::The Annals : Rapieratce Part IV::

Disclaimer: Diss the claimer! Diss the claimer!

A/N: Heh. 'Atce's so fun to write about.

*

Rapieratce sat sleeping in his chair, slumped over a report that he had been writing the night before. Having unknowingly fallen asleep, he never noticed his friends entering his room quietly, holding a weird and strange assortment of things. The winter season was in full swing, and something had lighted the mischief in most of his companions. The officers found it hard to stop, as some of the officers themselves were committing petty crimes of pranks and practical jokes upon each other. This time, poor Rapieratce was the target. Grinning maliciously, Glamoren quietly tugged the captain, chair and all away from his table into the centre of the room. Clandestine, Remora and Rapieratce's other close friend, Mealiney, tried to stifle their laughter at what was to come. Clandestine held two jugs of ice water, Remora a white sheet and Mealiney a few pawfuls of pungent smelling herbs from the kitchen. Glamoren himself carried a pawful of green plant dye. Ingredients for disaster. With a wink from Glamoren, they plunged into action. Remora tossed the sheet over the slumbering captain, then Clandestine sent one jug of water pouring over him. As the captain spluttered into a shocked awakening, Mealiney tossed the herbs over him, where they stuck onto the drenched sheet like strange green ornaments. Working together, Glamoren tossed the plant dye into Clandestine's remaining jug and together, the four of them emptied the by then green coloured dyed water over the captains head. Spluttering and choking on his sudden assault, Rapieratce was no less sensible, though. With a swift snatch of his paw, he grabbed the sheet and tossed it towards Glamoren, where it struck a direct hit, sending herbs and splatters of green water flying onto the others in the process. Growling, he turned to face his ambushers, dripping, cold and green.

'Glamoren!'

The captain was a sight to behold. His fur had been dyed a tinge green, his white tunic completely ruined. He smelt odd due to the herbs, and his fur was stuck to him by the iced water. His paws shook slightly, whether out of anger or cold, nobeast knew. The others were no better off. Glamoren turned out equally as green and pungent, while the others had random bits of rosemary, thyme and other variations of herbs stuck all over them. The captain narrowed his eyes at the sergeant, who smiled sheepishly at his partner in return. Walking calmly up to Glamoren, the clearly furious captain took hold of the sheet and began to try and strangle his partner with it. Glamoren choked slightly as he yelled out furiously to his three fellow accomplices to help him out, but they had by then all dissolved into peals of laughter. Suddenly, Rapieratce froze mid strangle. Glamoren looked oddly at him, nearly choking himself on the sheet as he fell onto his partner at the sudden stop. Standing right in the door frame was colonel Glade. The colonel tapped the door with his pace stick, stepping in and glaring at his student. Rapieratce managed a weak, green smile before peeling his dripping form off the by then as wet Glamoren, the sheet dropping useless over Glamoren's head. Glamoren stepped deliberately on his partner's footpaw for that. Pointedly looking at the two of them, the colonel pointed to his office with his pace stick before stalking off. Rapieratce glared at his partner and hissed,

'Now look at what you've bally well got us into, wot!'

*

The colonel looked frostily from his dripping student to his dripping student's partner. They were in the colonel's office, awaiting judgement over their act. Rapieratce knew he was most definitely not in a good position. Glamoren looked as if he could not care less, having undergone the treatment many times before.

'Now, any of you two fiends care to blinkin recall what happened?'

Glamoren spoke up, much to Rapieratce's surprise.

'Sah! Played a joke on the captain, sah! Never intended to get strangled sah. Only a practical joke, sah.'

Glade sent a even icier look to the sergeant, who quirked a smile as to his "sah" joke. Glamoren was notorious for playing jokes on his superiors without giving them reason to reprimand him. Rapieratce turned his head and glared at his partner, who was clearly not helping their situation in the least. The colonel coughed slightly, causing him to return to the at attention stance. Looking fixedly at the grinning Glamoren, he tapped the sergeant on the shoulder with his pace stick.

'You are on a fizzer, double guard duty tonight. Relieve the hare on duty. Now off with you!'

Glamoren turned and left, this not being the first punishment of the sort he had received. Rapieratce felt a sudden itch to run after him and flee. He knew perfectly well what was coming next. When it came to teasing, Glade was the best when insulting Rapieratce in all forms.

'Well, 'Atce. Look at you. Green furred and soaking wet. A bally good impression you set, no?'

Rapieratce made a point not to comment. The colonel chuckled.

'Right. No colonel in training has ever done this up to date, methinks. You seem to love to attract pranks, no? What is this, the fourth time this season Glamoren has caught you at unawares.'

Rapieratce winced, knowing full well that his next comment was not going to help him ease Glade's tirade against him in the least.

'Sixth, sah.'

Glade snorted as if personally offended.

'All the worst! Now, don't let me catch you like this again, 'Atce, or you'll suffer the same fate as Glamoren there, even if it isn't your fault. Consellariel will think I've got an uncivilized, green hare under my blinkin wing. Dismiss!'

Rapieratce trotted out half heartedly, knowing that the colonel was going to keep to his word, no doubt. It was a bit frightening that that night, Glade found himself drenched in green dye and cold water with a sheet of herbs stuck on his head. What made it even scarier was that the double sentry reported Glamoren never leaving his post that night...