Chagrin

[lorki]

Kutenai raised the hilt of his sword, he cast a rueful grin past the otter to the beasts gathered around, before bringing the hilt down on Tiraels head to effectively knock him unconscious. He let out a roaring laugh that was followed by the laughs of the horde- who lit wood and cots from the slave compound to fuel the bonfire.

He'd turned his eyes from the fire to feel the heat of it on his back and dragged the limp body with him, out the gates and towards the woods.

---

Her paws dug into the leafy debris that had grown over the years to bury her home. Wide eyes stared down in horror, as if seeing through the ground to bodies laid to rest within it. Horror seeped through her blood with every rhythmic beat of her heart, expanded, reached out. The urge to simply not exists was so great, the desire to be where they were... buried, dead, gone. It felt as if she was no longer a body or a mind, only a desire.

She lifted her paw to look at it, white ash pressed onto her palm. the sun bleached bones of the fire. It would never go away.

It was dark as Sleet's eyes opened and she flipped sideways, rolling away from the tree she'd leaned on while sleeping. She lashed a paw out in a short lived panic that ended as quickly as she felt the cold metal of a knife in her palm. Overhead a clear sky of stars provided enough light for the sharp eyed ferret to see by as her vision adjusted.

She felt like screaming and cursing just to tell the world she was angry. Angry to have the same sort of dreams night after night, angry to never sleep more than an hour or so at a time, angry that her brother was stuck inside some hideous fort for the sake fo these beasts that would hate her either way. Violently, the knife was struck into the ground.

Once the rage had sunk from her into the dirt, she was silent, taking a moment to reform her thoughts and... hear the dragging noise in the woods. Dragging? What the hell could be dragging? Immediately she thought snake and hurriedly rose from her sitting position. Her legs ached still, half healed at best, but if there was a snake...

But the dragging was so slow going... and unsteady. She listened carefully, her heart pounding away in her chest.

"Damnit, I thought y'woulda woken up by now, otta." a voice muttered.

No, not a voice. Not just any voice.

"Kutenai!" It came out as quite a desperate cry, where she had meant it to be more of a recognition. But, ability to hide emotion aside, the small gray ferret bolted into the trees after the voice, an uncharacteristic beaming smile on her face.

She launched herself into the air just as the form of her brother appeared and hit him with surprising force. Kutenai, in turn, dropped the somewhat-unconscious Tirael in order to catch her and stepped back to regain his balance. "Gah- what the... Sleet " he half laughed half growled as he pried her arms from around his neck, "Sleet, y'need t'get everyone. The fort is plannin' an attack... very soon."

She paused in her embrace, looked puzzled only for a moment, "bring Tirael," she said quickly, before turning to flee from him and rush into the camp to make an awful amount of noise and rouse the sleepers.

Kutenai bent down to pat Tirael's face lightly, he ought to be coming around soon, if he wasn't already. "C'mon mate, my arm's are 'bout to fall off."

[Tirael]

Tirael glanced fearfully around the ring of smug, jeering faces, noting with some displeasure that the flickering light of the bonfire made them look that much more menacing. Any concerns about his acting skills were long past. This fear was real. Sure, he knew it was all part of the plan, that they weren't going to be hurting him tonight; but he couldn't suppress a feeling of dread about this plan. Something was going to go wrong. Something always went wrong. He just hoped that it wouldn't go wrong here, in this crowd that was watching what they believed was the prelude to his execution.

He remained silent as he felt the hilt slam into his skull. Things began fading rapidly, and he only suffered that horrible laughter for a few seconds before his eyes flickered shut.
__________________________________

His eyes flickered open briefly; somebeast was pulling him...he could see the creature's legs behind his own...something about that amused him, and he grinned faintly as the scene blurred and darkened...
__________________________________

Tirael frowned slightly as something patted his face. He was almost tempted to turn away and fall back into blessed unconsciousness when he began to remember the situation. Forcing his eyes to open, he slowly focused on Kutenai's face.

"C'mon mate, my arm's are 'bout to fall off."

Putting out his paws to try and support himself, the otter said groggily, "I said I could walk, but...you 'n your...'dramatic effect'..." With a little (a lot) of help from Kutenai, he began to heave himself up to a standing position, albeit a rather wobbly one. "Are we...did we make it...?" Somehow, the forests around them hadn't tipped him off. His brain was still a little fuzzy...

[lorki]

"I said I could walk, but...you 'n your...'dramatic effect'..."


"Wha's that? I think y'said 'thanks fer savin' my life' but... I couldn't quite make it out," he smirked as he helped haul the otter up from the ground and slung one of Tiraels arms over his shoulder to support him.
"Are we...did we make it...?"


"Jus' about.... " He muttered, stepping forward hopeful that Tirael could walk the rest of the way.

---

Sleet, meanwhile, had jetted into the camp. She avoided it, in general, and without any real idea where anyone was staying or sleeping she moved agilely about the tents and shelters, "Tampa!" She hissed, Tampa would know what to do, who to call for. Not to mention she might as well be aware that her brother was back... more or less in one piece.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Tampa!"

It was little more than a hissed whisper in the dark, but it brought Tampa fully awake. It helped that she’d not been sleeping well in the first place, too many nightmares of times and regrets past. She rolled rapidly out of the two blankets that made up her bed, crawling out the low tent entrance. But there was no sign of the whisperer, no one outside her tent except sleeping camp members in their own tents.

“Hello? Who’s there? What do you want!” She decided there was no point in taking the subtle approach, instead she called out in a tone that carried easily on the cold winter night air.

[Tirael]

"Wha's that? I think y'said 'thanks fer savin' my life' but... I couldn't quite make it out."

Tirael gave the ferret a weakly patronizing smile, mentally brushing off the comment as he was hauled up. The long, drawn-out gratitude could wait until it wouldn't sound so slurred. Besides, there were more important things to deal with now. Like walking. Walking was good. His legs were working just fine, and with Kutenai supporting him, he was able to keep himself from tipping over. By the time they trudged into the camp, he was barely putting any weight on his rescuer at all.

“Hello? Who’s there? What do you want!”

The voice was unmistakably Tam's! Glee rushed through the otter, and he almost broke away from Kute and ran to his sister when he realized she probably wouldn't respond the same way. When she'd gone off to the Fort (voluntarily, too), he'd reacted by being depressed. Knowing Tampa, when she'd heard her little brother had been hauled off, she didn't get weepy and despairing.

She got mad.

Not wishing to make things any more awkward than they probably would be, he remained with Kute and called out nervously, "Tam? It's-it's me..." Aside from one quick glance at the ferret, his eyes remained glued to the shadowy form he assumed to be his sister.

[lorki]

“Hello? Who’s there? What do you want!”

Sleet whirled around, "where the hell are-" she spotted the otter crawling from her tent and rushed towards her, the dim light from the half moon and stars over head were just enough to make her out. "Here, it's me." The only ferret within a few miles radius, she thought bitterly, but bit her tongue. Now was not the time for snarky comments.

"Tampa, Kutenai brought Tirael back, he said that-"

"Tam? It's-it's me..."

Her eyes flicked to Tirael, she'd hardly noticed him before- being too concerned with Kutenai. She was reminded suddenly of the ordeal they had had together, and how exactly he had ended up their to begin with.

But the thought was fleeting, more or less one less guiltiness on her conscience.

Kutenia, still holding Tirael steady, interjected loudly after Tirael spoke, "I think she knows who y'are, mate." He looked hard at Tampa, "the fort is plannin' an attack, within a day, maybe by mornin'." He spoke shortly, simply. It was one of those things one just needed to spit out.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Tampa, Kutenai brought Tirael back, he said that-"

“Sleet?” Tam said as the ferret appeared. “Tirael’s back? Where is he?” She looked around, almost as if she expected him to be hiding under Sleet’s cloak or behind a tent.

"Tam? It's-it's me..."

“Tirael!” She turned swiftly to face the voice, relief breaking over her like a wave as she spotted her younger brother. The lanky ottermaid lunged forwards, engulfing the smaller otter in a hard hug. “You’re back!”

After a moment she drew away a little, noticing the swellings of bruises and cuts. Tampa winced in sympathy, she remembered all too well the brutality of the Fort. She gave him a little shake. “Don’t do that to me, Tirs! I was so worried!”

"the fort is plannin' an attack, within a day, maybe by mornin'."

The ferret by Tirael’s side spoke and Tampa turned to look at him. “Thank you. By morning?” Morning was not far away, they’d been preparing to march the next day anyway, but knowing the fort was prepared for a fight changed some things. Several things.

“We’ll have to get everyone together,” she decided, swinging around to look at Sleet. “that is if you two are staying? You’re staying with me.” She told her brother, ducking into the tiny tent for her boots, belt and weapons. “Come on.”

[Tirael]

“Tirael!”

Tampa's lunge tore Tirael away from Kutenai's support, and if she hadn't been hugging him so tightly, he might have fallen over altogether. But he didn't care; the fact that his sister was so glad to see him eclipsed everything else, and he returned the embrace with as much strength as he could muster. This was so wonderfully real...

After a short while, Tam pulled back and looked at his face. He couldn't hide a bit of shame as she glanced at the various small injuries. Without those, it would almost simply feel like he'd been off on a trip. He still felt twinges of guilt about having been captured, and the last thing he wanted was something to remind his family it had ever happened.

“Don’t do that to me, Tirs! I was so worried!”

Tirael's head throbbed a bit as Tam shook him, but he kept that to himself as she spoke. He felt even guiltier when she mentioned how concerned she'd been, but he had no time to say anything when Kutenai cut in.

"the fort is plannin' an attack, within a day, maybe by mornin'."

“Thank you. By morning? We’ll have to get everyone together, that is if you two are staying? You’re staying with me.”

Finally standing entirely on his own, Tirael waited until Tam had re-emerged from her tent and said, "We need to tell Skipp first, he'll be able to get everyone moving more quickly."

[Treble Tiderunner]

"We need to tell Skipp first, he'll be able to get everyone moving more quickly."

Tam’s face clouded over, her movements slowed perceptively. How to tell him? She wouldn’t just now, she decided, hooking an arm through his. “He’s probably asleep now,” she said brightly, “’sides, Enon would wake everyone up much faster.” There was a tone in her voice that betrayed her mischievous grin.

She treaded her path expertly through the dim camp, lit by a half moon reflecting off the snow. Soon enough they arrived at Enon’s tent, more a tarp lean-to in the wide branches of an hickory than a real tent.

“Enon!” Tampa hissed, not wishing to wake up whoever was nearby. They needed to talk to her alone for a moment, before spreading the alarm.

[lorki]

Sleet watched Tirael and Tampa with an almost happy expression, but as she stood there unnoticed it started to fade. Kutenai's eyes shifted sideways, watching the slight lighthearted gleam fall away from his sisters eyes. She was too sensitive, he chided her mentally. If his thoughts were ever vocalized he'd end up with a black eye. Sensitive, but also vicious. A combination that had proven to be particularly dangerous.

“Thank you. By morning? We’ll have to get everyone together, that is if you two are staying? You’re staying with me.”

Kutenai already knew the answer. He'd be a target and she was still inured. "No," Sleet said shortly, "I'm afraid I don't feel the same desire to live in a rundown pile of bricks." The bitterness was seeping into her voice.

Kutenai slung an arm over his sisters shoulders, "not t'mention," he cut in, shooting her a withering look, "they'll recognize me an' yer legs look like 'ell, Sleet." He looked back to Tirael and Tampa, "good luck on yer battle, though. I'm sure we'll be seein' yew again." And with that he forcibly turned Sleet and started marching her around. Quietly he muttered, "dun be mad at 'im, I clocked 'im pretty 'ard."

Sleet shrugged off his arm, "I'm not mad at anybody. I'm just not interested in risking my life for a damn building," she growled, a moment passed before she added, more quietly, "they wouldn't want our help anyhow, c'mon." She lead him, with a slight limp, into the maze of the vast forest while Kutenai sympathetically began a conversation on the colors of the newly fallen leaves.

---

Soko rolled ungracefully out of her tent. She'd been waken by only whispers... but the voices speaking were significant enough to dive into her subconscious and rouse her for some important reason. As of yet, she wasn't sure what that was. She blinked in the dark, her night vision was not particularly the best, but she could see well enough. Her sharp hearing would have to suffice. She stood and turned awkwardly in the dark, one paw attaching her swords scabbard to her waist, listening carefully to try and hear the voices again... damn the dark.

[Tirael]

Tirael caught the way Tam's expression changed when he mentioned Skipp a horrible feeling began creeping into him. What had happened? He can't have--no... The thought was too terrible to believe, and he couldn't help looking worried even as his sister lied through her smile.

“He’s probably asleep now,” she said brightly, “’sides, Enon would wake everyone up much faster.”

"No," Sleet said shortly, "I'm afraid I don't feel the same desire to live in a rundown pile of bricks."

With yet another pang of guilt, Tirael realized he hadn't paid much attention to Sleet at all. Sure, he'd been glad to see Tam and there was something important coming up, but she'd sent her own sibling in to save him, and she deserved a simple thank-you at least. Now he was worried about his family and he felt like a jerk...

"Not t'mention shooting they'll recognize me an' yer legs look like 'ell, Sleet. Good luck on yer battle, though. I'm sure we'll be seein' yew again."

"Oh...well...thank you both...for everything..." It was an ashamed, half-hearted attempt at fixing the situation, but Tirael didn't know what else to do. Sleet and Kutenai were already heading off and muttering to each other, and it didn't seem as though he'd accomplished anything. Well...she didn't like me before...I guess it's just back to normal... he thought unhappily. As Tampa hooked his arm and pulled him away, he did his best not to stumble and resolved to cause as little trouble as possible for as long as his luck would allow.

“Enon!”

As they waited for a response, Tirael couldn't stand waiting any longer, and looked down slightly. "Tam," he said, his voice quivering slightly, "Where is our father? And please, don't lie to me again..."

[Treble Tiderunner]

“No," Sleet said shortly, "I'm afraid I don't feel the same desire to live in a rundown pile of bricks." The bitterness was seeping into her voice.

“Thank you.” Tam said, skimming over the bitterness. “I wasn't very nice when you came here, but you helped anyway.” Her look included Kute.
"not t'mention," he cut in, shooting her a withering look, "they'll recognize me an' yer legs look like 'ell, Sleet." He looked back to Tirael and Tampa, "good luck on yer battle, though. I'm sure we'll be seein' yew again."

As they waited for a response, Tirael couldn't stand waiting any longer, and looked down slightly. "Tam," he said, his voice quivering slightly, "Where is our father? And please, don't lie to me again..."

“I told you, Tirael. He's probably asleep. ENON.” she said again, unecessarily because there were signs of movement, but she didn't want to have this conversation. She didn't want to tell her brother that she'd failed, that Skipper had nearly died and she'd been off flirting with a stranger. It would hurt him deeply, his imagination seemed to already be at work. She placed a calming paw on his shoulder. "Its ok."

She hadn't lied, Skipp had slept a lot. She just had left out a few important details... like he was heavily drugged, bandaged and still had the residue of poison in his body.

"What?" Only moments had passed and the black squirrel was out of the tree, standing before them. Tam quickly appraised her of the situation. Enon nodded, her dark fur blending with the night.

"I'll wake them and get Skipper."

[Tirael]

“I told you, Tirael. He's probably asleep. ENON.”

She was still hiding something; her denial was only making things worse for Tirael, who was getting even more nervous with every passing second and every new possibility his mind came up with. They were all different, all awful, and all led to him being an orphan once again. No, no, I can't be, not again-- He barely heard the telltale rustling of Enon's movements through the slight panic that was welling up inside him.

"Its ok."

Tirael swallowed and tried to take Tam for her word. Now wasn't the time for him to get weepy and emotional; there was a battle coming up, and he needed to be calm. In his case, that obviously wasn't an option, but he at least managed to fight himself down to "very worried."

"I'll wake them and get Skipper."

Tirael perked up; he didn't remember the SoSO's arrival, so he didn't realize Enon could be referring to anybeast beside his own Skipper. Either way, his ignorance turned out to his advantage, as he was now adequately reassured to focus on his job. Turning to Tam, he said, "I need my supplies...Sleet brought them back, didn't she...?"

[Treble Tiderunner]

Tam frowned, looking after Enon. The black squirrel was soon gone from sight, but beasts were waking and already the camp was lighting up as torches and fires were brought to life. She turned back to Tirael, biting down on the guilt that rose in her at the emotions that were crossing his face.

"I need my supplies...Sleet brought them back, didn't she...?"

“Yes. They’re in the healer’s tent.” So was their father, but she found she couldn’t continue the lie any more. Besides, she wanted to be there when he discovered. No use letting somebeast else blurt it out. She led him past the little tent next to the stake where Rogg had been tied. Her body language was tense and she refused to look at the traitor’s tent. Skipp may have ‘forgiven’ him, but she had neither forgotten nor forgiven.

“Tir…” She placed a paw on his shoulder again. “It’s alright.” Then they passed in, and there he was, the only occupant of the room, laying on a far cot.

[Tirael]

“Yes. They’re in the healer’s tent.”

Nodding in relief, Tirael trudged hurriedly beside Tam as they headed for the tent near the center of the camp. He tried to remain unnoticed, as he really didn't want to face any more welcomes back. He just wanted to get to that tent, prepare his bag, and get moving. Finally, after weaving through various waking creatures and makeshift homes, they reached the infirmary tent. He threw a casual glance at Tam--on seeing her expression, he felt the reassurance that nothing was wrong evaporate in a split second.

“Tir…”

Once again, her paw on his shoulder provided little comfort; she had lied to him, something was wrong, she never acted like this otherwise. His imagination started playing back all the memories he'd had with his family: playing with Tam, the first time Skipp had visited him in the infirmary, being adopted, having a family again, all intermingled with the blood and death some horrible demon was whispering in his ear.

“It’s alright.”

Despite a mounting desire to turn and run, Tirael swallowed fearfully and stepped into the tent. In his mind, he'd pictured walking in to find something horrible dangling in front of him. Instead, he spent a few moments adjusting to the darkness before seeing a significantly less gruesome Skipp lying in the far end of the tent.

Still, it was a hard blow to see him like that. Even when he'd just been asleep before, Skipp had always seemed powerful, always in control. Now he looked frail, as weak in body as Tirael was in emotional stability. That ever-present strength had always been an anchor for the younger otter; now, it seemed he was drifting. Head throbbing again, he fell slightly against Tam, his only support.

"Is he..."
________________________________

Meanwhile, Brush was trying to get some order over the situation. He darted around the Camp, giving advice, orders, and assistance as needed. Even he wasn't entirely aware of what was going on, but eventually it became apparent they needed to leave as soon as possible. "Alright, everybeast grab only what you need and get with your emergency groups! If somebeast in your group is missing, now's the time to find them! Hurry!" He was getting tired of crowd control; it was exhausting, and his voice was still a little hoarse from all the yelling during the floods.

Hearing a commotion (well, comparatively a commotion) nearby, he turned to go fix the problem when he bumped into a black-- "Enon!" Hoping she would be fully aware of the situation, he fell into stride alongside her and said, "I've gotten most of everybeast ready to move, but what exactly is happening?"