Chapter 6: Tsovo's Visit

Misty's stomach rumbled rather loudly, angering her. I KNOW you're hungry, can't you shut up?! she demanded to herself. She was feeling rather irritable, and figured it was due to her hunger. It was around lunchtime - past it, Misty was sure - and no one had stopped by.
Everyone was trying to pass the time, but Misty was sure it wouldn't be long before she'd start to feel closed in to this one room. She preferred to be able to move about; but being stuck in this den wouldn't be good for her. Calm down, she told herself. You'll be fine.
Suddenly Misty could hear loud crunching sounds. She turned to see Tiggerpaka chewing something in his mouth, leaned back against the wall and looking rather laid-back. "Tiggerpaka?" Misty said. "Are you eating something?"
"A fresh grub, of course!" Tiggerpaka smirked. "They're delicious."
This made Misty more irritable - why was Tiggerpaka eating when she wasn't? - but she suppressed the words she wanted to say to him. I'm supposed to respect my elders, she told herself.
"When's food gonna get here?" groaned Campbell.
"They'd better not be skipping lunch for us," growled Sidew.
"Sidew, you're already fat enough. You can go without one meal," said Lephos, rolling his eyes.
Sidew snarled. "I am not fat."
"Sure looks like it to me," muttered Lephos.
Sidew then jumped at Lephos, who yelped as he was taken by surprise. The two began rolling around on the floor, biting and clawing and snarling. "Hey!" yelled Lilypaka. "Stop!"
"I'll stop them!" Tiggerpaka declared with a smirk. He ran for them and lunged, and Misty watched as he ended up being part of the fight, Tiggerpaka's shouts being added to Sidew and Lephos's.
"Hey! Cut it out!" Campbell snarled, making the three freeze into place.
Tiggerpaka was the first to hop up as he brushed himself off. He snorted. "I was the clear winner of that."
"Shut up," growled Sidew as he got to his paws, followed by Lephos.
"That was entertaining," chuckled Ophir.
"See what hunger is doing to us?" said Koro, addressing everyone. "Look, we may all be starving, but we have to remain calm and reasonable."
"Weak," snorted Rhett.
"We're never gonna get out of here," Bracken whimpered.
"Duh," said Campbell, rolling her eyes. "We're in here for life."
"You're not helping," Koro insisted.
"What, I'm supposed to honey-coat it?" Campbell demanded, growling at Koro. "It's the truth, isn't it?"
"I can practically smell the tension," muttered Lilypaka from nearby.
Just then, someone came in the den. Misty's stomach jumped in a mixture of being startled and anticipation, and saw Tsovo come in, not carrying any food.
"We're starving in here," announced Sidew, voice quivering with weakness.
"Some of us less than others..." murmured Lephos, glancing at his brother.
"Will you cut it out?!" Sidew snapped.
"Why didn't you bring food?" Campbell demanded.
"Not my job," responded Tsovo simply.
"Well tell whoever has that job to get us food," snarled Campbell.
"What are you going to do?" Tsovo asked calmly. "You're a prisoner. I'm the Chief's son."
"'Chief's son', my tail," Campbell growled. "You are starving us, and I will do something about it."
"Sure," muttered Ophir from next to her, and when Campbell rounded on him he smirked.
"Watch me," Campbell growled at him.
"I'm here to talk to Misty," said Tsovo, taking Misty by surprise.
"What?" Misty said.
"Yeah!" Tiggerpaka exclaimed in agreement. "What do you want with her?"
"Just to talk," replied Tsovo in a calm tone.
"'Just to talk', my tail," Tiggerpaka snapped. "You lay a paw on her and I will destroy you! I am a warrior, and don't you forget it!"
Everyone fell silent. Even Misty was taken by surprise; usually Tiggerpaka's only concern was for himself. And the fact that it seemed like Misty needed a meerkat to protect her made her even more uncomfortable. "I won't forget it," spoke up Tsovo after a while, using his same calm voice.
"You'd better not," Tiggerpaka agreed.
"Uh..." Lilypaka began. "Tiggerpaka...why don't you chill out?"
"I am chilled out," Tiggerpaka insisted. "I am the most chilled animal here, thank you!"
As Tiggerpaka kept ranting Tsovo pulled Misty aside. "What do you want?" Misty demanded, feeling annoyed. The wolf who sent her to prison for life suddenly wanted to talk to her. Why am I even doing this? Misty asked herself.
"To talk," Tsovo said.
DUH, Misty thought. "About?"
"Why you're in here," Tsovo responded. "You claimed to have been talking to Achak before his death?"
"Yes..." Misty said hesitantly.
"What was he telling you?" asked Tsovo.
"Why should I tell you?" Misty asked.
"Because this is my Tribe," replied  Tsovo.
"You never even stay here," retorted Misty. "This isn't your Tribe."
"I'm the Chief's son, though," Tsovo insisted.
"That's still not a good reason," Misty said.
Tsovo seemed to be thinking for a while, then he spoke. "Okay then. If you answer my question, I'll answer one of yours."
"Alright then. Why did I wake up in a tree?" Misty demanded. The memory was going through her head; one morning when she and her friends had been traveling, they had all settled down to sleep. When Misty woke up, she had been in a tree branch, not too far off from the others. Later she learned Tsovo had put her there. But why? Misty asked.
"So I could come back for you," Tsovo responded.
"Why?" Misty demanded.
"Because I wanted to take you to the Tribe," said Tsovo simply. "Now, my turn."
"Bu--" Misty began, but then sighed. "Fine. Achak was telling me about how he got here to the Tribe. Happy?"
"Mm, no," Tsovo responded. "That's not very detailed."
Annoyance prickled at Misty. "Well, I answered your question, didn't I? He told me about his childhood, no big deal. Now leave us alone. I don't want to see you."
"Alright then," said Tsovo. "I'll be back, though."
"To bring us food, hopefully," Misty remarked as Tsovo left the den.

Author's Note:
INCREDIBLY POINTLESS AND BORING CHAPTER. I'm sorry.
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