Chapter 54: Private Meeting

That evening, when the sun was beginning to set, Liberty was eating dinner - her final meal of the day - with Starlight, Audrey, Ryker and Sirius.
"I am so confused," blurted Sirius. "Ash is missing, some Ash is talking about overthrowing--"
"Shush!" hissed Ryker. "Do you really want to be shouting this in the yard?"
"I'm not shouting," replied Sirius with a growl. "No one's hearing me."
"You should be cautious anyway," Ryker retorted.
"Why am I even friends with you?" demanded Sirius.
"Maybe because you have no other friends?" Ryker muttered.
Sirius growled. "What was that?"
"You heard me."
"We got to figure this out," insisted Starlight. "It's just so strange..."
"I hate not knowing," grumbled Liberty. "It just keeps...teasing me."
"What have we gotten ourselves into?" Audrey blurted out. "I want to get back out of it."
"Well, it's too late, much as I hate to say it," shrugged Starlight. "We may as well find out more."
"Benders! Gather!" said a voice.
Animals began gathering around Liberty and her friends looked up to see it was Raoul calling the meeting, as he was Ash's second-in-command. As soon as everyone was gathered around, Raoul began. "As you all know, Ash is missing. The details: he went out to go hunting alone, claiming he need some time to think. And he never returned."
Whispers coursed through the crowd as Raoul continued, pacing back and forth. "We sent out patrol after patrol to find him, yet failed. We don't have the slightest idea where he could be, unless he left the territory. Which we don't know why he would. In the meantime, however, I will serve as the leader of The Bending Tower, and I will not appoint a deputy until we can confirm Ash is gone."
The whispers quickly turned into murmurs after Raoul's announcement. "Dismissed!" barked Raoul, walking off towards Miguel. If Ash doesn't return, I'll bet Miguel becomes deputy, she commented.
"Airia must be devastated," remarked Starlight. "She lost a mate, and her pups."
"She's having another though, don't you know?" said Sirius.
"She is?" replied Starlight, looking surprised.
"Yeah, my mother told me. I think they just felt as though they needed a replacement for their daughters," suggested Sirius.
"No way," sniffed Starlight. "They wouldn't want to replace their own pups."
"Well, that's not what other animals of the Tower think," Sirius shrugged in response.
"Liberty," said a voice. Liberty turned around to come face-to-face with Ekaj. "Hey."
"Hi," responded Liberty.
"Do you know anything about this whole Ash thing?" frowned Ekaj. "It's rather strange."
Liberty felt tempted to tell him about the whole Ash-and-Bracken meeting, but decided to keep it between Sirius, Ryker, Starlight, Audrey and her. "No," he said.
"Well, I hope Ash is found again," Ekaj remarked. "I'll see you around, I guess."
Ekaj trotted off, and Liberty turned to Starlight. "Why does he always seem to want to come to me whenever something happens?"
"He's just trying to make conversation, what's it to you?" Starlight said.
"I dunno. It's just..." Liberty found herself unable to express her feelings about it, so she just gave up.
"Starlight," Sparky, Starlight's brother, made his way over. "Mom wants us to go to sleep soon."
"Can't we stay up a bit longer? I mean, come on, the sun hasn't even set yet," said Starlight, looking at the sun that was making its way below the horizon.
"She insists we need our sleep because we were doing night training last night," Sparky explained. "To be honest, I'm feeling a bit...tired too," he said, failing to stifle a yawn in the process.
"Sleep is for the weak," snorted Starlight.
"Sleep is for the animals who don't want to fail during training," muttered Audrey.
"She told you," snickered Ryker.
"Well anyway, I'm going to the apprentices' den, because I'm tired," nodded Sparky. "So g'night to all of you."
Sparky headed for The Bending Tower. "I think I'm going to turn in, too," murmured Audrey, following him.
"I'm going to wait a while. I'm not tired," insisted Starlight. She turned to Liberty. "Any theories on this?"
Liberty knew what she was talking about - a strange Ash talking to Bracken, and Ash being missing. "Maybe the wolf we saw was a look-alike, or something..." murmured Liberty. "Scratch that, actually...you know what, it's just confusing."
"Maybe if we ask the right animal, we can start putting things together," suggested Starlight.
"Maybe."
They sat in silence for a while, as if lost in thought. But then, someone came into the yard.
"I have found Ash," said a familiar voice. Liberty turned to see Bracken had entered. A growl overcame her as she thought about the meeting they had witnessed.
"Where?!" exclaimed Rusty and Dust simultaneously, practically stepping over each other trying to find out the news about their friend.
"He's right with me," a smirk came upon the bobcat's face as, sure enough, Ash came into the yard.
"Ash!" exclaimed Airia with delight, running over to her mate. "I thought you were dead!"
"I'm very much alive," Ash gave Airia a look.
"Welcome back," smiled Raoul, walking up to Ash. "Where have you been?"
"Oh, you know. Around," said Ash coolly.
"Doing what? You've been gone for a while!" insisted Dust.
"Things. Hunting, walking," muttered Ash. "But I'm back now." He looked at Bracken. "Come along, Bracken, we have things to...discuss."
"Of course," nodded Bracken, following Ash into The Bending Tower.
"Why does he want to talk with Bracken?" asked Rusty.
"I dunno," said Dust in response.
"I'm wondering that, too," growled Liberty to Starlight.
"That's it. I'm spying," Starlight darted to her paws and ran inside The Bending Tower.
"Where's she going?" asked Ryker.
Liberty didn't respond, instead she ran after her friend, also curious.
She followed Starlight into The Bending Tower, who was heading up the stairs and going down the hallway. Starlight then turned to look at Liberty. "Shhh," she whispered, crouching down and gesturing to the room in front of her. Liberty nodded in understanding and strained her ears forward to listen.
"So, what'd you do with the real one?" asked Bracken's voice.
"Some of our associates are keeping him," responded Ash. "But soon The Bending Tower will be under my control."
"Of course. And remember - I'm being deputized," insisted Bracken.
"Why do you want that?" growled Ash. "You'll never take my position, cat."
"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be here," snapped Bracken in response. "So be grateful."
"Fine. But realize that you can't take my position. It'd ruin the whole plan," Ash retorted.
"I'm not stupid," hissed Bracken.
"What are you two doing?"
Liberty and Starlight snapped up to realize Light was standing at the end of the hall.
"Uhh--" began Starlight.
"You two need to get out of here," growled Light. "Either go to the apprentices' den or back out to the yard."
"Geez, who stole your kill?" Liberty grumbled in response.
"What was that?" snarled Light, baring her teeth.
"I didn't say anything," Liberty insisted, walking with Starlight out of the hallway.
As soon as Light was well out of earshot, Starlight whipped around to face Liberty. "You realize what this means, right?"
"Yeah, that Light needs to keep her muzzle out of our busine--"
"No, not that," insisted Starlight. "That's not Ash." Looking fearful, she then added, "and I'm willing to bet that wasn't Bracken, either."

Author's Note:
Once again, I know so many things you guys don't. :)
And go check out the Ask a Character page! It's on the "pages" bar under the title (obviously). :3