[ti]PLOT THREAD[/ti]The Great Escape

Snoring and sleep-filled snorts filled the halls, bouncing from the corners of the room to create an almost booming sound as the pile of Why'o members peacefully slept together in their typical piles. Friends atop friends, those who had formed beef snuggling up with those who antagonized them - it was honestly a very peaceful existence. There was one member, whoever, whom sleep seemed to evade.

Haka'far lay upon the floor surrounded by his loved ones. His mind was racing as the day that his best friend, Jarri'hin, was destined to leave the Why'o clan seemed to be fast approaching. His ears lay flat upon his head as he tried to drown out the constant noise. It wasn't the snoring that was getting to him, but a nagging voice in his own mind that he couldn't quite get to shut up and leave him alone to sleep.

A familiar voice caught his attention as the whisper sounded from only a few paces away. Instinctively, the pup's head shot up, ears alert and turned towards the recognizable voice of his chief, Li'Navira. With a quick frown and a look of panic in his eye he immediately dropped his head back down onto his paws, closed his eyes, and feigned sleep. One ear remained up and listening until two sets of paws set off outside of the prison. Where was she going at this hour? And who had she taken with her? If he had had the time to take a head count the cadet would have been able to determine exactly who was missing from the room and piles - as was the nature of the closeness within the Why'o clan. But who it was was only of minor importance. Obviously she was doing some sort of conspiring. Wait... what day was it? Lifting his head once again - after being sure the two wakened adults were gone - he searched out the agouti coated husky, Kukuk. Was he still here? What if Navira and Kukuk had gone off to meet with the Rith'r Flik? What if they planned to come back and take Jarri'hin tonight? How could she?! Without even letting him say goodbye to his very best friend!

His heart was pounding in his chest with an impending panic. Looking down at the small, sleeping form of his friend eased his fear only slightly. What was he supposed to do when she was gone? But Li'Navira had said... Ugh. She was chief. The chief makes all the decisions. The chief knows best. Chief Navira, chief Navira, chief, chief, chief! If only she wasn't chief. But then, who? The ibizan pondered the question for a short time. Looking between his three closest companions - Jarri'hin, Lendri, and Kira - as he considered. Who?

Then, the answer struck him like a lightning bolt. Who better than Haka'far? He already basically was their leader. The leader of their small gang. He could be a clan leader! But... no. They wouldn't go for that. Especially not Kira. Well... maybe... No. He wouldn't leave his sister behind while seceding from the Why'o clan. That would be too far. Even for him. But, how could he convince them to come along? Obviously Jarri'hin would come with him for surely she did not want to leave her friends. Lendri was easy enough - all he needed was a bit of bullying. But Kira would push back. And Kira had the potential to turn Lendri against him. Hmm. What to do?

Hadn't the three siblings run away before? Yes! Before becoming cadets they had joined together and snuck out from the prison walls. Though, as bumbling ren Haka was nearly certain now that the adults had let them past. Lendri had fumbled about so much that surely a nightly patrol had caught them and let them through. He, of course, had been flawless in his execution. That was it! It was all coming together.

With a soft nudge he pushed at his sleepy friend, urging her to wake up and whispering in her ear. "Jarri... Jarri'hin... have you heard of Eti'uru?" As he spoke he continued nudging her. The question was a bit of a silly one. Of course she had to have heard of it as Haka'far was very boastful about his own accomplishment during the little mission. "Li'hali, I think we should do it since you missed out," he continued. "I'll wake the others so you don't have to go it alone."

A friendly smile was given in his betrayal-filled sincerity. With a shake of his rump he bumped Kira in his attempt to wake her and, craning his neck, he nipped at Lendri's ear before letting out a "Shhhhhhhhh!"

"Nu kef, u'ren!" he announced in a hushed whisper. "Jarri'hin has never done Eti'uru. Whaddya say we help her out?" His tail wagged as he glanced between each of his sleepy companions. His ears were up and his expression was that of a joy he had not felt in weeks.