One advantage Stray Tugger has over regular Tugger? He's a vicious fighter. And nobody sees it coming. Once he's filled out and gotten his collar he looks and acts more like the fancy lad he was destined to be, but underneath that growing himbo layer is a cat who had to wrestle a fox for half a sandwich. Munkustrap is dismayed his little brother had such strife, but is also just, so hyped to have someone else help defend their family. Macavity never sees it fucking coming.
Tugger had finally settled into the Jellicle tribe.Ā
His fur was groomed almost daily by either Munkustrap, who was quite protective of his new little brother, or Mistoffelees, who knew exactly how much work it was to maintain Tuggerās coat.Ā
He had a collar now, a wonderful gift from Mistoffeleesā human, all glittering and wonderful, and it made Tugger feel like a real Jellicle, walking around with Mistoffelees, their collars matching.Ā
He had even filled out, Mistoffelees no longer able to feel the coonās ribs when they cuddled, something that made the smaller tom incredibly happy. Now that Tugger was groomed, well-fed, and happy, he looked more and more like a purebred maine coon, something that Mistoffelees was very proud to flaunt, and something that made Tugger laugh whenever someone brought it up.Ā
One thing was for sure, however.Ā
You could take the cat out of the street, but you couldnāt take the street out of the cat.Ā
And this was made evident one day when Macavity attacked the Jellicles.Ā
Tugger didnāt know much about Macavity besides the fact that he was Munkustrapās brother, Old Deuteronomyās oldest son, and an extremely powerful cat. He also knew that there was some kind of history between Macavity, Demeter, and Bombalurina that included Jemima, but he didnāt want to pry.Ā
But all Tugger knew was that Macavity was a danger to the tribe. To his new family.Ā
So when a loud laugh rang throughout the Junkyard, and Demeter let out of a cry ofĀ āMACAVITY!ā that had everyone rushing into a panic, Tugger knew he had to be prepared.Ā
āCan you stay back with the kittens?ā Munkustrap asked Tugger, who nodded. The tense silver tabby gave him a thankful look as he went to join Alonzo and Mistoffelees, who were already beginning to look around, searching for the Mystery Cat. Tugger backed up, herding the group of kittens behind him.Ā
Jemima immediately pressed against him, her eyes wide and fearful.Ā āIām scared, Uncle Tugs.ā Tugger wrapped an arm around her instinctively, pulling her close.Ā
āItāll be okay, Jem.ā he replied softly.Ā
Macavity had Alonzo on the ground in a matter of minutes, the tom writhing from the effect of magic on his mind. Mistoffelees immediately went to his side, calming him and removing Macavityās magic from him, leaving Munkustrap to deal with Macavity alone. So when Tugger saw Macavity backhand the silver tabby, throwing him across the Junkyard, the large tom knew he had to do something.Ā
āPlato!ā Tugger called, and the young tom turned.Ā āKeep an eye on the kittens!ā Without giving him time to respond, Tugger rushed across the yard, tackling Macavity away from Munkustrap with a hiss.Ā
Macavity snarled at the tom who attacked him.Ā āWhat kind of trash have they allowed into the tribe?ā
āOh, I donāt know. They seem to be letting anyone in these days.ā Tugger replied casually, crouching in front of Munkustrap protectively.Ā āBut I donāt think theyāre letting you back in any time soon, so itās time for you to shove off.ā
āWeāll see about that.ā Macavity sneered, lunging forward. Tugger predicted his attack and met him head-on. As they fought, both the Jellicles and Macavity realized that if there wasnāt any magic involved, Tugger would have overpowered the Mystery Cat in a heartbeat. Beneath the well-groomed fur and proud Jellicle exterior lay the cat who had been raised on the streets.Ā
Tugger wasnāt just a housecat.Ā
He was a cat who had to fight almost daily for food.Ā
He was a cat who lost chunks of his mane defending Grizabella from a group of Pollicles.
He was a cat who had a broken leg for a month because he and Grizabella were starving and he needed to steal a bit of fish and got caught.Ā
He was a cat who battled against wild animals for scraps of garbage.
And as Munkustrap watched, supported by Alonzo and Demeter, he couldnāt help but feel both a strong sense of pride and a strong sense of anger. He was proud because his younger brother was a strong cat, the strongest Munkustrap knew. He was angry at Tuggerās mother and her humans for casting him out, forcing him into a life that made him grow up too quickly. But Munkustrap knew that everything Tugger had gone through had shaped him into the tom that was battling against Macavity at the moment.Ā
When Tugger chased Macavity off, a triumphant and proud grin on the tomās face as Macavity hissed and limped away to lick his wounds, he was promptly swarmed by kittens, all of them grabbing onto him, asking if he was alright, if he could teach them to fight like that, asking where he had learned to fight so well. He had also immediately been checked over by Jennyanydots, who determined that he didnāt have any life-threatening injuries, and told him to come see her when the excitement had died down.Ā
Munkustrap approached him with the help of Demeter, and he gave Tugger a small grin. āAre you okay?ā
āIām fine. Been worse.ā Tugger said with a shrug.Ā āAre you okay? He got you pretty good.ā
āIāll be alright.ā Munkustrap said reassuringly.Ā āThank you, Tugger.ā
The maine coon smiled.Ā āAnything for family, Munk.ā
