Hunter stopped banging on the silver doors long enough to wrap his hands. They poured blood, and he would need his fingers for the day. Mellody ripped a sash from her side and tied it about him. She was fighting tears as well. Cornett paused to catch his breath and kick the side of the castle angrily. "What are they thinking," Hunter cursed, a thought on everyone's mind. "Reid would… would…"
"Hunter! Hunter!" Sou shouted, running up with her own behind. "Hunter, we're a bit late, but the Shadows are blocking the road back to Brass Mountain. They aren't hostile, but there camps are moving closer to the woods." Hunter looked up from the soaked rag and then to the rest of his waiting section. Their bravado was lost. Cornett pushed through.
"Sou, don't worry about it. They've just taken Reid for unfair war play; someone blocked the Shadow's well." Sou's eyes faded and she stepped back for lack of balance.
"Reid? Reid Senior?"
"Our Reid," Jazz echoed, pushing his way through also. He was rubbing his bruised hand. "They won't even let the drum majors out. I hear practice is going to be cancelled."
"That's rediculous," Hunter spat. "They…they wouldn't." Gliss appeared to the circle, trombone still suspended on his back.
"This is insane! We can't practice without Reid."
"You're telling me," Liggy softly replied. Gliss adjusted his cap and sighed. The drum line was still cadencing dronly.
"Who would set Reid up like this?"
"When I find out," Jazz darkly muttered.
"No," Cornett demanded. "No revenge, no retaliaiton…" His voice trailed and his face fell into his hands. "I've seen trumpets have their horns taken for stuff like this…" Liggy moved to his side and held his arm. Hunter couldn't bear to see his friends like this.
"Where are our drum majors? Why don't we tell the rest of Bandopia about this!?"
"You know the rules," Liggy replied. "Band business is done in the band. Our parents can't help Reid now." As the echoing slams against the castle door kept on, hiding the constant beat of the drum line, the guard slowly approached holding brand new black alloy and silk flags. Sabe stopped next to Jazz.
"Look," she said forcefully, presenting the flag. "Our flags have been in pieces for days." Jazz blinked, looking over the material.
"This is Shadow black," he quietly echoed. His true feelings were hidden. Sabe, growing more passionate, threw the flag down.
"How could your so-called friend set the Shadows back another day? They gave us new flags when the Great Ones wouldn't!" The other girls echoed. Cornett looked up and soberly sighed.
"What happened was wrong and out of conduct, but Reid didn't do it!" Sabe turned and headed back to the closet. They wouldn't return later that day. Silken sneered up at them as she grabbed the flag and hurried after. Jazz restrained what was left in him.
"Looks like they have a motive," Eufo growled. Cornett, still at Liggy's right, didn't reply.