Chapter 24: Morning at the Tribe

Misty woke up the next morning to see the sun shining brightly in the bright blue sky. She could hear the waves lapping at the nearby shore. Misty blinked several times to wake herself up and glanced out at the distance. It was a beautiful view; mountains in the distance and the river running in between them as far as the eye could see.

She turned and looked at the boys’ side of the camp. Most of the boys were knocked out, seeming exhausted, all sprawled across the ground. Misty could only see a few were actually in the dens that were up in the trees. Even the boys from her own group were on the ground spread apart, looking deep in sleep. They must’ve stayed up all night, she realized.

“Mornin’,” said a voice. Misty turned to see Campbell with a rabbit in front of her that was half-eaten. She tossed a fox to Misty. “There ya go. Eat up.”

“Thanks,” Misty returned, taking a bite of fox. “Where’s Lilypaka?”

“By the lake,” Campbell said, pointing with a tail to the meerkat. She had a stick with woven vines attached to the end. “She calls it a ‘net’,” explained Campbell, as if noticing Misty was looking at the object. “She’s trying to catch little fish gathered at the shore.”
“Smart,” Misty remarked. She gave a sideways glance at her sister, who was fast asleep. “The boys seem exhausted,” she said to Campbell.

“Tell me about it. For once Ophir’s actually quiet,” Campbell muttered.

“He seems beat-up after that fight,” Misty said, looking at Ophir, who had several cuts on his body from being scratched at by other boys’ claws.

“Mm,” nodded Campbell, taking a bite of rabbit before adding, “well, that’s his own fault. I don’t think messing with Tribe boys is smart.”
Misty didn’t respond, but she couldn’t help to agree. The Tribe boys had fights like these every night. Ophir was new to it, so taking them on the first night they were there probably wasn’t the best idea the gray wolf possibly ever had.

Lilypaka came back just then, and Misty could see tiny fish in her net. “I caught some!” she exclaimed. She then noticed Misty awake. “Oh. Good morning, Misty.”
Misty nodded back in greeting. “So what’re you gonna do with those?”
“It’s my breakfast,” Lilypaka said. “When I was little mom would get me fish every now and then as a treat. For old times’ sake I decided to have some.”

Misty felt a pang of homesickness as she thought about her own mother. “I wonder what my mom is doing right now,” she murmured.

Lilypaka gave Misty a sympathetic look. “I’ll bet she misses you a lot.”
“I hope she does,” Misty nodded.

“I don’t think a whole lot of animals miss me,” Campbell muttered. “But if there’s one who definitely doesn’t, it’s Liberty.”
“Oh, hush,” Misty insisted.

“Don’t act like you don’t believe me. Liberty never liked me,” Campbell retorted.

“Yeah, well maybe she didn’t like the fact that you were always so rude towards her,” Misty shot back.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Lilypaka spoke up. “Who’s Liberty?”
“My sister,” Campbell said. “White fur, blue eyes…everyone loved her because she was such a good fighter,” she growled in a sarcastic-sounding tone. “And guess who everyone ignored? Me.”
“I’m sure not everyone…” Lilypaka said hesitantly.

“My parents wouldn’t. But that was it,” Campbell grumbled.

“I didn’t!” Misty protested.

“Fine. And Misty.”

“What’s your home called?” Lilypaka asked.

“The Bending Tower,” answered Campbell.

“Ah. What’s it like there?”

“Lot of forest,” Misty said, feeling more homesick as she recalled the place where her family and friends all lived. “We live in a big Tower, and next to it is a stone yard where we mostly hang out. There’s also tree-fall place, where a bunch of fallen trees are, and Ice River, which separates us from other territories…”
Lilypaka nodded. “Can’t wait to see it someday,” she said with a smile.

“We might not,” Campbell sighed. “It feels like we’re never going home…”

“You will,” Lilypaka insisted.

“What makes you so sure?” Misty asked.

“Well,” Lilypaka began, “if you train your mind to believe you’ll never return home, you’ll start to truly think it. And how will that help you with this whole ‘stopping-Yin-and-Yang-thing’?”

“True,” Misty said.

They finished up their breakfasts, talking occasionally but not as much as they had been when discussing their homes. Misty glanced at Adele, who was still asleep, but as she looked at her winged sister, her eyes fluttered open. Misty smiled as if to say “good morning”. Adele flicked her ear in return.

Campbell also took notice and nudged the last piece of prey – a beaver – in Adele’s direction. Adele took it and began to eat.

“Mornin’,” said a voice. Misty turned to see Koro standing at the barrier, and she smiled upon seeing him.

“Hi,” she returned. “How’s it been going with the Tribe boys?”
Koro turned to Misty and she found it difficult to hold his gaze without looking away. “Well…it’s been going,” he said in response. He then glanced down at Adele. “How’s she been going?”
A bit of confusion flashed in Misty, but it left just as quickly. “As good as she’s ever been…why?”

“I like to make sure she’s doing well,” Koro insisted. “Y’know, since she’s…” he didn’t finish his sentence, as if hesitant to say the word “deaf”.

At this Misty felt a pang of jealousy, and annoyance at her sister being treated differently. “I’m watching after her, Koro,” she said, attempting to keep any anger out of her voice. “She’s fine with me; always has been.”

Koro hesitated, before nodding. “Alright then.” He then headed back to the boys’ side of camp, over to Rhett, who looked as though he’d just woken up.

Misty growled as soon as her mentor was out of earshot. “He’s being awfully inconsiderate.”
“Why? Because he was concerned for your sister? And not you?” Campbell chuckled.

“Well, he acts as though I can’t take care of my own sister, and all he did was ask about her then leave,” Misty muttered.

“I honestly think you’re overreacting. Your judgment’s clouded,” Campbell insisted.

“Don’t talk to me about overreacting or clouded judgment,” Misty retorted. “You’re the one who always rants about your sister.”
“Fine,” growled Campbell. “Sorr-ee.”

“D’you think we’re staying on this side of camp all day?” Lilypaka asked. “Or can we see what the guys are up to at all?”
“Probably not the Tribe boys,” Misty sighed. “They want nothing to do with us.”
“Yeah. They’re annoying,” Campbell agreed. 

“Well let’s go over and at least look. Besides, what can they do to us?” Lilypaka said.

Misty and Campbell murmured in agreement and the three of them stood up, and Adele did as well. They walked through the barrier between the camps and they walked through the boys’ camp. It almost seemed like they all were dead, as they were all asleep and scattered everywhere, like someone had raided the place and left behind the bodies. The thought made Misty shiver.

“I was surrounded,” said a familiar voice. Misty turned to see Tiggerpaka with Ronais, Dozzi and Mudaz. The three Tribe boys looked very interested in what the meerkat was saying. “Nowhere to run. My nemesis Tiredblade had cornered me, and I thought it was surely the end! He let out a menacing laugh and pulled his claws back, prepared to strike me. But that was when I called upon the hornets to help me!”
“Whoa!” exclaimed Ronais. “You can talk to hornets?”
“I can talk to all sorts of creatures,” smirked Tiggerpaka.

“Oh brother,” Campbell grumbled.

“Do it now! Do it now!” said Mudaz excitedly, jumping up and down.

“No, I must finish my story!” declared Tiggerpaka. “Anyways, so the hornets swooped in and confused poor Tiredblade and stung him in the eyes, blinding him! He howled out in pain! That was when I jumped at him with my stick weapon and stabbed him, and he ran off crying for his mommy!” Tiggerpaka then leaned back with a smirk on his face again. “And that is how I defended the Meerkat Clan.”
“Whoa,” murmured the three boys, intrigued by the meerkat’s words.

“That is so cool!” Dozzi exclaimed. He then turned to the two others. “Guys, we should play ‘Defend the Clan’!”
“I call being Tiggerpaka!” Mudaz  shouted.

“No fair! You always take the best role!” whined Ronais.

“Now, now,” Tiggerpaka said. “I know how much you three want to be me, but there’s only enough for one of me to go around!”
“He’s right,” commented Dozzi. “Maybe you could play with us!” he insisted, beaming at Tiggerpaka.

A flash of uncertainty came upon the meerkat’s face, but it left just as quickly, being replaced with his usual arrogant look. “I’m very sorry, boys, but I’ve done enough fighting for this land. I shall instead give you tips while you play your game.”

“Yeah!” the boys all agreed simultaneously.

“I get to be Tiggerpaka then!” Mudaz said.

“I wanna be him!” Dozzi protested.

“I’ll fight you for it!” Mudaz exclaimed.

“Whenever you lose a fight you get mad and leave,” Ronais retorted. He then turned to Dozzi. “Look, this time he can be Tiggerpaka.”
“Yeah!” Mudaz grinned.

“I’m gonna be Tiredblade then,” Dozzi insisted.

“I’m the hornets!” Ronais declared.

“We should get moving,” spoke up Lilypaka to the girls. “I don’t wanna be around when this fight happens between those three…”

Author’s Note:
Kinda pointless chapter. ^^; And yeah, I know I say it a lot, but again I’m sorry for not posting. The usual excuse (school). I may not get to post chapters as much anymore, anyway. High school is right around the corner for me, so during that time I won’t get to be on a whole lot. :/