Forbidden Love (Volume I)

Chapter Seventeen

Tugger watched Mistoffelees in his sleep. Their kittens were surely growing fast. He patted his mate's belly softly, «This is a blessing» he thought.
Yes, of course it was! The miracle of life.
Mistoffelees whimpered quietly, turning around, lying on his side.
"What, did I interrupt your beauty sleep?" Tugger chuckled.
Mistoffelees, who was half-asleep, murmured, "Yeah, why?"
"I was just caressing that belly of yours but your turned around."
Ears flat, "I'm... I don't really like it... not when I'm asleep."
"Come on, you look like a doll when you sleep."
Misto blushed, "Don't do this in the middle of the night, will you?"
"Why not?"
"I want to sleep."
"You always do."
"I'm literally carrying a litter of seven, what do you want?"
Tugger rose, "How many?"
"Didn't I tell you?"
"No, you didn't."
"Well, yes, we're having seven."
"That's... That's amazing, Misto! Will Jelly be able to determine the gender of each one, though? You said you were planning to go in a few weeks."
"Well, when Jenny told me they were seven, she said it would be a little too complicated to sort that out."
"Maybe for her. Jelly is a master in this. She most probably knows."
"Mmm... Yeah, maybe you're right. Can we go back to sleep, please?"
"Yes, sure."

The next day, Mistoffelees awoke, only to find Tugger gone. He felt paranoid at that instant—he had always been paranoid ever since he was abandoned, and during his pregnancy, his paranoia somewhat increased.
He frantically got out of bed and began looking for the Maine coon.
Where could he have possibly gone to?
The den's door opened. The tux gritted his teeth, widening his eyes and flattening his ears. He turned around to see who it was. It was Tugger—what a relief! He sighed, but then gave the other a death-glare. He snarled, "Where were you?!"
"Chill, I went to talk to Jelly. She said she could come by our den today to check on you and them, but she also could come tomorrow if you don't want it today, that's true."
"Well, I'd prefer today. I was planning to go anyways, because tomorrow I thought maybe we could work on their room; a welcoming ambience for newborns it needs!"
"If that's what you want. She just went out the yard to get some herbs. She's gonna knock on the door and ask, don't worry."
"I'm fine by that."

A few hours passed...
Just like Tugger had said, there was a knock on the door—it was indeed Jellylorum.
"My, thank you for remembering."
"Why would I forget? This is really important for the two of us. Come on in, he agreed on today."
"Ah, that's good. Mistoffelees?" Jelly called out.
The tuxedo went to meet the elder queen, "Hello, Jelly. It's nice to see you stop by."
"It's nothing, really... My, look at you! Those kitties of yours have grown well, haven't they?" She cooed softly, tilting her head as she pawed at his belly.
"Yes, they have. But is it still, like, early? I mean, I haven't felt them move yet."
"Jenny told me they're seven, right?"
"Yes."
"Well, when there's a lot of kittens in one they barely move. There's not enough space for them to be moving like you'd expect them to. But they surely must have moved, except so lightly that you can't feel it."
"Oh, is that? I thought they had something wrong."
"No, no, no... Nothing's wrong. Ah, do you feel anything now? They're very responsive towards my touch."
Misto gasped and nodded, "Yes, I can! Oh, Jelly, I can't tell you how happy this makes me."
"I see... Look, so you wanted to know genders, right?"
"Yes, Tugger and I are really curious about it."
"From what I can feel on my paws when they kick is that you most probably have three little queens and four little toms." Jelly grinned.
"R-Really?" Misto cooed, "I can't believe it! Tugger, did you hear?"
"I did, I did!"

The couple looked at each other rather lovingly with an elated look on their faces.

"Hey, Jelly, do you want a cup of tea?" Misto offered the elder queen.
"No, thank you, darling. I wish I could stay a little longer, but I have other things to do. Maybe some other time." She smiled.
"It's okay, Jelly. You're always welcome here. And thank you for stopping by, too!"
"No, there's no need to thank." She then gave them a goodbye wave before leaving.

The duo then looked at each other, both about to say the same thing: "Everlasting!"
"Tugger, we'll be having four toms and three queens! Isn't that great?!"
"Why not? It's... It's... Ah, Everlasting, I just can't believe I'm gonna be a father—a father of seven! I can't wait to hold them in my arms and lull them to sleep whenever they need it, watching them snuggle and cuddle next to their mama, hearing them purr as they get nursed... All of that! It's just too good to be true!"  Tugger chuckled, tearing up. Misto went to hug him, "Don't cry. There's no need to cry!" He smiled.
Tugger, now sobbing hard (it's just the excitement, heh...), "I-I can't help it, I mean... Don't you feel the same?"
"'Course I do! I just don't like seeing you cry!"
"Hey, least they're tears of happiness!"
"You're right."

Tugger then kneeled down, putting an ear on his mate's belly, "My... They're active, aren't they?"
"Mhm..."
He then planted a kiss on it before kissing Mistoffelees himself, "You have given me the most wonderful gifts I could have ever gotten." He teared up again.