Part 1

"Oh finally in London", Skimble said as he jumped off the train and stretched his muscles. "I love my job but sometimes I just want to be at home with my mate. I wonder how she is, she seemed really nervous about something when I left."

Skimble started to walk down the platform, being patted by kids and station workers at times but he ignored them, well he purred at them but he wanted to get home. He wanted to see how the kittens were doing. Jelly and Gus had a son that was named Asparagus after his father and Deuteronomy had two kittens now, his second mate had given birth to a tiny little black kit with leopard spots on his chest, wrists and ankles. Deuteronomy also had Munkustrap a little silver tabby. Skimble and Jenny had one daughter her name was Bombalurina. Safir was keeping an eye on a pair of Siamese kittens that had been abandoned by the gate. Their names were Coricopat and Tantomile and Edan and his mate Flinga had the girls Exotica and Cassandra.

"I wonder if we will get another kitten of our own", Skimble mused and walked on.

"Mamma", he heard someone cry.

"What the?" Skimble froze on the dark street and looked around

"Mamma", he heard again.

"What?" he started to run down the dark street.

"Mamma dove siete? Mamma? Mamma!"

(Mommy where are you? Mommy? Mommy!)

Skimble looked forward on a street and saw a small little kitten running one here and one there looking for something. The kitten was a black and white patched tom. The kitten was crying a lot and looked scared and heartbroken… and tired.

"Mamma", it sniffled. "Mamma."

"Poor little lad", Skimble said and walked towards the kitten and when he got in front of it all that met him was a horrified gasp.

"Oi there lad what's yer hurry", Skimble asked and saw the little kitten tremble.

"Mamma è andata. Dove è la mia mamma... aiutare."

(Mommy is gone. Where is my mommy... help.)

And the kitten fainted and Skimble caught it before it hit the ground and picked it up.

"What was that he said", he mumbled and looked at the little kitten. "My my my he can't be that old… and he's abandoned?" Skimble looked around, the kitten was still trembling. He saw an old sweater and hurried over and put it over the kit in his arms.

"I can't just leave the lad here", he mumbled and looked around. "Maybe if I follow his scent I'll figure out where he came from."

Skimble smelled the air, it wasn't for nothing he was known as the best tracker in the yard, and soon found the kitten's scent and followed it. After walking for about fifteen minutes he got to a dark road and found a string that smelt like the kit.

"Did someone tie him up?" Skimble wondered. "Wait… I smell a queen." He followed the scent and walked down the road, opposite the way the kitten had gone. He suddenly saw something on the road… the remains of a cat.

"Oh no", Skimble said and hugged the kitten close. "Sweet EC no… poor lad… what am I gonna do now?" he looked at the kitten that seemed sick. "Well I can't leave you here… so I guess I better take you home."

Jenny, Jelly, Flinga, Edan and Gus were up talking to Old Deuteronomy, Jenny though threw glances at the path leading away from the clearing.

"He'll be here soon dear", Jelly said and put a paw on her friend's. "Maybe the train was delayed."

"Maybe… I just have this odd feeling about it."

"Do you think something happened", Flinga asked.

"I don't know…"

"Hey look here he comes", Gus said. "And judging by the looks of it, he has something for you."

"A present", Jenny exclaimed. "Oh how romantic of him."

"Welcome home Skimbleshanks", Deuteronomy said smiling.

"Thank ye sir", Skimble said and sighed. "If only it been better."

The other cats looked quizzically at him.

"What ya got there", Edan asked nodding to the strange 'package' in Skimble's arms.

"The reason why it could've been better", Skimble mumbled and moved a little of the sweater. The others gasped and Flinga hurried over to the kitten.

"Where did you find it", she asked putting a paw to the kitten's forehead.

"He was roaming the streets calling for his mother", Skimble said. "Poor lad, I found his mother though… she was dead."

"Oh no", Jenny gasped. "How old is he?"

"He looks to be in Munkustrap's age", Flinga said taking the kitten into her arms. "But he's burning up."

"My guess is the lad had a cold or something already and with running around on the streets and the trauma it broke out into a fever", Skimble mused.

"Anything else we need to know", Edan said picking up the little kit.

"He's not English… At least I think not."

"What makes you say that", Deuteronomy asked.

"He said something odd before passing out."

"Well", Edan said. "The lad seems strong. Yeah he's gonna be a fighter this one."

"Oh stop it", Jenny said taking the kitten herself. "He needs medical care before you start plotting about his future as a warrior-kit."

Jelly walked over too and looked at the kitten.

"We better take him to the medical den", she said and the two of them hurried away.

"So", Edan asked. "What are we gonna do with him?"

"I intend to keep the lad", Skimble said. "He has no one else."

"But Skimble", Gus said. "You already have a kitten and another on the way."

"I know that Gus", Skimble went on. "But what else can we do?"

They all looked at him and then each other, not knowing what to do.

"Let's make sure he gets better first before deciding anything", Deuteronomy said. "Everybody should have some rest now."

"Yes sir", the cats said and scattered.

TBC Here you go the first chapter in me pre-story for the "A week with"-series I have. I used an internet translator for the Italian stuff... sorry all you Italians if it isn't right. I own nothing... except for Safir, Edan & Flinga. Those are mine thank you very much. I think you might recognize the names but I won't tell you from where ;)