The Awful Battle of the Pekes and What's Possible

It's Either Blazing Hot or Freezing Cold

Munkustrap had been asleep for a little bit at this point and Jennyanydots couldn't help but feel younger, holding that grown Jellicle leader like she used to when he was just a newborn kitten. Some things never change, like the way his tails love to wrap itself around his legs while he's sleeping or the nobby way his face relaxes with his eyebrows raised. But, other things do change. Munk's back now featured claw marks left by Macaity in the fight from the Jellicle Ball, his paw pads were burned and the fur around them were frayed.

Then, there was the way he breathed. No matter how long he'd been asleep for, he still breathes like he's anticipating to be jumped, or he's the one about to do the jumping. Something so insecure and sudden rose and fell with his visible rib cage. Like a boat rocking on the controlled waves of a wave pool at an indoor water park. A sense of danger in a controlled space.

Jenny continued her efforts to be a comfort to him, petting him along his arms and back, chin and head, behind the ears and the occasional tummy scratch. All while she did, she felt the light fluffiness of his fur and how it was periodically interrupted by a chunk of fur that felt crusty and stiff, being covered by blood or dried dirt. The skin beneath his fur started as smooth and untouched until she ran her paw pads against wounds and scrapes, claw marks and burns that even while asleep, Munkustrap winced at.

It got to a point where Jennyanydots, as hard as she tried, couldn't remain just laying down. For her age, she was very spritely, so she got right to work with the cleaning of her den; dusting the top shelves before sweeping the grounds. A gust of wind blew in while she was sweeping a big pile of dirt flew right over and onto Munkustrap. Jenny wanted to wait until he woke up to clean him, but now that he was extra dirty because of the draft, she couldn't reasonably wait any longer.

Jenny crawled herself back onto the bed, hovering over the grown tom, reaching her head to his shoulder and licking it gently. Her face tensed as her tongue picked up on all the dirt and grime. It utterly disgusted her, but fed into her sympathy for the cat who was so scared about the state of the tribe, he didn't even stop once to lick himself. Jenny had her work cut out for her with this one. She kept going at that shoulder, but then the taste of dust just wouldn't leave the fur. She bent down, licking faster and harder than any cat should (don't take that out of context, or do. It'd be funny.) with a growing concern as the reality of the situation sunk back into her stomach, only getting glimpses of it through his fur and refusal to eat.

Soon, Jenny must have been licking him too hard because the nest rocked with each of her movements and Munkustrap was stifled awake as Jenny lost her balance, the weight in her arms slipping as she fell on top of Munkustrap. Munkustrap was screaming from underneath Jennyanydots, he was thrashing and squirming so much, Jenny couldn't regain any stability to sit herself back up. Just then, Rum Tum Tugger and Mr.Mistoffelees rush through the door. Mistoffelees uses his magic to levitate Jenny into the air as Tugger swooped in, holding Munkustrap tight in his arms.

Misto let's Jenny go softly on the rug in the middle of the den. "Thank you, dear." Misto replies with an affectionate bow. Tugger remains holding his brother as tight as he could, wrapping his upper body in his baby blanket, making sure his arms feel weight. Tugger shushes Munkustrap, rocking him back and forth. "You're safe, no one is going to hurt you. No one is hurting me. No one is hurting the tribe. You're safe. Don't worry about anything. I love you." Munkustrap was finding it hard to catch his breath. He felt tied to the ground, but that also meant he couldn't swim to the surface. He was tied down to the bottom of his ocean of pain and panic. His hyperventilating, paired with his hunger that was never truly cured, made him nauseous all over again.

Munkustrap was finally able to get noise to come up through his throat, but instead of words like he had intended, they spurred out of him sporadic staccato whimpers and hums. A vocal kind of panting. Tugger just wanted him to breathe, so he held him close. He knew he was tough, but any person with a heart would break seeing their brother in shambles, so hurt, so filled with fear and uncertainty. Munkustrap was always there for him, there would never be a doubt that Tugger could return the favor.