Clare quietly walked with her Clarinet brothren to the practice field. Liggy and Reid were as silent as the cold morning mist surrounding them. She and the other only freshman chosen, Woody, held close together. The vibes surrounding them were of war, and only war.
"BAND! ABOUT HACE!" The snapping of feet echoed across the plains. Cornett's cap was set dangerously low over his narrowed eyes. There could not be a single flaw within the section. "Valve, your toes." A stern sophmore shuffled his feet. "Bell! Bell, will you fix that horn!" A deep sigh escaped from a senior. "Quiet, all of you," Cornett quietly stated. "We're about to go into a harsh battle; it's time some of you started acting like it." Bell and Valve, the mentioned two, gulped and let their eyes wander in the erect triangle form. "I said, start acting like it!"
"SIR, YES SIR."
Trill hurriedly rushed the Flutelings together. "Quick, girls, practice has almost started!" The cheerful Woodians drew needles through burlap and reeds to create instrument cases. Some whispered while they worked; Trill and her assistant Key tried to keep things quiet. "This is no laughing matter," Trill said nervously, playing with a bouncy curl. "If we go to war…" They collectively gasped.
"Don't say things like that, Trill," Key whispered. "Don't say things like that."
"We're going to be late if you can't get moving!" Jazz yelled, pointing towards the distant practice field. Prano clutched the cracked reed, watching the horrified look on the freshman's face. She screeched and grabbed for it, turning white. Barianne held the young girl's arm.
"We can't leave her behind," Prano sternly replied. "She needs a new reed."
"She's just a frosh! Let's go!" Jazz ordered. The donkey was whipped and the instruments began their slower journey to the field. "You heard me, Saxes! Get in line! Left, left!" The freshman shook her head from upperclasman to upperclassman.
"Please don't leave me behind," she employed. "Please!" Barianne sighed and left her side.
"Don't worry. You'll be better by tomarrow." She offered a meek smile before getting in line. Prano dropped his head and slowly trailed behind.
"Five days of playing still, slowly losing all my will, pray we'll have our water
soon, practice till the rising moon…" No one was sure where the low brass had learned how to sing so well, but Sou and Eufo lead the parade. Gliss smiled, humming along. "Ho, Baritones!" Eufo called. "Company front, boys!" The roughly built Baritones fell into line.
"Bones! Front and center!" Each slide was lifted in a single angle. Gliss jogged along the line. "Get into your block; the Great Ones will be out soon."
"Tubas! Tubas!" Sou smiled at her small brigade. Their bells never looked better. "Victory will be ours," she laughed to herself, seeing the grins on her friends' faces. "For once, victory will be ours."
The clouds rolled with thunder as Hunter's horn blasted through the spidery castle. A calvary of horns galloped forward, leading the drum line behind them. Tap, lead snare, held an expression of ice, eyes fixed on the switching hooves of Mellody's stallion. Mallet was trying to keep up with the pit cart, but things weren't as together as usual. Alarming news of last night's attack from Mellody and Hunter had shaken the drum line up. No one could tell; the quick shot of each stick seemed as tight as ever. Practice was about to begin.