A/N: True fact! Cats don't always land on their feet...

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Chapter Six

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The Jellicle Ball was in full swing when they made their move. The other adolescents distracted any adults who might pose a threat to the plan's success while Munkustrap and Admetus made their way along the trail over the pile.

Admetus was practically trembling with excitement. “This is so great!” he exclaimed, looking back over his shoulder as he walked. He stumbled over something in his path and Munkustrap had to reach out a paw to keep a pot from clattering down the pile.

“Shh!” he hissed back. “Be quiet and watch where you're going!” The kitten turned back around sheepishly and they continued as quietly as they could.

In the clearing, Plato approached Tugger, his tail betraying his unease. The leopard-spotted tom turned from his conversation with Skimbleshanks and stepped aside to speak with him.

“I thought you were distracting Jenny and Jellylorum!” he whispered.

“I was, but they seem to be doing well enough on their own,” Plato nodded towards the two older cats who were deep in conversation. He glanced up towards the pile, his ears laying back. “Are you sure they'll be alright?”

“As long as Adi sticks to the path, he'll be fine,” Tugger reassured him. “Besides, Munkus is with him.”

“You're probably right,” the mostly white tom sighed, tail still twitching back and forth.

Back on the junk pile, Munkustrap and Admetus were drawing closer to the end of the path. They had traversed the trail earlier, of course, but then, it had still been light out.

“Adi, what are you doing?” the tabby asked as the younger tom stopped, craning his neck to try to see over the junk beside him.

“Hey, I recognize this!” Admetus murmured back. “This is that mickey-wave thingy. Munkus, if we can get up on top of it, we can see what's going on.”

“No, wait... you don't know how stable that is. We have to stick to th – Adi!”

“It'll be fine, Munk.” The tan kitten sprang to the top edge of the microwave, where he sat for all of a second before it shifted, sending him sliding across its smooth surface. Admetus cried out in surprise.

“ADI!” Munkustrap exclaimed, jumping beside the unstable appliance in time to see his friend tumble down into the clearing below. Everything came to halt as a pained yowl pierced through the revelry. All heads turned towards where the little cat had fallen, and then everyone was running to his side...

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The youngsters sat in a line in front of the tire, shoulders drooped, heads down in shame. Rum Tum Tugger and Munkustrap sat in the middle, shoulder to shoulder. Plato was on Tugger's other side, his expression rife with guilt and self-blame, Rag resting a supportive paw on his shoulder. Beside Munkustrap, Cassandra and Exotica still sniffled miserably, Alonzo silently trying to cheer them.

From the tire, Deuteronomy fixed them all with a disappointed gaze, his frown making him look even other than he was. Old Gus sat at the tire's base, along with some of the other tribe elders.

“Whose idea was it to sneak Munkustrap and Admetus into the Ball?” he asked finally.

They all started speaking at once. “We didn't want to leave them out...”

“Munkus was so sad...”

“It's not fair that only Munkus and Adi...”

“Adi was...”

“Enough!” Deuteronomy interrupted. “One at a time. Now, Munkustrap, whose idea was it to sneak into the Ball?”

The silver tabby hunched down farther, ear flicking, but said nothing.

“Then, it was Tugger's idea,” the old tom turned to the other cat, who looked up in shock. “Tugger, what do you have to say for yourself?”

“I...” Tugger began, then tried again, “It's just that... Munkus was so unhappy and it just – it didn't seem fair to leave him and Adi out...” His voice trailed off and he hung his head.

“And Plato, why did you allow your brother to get involved in this plan? Surely, you knew your mother would be most unhappy about it.”

“I... well...” Plato stammered. “I almost didn't, 'cos I know how clumsy he can be sometimes, but... I couldn't leave him out if we were sneaking Munkus in – he'd have thought I didn't like him or something.” Despite his words, the little tom looked like he sincerely wished he had left Admetus out, after all.

“Asparagus,” the Jellicle leader turned his gaze upon Rag, “I believe you are the explorer of the group. Am I correct in assuming that you're the one who found the path?”

“Y-yes, sir,” Rag answered, wincing as Jellylorum frowned reprovingly at him from his grandfather's side.

“And you felt it was safe for Admetus to be following that trail at night?”

“Well, if he had stayed to the path...”

“He didn't stay to the path.”

Rag's ears drooped even further. “Knowing Adi, I didn't think it was all that safe, but I didn't have time to find another route that the adults wouldn't notice.”

“Alonzo.” The black and white adolescent tensed as Deuteronomy's stern face turned towards him. “I know that you are one for mischief, but you usually shy away from anything potentially dangerous. What got you involved in this mess?”

“I... I just thought it'd be fun,” Alonzo murmured. “I didn't think that either of them might fall.”

“Perhaps, you should have,” Deuteronomy responded simply, his gold eyes turning to the young queens. “And you two ladies. As I recall, neither of you have ever been in trouble before. Why didn't you try to talk the others out of this?”

Cassandra stared at the ground. “We always do everything together,” she answered softly, her voice composed, “Munkus and Adi, too. We're as much to blame as anyone – we thought it was a great idea. And that way, they wouldn't have been left out.” Exotica just nodded her head, still too choked up to speak.

Deuteronomy's gaze turned back to Munkustrap, who fidgeted under its intensity. His frown seemed to deepen as he regarded his young son. “Munkustrap, I still do not know why you went along with the plan. Particularly since I already said you couldn't go.”

Munkustrap slowly turned his blue eyes up to meet his father's gold ones. “I just didn't want to be left out,” he whispered ashamedly.

“What about Admetus? Did you not think about the influence you had over him?”

“Plato -”

“Plato wasn't too young to attend the Ball. Only you and Admetus were in the same boat on this matter.”

“No,” Munkustrap answered finally. “I didn't think about it at all.”

“I expected better of you.” Deuteronomy was speaking to all of them, but his reproving gaze remained fixed on Munkustrap. “You're not kittens, anymore. Responsibility must be learned while you are young. Because of your lack of judgment, Admetus was hurt and you're all lucky he wasn't killed. I'll leave it to your parents and guardians to assign punishment. You're all dismissed.”

The youngsters slowly went their separate ways, most to their respective guardians and a few to go visit Admetus, who had a broken leg and a painful lump on his head. After a few moments, the only cats left in the clearing were Deuteronomy and his two sons; one by blood and the other through affection alone.

“It was my idea,” Tugger spoke up. “Munkus went along with it because I suggested it. It's mostly my fault, so you shouldn't be harder on him. You should be harder on me.” Munkustrap looked at his brother in surprise.

Deuteronomy raised his brow. “Was I being harder on him?” he asked.

“Yes,” answered Tugger without hesitation. The tabby, too confused to know what to say, said nothing.

“That was not my intention,” said the old leader. “Perhaps your punishments will seem more equal. Both of you have lost your privileges for a month. During that month, Munkustrap will assist Jennyanydots in anything that she requires, and Tugger, you will help Jellylorum. I believe both queens are a little sore at the two of you due to recent pranks you've been pulling.”

Munkustrap grimaced. Maybe they shouldn't have tormented Jenny's mice.

“What about Rag?” Tugger asked.

“He will helping his grandfather at the theater.”

“Oh.”

The two younger toms stared at the ground. Deuteronomy climbed down from the tire and put a paw on each of their shoulders. “You don't have to start helping Jellylorum and Jennyanydots until tomorrow,” he told them gently. “Why don't you spend the rest of the day visiting your friend?”

“Okay,” Munkustrap mewed meekly, turning towards the Junkyard's makeshift infirmary.

Tugger looked up into Deuteronomy's face, feeling ashamed. Deuteronomy was the only father he had ever known, and here he was, letting him down. “I'm sorry, Dad,” he murmured miserably.

Deuteronomy rested a paw on the younger tom's cheek. “Just learn from your mistakes, Tugger,” he said kindly. “That's all I expect from either of you. You're already becoming fine, young toms – as long as you continue to learn.” He patted his cheek and went on his way.

“Tugger, you coming?” Munkustrap called back to him, his tone much more subdued than usual.

“Yeah,” Tugger answered, “I'm coming.”

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To be continued...

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Tugger has been put to work sorting reviews by Jellylorum.