::Contemplation::

Disclaimer: Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Get the point?

A/N: Hopefully this chapter is actually going somewhere.... Hopefully.

*

Rapieratce half walked, half ran to the infirmary, barging in just in time to see Daleria wake up with a major headache and a lot of groaning. The hare captain was trying to sit up straight, but was being pushed back into the bed by a sergeant that looked severely irritated. It was quite a comical scene, Longrunn trying to push Daleria back into bed in the midst of a couple of flying white sheets and a lot of insulting refusals on Daleria's part. The sergeant was still desperately trying to reason with the hare captain that she was still injured when Rapieratce walked up, coughed, and tapped him on the shoulder. Both hares froze at the sight of the colonel. Daleria fell limp back into her bed, crossing her arms and turning her head away from him, whereas the sergeant was a little bit more, respectful, and stood up to take his leave after Rapieratce signalled for him to leave the infirmary. It was not that he wanted to, but Rapieratce was still the colonel, so there was nothing he could do but leave the odd silence of the infirmary behind.

Dragging out a chair and seating himself down, leaning back and crossing his arms as well, the colonel locked eyes with the captain, both hares trying to figure out what the other was thinking. From Rapieratce's point of view, it was clear to see that rebellion was shining like a bright beacon in Daleria's raven eyes, and he caught a fiery glint of hate spark out of nowhere, though not surprisingly. Resentment was seething off the captain like warmth off the sun, and anybeast could practically feel it flowing off her. From Daleria's point of view, Rapieratce was only making things even more irritating by looking at her that way. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed as if the colonel's green eyes were some kind of twin infinite pools of dark emerald that were simply impossible to read. Trying to read what went on in his head was like trying to read invisible ink. Annoyingly difficult unless you knew how. There did not seem to be a way to understand his eyes, though. All you saw were impassive green orbs looking straight back at you. One could tell so much, yet so little from them. Trying to scrutinize whatever she saw, Daleria detected an obvious hint of weariness and tire. That was most definitely not a good sign. Rapieratce? Tired? And showing it? That was something that Daleria had most definitely not seen ever before. No matter how fatigued the colonel had been, Daleria had never, ever, ever seen him show it. Was he that tired? The first hints of her conscience started talking as she thought to herself.


Make it known to yourself that he's probably been awake for too long, Daleria. Think how much sleep could he possibly have got in the past few nights, after all this had happened?

He threw me into the cells without second thought. Why wouldn't he have got sleep?

Do you actually believe it when you think that Rapieratce of all hares would throw a beast into a cell and walk out without feeling bad about it? Look at him, Daleria!

He. Threw. Me. In. End. Story.

No, it is not. Who do you think got you here? You flew?

Of course not!

It was the colonel, you fool!

Was it, now?

He has been strained for longer than you think, Daleria. A life of a colonel is not as free and easy as your own.

My own is not the most free and easy life I have ever encountered.

Self pity never got anybeast anywhere.

You have to admit that it is true.

Maybe so, but you still have to see things through his point of view. Life has not been easy for him either.

Before Daleria could continue her own contemplation, Rapieratce's voice cut a path through her thoughts, startling her out of her reverie with his voice.

'The vermin hordes have been spotted on the horizon.'

WHAT?

Immediately, Daleria made a move to stand, but Rapieratce put up a paw, and his voice was grim and level, the tone alone making her stop and listen to what he was going to say. Daleria had never seen this side of Rapieratce before, and she did not know if it surprised or alarmed her, maybe both. Daleria was amazed on how much he had changed in such as short period of time.

'You are not going anywhere, captain. The risk is too bally well great for you.'

Gritting her teeth half out of irritation and half out of outright frustration and anger, Daleria narrowed her eyes and retorted back,

'Risk has never stopped me, sah.'

The way she address Rapieratce was like an insult, which only proved in worsening their situation. Rapieratce tensed considerably, and heaved a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples and trying to destress as much as possible. It seemed as if he was taking this quarrel with the stubborn captain in front of him quite badly this time around. Still trying to retain his calm composure, he responded as evenly as he possibly could.

'If you are going anywhere, captain, I am going to follow you.'

Daleria nearly fell off the bed when she heard what he said, part of her refusing to believe that the colonel had even said it in the first place. Looking at him in shock, she asked,

'What did you say, colonel? Follow me? What on Mossflower do you mean?'

Still staring at her evenly, Rapieratce went on in the same, annoyingly even tone and voice.

'You know what I mean, captain. I am following you if you even take a single blinkin step out of this mountain. You are not going bally well anywhere without me now. Orders as I have been given. Not directly as such, but it still applies. So learn to live with it, m'gel.'