Time goes on

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap growled at Demeter, arching his back and raising a paw threateningly. "Calm down, Demeter. Don't force me to make you behave. You're in enough trouble as it is."

He then turned to Quaxo, glaring at him, but not threatening him the way he had Demeter. "Naturally, you had to scratch her back?"

[orangekittencream]

She hissed again, but backed off and said nothing more. Instead she started to slink around the Toms, wanting to get out of there now before Munkus hurt her. Though she knew that would never happen. The Queen kept her eyes glued to the younger Tom, still angry and fuming about how he was being totally unfair about the whole ordeal.

He was the one who decided to take Munkustrap and twirl him about his paw. It wasn't her fault for getting so upset by it. SHe had to take action, that's all. And what a Queen has to do, a Queen must do.

[[scean]]

Quaxo watched Demeter carefully, his foot tapping a little as his ear flicked nervously. After a moment, the young magician looked over to Munkustrap and gave a nod, licking his lips slowly. "Of course. She can't get away with hurting me just like that, can she? I mean, honestly." He wrapped his tail around his own leg and moved a step closer to Munkustrap, glaring at Demeter again. "You can't honestly believe the queen when she's in this state of rage, can you?"

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Don't you go anywhere, Demeter," Munkustrap hissed. "Both of you, sit down." He looked from one to the other. "Demeter, you should not have fought with Quaxo." He knew Demeter's personality well enough to know that she was most likely the one who started the confrontation - the battle, at least. "And Quaxo, you should not have continued it. You're powerful enough to get away." He paced in front of them, tail switching angrily. "I am not pleased with either of you right now."

[[scean]]

Quaxo looked down to the ground for a moment, frowning a little and curling up on the ground. He bit his lip for a moment before looking up to the pacing tom in front of him. "I'm sorry, Munkustrap," he said quietly, nursing his own wound for a moment before standing and making his way to the older tom. Quaxo rested a paw gently on his shoulder and rubbed it gently. "I didn't mean to make you angry -- she just... I don't know."

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap batted Quaxo's paw off his shoulder. "Fighting Demeter doesn't win you any points with me," he said, but then he shook his head and sighed. "I know how she can get, Quaxo, and it's partly my fault - I haven't been able to find her yet to talk to her about this situation. I know she probably started things, and I know you felt like you needed to defend yourself against her... but please don't. Encouraging Demeter only makes things worse with her." He nodded toward Quaxo's injuries. "How badly hurt are you?"

[[scean]]

Quaxo glanced down at himself and frowned a little, biting his lip. "Pretty badly," he murmured; the only reason his injuries didn't hurt him too much was that he was using his magic to make them stop. Spots of red covered his chest and stomach and there were darker, wet-looking spots on his black fur from where the cat had scratched him, then there was the top of his head, which had three long gashes on top of it from where the queen had hurt him. That was the one injury that hurt him a lot. "I'm sorry, Munkustrap. I was just angry."

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Sit down," Munkustrap said, taking Quaxo's arm and helping him down. "Etcetera should be bringing Jellylorum soon. She can patch you up." Since Demeter had slunk away, Munkustrap assumed that meant she wasn't too badly hurt. "I accept your apology, but please, don't let it happen again. This tribe does not need its members warring with each other." especially not over me. While neither Demeter nor Quaxo had said why they were fighting, the simple fact that it was Demeter and Quaxo fighting implied that it had something to do with Munkustrap. The idea that he was causing injury to befall the cats he was sworn to protect, even indirectly, did not sit well with him. "I will tell you this now, though - if the two of you get in another fight, neither of you will have a chance with me." He met Quaxo's eyes as he said that, deathly serious.

[[scean]]

Quaxo stared into Munkustrap's eyes, slightly frightened by the intense look in his eyes. He gave a little nod and leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Munkustrap's forehead. "I... I won't get in another fight with her, Munkustrap," he promised, nodding slowly and moving closer to him, nuzzling his chest softly. "I'm not promising anything about her, though... she might decide to attack me again, Munk." Quaxo gave a little frown and curled up, gently licking his wounds once more, trying to stop the bloodflow coming from his arm.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Then zap yourself away," Munkustrap said. "You've proven you can use your magic to move yourself. Do it." He leaned over, tipping Quaxo's head down gently to clean the cuts between his ears. "She really did a number on you," he murmured.

[[scean]]

"Yeah," Quaxo sighed, closing his eyes slowly and wrapping his arms around himself again. "I'll move myself if she does." Quaxo purred quietly at the licking between his ears and sighed, wincing a little. "That hurts, Munk, be easy," he whimpered.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"I'm sorry," Munkustrap whispered, trying to keep his ministrations as gentle as possible. He rested one of his paws on Quaxo's shoulder, using the other on Quaxo's cheek to hold his head still. After a moment, he murmured: "I love you, Quaxo, but these fights are really annoying me."

[[scean]]

Quaxo nodded slowly and looked up to Munkustrap, nuzzling his cheek again and pecking his lips. "I know, Munkustrap, and I understand. Sometimes I can't help myself, though." he whispered, hugging Munkustrap loosely. "I'm sorry for being such a troublemaker." Quaxo nuzzled him again, then sat back down, letting his ears fall back.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"You are a troublemaker," Munkustrap agreed. "It's part of your charm. But there's a difference between harmless mischief and actual trouble. It's the latter that irritates me." He smoothed his paw over Quaxo's ears, pulling away from the wounds on top of his head. "Better?"

[[scean]]

Quaxo gave a little nod and pulled Munkustrap down, nestling himself against his side and closing his eyes. "Thank you, Munkustrap," he said quietly, biting his lip and resting a paw on Munkustrap's stomach. "I promise I won't get into a fight with her again... I didn't ruin my chances, did I?" the young tom asked quietly, nervously.