A Mate and Kittens
By: Thespia

A strange cat appeared in the Junkyard. He was black with silver and gold stripes. His arrival was noticed by many Jellicles, particularly Alkana, Silvercoat and Munkustrap. The silver tabby stopped the stranger with a single question: "Who are you and why are you here?"

"I am Nikan," the stranger replied, his silver eyes meeting the tabby's without flinching. "I am searching for a queen named Alkana. Have you seen her?"

Alkana came out of hiding. Everyone could see that her coat was the same as Nikan's. The only real difference between them was their eyes: his were silver while hers were gold. "I am Alkana," she told him. "Why are you looking for me?"

I am your twin brother," the tom kitten replied, his eyes searching hers.

A silence fell over the junkyard as the queen kitten and the tom kitten, both nearly adults, studied each other. It was true that their coats had the same pattern and a rare one at that. The only discernable movements the two made were the twitchings of their tailtips.

Finally, Alkana broke the silence: "What do you want from me?"

"How does a place to stay sound?" Nikan asked dryly. "I've been on the move for weeks now, trying to find you."

"That sounds do-able," she agreed after a moment's thought. "Do you think you'll stay here?"

He shrugged. "Don't know. I'll let it go for now. See what happens."

"Okay," Alkana nodded her agreement with his plan. "Let me introduce you to the tribe."

Nikan 'let' Alkana lead him around the Junkyard and introduce him to the others. The truth was that he was extremely nervous. He didn't know anyone. He wasn't sure if Alkana would accept him as her brother. He was unsure of so many things! He pushed them all into a hidden corner of his mind and concentrated on the present.

"...and this is Silvercoat," Alkana was introducing him to silver-blue queen kitten about their age with china blue eyes.

"Hello, Nikan," those beautiful blue eyes looked shyly at him, then away.

"Hello, Silvercoat," his voice was soft, coaxing, urging the shy queen to look at him. "I'm very pleased to meet you."

She snapped her head up, surprised. "The pleasure is mutual."

"Good," Nikan murmured before letting Alkana steer him away.

Silvercoat perched on an old rocking chair while Alkana finished introducing Nikan to everyone. Her china blue eyes followed the twins all around the Junkyard. Many of the queen kittens younger than Silvercoat seemed quite taken by this new tom kitten. Especially Talia, a black one with random cream patches. Talia had never been much of a friend to Silvercoat, but they mutually respected each other.

^.~.^

Silvercoat's twin brother, Smokestep, arrived a few weeks later, with his pregnant mate, Scootcher, in tow. The pair stayed with the twins' parents, Jerad and Jestorina, until the Jellicle Ball, which was just a week away.

Alkana and Silvercoat were good friends. The sudden appearance of Nikan provided the queen kittens with even more in common: a twin brother and brought them closer together. Alkana and Nikan visited quite often. When Smokestep and Scootcher arrived, the three queens became quite a trio. They were an odd-looking trio: the white, silver and yellow-orange Scootcher, the silver-blue Silvercoat and the black, gold and silver Alkana. Quite a trio indeed.

^.~.^

The Jellicle Ball finally arrived! This would be Nikan's first Jellicle Ball and he was anticipating it the way a child anticipates Christmas morning. Silvercoat was anticipating it the way a bride anticipates her wedding, because it was her turn to choose a mate. She had an idea as to who it was, but she wasn't getting her hopes up.

^.~.^

"It's so silent, so still," Nikan whispered to Alkana when they entered the Junkyard that night.

"Shh," she admonished him. "Wait and see."

He did wait and see. As soon as he figured out what was going on, he joined in. He loved every minute of the festivities. Until Macavity crashed the Ball. This year, he cat-napped Silvercoat!

All the toms left to search for her while Demeter and Bombalurina sang their song.

"When Macavity comes back, I'll fight him," Nikan told Munkustrap as they searched for the Hidden Paw.

"He's dangerous," the larger tabby told him.

"Not as dangerous as I am," the tone of the tom kitten's voice caused the other to glance at him. The older tom understood all too well. He'd been through it himself when Demeter had been cat-napped: Nikan loved Silvercoat.

^.~.^

Alkana met Smokestep when he came back to the clearing where the Ball was taking place. "Scootcher's gone into labor!" Alkana told him.

While the other toms continued to search for his twin, he stayed by his mate. She was glad he was there. The birth was taking place in a more private corner of the Junkyard, but they could still see what was going on.

^.~.^

Macavity was eventually flushed out by the toms. Everyone except Munkustrap and Nikan were surprised when the tom kitten challenged the Napoleon of Crime. The tall, thin ginger cat was a veteran fighter, but the striped tom kitten was young and streetwise.

Macavity was forced to release Silvercoat. The queen kitten seemed dazed, but unhurt. Nikan had been slashed in one hind leg, but was otherwise uninjured. The queen kitten rushed to Nikan, desperate to assure herself that was okay.

He held her close, glad that she was okay. Silvercoat had chosen her mate. Smokestep and Scootcher brought out their kittens and Silvercoat, Jerad and Jestorina nuzzled them. The newborns were accepted into the tribe and Nikan decided to stay. Everyone in Silvercoat's family was content. Everyone, that is, except Alkana. Who would she choose for her mate next year?

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