Chapter 4: Achak's Death Story

"Augh! Stop hitting me!" snapped Tiggerpaka as the lion - named Ohloko, Misty had learned - pushed him once again.
"You're not moving fast enough," said Ohloko through narrowed eyes.
With the lion's size and his voice, any normal animal would be intimidated. But Tiggerpaka wasn't a normal animal. He narrowed his eyes right back at Ohloko. "I happen to be emperor of the land. If you touch me one more time, I will get my minions to slay you!"
"Tiggerpaka, shhh!" Lilypaka hissed to her brother.
Arazel, a horse Misty had seen before, snorted. "Watch your tongue, meerkat. You are at our mercy, may I remind you."
"Bah!" Tiggerpaka waved a paw. "Truth is, you all are at my mercy!"
"Right. Because we're so intimidating with guards on either side of us," muttered Sidew.
They were now getting close to the Chief's den. "I'm scared," Bracken whimpered.
"What's the worst he can to?" Misty asked the bobcat.
"Sentence us to death?" Campbell suggested.
Misty shot her friend a glare.
"We're not going to die," Koro insisted.
"Yeah," Campbell snorted. "I wouldn't place any bets on it."
Koro gave Campbell a look.
"Well gee, aren't you a little ray of sunshine today?" said Ophir sarcastically.
"I never am," Campbell growled.
"You sure have convinced me of that," Ophir chuckled.
"Aren't you scared about this at all?" Campbell demanded.
"Of course not. What have I to be afraid of?" Ophir smirked.
"Death?" suggested Rhett with an eye roll.
"Quiet," Ohloko ordered. They were now entering the den.
In the den, it was dark as usual. Chief and Nahuel were sitting next to each other, and Misty noticed that Tsovo was on the other side of Nahuel. Misty scowled to herself. She wasn't sure whether she liked Tsovo or not, but was definitely leaning towards "not". But why was he here? Misty had been told he rarely stayed at camp.
"Welcome, prisoners," said Chief. "Sit down."
The group all sat down, and Misty found herself in between Campbell and Tiggerpaka.
"Now, since I am a merciful leader," Chief continued, "I have decided to listen to your side of the story."
Misty felt annoyed at the word "merciful", but at the same time she felt relief. Maybe she could convince Chief that Achak's death wasn't her fault. Am I persuasive enough, though? she wondered.
"Well, the only animals here who can tell the story is Misty and Tiggerpaka," said Sidew with an annoyed tone. "Adele can't because she's deaf."
"I suppose I can tell the tale," Tiggerpaka spoke up.
"Tiggerpaka!" protested Lilypaka. "Don't--!"
"Achak was one of Tiredblade's minions," said Tiggerpaka, standing up. "And Tiredblade is no good. Despite having defeated that blasted cat many a time, he keeps coming back for more. And, every time, I send him crying for his mommy! Achak was here to hunt me down, to imprison me and bring me into Tiredblade's clutches. You should've seen it. Fear was in Mistake and Winged One's eyes, but I promised them that I would defend them, for I am a true warrior! I declared that I would never be captured! And that's when Achak jumped at me, fangs bared and ready to strike!"
Misty rested her face onto her forepaws in embarrassment.
"I didn't even have to move. I used my supernatural powers and froze Achak in midair, just like that! Then I stabbed him with my mighty stick spear, and Achak fell down on the ground, stone dead. The-end!" Tiggerpaka smirked.
Everyone was silent, until Chief spoke up. "Misty," he said, "perhaps you would like to tell the story?"
"Yes, Mistake!" Tiggerpaka exclaimed. "Tell them how I saved you, Winged One, and this whole miserable Tribe."
"Chief, I am so sorry," spoke up Lilypaka, looking utterly embarrassed.. "My brother, he's not exactly sane, he tends to exaggerate the truth, and--"
"Hey! No one said you were allowed to speak!" Tiggerpaka snapped.
Chief nodded at Lilypaka, and then turned to Misty. "Please inform us on the events surrounding Achak's death."
Misty cleared her throat. She had already made up her mind; she wouldn't mention Yin and Yang or the message about 'seek safety'. "Achak had called me in there, and I brought my sister Adele and my friend Tiggerpaka in with me. He started to tell us a tale about his youth." Misty had settled on this, because it was the truth. "Then I noticed his breathing was getting bad. I brushed it off at first, but it began to become serious. I asked what was wrong, he insisted that he was dying. And, sure enough, he was."
Silence for a few moments. Then Tiggerpaka broke it. "Boo! Lame! My story was a lot better compared to yours! Yours had no excitement, no blood, no guts spilling out everywhere, no--" Lilypaka had wrapped her paws over Tiggerpaka's mouth, yet he continued to ramble in a muffled tone.
"I don't believe either of your stories," insisted Chief, muzzle raised and looking down on them.
"What?" said Misty and Tiggerpaka simultaneously.
"My story is one hundred percent believable, you imbecile!" Tiggerpaka yelled.
"The only logical explanation to this is that you killed Achak," said Chief.
"Finally!!  Now we're getting somewhere!  That is what I've been trying to tell----" Lilypaka covered his mouth again. Tiggerpaka forced her hand off his muzzle and began to mutter irately while walking in circles.
"That being said, I find you all to be guilty," said Chief.
"I mean, of course Mistake's is quite crazy, but mine certainly isn't..." Tiggerpaka went on muttering to himself.
"Come on!" protested Lephos. "We're not guilty!"
"Yeah! Most of us weren't even with that old tortoise!" Sidew agreed.
"Not believing one of my stories," Tiggerpaka said, no longer speaking at a mutter. "And they say I'm crazy!..."
"Alright then." Chief narrowed his eyes at the brothers. "I will ask my two peers here. Nahuel - what do you think?"
"Guilty, my Chief," Nahuel answered.
"What!" Campbell growled. "We're not guilty!"
"And Tsovo," Chief turned to his son. "Your thoughts?"
"Hmm?" Tsovo replied, apparently snapping out of a daydream.
"Are these prisoners innocent or guilty of their crimes?" Chief asked.
"Guilty," Tsovo insisted, going back to his daydreaming state.
"Come on!" Campbell snarled.
Misty decided she didn't like Tsovo after all.
"Alright," Chief said, turning back to the prisoners. "Back to your prison!"
"But--!" Sidew began.
"Let's go," growled Ohloko, coming forward. "Any struggling will make us treat you as hostile."

Author's Note:
Well, they tried.
Anyway, I have a new TFEOB-related blog. Please go check it out! Link in my profile. :)