PART III

Returning the favour

Having had the discussion with the Council, Wesley within a matter of hours was placed with a foster family, and he hated it. He moped about his new room, looking all miserable, and depressed, he definitely did not like it here, now. The Council had thought that placing him with a foster family, that all their problems would be solved, but not for him they weren't. Sure they were a nice family, with cubs his age, but it was not the same, he knew his family, and this was not his family, but someone else's. Looking out his window again, he saw that the sky had gone slightly dark, but not dark enough so he couldn't go out and explore. Walking away from the window, and out of his room, he was about to open the door and walk out into the corridors when he heard his guardian call him. "Wesley, where you going?" she asked. Her name was Thistle but he'd been told to call her mother and that's what he hated most about all of this, he knew who his mother was and it was not her. "Going round the castle" he mumbled just audible for her to hear. "Okay, Wesley, but return in a few hours, then you have to go to bed" she said, and Wesley turned to look at her, pure shock registering his face. Since when was he told what he could and could not do? Having lived in the forest, he chose when he went to bed, and what he did, but now to have her decide for him. He suddenly became furious, but left before he totally lost it. How could the knights do this to him? In his own opinion he would much prefer Sir Plucki to be his guardian, but he knew that he couldn't. Now wandering along the corridors he headed straight for the castle wall. Although it took him a while to find his way about, he soon reached where he wanted to be, and stared longingly at the forest, wishing to return, and be with his friends again. Staying on the castle wall so he could still see the forest, Wesley began to wonder along, until he came to some unknown area consisting of beams, and several swinging things. Looking around, intrigued by this area, he saw some knights below training, and figured this place out to be the training grounds. Sitting down on the edge, he watched them train, curiosity taking over him, as to how they trained. Watching the two knights below who he recognised as Sir Blastus and Sir Gumlittle from before when he first met the knights, he watched as they swung their staffs with great skill and accuracy. His attention was only on the two knights that were training, watching how they held and used their staffs, and dodged one another. He hadn't been sat there long, when he felt someone grab him, and place him back on his feet. Now looking into the eyes of a knight whom he did not recognise, he masked his fear, not wanting to show that he was scared. "Suppose you would have fallen, lad" "I'm not afraid" replied Wesley almost as quick as the knight finished his sentence. The knight ignored Wesley's answer, but in reply said. "Go, play with the other cubs" he said and pointed in the directions of where they were. Left with no other option but to go and play, Wesley left sensing no reason to cause an argument. Strolling along not really caring where he was going, his mind elsewhere.

Wesley I hate this place, it's not where I belong. Here I am ordered to what and when I'm to do things, and I hate it. This place, I'm forced to do things, I don't wanna do, soon I'll have to escape, I can't stand this place.

Walking along, he rounded the corner, then fell flat on his back, upon bumping into someone. "Sorry" he mumbled, getting up. "Who are you?" the young cub asked, slightly confused as to who this young gummi was, having not seen him before. "Wesley" he replied. Wesley then looked around, and noticed that some of the younger cubs seemed to have stopped playing there little game, and were looking at him, and he felt his cheeks burn red again at the attention. Looking at them, he looked confused at them, as to why they were looking at him, with fear, evident in their eyes. "What?" asked Wesley. None of the cubs seem to answer, only continued to look at him with fear, as if their voice vocals have been silenced so they couldn't speak. Looking past the younger cubs, he noticed that he had also gained a few of the older cubs attention, some of them also looking at him with fear. "Go away" said one of the older cubs. "What? What's wrong?" he asked, very confused.

*** Sir Blastus and Sir Gumlittle had just finished their training and so placed their staffs in the rack. Now both of them had duties to do around the castle, they left the training grounds, on their way to their post, when passing the cubs play area, they suddenly stopped in mid tracks catching part of the conversation. "I said go away" they heard one of the cubs, evidently angry say. "But what's wrong with me being here?" the knights heard Wesley say clearly confused. Hearing someone charging, the two quickly rounded the corner, sensing a fight was about to begin, they were going to split it up, but it deemed they were too late. Seeing one cub they recognised as Dalin's, his fist about to connect with Wesley's nose, the rest became a daze for them, Wesley moving his head so fast he dodged Dalin's fist, and instead grabbed Dalin's fist, and returned the favour, but in a more different way, one he wouldn't forget, and so he flipped him, so Dalin ended up on his back, a movement the knights thought no cub knew. Letting go of Dalin's hand, Wesley stood back shocked at what he'd done, until he felt someone paw on his shoulder he turned to see the knights by his side, surprised. "Lad, where did you learn that?" Sir Gumlittle asked. "Living in the forest, you learn many secrets" was all Wesley said in reply. "Qui, who taught you that, technique?" asked Sir Blastus. "Nobody, I was told it, by the animals themselves, who have seen many things with their eyes" replied Wesley, staring down at the shocked and scared cub, he'd just flipped. The knights looked at him confused then and told him to follow them as they thought it a bad idea to leave him here with the other cubs. Head bowed low Wesley turned and started to follow but not before he saw the smug look on the flipped cubs face. Anger surged through him, he'd never been a violent gummi but seeing that smug look on that cubs face made him lose his self control. Kicking back dirt and stones he smiled triumphantly as a fair sized rock hit Dalin square between the eyes. Ha, that'll teach him to mess with me and think he can laugh afterwards. Running slightly now to catch up the knights that were a bit in front and had not seen his little stunt he let a small, weak smile grace his face as he reached them and went inside.

TBC. End Of Part III Part IV Coming soon!