A week had gone by since the untimely death of Sondra, the band's great medical care taker. Minas spent most of his time locked inside his room, barely eating, constantly blaming himself for the events that happened. Seeing him in this state scared Spat out of his mind, if love can break you like this and make you silent and distant, it defiantly wasn't worth the risk in having any. Not only did it effect Minas' perspective, but Steen as well. Though Steen was very different, he instead hadn't come back to the castle for the past week, instead he spent all his time at the town's bar, sitting by himself downing pint after pint of pineapple cider, the town's homely brew. As for everyone else, even the royal maid was to shocked to go into Sondra's room, as well as Barnett's.

Spat let out a groan as he broadly sat at the castle's stairs, the depression of his friends was seeping into his own body, making him down and useless. He had spent the last week tinkering in his room with certain tools he acquired from Oreo. The king blacksmith saw how he like to toy around with different things, building tiny contraptions. He would have loved to show Minas but, the older hamster wouldn't respond. The urge of tinkering was his way to let off some steam in the back of his mind where his thoughts of darkness roamed. He didn't want to tell anyone, but ever since the cat incident and now some loose long haired hamster was running about, made him feel like doing horrible things, like what he had read in Minas' books and historical documents to learn about the town. Some of his tinkered machines were hidden under his bed or way in the back of his closet, laying behind sheets. Others would consider them deadly, something a young hamster shouldn't have. But the dark thoughts of justifying the wronged by killing and taking revenge hovered around him.

Iris walked over to him, passing by down the stairs, holding a feather duster, " Spat sweetie, maybe you should go on out, play outside for a bit?"

" No one wants to play. Everyone's busy, and the other hamster kids say I can't play because I work for the king, which is all work and no pl-play."

" Ohhh, that's not true! Aisling works here as my assailant ever since I adopted her. I'm sure she'd love to play with you. You know she's kinda sad as well. Maybe you two can actually play this time since everyone IS so busy." Spat's ears perked up, it was true he didn't get to play with the brown and grey patterned hamster much since he had to either work, train, or study.

" Y-You know what, that's a great idea! Th-thank you miss Iris!" He hopped up, hugging her torso while the maid ruffled his tiny mohwak happily. After letting the younger hamster know where her adoptive sister was, he ran straight outside to go play with her, excited to play with someone again considering Harmony had to leave that one time.

Unknown to Spat, Harmony was actually right there in the garden, playing ball with the smaller grey and brown colored hamster. Both girls tossed a small ball to one another before noticing rapid footsteps heading to them. Aisling stuffed the ball into her oversized satchel and looked over, waving to the other young hamster, " Hey Spatty, kwee~!" She hollered out. Aisling always seemed to have a speech impediment as well, though it wasn't as bad. She would say kwee after some of her sentences was all. Basically it was a lingering thing from when she was a baby, Iris explained that it had been the only word the younger girl had said. Eventually she grew out of it, saying real words, but it still hung around time to time.

" Hey girls! Oh, he-hey Harmony, what are you doing back s-so soon?"

" Well, Mister Miwo is talking to Mister Owen again. They wanted to do some adult talking, so Mister Owen asked Miss Iwis who asked Aisling to pway with me. We've just been throwing her ball and talking about cute stuff, wike dolls, wadybugs, weddings, and love~ Teehee."

Spat's smile went to a small frown of disgust, again with this love nonsense. Then again Harmony wouldn't have been as heavily effected since she hadn't known Sondra as well as the other two did. " Wait. What's a wed-wedding?"

The two girl looked to one another before giggling, " A wedding is where two hamsters fall in love and wive with each other silly. Mister Miwo told me that. He still hasn't found anyone he wikes though. The hamster usually gives the other one a ring... Kind of wike how uhm..." She slowed down, having remembered the horrible events that had happened recently. " Well, you know. Uhm... Let's talk about something else~!"

The three of them sat down discussing certain things here and there to let the girls take a breather from tossing the ball around. As long as they would play afterwards, Spat was happy to chat with the two. " So whose this Mister Milo guy?" Aisling asked, " How does Mister Owen know him?"

" Here, I got this Ha-Harmony. We met Milo a while back, he helped us with... a cat. Apparently he fo-found Harmony and took care of her for a few weeks."

Harmony sighed lightly, " Oh dad... He wied about that. He says if he told how long he really took care of me, the older hamsters wouldn't trust him for some reason. But he didn't say anything about me telling anyone who wasn't an adult teehee~!" She giggled sneakily.

Spat and Aisling stared at her, it seemed a bit more was behind that cute innocent face. Spat smirked, " Clever girl." While the other girl laughed, pushing Harmony playfully, letting out a comment of, ' oh you're so bad', jokingly. " But if he didn't, when did he find you?"

" About mmmm-" She put a finger to her tiny chin, looking up to the tree's underside above them, " I want to say about 5 months ago or so. I don't remember much. All I remember was my parents just a tiny bit, then wakeing up in a big room of mice and two wats yelling at my da-I mean Mister Miwo. A month ago some mice rushed me out of the town and we met up with Mister Miwo who was hurt. I didn't know what happen. And since then, we've been wiving outside." The other two children though to themselves, Spat tried making connections but some things just didn't add up. He ignored that for now however.

After a bit more chatter they ran off to go around and play. Before to long as they ran around, the three eventually grew tired. They all sat just outside the castle's walls peacefully, pointing and saying what mark under the tree above them looked like as if they were clouds. This was until the kids heard shouting heading their way from inside. The doors flung open as someone kicked them open. Behind the door two older hamsters walked out onto the porch, one light brown and grey hamster with squinty eyes, much like the king's huffed. He wore a red sweatband around his fuzzy head, while he had on a leather coat, much like Owen's. At his side was another hamster, roughly the same size, more gray and slightly blue from the different colors of grey on him. His eye hidden behind blue goggles while he wore a green bandanna around his neck. These two were the king's royal guards. They were committed to their job, known to be strong and vicious. However they both had a crush on the royal maid, which made the two constantly in a quarrel.

Iris rushed outside just as the two pulled out their weapons, the squinty eyed hamster's choice being a rather large axe, as for the goggled wearer held out a crossbow. Both snarling at each other. Iris ran to one then the other, slapping both upside the head, " ARCHER! GRAEME! THERE ARE CHILDREN HERE! AND BESIDES THAT, WHAT IF YOU BOTH GOT INJURED?! WHO WOULD GUARD THE KING THEN?!" Both tried to speak up, but were silenced as Iris grabbed the two by their ears and pulled them to the castle, practically dragging them. Both made pained sounds as they flailed about before being personally escorted back inside.

Aisling sighed, her happy go-lucky mood had been ruined as she saw the two fight over who she felt was her sister. " Urgh, men kwee..."

" What's with those two?" Harmony tilted her head to the other two.

Spat ran his paw over his mohawk, " Well... Mister Graeme and Archer both like her alot-" He was cut off by an irritated Aisling.

" Because of them, they constantly fight over her, making her have to deal with them both being stupid. To the point of me not being around her that much, or me having to end up being babysat by the two of them. They never focus on me either, I could run off and they wouldn't care, kwee..." Harmony pat her new friend's back. Spat on the other hand knew there could be one way to calm their friend down.

" You know what, we should get some snacks at Mister Tyler's Tavern! He always gives out snacks and safe drinks to kids who visit during the day! And you-you know, we've been playing for qu-quite awhile. I don't kn-know about you guys but I could go for some food and drinks!" The two girls perked up to the idea of Spat, happily obliged as they got up to go to the tavern.

The tavern was fairly big, considering it was the only one in town. So sometimes the bar would be full, and other times it wouldn't. A semi-elderly hamster worked there, he enjoyed traveler stories, gossips, and would even go out and participate in any sunflower roasts or festivals. It was true that he gave out snacks and safe drinks to the kids around town, especially since he watched his granddaughter when his own son was busy maintaining the pipe lining and currents for being the only hamster to know how to swim. As the children came in, they noticed it was a rather slow day as there weren't any costumers but one, who they avoided not wanting Steen to start crying into his mug.

Tyler chuckled as his granddaughter combed his scruffy beard of fur, before putting them into bows and such. She stopped, looking over her shoulder to see the older kids. She waved to them, " Hi~!"

Tyler smiled to the three who climbed up onto the stools, though each had a hard time with this task, but eventually got up there. " Ohoho, why hello there kiddies. You all look like you've been playing hard, may I get you some snacks and water?" He welcomed them kindly, as the three nodded joyfully. " Okay, Barrette, please stay here okay? I'll be right back." He walked off to fetch the refreshments.

Barrette nodded to her grandfather before kicking her stubby legs off the bar counter's side, " Hiya Aisling! Hiya Spat! Hiya uhm." The brown and white child tilted her head, putting her thumb in her mouth.

" This i-is Harmony." Spat introduced the two girls who soon were more than welcomed to meet each other. Though Barrette was much younger, she was the only one out of all of them that didn't seem to have a speech problem from what Spat could see. The only habit was trying to knit and constantly put her thumb in her mouth time from time. Sure the two didn't see each other much, but there were still happy when one visited. She was far to young to go out and play with the older hamsters near Spat's age, so she would stay inside most of the time, which was fine by her.

As the much older hamster brought over some water and walnuts the humble door swayed open, making the bell above chime. Walking in was Owen, Milo, and somehow Minas. The children peered over to the side, seeing as Iris wasn't there meant the kids didn't have to up and leave. Milo sat over to Harmony who was happy to see him. As the two other girls questioned Milo, Harmony told them whom he was while the mouse and elder talked. Spat didn't pay any mind to any of them, but focused more on Owen and Minas. He hopped down while his friends were distracted and carefully snuck around under a table where Owen and Minas sat at. He watched as Owen viewed Steen nearby.

Owen sighed, putting his paws down onto the table, getting up and walking to his fellow band member. Spat's ears picked up on the two, " Steen, it's time for you to come back home to the castle. This isn't healthy for you, come on buddy, let's get you back."

Steen looked up from his head being planted into his arms, a paw held onto a half empty bottle, " Wha... N-No, no man. This isth were I live now, so shove off du-dude." He slurred his words around to the other.

" Tyler, Sean, and Barrette aren't your family. Come back home and leave these poor hamster alone, okay?"

" Why should I go back t-to a place where I have no damn family, huh?!" He suddenly raised his voice in his drunken stooper. " And why is he even here?! It's his fault she's gone! Stupid nerdy basthterd!" He glared to Minas who quietly sat at the other table.

" because he had to get out of his room. That and you two should talk and move on. You both lost her so your deeply affected. Now please-"

" NO!" Steen got up, throwing back his chair, making the others startled. " I'm not going back Owen! You're not my fucking leader anymore! Wanna kn-know why mister alpha male?! I QUIT! This team died when Thondra died you prick! And like hell he knows what I'm going through! Or a-any of you! I grew up with her right from birth! We always had a thaying, from the womb to the tomb! I'm not strong enough to join her!" Steen bitterly spat out in a harsh tone to Owen who stood his ground.

" That's not strength, that's foolishness-" Owen tried to intercept the rage induced hamster's word but was cut off by him who yelled even louder. At this time, Milo grabbed Harmony and Aisling as Tyler picked up his upset granddaughter. The two rushed out of the bar, forgetting about Spat who clung to one of the few actual table's pillar.

" SHUT IT! Because of this, I have nothing to live for! I'm trying my best to join her, but-but-but this alcohol... It's so fucking cheap!" He swung the empty bottles onto the floor, glass shattering, one even almost hitting the scared child.

Minas got up to walk to the two, taking off his glasses and setting them down. Behind them lay two tired and puffy red eyes from sleepless nights and constant tears. He spoke up, for once in the past week, " Steen... She wouldn't want this. Please, we're trying to help. This isn't healthy for a hams-" The intelligent words were sliced by in half by the drunken hamster who swung the bottle he held onto the table, making the end a sharp weapon.

" SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU DAMN NERD! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT SHE'S GONE! IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU SHE'D BE HERE WITH US! I WOULDN'T BE IN THE SHITTER A-AND YOU WOULDN'T BE A DISTANT LITTLE BITCH! GO ON! DO IT! SAY PLEASE ONE MORE TIME YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Steen shouted in their faces. Minas' eyes glanced to the side feeling guilt but stopped once his sights spotted Spat hiding and quivering. Just as Owen was about to calmly talk back, Minas clutched his paw into a fist, swinging to Steen, punching him in the cheek with enough force to knock his ass down and make him pass out.

Owen sighed as he picked up the passed out hamster while Minas' went to the table, kneeling down, pulling Spat out from under it. Owen gasped, " Spat! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you-"

Minas put out a finger as he held Spat up, " It's alright Owen. We need to care for him more than Steen at the moment..." He said calmly, following Owen out to carry Steen to the hospital.

" What about you?" Owen asked.

" Don't worry about me..." He quietly mumbled under his breath thinking Spat was to much in shock to hear his words, " No one will..."

That day, Spat understood that some can be jealous over their loved one and want their attention, while others only want to forget their loved ones.