Quaxo's Secret Tale Chapter 4: Part 4: No Choice, a cats fanfic

Quaxo's Secret Tale
By: Brittglamorra
Part 4

Munkustrap immediately set up extra patrols and started planning out guards for the night of the Jellicle ball. He kept commenting on how clever Quaxo was and how Quaxo had probably just saved the whole tribe, and he had been so stupid not to think of that himself, knowing Macavity's antics. Quaxo had told him to stop beating himself up, and had walked out of camp, ears flicking. He did not know where his paws were carrying him but soon he stood at the mouth of an alley. It was dark, but memories flashed in Quaxo's mind. He knew this place….rain, thunder, dirt, blood, cold…pain. Quaxo trembled as he ventured into the alley. Shortly in there was a garbage bin. There was a strange trace here….A memory trace, something he would learn about in time.

He instinctively crouched down and closed his eyes…The memories came rushing back on him…A very old black and grey queen, with sad old amber eyes. She slept quietly under the bin, shivering with cold, under a ragged old greyish-tan blanket...There was a small completely black queen. Her eyes were filled with pain, and two kits lay dead at her paws…Quaxo saw a big ginger cat pad up and stare down at the queen with frustration…Then she spoke, but there was no sound. She pushed a small tux kit from behind her, towards the ginger cat, Quaxo recognized as Macavity. The big tom looked at the runt kit with a wrinkled nose, as rain dripped from his whiskers, as he stared down with icy blue eyes…he looked almost…regretful. The queen died, and he closed her eyes with a sigh. He stared at the kit and picked it up padding out of the alley, passing right through Quaxo. Quaxo blinked and the scene change…Another she-cat, ginger and black tabby with a calico tail. She moaned in agony as she gave birth…Then two small kits were there. Two identical twins. The queen was very skinny, and she gazed at her kits with regret, and pain.

"Oh my sweet little ones…I cannot care for you…I am so sorry." She whispered. She licked them until they were dry then fed them what little milk she had. Then she stood, lifting the little scraps and raced from under the garbage bins, heading towards the junkyard. Quaxo blinked again and suddenly there was one more cat. At first he could not see, whoever it was, was curled into a tight ball where his mother had been and was still as a stone. Quaxo could not see who it was…but a scent drifted out to touch his nose. Whiskey, cats, blood and an underlying sweet and appealing smell. He blinked in surprise and confusion. He crept beneath the garbage bin and when he got close he halted. Macavity lay there, curled up tightly, stiff as a board, and staring at nothing, directly behind him. His face was stony and distant but Quaxo could feel things coming from the tom. Confusion, anger, frustration, sorrow, and even more confusing, fear. For the first time Quaxo felt something he had not ever before…a pang of longing…longing for what could have been…longing for his father to be different, for his mother to still be alive…He thought, perhaps he did care for his father…in a potential sort of way.

With a sigh the memories dissipated and he curled up where both his father and mother had previously been laying. He could still smell both of them, for a cats nose is one of the strongest on earth. His mother's scent was almost a year old, and his fathers was lain heavily here as though he visited often. The smell was fading too, but it was only a few weeks old. Quaxo could smell a strange cat here, as recent as the previous night. He blinked and squeezed his eyes shut. Suddenly he could feel another presence in the alley. He blinked open his eyes as slow uneven pawsteps trailed down the alley. Then a greyish-black queen with sad amber eyes appeared. She pulled herself under the garbage bin and stood in the furthest corner from the young tom, watching him cautiously. Something about the thick ruff of black fur around her neck, her eyes, the shape of her face and shoulders…looked familiar. A thick bandage was wrapped around one hind-leg. She blinked at the young tom.

"Who are you?" She asked. Her voice was soft and gentle, yet scared and lonely. Quaxo stood, and drew back nervously.

"Quaxo." He meowed nervously. She blinked.

"What are you doing in my place?" she asked. Quaxo bristled.

"I'm sorry….I…I just…I was born under this garbage bin…." He meowed. The queen's eyes softened.

"You belong to Likia." She murmured. Quaxo nodded nervously. The cat nodded. "I am sorry about your mother and sisters. She came here for my help when she escaped…But she was too weak to make it." Meowed the old cat. Quaxo blinked up at the cat, puzzled by this new information.

"Who are you?" He breathed. She blinked and he stared at her.

"I am called…Grizabella." She murmured sadly. Quaxo drew further from her, his eyes narrowing, and his ears laying back. An unfamiliar anger surged through him.

"You left Tugger! You broke him!" He spat. Grizabella flinched, taken aback by his sudden outburst.

"So you made your way to the Jellicle's…What is wrong with him?" She asked. Quaxo growled bitterly.

"Not that you have the right to know, but he shows no emotion. He won't love, nor let anyone love him, he will not cry, or get mad…All he is, is a flirt who won't show his heart! You abandoned him and he always knew it! He got bullied for being the 'unwanted one', and the 'little useless pest'!" Quaxo snarled. Grizabella's eyes widened and she blinked at him, wobbling on her paws a little.

"But…Dellalora said she would protect him, and I know she would keep him safe from others." Grizabella said shakily. Quaxo's anger faded a little.

"She died a few weeks after you left." He said in a blunt tone that covered immense sadness. Grizabella blinked, her heart thudding in her chest.

"She…she was my best friend…I…" The old cat slumped to the cold pavement and let out a guttural sob. "What have I done?" she muttered. Quaxo sighed and padded closer to her, sitting down near her head. She looked up at him through old golden eyes.

"Tugger is fine…He was really bad…until I came along." Quaxo murmured. The queen looked up at him.

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

"I mean he found me that night…he raised me as his own, and I touched his unreachable heart. He is the only father I have ever known…and yet it turns out that he is actually my uncle." Quaxo murmured sadly.

"You Plato or Munkustrap's kit?" She asked curiously. He blinked down at her.

"Plato?" He questioned in confusion. She blinked. "Yes, little scruffy but tall ginger tom, with ice-blue eyes." She meowed. Quaxo shivered.

"Did you never hear? That kit left the Jellicle's after his mother died. He became the worst cat on earth. He became The Hidden Paw, the Napoleon of Crime, Macavity The Mystery Cat." He growled.

Grizabella froze stiff as a stone for a very long time, her golden eyes wide.

"He….him…." She blinked, not grasping the concept at all. Quaxo shrugged.

"Yeah. Plato is my father." He growled bluntly without emotion. The old cat stared at him, her skinny sides heaving with fear. Quaxo sighed…The good in him would not allow him to hate this cat, no matter what she had done…and he realized it was like that with everyone…Even his father.

Quaxo ignored his better judgment and hunted for the old queen. To his luck he got a fat rabbit on the outskirts of the junkyard. He returned to her, shivering in the shadows, and staring at him. As soon as he appeared she sighed in obvious relief.

"Thank the Everlasting Cat…I thought you would not come back." She meowed. Quaxo narrowed his eyes and dropped the rabbit at her paws. Her eyes widened and she blinked incredulously.

"If I didn't pity you so much I wouldn't have." He grunted. He knew it was mean, but he was frustrated by feeling bad for her after she had ruined a tom with a big and honest heart. Grizabella winced and she ate the rabbit. Quaxo sat nearby. Then finally he turned.

"I have to go home." He muttered. The she-cat looked up at him through pitiful sick eyes. He blinked down at her, and brushed her shoulder with his tail, his tone softening slightly.

"I may return tomorrow with more food." He grunted, glancing at her injured hind-leg. She shivered at his feather-light touch and stared up at him through wide eyes. Quaxo narrowed his eyes with surprise as he realized just how pitiful this old cat was…He doubted she had been touched in years. He sighed, and nuzzled her ear softly. She leaned against the kit and trembled. Quaxo blinked at her, breathing in her sweet, yet somehow melancholy scent.

"I am sorry Griz. I have to go." He meowed. He rose to his paws and crawled out from under the garbage bin. He glanced back at her and his green eyes glowed in the lengthening shadows. "I will come back." He assured her, before he vanished away into the night. Grizabella sighed heavily and curled up miserably in her corner.

"Nobody ever comes back." She murmured softly.

…. =^.^=

When Quaxo returned to the junkyard he did not know the worst thing in his life was about to happen…until it didn't. Tanto and Cori appeared by his side, eyes wide.

"Stop Quaxo!" Tanto whispered. The tux tom halted, his fur lifting at the urgency in her tone. He glanced at a twin on either side of him.

"What's wrong?" He whispered timidly. Tanto and Cori exchanged a glance, and Cori spoke in his head.

"You cannot go into your den." Cori thought. Quaxo frowned.

"What? What happened?" He thought back.

"You helped Grizabella." Tanto thought in a slightly disapproving tone. Quaxo bristled.

"I…So what? She was starving to death and she is hurt." He replied in his head.

"We know. We saw a vision of the future. You helped her, and that is honorable. We understand, and we probably would have done it too, but you walking into the den you share with Tugger, smelling like the cat he hates the most…" Cori broke off as his sister continued.

"We saw a vision. He could smell her on you and accused you a betrayal. You broke his trust and friendship…forever." Tanto thought. Quaxo shivered as they pushed the vision forecefully into his mind, their sense of urgency stealing into his very core.

Quaxo saw himself leave the pitiful old queen, gnawing on the bones of the rabbit, and staring after him fearfully. He padded through the streets and returned to the junkyard. He glanced to his left and saw Tanto and Cori sleeping on the Tire. He turned and padded into his pipe. Tugger was already in there settling down for the night, when Quaxo appeared.

"Hey Quax, where ya bee…." He broke off sharply and sniffed at the air, narrowing his eyes at the young tom. Quaxo saw himself stiffen. Tugger got up and nosed Quaxo's pelt. His fur bristled, and his big warm blue eyes chilled, and narrowed. They resembled Macavity's so much it made Quaxo shiver. Both the one in the vision, and the one witnessing it. Quaxo cowered to the ground as Tugger hissed furiously. More anger than had ever radiated from the large tom rolled over Quaxo in waves, and he took a step back.

"Where were you Quaxo?!" Tugger demanded. Quaxo winced.

"I went out walking in the square." He meowed in a slightly trembling tone. Tugger's eyes narrowed further.

"Who were you walking with? Explain!" Tugger practically roared. Quaxo cowered to the floor, ears pinned to his skull, and stared up with terror, at the usually so calm and laid back tom.

"I…I….I found the alley where I was born and went to the garbage bin…I…could see memories from there, and I saw my mother…so I laid down there and, and, then a cat came in and I didn't know who she was. She was really skinny and she has a hurt back leg, so she could not hunt. I got her a rabbit and gave it to her, then she told me her name…I, I wanted to hate her so much, but I couldn't…not when she was in that condition. I left after that…" Quaxo whispered, staring up at Tugger with round terrified green eyes. Tugger drew back his lips and snarled.

"You should have known better you stupid kit!" The great golden tom spat…Quaxo winced. Tugger glared down at him eyes wild. Then he started pacing rapidly.

"But…I couldn't have left her to starve?! Did you want me to let her die?!" Quaxo yelped. Tugger whipped around, looming over the small black tom.

"YES! Yes, I would have!" He growled darkly, but quietly. Quaxo's eyes widened, but Tugger said no more. He whirled around and stalked furiously out of the den, anger radiating off him. Quaxo leaped to his paws and flung himself out of the den…overhead there was a loud crack and rain began to pour down. Tugger just stalked through it.

"Wait Tugger! Come back!" Quaxo called. Tugger didn't stop. Eyes peered, glowing from various dens.

"No. We are done kit." He snarled. Quaxo stared after him, his mouth hanging wide open, and his eyes wide. Tears started to form.

"Tummy…" He breathed. Tugger froze but didn't glance back.

"How can I ever trust you again…? You betrayed me. Goodbye kit." He muttered, before vanishing into the blinding rain.

"Tugger!" Quaxo cried into the stormy night.

Quaxo snapped out of the vision, shivering violently. He stumbled back away from the twins who stared at him silently. Thunder rumbled overhead. Quaxo ran out of the junkyard and they followed him, a tail-length behind. Quaxo ran on and on, past the train station, and to the peer. He curved onto a dock, and ran as fast as he could towards the end. Then he leaped, his fore-paws stretched far out ahead of him and his hind paws stretched behind him…Tanto and Cori halted at the end of the dock and stared down with wide eyes filled with shock.

Quaxo hit the water, and as he went under, he ripped his paws furiously through his fur. He rubbed and rubbed everywhere, then the need to breathe overwhelmed him, and he lashed his paws furiously through the water, stretching out towards the murky light above. He broke the surface with a gasp, and panted as he sunk his claws in the soft wood of the dock. He scaled the slippery wood and hauled himself up between the twins, who grasped his scruff and pulled the panting tom the rest of the way up. The sky cracked with a flash and resounding boom of thunder and rain began to pour down. The twins wordlessly stared at him, as Quaxo began to walk back towards home, his tail dragging in the mud. His ears drooped and his heart still hammered in his chest.

Before they reached the junkyard he stopped and faced the twins.

"I thought you cannot alter the vision…the future." He murmured wearily. They blinked.

"That is a myth. We get the visions, so we can change them need be." Tanto meowed softly. Quaxo relaxed and sighed, pressing close to his two friends. They nuzzled him, uncaring of his soaked fur.

"Thank you." He whispered. He then turned and walked back to the junkyard. His tail drooped from exhaustion rather than sadness or fear this time. They entered the camp and went their separate ways. He crawled into his den, and shivering lay in his nest.

Quaxo lay there a long time before he felt warm breath on his back, and he felt Tugger curl around his soggy, shivering body. Quaxo sighed and leaned into Tugger's fur, slowly drifting into sleep, as the tom licked his dripping fur dry. Quaxo's tears were unnoticed, and he fell asleep like that, relaxed into Tugger's thick golden fur…Mostly golden…Tugger's fur was very curious. His head, and mane, and tail, as well as half-way up his legs and his chest, were golden spotted, like a leopard. The rest was shorter fuzzy black fur, with very faint and very dark grey leopard spots beneath. They were not noticeable to most, but if one looked very close they were indeed there. Regardless of his fur color he hated to get wet, and yet he lay grooming the teenaged tom gently, his own thick fur soaking up some of the water. Tugger wondered where his young tom had been all day, when he finished drying both of them off mostly, he lay his mighty head on Quaxo's shoulder and drifted into sleep. The sound of the rain drumming softly against the earth, and the very distant rumble of thunder, lulled them into a deeper sleep, and they slept through the whole night…

….. =^.^=

As the day of the Jellicle ball drew nearer the Jellicle's went into a state of giddiness, cleaning the junkyard, (don't ask), setting up lights, and other decorations, practicing their dancing…none of them had yet seen Quaxo dance, and he felt confident that he would impress them now…however he was still nervous about the mating ritual. He wondered who he would get paired off with. That was to be announced today. Quaxo was very interested in how the cats learned to dance. They rose onto their hind-paws and danced like humans, yet somehow more elegant and graceful. Their tales kept them perfect balance, and as a result it was simply beautiful. They were agile, and the way they danced captivated you, and transfixed you. One could not look away from a dancing Jellicle.

(In case you were confused they are ACTUAL CATS in this story, as I have more descriptive words that way…yeah…that's my excuse.)

Quaxo soon learned that it was in his blood to dance the way only a Jellicle cat could. Tugger said he had never seen a tom dance so elegant, and teased him, calling him a tom in a she-cats body. Quaxo had snorted and swatted his tail across Tugger's face, shocking the large tom long enough for the smaller one to get away. Then the chase began…

Quaxo did return to Grizabella each day to feed her, then head home, and each time he made sure her scent was scrupulously washed from his fur. He was beginning to loath Griz for reasons he could not comprehend. And yet his pity for her overcame all reason, and he continued to keep the old scrap alive.

It was two days before the Jellicle ball when Quaxo saw a certain cat again. He was just heading into Grizabella's alley when he stopped dead. The queen was gagging and squirming, her throat held in the huge clawed paw of none other than Macavity. Without hesitating Quaxo dropped his rabbit and raced into the alley, his fur bushed out. He slammed into Macavity hard, forcing the huge tom to drop Grizabella and skid a few feet away. Quaxo crouched over the queen and met Macavity's furious gaze. He was surprised when the tom's voice shook as he spoke.

"What are YOU doing here?!" He spat furiously, but there was some sort of distress in his eyes and Quaxo could feel sadness tear its cruel claws through the big tom's heart. Quaxo narrowed his eyes.

"Oh I don't know, rescuing the old, injured and starving queen you just tried to strangle!" He spat. Macavity blinked at the queen.

"This is my turf. She is not supposed to be here." He snarled. Quaxo narrowed his eyes.

"Maybe if you came around here more often, she wouldn't think it was unclaimed…And besides. I know where your 'turf' is. And this is not part of it…You're just mad that she was sleeping where mom died!" Quaxo spat. Macavity visibly winced and he snarled viciously in response. Quaxo knew he had hit a nerve. Macavity glared at him, with an unfathomable abhorrence. Quaxo met his gaze, and ice blue eyes locked with blazing green.

"You don't know anything about your mother, kit!" He spat. Quaxo moved towards Macavity, till he was near nose to nose with him.

"I know that you abused her badly before she gave birth, and that is the reason she lost my sisters. I know she begged you to protect me on her dying breath, and you didn't. I know who her family was. I know she used to be your best friend when you were kits, along with Griddlebone, I know her favorite food was rabbit, I know she believed the white ones were good luck, I know you used to play in the old park with the pond and the big oak. I know she died under this very garbage bin, and I know that after she died you came here to grieve for long periods of time. I know she never did anything to you, yet you hurt her…" He paused and looked into his fathers eyes, his voice growing soft. "And I know that even though you hurt her she still always loved you…she still left the junkyard with you, she still stayed with you…If she had not have been pregnant she would not have decided to return to her home…And I know that somewhere deep down in that icy heart of yours you loved her too…and you still do." He meowed evenly. Macavity gazed at the cat before him with wide eyes…the anger was fading, his resolve was faltering. A great sadness entered the ginger cat's eyes. Quaxo swore he saw tears forming in the very corners of the Hidden Paw's eyes.

"I cannot control what I am. I have no choice." He said in a faltering and anguished tone. Quaxo blinked and touched his small white paw to the big tom's chest, where there was a healing yet still vivid burn scar…Quaxo had done that…Macavity stiffened.

"There is always a choice." Quaxo responded softly. Macavity pulled away from Quaxo quickly, his eyes darkening.

He snarled and he lifted his gaze to stare directly at Quaxo, his eyes narrowing to two icy shards.

"There is never a choice." He growled. Then he vanished without a trace. Macavity was not there…

Quaxo moved a very terrified Grizabella to another alley and settled her in, giving her the rabbit. Then he washed and returned home. Everyone noticed the young tom was distracted and upset but no one asked…

The next morning Quaxo woke to a terrified yowl. Quaxo leaped from his pipe, Tugger on his tail, and into the clearing. The whole tribe was circled around something, and fear-scent rose from the crowd. Jenny was shoving the kittens roughly away from the crowd, and into her den. Quaxo pushed through the crowd until he was right on the inside. In the center of the gathering lay a small ginger and black she-cat with a calico tail. She was stiff as a board and her glazed over eyes stared sightlessly at the sky. Her legs stuck stiffly outwards, claws still unsheathed, and her mouth was gaped wide open in a forever-silent wail. She was dead. But there was something more. Her throat was red and sticky, as though it had been slashed, and there was writing on her flank, clear as day against the black and dark ginger of her fur. The words written there sent a icy chill through Quaxo.

'No Choice' Quaxo backed up a step, bile rising to burn the back of his throat. He suppressed the urge to vomit. Whoever he had blindly backed into lay a comforting paw on his shoulder. Quaxo blinked over his shoulder, and saw Munk blinking grimly at the body. Suddenly there was a loud wail. Teazer and Jerrie appeared in the circle, discarding two bags of loot, and crouched near the body. Jerrie held his sister close as she turned and sobbed into his fur. Munk looked at the two with confusion.

"Do you two know her?" Munk asked softly. Jerrie looked up at Munk through pain-filled eyes.

"She was our mother." He breathed in complete anguish. A collective gasp of sorrow for the two teenaged kits rippled through the tribe, as Teazer sobbed into Jerrie's chest. Quaxo pulled away from Munk and walked over to the twins. He sat beside them. Both of his best friends turned and buried their faces in his chest fur for dear life, and he rested his chin on top of their heads. He could feel his fur soak with their tears, but he just stared blankly ahead, and wrapped a forepaw around each one, pulling them close. Then he spotted something. Across the clearing Skimble was just pulling sleepily from his and Jenny's den. He had been out late last night on the rails, and he blearily walked over to the circle.

"What's going on?" He asked. Somecat, Jelly by the sound of it answered.

"The kits were playing and Victoria found Jerrie and Teazer's mother dead in the clearing." She murmured. Skimble stiffened considerably and pushed through the cats until he stood next to Munk, gazing at the twins, sobbing into Quaxo's fur. Quaxo watched as his face paled and he stared with wide glass-green eyes at the mangled body of the cat whom he had secretly had these kits with. Munk glanced at the calico tom curiously.

"You knew her too?" He asked quietly. Skimble nodded.

"Kael." He whispered. Munk blinked at the elder tom, then the body…His eyes suddenly narrowed, as he stared at the twins. Quaxo blinked and penetrated Munk's mind.

"These twins…they look a lot less like their mother…and a lot more like…like Skimble." He thought. Quaxo concentrated very hard and forced his mind into Munk's. Munk blinked rapidly, as he felt the strange intrusive dizzy sensation.

"Do not mention this to anyone." The young magician thought. Munk blinked, recognizing the voice and glanced at Quaxo who stared straight back at him. Quaxo gave and almost imperceptible nod of his head. Munk blinked.

"You knew? How did you know? Do the twins know? Does Skimble?" Munk thought.

"I know because I went into their memories. They do not know, and cannot remember from when they were kits. Skimble does know, and That is why I believe it is up to him to tell them." Quaxo thought back. Munk nodded thoughtfully and sincerely.

"Very well. I will not mention anything." He vowed. Quaxo nodded and pulled from his mind. Munk blinked and swayed the slightest bit. Quaxo took the opportunity to probe a few more minds…first Skimble's. the older tom was frozen, staring at the body.

"Skimble. Earth to Skimble." Quaxo thought in the calico toms head. Skimble glanced around, his eyes landing on Quaxo. The black tom blinked, staring at him.

"Quaxo…what…how did you…*sigh*…nevermind. What do you want?" Skimble asked in his head. Quaxo narrowed his eyes.

"I know everything Skimble…Everything to do with this scene playing out before you, and your past." Quaxo thought. Skimble flinched.

"I don't know w-what you mean." Skimble replied. Quaxo narrowed his eyes.

"Don't be a fool Skimble. I am magic. You know very well what I am talking about. And let me be the first to say, I will not say anything." Quaxo thought in a gentler tone. He felt Skimble relax a little.

"Thank you." Skimble thought. Quaxo blinked.

"BUT…I believe you should tell them…they know their father is a Jellicle and know they know for sure whoever he is knows who they are…so if you do not want to lose the love of those two forever, and never be part of their lives, I suggest YOU tell them. Soon." Quaxo finished. He instantly pulled from Skimble's mind before he had time to reply. His next target was the sobbing twins in his paws.

"Guys." He murmured. Two pairs of silvery-green eyes peered up at him from his fur. He sighed staring at them.

"Quaxo…How did you…how can we…" Teazer thought shakily. Quaxo sighed heavily.

"Nevermind that now. I want to tell you guys that I am really sorry. I know how it feels…in a way. I lost my mother before I ever knew her. You guys did know your mother for a while. You had time to love her, and grow with her. I cannot imagine what it must be like to lose someone so important to you. I can only think about if I lost one of you, or Cori, Tanto, Munk, or Tugger…I can feel your pain though I do not understand it. I want you both to know that I am here for you, and you can talk to me if you need." Quaxo thought quietly. Both twins eyes welled up with fresh tears that spilled down their cheeks. They buried their faces in his fur again and he sighed, leaning his chin against them again.

"Thank you Quaxo. You are our very best friend." Jerrie murmured in his head. Quaxo nodded gently on their heads.

"I love you both very much." He whisper-thought. The twins relaxed against him. He then pulled his mind from theirs, and they both sighed. Quaxo closed his eyes, and breathed in sync with the twins. The tribe was touched by their friendship. A tear slipped from under Quaxo's closed eyelid and he sighed inwardly. He couldn't help the one thought that plagued his mind over and over…

Was this my fault?

Munkustrap arranged an official funeral for the queen, and said a few words to send her to the everlasting cat…Then any friends or relatives were requested to say something…Skimble said nothing, and although the twins were grief-stricken Jerrie spoke.

"Though she was a homeless, had little to eat each day, and was not prepared to take care of kits, she loved us and did her best to make sure we had food by the end of each day." Jerrie said shakily before stepping back. Munk was about to go on when Quaxo stepped forwards. The twins, and the rest of the tribe blinked at him in surprise.

"Though I never knew her personally the stories and memories I've heard have connected me to her more than I ever realized. Kael was a very beautiful cat when she was not starving. She was kind, and friendly, and would have done anything for her kits. She worked all day, every day just to get the kits a scrap to eat, and she scarcely had food herself. She tried her very hardest to make it work, and she breathed for the twins. She was smart, and very funny, and she always had stories of the Jellicle's and our legends for these two. She would have made a fine Jellicle, and I have pity on whoever did this to her, for they must not have known what a kind, and caring soul they were taking from this world. Whoever did this must have been damaged horribly on the inside, for I know not a cat who would harm such a gentle cat." He meowed. The tribe stared at the young magician in aww. They all dipped their heads solemnly and as Quaxo rejoined the twins, they pressed against him gratefully. He smiled gently at each of them, and watched as Tugger, Asparagus, Alonzo, and Admetus, slowly lowered her body into a grave. They laid a blanket over her and scraped earth over her still form, until she was completely buried. There was a stick stuck in the ground at the head of the grave where the cats tattered old collar hung. The cats slowly began to sing as one. They selected a different song for each cat buried, and not knowing her very well they had chosen a generally popular one. For the first time Quaxo heard the Jellicle's voices swell as one in the junkyard.

"I've heard there was a secret chord

That David played, and it pleased the Lord

But you don't really care for music, do you?

It goes like this

The fourth, the fifth

The minor fall, the major lift

The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof

You saw her bathing on the roof

Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you

She tied you to a kitchen chair

She broke your throne, and she cut your hair

And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Baby I have been here before

I know this room, I've walked this floor

I used to live alone before I knew you.

I've seen your flag on the marble arch

Love is not a victory march

It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

There was a time when you let me know

What's really going on below

But now you never show it to me, do you?

And remember when I moved in you

The holy dove was moving too

And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Maybe there's a God above

But all I've ever learned from love

Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you

It's not a cry you can hear at night

It's not somebody who has seen the light

It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

You say I took the name in vain

I don't even know the name

But if I did, well, really, what's it to you?

There's a blaze of light in every word

It doesn't matter which you heard

The holy or the broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn't much

I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch

I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you

And even though it all went wrong

I'll stand before the Lord of Song

With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujahx8"

The sweet music reverberated in the still dawn. Quaxo sung with all his heart, grief tearing through him, not for himself, or the strange queen, for such feelings could never be felt for someone unknown, but for the twins whom were his very best friends, and their grief. He knew what it felt like to lose a mother, when you never even knew her. He could not imagine their grief, and it made his grief all the more deep. A few cats glanced at him surprised by the beautiful voice that escaped such a small and quiet tom. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer leaned into his fur, their eyes filled with tears, and their music for once subdued. Usually they would sing, but it would be filled with life, and playfulness. Today there was only sorrow…

Quaxo sighed as the song ended and led Teazer and Jerrie into his pipe. The three friends curled up in Quaxo's nest, falling into a quiet and dark sleep. They seemed to be one large pile of calico and black fur. The twins fell asleep quickly but it took Quaxo longer to drift off, as yet again he had to ask himself…

Was this all his fault?

Yee! Another chapter. Poor twins. That was difficult to write cause I had a dear fondness for that oc. 3 Anyways. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.
Also woot! Jellicle ball up next! And one ESPECIALLY long chapter!