"Antonius! Hurry up! You're a lazy cub, you know that?"
Toni, startled, splished water out of the bath. "Uh... Okay!"
And he thought they wouldn't be speaking! Frowning in concern over her unusual tone, he grabbed a towel and mopped up the splash. She'd never called him lazy before...
It didn't end there. As soon as he stepped out of the washroom, there she stood, hands on her hips.
"You call that clean? You're worthless lately. I can't count on you to help with anything, get it done the way it should be done." With a blustery sigh, she twirled about, her skirts swirling at her ankles, and down the hall she marched.
Stunned, Toni couldn't help the flush of his cheeks. He sniffed himself, checked his hands. And he thought, I guess I could have done a better job...

:In Gummadoon:

Plucki and Gumlittle kept their mouths shut. They'd ask later why Tavi, a mere apprentice, was helping to cast a difficult and potentially dangerous
spell on their poorly-fairing brother-in-arms. In fact, knowing that negativity could sometimes affect magic, and they would not be party to that, they both exited the room. That, and they could keep anyone from entering and disrupting the spell. Well, no chance of that with Sirs Plucki and Gumlittle on guard!
Little comfort it was, and they both knew it. The hall was silent. Deathly still. Er... Not deathly still. Think of something else... Gumlittle had to get the idea out of his head. Think of anything else! Like... like... What were the squires and pages doing? Hopefully resting comfortably. And Ramsei keeping young Cubbi away from here so he couldn't catch the same. Cub's Fever was an ancient illness. If Cubbi's clan had no knowledge of it, even a cub like him might not withstand its throws. Best not to tempt fate. Gum swings the hands of that wheel in strange ways sometimes...
Plucki glanced over at his fellow knight, his other best friend. "I'm sure it'll work. The Council knows--"
"Yeah. I know." Gumlittle settled to a crouch, closing his eyes. He didn't feel like talking to the ever-optimistic Plucki. Best friends were one thing. Reality was trying to creep up on him and he was fighting it by not thinking of the events going on in there. He needn't a reminder. He needed to get his mind off it!
Plucki sighed, kept to a stand, and kept his thoughts to himself. He knew the Council wasn't perfect. With a wild card like Tavi in play... No. They had to have a chance. The Council wouldn't risk Sir Blastus' life if they weren't sure... Or desperate.
He glanced again at Gumlittle. "Would you like me to get our supper?"
Gumlittle stood in a rush, looking for an excuse to leave. "I'll go. Uh... Be right back."
Plucki watched him go a bit enviously. Was it that Gumlittle thought he was stronger? That he'd been through this before and could now take it? He'd lost his wife, his child, all because of a magic spell sending his loved ones into a dizzying illness he could not catch them from. All because of him. His teeth ground. No, if that were the case, they were all wrong. He knew himself well. He wasn't as strong as everyone thought. He was afraid, worried, and longing to cry over a possible injustice. But he wasn't a cub. He had to be strong for others. By Gum, he hated it, but that's where the matter stood.

Cubbi was on his way back to the stables, fighting a tired he wasn't too familiar with. Sure, he got work outs during training, but this was the type of endless task you don't think about because yer set on it or worried and don't have time to think on it. So he really was very tired and just not thinking when he threw the feed over the corral gate... and onto Sir Ramsei.
Sputtering hay, the knight startled him into sputtering an apology. "Uh... Sir Ramsei! Uh... I mean I... Um... Sorry. I'll... I'll clean it up!"
Cubbi hurried into the stall with a rake, tripped, and smacked Sir Ramsei on top of the head with it! Rising slowly, he cringed and turned red when he saw the knight rubbing at his head and his teeth ground in anger. Ramsus let out an air of frustration but he didn't snatch the rake. He picked it up and eyed the young squire. "You're more dangerous with this than you should be." he grumbled.
Cubbi blinked, stood, and stared at the knight. "Y-yessir." He'd sounded like Gruffi. Exactly.
Slapping the mare's rump affectionately, Sir Ramsei passed Cubbi a nod on a job well done and headed out.
"Sir Ramsei? How is Sir Blastus?"
Without turning, Ramsus waved a hand in farewell. "Get some sleep, Cubbi."
Cubbi accepted that, wondering if Sir Ramsei even knew. His mind turned back to the sudden accident-proned nature of his around the knight, and why
Ramsei hadn't gotten mad. He'd cracked the knight a good one on his head, but he hadn't yelled. Gruffi definitely would have yelled. At least a little. Still, for a moment, it was like he was home and Gruffi had been after him about using his pebbleshooter in the halls again.
Cubbi did go up to his room, or the room he was now assigned to away from any threat of catching Cub's Fever. He went with a little smile. Not so homesick at the reminder of Gruffi.

Gumlittle did not take long in returning. Brought plates and cups on a tray fully laden. Neither felt like eating much so Plucki was just as glad there sat as comestibles dried fruit, cheese, some bread, and a bit of sliced meat. Enough to last for a wait. A long wait.Plucki took up a cup of water and a handful of cheese cubes. He asked absently, "How fairs young Toni in his training? Improved in staff yet?"
Gumlittle grunted, a bit humored and glad for the distraction. "No. I doubt he's made for that type of fighting, but he gives it a good try. No, I've seen him handle wooden swords, archery, and bolas with a lot more promise. He's got some skill there."
"Hm. Maybe we can work out a better course to get his level up in staff. It isn't something to be neglected in a knight's training just because he isn't good at it yet."
They thought about it a while, talked some, but eventually succumbed to a very long day. They slept outside the door of a deathly sick gummi they considered a brother. Neither slept well, but they did sleep.

The creak of the door startled Plucki and Gumlittle into jumping alertness. At the ready, they turned and met the weary faces of the exiting Gummadoon Council. All but Berrybottom and Wooddale. Weary but not defeated. Spinwillow even smiled and patted Gumlittle's paw.
The two friend knights hurried in.
"It's alright. Everything's as expected." Berrybottom said to slow their onward dash.
Wooddale held an exhausted Tavi in her arms. The poor cub had either fallen asleep immediately or passed out. Plucki hoped it was only sleep.
"By Gum..." came from Gumlittle's mouth, hushed.
Plucki glanced at him. His eyes were on Sir Blastus' bed. Even knowing the affects of the Spell of Argus the Great, Sir Plucki could only stare. Never had he expected to see this sight again. He couldn't help but grin at the very young form, amazed at how the hands of time themselves had been turned back.

Sir Blastus was indeed a cub again.