They called him Q-u-a-x-o.
But that was not his name, he tried to tell them.
In the before-time, they called him r-u-n-t. All of the mean, frowny cats that hissed at him a lot and smelled weird and had yellow pointy teeth. They called him r-u-n-t.
But new-mother and Mus-kun-tap didn't understand him yet.
So now he was Q-u-a-x-o.
He didn't mind it too much, his new name. Or where he was living. New-mother was much nicer than old-mother. She smiled and told him s-t-o-r-i-e-s and gave him warm milk. She let him snuggle up with her at night and play with her y-a-r-n and talk with her beetle t-a-t-t-o-o. And she taught him words.
Quaxo was taught many words, like b-o-o-k, and n-e-e-d-l-e, and m-u-s-i-c.
But his favorite word was b-a-l-l. It was a round, shiny thing that bounced very high in the air. It was his favorite t-o-y, and it was what he was playing with now.
New-mother had left him...what was the word?
A-l-o-n-e.
She had left him alone.
Muk-un-stap came in looking very not-happy, and made new-mother go to a m-e-e-t-i-n-g.
He told him that they wouldn't be long. And he said to stay here.
So now Quaxo was alone. Alone with his b-a-l-l.
He didn't mind. He liked his b-a-l-l a lot. And he liked new-mother's den. The outside was scary and cold and reminded him of the before-time.
He bounced his b-a-l-l very high, almost hitting the top of the den. He tried to grab it as it came back down but it bounced out of his grasp and onto the top of new-mother's d-r-a-w-e-r.
Quaxo froze.
That...never happened before. How was he supposed to get to his ball now? It was too high!
New-mother would get mad if he tried to climb her d-r-a-w-e-r. There were n-e-e-d-l-e-s in there that could poke him and make him b-l-e-e-d.
He really wanted his ball.
But...new-mother would be mad at him and he didn't like it when she was frowny. It made him...s-a-d?
He could see the b-a-l-l peeking out the top of the d-r-a-w-e-r.
Was it making fun of him?
He reached his paw out in vain, trying to grab his favorite t-o-y. But he was too little and did not make it to the top.
Quaxo sat back down, making a frowny face.
Now what was he supposed to do?
When was new-mother coming back?
Is Musk-en-sap okay?
Quaxo wished he was older. Older kittens could do lots of things...like t-a-l-k, and d-a-n-c-e and s-i-n-g.
And reach b-a-l-l-s that were too high.
But not Quaxo.
He looked up again at the d-r-a-w-e-r.
That...wasn't right...his b-a-l-l was not there anymore!
Where did it go?
Did it disappear?
Maybe it had fallen off, he thought. Quaxo looked around the whole den, but he couldn't find his b-a-l-l anywhere.
Did he make it go away?
Was it gone forever?
Could all cats do that?
He didn't remember new-mother or Munk-sen-rap saying anything about making things go away.
Maybe...maybe it went outside!
Quaxo turned to the entrance of the den.
The outside was scary. He had only left a couple of times, and he had always been with new-mother when he did. He had never been...alone.
Mun-sen-kat would not be happy with him if he left.
Unlike new-mother, he always was frowny about something.
Maybe if Quaxo could find him then he could help him find his b-a-l-l!
He couldn't be mad if Quaxo asked for help, right?
He wondered if Muk-us-rap could also make things disappear.
Quxo took a step outside and felt his paw sink into the ground.
Into the s-n-o-w.
No... he didn't like s-n-o-w. It was cold and mushy and wet.
New-mother said the s-n-o-w would melt one day and it would be warm outside like it was in her den. But that had not happened yet. Was she lying to him?
He took another step outside.
He couldn't see any other cats around. The junkyard was...was... what was it called?
E-m-p-t-y.
Yes. Many cats were with their h-u-m-a-n-s, Mus-ken-strap said.
Quaxo didn't know what a h-u-m-a-n was or why cats wanted to be with them.
Maybe he would understand it when he got bigger.
He traveled farther and farther from new-mother's den, trying to find where Musk-ren-trap was. He had been to his den once, but he didn't quite remember how to get there.
Was the junkyard always this big?
He realized after turning around that he didn't see new-mother's den anymore.
Was...was he lost? Like in the before-time?
It was very cold outside and there were so many dens and...and he was...what was it called?
He was s-c-a-r-e-d.
Quaxo continued forward, passing a re-frig-o-frater.
It wasn't long before he saw something familiar.
It was the n-u-r-s-e-r-y!
New-mother had taken him there earlier, but Quaxo didn't want to go inside. He didn't like other kittens. What if they were mean? Would they call him r-u-n-t too?
He shook his head.
No, he wasn't going in there.
Quaxo was about to turn around when he heard a noise.
It sounded like...like...bouncing?
Could it be?
He ran towards the sound.
Yes it was! It was his b-a-l-l! How did it get all the way out here?
But Quaxo wasn't happy for long.
His b-a-l-l was here, but so was another cat.
A big cat. A big cat with spots and a big yellow mane and s-p-i-k-e-s on his neck.
Quaxo shivered.
This was no cat! This was...this was...a great beast!
What was he doing outside of the nursery? He couldn't be a kitten, could he? He was so...big!
And the great spiky beast had his b-a-l-l!
Now how was he supposed to get it back?
Would the great beast eat him if he got too close?
Did Musk-us-rap know that he was in the junkyard?
Quaxo made himself very small, seeking refuge behind the re-frig-o-frater.
The spiky beast wasn't moving, just bouncing the b-a-l-l.
His b-a-l-l.
Was it going to attack?
Just then, Quaxo saw another cat.
"Hey, Tug!" the other cat yelled, coming closer to the great beast.
Quaxo recognized this cat.
He was called...what was it?
P-l-a-t-o.
He was a kitten. An older kitten.
'Run, Plato!' Quaxo wanted to yell. 'Don't go near the great beast!'
"Tugger!" P-l-a-t-o said again.
What...what was a Tugger? Did the beast have a name?
"What?" the Tugger-beast groaned.
"Did you see there was a meeting going on?"
"There's plenty of meetings."
"Yes, but..."
"But what?"
"Well I heard from Jerrie who heard from George that apparently Alonzo smelled Macavity's scent on the border..."
Quaxo recognized those names. Except the last one.
Who was...M-a-c-a-v-i-t-y?
Was he bad?
"I think everyone's freaking out over nothing," the Tugger-beast responded, continuing to bounce his ball.
"Are you sure? I mean...they looked serious..."
"Macavity has magic. If he wanted to do something, he would have done it already. My brother is just neurotic."
P-l-a-t-o sighed.
"I guess..."
What was this m-a-g-i-c they were speaking of?
"Anyways, where did you get that ball?"
"Huh? Oh, this? I dunno. It just appeared out of nowhere."
Plato's eyes widened.
"Out of nowhere? See...this is a sign!"
The Tugger-beast groaned.
"Of what?"
"That...that he's here! Macavity, I mean. Can't he make things disappear with magic? What if he's here now?"
"It's a ball, for Heavyside's sake. You are worse than my brother."
"But..."
"Do you really think Macavity would come here for the sole purpose of mildly inconveniencing us? Don't be stupid..."
Quaxo's mind was racing.
This...this m-a-g-i-c...is that what he had? He made the b-a-l-l disappear. Was he like this M-a-c-a-v-i-t-y?
He stretched further out from behind the re-frig-o-frater to see the conversation better, but lost his balance and fell over. He landed with a thud.
Quaxo looked up to see that the Tugger-beast had his eyes on him.
Oh no! Was he going to eat him?
Quaxo ran as fast as he could in the other direction, not even looking where he was going. All he knew was that he had to get as far away from the n-u-r-s-e-r-y as possible.
His sprint was short lived, however, when he accidentally ran into another cat and was knocked off his paws.
He looked up, gasping heavily, hoping that this was a cat he recognized.
"Little one, what are you doing out here?"
It was Musk-sen-trap!
He picked Quaxo up, holding him close to his chest.
"Jenny is not going to be happy with you, you know," he said gently.
'New-father!' Quaxo yelled. 'You must put me down! The Tugger-beast has my ball!'
But the words came out as squeaks that Mun-kes-rap didn't understand.
He raised his eyebrows.
"Little one, what has gotten into you? What has you so worked up?"
Why didn't he understand?
He was taken back to his den, where new-mother was waiting for him.
She looked...frowny.
"Where was he?" she asked.
"I found him wandering the junkyard. Something seems to have frightened him."
"That's very unlike him," Jenny mused. "He never wants to leave the den. Perhaps he is just overtired."
Mun-kus -rap gave Quaxo over to new-mother.
"We probably shouldn't leave him alone again," he said.
"Maybe when he's a little older," she agreed.
'But new-mother,' Quaxo whined. 'My ball. What about my ball? And the spiky Tugger-beast?'
New-mother laughed, placing him in her nest.
"Someone needs a nap," she murmured.
'But I'm not tired!'
"Do you need me to get some milk from the nursery?" Mun-ken-sap asked.
New-mother curled herself around Quaxo, gently stroking him.
"No need. Little one is about to conk out any minute."
'But...I'm not tired,' Quaxo thought again, eyelids heavy.
"Are you sure? It wouldn't be a bother..."
'But I'm not...'
"It's fine, dear. You should rest as well," new-mother said.
'But I'm...'
"Story of my life."
Quaxo closed his eyes.
'But...'
He didn't get to finish that thought before he fell asleep.