Citadel had found an old abandoned den not too far into wildberry grove. He had spent some spare time in the evening cleaning it out, since it seemed like they’d be spending at least a few days in the Hallows. He threw away some mouldy bedding and brushed it out. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do with it. He wasn’t sure what he would be allowed to do with it. Maybe he could build it into a secret play den, or a place to stash all the amazing food he’d find. He just had to collect some food first.

It was getting late, and he knew they would be called in for bed time soon. But there was just one more thing he wanted to do before he called it quits for the day. He snuck into the wagon and grabbed some coats from the bottom, underneath piles of other stuff. Hopefully they wouldn’t be missed… or if they were, someone would assume they were simply needed. He chucked one over Rook to carry, and then awkwardly bundled them up and tried not to trip over them as he carried them back to his secret little hideaway den.

Just as he was about to enter the den, a noise caught his attention. What was that? He peeked his nose through the door and almost lost it when an angry cat swiped at him suddenly. He dropped the bedding in shock and leaped back. “Hey, that’s my cave, get out!” he ordered with a snarl.

WC: 261

"Citadel Fatalis"

Bedtime was around the corner. She didn't wanna go to bed, but Daddy had instilled the fear of The Warlord in her recently before they left and she was on special orders to not make a word or move out of line. She still didn't know what that meant. She should make sure her siblings all knew that when Daddy was serious and told you what to do, he meant it. She was contemplating what it meant to be out of line by the cart when her soft pink eyes caught the sight of her brother and bear brother walking across the lawn laden heavily with some furs. She tilted her head wondering what this was about. Did Daddy talk to him too and he was on another duty, like finding a place to sleep while they were visiting? What did HE do to upset Dad?

She slumped against the cart wheel for a moment, letting her gaze wander back over to the bustling activity a little further away when the sound of her brother's voice made her jump! His snarl alerted her to danger! Quickly her small paws made quick work over the grove as she neared him. Wait was helping him stepping out of line? Certainly helping a pack member was... along the line right? Her brother especially?

She came alongside him and peered into the darkness. Ready to strike at whatever reached out to make him shout.
"What is it Cit? What is it?" She asked as she came up. The smell of a cat entered her nose before she nearly lost her own nose as an arm reached out to scratch her. The thing was bigger than her!

"Hey! Whatchu doing in there? It's not yours!" She called at it, reaching out with her own tiny cat like paw to swipe at it blindly. One of its claws nicked her wrist!

"HEY!" She yelled, jolting and pulling her arm back.

"And this not your cave neither!" She snapped at Cit, holding her scratched arm. It was bleeding a little, but the nick wasn't that long or deep, "Whatchu doing with a cave your own? I wanna a cave my own!" She didn't talk well when she was upset. How were they gonna get this thing out of there?


"Citadel"||"Selene"

He was staring down the unexpected visitor when his sister suddenly appeared around the corner. He hadn’t seen her enter this part of the grove - his attention had been too focused on the cat. But he glanced up at her now as she entered the fray, getting into range of the cat's claws. “Watch out!” he said in warning, but it was too late. The cat scored a shot on Selene’s arms. He tried to smack a paw at the creature but it puffed itself up, hissing and spitting at them. Causing him to shy away. Now that he was a coward! He was just planning his attack.

It was a weird creature that had taken over his den, too, all snow white with a shockingly long tail. He raised a paw to swipe back at the cat when Selene suddenly and unexpectedly turned on him, telling him it wasn’t his den. “Is too, I found it!” he grouched back. Despite his earlier worries of being allowed to keep it or not. They couldn’t take it away from him if they didn’t know it was there!

He glanced down at her scratched arm and grimaced, feeling oddly… bad about that. But it wasn’t his fault! She was the dork who put her arm in front of an angry cat. He glared back at his sister. “We can share it, maybe. If you don’t make a mess in it.” he grumbled reluctantly at her. Besides, she was less likely to tell their parents if she was in on it. “And if you help me clear this cat out. It wasn’t in there before, I dunno why it’s in there now.” he said, glaring at the skinny creature. If it wanted a fight, he’d give it a fight.

wc: 301
total: 944


"Citadel"||"Selene"

Her brother tried to warn her, to no avail. She and the cat were too quick, and the cat was quicker than her. She smiled as she saw him try to smack the cat back. She narrowed her eyes into the darkness.

The light of the day through the shriveling leaves above blocked her view from getting a good look at the cat inside. She lifted her nose to see if she could catch its scent but only sweet honeysuckle and a thick air of berries entered her nose from the Wildberry grove around them.

Ooooh! They could share it! Okay! Gotta get this creature out first! She gave the scratch a quick lick, determined to get back into the fray. She snarled at the creature and lifted her tail.

"You cat!" She called at it, "Getoutta here. This our cave now!" She snarled, her fur bristling as she started to push into the small space. She had claws too! The cat let out a loud yowling growl. She ducked as it swiped again! Then launched herself forward and swiped back at its chest. But it was too fast for her and bouncy. It started spitting and lashing at her and Selene jumped back out of the den and hid behind her brother, panting hard a snarl still on her lip and her fur all out of place and rumpled. But at least not worse for wear. Maybe she should have started with a plan. She didn't wanna plan tho! She wanted it out just as much as he did! Maybe Mumma would let them sleep out here on their own tonight for the first time!

The cool early winter, late autumn breeze held a strange chill in the air. As if promising something sinister for the season. Could that be why the Cat was seeking a den now?


"Speech"

w: 309
wt: 1253

He watched as his sister licked her cut, and seemed to come to an agreement. She wasn’t arguing, and she looked approving at the idea of sharing. Their own little hideaway while they were staying at the Hallows. He guessed the idea must appeal to her, too. He hadn’t planned on sharing it with Selene, but now that she knew about it… better to bring her in, than to let her dob him in to their parents.

Selene called out to the cat, and he snickered at her snarled words. Yeah cat, there were two of them against it now! He let Selene take the first shot. His sister unsheathed her claws and went after the cat. But the creature proved too quick and elusive, and after a moment her smaller form was behind him. Citadel puffed himself up, trying to look fierce and unrelenting. “Out!” he yelled, taking a menacing step forward. Get out!” he stomped forward again. Not going for speed like his sister had. Simply going for scary, and big. That was something he could do, right? “Out, out, out!” each word was punctuated by a stomp as he stalked into the cave, going around the cat so he could scare it back out of the cave. It seemed to be working, too! Once he was around the correct side he stomp, stomp, stomped forward, chasing the cat from the den. Hoping Selene was helping him herd, he made it all the way to the exit. “And stay out!” he called to the creature.

WC: 265
Total: over 1500

"Citadel"||"Selene"