Disclaimer – I own nothing of CATS. It belongs to the wonderful Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber & T.S. Eliot. I do own my original character of Whisperwhiskers. I also don't own the song As Torrents In Summer – it belongs to its original owner. 'Nuff said.
Italics are song lyrics and thoughts
A/N: After seeing CATS for the 2nd time last night, this idea came into my head. I'm also using Quaxo in this story, not Mr. Mistofflees. Also, I have an OC – he's a black tabby named Whisperwhiskers and he's Munkustrap's brother.
Summary: AU: Quaxo really likes Cassandra, but she's with Skimbleshanks. She makes Quaxo prove they belong together. Rated T for safety. One-Shot.
Genre: Romance/None
Rating: T
Quaxo looked at the Jellicle moon and sighed. He and Victoria had had a fight, so he was feeling lonely. He looked over and saw Cassandra, sitting in the moonlight, grooming herself. He watched the elegant queen and walked over to her, itching a scratch she couldn't reach.
"Thank you." She thanked the kitten, getting up and went to sit with Old Deuteronomy. The older cat patted her head as she nudged him with respect. Cassandra was one of Old Deuteronomy's daughters, along with Demeter, Jellylorum and Rumpleteazer. Mungojerrie was his only son.
Later, Quaxo tried a different approach to get Cassandra's attention. He balanced on a tire and made his way over to where she was.
"ROWWWWWWWLLLLLLL!" Demeter growled as Quaxo ran over her tail.
"I'm so sorry!" Quaxo apologized to the queen as he hopped off the tire and landed in front of Cassandra. She wasn't impressed, but it was a nice effort. "Cassandra, you don't understand – we belong together."
The queen looked at him and rolled her majestic eyes. She didn't like younger cats and was currently with Skimbleshanks. She felt like the two of them belonged together and saw herself being with the orange tabby for the rest of her days.
"Quaxo, you don't understand. I'm with Skimbleshanks." She explained. Quaxo nodded and sulked off.
The following day, Quaxo found Cassandra by herself. She was laying in the sun, soaking up its rays. He crept over to her and put his front paws on the tire she was sunbathing on. He saw that she was deep in thought, for her brow was narrowed and her eyes closed. He gently nudged her with his paw, making her jump two feet in the air. Cassandra hissed angrily and turned so she was facing the mischievous kitten.
"Since you won't leave me alone, I have a proposition for you. If you can do something amazing to impress me, I'll consider being your mate." Cassandra told the kitten. Quaxo nodded and went to work.
That night, Munkustrap was on the watch when a figure came limping towards the silver tabby. In the light of the Jellicle moon, Munkustrap saw that the figure was a black tabby and it was in rough shape.
"Whisperwhiskers." Munkustrap whispered, going over to his brother.
"Munkustrap." Whisperwhiskers wheezed. Munkustrap helped his brother lay down and went to get a bandage. Whisperwhiskers was bleeding badly from a wound in his shoulder.
"What happened to you?" Munkustrap asked, keeping his voice low as to not wake any of the Jellicles.
"Someone broke into my masters house and shot them. The intruder then shot me as I fled. I came here, knowing that your tribe would take me in." Whisperwhiskers explained. Munkustrap nodded in understanding and tended to his brother's wounds without saying anything else.
When the morning came, Munkustrap let his brother rest. Rum Tum Tugger hissed at Whisperwhiskers as he joined the other cats for breakfast. The queens and female kittens meowed happily to the new guest.
"Tugger, that's enough." Munkustrap told the other cat.
"I don't trust him." Tugger said, glaring at Whisperwhiskers.
"He is my brother. Everyone, this is Whisperwhiskers. Whisperwhiskers, this is the tribe – everyone can make introductions later." Munkustrap told the tribe and Whisperwhiskers.
After breakfast, Munkustrap let Whisperwhiskers stay with him while the other cats went about their business. At one point, Whisperwhiskers watched a mysterious tan and cream cat with an orange tabby nestle together. He sighed and thought about his mate – an orange, cream and black calico named Sandstorm. Another tom that Whisperwhiskers didn't know had killed her. This cream and tan cat reminded him of Sandstorm.
"You're awfully quiet, brother." Munkustrap noticed.
"I was just thinking about my mate. That tan and cream cat reminds me of her." Whisperwhiskers told Munkustrap.
"That is Cassandra. Her mate is Skimbleshanks. He's usually down by the train station, but sometimes he'll come to the tribe to see her." Munkustrap explained.
"She's very pretty." Whisperwhiskers noted, watching the beautiful queen say goodbye to Skimbleshanks. Whisperwhiskers watched as Skimbleshanks trotted off, leaving Cassandra alone.
"Whisperwhiskers, leave her be. She has a mate." Munkustrap growled.
"I know, I'm just watching her. Is that a crime?" Whisperwhiskers asked. Munkustrap shook his head. He then got up and stretched, motioning for Whisperwhiskers to follow him.
"Cassandra! I've got it!" Quaxo called, tumbling down the junk scattered in the junkyard. Cassandra lifted her head off her paws and stretched, anxious to hear what the kitten did to in order to be her mate.
"I wrote you a song – it's called As Torrents in Summer." Quaxo told the beautiful queen. She sat upon her haunches and listened to his song.
"As torrents in summer
Half dried in their channels
Suddenly rise, suddenly rise
Though the sky is still cloudless
The sky is still cloudless
For rain, for rain, for rain, for rain
Has been falling, falling
Far off at their fountains
By hearts that are fainting
Grow full to o'erflowing
And they that behold it
They that behold it
Marvel and know not
Marvel and know not
That God, that God, that God, that God
At their fountains, their fountains
Far off, far off
Has been raining." Quaxo sang in a beautiful tenor range.
"Quaxo, that is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me." Cassandra told him, meowing sadly. Quaxo nuzzled her in comfort.
"Does this mean we belong together?" Quaxo asked, not knowing that Skimbleshanks was listening from a short distance away. He had come to tell Cassandra they would have to break up because he would be going on a train that was going around the world, but it looked like their relationship was over.
"Yes. Yes, it does." Cassandra answered, nuzzling the kitten, who now in her eyes was a cat. She saw the bushes move where they were and saw Skimbleshanks trot off. Cassandra excused herself from Quaxo and went to the orange tabby's side.
"Cassie, how could you do this to me? You knew that we were together." Skimbleshanks started. He wasn't in one of his moods yet, but he was getting there.
"Skimble, I'm so sorry. I felt since you were on the rails most of the time, I needed someone else to keep me company." Cassandra explained, but Skimbleshanks wouldn't hear it. Skimbleshanks scratched Cassandra across the face and galloped off. She made her way back to the tribe, feeling the blood drip down her cheek.
Munkustrap had been watching the scene unfold beneath him and hurried to Cassandra's side. He tended to her cheek, not saying anything.
"Don't say anything, Strap." Cassandra told the Jellicle leader.
"I wasn't thinking anything, Cassie." Munkustrap told Cassandra.
"I deserved this, you know." She said after Munkustrap tended to her wound. Munkustrap let out a deep sigh and nudged Cassandra lovingly.
"You didn't deserve it. You should've told Skimble what was going on between you and Quaxo." Munkustrap told Cassandra.
"I know. I wish I could go back and rewind that part." Cassandra said, looking up at the sky. Dark clouds were gathering and the wind had picked up. Munkustrap and Whisperwhiskers gathered everyone inside the back of an abandoned pub as thunder rolled in the distance.
The rain fell hard on the tin roof as the Jellicles gathered inside. Quaxo found his mate and ran to her, nuzzling her with affection. Cassandra nuzzled him back, knowing that she was with someone who truly loved her.
