The first thing Pouncival was aware of other than the pain, was the fact that his body was cold, cold and wet. He lifted his head which throbbed and spun as delicately as he could. Gently he caressed the wound, a deep and dirt filled gash meeting his fingertips. The young cat groaned as he forced himself into the sitting position. He found that he was in a rather large and round room, the floor, if it could be called a floor was more of a swine's mud wallow, sticky and damp. There was something about the way the mud looked and reeked against his fur however that was unsettling, but the weary tom couldn't quite make out what in his current state.

The brown and white cat stood and looked around. "Hello?" Pounce called as loud as he dared, fearful of exactly who's attention he would gain. It was then that noticed what appeared to be a wrought iron door and quickly made his way for it. He flinched scurrying back when he came eye to eye with a handful of frightened, starved tom kits on the other side. They hissed and growled at him angrily. Cautiously Pounce crouched down and held a paw out towards them placatingly. "M-my name's Pouncival." he started, pausing to lick chapped and bleeding lips as he glanced about in apprehension. "Do-do you know where we are? Have you seen my sister? Her name is Etcetera, she's stripey." he explained with a nervous smile, the kits backed away from the door.

Pounce sighed backing away slowly. He ran his hands along the walls trying to find any weakness or a switch, another door, anything really. The ceiling was high, too high for him climb even if there were handholds, but there did appear to be a hatch near the center of it. The tom continued to pace irritability for several minutes, trying to speak to the other cats only twice more before he slumped against the rounded wall head in his hands. "I just want to go home!" he wept, lower lip trembling. "Really?" came a soft, coy voice. Pouncival looked up with a start. "Care to prove it?" Macavity asked with a light shrug. "Pl-please don't hurt me!" the kit whimpered. "No promises!" The ginger cat said pinching his cheek fondly.

Pouncival's eyelids fluttered as he flinched and wormed away. When he dared look again he found that his evil captor was gone. His relief was short lived however as he noticed the door stood open, the three toms who had been on the other side creeping towards him, eyes staring wild amid their matted filthy fur. Pounce forced himself to his feet as they broke away from their group, one flanking either side while the last came head on. "Let me tell you how this works 'Pouncival,'" came the weary voice of the cat directly in front of him. "We kill you, we get to live." Heart pounding, eyes wide, and head light with fear Pouncival realized to his horror what was wrong with the mud, why it was sticky, why it was thick, and and stank. The mud was blood stained and red.

/

When Coricopat and Tantomile refused to speak after their rescue the tribe had assumed the worst. Tantomile had, had nearly every finger broken, cuts, bruises, and burns ranged over her entire form, her ribs were cracked and though she refused examination to confirm or tend to the matter she had been sexually abused as well. She stared at her brother, hard over her steaming glass of tea, he had suffered only superficial wounds. Neither had spoken much to the other since their return, something that caused the still healing community to gossip and whisper, but never would the queen tell a soul that it was intruth her brother who had done these atrocities to her, rather than the Hidden Paw who they all believed was responsible.

"I hate you." the queen said her eyes narrowing dangerously. Coricopat who had been tending to the fireplace looked up suddenly. The twins watched one another coldly for several moments before Tantomile repeated herself. "What was I supposed to do Tanto? He would have killed me!" her brother asked trying hard to control his anger, he made himself sick just thinking about it. Bitter tears slipped out of the female's eyes as she stared her brother down. "What would you have done?" he asked.

"I would have died before doing to you what you did to me!" Coricopat hurried across the room fists clenched tightly. "You can't say that, you don't know!" he shouted. Tantomile stared at him harshly. "I know." she said softly, despite her anger. "You need to leave, now." she told him, her voice calm and even. Coricopat returned to the fireplace and proded for a moment at the coals. He hated himself, so driven by his own fear and desire to live that he had tortured his own sister, the cat who was a mirror, an extension of himself really. With a strangled, bitter scream he threw the poker across the room before storming out of their shared home. Tantomile, the heels of her palms buried deep in her eyes as she tried hard not to cry.

"Is everything alright?" Bombalurina asked as Coricopat shoved past her causing her to stumble and nearly drop her basket of goods. "Yeah, fine!" he barked turning on her torn by his own guilt before continuing. He stopped pinching the bridge of his nose. "I-I'm sorry," he said then. "How, um, how is Impetuoua?" he asked realizing that he wasn't the only one in pain. Balurina shook her head. "She won't eat," said the red queen softly. "Can't sleep, doesn't say a word." Bombalurina went on, the mother weak and broken by her daughter's current state.

"I'm so sorry." Cori said giving her shoulder a squeeze, as the female dried a teary eye. His gaze shifted to her basket, he eyed the amber bottle of alcohol half hidden by the bread. Balurina followed his gaze, shifting things around in embarrassment before sighing. "I can't imagine what it must have been like..." she said watching her feet. "But watching my little girl wither away on the inside, knowing what he did to her!" Bombalurina let out a sob. "I'm so sorry!" Cori said pulling her into a hug. He felt for the mother, he really did, but he could not tear his mind from Tantomile. The queen nodded before continuing on her way home from the market place, a tired and forced smile on her lips.