Mungojerrie walked down the street, taking his time. The remnants from last night’s rain laid in puddles, scattered about the road and sidewalks, some as large as the Heavyside Tire, other were as small as his water dish. He jumped over them, most at least, and continued up to the stone wall. A large cat, which looked larger with his thick fur, lay in the sun, enjoying an early afternoon sleep. Mungojerrie paused for a moment, unsure if he should bother the Tribe’s leader while he was resting. He turned to leave, thinking that he’d come back later when;
“Mungojerrie,” he turned and saw Old Deuteronomy sitting on his wall, yawning widely. “What brings you so far across town?”
“I came to see you, sir,” he said, nodding at the tom, “I needed to talk to you about something.”
“Well, don’t stay down there, come on up,” Old Deuteronomy gestured to a piece of the wall beside him. Mungo leapt up and settled himself, “So you came all this way just to talk to me? It must be important then... and without Rumpelteazer too. I’m not accustomed to seeing one of you without the other.”
“Rumpelteazer is what I came to talk to you about,” he said politely, “You see last Jellicle Ball, during the mating dance when everyone pairs off; we went together and...”
“And... you’re worried that you’ve developed feelings for her, after seeing her as a friend so long, and you’re concerned that it’s going to ruin your friendship,” he asked, when Mungo failed to continue.
“No, not that. She’s pregnant,” Mungo explained, feeling his face grow warm. “It happened that night.”
“She is,” Old Deuteronomy said happily, “Well, that’s simply wonderful. I do believe that she’s the first pregnant queen in our Tribe this year... You don’t seem to be excited Mungojerrie. Is something the matter?”
“I need to tell Olav,” he said, “She’s this queen a few block away from me I’ve been seeing, she doesn’t know that Teazer’s... because of me.”
“Ah, yes, I see,” the old cat nodded, “It’s never an easy thing to tell someone.”
Mungo nodded, “So I’ve gathered. Do you know why- why me and Teazer...”
“Mated? It’s because of the Jellicle Moon,” Old Deuteronomy said simply. “You see, Mungojerrie, the Jellicle Moon was once believed to be the source of finding the one you loved but that faith has long since been disregarded. There were cats that were getting matched up that didn’t seem to fit; and mated cats that were getting paired with multiple cats. Afterwards, cats began to say that it held no importance, it was just a sign that the Ball was on. There’s something in the air though, something magical that happens every time the Jellicle Moon rises. It fills your being and grasps your heart. That is not simply a sign. We now see it as a chance to explore new relations. You’ve always regarded Rumpelteazer as your friend but under the Jellicle Moon was your chance to have her as more then that. You didn’t simply see her as your giggle companion; you saw her as a vision of loveliness, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” he nodded, face growing warm once again, “I did. Is that why Bombalurina was with Pouncival while Tugger and Jenny were together?”
“As far as we can tell; yes. These are simply theories, Mungojerrie, and we abide by which ever seems to fit the best. In fifty years maybe there would be a new assumption that will be followed.” Old Deuteronomy sighed, looking up at the cloudy sky, “The snow shall be falling soon and the puddles with be frozen over. You best get a move on back home; I thank you for visiting me.”
“Very well,” Mungo said jumping back down into the side street and began to walk back towards Victoria Grove.
“And, Mungojerrie,” the tribe’s Leader called, “Tell Rumpelteazer I said ‘hello’. Be sure to take good care of her.”
“Don’t worry. I will.”