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Tugger poked his head out of a cluster of bushes underneath an oak tree. Sticks and mud matted his mane-like fur. In his mouth he held a small rotund mouse...one that was still alive. He had no clue how to actually hunt per say, but he did think he was damn good at fetch! The mouse in his mouth started to fuss and Tugger shook his head, silencing the mouse for now.
The newly young adult tom had no worry for hunting most of the time, after all he had fans to do that for him. At least that's what he told himself. Munkustrap had, very sternly, reminded his younger brother this morning that new kittens can't hunt on their own and that he must hunt himself.
"See I can hunt on my own," Tugger thought smugly, stepping the rest of the way out of the bushes. "Shows that Munku knows…"
Tugger looked up at the sky and noticed dark clouds starting to cover the sun. He winced and decided he should probably head back, lest he deal with heavy wet fur. Keeping his prey in his mouth, Tugger began his scamper back to the junkyard. He ran on all fours, zooming past bustling humans, and sneaking under fences. He only got stuck a couple of times when his spiked collar would get caught in the occasional obstacle.
The mud that covered the tom only caked and dried into the fur as he ran home. He managed to not get stepped on, having an almost home-near miss when a human child was running and nearly tripped over him. He managed to escape and pounce across the street to the abandoned junkyard. Tugger squeezed through a hole in the fence and stretched his bones once on the other side. Still on all fours, he stretched downward and back up on his tippy paws, tail fluffing out.
With a now deceased mouse still in his mouth, Tugger ran back to his den. He bounded through the junkyard, charging through where Jellylorum and Exotica were napping together on the cool ground outside.
"Tugger!"
"Ack!"
The queens complained that their quiet time was ruined, but felt no need to press further as Tugger was already long gone by the time they sat up. The tabbys brushed it off and went back to their napping.
The next stop of Tugger's chaos was when he stopped at Alonzo and Cass' den. He scratched at the doorway until he received an answer. Instead of seeing the monochromatic tom or his elegant burmese queen, the maine coon was whiskers to whiskers with his own brother. Tugger jumped backwards and dropped the mouse in shock, it's limp body hitting the floor. He gave his brother an up-down, taking mental note of the tom's fur all in disarray.
"Munks?!" Tugger asked, bug eyed and shocked.
"Yes? Is something wrong?" Munkustrap cleared his throat and covered more of the doorway so Tugger couldn't peer inside. The nonchalant tone in which the question was answered didn't help Tugger's awkwardness.
"Something wrong? This isn't your den the last time I checked!" Tugger stood up on his hind legs, trying to look in, "I was looking for Quaxo, but this seems a lot more interesting!"
"Curiosity kills the cat, Tugger. When you're older you'll understand," Munkustrap crossed his arms and gave a bored look to his younger brother, hoping he'd go away.
"Fine," Tugger huffed and picked the mouse back, holding it in his maw again. He was going to return to his trek, but halted when both toms heard a noise from behind Munkustrap. Alonzo appeared from behind Munkustrap and rubbed against him, fur a mess and loudly purring unapologetically.
"It's going to rain soon, dear, I can feel it...oh hello Tugger," Alonzo said matter of factly, "You're a little too young to join in. Are you perhaps looking for Quaxo?"
Tugger blushed and nodded, embarrassed by his kitten crush on Alonzo. Alonzo chuckled, draping himself over Munkustrap more than before. "I saw him near the old oven, I think he's setting up his first den. He moved out of my den yesterday. You might want to clean up in a puddle first...You're ear to tail in mud, Tiger."
Tugger snickered and wagged his tail happily. Screw bathing! He knew where his buddy was! Tugger left and went over to the old oven, finding the tuxedo tom on the top. He backed up and wiggled his body before jumping up. He gripped the edge of the stovetop, his claws clicking and sliding on the metal. Tugger felt his grip slip, but instead of falling down, he felt himself floating up. He floated up and over, getting plopped down beside his tux friend.
Tugger set the mouse down and nudged it towards Mistoffelees with his nose. He then sat back, tail back to waving wildly, awaiting a response. Warm brown eyes finally met bright amber and Tugger grinned.
"You know," Mistoffelees patted around the mouse, perhaps judging the deceased creature, "you're always bringing me mice. Victoria seems to think I'm the one always hunting them. Too bad this one didn't make it...I love playing with my dinner."
Tugger continued to watch as Mistoffelees spoke.
"But...Thank you. Now as a return, I must warn you, it will start storming in 3...2...1."
On cue, thunder cracked and the sky opened with rain. Tugger snatched the mouse up in one paw and stood on his hind legs. He grabbed Mistoffelees by the paw with his other, standing the confused and wet tom up.
"Tugger what are you--?" Mistoffelees cut himself off as he watched Tugger jump off the stovetop. He groaned in annoyance and jumped down as well, landing gracefully on his paws. Tugger had already gone into the oven, mud washed off his fur. Mistoffelees followed, leaving the oven door open with a blanket covering the opening.
Only the sounds of heavy rain pinging on the metal oven was heard as Mistoffelees walked around the den. The small young tom had just become old enough to den on his own, but in his couple days of independence he had only collected various blankets and candles. Nothing personal. Not yet anyway. Mistoffelees rubbed his paws together and then gently held them over the candle wick. A small flame lit and flickered, making the tux sigh in relief.
Tugger rolled around in the blankets, rubbing his smell off on them, "Quax! Quaxoooo!" He whined playfully and pulled the tux down onto the blankets with him. "These blankets are so soft!! Where did you find them?"
Mistoffelees let himself be pulled down onto the plush blankets. He shrugged and loafed beside Tugger, making himself comfortable, "Dunno. Teazer and Tori brought them over as a den warming gift." He then ate the mouse that was set in front of him by Tugger.
The storm drew on for hours, continuous rain and thunder pounding outside. The white noise lulled the two into a nap; nothing else they could do with how long the storm had been. The two toms remained loafed in their sleep, their tails draped across each other's backs. Mistoffelees was the first of the two to awake. He had stretched and made sure the candle was extinguished before he left the oven. Outside the rain had lightened up, leaving only a mild shower. Mistoffelees raised his head and looked up at the moon in the sky. He closed his eyes and felt the occasional raindrops hit his face, whiskers twitching.
He took a deep breath and let go. As he danced, he could feel the world around him slip away. Jumps, twirls, and the occasional flip or two. Misto kept his eyes closed as he danced, trusting his senses to keep him out of danger. He couldn't recall how long he was dancing, but he knew it had been a while as his sleek fur grew heavy with the weight of the water. He listened as thunder roared in the distance and danced to its beat. One loud crack nearby made Mistoffelees pause. He felt a rush of energy go from his white tipped ears down to his white tipped tail. He shuddered and felt the energy shoot up his spine, making his short fur stand on edge.
He opened his eyes and saw Tugger staring at him like he had seen a ghost. Mistoffelees, confused but enthused, laughed and spun around in the rain. His cackling laughter paired well with his now sparkling fur. The tuxedo felt a pair of paws hold his shoulders and he looked up to meet eyes with Tugger. Mistoffelees, still smiling, reached up and booped Tugger on the nose. The boop shocked Tugger, the static floofing his fur up more than normal.
Tugger's grip on Mistoffelees' shoulders tighened. Misto's smile dropped. "Tugs? You're okay. I'm okay. Nothing happened I was just dancing and now we're static-y."
"Mistoffelees."
Misto stayed silent. Tugger never used his jellicle name unless he had messed up. He looked down. Mistoffelees then felt himself pulled into a tight hug. He reluctantly hugged back, face now more wet from Tugger's soaked coat.
"I saw you dancing and then you got struck by lightning…"
"I'm alive though…"
Mistoffelees pulled away from the embrace. He inspected himself, finding nothing out of place besides his fur.
"...and sparking apparently?" Misto laughed and rubbed his paws along his fur, watching as the sparkles twinkled like stars in the night sky.
"Misto, I thought you died! Lightning hit you!" Tugger yelled and waved his arms around frantically.
"I've never felt so alive!" Mistoffelees shrilly cackled, voice carrying into the empty air. He threw his paws up in the air and lightning shot from his paws, impressing Tugger.
"Looking over the fact I almost lost you," Tugger looped his paws in his new belt, "That magic is cool as fuck!!"
Mistoffelees smiled sheepishly, "You think so?"
"Hell yeah! My older brother has fire magic! Would you believe that?"
"Munkustrap can't do magic."
"Nope! But our older brother, Macavity, can."
"I literally have no clue who that is but alright."
Tugger laughed and pulled Mistoffelees back towards him, "Fine by me, Sparkles. He was no fun anyway." Tugger twirled Mistoffelees around, making the water at their feet splash.
"He's got nothing on you, Magical Mister Mistoffelees."
"Mister Mistoffelees, huh? I like the sound of that."
The rain continued to shower and the two young toms felt something bloom between them. They danced until they were sore and retreated back to the old oven; a den that was slowly becoming a home for two.