Quaxo's Secret Tale
By: Brittglamorra
=^.^=
Part 1: That Stormy Night
Author's Note: I do not own CATS. It belongs strictly to A.L.W, and T.S.E. I am female and therefore could not possibly be either of them. I do however own a few of the characters and the story. The characters colors are based on my own interpretation of the characters. This is the story of Quaxo's love, life, and unimaginable secret. He will become the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees.
I had previously uploaded the majority of this story on my former account, but as I've grown and developed in my writing, I'll be re-writing parts of the story and editing each chapter to meet my current standards of grammar, description, development, etc. If you previously followed this story, I hope you'll enjoy seeing it again! And if you're a new reader, welcome! Just so you all know there are about 15 chapters that exist. The word count is over 90,000. It will take time to edit each chapter but I will upload them as I do. Please, please enjoy this story! It's great to be writing again!
The smell of, dirt, alcohol and the even more terrifying scent of blood filled the muggy air. The street noises, voices, cars, carriages, and the likes, were not audible, as though the world had fallen silent to watch the terrible and tragic scene before it.
A shadow slunk along the wall, invisible to all. He halted next to the black queen, who had not a single other color on her and who lay just beneath a trash bin. His brow furrowed. Two tiny motionless bodies lay near the near-dead queen. There was far too much blood pooling behind her...it's sharp and bitter odour permeated the sultry night air, overpowering all other scents.
"You should have stayed with me when I told you to." He growled harshly. The queen blinked open remarkable pale blue eyes and looked up at him. His deep blue eyes were as cold as ice. Unreadable.
With the last ounce of strength she possessed, the queen uncurled. She revealed a tiny black kitten with white markings, and pushed the kit towards the towering tom. It was the only one still alive and it weakly mewed in protest.
"Please…" She never finished her scentence. Her voice faltered and her body convulsed once before her head fell back onto the pavement and her eyes stared soullessly at the tom. The tom hissed once, and reached forwards closing her eyes. He shook his head irritably then glanced at the tiny black kitten at his paws. He wrinkled his nose in disgust as it squirmed and mewled. It was weak. He detested weakness.
After staring at the kitten for a long time, the massive tom lifted the kit awkwardly for he had never lifted a kit before, and with a furious snort he padded towards the road. He stopped outside some shops and set the kit down. The tiny kit let out a tiny wail as it felt the cold hard ground, and bright startling green eyes peeled open and looked up into the cold blue ones.
"If you survive kid, then you deserve to live." The massive tom hissed without remorse. With a flick of his long tattered tail he turned and padded away, without even looking back. The kitten stared blearily after the tom and let out a final desolate wail. The dark starless sky above him cracked with a flash of light and rain began to pour down onto the tiny helpless scrap who could not hide or take shelter, let alone move. He curled into a tight ball and squeezed his eyes shut, growing colder, weaker, hungrier….
…. =^.^=
Paws splashed through countless puddles, rushing towards home. Dark mottled black and golden fur plastered to his skin as the rain soaked him. The tom whom the paws belonged to did not notice the little sodden black scrap until he was nearly upon him. Then with shock, the big golden spotted tom screeched to a halt, spraying water in his wake, and stared down at the tiny little lump that seemed to be whimpering.
"Hello? Are you a cat?" The young tom asked. In response the kitten let out a pitiful wail and lifted its head, staring with round bright green eyes at the swimming blurry golden shape before him. Did it have food? Warmth?
The golden tom furrowed his brow and lifted the tiny scrap of fur. He carefully rushed back towards home, doing his best to shield th kit beneath his chin.
When he arrived in the junkyard he ran straight for his dwelling that he shared with his brother. Half-brother that is….
As he pushed into the large burnt out oven that the two shared his silvery brother lifted his head.
"What have you got there Tug?" He asked.
"It's a kit. I found it out, alone on the streets, Munk." Tugger responded. Munkustrap instantly rose and padded over, sniffing the sopping wet, shivering bundle.
"Come on. You should go ask Jelly if she can feed him. And he can stay with us." Munku meowed. Tugger started, about to protest that they were not queens, but in the end snapped his maw shut and sighed heavily, daring not to contradict his brother. He watched as Munkustrap licked the little kit dry.
"Why do that? We are going right back out in the rain." Tugger grumbled. Munku rolled his eyes.
"Do you want him to die?" Munku growled. Tugger shook his head then lifted the dry kit. He darted from the oven and rushed across the clearing and dove into one of the dens, paws skidding in the mud. It was in between a cupboard and rusty green fridge. The roof was made of sturdy boards.
Jellylorum leaped to her paws with a hiss, startled as he burst in, wet and breathing hard. Tugger sat up, for once blushing with embarrassment. The two kittens that had been nursing woke and wailed. Jelly hushed them and Admetus padded up to Tugger and gingerly sniffed the kit.
"What's wrong Tugger? Who's this?" He asked in his deep rasping tone. His eyes were baffled.
Tugger set down the kit and met the elder toms gaze.
"I found him out alone on the streets." He paused. "I see your kits have been born." Tugger nodded to Jelly,glancing at the tiny she-kits. One a tiny red tabby and the other pure white. Jelly smiled proudly.
"Electra and Victoria." She meowed warmly, lifting her pale chin.
"Very beautiful names. This little fellow is… well, he needs milk. I would guess he was born tonight as well." Tugger meowed. He stared at the tiny black kit.
"I will feed him." Jelly meowed after a moment. Adme looked at her oddly but moved aside, allowing the large tom to pass. Tugger lifted the kit and carried it to her, setting the black scrap alongside the two little she-kits. Even they were larger than him. Tugger wondered if he had been abandoned because he was the runt.
As he pondered this, Jelly nudged the kit close to her belly and he began to nurse next to the other kits.
"Thanks Jelly. Munk has said that the kit will live with us." Tugger informed her. Jelly nodded but didn't look up, instead gazing at the tiny kit, whom was less than half the size of her own kits. He suckled greedily. At least he seemed to have some strength.
Tugger waited patiently near their den entrance and Adme sat next to him. They both gazed out into the rain. Tugger looked distant and oddly, worried.
"Got a heart in there Tugger?" Adme asked teasingly with a lighthearted chuckle. He'd never seen the large tom so...subdued. Not since... Tugger shot him a look, interrupting his thoughts.
"I just…Why would someone leave a kit out in the rain to die?" He asked the elder tom quietly.
"I don't know." Adme admitted after a moment. "Perhaps something happened to his mother, or she couldn't take care of him, or someone stole him. Who knows." Adme meowed quietly. Tugger was silent for a very long time.
"Or he was just unwanted and abandoned." Tugger muttered bitterly. Adme shifted his gaze away, to watch the steadily falling rain, swallowing uncomfortably. He couldn't find any words to respond to that. And so the two sat in an uneasy silence for a long while.
Jelly broke the silence.
"He is done. You can take him home Tugger." She meowed softly.
"Thanks Jelly." He responded hollowly. None of his usual charm or arrogance seethed into his words. His voice was unusually quiet and subdued.
Tugger turned quickly towards her and lifted the kit gently before nodding to Jelly and Adme in thanks and respect. Then he left briskly and vanished into the stormy night. Jelly and Admetus shared a sad and knowing glance.
He pushed into his den and Munku greeted him warmly.
"So she has agreed then." Munku asked brightly. Tugger nodded.
"Yes." He mumbled around fur. He padded over to his bed and lay down, setting the kit next to him. He glanced at his brother, but Munku was already curled up, and seemed to be sleeping. Tugger bent his huge head, golden mane framing his face, and began to carefully lick the kitten dry. His movements were affable and as he gazed at the kit something stirred inside him and a sharp pain stabbed his heart. A tear rolled down his cheek and still, he gently groomed the kit, trying to block out the pain.
Munku watched out of one barely opened eye. He smiled subtly. He always had known that his brother had a big heart that he insisted on masking with the hot shot façade. But it was still good to see him openly expressing it. He closed his eyes and drifted into a sleep filled with dreams of kithood and Dellalora. His mother…
The tiny brilliant green eyes opened slowly after awhile and gazed blearily into the warm blue ones of the golden spotted tom. They were so different than the cold blue eyes that still haunted the kit. He let out a tiny weak purr. Tugger offered a small smile and pulled the tiny scrap towards him. The kit snuggled close to Tugger's side and the big tom curled around the tiny kit, drifting into sleep…
…. =^.^=
2 weeks later
The little black kit woke early.
"Tummy!" He demanded. He shook the big golden spotted toms head with one tiny white paw and one black. With a groan Tugger opened his eyes.
"How many times do I gotta tell ya kit, its Tugger." He huffed. He was very annoyed at how all the queens had took to calling him 'Mummy Tummy'.
"Tummy!" Squeaked the indignant voice. Tugger sighed and rose to his paws. He shook out his glorious golden mane and looked down at the squirming kit.
"Alright. I'm up." He grumbled. He had, had no time to be his normal flirtatious self for a long time now. But he would also not let anyone take the kit from him for a queen to raise. The scars that drove nails into his heart ran too deep to let the kit go. To let the kit suffer in the way he had. When he was a kit he too had been abandoned…
The kit smiled and leaped at his tail. Tugger grunted as tiny claws spiked his precious fluffy tail.
"Oww! Kit!" He grumbled. The kit smiled mischievously. He was about to pounce again when suddenly his eyes went distant and he frowned. The little kit sunk to the floor and submerged into a deep sleep…
"Quaxo! Quaxo!" A voice called out. It was very annoying and he swatted at his ears. But it kept on as though it echoed in his head. Then he jerked away in surprise, as the lithe form of a feline, glowing as bright as the moon, and as transparent as a ghost appeared before him.
"Quaxo." She said once. He looked at her, tilting his head.
"That's my name." He meowed. And he realized for the first time that it was true. That was his name.
"Magical Mr. Mistoffelees." She meowed again, voice like smooth honey, flowing through his ears and into his very being.
"That is me too." Quaxo replied. Two second names? Magic? He blinked and the moon-cat smiled.
"Yes." She faded away, enveloped in soft white light, before his very eyes and he blinked rapidly as suddenly all he could see was light and it overcame him.
"Kit!"
Quaxo woke with a jolt and looked around in a daze. Tugger slowly focused into his vision.
"Tugger." He breathed shakily, feeling out of breath, as though he'd just run for miles, and yet feeling a softness within himself. A feeling of awe, and of embrace, though there was none. Tugger's eyes widened. If the kit was calling him by his name then it must be bad.
"Kit?" He asked tentatively. He looked closely at the shining pelted tuxedo cat.
"I had a dream." Quaxo squeaked. "Moon-cat said my name."
"What name?" Tugger suddenly understood and remembered the day one of the unnamed queen kits had fallen and then shortly after woke, named. It was the Everlasting Cat herself.
"Quaxo." Replied the little cat. Tugger blinked and smiled at the kit.
"Welcome to the Jellicle's Quaxo." Tugger breathed warmly, relieved that the kit was alright.
"Tummy!" Quaxo replied. He smiled broadly. Tugger rolled his eyes with a small huff of amusement..
"Come on Quaxo. Let's go find Munk and tell him." Tugger instructed with a smile. Quaxo nodded eagerly. He skipped to his paws and began padding towards the door. Tugger followed him with a shake of his mane and a chuckle.
… =^.^=
Quaxo stretched out his lean body. It had been two months since he had arrived. He lay on his own near a small pipe in the corner of the junkyard. It was his favorite place to sit and soak up the sun. He watched with amusement, Tugger in the distance, surrounded by queens. The tom looked a bit put out. It was a warm day and he could not seem to escape to hot crush of queen bodies pressing in on him from all sides. Without even noticing, Etcetera, a queen a few months older than Quaxo shoved herself right underneath Tugger and he fell. With a loud laugh Quaxo leaped from his place and the young tom, still very small dove into the crush of queens. He found Tugger and began pulling him. Though he was small the kit was very strong. This baffled some cats, especially due to his size.
Tugger looked lost. He looked all around the faces hovering over him. Quaxo giggled as the queens began muttering 'Mummy Tummy' under their breath.
"I need Tummy! You all got to go!" He squeaked indignantly. The queens laughed and parted to let the kit drag Tugger away. As soon as he was clear of all the queens Tugger leaped to his paws and shook out his now dusty mane.
"See you all." He purred in a seductive tone to the queens, who literally began to faint onto one another. With a small smile he turned and followed the kit to the shade that the inside of the pipe produced. It was cool and quiet inside.
"Thanks Quaxo." Tugger meowed, exasperated. He smiled and ruffled the kits head-fur.
"No problem Tummy." He responded with a giggle. Tugger snorted and that only made Quaxo laugh more. Then the two fell into a comfortable silence. They watched the cats mingle around the junkyard, kits playing, queens gossiping, toms patrolling. The air was warm and alive with the sound of several voices mingling in the air. Birds called in the distance and even further, car horns honked and the bell in the tower near the town square slowly rung. The air was warm and clear, and everything simply felt...at peace.
Quaxo's eyes roamed about and eventually rested on a kitten a few months older than him, whom rolled about with her twin brother, stirring up dust. She was pretty and kind. She and her mischievous brother had only just joined the tribe two weeks ago and there were rumors that they had worked for Macavity, the fiend whom Quaxo had heard some pretty disturbing tales about, before they had come here. He didn't believe it though. He couldn't. They were so friendly and funny that they could not possibly be bad cats.
Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie. They were both calico tabbies, as identical to one another as Tantomile and Coricopat were. Two sets of twins. The Mischief Twins and the Mystic Twins.
Quaxo chuckled quietly at his own joke. Tugger glanced sideways at him but remained silent. He followed Quaxo's gaze and noticed the young dark tom was watching the new young calico she-cat. He smirked and turned his attention back to the other residents of the junkyard.
His eyes fell on the pretty red and black pelt of one of the queens and lingered there. He blinked and snorted softly. He was a flirt. He did not love. He was not attracted. He was attractive. He blinked again and looked at his companion. Bombalurina and Demeter walked passed, casting quick glances at him, and wearing teasing smirks.. He heard their snickered comments of 'Mummy Tummy', as the glanced at him. Quaxo looked at Tugger as annoyance took over his calm features and his tail began twitching irritably.
"Why did you decide to raise me? Instead of give me to a queen to raise. Jelly and Jenny said they would have, but you insisted on taking care of me." Quaxo questioned.
"Yes…well I…." Tugger stopped and sighed heavily before pulling further into the pipe. Quaxo followed him, blinking in bafflement.
"What's wrong Tummy?" He asked.
"When I was a kit I was abandoned by my mother." He said very quietly. His face was emotionless, but Quaxo seemed to be able to feel the sadness, bitterness, hurt, and confusion radiate from his friend in waves. He pressed closer to Tugger, and waited for him to continue, silently.
"She was called Grizabella. She left for a life of glamour, for she did not want a domestic and calm life. My father, Old Deuteronomy, had a fling with her while he was mated to Munkustrap's mother, Dellalora. Grizabella had me only three nights after Munk and…and his brother… were born. She went to Deuteronomy but he rejected her and stayed with Dellalora. She was hurt and angrily dropped me at his paws. She told him to keep me because if he didn't she would not. She left then and no one ever saw her again. Dellalora took me in and it was only two weeks later that I lost my second mother as well. She was murdered by a bunch of strays. The fiend at the time was called Aeron. He killed her and Munku's brother left, vowing revenge. No one is allowed to speak of it, but Munk's brother is Macavity. My brother is Macavity…"
Quaxo gasped and stared at him wide eyed in shock.
"He only became what he was because he let the bitterness of Dellalora's death overcome him." He murmured. "He was once...a good cat. A good brother...I hate him now, but I also understand him. It is said if you look into his eyes you will not live. Anyways, I felt once again abandoned, and instead of becoming a quiet and brave protector or a vileness and cruel traitor, I became a flirt who won't let his heart show." Tugger muttered quietly. Quaxo nodded slowly, understanding and empathy filling him.
"So you did not want me to feel abandoned or unwelcomed as you did," said the little black kitten intelligently. Tugger nodded.
"I do care about you though, you little fuzz ball." Tugger purred.
"So the Rum Tum Tugger has a big hidden heart." Quaxo purred teasingly. He rubbed his head against the big tom's chest.
"You little pest." Tugger chuckled. "Go play with Teazer and Jerrie." He snorted. "And I trust you not to go blathering the heartthrob's story all about."
"I would never Tummy. See you later." Quaxo squeaked, meeting his gaze with complete trust and honesty. He then rose and hopped towards the calico twins before halting by them.
Tugger remained hidden in the shadows a moment more, collecting himself, and tediously replacing all the memories that raged in his head back into their places in the very darkest corners of the depths of his mind. He was glad he got that off his chest to someone besides his brother. And he trusted the little kit. With a sigh he put on a dazzling cocky smile and padded back into the midst of the queens who instantly swarmed around him. He was careful to watch out for Etcetera this time though.
Quaxo halted next to Jerrie and Teazer..
"Hey guys! Can I play too?" He asked. Jerrie and Teazer broke apart and looked at one another with matching smirks. Then together they leaped onto him. He squealed with amusement and the three bundles of fur rolled across the clearing, other cats scattering in their path.
Glass-green eyes watched with amusement and some concern. The pale calico tom with a brown tail was concerned about the rumors surrounding the three kits. He wondered where the little black kit had come from, and if it had anything to do with where the two older kits, whom refused to speak of where they came from, and began trembling when pressed, had come from. Old Skimble knew the ways of the street and he knew it might only be one of the filthy strays that would abandon their kits. But he had a more lingering suspicion and fear that the mothers of all three of these kits had, had no choice in the loss of their kits. And so Skimbleshanks watched them silently, millions of thoughts flitting through his eyes. After a time, he glanced at his mate, Jennyanydots. She seemed to be quietly observing Etcetera, their daughter, whom was pressing herself all over Tugger. Skimble rolled his eyes, slightly amused, and resumed watching the three resident mysteries.
…. =^.^=
It was later that evening when Quaxo arrived home long before Tugger. Munku was just getting ready to leave for his night watch, when Quaxo padded up to him and pressed against the tom's chest.
"You're a great cat." He informed the tabby softly. "Tugger is lucky to have a brother like you." Munku looked down at the kit in confusion then slowly wrapped his paws around the kit, pulling him into a hug.
"You're a good kit too. And I really think you're helping Tugger open up." Munku replied. Quaxo looked up at him and smiled.
"I am glad you guys decided to keep me." He told him. He nuzzled Munk's leg then padded over to his bed, circling three times before curling into a tight little ball of sleek white and black. Munku watched him affectionately for a moment before vanishing into the night, confused and warm all at once.
Tugger arrived a few hours later. Quaxo rose and fetched a snowy white mouse from behind his bed. He padded to Tugger and gave it to him.
"Hi Tummy. You know you are a great cat." Quaxo mused. Tugger looked at him in confusion, but warmth also bubbled up from his stomach.
"You pretty great yourself…And Munk and I both love ya kit." Tugger purred gruffly. He chuckled and ate his mouse. He had a love of white prey. It was beautiful. Something about it made Tugger feel good. He was surprised the kit had noticed his affinity for it.
Quaxo purred and observed him carefully. Tugger looked tired and ruffled, and Quaxo noticed with amusement that Tugger was discretely brushing red hairs from his golden pelt with his thick fluffy tail every few moments. Quaxo snorted with amusement and looked away quickly as Tugger looked up at him. The great tom rolled his eyes and snorted. Then with a laugh he nuzzled Quaxo's cheek before curling up around the little kit.
"Night Quaxo." He murmured tiredly.
"Night Tummy." Quaxo replied curling close to the large golden spotted tom. He could feel warmth radiating from Tugger's soft pelt, and he could hear the steady lub-dub of the toms heart. This soothed him and he relaxed against his guardian, beginning to doze off. The noises from the clearing beginning to sound muted and far away, and mind beginning to drift and spin away into happy bright dreams. The two were soon asleep, comfortably relaxed against one another.
When Munkustrap arrived later that night, eyes tired, he smiled warmly at the sight. He moved towards them and curled up on the other side of Quaxo, gently sandwiching him between them. It didn't take him long to drift off too. The ball of grey, black, and gold seemed to become one, breathing softly in sync, as all shared happy dreams of the upcoming Jellicle ball.
…. =^.^=