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Disclaimer: SIGH
A/n: This starts off a big row between Daleria and Rapieratce, so if you no likey... TOO BAD! The chapter starts in Dale's POV.
*
What on Mossflower was that rude colonel thinking, just walking out like that?! Does he even realized that he simply *threw* me into this dank cellar and left without a single word, and now he stalks away again as if I am a pest? Who does he think he is? He is nothing more than a cold hearted pest, that is what he is! The confounded hare deserves to be kicked off the mountain two hundred times into the sea to be fed to the hungry sharks right about now!
Thinking incredibly furious thoughts, Daleria slammed her footpaw into the gate again, resulting in a clang that must have been loud enough to be heard on the third floor. Muttering angrily under her breath, the stared at the food for a second before taking it up and throwing it against the wall. She was not hungry. Simply and frankly irritated and angry at the colonel. If Daleria could get her hands on him now, Rapieratce would have been hanging on the top of the mountain being pushed off. Kicking the metal grate again, Daleria cursed under her breath again and searched for something to vent her anger on. There was nothing. Kicking in frustration and through pent up anger at the moss growing beneath her feet, something small, and untarnished silver, clinked out from the damp growth on the floor. Bending down curiously, Daleria examined the object carefully. After identifying it, she nearly dropped it back down again in shock. Steadying her paw instead, she scrambled madly up in a rushed flurry of moss, as if expecting the light from the lamp to go out at any time and leave her in the dark.
It cannot be! It is not possible, not by the stars, it cannot be!
*
The colonel walked out of the cells, heavy hearted. He headed towards the forge to report to Consellariel on the positions of the vermin army as through the latest sentry updates, as well as ask for permission to inform Daleria's patrol about her current... Dilemma.
Daleria is most obviously not happy with you right now, 'Atce. First you threw her in, now you simply walk in, then go out again barely exchanging more than a hello. What is wrong with you? She is probably kicking the door again, no doubts.
As if on cue, a loud clang came from the cellars. Rapieratce winced as if in pain. Quickening his pace so as to get as far away from the cell where Daleria was, he thought.
There was nothing I could jolly well do! If I did talk bally long enough to her, no doubt my defence would slip, wot, and I would end up doing some blinkin impossible things! The captain has a blinkin way with words, and I have fallen for it too many bally times before! I cannot, I must not let the lady down again, lest I want to get myself blinkin well killed.
You have already got yourself a meeting with death, 'Atce. You threw her into the cellars.
So?! I was only doing my bally job! There was nothing I could do!
There is something you could do. You know where the lady keeps the keys...
NO! Absoballylutely NO! If I did that, not only would the blinkin captain kill me, the lady would be jolly well after my blood as well! By Mossflower, the thought is simply bally preposterous, by Mossflower!
You know the lady would never find out...
Yes she would! Why am I even blinkin talking to myself?!
Because you are not yourself now, 'Atce.
Yes I am! I am just following orders! ORDERS! If I did not, then I would not blinkin well be here!
Orders are meant to be overruled.
Orders are meant to be followed. Nothing more.
Uprightness and orderliness cannot last forever. You need a mess to clean up, just as you need to see black before you know white.
I cannot do anything!
Yes you can...
I am not in the blinkin position to do so! If I were, I would have already bally well done so! I cannot help anything, though I bally wish I could!
Sighing in outright confusion and frustration, Rapieratce was nearly to the forge when a loud commotion behind him caused him to turn around abruptly and run towards the scene.
*
A key? THE key? Surely not?
Tentatively, the surprised captain approached the door lock, inserting the key and twisting. With a near inaudible click, the door swung open at her feet, surprising her to no end.
What on Mossflower?
Nearly not believing what had just happened, Daleria stepped out in surprise and blinked. The reality finally settled in, and she dashed out of the cell, tripping and stumbling, up the staircase, where she bumped into none other than Captain Joseph, who knew that she was supposed to be in the cellars. It resulted in a large squabble between the two, and raised voices attracted the attention of quite a few hares that were hanging around after training.
'You should not be up here, captain!'
'I should not be down there either, captain!'
'You are a danger to yourself and to everyone else up here, Daleria!'
'I am a danger to myself and to everyone else down there, Joseph!'
'You cannot be serious! You are a fool to think that! How did you even get out?'
'You cannot be serious! You are obstinate to think that! Why did I even get thrown in?'
'The Lady Consellariel commanded it!'
'I am not listening to the lady right about now!'
'You have no right not to!'
'You have no right to tell me not to!'
'I cannot let you out of there, and you know it, captain!'
'I will not let you get me in there, and you know it, captain!'
Joseph lunged at Daleria, who nimbly side-stepped and sent a kick to his head, flooring him. The other captain got up, trying to trip her, but Daleria was quicker, and jumped up before his footpaw could get to her. But somehow Joseph's footpaw managed to hook onto her, sending her crashing down as well.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, the colonel leapt in, prying Daleria off her fellow captain, while Longrunn, who was also nearby, grabbed at Joseph, who was nearly snarling in anger. The colonel signalled to the sergeant to take the captain elsewhere, while he fought with the furiously struggling captain, who was very near yelling in rage at him.
'Let me go, Rapieratce! Right this instant!'
'I cannot!'
'Yes you can! Drop me at one!'
'You know that I bally well cannot!'
The captain decided that brute force was going to be the only way out, and managed to get the key to graze a long scratch across his shoulder, the tiny piece of metal dealing out surprising damage. The colonel reacted by kicking her footpaws away from beneath him, sending her crashing onto the floor. Lunging down, his head only got to make contact with her flying fist, while his footpaw sent her plummeting across the corridor into the wall. Taking advantage of her on the floor, he made a mad grab forward again, but Daleria rolled away, sending her footpaw connecting with his chest instead. That was her one mistake. The colonel managed to grab her footpaw before it made contact, swinging her across the floor with the momentum, while catching her paws with his other free hand, wrestling the key away from her and twisting them behind her back in brute force.
'LET ME GO!'
Not listening, he struck her across the face as she kneed him, earning a hurt glance. Ignoring her, he dragged her down again and flung her back in, slamming shut the grate and taking the spare key with him.
What on earth am I even doing? Slapping the captain?
His annoying conscience put in sarcastically.
Your job.
