#4 The Rum Tum Tugger

"Meow." All the Cats stopped what they were doing and looked at each other, some in excitement, others with dread. The call was more like a growl than a hello, and it caused every queen there to melt, and several kittens, too.

The Tugger laughed to himself as they all crowded around him. Every queen wants me and every tom wants to BE me! he chuckled. They were all pawing at him at once, crying for a little bit of his attention. He walked, swaggered, rather, to the center of the junkyard, feeling like the Pied Piper of London. "Now, now, ladies," he said in his deep baritone voice. "There's more than enough of me to go around!" He backed away, looking for one queen in particular.

"Jemima, where's Bombalurina?" he asked the kitten, stroking her chin. She giggled.

"I don't know, she's not here yet," she sighed coyly. Tugger shook his head at the precocious kitten. She was sweet, but far to young for him. He stepped away, only to be blocked by Etcetera, who eagerly scratched at his leg.

"Cetty, what are you doing?" She squealed.

"Vicky, he spoke to me!" he could hear her say as she ran off in excitement.

Ah, this is the life, he thought. Here, I am a god!

"The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious... beast!" a deep alto whisper came through the hushed crowd. Tugger turned, and his heart skipped a beat. If it was possible, he held his head higher and walked with a bigger swagger towards his mate, who stood calmly on the other side of the junkyard. He ignored the sighs of disappointment that came from the girls, for he had eyes for one kitty only... Bombalurina.

He remembered the first time he met his Bomba. It was their first Jellicle Ball together, the first dance as eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. He had been rather annoyed at his brother, who was getting a lot of attention from Daddy, but not from the ladies. The only lady who wanted him was shy, quiet Demeter. Demeter was small, pretty, but she was so good. Good girls were no fun... But Bomba, she was fun...

**************************************************

"Hey, Tug!" Munkustrap called. "Tug, where's Mum?"

"How should I know?" Tugger called back. "Go look for her yourself."

"Tug, please." he sent his brother a pleading look, then turned back to the pretty little lady he was talking to. Old Deuteronomy sat up on the tire, watching his son with a pleased grin on his face.

"Munkustrap," he roared to his oldest son. "Come here, and bring Demeter." Munkustrap looked at the young queen anxiously, but obeyed.

"I hope I didn't get you in trouble, Dem," he whispered. She smiled in her usual shy way, beaming at him from beneath her long lashes.

"Munkustrap, you have chosen well." Old Deuteronomy smiled at his son happily. "Demeter is the one destined to be your mate."

The Tugger scoffed and turned around, disgusted. Stupid Munk, he gets everything! Papa's blessing, a cute girl... well... he glanced around at all the kittens who had surrounded him. So I get more girls than he does. Has Papa chosen a match for me? Of course not! Who am I? I am just the Tugger, Papa's disappointment.

"Well, if it isn't Mister Know-It-All." Tugger turned.

"Huh?" he said, then he suddenly realized that he was dead meat. Standing before him was the sexiest debutante he had ever seen. She was red from her head to the tip of her pointy tail, striped with black and white. She was a tall cat, almost as big as he was, but he failed to recognize her as she spoke in a husky whisper.

"Don't you remember me?" she asked, gracefully pushing her way through the crowd. He shook his head, speechless for the first time in his life. "Bombalurina," she said coyly, rolling the 'r' in her name and looking him in the eye with a look that would've brought any cat to his knees. "Remember? You told me two years ago that I was far too sweet for anybody. You told me to take a trip, and I did. Now I'm back."

The Tugger stood there in shocked silence. This cool and collected dame was nothing like the Bombalurina he remembered! She was gorgeous...

"Tugger!" a bark from his father recaptured his attention.

"Excuse me, Bomba," he stuttered. He sauntered over to where his father had just dismissed Munkustrap. "Yes?" he asked obediantly.

"I see you're becoming reaquainted with young Bombalurina." Tugger barely managed to nod. "Be careful," Old Deuteronomy warned. "She's fiesty."

"Yes, sir." Old D waved him off, and suddenly the Tugger realized that he wanted to have Bomba as his wife. He would have her... and, by the end of the night, he did.