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The next Jellicle Ball was fast approaching. Munkustrap had only visited the junkyard on occasion to grab something, but never stayed or checked the old place out. He patted down his silver fur, making it look less messy from the wind on the way there.
He slinked around, doing a small perimeter check and nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary except one thing.
Alonzo, his second in command AND love of his life was no where to be seen. He was probably in an alleyway or his den, but Munkustrap would visit after he got a few things together.
The tabby cat roamed until he had located his temporary den for when the ball is in motion. As he stepped in, he saw the place was messier than when he left it. A few papers were in the floor, the bed had blankets thrown everywhere and sheet almost completely off of it, and some of his belongings were missing.
He was definitely missing his favorite torn jacket to cozy on. Someone had been here and took his stuff. Almost on perfect cue, he saw something scram out from underneath his bed, making a run for it. Munkustrap immediately took off after, seeing a small silver kitten running from him.
The kitten wasn't very fast, and Munkustrap got the poor kid into his hold.
"Let go of me!" The young one squirmed and trying kicking to no avail.
"What were you doing in my den? Did you steal my stuff and trash the place?"
The kid stopped moving and slowly turned his small head around to look at the older tom holding him. That was when Munkustrap let go at the sight.
On the the kitten's face was a blotted patch mark over his eye, his body displaying stripes of a tabby.
The kitten didn't run, just looked over Munk for a moment. "Who are you?"
"I'm, I'm Munkustrap. I am the protector of the Jellicle cats and this junkyard. Who are you, young man?"
"I'm Turnsnap. I'm just looking for food."
"Okay, I can help you find some, let's go." Munkustrap pawed at his eyes, a distinct sign of trying to rub the exhausted feeling away. In the junkyard, they gathered quite a bit of food. They raided the old fridge, looked under open areas, and sniffed around.
He turned to the little tabby.
"How long have you been here?"
"A while, maybe forever."
"You do look young, must have been born what? 6 months ago?"
"8 months."
"I'm surprised you haven't run into Alonzo if you've been here for even two months."
"Alonzo?"
Munkustrap turned the kitten. "You've met?"
The kitten did seem like a Jellicle, it was easy for the Protector to tell he must have been born to one. The kitten swayed his tail.
"Of course. Alonzo is my papa."
Munkustrap froze. He almost dropped the food he was carrying. "That's impossible. Alonzo couldn't hav-" He cut himself off.
Before the last Jellicle ball, he started his relationship with the patchwork cat. They were still together, Munk had just been gone for a few months because he lives with humans. He sighed a bit.
"Alonso can't be your father."
"Why? He takes care of me and my sister. And, feeds us."
Munkustrap couldn't bring himself to take much more of a step. There was a few times him and Alonzo had hooked up together, one when Alonzo got his heat early and he decided to help his partner out. Another not too long before the last ball, they had stumbled into Munk's den and loved on each other almost all day.
The kitten did mention Alonzo feeds him and-
"You have a sister?"
"She is with Papa right now, taking care of him."
"Show me where they are."
Munkustrap had to set the record straight. Either the cat the kitten is talking about is not Alonzo and Alonzo is possibly missing, Alonzo cheated on him (which he doubts), or there might be a chance this kitten is-
He didn't know what to think. There were too many possibilities and he needed to talk to Alonzo. Not too long after while carrying the food they found, they had reached Alonzo's den. Okay, so far right place.
The kitten stepped in first and the older tabby did not too much later, following right behind.
To his surprise, he saw Alonzo, splayed over a bed with bandages covering his body. Under him were some of Munkustrap's belongings, including the worn jacket.
There was a smaller, gray spotted kitten, looking over the older cat on the bed. She looked at them and squeaked. Alonzo glanced over, fell out of the bed and winced from the pain.
Munkustrap moved to help him back into bed. "What is going on here, Lonz?"
He looked up at the tabby, almost looking defeated. "They are my kittens, Munk."
"How is that possible? I know you have- other parts that it is possible. They look like-"
"You."
Munkustrap froze and his ears twitched up and down. "They are mine?"
"I was going to tell you at the last ball I was, you know, but then the Grizabella things happened, and Macavity, and everyone distraught over Gus not being chosen. You seemed stressed and even when I picked up courage to say something, you told me you had to leave early because of your owners."
Munkustrap looked him. He was right. And Munkustrap didn't visit the junkyard like he usually does, and he came later than normal to prepare.
It definitely didn't help that Alonzo didn't know where his house was to begin with.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to leave you here like this. Or then here." He said, little at the little spotted kitten and the small tabby one.
"What happened to you though? Why are you so beat up?"
"Dogs. They attacked the yard, and I needed to keep them safe, so I took most of the beating and scared them off."
"Is that why you sent Turnsnap for food?"
"Partially. I also sent him to look for other cats."
Munkustrap peered to the little female kitten. "What's your name?"
"Selena."
Munkustrap smiled. Seems they had some catching up to do. And he would later have explaining to do to the other Jellicles.
All of that could wait though, right now he had a family to learn more about and a Jellicle Ball to plan.