Brothers

Aithilin

Disclaimer: Not mine. Just playing in the toybox right now.

Summary and a Quick Note: Testing the waters with this. It should get better (with any luck and some faith in my writing abilities), and be a fairly long story arc on whole. Based off of theories developed after watching the 25th anniversary show at Place Des Arts in Montreal. So most mannerisms, interactions, and descriptions will resemble the performances of Anthony Smith (Mistoffelees, a really hot Mistoffelees…), Dave Schoonover (an exceptionally talented Rum Tum Tugger), and the rest of the company.

Chronicles the antics and adventures of the brothers Tugger and Mistoffelees over a long period of time.

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Mistoffelees squirmed away from his sibling and the impending grooming. With only the thought of exploring the area outside of Jenyanydots’ den driving him, the tiny kitten stumbled forward into the blinding sunlight and had to pause to get used to it- after all, he had only been able to see for a few days, and for most of that he was kept inside and fussed over. Not that he minded; it was just boring.

From his perch on the rusted, old car Munkustrap smiled as he watched the little kit stumble and sniff his way around the immediate area- eyes barely opened to take in the world.

“I can remember when you were that young.”

The silver tabby looked over at the considerably older cat and smiled. “Was I that cute?”

Munkustrap was a cat of curious colouring; though his overcoat was a dull grey, typical tabby coat, the fur beneath it was reminiscent of a Russian Blue. Both combined created a very unusual silver hue lined with black stripes. Deuteronomy, on the other hand, was a dull, matted grey cat that had seen better days. Neither regal nor particularly magnificent for a purebred Persian, the ancient cat was a humble creature of large girth. Parts of his fur tended to resemble strings of twisted yarn if left un-groomed for too long. Though, should the occasion call for it, the Jellicle leader could still move quite fast.

“You weren’t as curious.” Deuteronomy smiled. “No. Definitely not that curious. A little larger too.”

Munkustrap chuckled as the kitten bumped into an old tire about a foot away from Jennyanydots’ den. “Should we go get him?”

“What do you mean we?” Deuteronomy relaxed on the car to enjoy the sun. “I’m too old to be chasing after active little kittens.”

“Even if you happened to sire them.” With a roll of his eyes, the silver tabby slid from his resting place and moved to round up the curious kitten that now tried to climb into the fascinating tire. The kitten was surprisingly strong as it clung to the rim of the old tire and gave a little mew of frustration when it was pulled away.

Feeling rather helpless with the kitten’s determination to get into the dirty water pooled inside the tire, and not sure just how much force he could use before he hurt the little black mass of fur, Munkustrap gave the amused Deuteronomy a pleading look. The elder cat just shook his head in indication that the young Jellicle tabby was on his own.

“Come on, Quaxo,” Munkustrap sighed, using the more familiar nickname Jennyanydots and Jellylorum had given to the kitten; “I’m sure it’s time for your bath.”

With those words, the kitten renewed his struggles. Squirming out of the soon-to-be-Guardian’s grasp, he struggled as far as he could, mewling piteously as he did. It was the comforting abundance of fluff that made up most of Old Deuteronomy that he stumbled into in his mad wriggle for freedom (being so small and young, Mistoffelees had yet to figure out how to coordinate his limbs properly).

Picked up once more, but by another tom that had yet to express any wish to return him to the den, the kitten simply mewled. Deuteronomy stroked the black fur gently, smiling at the irritated grey tabby as he brushed dirt and dust from the kitten’s coat.

He cooed to Mistoffelees in an attempt to sooth the active kit. “Come now, Mistoffelees. You don’t want your brother to get all of the attention, do you?”

The kitten paused in the elder’s grasp and whined. Huffing, Munkustrap glared at the troublesome kitten and moved across the small clearing, intent on finding a suitably public place to sulk over his failure.

“I thought not. I’ll tell Jenny to be quick about it too. Then maybe you can come out to play after dinner.” Deuteronomy, ignoring the irritation of his eldest son, began to work his way back to the den the Gumbie Cat had made for herself in the ‘yard. It was the old, rusted restaurant oven that had been added onto once the back had been destroyed by a spring of frequent rains. “Maybe you can even sit with me on my tire, hm? I do like company when I have my naps.”

The only reply little Mistoffelees could give was a less stressed, squeak of a meow, unable to form proper words quite yet. Old Deuteronomy smiled and took it as an agreement before he knocked lightly on the plastic of the oven’s window. Though the oven was already “open”- the door, barely supported on its rusted hinges, sloped to one side and left a gap large enough for fresh air to come in and curious kittens to squeeze out- the Jellicle leader waited patiently to be answered.

It was a moment of harried “hold on a moment, dear” and the yowling of another kitten, considerably louder than Mistoffelees, before the oven door was opened completely and an orange queen greeted her visitor.

“Oh! Quaxo! There you are.” Jennyanydots smiled apologetically at the elder, reaching out to take the black kitten into her arms. “I’m sorry, Deuteronomy. He’s a tricky one.”

“Oh, no harm done. He simply vexed Munkustrap a little.” Old Deuteronomy scooped up the second kitten before he could escape out into the junkyard.

Holding Mistoffelees, who now rested patiently in the matron’s arms, the queen stepped aside to clear the doorway. “Come in, come in. You can have some cake before little Rum Tum decides to sleep in it again.”

The ball of black and golden fluff the elder held protested with a second yowl, answered by a soft mewl from his smaller brother held by the matron.

“Hush, you two,” the Gumbie Cats scolded, hurrying to settle Mistoffelees in the basket set aside for his bed. She quickly took Rum Tum Tugger from Deuteronomy, with some complaint on the kitten’s part, and set him in the bed. “I swear, they are conspiring to turn me grey.”

“They are only a few weeks old, Jenny.”

“And they’re already causing mischief. It will take the whole tribe to control them in a month.”

Amused, Deuteronomy chuckled and helped the queen sit on the pillows across from his own preferred spot in the den. “They will be busy annoying Munkustrap by then, my dear.”

“Heaviside help him.” With a smile, the Gumbie Cat put Rum Tum Tugger back into the basket as he tried to crawl out.