Disclaimer: Look up to the sirius clouds. It's way up there.
A/N: FINE. *Growls and paws sabre* Since a few of you people seem to want a D/A [Shaddap htenywg/'ella, you hear me?! Same goes for you Constance, I know you're sniggering. And Twayblade? Chuck your laughing little self off the mountain for me, or do I have to tway a blade down your throat? As for Sara, please make note that if you are reading this, and most probably laughing over exaggeratedly, that Netball restarts this week, and I am therefore entitled to practice netball as a school team player. Mayhap on you. Let's see how fast you can run or how adept your reflexes are at school, if you decide that I am joking here. Also make mind that flooring is also something I do not have lack of experience in (hackcoughshuwenhackcoughsileihackcough). As for you, Deodar, I might just chase you down and pull your hair, however short, and throw you into the abbey pond. Any objections? Good.] Since that's done with, all the none TRC members may regard the above and choose one for me to implement on you. Why? Because I am being [hackcoughforcedhacktohackobeyhackthroughhackpersuationhackonhacksomesideshackcough] asked to write a D/A fic, and AU COMPLETELY AGAINST MY WILL BECAUSE OF CERTAIN CREATURES, THUS WILL BE PUBLISHING IT UNDER ANOTHER FIC AS A COMPLETE ALTERNATE UNIVERSE (WHICH IT IS) TO THIS FIC. ALL OF YOU MAY SHUT UP NOW. HAPPY? Have a nice life.
*
Daleria shut her eyes. No. They could not just leave the five down there. Not while the bloodthirsty fox called Seppak was working his evil against them. It simply was not right. After all had been said and done, it should be her down there, not Willow and the rest, all who had no serious involvement in this matter. She did not know how she managed it, probably part because of the current force on her arm and part because of a considerable amount of will power, but she managed to take one, painful step back from the horrible scene and turn her back to it. Her shoulders shook, but Daleria still refused to let herself go. No tears showed through her black eyes, only an incredible hardness that seemed unwilling to break anytime soon. There was clearly no way that Daleria was going to let anything make her shed tear anytime soon, as anybeast could most obviously see. Silent, she took forced, shaky steps away from the lookout position. Vaguely in the background, Longrunn could be heard holding a whispered conference with the colonel and brigadier, but right then Daleria could not have cared if they were talking about flying tadpoles or if Seppak had turned into a pink bunny rabbit. All she knew was that what was happening then should not have been happening. Not to those that were currently at the unyielding cruelty and terror of the black fox.
It shouldn't happen to them. They've done nothing wrong. I should be down there... I can't just let them...
There's nothing you can do, Dale.
Nothing I can do? What have I already done? Look. Evidence of my doing is sprawled before us.
It's not your fault.
Not my fault? Surely I have gone mad to even think it that way.
Back at the lookout, the three senior hares were talking rapidly in hushed tones. The sergeant was conversing rapidly with the colonel and Remora about their plan.
'I suppose that now is not the best bally time to do it, sah?'
'No, it most definitely is not. My proposition at this blinkin time is that we take a loop over to the furthest hills on the north end, close enough to monitor both the main tent and the bally hostages. At the next possible opportunity, we move in. But we have to keep a low profile. No vermin from the horde may be taken down, or suspicion will be sure to be aroused. This time, we flee before we fight. Keep everything low. No fires, no unpacking. We make as if we were on march.'
The brigadier nodded her agreement with the colonel's proposed plan.
'Yessah, the idea strikes as a good one.'
By now, Major Glamoren had wandered over to the three conversing officers, having overheard all that had been said between them. He stood at the lookout, commenting.
'Not a nice situation to be in, wot? The position ain't the blinkin best one that I've seen in my seasons, and that young gel over there ain't looking like the brightest I've ever seen.'
Rapieratce followed Daleria sadly with his eyes. The captain had sat down and seemed to be deep in thought.
'No, she is not, Moren, not by a long shot. Daleria has been through a lot blinkin more than most. It is bally amazing her will is still going strong, wot. Any lesser beast would have crumbled down by now. The poor gel. By Mossflower, things couldn't be very much worse for her than they currently are right now. I wish she'd just lighten up sometimes...'
Longrunn also shared Rapieratce's sad view of Daleria.
'That gel... Mossflower knows what she's going through right now...'
The brigadier also had to agree, no matter how much she had wished that the other three were wrong in their description of the young captain.
'That 'un's young for a captain. Maybe promoting her wasn't the best idea that the lady ever had. It almost seems a bit much for the poor thing.'
Rapieratce started to make his way back to the camp, the rest following him not far behind.
'Well, if Dale is finding being a captain very much different from being a patroller, she's having a jolly good time concealing it.'
Longrunn chuckled in spite of himself.
'True, sah. By m'fur, Dale couldn't care if you were a lieutenant or a badger lord or lady. I doubt she'd notice the difference.'
Remora dryly commented from Longrunn's side.
'But I reckon that Daleria will still recognize you after this has all blown over. I think that your head is still on her wanted list.'
Longrunn raised his paws over his head in defeat.
'I swear I didn't mean to do it marm! It's not my fault that captain stopped so abruptly. I couldn't help myself!'
Rapieratce laughed as they reached the camp.
'Dale harms anybeast in range if they annoy her. I still have a sore rib or two to prove that point.'
From beside him, a voice that could only belong to Daleria appeared as the captain herself popped up beside him. She had eradicated herself of even showing distress, and was casually chewing on an apple that she had retrived from her pack while they were occupied. Before Rapieratce could react to her appearence, she said,
'I heard that, 'Atce!'
As if to prove her point, she stuck a footpaw in right front of the walking colonel, and watched, laughing in satisfication, as he fell over onto the ground. Moaning, Rapieratce picked himself up and dusted himself off of any sand. Longrunn could not help but snigger, and Remora was grinning openly. Glamoren watched on in amusement at his ex-partner, who was currently sprawled on the ground.
'First time I've seen you fall over that easily, 'Atce.'
'Ah, go away Moren. As for you, Dale, do you have to continue torturing me by shoving me into the sand at every available opening?'
Grinning mischeivously at the distressed colonel, Daleria retorted back at him.
'If you prefer the rock floor, 'Atce, I would only be most happy to comply.'
'Dale!'
