*I haven't posted this in eva!! (Darn fanfiction deleted my document..) But it's here now! Enjoooy!*

*Alonzo's POV-I do like this POV!*

We traveled for six more days, jacking old things, not having to worry about people or anything. It was good fun, but we could tell something was troubling the girls deeply. They often wandered off, whispering and not coming back till much later, refusing to speak of where they went. I sometimes could get them to say, "The woods," or, "We found an abandoned place," but that was rare and unhelpful. It was also not the information we needed. What were they talking about? But, you bring that up and they zip their lips for hours on end.

I was, at the moment, sitting at me and Tugger's camp. Tugger and Mungo were off hunting, so I was alone. I stared blankly at the little fire, and wondered vaguely where the girls were. They had their own camp, very far away, while Misto, Mungo and Pounce had one closer to mine.

"Alonzo, I need your help."

My thought bubble popped when I heard the uncommon sound of one of the girls' voice. I couldn't tell which one, as my memory of their separate voices melted into each other. And I was the one who talked to them most! "Um, yeah?" I turned to find Viatrix, who's large red curls seemed smaller and duller.

"I need your help." she repeated.

"What kind of help?"

She was silent for a little bit, and I could tell she wanted to say something.

"Two kinds." she went silent again, waiting for me or something else to say.

"Well, can you tell me at least one? The one that's easiest for you?" I knew I couldn't force anything out of them, I had to do it slowly so they could tell it at their pace. I turned and stood up to face her, crouching slightly so that we were on eye level.

"I'm worried about me and Ravina. We're in a lot of trouble with boss, and I don't want any of you to die, let alone get hurt. It's not fair!" She fell down a little, and was on her knees. "That's what me and Ravina have been talking about. How to get you five back to your place without you noticing, and then leaving." she sniffled, and Bombskit crawled suddenly out from in her jacket, and rubbed against her leg. I jumped a little, and was properly ignored.

"Viatrix, that's what you don't see. We came on free will. We wanted to help you and Ravina. We came to help you two, becuase we didn't want you to get hurt. We'll stay with you. We, well I, would fight to the end for you and Ravina. Don't believe anything else. I don't know what drove me to come, but I felt like I needed to help you two. Something made me, and I trust that something. Why can't you?"

She looked up at me with her yellow cat eyes that were more vulnerable than I had ever seen them. I had done something to her, and it showed. I almost felt like I knew what that something was made me come on this crazy journey. But I couldn't admit it, not with Cassandra and Jemima waiting for me at home. Besides, we had only covered half of this problem.

"You said you had two problems. Do you still want to say the other one? Or do you want to go to sleep? I can walk you to your camp, if you want." I got down on my knees with her, and lifted up her head to meet her sad eyes with my caring ones. She seemed to be much better, but I could tell the other question was nagging her. She bit her lip, and I nodded, signaling that I would walk her back. She shook her head, and opened her mouth to talk, but closed it again, shaking her head. She did this three more times. Finally, I got something.

"My next problem is tom trouble." she looked at me with the waiting sort of expression that said, "You understand?"

"Tom trouble? Like a tom is giving you trouble? Which one? Is it bad?" My thoughts to all sorts of bad things Tugger could have done, or maybe a prank Mungo or Pounce pulled. I hope it isn't..

"Um, no. Not bad. Uh..." she hesitated again, and I waited for about ten seconds before she spoke again. "Tom trouble...as in....he doesn't like me back." she fell on the word back and hung her head down, obviously controlling the waterworks.

"Oh."

I was usually good at this stuff, but I had a total flunker. I felt absolutely awful about being slightly happy at this. She liked one of us, but she didn't say who. I had a 20% chance at this. Actually, I knew it couldn't be Tugger, because she loathed him. 25% chance. I regained my self control, and tried again.

"Do you want to tell me who it is? Because I can't really do anything for you until I know that. And that's probably the only thing you don't want to tell."

"Well, it's not Tugger." she gave a small smile, and I smiled back.

"Process of elimination. I like it. Who else isn't it?"

She but her lip, thinking. It wasn't sad thinking, just...thinking thinking.

"It's not Pounce. He's just my buddy."

"Alright, that's good." 33.3%

"Umm, it's not Mungo."

50% "Alright, so me or Misto. Care to say which?"

She became silent, even when I tried to talk to her, she just stared at the ground and ignored me. "I guess it doesn't matter. So the problem is you-know-who doesn't like you back? Want me to ask Misto, if he's the one. If it's me, I can go ask myself if you want. Easy-peasy. Oh, I kind of hope it's not Misto, 'cause he'll never talk..."

She looked at me with her sadness melting into gratefulness. I actually had some pride now. If only she could say, "It's not Misto." That would give me much more than pride. My pride bubble was interrupted with her unexpected voice. Geez, she does that a lot.

"How about you ask both? Then report back to me."

"Aww, that's not fair. What if we both like you. Then you'll only like one, and that would not be cool."

"Oh well. Please do this for me, Alonzo. You're my only hope."

That sunk in two seconds before she said it. Out of everyone here, she was turning to me for this. Not even Ravina. Pride chart: 10+

"Fine. But just 'cause you're my bestest buddy, okay? Now do you want me to walk you back?"

She nodded, and I grabbed the hand she offered. Just then I noticed the shiny blood-red claws that adorned her pale hands. I didn't want to stare, so I just held it by me. She had to lift her hand a bit, as I was taller, but other than that, it was no trouble for either of us.

We walked in silence, and the temptation to drape my arm on her shoulder was insupportable. I was good, though, and just bit my lip and held my head high. I was hanging back a good time, because I had no idea where I was going. I felt pretty honored, nonetheless. No one else had been to their camp, and now I was being cordially led there.

"Do you think you can find your way back? I've been dropping red stones, so I think you'll be good."

"What about you?"

"My camp is just up ahead, so I'll be fine, too."

"Oh. Well, good night. See you tomorrow, then."

"Don't forget to ask Misto and yourself, 'kay? Good night."

We both turned and started to walk off. I stared straight at the ground, looking for the red stones. I kept finding them as soon as I would think I'm lost. I wonder if that was a coincidence, or if Viatrix was just very clever. I went with the cleverness, because it made sense. I kept looking ahead to find the fire, and felt the biggest relief of the century when I saw the distant flicker of the fire I had lit. I also heard Tugger, who must be back from hunting, singing to himself. I kept running toward it, and probably looked like a freak when I tumbled into our camp, panting and ruffled.

"Where have you been, dude?" Tugger strutted over and helped me up. I shook my head fur, and controlled my breathing.

"I was hanging out with Viatrix, and I walked her back, and geez it's far away, and she left a trail so I could come back, and I thought I was lost, but I'm not, so...yeah." I just looked up at Tugger, who looked like he thought I needed some meds.

"Alright, whatever. Just get some sleep, okay?"

"Yeah, good idea. So, how was the hunting?" I sat back at my spot by the fire, and was accompanied by Tugger on my left.

"Oh, fine. Some rabbits and squirrels and foxes and squirrels and squirrels, and guess what?"

"What?"

"More freaking squirrels!"

I laughed out loud and he rolled his eyes at me.

"I suggest you get some sleep, mister. What with you come running in here like you've seen a ghost. And, it seems like you've got something going on with Viatrix, you lucky bastard. So, I'll see you in the morning." he did the most Tugger-ish Tugger strut over to his mini-tent. Who was he trying to impress? Uh-oh.. "Oh, and it's you and Pounce and Misto's turn to hunt tomorrow night. 'Kay?"

"Yeah, yeah. 'Night."

"'Night."

He disappeared behind his doors, and I turned back to the fire, just as I'd been before Viatrix had come stumbling in with her big curls and unpredictable eyes.

The spot by the fire was just like my life back at the Junkyard. And Viatrix had stumbled in, not into my camp, but into my life, and there was no turning back. Not now. Not ever. I could never reverse the choice I made by coming on this journey. I could never change the way my heart had fallen into the hands of this lonely, smirking, gorgeous, smug mystery of a girl who had stumbled by my spot by the fire and taken me away. And there was nothing I could do about it. There's nothing I would do about it if I had the choice. She could come and take me, and I would let her drag me off. I would let her put me in front of her to save her. But isn't that why I'm here?

*Oooh, I can't wait for the next chapter! Pouncey Pounce!!!!!! I am super happy with this chapter, and I hope you all are, too! Sorry to the big RHPS fans, but that's all the Rocky here. For now. ;P*