I ducked in cover as another heavy tire came crashing to earth. Cursing angrily, I stomped over to it and kicked it. "Why won't you stay in the air!" I gave it one last kick, then sat down on it and buried my face in my arms. I knew exactly why it wouldn't stay in the air. It wasn't the tire; it was me. I couldn't focus right. Victoria's wounded face kept popping into my mind just as I needed to focus my hardest, effectively destroying my concentration. It was a hopeless situation. I was still afraid to confront her, but I couldn't do anything else until I did. I muttered angrily about girls, putting my foot in my mouth, and life in general.

As I mumbled quiet oaths to myself, Munkustrap suddenly appeared seemingly from nowhere and raised an eyebrow at me. I looked at him, surprised. He smiled. "Hey, Quaxo, what are you up to?"

"Oh, uh, just practicing my magic a bit."

He raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you afraid someone will see you practicing?"

I shook my head and waved a paw around the area. "No one ever comes here. I found it once upon a time in the beginning, when I was still getting lost every third hour. I used to come here all the time just to be alone and think." I paused, staring at him. "Come to think of it, how did you find this place?"

He snorted. "I know this Junkyard like the back of my hand. I can find anyone, any time, no matter where they are."

My eyes widened. "That's almost unnerving."

He chuckled. "Well, don't worry too much about it. It's a power I only use when I really need it."

"Power like magical power?"

He shook his head. "No such luck. I'm just really good at keeping an eye on everything that happens here in the junkyard." I nodded. Actually, knowing that Munkustrap had this ability was very reassuring. I'd never have to worry about whether or not someone would find me if I got lost.

He smiled. "Can I watch?"

"Watch? Me practice? I suppose…" I stood up and brushed the dust off of my shoulders. Munkustrap sat on a nearby mattress and watched. I turned and lifted the same tire I'd been suspending earlier and twirled it a bit in the air. Munkustrap watched silently, fascinated.

Then came the tough part. Focusing on keeping the tire airborne, I ran up to it and leaped into the air, carrying myself up to perch on top of it. Balancing myself and still holding the tire aloft, I slowly turned and bowed to Munkustrap, who was applauding vigorously and smiling from ear to ear. "Wonderful! That's amazing! How do you do it?"

I leaped back down and bowed again, grinning. "Oh, it's simple. I'm just magical." I laughed.

Munkustrap laughed, too. "No kidding. Deuteronomy was right; you are something. I've seen a couple of magical cats before, but nothing like you. You're astounding. Boy, if only you could show the other cats; every queen would want you, and every tom would want to be you." He laughed again.

I didn't join him this time. Victoria's face had materialized in my mind's eye again, and my focus was shattered as I thought of her hearing me say that she was nothing more than a flirt. My own eyes started tearing up as I thought about it.

Suddenly, Munkustrap gasped. "Quaxo, look out!" Before I could react or reply, he shoved me out of the way and dove backwards. I sat up and turned around just in time to see the tire come crashing back to earth with a thunderous rumble that made the ground shake. Munkustrap bounced up and ran over to me. "Are you OK?" I nodded. He suddenly frowned. "What happened?"

I shook my head and stood up. "N-nothing. Just lost my focus, that's all. It…not a big deal."

He looked at me incredulously. "Not a big deal? Not a big deal! You almost got yourself killed! No cat is so magical as to be invulnerable. What do you mean you 'lost your focus'?"

I sighed and sat on the tire again. "It's just…nothing. It's nothing."

He didn't buy it. He sat next to me and touched my shoulder. "Quaxo, I know I'm not always the most approachable of cats, but I don't like seeing any Jellicle in pain. What's wrong?"

I looked at him. He seemed genuinely concerned. "It's just…girl troubles." That seemed to explain my entire life these days. "See, I met this girl last night…and I kinda like her…but I saw her with another tom…" ten or so… "and I ran away. While I was running, I came across Tugger, and he asked me what happened, and I told him…and I said some things I didn't mean, not realizing that she was standing behind me…and now I keep thinking about her, and how she looked when she heard what I said…" I sighed.

Munkustrap thought for a moment. "Victoria, right?"

I looked up at him, surprised. "How'd you know?"

He smiled. "That's easy. She was the only kitten with anyone near her this morning. She was surrounded by toms when I saw her last. But I haven't seen her since then. Any ideas as to where she is?" He looked at me with a little half-smile.

I shook my head miserably. "No, but I know what she's doing."

"What?"

"She's probably with some other tom, getting back at me." Munkustrap suddenly whacked me in the back of the head, hard. I fell off the tire and looked back at him incredulously. "What was that for!"

He had a furious scowl on his face. "For being a selfish, stupid little brat! How can you say that? You're a little fool if you really think that she's the type of kitten to do that. Honestly, Quaxo, if you jump to conclusions like that, you're really going to get yourself in trouble some day."

I stood and stomped angrily away. "What is it with everyone and me jumping to conclusions! I do not jump to conclusions!"

Munkustrap stood and crossed his arms across his chest. "Oh? And if you saw Victoria and Tumblebrutus walk off together, what would you think?"

I stopped suddenly. I knew exactly what I'd think, but I knew that it was unlikely. Tumblebrutus had no interest in females, not yet anyway. "I…don't know."

Munkustrap shook his head. "Yes you do. You know exactly what you'd think, and you'd be wrong. You see, Quaxo? You do jump to conclusions."

I knew he was right, but as with many things lately, I simply wasn't ready to face it. Frustrated, I turned my back to him and stomped off angrily. He called out to me as I left, his words leaving a stinging thought in my mind. "She's lonely, Quaxo. She hasn't got any friends, only admirers. Except you. If you ever want to be with her, you'd better start trusting her."
It was dark when I made my way quietly into the amphitheater. Surprisingly, it was completely deserted; usually, there were cats there at all hours of the day and night. Tonight, it was eerily silent. I sighed and started over to sit on the bumper of a car and mull over the thoughts still drifting through my head.

"Nice night, isn't it?" I jumped a foot or so at the sudden soft sound of another cat sitting just behind me. The voice was subtle and smiling, confident but mysterious. When I turned to see who the speaker was, I found Coricopat and Tantomile, together as usual, sitting on top of the car, smiling down at me.

I sighed in relief. "Oh, wow, you scared me, Coricopat. You shouldn't sneak up on cats like that."

Coricopat looked at me with a slight smirk on his lips and a tiny twinkle in his eye. "I didn't sneak up on anyone; you came over and sat in front of me."

I waved a paw and sat back down. "Details." For some reason, while Coricopat and Tantomile's mystical nature tended to make all the rest of the cats a bit nervous around them, they didn't bother me in the slightest. There was some sort of supernatural connection between us. They too had magical powers; I was sure of it, albeit not as prominent as mine. They could read minds, though, and that was something I couldn't do.

Coricopat slid down and sat next to me. Tantomile slid down next to him. Both looked at me. "What's troubling you, Quaxo?" They said it at the same time. I had difficulty deciding which to look at when I replied. I finally chose Coricopat.

"Victoria. I made some mistakes, and now I have to go apologize, but I don't want to."

"Why?" Only Coricopat asked.

I actually hadn't stopped to figure that out yet. "Oh…well…I guess I'm just…afraid to face her, that's all."

"Why?" Now, only Tantomile spoke.

I frowned angrily. "Is that your favorite word?"

They spoke in unison again. "Yes."

"Oh…" How foolish of me not to realize that.

"Why?" they repeated.

I squirmed. "Well…I don't know, I guess I'm just afraid to see her face again."

"But you love her face. Why would you be afraid to see it now?" There it was; proof that they could read minds.

"Because it might be angry, or upset, or have tears on it, and I don't want to see her like that."

Coricopat. "Like what?"

I shrugged. "You know…hurt."

Tantomile. "Why's she hurt?"

I thought. "Well, because…" It suddenly dawned on me why they had led me along this line of questioning. "…because of…me." I looked at them. They smiled, then stood, bowed, and strutted off.

I too stood and nodded decisively. I knew exactly what I had to do, and I was off to do it. I stalked away, intent on finding Victoria before dawn's first light.