Disclaimer: I don't own Cats. Sadly.

Bombalurina crept into Jennyanydots’ den, where she and her fellow kittens slept. She held back her laughter as she sneaked silently up behind the leopard-spotted kitten, who was sleeping in his nest.

“Tag, you’re it!” The little red kitten bounced up to her friend, giving him a sharp poke in the back. He stirred in his nest and opened his eyes.

“I’m it?” he grumbled, giving her a cold stare. “Well, I’m not playing.” He turned over and closed his eyes, only to be poked in the back again. “Bomba, I’m not playing.”

“Yes you are, Tugger! Jenny told me I have to wake you up. So that means you’re it!”

“Can’t I wake up without being it?”

“Nope.” Bomba shook her head.

“But I don’t want to be it!”

“Please?” Bomba begged. “I’m so bored, and nobody else wants to be it. Please?”

“No.”

“Fine, then.” Bomba huffed. “If you don’t want to play with me, I’ll go ask Alonzo.” Tugger’s eyes were wide open now. Bomba turned away -mostly to hide her smile- and took a few steps away as if she was going to leave the den.

“Fine, fine, I’m it!” Tugger stumbled to his feet, still dizzy from sleep. “Who else is playing?” He asked, clearly not happy about being tricked into the game.

“Um, Teazer, Jerrie, Munkus, Deme, and Cass.”

“Cassandra’s playing?”

“Yes, why do ask?”

“Just curious, that’s all.” He shrugged nonchalantly.

“Oikay, ‘ere’s ‘ow it woiks!” Rumpleteazer stood on top of the tire and addressed her fellow kittens. “Run until it catches you!”

“Wait,” Cassandra raised a sleek arm in the air. “Who is going to be it?”

“Eh, actually, Oi’m not shu’.” Teazer blushed and plopped down on the tire. “Oo wants t’be it?”

“Tugger’s going to be it!” Bomba declared. He glared at her, as if he was hoping somebody else would volunteer.

“Um, alroight, then. Goi! Oi suppoise.” Teazer hopped down from the tire and scattered amongst the rest of the group. As soon as they were out of sight, Tugger sighed and debated whether or not he should actually look for them, or return to Jenny’s den to finish his nap. Eventually, he decided that the sooner he tags someone else, the sooner he’d be free to finish his nap in peace. After all, if he waited too long to tag one of his friends, Bomba would become suspicious and come looking for him. He’d tag her first.

Tugger sunk low to the ground, hidden by the junked car but still able to peek through the window. He could just wait here until someone came looking for him. Yes, he had the element of surprise on his side.

“Tugger! You’d better not be sleeping again!” He watched as Bomba scurried out from inside the drain pipe and into Jenny’s den. His plan was working. Tugger smiled, proud of his trickery. He crept into Jenny’s den, following behind Bomba silently. She was just about to turn to leave, discovering that Tugger was indeed somewhere in the junkyard, when he leapt at her and tackled her to the ground.

“Heaviside, Tugger! She gasped, completely caught off guard by his attack. “What’s wrong with you?” She glared at him for a moment before trying to lift herself up, but Tugger was too strong as he held her to the floor.

“Don’t you have something to say?”

“Fine.” Bomba narrowed her eyes. This was a system they had devised long ago, and still it came back to haunt them. “Tugger is the champion of tag. There you go. Now get off me!”

“And?”

“And, I’m a loser.” She pouted.

“And?”

“What, what else? There’s something else?” Tugger smiled at her, looking into her eyes.

“No,” he shook his head. “There’s nothing else.”

“Good. ‘Cause you’re kinda sitting on me.”

“Because I haven’t officially tagged you yet.” He tapped her forehead with his paw. “You’re it!” He jumped off her, bouncing impatiently as he waited for her to get up.

“Well, what if I don’t want to be it?” Bomba jumped to her feet.

“You have to be it, I tagged you!”

“But I don’t want to be it!”

“If you don’t want to be it,” Tugger smiled slyly as he scampered out of the den. “I’ll go tag Cass!” He smiled and ran out of sight.

“Oh, fine,” Bomba started to run after him after him. “I’ll be it!”