Toni's Home

How long Toni sat there, he wasn't sure. He knew his ears had ceased their aching but he still refused to take his hands down and away from them. Blood slid down from them, simply from the puncture wounds from his claws. He hadn't realized that he was holding them so hard. He was faintly aware of two things. One was that Mother was not screaming anymore and he could smell a delicious meal downstairs and two was that Mother made no move to call him to join her. She had said to sit where he was so Toni didn't move.

Minutes became hours. The sun dipped low in its journey and then vanished away. Toni's stomach growled in protest as it had all morning, all afternoon and all day. He didn't dare budge, hoping that soon Mother would call him down to eat. Surely she would. She had made him go without one meal before but never all day, never like this.

Unable to stand it, he moved to the door, peering downstairs.

"Mother, can I-"

"Antonius did I say you could come out?"

He shook his head "No…but I haven't eaten all day."

"You should have thought that before botching the wood cutting!"

"I…cut a lot of wood though Mother…"

"Not enough!" she spat, her word poison. "All you managed to do was botch the wood you did cut. Do you think these pieces are big enough or small enough to be of any use? No! I'll have to go and re-cut them myself!"

"I...I've never used an ax before, Mother."

"Stupid cub. All you ever have are excuses! Any fool can use an ax!"

Toni's ears drooped. The older gummi woman groaned, clutching her forehead as if the mere task of speaking to Toni was making her head hurt. She growled, her hair frazzled. "Great Gum Above, can you achieve nothing right?"

He bowed his head lower. "I…I'll go sit some more, Mother."

"No."

He turned, looking at her. "No?"

"Go to bed. I don't want to see your face anymore this evening!"

Toni turned his head, walking back into his room. His eyes downcast, the cub sat down on his bed, wincing. His leg was throbbing again. It had been doing it all day. Toni eyed the cut from the ax; it had turned dark navy around it, swelling. He couldn't get any ice to put on it so the boy walked into his washroom, trying to locate some cloth. His search came up empty as there was nothing.

Walking back into his room, he pondered over his choices and then looked down at his clothes. They were still grimy from cutting wood. Mother hadn't allowed him time enough to take a bath or to change his clothes. He only had a few pair, most of them still being at the palace and Mother hadn't bothered to wash anymore. He tore a piece of his slacks off and wrapped it around his leg. It made it sting worse a moment but Toni climbed into bed, whimpering.

"Blastus, get better soon. I want to come home." He glanced at the door where he heard his mother ranting some more. Toni pulled his pillow over his head, shaking, tears running down his face. He wanted to be home with Gumlittle, getting a warm bath, climbing into a warm bed, and listening to Gumlittle's stories of victory until dreams claimed him. Gumlittle would walk out after covering him up to the shoulder and lighting a small lamp by his bedside.

He wasn't afraid of the dark.

He was just afraid of the things he couldn't see that were in the dark.

Toni glanced about, nervously, at his room at that thought. With no candle lit, as Mother ordered him to bed, the shadows crept over the bed and floor, like so many twisted fingers. Toni pulled his blanket tight around himself, whimpering. It was cold, given the recent rain outside and the cooling weather. More rain was expected. Usually about now Mother would have taken out the warmer blankets but he still only had his thin sheet.

The cub trembled, lying down, attempting to sleep.

Every sound made him jump.

Clutching his fish close to his face, he could almost see all the demons and monsters that were lurking in the shadows.

"Gummie…"

Huckleberri's Home

Sir Timothi glanced out into the falling night. It was hard to believe that a day had slipped by so swiftly. Did Sarrani still have the effortless talent as always to make time slip by so swiftly? It was hard to believe he had missed her so. Had it really been so long or did it just seem so? Timothi could not take his eyes off her even as she finished the evening's chores while Huckleberri made sure Cubbi did not move as of yet.

Chuckling, he followed her as she went outside briefly, probably for some fresh air.

"Sarrani…I-"

"Still as silver tongued as ever, Sir Timothi?" she teased gently.

His cheeks turned dark. "Well, you always-"

"You always slip up about me. Do I make you so nervous, Tim?"

"I…it's not-"

She chuckled and wrapped her arm on his shoulder. Her touch made his stomach light and airy. She sighed deeply, regarding the sky. "Are you certain this will not cause you trouble?"

"No. Sir Ramsei will understand. And if he does not then Plucki will."

She smiled. "The cub is his squire, yes?"

He turned, blinking.

"His arm band told me as much."

Of course. He had forgotten that. He felt suddenly foolish but Sarrani merely smiled, as she usually did. Turning her attention skyward, she pondered.

"I wonder if the disease will indeed spread."

Timothi sighed "I hope not."

"Yes, such an outbreak now would be disastrous."

"I only hope Sir Blastus recovers."

"he is strong, isn't he?"

"of course."

"And he has his brothers with him?"

"I'd be surprised if they leave to do anything."

"Then he will be fine."

Timothi turned, gave her a gentle smile. "Thanks."

Cubbi regarded the two youngest adults as he sipped his warm milk. He was grateful for something besides water and the older gummi had made him quite the meal tonight. Regarding Hucklberri a moment, he pointed to the two other adults.

"Is Sarrani his girlfriend?"

The healer laughed out loud. "Oh, if only she were, young one, it would lift his heart."

"Looks to me like she is."

The old gummi smiled, gently tapping his cane against the floor. "Ah, but for the sight of a child."

Cubbi turned, "Hmm?"

"Children see much that adults wonder about, cub."

"What's that mean?"

Hucklberri smiled. "It means that as one grows older, he often overlooks obvious clues that are quite apparent to a cub's eyes. The sound of children's laughter and play is among the greatest in the world, young one. Sir Plucki in particular loves it. Children understand and see so much more than we could hope to fandom."

Cubbi stared, setting his glass down. "Plucki likes to hear us play?"

"Oh, most assuredly child. Cubs give us all a reminder of the grand things of life, of the hope of the future. Hearing you play reminds us all that children know truly what is most important and that is to be happy and live well."

Cubbi scratched his left ear. This old man talked funny but maybe he had a point. Plucki did seem to always smile so much brighter when he came upon the squires in a game. He hadn't scolded harshly when Cubbi and Toni had fallen that cabinet. Was…was he supposed to train here and play? Was play a part of training? Of keeping that spirit young? Cubbi wasn't sure but it was something to ponder.

Lady Bane's Castle

"Blast them!"

Lady Bane growled. Her spell of Cubs' Fever had worked wonderfully but the gummies, as usual, had a recourse. The knight would recover. That was not a major set back merely an annoying one. There was however, quite a bit of hope for potential with this Toni and his mother. So far, the little information she had gathered was invaluable.

Toni's will was already half broken. If she could break it the rest of the way, she would know very well how to deal with the rest of these gummies. Given the gummies' constant way of always beating her some way or another, she also found herself getting a great deal of pleasure out of seeing the boy's tears. It made her smile, especially learning more and more on his fears.

Regarding the boy through a viewing spell, she considered her options before deciding on a simple dream and visions spell. Very easy to cast, in fact, amateurs often practiced with them as she had when she had been younger. She had been a mere apprentice but able to cast one with great detail. Now, with centuries of experience, a grotesquely detailed night terror would be child's play.

Child's play. Such an appropriate choice of words.

Turning her attention back to the cub currently focused in her attention, the dark sorceress waved her hands and muttered a sparse few words to turn any thing he saw into something worth fearing.

Corvi's House

"Hang on, just a little longer Mom."

Her fever had shot through the roof in the recent day. Corvi was spending his every waking hour turning the cloth over and re-drenching it. Morri was watching Cori, hopefully getting him something to eat. The teenaged boy would eat later.

Faint wisps of air escaped his mother's mouth in the form of coughing. Splatters of blood dotted the bedspread a moment. Corvi felt his heart freeze in his chest. Falling onto his knees, he begged his mother, almost with tears running.

"Mom, please! Let me go get a healer!"

"No!" came her adamant answer. "No…no healers…"

"Mom, it wasn't their fault!"

"They…didn't save your brother…didn't save your father…"

"At least let them try though, Mom!"

"You…worry too much Corvi…"

"Mom, you're coughing up blood."

His mother opened her eyes and she smiled "Don't worry. My throat's dry, Corvi. Nothing…more."

Corvi snorted, his breath sending his hair up a bit. "Nothing more my eye."

She smiled, "I just need to sleep a little, sweetie."

"Can you at least try and drink some water for me, Mom?"

"That, I can do."

Corvi lifted her up, supporting her upper back, wincing at how hot she felt. She seemed coherent though. He felt a little better when he saw she could at least hold the glass herself but he couldn't shake the splatters of blood from his mind. He knew enough to know that was quite serious, no matter what the illness nor who the victim.

Still…Mother requested no healer…he had to respect that. He had to.