Reunion Angels {Varildes, Open}

[Grath]

Eastpaw took over dragging the sledge from Lani. She was tired, he could see. But she had demanded a turn and he had finally capitulated. Now the mountain was nearly in their reach, and he was... glad. He supposed. He was really too tired to think of it at the moment.

---

Hares had rushed and poked and prodded until they finally were deposited in the infirmary. Eastpaw sat on one bed, his eyes rather blank and his body blurry with fatigue. A fat older harewife clucked over him while the infirmary keeper fired questions at Lani.

Who. What. Why. How many. How long. When. How had they been treated. Countless questions, repeated until she was satisfied.

Dolly shoved some hot tea, mixed with a healthy shot of whiskey, at the eldest hare and was reassured to see his eyes clear. Eastpaw's mind was somewhat clearer now, and he looked at Leilani and Tar, in beds on either side of him. Everyone was alive, and he wondered where Nico and Southpaw were.

[Prankster101]

Tar yawned widely, stretching her arms out as far as she could, then bringing them back again. Blinking against the new light, Tar struggled to figure out what was going on.

She was in this large room with many beds and many hares. The walls of the room were solid rock, but bits of sunlight were coming in form small window cracks, so Tar wasn't in a cave. I must be in t'at mountain East and Lani mentioned, Tar thought to herself, but she couldn't remember the name. It was Sala-something.

Tar shrugged that thought off as she continued to look around the room. She was sitting on a military-style cot, East was on a similar cot next to her, and Lani on the one after that. Lani was getting integrated by a slim amber furred hare, and East was being fed something or other. Looking down at herself, Tar saw that her wounds had been properly bandaged again, with even more in the places that weren't bandaged before, like her chain free wrists. It felt sooo good to have them off.

After Tar had a full look of the room, she began to sulk again. Her snappy mood coming back. Why was she sitting in here? She remembered walking to the mountain being very groggy and tired. Not much else. Her hungry stomach and tired head never made her thing very clearly. Still! Tar thought to herself. She really didn't like sitting still and not doing anything, just waiting for somebeast to some and help her and make her feel more useless than she already was.

Tar reached over and tried to take the covers that were around her off and tried to stand up. She was hungry. After the real food Lani had given her, she realized she was SUPER hungry. But a voice stopped her.

"I wouldn't be doing that if I were you wot!"

Corporeal Dallas Dwayne Delory Devereux had been standing in the corner out of the way, semi-curious about the Varilde's patrol, as hearing they ran into "trouble". Rumors said that they had brought in a new hare, and Dally wanted conformation. Walking quietly to the infirmary, Dally had snuck in unnoticed and stood in the corner in the shadow of the cubbord, trying to stay out of the way.

Form his corner, Dally watched all of the events unravel. The interrogations, the administering to wounds, and such. His keen navy eyes noticed that the new hare looked astoundingly like Leilani. The could be twins, if the new hare was not well worn for the turn of events. Dally, mentally noted that similarity, saving the information for the proper time for it to be revealed.

But, when the new hare tried to get out of bed, and nobeast was watching her, Dallas deiced to step out of the shadows. Even if what he was to say was cold, short, and brief like normal.

Tar looked up to see a dusty brown hare with navy blue eyes step out of the shadows. He looked, stiff and abit cold,; defiantly not one to be trifled with, but Tar's now arising mood, made her ignorant to any protocol.

"Says who?" Tar snapped at the new hare. "'Cause, w'o ever ye are, I'd love ta watch ye bally well stop me wot!" She grumbled, yet still sitting in the bed.

Dally raised his eyebrows in amusement, but that was all the emotion he showed to the new hare. He however, did not reply to her rant. He found that argument matches never lead anywhere save anger, plus he found them amusing to watch when they were one sided. So he let the new hare rant on. Calmly standing near the cubbord, his harsh eyes calming glaring back at the new hare.

[Nicodemus]

Nico had heard of his siblings' return; of course he had! He had been one of the first to know, he had made sure of it. Giddy from delight, drunk from relief, and on edge from the news. They were in the infirmary. They had been hurt, at least ill. Nico wasn't sure whether he was going to hug them or lecture them, but, as he came closer and closer to the infirmary, he knew that he would not lecture his siblings. They were too precious, too dear to him for Nic to do that.

"Where are they?" Half shaken with fear and half filled with joy, Nicodemus pushed his way into the Infirmary. He stopped in the doorway, then drew a deep breath. He looked at his siblings with pressed lips, and then finally exclaimed, "You-you made me worry!" And ran to Eastpaw's side. He was grinning now, and held himself back from hugging his brother. However, his joy was faintly dampened after inspecting both East and Lani carefully.

"What did you do to yourselves, eh, sah? I've been worried sick about you, don'cha know! D'you know how long I've waited for you two to come traipsing along home? I bloody well missed you!" He had been so taken with greeting East and Lani that he had taken no notice of Tar. There was no sign that he intended to, either, until he had the who, what, when, where, why and how of their every encounter.

Nic's family was his hope, his love, everything to him. It was all he had. All there was for him. All there would be in the near future. Every single time his galloper siblings embarked on one of their little trips, Nico worried himself sick that he would lose what he had struggled so long to keep together. So, his first priority was his family; in this case, it was much higher than worrying who else was in the room, regardless of whether he knew they were family or not.

"Lani? East? An explanation? Please?" He was almost desperate now- what had happened? Why were they in the infirmary? Why did they look rather dazed, and why, above all else, had they come back hurt? He had to know, and he was going to. His determination, though, did not spread to his face. His eyes were crinkled in a worried glance, and he bit his bottom lip nervously. What had happened?

[Tracy]

Leilani was extremely exhausted and the infirmary keeper's barrage of questions was not at all helping matters. The haremaid had not slept in nearly two days. She had not even caught a quick nap because she'd spent her time making sure there was food and water available. Lani briefly and reluctantly answered Roseleaf's questions, very much wanting to leave and curl up in her own bed at the moment; she wasn't even sure she had the energy to make it to her room though.

When Roseleaf finally stopped asking questions and took her attention from her, Lani rolled over and took the spiked tea that had been offered to East, taking a lingering and grateful sip of the warm tonic. She set the tea back with East and settled back into the cot, picking idly at the thin bandage that wound all the way down her forearm.

She had only closed her eyes for half a second when another voice spoke up. Annoyed and wondering why anyone else would be up here bothering them, she rolled over to see Dally in the room. Yawning, she laid back and flung her arm over her head, her eyes buried in her elbow. "Y'shouldn't bother, Corporeal, she wants t'do what she wants t'do. Which is mostly t'have us save her life an' feed her without so much as a thank you or how d'ya do."

With another yawn she pulled the thin blanket of the cot up over her head and curled her legs up, trying again to fall asleep. And again she was startled awake. Pulling the blanket down and preparing to chew out whoever was interrupting her this time, all her anger dripped away when she realized it was Nico.

She sat up slowly and offered her brother a casual smile. "We're fine, Nico. Tired mostly. How 'bout we tell you all about it after we catch a nap, eh?"

[Grath]

"Says who?" Tar snapped at the new hare. "'Cause, w'o ever ye are, I'd love ta watch ye bally well stop me wot!"

“Says me!” She crossed her arms and glared at her newest patient, meeting her defiant gaze with an implacable one of her own. “Now, ye lay back down, missy, or ye won’t get but nettle broth when th’ food jolly well arrives, wot!”

"You-you made me worry!"

“Ach, ye always worry.” East said affectionately, giving Nico a brief one armed hug. His other paw still held the mug of spiked tea, now only a remnant.

"What did you do to yourselves, eh, sah? I've been worried sick about you, don'cha know! D'you know how long I've waited for you two to come traipsing along home? I bloody well missed you!"

Eastpaw chuckled as Nico babbled on. “Nearly as long as it took us to traipse along home.” He replied, applying himself to the plate of food a young leveret brought; thick stew, plain strong tea, and fresh rolls.

"Lani? East? An explanation? Please?"

“We were toying wi’ some vermin when we ran inta Tar, there.” He set the empty tray aside. “Got into a battle wi’ th’ vermin we’d angered, obviously we won.” He offered a tired but mischievous grin. “Then we traipsed along home.”

[Prankster101]

“Says me! Now, ye lay back down, missy, or ye won’t get but nettle broth when th’ food jolly well arrives, wot!”

Tar glared deep into the brown eyes of the tall hare infront of her. She hated being pushed around, and didn't like taking orders, but she was really hungry. So Tar remained seated on the cot, but she didn't lie down. Instead she crossed her paws in front of her chest indignantly and muttered darkly to herself. "Keep callin' me missy and ye'll be the bally one who'll be drinkin' the nettle broth."

"Y'shouldn't bother, Corporeal, she wants t'do what she wants t'do. Which is mostly t'have us save her life an' feed her without so much as a thank you or how d'ya do."

Tar's ears slowly flopped down to "half-staff" as she heard Lani comment to the new hare about her. She may not have said "ho d'ya do?" but she thought she had mumbled a thanks here or there. Tar was truly grateful for East and Lani saving her, but her independent and brash nature couldn't let her figure out a way to say thank you.

Dallas watched the new hare's reaction to Leilani's remark. This new hare may be coarsely mannered, but she has feelings. Dally thought to himself, his stern face betraying nothing of his thoughts. He remained standing distantly as a couple of leverets came into the room bearing food trays. One tray was given to East, one probably to Lani, but Dally was more focused on the tray that was given to the new hare.

Tar watched the leveret nervously put the tray of steaming food on the side table next to her and back off. Tar kept her head down. Lani still was harsh to her, nobeast else probably wanted her either. However, looking over at the tray made her forget all about her sadness. Upon the tray was a thick, well-made stew that filled the room with a thick aroma of spices; a few green-sap milk bread rolls, pipping hot out of the oven; and a tall glass full of freshly brewed herbal tea. All of it was too much for Tar's underfeed stomach and she attacked the food with a gusto.

Dally struggled to maintain his formalities as he watched the new hare pounce upon the food that was given her. He had known many hares who could pack food away, but she really went at it, like she hadn't been properly fed in seasons....Dally's inquisitive mind went whirling into motion, what really had the Varildes stumbled upon......

[Nicodemus]

Nico looked slightly stunned. "You found someone?" His brow furrowed, and he turned to look at Tar. Slowly, he walked over to her bed, and watched her. There was something vaguely familiar about the hare, but he couldn't tell what. "Lani m'dear, be nice." He pleaded, seeing Tar's reaction. "Tar- it is Tar, right, old gel?- it's nice to meet you." Nic gave her his best beaming smile, and bowed.

"Th'name's Nicodemus- Nicodemus L'Ouest Doux Troisieme Varilde." He straightened. "You can call me Nic or Nico or Nicodemus, whichever pleases you, eh? Sorry the first thing in Salamandastron you had to see was the jolly old h'infirmary, wot!" He gave her one last smile, then turned to East and Lani. "I want the whole bloody story, an' you jolly well know that!" Right then, Nic was the fiercest that he ever really got: paws akimbo, pouting, ears straight up. "While you've been 'traipsing along home', I've been waiting, and when you show up with a new hare I want to know where you found her!" Suddenly, Nico lost his air, and his voice was more pleading than anything else. "Oh, come on, old chaps, be a sport! Don't leave me in th'dark, please!"

[Tracy]

Even though Nico wanted to hear about everything that had happened, Leilani didn't have the energy to explain even this short story. She could hardly even keep her eyes open. Other than the sip of tea she'd taken, she didn't touch any of the food that had been offered, assuming it would still be around for the taking after a nap. East could tell Nico right now if he really needed to know.

Despite the goings-on in the infirmary and the sounds of voices in the room, Lani's overwhelming exhaustion had finally won out and she drifted to sleep. Curled up under the thin blanket, the only visible part of the haremaid for the next few hours was her long ears that poked out the top of the blanket.

---

A few hours later, Lani woke up abruptly, clutching the blanket and breathing heavily as if she had just run a mile. She'd woken from a bad dream... something with a boat and a storm in the ocean... Even as she tried to remember the details, they were quickly escaping her. Sitting up slowly, she rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes, sighing.

Although Lani had been plenty old enough to remember the storm that had claimed the lives of her father and twin sister, she had blocked the memory and truly couldn't remember any of it. Of course she knew what happened; she'd heard the story told enough times. She'd had these nightmares many times before though, especially when she was sick, or not sleeping in the safety of her own bed.

It took her a moment to remember why she was in the infirmary. After another few moments, when her heart had stopped racing and her breathing was normal, she realized what had really woken her up. Her arm was twinging with pain. Making a face, she inspected her bandaged arm, picking a little at the gauze again.

Pushing the blanket down, she swung her legs over the side and stood up slowly, walking across the room to pour herself a cup of water from a pitcher on the counter.

[Grath]

"I want the whole bloody story, an' you jolly well know that!" Right then, Nic was the fiercest that he ever really got: paws akimbo, pouting, ears straight up. "While you've been 'traipsing along home', I've been waiting, and when you show up with a new hare I want to know where you found her!"

Eastpaw, his stomach comfortably full for the first time in a few days, settled down among the warm blankets on the infirmary bed. He smiled flippantly at Nico. “Ach, o’ course I will. Tell y’innabit…” his words slurred and turned into a series of ever-wider yawns.

"Oh, come on, old chaps, be a sport! Don't leave me in th'dark, please!"

The elder hare mumbled something unintelligible as his eyes drooped shut. He was beyond exhausted and…

---

The infirmary was quiet, Roseleaf had retired to her office. After downing the tea she had doctored, all three of her patients were sleeping soundly. It was a slow day. While usually she had half-a-dozen hares in sick or injured in various degrees, it was currently almost deserted.

Eastpaw had slept soundly at first, but now he was tossing and turning, kicking the blankets off. He struck out blindly as someone tried to replace them, muttering and sobbing in his sleep.

Everything was red-filmed. Water obscured his vision. He kicked and fought and bit, but Southpaw grabbed him in a vise-grip, helped by the captain and two of the crew-otters. The deck heaved and bucked, Eastpaw seeming to match it in ferocity. He was screaming, though he couldn’t hear himself over the roar of the storm and the wave.

“Crys! Cryssstinnnnnn!” A fist swung at his chin. “Crys!” He sat bolt upright in his bed, eyes wide and seeing something unseen, some other place. Tears rolled down his face, he buried it in his large palms. She was gone, she was dead and Da was dead and it was all his fault…

[Prankster101]

((Ooc: The time has come for Dallas to disappear form the thread, but he knows what others do not ...he might pop up later. ))

"Lani m'dear, be nice."

Tar looked up from her ravenous attack on her food. All she had left now was a little bit of roll and a gulp of herbal tea. The new hare who had rushed in, who carried a resemblance to East and Lani had approached Tar's bed side.

"Tar- it is Tar, right, old gel?- it's nice to meet you."

Tar, who had her mouthful, only nodded dumbly. Who was he? Tar thought to herself as she swallowed the last bit of roll with finishing off the tea. This hare might 'ave had too much bally happy-juice, wot? Tar thought to herself as the hare bowed and continued.

"Th'name's Nicodemus- Nicodemus L'Ouest Doux Troisieme Varilde. You can call me Nic or Nico or Nicodemus, whichever pleases you, eh? Sorry the first thing in Salamandastron you had to see was the jolly old h'infirmary, wot!"

Tar didn't even had time to think of a response when Nico turned away again and began pestering East and Lani again for information about their adventure. East and Lani, however, had different ideas. Both of them drifted off into the land of slumber leaving Nico with a cliff-hanger explanation of their travels.

Yawning wide. Tar began to realize that a full stomach and a few good seasons of missed sleep takes their toll on haremaids as she laid back into her cot. This was the first time Tar could remember she ever had something like a bed and it was sooooo softttttt.........................

Dallas watched as Tar yawned and fell into a deep sleep on her cot. All of what he had seen and herd swirled around in his head. Truth and fiction, all of it fit! He knew what has happened. But....Now is not the time to reveal such information. They shall find out soon enough wot. Dally thought to himself. Swiftly turning to Roseleaf, he bowed curtly and dismissed himself, disappearing out the door like a shadow into the darkness.........

___________________________________________________

Tar lay upon her cot, deep with in the realm of sleep. But all was not peaceful this time around. A whimper escaped the sleeping haremaid's lips as she turned over and over in her blankets. A nightmare consumed Tar's sleeping mind......

Rain. Flash. Flash. Lightning. Row. Row. Pain. Whipping. More pain. More rain.

PAIN.

Voices. NO!!! Don't!!!! Die!!!! Like that jet-scum? Come BACK!!

PAIN.

Eyes. Red eyes. Eyes of hate. Eyes of sadness. Eyes of death. Eyes of urgency. Eyes of warning. Eyes of love.

PAIN.

Alone....all alone... Only pain...Pain...PAIN!!!

"AAAAHHHH!" Tar awoke with a cry of pain. Everything hurt. Everything. Tar curled up in a ball on the cot; weeping. "No, no, no...Don't hurt me..." She cried. Tar couldn't comprehend anything around her. She didn't even know that Lani and East had awoken as well with similar nightmares. She felt so alone, so in pain; so alone. Tar couldn't understand anything. She only felt pain, not only outward pain, but she felt so broken inside. It was as if her living soul was tron apart and screaming. So broken...........

[Rorgus]

Southpaw stole silently into the infirmary. He went to his twin brothers bed. He was all alone with his siblings. He held his brother as he began to struggle. He was having a nightmare South could tell. He let go of his brother as he awoke. He looked down at Eastpaw and smiled.
" Your back." He said. " What happened?" He said glancing around he saw his sister Leilani. And he saw another hare. He went over to her bed and gazed down at her. Crys face flashed across his mind. He didn't recognize his sister but kept looking at her as if trying to remember where he had seen her. Then he went over to Lanis bed he lent down and kissed her on the cheek.
"I'm glad to have you back Lani." He whispered he went back to Eastpaws bed. he saw that he had woken up with tears in his eyes. South sat down on his bed and gently hugged his brother. Comforting him.
" shhh, its ok its all in the past know. Don't worry we'll go and search for them someday." He said knowing that he was having nightmares about Crys and their father. Deep down inside hm Southpaw knew that one of them was still alive.

[Nicodemus]

Nico watched Tar with vague interest. He was getting a little drowsy, watching the others fall asleep. But somewhere in the back of his mind he was still thinking fast. Who was it that she reminded him of? It was hard to say. But did it really matter? Not while he was half asleep, his chin resting on one of his paws. Not while he was only half-heartedly keeping himself awake. Finally he gave up, and let his head drop down to rest on his knees.

Just before falling asleep, Nic remembered who Tar reminded him of. "Can't.. hold... resemblance to.. t'Crys, though." He mumbled, before falling asleep completely.

Silent. He had to keep silent. To be strong- strong, like Father, right?

That is what he wanted?

Not to try and do anything?

The room was dark-or was it? No, it was dark, completely dark. There was nothing there. No sound. No voices. No people. Just dark.

But he had to be quiet. His fists curled and tightened, and he clenched his jaw tight to keep from crying out.

Was he supposed to say somethi- oh. Voices. Other voices. Other people. They were moving fast, all of them, shouting and crying and doing whatever it was that they were doing.

A wave of calm swept over him. The people disappeared. Now it was just him and the dark. No voices. No one around. He smiled.

Was he supposed to be upset about something? His painful, forced smile grew wider.

No-they needed him to smile. It hurt his cheeks, and his eyes were dull, but he forced himself to laugh in the darkness, even as tears flowed down his cheeks...

Tar's cries were what woke him; Nicodemus looked up, startled, then rubbed his jaw ruefully. Had he been dreaming? It felt as if he had been clenching his jaw against crying out-though to what, he did not remember. He noted, with faint surprise, that South was in the room. Also, East and Lani were up, but they seemed fine. It was Tar who was the worst off.

Walking over, Nic noticed that she was crying hard, and curled up in a ball in the middle of her cot. He reached over and placed one paw on her shoulder. He wasn't thinking about what he was doing, really, but he smiled all the same at her. Almost jokingly he put a finger to his lips and winked at her, trying to quiet her or to comfort her in some way. "Come on now, me gel. 'Tis safe in th'Infirmary o'Salamandastron, no need t'worry. Relax, sis. Hush." He whispered softly. "Hush, m'dear."

[Tracy]

Lani sipped slowly and sparingly of her cup of water, her back turned to the slumbering hares. She loved her brothers, really, she did, and she understood their concern. But she felt smothered and closed in. Too many creatures around her, and this room was too small, no windows. If it wasn't for her siblings, she would've slipped away quietly while the infirmary keeper was cooped up in her office. The last thing her brothers needed right now though, was to worry about where she disappeared to.

She rubbed her eyes again and strongly reconsidered the idea of leaving when she heard the rustling of a blanket nearby. Turning, she saw Eastpaw tossing in his sleep, seeming in the throes of a nightmare. She watched him for a few moments to see if it would pass or to see if he would wake himself up, but he kept tossing. Before she could decide to go wake him, he woke up with a shout and Southpaw was over to comfort him.

That was all fine and good. Lani was no good at comforting. Especially when she was still shaking off the effects of her own nightmare. She stared at the two of them, and her eyes wandered to Nico, who had fallen asleep in the comforting company of his siblings. Shaking her head, she went to refill her cup of water. This is why they were the 'poor Varildes.' Just look at them!

It was Tar's cry that startled her, and the pitcher she was holding went clattering to the floor, sending water everywhere. Turning sharply toward Tar, she was alarmed by the haremaid's distress; sobbing and clearly in fear. Lani didn't move. What was she supposed to do? Tar's cry had woken Nico and Lani looked helplessly over at him.

Luckily Nico was good at this sort of thing. As he went to comfort the crying stranger, Lani hunted about for something with which to mop up the spill. Anything to distract her and to try and block out the sobbing and sadness in this room. She really needed to get out of here.

[Grath]

"Shhh, its ok its all in the past know. Don't worry we'll go and search for them someday."

Eastpaw scrubbed his paw roughly over his face, erasing the tears but unable to remove the tear-tracks in his facefur, with his rubbing the fur stood up, in clumps where it was wet. “If it is in the bloody past,” he said bitterly to his twin, “then I wouldn’t be here, would I? We wouldn’t be.”

"AAAAHHHH!" Tar awoke with a cry of pain. Everything hurt. Everything. Tar curled up in a ball on the cot; weeping. "No, no, no...Don't hurt me..."

Eastpaw came off his cot quickly, the same as he would if Crys or Lani called in the night for their mother, or scraped a knee, or simply needed a hug. He sat on the bed opposite Nico, gathering her into his arms gently but firmly, for all her struggles. “Hush, hush, Crys, you’re alright. No one will hurt you…never again…” as she grew quieter the import of his words dawned on him.

His wide eyes flashed to each of his siblings in turn. He’d known there was something familiar about her, but he’d never considered that! Gently East pushed at her shoulders, moving Tar back so he could look at her face. “Crystin?” He asked, not daring to hope. But she couldn’t be! Her name was Tar, she’d told them that herself!

[Prankster101]

Tar couldn't understand. She couldn't understand the pain that she felt, the sadness she had welled up inside, the eyes and voice she heard in her dream. Everything just hurt too much. curled up in her bed, she just wanted it all to end.

Nico had come over to Tar and placed a paw upon her shoulder. and tried to comfort her. Tar's wide, frightened eyes looked up into Nico's as he spoke gently to her.

"Come on now, me gel. 'Tis safe in th'Infirmary o'Salamandastron, no need t'worry. Relax, sis. Hush. Hush, m'dear."

Looking into Nico's eyes Tar could see a comforting love. He really wanted to help her. But somehow, it made Tar feel even more broken inside.I am so pathetic echoed through Tar's mind. Looking down at her shaking, bandaged paws, tar buried her face in her paws and continued to sob. Why, why so much pain?

Tar felt East's strong paws grip around her in a firm but gentle hug. A wave of safeness swept over Tar as she sobbed. East's arms were safe. She did not know how or why she felt this way, but she felt safe...almost at home.......

“Hush, hush, Crys, you’re alright. No one will hurt you…never again…”

Tar almost cuddled against East as he whispered gently to her. She was so upset and so lost that she didn't even realize he had called her a different name. Everything just felt so good here it hurt. East, realizing his mistake, held Tar out at arms length to see her face.

“Crystin?”

Lip a quiver, eyes bloodshot and moist form tears, and trembling Tar heard East say a name. Crystin.Where did she hear that name? Crystin. Looking into East's eyes she could now tell that his eyes were the same eyes in her dream. But, how? Crystin. Everything hurt, nothing was right, yet this was right...Crystin.

Tears still streaming down her face, Tar was able to gasp out, " I don't understand....Who? I don't know....I just don't..know....." Overcome with tears, Tar buried her face once again in East's arms. The name echoing in her mind.....Crystin.

[Nicodemus]

Nico smiled at Tar. "Lani dear, will ye come here? There's a good way t'tell. I knew ye reminded me of someone, old gel." The young hare shook his head. "Crystin was our sister. We lost her an' our father out at sea years ago. Most thought she was dead. Some knew she'd come back t'us." Winking, he silently mouthed, 'Told you.' to East. Tar seemed, however, rather stricken upon hearing the name, and Nicodemus turned to her, worried.

What if it was Crys? Nic was sure that the young haremaid named Tar was really his sister, Crystin, and he had been sure for many, many years that she would return to them even when others lost hope. However, the name seemed to bring back bad memories-or were they happy ones? He could not tell. As he thought, Nico drew his hand back from Tar and moved a step or two away. His gaze was withdrawn, and his paws tapped out a rhythm unconsciously on his thigh.

Was he going to cry now that she had been returned to them- if indeed it really was Crys? He had not cried when she had been taken, had not cried when they lost their father, had not fought to save them. Suddenly hot with shame, Nicodemus looked around the room. Every single Varilde there had done something, anything, except him. He drew a spiral pattern on his leg. Was it enough that he had believed Crys would come back?

Nic's lips moved, but his words were inaudible. "No." When it mattered, he had not done anything. When it was required of him, he did nothing. After that fateful day, it had been easy to be brave, but what hero ever gained fame from doing things the easy way?

"Lani." He forced a cheerful smile for Tar's-or was it Crystin's?- sake. "Come here."

[Tracy]

Leilani, not able to find a decent cloth anywhere, had dragged a blanket off an empty cot and used it to mop up the water she spilled all over the floor. This probably caused more issues than it solved, and the infirmary keeper would probably not be too pleased, but Lani didn't care. She didn't care that the blanket was wet and unusable, but she also hadn't cared that the floor was wet. She was just trying to distract herself from everything going on the room, avoiding eye contact with her siblings and pretending she didn't hear anything.

However, East saying the name of her lost twin sister got her attention immediately. Looking slowly up, but trying not to seem too interested, she chanced a glance to see what was going on. East was calling Tar by their sister's name. He must still be dreaming. "Wake 'im up, he's sleeptalking," she mumbled, crumpling up the damp blanket and dumping it unceremoniously on the countertop.

She turned to them again, and saw East holding Tar out at arm's length, looking at her intently. That wasn't sleeptalking. She was used to this silly talk from Nico. He'd never really believed Crystin was gone, but now East was losing it! This all was ridiculous. She hesitated for a second, looking at Tar. She could see how East could make the mistake, especially in his distressed state. But... but... her name was Tar. She said so.

"Lani dear, will ye come here? There's a good way t'tell. I knew ye reminded me of someone, old gel."

Lani stared at him, and suddenly she felt panicky, like she couldn't quite catch her breath, and the room was feeling too small again... She took her panicked energy and channeled it into anger instead, snapping at Nico.

"Stop it, just stop it, Nico!" she yelled, feeling the tears in the back of her throat but fighting them back, not wanting to cry. "She's been gone for five years an' you think she jus' washes up here again? Of all places?!" She grabbed her paws into fists at her side. "Look at what you're doin'! East even thinks it's possible too! An' then what, Nico? When it's not her, what will you do then?"

What will I do then?

She turned away then and made to leave, walking to the door. Laying her paw on the doorknob, she stopped there, staring blankly at the door. After a long pause, she looked at the floor and swallowed. Turning slowly, she looked at her siblings.

"Fine," she whispered, walking slowly back over. Maybe, when this passed, Nico could finally understand. All of them could finally understand, and move on. They had to stop living in this world where their past lives were a possibility. It was gone.

[Grath]

" I don't understand....Who? I don't know....I just don't..know....."

Eastpaw’s tunic was getting soaked, but he didn’t mind. He’d always believed Crystin was dead, didn’t he have the nightmares to prove it? Some small, abstract part of his mind told him he would be disappointed when this pathetic-looking haremaid they had rescued turned out to be just who she said she was; Tar.

"Crystin was our sister. We lost her an' our father out at sea years ago. Most thought she was dead. Some knew she'd come back t'us." 'Told you.'

Eastpaw looked back at Nico, c.ocking one eyebrow in a silent, ‘I know.’

"Lani." He forced a cheerful smile for Tar's-or was it Crystin's?- sake. "Come here."

"Stop it, just stop it, Nico!" she yelled, feeling the tears in the back of her throat but fighting them back, not wanting to cry. "She's been gone for five years an' you think she jus' washes up here again? Of all places?!"

“Leilani…” Eastpaw said softly, not daring to trust his voice at a more normal volume. She was scared, and panicked, and even if she didn’t realize it, hopeful too.

"Look at what you're doin'! East even thinks it's possible too! An' then what, Nico? When it's not her, what will you do then?"

“Who are ye t’day its not, wot?” He tried to insert a note of jollity into his tone, but failed miserably. What would they do if Miss Tar was not Crys? He couldn’t stand to see his family torn like that again, and suddenly he doubted, maybe he didn’t want to find out, to take the chance and miss the prize. Or the sister.

"Fine,"

“Miss…” He gently pried her off of him and sat her next to where Lani stood. For a moment he stared, the room was quieter than death, as all five siblings caught their breath, two side by side, three staring, searching for something they hardly dared hope for.

“Lani, could she be anybeast else? Its like a mirror.” Eastpaw said finally.

[Rorgus]

Southpaw went over to stand next to his twin. He watched what happened between his siblings. He watched their reactions as they were realizing that there was a chance that they had found their sister. He sat down on the corner of a bed as he himself realized the possibility. He went over and sat beisde his brother. He gasped as Lani and Tar stood next to each other.
" Could this be true? Could we have really found her?" He jumped up and went over to Lani and Crys. Tears sprung to his eyes as he remembered that dreadful night. Then that feeling crept over him.


He grasped hs sister and hugged her wth all hs mght.
" I can feel it. Crystin,Crystin," He said over and over. He looked around at his siblings.

[Mista P]

"Crystin was our sister. We lost her an' our father out at sea years ago. Most thought she was dead. Some knew she'd come back t'us."

Tar looked up, from East's chest, at Nico as he told her a brief overview of this Crystin. Looking at him with very lost and broken eyes, Tar's mind couldn't stop, but her mouth said nothing. So am I Crystin?...I don't...know...Why?... I don't remember.......Everything is just so black...gone...it's all gone......

"Lani dear, will ye come here? There's a good way t'tell. I knew ye reminded me of someone, old gel."
"Stop it, just stop it, Nico! She's been gone for five years an' you think she jus' washes up here again? Of all places?!"
“Leilani…”
"Look at what you're doin'! East even thinks it's possible too! An' then what, Nico? When it's not her, what will you do then?"
“Who are ye t’day its not, wot?”
"Fine,"
“Miss…”

As East gently pried Tar off of him Tar gently let go. She had cried enough. She had nothing left. Standing up gingerly on her wounds and swaying abit till she found her balance, Tar stood next to Lani who didn't look very pleased.

They were excatly alike! Same height, same blended fur with solid underbelly, same bright blue eyes. The only differences were that Tar was more battle worn than Lani. Tar was scarred and showed evidence of malnourishment, however Lani was a solid Long Patrol Runner's build.

Looking down at her own paws. Tar sighed and began to speak, her voice cracking with emotion, before anybeast else could. "Lani..I don't know exactly how ta say this wot, but...I hate seenin' ye upset because o' me. I don't want to hurt ye. I know I've been rude an' ignorant an' all that. I guess I don't know much else. But if what yer all sayin' be true, I really don't want ye ta be upset with me....I guess...what I'm trying to say is.." Tar said as she looked up into Lani's face. "..I'm sorry wot...."

“Lani, could she be anybeast else? Its like a mirror.”
" Could this be true? Could we have really found her?
I can feel it. Crystin,Crystin,"

Tar/Crys, didn't know what to do as South all of a sudden gripped her in a bone-crushing hug. Gently patting him on the back, she was able to convince him to let go.

Sitting back back down on the cot next to East, Tar, eyes a tad bit moist, but unwilling to cry sighed and began to speak again. " Well, if I'm this Crystin. Then how come I can't remember a bally thing wot....I try remeberin' past the ship, but I hit a black wall! The only things I can sort o' grasp are in me dreams....Voices? But I can't tell what their sayin'...Rain maybe?...Eyes. Defiantly eyes. Red ones.....But who knows if they are my past? Probably made them up."

Tar/Crys looked down at her bandaged paws as she waited for an answer as everybeast stared at her. Letting her ears flop down to half-mast, she whispered to herself...."I'm useless."....