#cats prilday23

[rainbowratsstuff]

@storyweaverofgondor Cats-pril day 26: Trio

The boys! Tumble has a bad idea, Plato isn't sure whether to join or act more as the protector he's training to be, and Pounce is just happy to be there ^^

[storyweaverofgondor]

Summary: Plato finds a reason to stay. 

Inspired by my Plato, Tumble and Pounce are Macavity’s sons headcanons. Refers to my OCs Hisluna and Bloodypaws.

[afairytalestray]

Day 23 of cats-pril by @storyweaverofgondor - moon. I've wanted to write something with Bomba and the kittens for a while, and this thing is what came to mind! Also on Ao3 here.

..

“You’re just making that up!” Tumblebrutus hollered as he laughed.

“Yeah, I’m not scared!” Pouncival declared, puffing out his chest, causing Etcetera to scowl.

“Then you’re dumb, Pounce!”

“Am not!”

“Are too! Auntie Bomba!”

Bombalurina jumped as Etcetera shrieked her name. She had only been paying half attention to the Kittens’ conversation.

“Auntie Bomba! Tell Pounce about the monster on the nights when there’s no moon, he doesn’t believe me!”

Bomba bit back a laugh, she remembered what the adult Cats had told her as a Kitten, to stop her wandering off when there was no moonlight to guide her.

“Do you mean to tell me,” she began, injecting some mystery into her voice, “that Pouncival doesn’t know about the WereCat?”

The cocky grin slid from Pouncival’s face, replaced by a sudden, worried frown.

“That’s… that’s not a real thing… is it?” 

“Oh, it’s very real,” Bomba said seriously, jumping down from her perch and trotting over to where the Kittens were sitting. Any remaining trace of laughter faded from Pounce’s face, and Tumble also looked concerned now. Etcetera smiled smugly.

“Very real,” Electra repeated seriously. “I heard Munkustrap tell Jemima about it.”

“Not Munkustrap?” 

Bomba bit back a smile. The very serious Munkustrap would never tell a lie!

“Oh yes,” she said, sitting down across from the Kittens. “You know the Everlasting Cat watches over us through the moon, right?”

“Uh-huh,” Tumble nodded, “the moon is like her eye!”

“Exactly. The moon is her symbol, and when it is full we know she is closeby.”

“That’s why it’s called the Jellicle Moon and we have the Jellicle Ball to celebrate!” Etcetera trilled.

“Correct. Even when it is cloudy, she is still there. But some nights the moon is not there. And when the moon is not there, Kittens like you need to be extra careful.”

“Does she go away?” Pounce gasped.

“She does not abandon us,” Bomba said quickly. Better shut that fear down quick! “But you know when Misto does a big magic trick, it makes him very sleepy, yes?”

“Yeah, Tugger says he needs to recharge his magic energy.”

“Precisely. The Everlasting Cat is much the same. When the moon is not in the sky, she is recharging her energy. But during that time, there is a monster who comes out. He fears the Everlasting Cat, and will not appear when her eye is in the sky. But when all is dark, he ventures out.”

“What… What is he?” Tumble whispered. The Kittens had pressed in close together, hanging off Bomba’s every word.

“We call him the WereCat, and he gobbles up silly Kittens who sneak out of their dens on the nights when there is no moon!” Bomba said in a grand voice, making a dramatic pouncing motion with her paws.

“Tha-... That’s not true!” Pounce squawked. “How come no one has ever talked about him before then?”

“You were too young, and we didn’t want to scare you. But you’re old enough to understand now. He’s a monstrous creature, but he was once a Kitten just like you. But he was foolish, and he ignored the older Cats who warned him not to go out when there was no moon. He thought he was being brave, you see. But something got him, and that Kitten was never seen again. The other Cats looked for him, but all they ever found was a patch of fur. The next time there was no moon, the main Protector was on patrol. She thought saw a familiar face, hiding outside in the trees outside the Junkyard. She looked closer, but what she saw was no longer a Cat, but a monster. He was huge, like a pollicle, but with teeth like a rat; his fur was ragged and patchy, and his skin and eyes red as blood.”

“What got him?” Etcetera whispered, looking at her with wide eyes.

“No one knows, but now he stalks the Junkyard, looking for more Kittens to lure out. The Magical Cat at the time set up protections, like Misto does now, but their power comes from the Everlasting Cat, so they are weakest when there is no moon in the sky.”

“So those nights he can get in?”

“Yes, which is why, no matter what, you mustn’t go out when there is no moon. Do you understand?”

The Kittens nodded quickly, obvious fear written all over their faces. They got the message then. That was good, but Bomba didn’t want them having nightmares.

“But as long as you stay in those nights, nothing bad will happen, ok? We protectors will make sure you’re safe. Just promise me you won’t go wandering off.”

“I promise!” the Kittens chorused.

“Have you ever seen him, Auntie Bomba?”

“I think so, once,” she said, unable to resist. “I saw… something, scuttling along the southern border, but Munkustrap and Cassandra chased it off, so you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Wow… being a protector must be so scary!”

“I wanna be a protector when I grow up!”

“You can’t even catch Jenny’s tail!”

And then they were off again, bickering and laughing amongst themselves. Bomba smiled. There was, of course, no such thing as a WereCat, but stories of him had always made sure no Kittens got lost in the dark.