*I am really getting into this story, so expect updates more often on this one! Now, onto this chapta! As I said at the bottom of the last chapter, POUNCY POUNCE! Just wait and see..*

*Pouncival's POV*

Locate prey. Set aim straight. Crouch. Prepare. Tense muscl-

DANGIT IT SAW ME!

One of these days, those squirrels are going to get their comeuppance...

"Pounce! Dude, are you done? I got two rabbits, a fox, and eight squirrels.." Alonzo blabbered to the woods as I picked up my prey and bounded after him.

"Three rabbits, six squirrels." I handed over my catch and he sniffed a very suspicious squirrel. "I found it dead." I explained, and he tossed it over his shoulder casually.

"Three rabbits, five squirrels." he corrected, and I shrugged. "Aw, come on. It's not bad. I just got lucky with this bunch of squirrels. And, wow, that fox was dumb..I wonder what Misto got." we called out Misto's name, and he eventually joined us, showing one rabbit, two foxes, and seven squirrels. I felt really bad.

"Hey, Pounce. Can I talk to Misto alone please?"

"Uh, sure. See you at the camp, Misto." I scampered off, but went against my better judgment and turned just a bit. I located Alonzo and Misto along the path. I crept along, so slow and quiet I could barely keep up.

"Hey, Misto, can you actually talk to me? I know you have this no-talky thingy, but this is really important. It's about Viatrix." I could barely see them, so any reaction I couldn't observe. Misto said nothing. "She came and talked to me the other night. She said she liked one of us, you or me, and she won't tell me which until she knows if both of us like or don't like her. So, can you tell me please?" They stopped, and I caught myself before I fell and gave myself away.

"Look, I know this wold be hard to tell me, because we aren't the best of friends, but I want you to do this for Viatrix, whether you like her or not. I care about her, and I could tell she was hurting, and only the heartless couldn't care about her. Please. If it makes you feel any better, I'll tell you my answer."

I couldn't see Misto, but he must have done something to signal to Alonzo, because he sighed loudly and spoke again.

"Alright, alright. I like Viatrix. A lot. Possibly love her, too. If you like her, too, then may the best tom win."

I didn't see what Misto did, but he for sure didn't speak. Alonzo just laughed and Misto departed for our camp. WOOPSIGOTTAGO! I ran like heck to our camp, and found Mungo talking to the fire.

"So 'ow on earth'll Oi ge' her ta notice me, with all this goin' on roight now..Hey Pouncey!" he stood and started cracking up as I bumped down onto the ground dramatically. I rolled one more time and stood up, bowing.

Misto slunk in, nodding to each of us and throwing us our portion of the hunt, and ducked into his tent. Wierdo.

"Goo' catch, eh? Damn squirrels..." we laughed, and tossed our meat in the fire to cook. I guess Misto isn't eating tonight. Anorexic. XD (Yes, my mind has emoticons) "Oi'm going to find Tugger. Oi wanna talk ta 'im. See ya, Pounce."

"Seeya." That's strange. Someone actually wants to be near Tugger that's a tom. I must be smoking something.

"Pounce, answer a couple of questions for me, wouldya?" I turned to find Ravin leaning against a tree, arms crossed, smirking. She walked over to me, and sat down.

"Is this fair? Um, let's say you got attacked, and now you happen to work for the person that healed you, but he happens to be angry at you, so you have some people to protect you, and you happen to be madly in love with one of them, and they happen to be in life-threatening situations, and you want all of them safe. Is that wrong?"

Silence.

What was I supposed to say to that?

"Um, well, it's not wrong, no..."

"But what if these people happen to wanna die for us? They care about us."

*Lightbulb*

"Look, I know you're talking about you and Ravina. We're not leaving."

She sighed. "Let me explain. We got attacked-not saying how- and the guy who fixed us is our boss, and he's mad at us, and we don't want any of you dying, let alone getting hurt."

"What about the part about you being madly in love with-

"I'll bring that up later. First, help us think of something to do to get you people back home safe and sound."

"No! We came on free will, and it hasn't changed. I don't know if you know this, but everyone here is crazy for either you or Viatrix. Well, Tugger likes you both, but he's Tugger...

"Look, if anybody here likes anybody, it's us liking you. No one can like us, it-it's just impossible. It's fake love. You just think that 'cause we're pretty. You all don't know us. Don't know what we've done, or what we've been through, or what's after us. You can't love us, for your life. It's wrong love. It's..not..real. It couldn't be...."

I saw her confused face comprehending the option that someone here could love her with all their heart. I had already seen that option, and made it true.

"Ravina, Ravina, Ravina. You haven't been in love before, have you?"

She shook her head, and I laughed.

"What?"

"Love doesn't always come the way it normally does. Sometimes it comes as soon as you see someone. Sometimes you have to hate the person before you love them. Sometimes they're your best friend. Sometimes they're a mysterious person who thinks they know what love is."

She looked down at the ground sheepishly, and I smirked.

"But I've seen love, I've been around a while, okay? It's all gushy, and 'Oh, Julia, marry me!' and 'Why, Kirk, of course!' it's not like..what I think this is. So this must be the undead version, or something. Love 2.0! Ha!"

What a silly girl. I wanted to show her what love really was, but she wouldn't get it. Like Peter Pan.

"Ravina, like I said, that's the love you see, not the love you experience. That's what it looks like, but not what it is. I can't show you, because I don't know about anyone here that loves each other."

I was lying straight out about the person who was practically her sister. Shame on me. She stood while she spoke to me.

"Maybe you can show me when we bring you back. Which is tomorrow. We can't risk you all. You're too valuable. Too good to be wasted on pathetic people like us. You have somehting to live for. Us? We had our time. We had our choices. Don't struggle. We need to make sure you live. If you don't, then you have no idea how many people would cry. But, if we die, then everyone's tear free, and that's a lot better, don't you think?"

"It's not better. Death is death. People cry about it no matter what. If you died, Ravina, I'd never heal. Ever." Her face actually showed gratitude. I decided to shock her with a change of topic. "So, who are you madly in love with?"

Her eyes went wide, and she sat back down, and I felt a little gratitude from that, too. So, she wanted to be off that topic, too.

"That's a secret."

"Maybe I could help. Give me some options."

"Um, it ain't Tugger. Ew."

"Good!"

"It's not Misto, he's gay! Besides..Well, that's not the point."

"Ha!"

"Well, it's not Alonzo. He's too awesome."

"Aha, so I'm up against Mungo. No competition, eh? So, who is it?"

"Well, I'm not gonna tell you that. Just ask Mungo if he likes me, okay? And, uh, do you like me?"

"Well, if you won't tell me, I sure won't."

"Aw, come on, pleaseys!?"

"I'll tell you when I found out Mungo's answer."

"I expect you to be quick."

"I expect you to die!"

We both cracked up at my Bond joke, and bid each other good night. That was an interesting night. I wonder if she knows what love is. Maybe she's confusing it with respect. I don't know if she loves me or Mungo, or something else. I had been in love, so I was sure of myself. I knew Ravina's black hair and funny habit of looking at the ground were only some of the endless things that captivated me. I snatched my food from the fire, and gnawed at it. Ooh, rabbit. Yum. If only I had some of that junk I stole from Bustopher. Was it called spicay? Or spiced? Something along those lines.. I knew that the longer i waited, and the more I became her friend, the better chance I had at her heart. Her, curious, mysterious, tempting heart.