Caroline stormed down the hall past frantic keepers. Several of them rushed back and forth down the hall, either heading in her direction or away from it – most were heading away, escaping from her dreaded goal... It was bad. All the Longs had been mobilised and were out in the field on his orders. She cringed and pressed on past haggard guards.
The otter came to the archway into Long Hall and saw a scene of utter chaos and confusion. In surprise, she saw a troubled jackal morph walking up to her.
“It’s no good, it’s out of my hands.” Were George’s blunt words. The patrol master continued past her, ears folded and tail in between his legs in defeat and compliance.
George the Cutlass had been put in his place and humbled – Caroline was stunned.
The otter archer pressed on to the office, ignoring the scene of chaos. As she got closer the sounds of unrest got louder and louder and she became truly frightened. Caroline neared the door and found the prime minister, ashen, heading towards her.
“I couldn’t resolve it, I... I tried.” She said, trying to maintain a stately countenance with little success.
Minding the fleeing PM, Carol came to the door from which a haggard horse morph spawned, “I... I have no power here!” Thomas whimpered and continued past, a distant look in his eyes as he followed the same path as his daughter, the patrol master and everyone else.
Caroline took a deep breath, put her hand to the door and opened it.
The room beyond was in a state of utter devastation, the otter had more pressing concerns though, when she had to duck a plate thrown at her head.
“Where are my Longs?!” The fox screamed. “Why haven’t they returned?!!!”
Caroline closed the door behind her, “They are hunting for you right now, all of them...”
“But I want them here NOWWWW!” He screamed.
“But you have plenty of food in here already, you don’t need an entire dee-” She ducked another plate.
Misha the fox kit jumped up and down on his desk, how that youthful bath water found it’s way to him they were all wondering and regretting.
“Why don’t you eat your porridge?” She asked gently, “It looks very nice.”
“It’s too hot!” He said and kicked the bowl onto the floor, “It’s too cold!!!” He said and kicked another bowl next to it. “Where are my muffins? I want my muffins!”
“Give me MUFFINS!!!”
Misha gasped for breath.
The fox woke up with a start, panting heavily.
He looked about the room, dawn was still several hours away. Caroline sat in his lap, next to the smouldering fire. On the far end a shadowy figure sat in a chair, that gave him a momentary fright until he realised it to be Bridgette and she was asleep anyway. Near her form was the Long’s bed and the two figures they’d placed within shortly after they knew they were finally asleep.
It was hard to tell in the darkness even with his night vision but the forms looked a little larger, by morning they would be back to normal, hopefully.
Misha sat back and sighed, by this time Caroline stirred. The otter looked up at her love with tired but caring eyes.
“Can’t sleep?”
Misha muzzle nuzzled her, “Just a bad dream, I think the kits in the story you told rubbed off on me, heh.”
Caroline licked him on the nose, “I see. Our children won’t be like that, Misha, I’ll see to that.”
“Hmmm, yup, I know.” He said and continued nuzzling, his confidence gradually restored.
“And you can always get someone to sit for them,” She yawned, “Now and then.”
Misha nodded and grinned with an idea for a candidate forming in his mind. His tail wagged, it was still sore... But that’s okay; he’ll use that in his bargaining power, when he asks a certain feline to sit for them.