Title: Conjuring Pain

Author: Ailendolin

Rating: T (PG-13) … just to be sure.

Disclaimer: I do not own cats and do not make any money with this story. I only own the little plot bunny.

Summary: Being a conjuring cat isn't a gift. Quaxo should know. All magic ever brought him was pain, loss and loneliness. It started ruining his life when he was a kitten. Will his broken spirit be mended when Tugger and Munkustrap stumble upon him?

Word Count: 1675

Warning: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, but mainly Fluff – a lot of it.

Chapter 3: Fur Ball

"Munk?"

Confused, Tugger stared up at his brother's den. It was late in the morning, and Munkustrap usually waited for him outside the dishwasher every day. Could it be that his dutiful brother had slept in? A grin made its way to Tugger's face, and he quietly crept towards the entry. Munkustrap would never live that one down.

"Hey, Munk, wakey-wakey!" he called out smugly as he peeked inside. Indeed, his brother was still sleeping, huddled under a blanket. Tugger shook his head, snorting. What had Munk done last night to make him so tired? Or better asked: What had he done with whom?

"Munk, come on. The sky is blue, the sun is shining, and you have duties to do."

A yawn showed Tugger that his brother was finally coming around. First one, then the other eye opened, and the silver tabby stretched gracefully.

"Tugger? What are you doing in my den?" he asked groggily, trying to clear his thoughts from sleep.

"Well, let's put it this way," Tugger said with a grin. "You weren't outside as usual, so I figured you were still asleep."

"Is it that late already?" Munkustrap asked. "I feel like I haven't slept more than an hour…"
He gave another yawn, then his gaze fell on the huddled blanket beside him, and he softly nuzzled it.

"Hey, little one," he said quietly. "Come on, wake up."

"Munk", Tugger stated as he suspiciously eyed the blanket, "I always knew you were weird, but talking to a blanket is the weirdest thing you've ever done - even if you're still half asleep."

Munkustrap gave him a look that clearly said, 'Look who's talking,' before he carefully pulled the blanket away to reveal a yawning black-and-white fur ball.

"Er, Munk? Why do you have a kitten in your den? They're supposed to stay with Jenny ..." Tugger trailed off and moved closer to observe the little cat.

"He's not one of ours. I found him last night in the rain. He was drenched, Tugger. I couldn't leave him out there. So I took him with me. He's the reason why I slept in," Munkustrap explained as he nuzzled the kitten who tried to vanish into the blankets.

"Good morning, Quaxo," he laughed. "How are you feeling?"

Dark eyes looked up, not noticing the other cat in the den. "Better," Quaxo replied sincerely. "Not so cold anymore, but my paws still hurt."

Munkustrap smiled slightly and nudged the little tom.

"Tugger and I will get you to Jenny and Jelly. They'll make you feel better."

Munkustrap pointed to his brother, and Quaxo's eyes followed. Fearfully, he looked up at the big cat with the mane. Tugger chuckled.

"Hello there, little guy. I'm the one and only Rum Tum Tugger."

Munkustrap rolled his eyes, and Quaxo hid behind his back, scared.

"You don't have to be afraid of him, Quaxo. He may be a little strange and egoistical, but he's my brother and he's nice," Munkustrap consoled the little tux. Slowly a white face appeared behind the tabby, and two dark eyes looked curiously at the other cat, which still smiled at him.

"Hi," he said shyly. Tugger took this as a good sign and came over to nuzzle Quaxo's head.

"See? He can be nice," Munkustrap said, laughing when his brother rolled his eyes. Quaxo smiled unsurely and lay down again to relieve his paws from the pain. He decided that he liked the other cat. He seemed nice enough, although he was different from Munkustrap.

"I guess we should lose no time and go and visit Jelly and Jenny," Tugger suggested when he saw that Quaxo was trying not to put any weight on his paws.

"Yeah, you're right," Munkustrap agreed and he picked up Quaxo at his neck like he had the night before and together with Tugger they left the den. Outside the sun was shining brightly. It was one of the first warm days of spring, and thus the junkyard was filled with other cats fooling around or guarding the borders. Many curious eyes followed the three cats crossing the yard. They immediately became the centre of attention.

"Hey, Munkus, what're you carrying there?" a red queen asked.

"Later, Bomba," Tugger replied for his brother and looked concernedly at the little cat. Quaxo was shivering and trying to curl himself into a ball while being carried. He seemed to be afraid of attention, and one look at Munkustrap told him that they would talk about this later. Luckily, they reached Jenny's den a just then, the curious eyes of the other Jellicles never leaving them. Tugger pounded on the door, and a moment later Jenny's smiling face greeted him.

"Good morning, Tugger. What can I do for you?"

"For me nothing, but the little fur ball here needs your help."

Tugger took a step aside to reveal Munkustrap with the kitten in his mouth. Jenny gasped and ushered them inside.

"Lay him on the blanket there, Munkus," she ordered before she went to get Jelly and some water.

Munkustrap did as he was told, and Quaxo immediately crept closer to him again after being let down. He tried to bury himself inside Munkustrap's fur, and the tabby could feel him shivering.

"Shh… Everything's okay, Quaxo. Jenny and Jelly will help you. You don't have to be afraid."

"Can we go back, please? I don't like it here," Quaxo asked quietly.

"Later," Munkustrap promised. "After they have taken a look at you."

The two queens came back just that moment and lowered themselves to be at eye-level with the kitten and smiled.

"Hello, little one. My name's Jennyanydots, and this is Jellylorum. What's your name?" Jenny asked.

"Quaxo." He sniffled and hid his face in Munkustrap's chest fur.

"Quaxo... Now, that's a nice name. So, are you hurt somewhere, Quaxo? Can you tell us?" Jelly asked softly. Quaxo looked anxiously at Munkustrap and, seeing him nodding, he cast his eyes downward onto his paws and said, "My paws. They hurt really bad when I try to stand on them."

His voice was barely audible and he still shivered from fear but he showed the queens his paws nonetheless. When they saw the burn wounds, Jelly and Jenny exchanged a concerned look.

"Where did he get those?" the Gumbie Cat asked Munkustrap and Tugger, who only shrugged.

"I don't know. I found him in a box yesterday night, drenched from head to toe. He already had them then," Munkustrap explained.

"Well, we have to clean them and bind them or they'll get infected," Jenny said. She turned towards Quaxo. "Does anything else feel wrong, Quaxo?"

The little kitten shook his head.

"No sore throat or sneezing?" Jelly inquired further while she felt his temperature.

"No…" Quaxo said, looking timidly at them.

Everyone in the room sighed with relief. It was a good sign that Quaxo had not caught a cold. Colds could kill a kitten his age, especially one as small as Quaxo.

"Okay, we will clean your paws now," Jelly explained. "It will burn briefly, but I promise it gets better afterwards."

Jenny nodded to Munkustrap and Tugger, and they both laid down on either side of Quaxo, giving him support and whispering calming phrases into his tiny ears. To their surprise he did not cry out as the procedure began. The only sign of the pain he was in was the constant whimpering and the tears that rolled down his white face. On his left side, Tugger nuzzled his head reassuringly, and, on his right, Munkustrap brushed the salty droplets away.

"All done," Jelly declared after a few minutes while Jenny put the things away. Both of Quaxo's front paws were bandaged in white cloth.

"I have put an ointment on them, so they should heal perfectly. Come to us in two days so we can change the bandages."

"Thank you. You two are the greatest," Munkustrap said as he first hugged Jelly then Jenny.

"Go home with your little kitten," Jenny said with a small smile. "We will talk about him later. Get him comfortable and give him some water to drink. I think he is old enough for it, even if he looks so small." She held up a green bowl, and Tugger took it while Munkustrap picked up Quaxo again. "Also," she continued and handed Tugger another bowl, blue this time, with brownish mush in it, "Try to get him to eat something."

"What about mice?" Munkustrap asked. "Not mashed ones, I mean."

Jelly shrugged. "He should be able to eat them. In small pieces, of course."

They thanked the two queens once more and made their way back to Munkustrap's den, once more stared at by the other cats in the junkyard.

"You know, you'll have to tell them what all this is about soon. It's not like you can hide him, anyway," Tugger said quietly. Munkustrap only nodded. They reached the den, and the tabby sat Quaxo down on the same pillow he had slept on last night.

"You have done very well, Quaxo," he praised him and nuzzled his neck while Tugger made himself comfortable next to the black kitten.

"Are you thirsty? Hungry?" he asked, and the little kitten nodded shyly. Tugger put some water into the green bowl while Munkustrap placed the blanket around Quaxo. The little cat began to drink the liquid eagerly and then turned his attention to the other bowl. He yawned and sleepily licked at the mush, his eyes close to falling shut.

"I guess it's time to sleep, little one."

Munkustrap smiled down at his charge and put the bowls out of the way before tucking Quaxo in even more. The little cat yawned and closed his eyes without protests, which earned him surprised looks from the two toms.

"Night, Munkus, night Tugger. Love you."

With that the small kitten was asleep, and Tugger und Munkustrap knew at that moment that they would do anything to protect this little black and white wonder from any harm.

TBC