The Lore Wain and Her Nephew Pt. 37

Once arriving back at the house, they came in the back door quietly. By this time, everyone had fallen asleep. All except Celeste and Cy, who were supposed to be asleep as well. "Bean!" Celeste and Cy exclaimed at the same time. Zarabean came over to them quickly and gave them a hug. The others stirred but didn't wake up. They were all exhausted. "Maybe lower your voices a bit." Kinabrick said with a quiet tone. The two girls nodded to Kinabrick and seemed very relieved to see Zarabean. "Did they hit you?" Celeste asked, touching the side of Zarabean's face upon seeing his bruised nose. "My brother kicked me... But it doesn't matter now." Zarabean looked around at everyone. "Zarabean is worried they will be coming soon..." Kinabrick sighed. "Well, I could send word to our ships to bring a troop back here for extra protection. However, that would take two hours." Celeste looked at Kinabrick tiredly. "It might buy us some time... None of us are able to make the hour hike right now..." Kinabrick nodded to Celeste. "Before I go, allow me to put barricades in place, just in case they come before we get back." After being given permission, Kinabrick moved furniture to barricade the doors and windows. The commotion awoke Janner, who joined in helping him without question. Shortly after, Kinabrick left the house to return later that night. Zarabean could see that Celeste and Cy were exhausted so he urged them to rest. "You two get to sleep. You'll need energy to get back to the ship and... the night is almost over." Without much argument, the two drifted off to sleep on the floor. Once they were asleep, Zarabean faced Till and looked up at her. "Thank you for helping my friends... It was you who gave them the cure, wasn't it?" "Yes, it was me... But no need to thank me. It's what anyone should of done..." Till replied humbly, looking slightly down at Zarabean. He smiled sheepishly at her. "And... Thanks for helping me get free... Though, I don't know why you carried me all the way up that well. I could of climbed..." She raised an eyebrow, "I thought you were unable to, seeing as you let me do so." Zarabean suddenly became bashful. "Zarabean supposes he did..." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "He's... going to go rest now. Goodnight, Tilly." He quickly chose a place to rest on the floor and pulled a nearby cover over his head. Till watched him do so with a confused look on her face before smiling to herself. She chose a spot for herself to lay down as well and fell asleep. - An hour later, just as dawn was starting to break, Kinabrick arrived back at the docks to fetch a small troop of soldiers. Ramger was at last asleep in the Captain's cabin with Echo, who was sleeping in his basket. Kinabrick did not board Celeste's ship but boarded the one beside it and gathered the soldiers he thought were needed and headed back for Nala's orchard. - The crew was suddenly awakened by the sound of banging on the front door. When no one answered, banging commenced on the back door. And since no one answered either the back or the front door, they were greeted with a surprise. Soot in the chimney started falling down into the fireplace, putting the fire out. It was now cold and dark in the house so no one could see what happened next. As everyone looked around and held their breath, the sound of a someone falling down the chimney into the burnt wood was heard. "Ah!" A small voice eeped upon feeling the hot wood on its rear end. The sound of two small feet leaping onto the hardwood floor was heard. "If you are wise people, you'll surrender!" The voice of Pummi screamed into the darkness. "My tribe has you surrounded!" Janner lit a candle and held it over to see a filthy and angry looking Pummington. "Pummi, you don't have to do this!" Zarabean pleaded. "You have to let us go!" Pummi walked up to Zarabean with clear intention to hit him but Till slapped Pummi before he could get too close. "Ow!" Pummi exclaimed and looked at Till with surprise. It would seem he wasn't aware she was there. "Tilly?!" "Fatty." Till addressed Pummi with disdain. Clef leaned over and whispered to Celeste, "Is it me or does this feel like we're watching toddlers fight?" Celeste couldn't help but giggle but then she nudged Clef for making her laugh. Before Zarabean could intervene on behalf of Till, Celeste walked up to Pummi, who seemed to cower for a moment before realizing he was showing weakness before the enemy. "Pummi," Celeste began before kneeling to his height, "I think I know what you need." Pummi backed away from her with wary eyes. If it were another ridgerunner, he would of attacked by now but because it was a human, he knew he had little chance. Come to think of it, perhaps he shouldn't of leaned too far forward to call down the chimney earlier. At least then, he wouldn't of fallen inside on embers. "What are you talking about?" Pummi asked with a cynical tone. "Let me tell you a story." Celeste said with a shocking kindness in her voice.