WARNING: This story might (might, haha... WILL) offend Rachel fans.
Tobias looked around, being careful not to look suspicious. I have to do this he thought. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the others milling around. He momentarily closed his eyes, in an effort to gather all the courage he could muster. I can do this. He shifted from his resting place on the rafter and silently glided across the room. He came in to land, but he tripped, stumbled, and ended sprawled at Rachel's feet. Rachel looked down on him, with a hint of pity in her eyes.
"You OK, Tobias?" she asked softly.
>Yeah, I'll live.<
Rachel smiled faintly, as Tobias staggered to his feet.
>Rachel, there's something I've been meaning to ask you...<
"What?"
>Well, um...<
"Come on Tobias, I haven't got all day."
>Rachel, would you go out with me?" he blurted out.
Rachel scoffed. Tobias looked up at her, hoping.
"Tobias, you're a bird!"
The hope in his eyes faded.
"As if! Come on, I mean, you're a bird, Tobias! !"
>Yeah, I know< he mumbled, turning solemnly away. In the background he could still hear Rachel ranting. But inside, there was a weight crushing his heart. You're a bird echoed in his head. You're just a bird. Tobias sighed as he flew out of the barn, seeking the comfort in the shadows of the forest. My forest he corrected himself.
Jake had heard. Heard it all. He looked over at his cousin, who was still smirking. He calmly wandered over to her.
"Rachel" he said coldly "You're a bitch."
Then he promptly punched her in the face. Rachel's head snapped back. She glared at Jake, her blue eyes blazing. Jake smiled as he saw her super-model nose. Yep he though broken. Definitely broken. Rachel, quick as lightening, grabbed a hand of Jake's hair and slammed his head against a wall. Jake fell to the floor moaning. Cassie, who had been watching from the other end of the barn, suddenly charged at Rachel, and brought her down in a full footy tackle. They both went crashing to the ground. After a few seconds squirming, Rachel got Cassie in a headlock. Cassie elbowed her in the stomach. They wrestled for a few more minutes, till Rachel kicked Cassie off, and went for Jake, who ws now stumbling to his feet. But Cassie picked up a nearby chair and brought it down on Rachel's head. Rachel collapsed in a motionless heap on the floor. Marco and Ax, who had been preoccupied with keeping out of Rachel's reach, both took this chance to slink outside, as Jake and Cassie both gave them dirty looks.
That night, Tobias sat silently in his tree, and Jake tossed and turned restlessly, with a bandage around the gash on his head. Cassie nursed her black eye. Ax was curled up in a small cave, dreaming of far away places, and Marco slept with his childhood friend, Mr Fuzzy. Rachel was dead to the world, as she lay sprawled in a heap in a spare cage in Cassie's barn, where she had been deposited a few hours before. Jake sighed as he rolled over yet again.
"A place for everything, and everything in its place." he murmured, before slipping back into a peaceful sleep.
I TOLD you it will offend Rachel fans, didn't I?