apologize.
" Hello there," he also said quietly " Rumpleteazer,
you know I didn't mean to yell at you, I always worry about you and don't want you joining with the wrong crowd."
" Ioi know dad, I don't want you to worry about me so much, Ioi work hard at what Ioi do and Ioi know you do to. Please
forgive moi." she tried not to cry but moisture filled her eyes anyway.
They hugged each other knowing
each one had been forgiven. " And you know I love how you talk, yourso much like your mother." Skimble reminded her.
" Ioi know" she replied.
They sat down for supper eating fat mice.
" So, who
was that knew tom who came into the junkyard?"
" That was Mungojerrie, e's a Jellicle and livin' ere' now,
we both like the art of theivery, were pretty good friend's." she replied excitment filling her eyes.
" Interesting, I know you don't like talking about this but the Jellicle Ball is soon, any thpught's on what tom you want
to dance with."
She blushed, swallowed the piece of mouse she was chewing hard " I aven't really
given it much thought yet," she said quickly.
Skimble knew she didn't want to talk anymore so
stopped and changed to a different topic. t was a lovely evening where niether of them were fighting. They said goodnight,
and went to bed.
Rumpleteazer woke up with an irratating scratching noise on her cardboard box
and then someone nugging her.
" Hey Teazah, Teazah, wake up you silly sleepy ead' it's mornin',"
the familiar cockney voice filled the cardboared box.
" Ioi'm up, Ioi'm up, why'd you wake me" she
said rubbing the sleep away from her eyes.
" Ioi'm stealing stuff, want ta come with me?" Mungojerrie said
and smiled, hope in his eyes.
" Alrioght, let me tell moi dad first."
She got up and
trotted to where her father would be.
" Are you going to go stealing again?" Skimble asked before she
could speak.
" Yes, with Mungo" she said quietly" Ioi wanted to tell you first..."
" Be
careful, and have fun," her father told her.
She had never heard her father say that, he did know a lot
about her that she didn't know.
She walked up, and hugged him " Ioi'll be okay," she whispered in his
ear.
Rumpleteazer than ran out the door and helped Mungojerrie with theivery.
Skimble
sighed. " Not much longer til' she becomes a queen and meets a tom to love."
" Not to worry Skimble, we
all need to let are little queens go, like I did with Jellylorum. She'll meet someone, but always love you." Gus the old but
wise cat told his friend.
"Who do you think the tom will be?" Asparagus (Gus' son asked)
" It could be that new tom around here who she seems to hang around with." Bustopher implied.
" She doesn't
like talking about it much, she said it doesn't matter." her father didn't much like this conversation at the thought of his
daughter living with another tom instead of him.
*************************************************
"
Hey Teaze, ave' you ever been to Victoria Grove beafore?" Mungojerrie asked in a charming voice.
She knew the
name Victoria from Jellylorum's new kits, one was Victoria and the other was Etcetera, but a Victoria Grove, never.
" Nope, wot is it?" she asked wondering if it was safe.
" It's one o' the richest places in London,
and it's really easy to break into" Mungo concluded grinning again.
" Let's go than, it sounds fun.
The two of them went off to Victoria Grove. While there, they found very large houses which were easy to break into. They
found nik-naks and shiny things and filled there bags while a family was inside. They didn't notice.
Through
out the days that went by many cats had fun spending time with the two of them. And it came closer and closer to the Jellicle
Ball.
" One day left and your a queen, my little kits growing up," her father said, eyes stained with sadness.
" Dad," Rumpleteazer sighed, " don't remind me."
" Are you nervous?" he asked wanting to help.
" Very..."
she drifted off.
" Don't worry, everything will be fine, trust me."
" Mmmhmmm," she replied and just thought.
"I think I know who you want your mate to be," her consious teased. " You want Mungojerrie, let's face it he's the best thing
that's ever happened to us."
Rumpleteazer thought. " Oh my God I love him..." she paused. " What if e' isn't
gonna be moi mate, what if Ioi stuck with another tom I want him dammit" She stopped and calmed down, she was just stressed.
She decide not to think of it anymore and fell asleep.
She woke up with the sun and dreaded the day. She wasn't
going to be a kitten, by the end of the night she'd be a queen. Rumpleteazer stayed in her room hoping no one would call her
and hoping Mungojerrie wouldn't come looking for her.
She finally came out at dusk to see all the excited faces
on the cats. Jellylorum's kits couldn't walk very well (the white one could) but the gold and grey one couldn't walk well.
Rumpleteazer was pleased she didn't see Mungojerrie at all that day, he must have known how worried she was.
Before she knew it, the Ball had begun. She was very nervous and didn't want to dance at all.
Rumpleteazer was in the middle of the junkyard, waiting patiently to see who would be her mate.
*************************************************
" This is it Skimble, she'll be a queen soon." Gus told his friend.
" I know, it came to soon though," Skimble sighed.
" She'll always love you."
*************************************************
The seconds she stood in the
junkyard seemed like an eternity, she turned her back and felt strong arms on her shoulders.
" Goodevening love,"
Mungojerrie whispered in her ear, still smiling always smiling.
" Mungojerrie..." she sighed. A great smile filled
her face, she was going to be with him forever.
Mungojerrie lifted her up and was very gentle and graceful
with her. When the dance was over, the cats all slept.
" I love you Mungojerrie," she whispered while
she held on tight to his chest.
" Ioi'll love you forever Rumpleteazah," he told her while hugging her tight.
When the Ball was over, Skimbleshanks walked over to his now empty home. Since Teazer had a mate, she was to move in
with him.
" Dad..." Rumpleteazer said so she could here him.
He turned around and smiled.
" Ioi want you to know that I love you so much, and Ioi'm so glad you took care o' me when Ioi was small, thank you."
He hugged her and whispered " Always and forever, I love you."
" Ioi love you to dad," she whispered " Ioi'll
see you tomorrow."
She walked over to Mungojerrie who was resting his head in his paws. Then they both entered
the big cardboard box together.
" I told you," Gus laughed and smiled at his friend and went to sleep as did
Skimble.
*************************************************
" Moi little babe is all grown up," the beautiful
calico said as she looked down at the junkyard.
An ancient cat walked beside her " What are you looking at Argentum?"
cloud's of smoke passing by.
" Moi babe.." Argentum took one last look at her baby and returned through the clouds
where the other Heaviside Layer angels were.
|
