Three days since the Ball

[[scean]]

Quaxo's eyes narrowed as he heard Macavity's name. His ears fell back again, more in fear and sorrow than in anger, and he moved a tick closer to his older friend.

"You guys aren't off with someone the tribe won't like, are you?" he hissed, glaring at the pair and frowning deeply.

Quaxo gently leaned his head on Munkustrap's shoulder, nestling his head into the older cat's neck and crossing his arms. "Don't tell me you are, guys..."

[Arya]

(I'm sitting here refreshing like mad and I realize that I need to go to the next page.)

[[scean]]

[ nice job. xD ]

[Munkustrap Etc.]

((I've done that before))

[Arya]

"Oh yea-" Rumple started to say before Mungo pushed her off the car again. "STOP THAT!" She yelled climbing back onto the car and crossing her arms.

"We are not doin' anything! We work for ourselfs!" He stated crossing his arms, he glanced at the unsheathed claws. Rumple took a step back, and so did Mungo.

(Short post.)

[[scean]]

Shaking his head slowly, Quaxo sighed. He listened to Mungo's words, but he knew what he'd heard. "Sorry, I just thought I heard my fa- Macavity's name." The tom visibly cringed at the name and turned away, his tail drooping and his ears flat against his head.

"Um... I'm gonna go back to my tunnel." Though, instead of walking back toward his tunnel, he started for the large tire on the other side of the Junkyard. Quaxo leapt onto it and curled up, wrapping his tail around himself.

[Arya]

(Brb gotta walk the dogs.)

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap lightly jumped onto the car, his expression serious. "You know I have sworn to let no agent of Macavity enter this yard or cause harm to any Jellicle." He growled, lifting his claws and showing his fangs. While he liked Mungo and Rumple too much to actually cause them severe pain (something he didn't tell anyone), he did have a duty to the tribe, and hoped this posturing would be enough to either send the two away until their job for Macavity was through or to frighten them into abandoning the job altogether. "Either behave or get out." The threat delivered, Munkustrap turned and walked away, trusting the thieves (what an ironic thought) to obey him one way or the other.

With those two taken care of, Munkustrap turned his attention to the next task at hand - cheering up the despondent Quaxo, or, at least, trying to figure out what had disturbed the young cat so. Was it just the mention of Macavity? Terrifying as he may be, the mere mention of his name didn't usually send cats into such a slump.

"Quaxo?" Once Munkustrap arrived at the tire, he looked up at his friend. "Do you mind if I join you?"

[[scean]]

Quaxo lifted his head from his paws and shook it slowly, smiling a little at his older friend. The tom gestured to the spot beside him and he yawned quietly. "Of course not, Munky." he said quietly, sitting up slowly and crossing his legs.

He glanced over to Munkustrap, then turned his gaze away, afraid of what the striped cat might ask him - honestly, he didn't want to reveal his reasons for being so depressed about the evil feline. Those secrets were his own.

"Jerrie and Teazer are gone now, right?" he asked carefully, reaching a paw down toward Munkustrap.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Don't call me that," Munkustrap replied automatically as he climbed onto the tire, accepting Quaxo's paw more because he knew the younger tom liked to be touched than because he needed the help. "They should be leaving now, or behaving." He sat beside Quaxo, turning his head as he scanned the yard for any other signs of trouble. No one else seemed in any sort of distress, so he turned to look down at Quaxo, debating what to say. "Are you sure you're all right?" he finally asked.

[[scean]]

"Munky." the younger tom replied immediately, a habit when Munkustrap said that.

Quaxo held tightly to Munkustrap's hand and scooted closer to him, resting his head softly on the older cat's shoulder. He bit his lip softly and glanced off to the side for a moment before looking up to Munkustrap.

"Munk, I'm not okay. But really, don't worry about me. I'm going to be fine, and you don't have to worry about me. You keep doing your job around the Junkyard." he said quietly, leaning over to softly peck the older cat's cheek.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap growled lightly at Quaxo's cheeky response. When Quaxo scooted closer, though, Munkustrap worked his paw free and wrapped his arm around the smaller cat's shoulders. "It's my job to worry about you," he reminded Quaxo. "Both as your Protector and as your friend. Please tell me what's wrong?"

[[scean]]

"Nothing's wrong. I haven't been okay for a while."

Quaxo shook his head slowly and slid his own arm around Munkustrap's waist. He reached his free paw over and turned his friend's head toward him, staring directly into his eyes. "Really, Munky. Don't worry about me. I'll be perfectly fine."

The younger cat leaned forward, gently pecking him on the lips and pulling away with a wide grin. Quaxo leaned against his shoulder again, yawning. "Right now, I'm just tired."

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Haven't been..." Munkustrap stopped, momentarily speechless, as Quaxo gave him that kiss, too surprised to even protest the use of 'Munky.' He blinked and shook his head slightly, looking down at the cat curling against his side. "You look tired." Sleep. Sleep was a safe topic. Munkustrap still wanted to know what had upset Quaxo, but he wasn't sure if pressing the issue right now would be a good idea or not.

[Arya]

(BACK!)