�Guess what?� The voice sounded very excited. Pounce recognized the voice as Tumblebrutus�. They had been good friends as kittens, but they had drifted away from each other more and more as they got older. It had been awhile since he had seen Tumble this excited about anything, and even longer since one of them had pounced the other.

�Would you get the hell off of me?� Pouncival asked angrily, gasping for air. Tumble had to be at least a foot taller than him and sitting right on his abdomen.

�Oh yeah. Sorry.� Tumblebrutus slid off of him and sat at his side. �Guess what?� Pouncival sighed, figuring he�d play along.

�What? And this better not be one of your dumb bird butt jokes.�

�It�s not. Even better!� The grin on his face was so big, Pounce couldn�t help but smile too. �Etcy�s pregnant! I�m going to be a dad! Isn�t that great?� The smile on Pounce�s face dimmed a little. If Etcy was pregnant, Jemima was bound to want to have kits too.

�Oh boy,� Pounce mumbled.

�What was that? Aren�t you happy for me, Pounce?� Pouncival forced a smile back on his face.

�I said, what a joy! I�m so happy for you guys. It�ll be nice to have some new kits around. Bombi and Tugger�s kits are getting bigger, and who knows when, or if, Munku and Demi or Lonz and Cassie will have some kittens.�

�I know. Oh, I�m so excited! I have to tell somebody else! See you later Pounce,� Tumble shouted over his shoulder.

�Yeah. Bye.� Pouncival closed his eyes. �Today is just not my day.�

�Pouncival!� It was Munkustrap this time. �Hold on!�

�What do you want �Strap? Leave me alone,� Pounce whined, sounding like a true younger brother.

�I was just wondering what�s got Tumble so worked up. It�s been awhile since he pounced anyone,� Munkustrap asked curiously.

�Oh, Etcy�s pregnant,� Pounce said with a small shrug.

�Really? Oh, those two. Their kittens are going to be overly hyper. I can�t wait to see them. I wonder when they�re due.� Pounce could tell this rambling was going to go on for awhile.

�Hey, uh, Munk?� he interrupted. �I would love to stay and talk with you about kittens, but I was just heading home. Tell Demeter I said hi, ok?�

�Tell her yourself. And tell her I said hi too,� Munkustrap said, looking awfully depressed.

�Wait, what? What�s wrong with you guys? You still love each other, right?� Worry was written all over Pouncival�s face. �You have to still love each other.�

�I don�t know Pounce. I have no clue. I have to go.� Before Pounce could say anything more, Munkustrap walked away, his ears drooping.

�They�ll figure it out on there own, just like Jemima said. No need to worry,� Pouncival reassured himself as he walked to the box he shared with Jemima. Almost as soon as he set foot inside the box, he regretted it. Jemmi was sitting on the pile of blankets Jennyanydots and Jellylorum had knit them as a house-warming gift, and she didn�t look too happy.

�Guess what Pounce?� she asked. Her voice sounded bitter and somewhat angry. �Etcy�s having kittens. Tumblebrutus and Etcetera are having kittens. We haven�t even mated Pouncival!� she cried. Pouncival shifted nervously, wondering if he should risk talking or just stay silent. That question was answered when Jemima continued speaking. �Do you know why we haven�t mated Pouncival? Because you won�t! It�s always �I�m too tired Jemima� or �I�m not in the mood Jemima.� When are you going to be in the mood?� Her voice went from hostile to barely audible. �I want a kitten, Pounce.� Pouncival felt his eyes widen at Jemima�s last sentence.

�Um, well, maybe sometime we can have a kitten,� Pouncival stuttered, knowing he was treading on dangerous territory. He knew if her, in any way, promised her a kitten, she would never let him go back on it.

�Tonight Pounce?� Her voice sounded a little more hopeful. She purposefully moved over on the blankets, leaving just enough room for another cat to join her. Pouncival was very tempted to go sit next to her, just to explain why he would feel guilty giving her a kitten, but he had a feeling as soon as he sat down, she wouldn�t let him move, much less speak.

�Well, Jemima,� Pouncival was now holding his head in his paws. �I, uh, I gotta go. I�ll think bout it, I really will. I just need some fresh air.� Pounce slowly backed out of the box, not daring to look at her face and see how much he was hurting someone he had, at one point, possibly loved.

Pouncival breathed in deeply once he was quite a distance away from his home. How had he gotten himself into this? That seemed to be a question he had asked himself quite a bit lately, and it bothered him he had no answer. Nothing had happened to him that would cause him to go from liking Jemima to Mistoffelees. At least, not that he remembered. Pounce had been so wrapped up in trying to recall something that would explain why he liked Misto, he didn�t notice the tuxedoed tom himself standing behind him, until his voice filled the air.

�Um, Pouncival?� Even though the words were no more than a whisper, Pounce was startled and immediately turned to face Mistoffelees. He stumbled a few steps backwards and paused a moment, waiting for something sensible to come to mind.

�Hi Misto,� was what he came with after several seconds of frantically searching his mind. Mistoffelees smiled a little as his friend. �Look, about earlier-�

�No, Pounce,� Misto cut him off. �You don�t need to say anything. I didn�t come here to talk.�

�Just listen Misto,� Pouncival continued. �When I said-� Pounce�s comment was cut off again as Misto leaned forward and pressed his lips to the striped tom�s.