Chapter 10: Goodbye to Tiggerkat

The next morning Misty's eyes opened and she found Lephos and Sidew standing over her.
"GAH!" she cried, jumping back in alarm.
Sidew kicked Lephos in the leg, making his brother double over. "Bug-brain! You told me she probably wouldn't wake up!"
"Well how am I supposed to know?!" Lephos growled at his brother.
"What were you guys doing?!" Misty yelled.
"...None of your business," Sidew said flatly.
Misty got to her paws. "Well, after that, I don't think I'll be very sleepy."
"Oh, don't be such a bore," Sidew snorted.
"I think I need something for my leg," Lephos grunted.
"Anyway, I think you need to see what's going on," Sidew shrugged. "Tiggerkat's leaving."
"She is?" Misty frowned.
"Yeah! She's telling everybody goodbye, down at the yard," Lephos said, examining his leg.
Misty stretched. "Alright, I gotta see--" she then stopped and looked at the brothers. "Wait, this isn't a prank is it?"
"Look, from the bottom of our hearts, we hereby are telling the truth," Lephos promised. "Lephos-and-Sidew-swear."
"What?" Misty said.
"One, I thought it was 'Sidew-and-Lephos-swear," Sidew glanced at Lephos. "Two," he turned to Misty, "it means pranks are off and we're not lying."
Misty rolled her eyes. "Yeah. I'm going down to the yard."
She then left the room as Sidew called after her, "We're not faking it!"
Misty trotted down the stairs and rounded the corner, only to bump into Rhett.
"Ahg!" Misty jumped back. "Oh. Sorry."
"If you could watch where you're going, that'd be nice," chuckled Rhett.
"It was around a corner!" Misty protested.
Rhett smiled. "Hey, your friend's all good by the way. I walked by the Medicine Benders' room. She's up."
"...Alright," Misty replied. Rhett grinned and continued down the hallway. Misty glanced at him as he went, then turned back to walk towards the yard. I'll check on Campbell later. I need to see what this whole "Tiggerkat" thing is about, Misty told herself.
Misty then headed out into the yard to see Tiggerkat sitting there. She had a huge bundle of leaves, and Misty could see it was stacked to the top of what she heard Tiggerkat call "reese cups". Around her was Wyki, Sirius and Mirage.
"You're really leaving?" squeaked Mirage.
"I have found my reese cups! I need to embark elsewhere before they run off!" Tiggerkat exclaimed.
"But we don't want you to leave!" Wyki protested.
Tiggerkat patted Wyki's head. "Maybe we'll meet again someday, little Wyki, but for now I am going on an adventure!"
"Good riddance!" shouted Tiggerpaka from across the yard.
"We're gonna miss you!" Mirage cried.
"I will, too! You guys are my best friends!" Tiggerkat said.
Misty trotted up to Tiggerkat. "You're really leaving?"
"I need to find more reese cups elsewhere, Misty!" Tiggerkat said. "But don't worry, maybe I'll see you again someday!"
"You've stayed here for a long time," Charlotte said, trotting over. "Are you sure you're ready to leave?"
"Of course! I got the reese cups from those Firebenders - that party was awesome! Free reese cups for me. Maybe there's more out there I can be given!" Tiggerkat beamed at Charlotte. "Everyone here are my best friends, but like I said. I'm going elsewhere."
"'Best friends'," snorted Max, who was nearby.
"Oh, hush," Raoul hissed to his friend.
"Well, I'm taking my leave," Tiggerkat sighed, getting to her feet. "Goodbye! And may you all find reese cups too someday!"
"Byeeeee!" cried Wyki, Sirius and Mirage.
Other animals nodded and bid goodbye to Tiggerkat as she went, and sure enough, Tiggerkat left the yard and went off into the forest.
"I'll bet a moon's worth of my lunch she'll either get killed or come back. I'll give her a day," snorted Akumu.
"I'll give her until lunch," Stone muttered.
After a while of waiting for Tiggerkat to come barreling through the entrance to rant about pretty flowers she saw, animals began to realize she wasn't faking nor returning - at least not anytime soon. They began to break up and continue their duties.
"I can't believe she's gone!" Mirage exclaimed.
"Oh, she'll be back," Akumu assured her son. "She'll be back."
"Has she ever left and returned?" Sirius asked her mother.
"Actually, yes. Dust tricked her into leaving and our old leader Goldwing made the whole Tower search for her," Akumu chuckled.
Misty walked over to her mother, Airia. "Hey, mom."
"Hello, sweetie," Airia licked Misty on the forehead. "Are you gonna miss Tiggerkat?"
"Yes, of course," Misty nodded. "But...will she come back?"
"I don't know," Airia looked at the exit, as if she expected Tiggerkat to jump through. "Her mind seemed pretty set on leaving..."
"I never thought I'd see the day!" exclaimed Rusty, walking by. "No more annoying outbursts of--"
"Rusty!" cried Charlotte, sitting next to Airia, "have you any respect for Tiggerkat?"
"Well hey, she was annoying," Rusty insisted.
"She saved us from the Firebenders!" Charlotte pointed out.
"Please. That doesn't make her any less annoying," Rusty retorted.
Misty thought Charlotte was going to hit Rusty, but luckily they were stopped.
"Benders! Gather!"
At the sound of her father's voice, Misty whipped around. The Benders were, sure enough, coming up to Ash for a meeting. Misty hared after the crowd, wanting to sit with the rest of them. Hey, it's my first apprentice meeting! Misty realized.
Several animals rushed out of the Tower as well - Starlight, Spot, Snakeseye and Sparky.
"Are the rumors true?" Snakeseye demanded. "Tiggerkat's gone?"
"Yes, Tiggerkat has left," Ash announced.
This sent whispers and conversations through the crowd of gathered animals. Misty was pretty sure she was the only one who noticed Rhett and Campbell walking out into the yard through the Tower door, both of them discussing something Misty couldn't hear. Misty perked her head, trying to make herself visible above the crowd. "Campbell!" Misty exclaimed. When Campbell turned in her direction, Misty mouthed, "Over here!"
Campbell made her way over to Misty. "What's up?"
"Tiggerkat's gone," Misty said.
"She is?" Campbell said in disbelief.
"Excuse me!" Ash exclaimed.
Everyone stopped and turned Ash's way.
"Ahem. Yes, Tiggerkat is gone," Ash confirmed.
"WONDERFUL!" Tiggerpaka cheered.
"Shut up!" someone shouted.
"So anyway," Ash continued, scanning the crowd, "on a happier note, we are planning something fun to do."
"Ooh!" Starlight exclaimed.
"Raoul and I have designed a strategic game for the apprentices to play. It'll be good for training, and the apprentices should enjoy it," Ash explained. "We call it 'Capture the Prey'."
"'Capture the Prey'?" Misty hissed to Campbell. "What's that...?"
"Mm-mm-mm," Campbell shrugged.
"Capture the Prey will take place on half moon, which should be in about three days," Ash went on. "It'll be after lunch, and we'll divide up teams - mentors vs. apprentices. Newbie Benders will participate too and they get to choose which team to go on."
"Sounds interesting," remarked Malroy from nearby.
"But how do you play?" called Ryker, Lephos and Sidew's other brother.
"You'll find out at half moon," Raoul said.
"Be prepared, and remember. After lunch!" Ash exclaimed. "Meeting over."
Everyone began taking their leave.
"Wonder how that's all gonna go down," Misty said, turning to Campbell.

Author's Note:
Wheeeeeew. TFEOB version of Capture the Flag! :'D
Check out my new blogs please. :3