For #LineByLineTime – “Misunderstandings”

Moonsinger pointed her tail at Shadowstalker. “Remove the shackles from this male immediately!”

Shadowstalker looked quickly at Loper, who only stared back and shrugged, passing the problem back to him. The older male shuffled his feet and switched his tail, but finally stuttered, “We – we can’t!”

The elderly female Striker stiffened. “YOU DARE! You dare to defy a Den Mother in her OWN DEN!” Her voice thundered in the cavern and echoed back from the passageways. Almost every Lunatic in the cavern cowered, covering their heads, including the beta males who had roused her ire. The shackled male only tipped his head sideways, watching Moonsinger change her tail from a pointer to a club. Striker changed her tail to a club as well.

The shackles on the male rattled as he moved in front of both females. “No,” he said.

They stared at him. “You would protect these two males?” Moonsinger demanded.

“You didn’t listen,” the male said calmly. “He didn’t say they WOULD not. He said they COULD not. There’s a difference.”

The females’ tails relaxed and they both sat back, moving their gaze to the beta males.

Shadowstalker and Loper exhaled noisily. Loper raised his head just enough to nod jerkily. “He speaks truth. We were not given the keys. We were to deliver him as he is.”

Moonsinger narrowed her eyes. “Then how can they be removed? I will not leave shackles on someone who risked their lives to save one of mine.”

The male before her shrugged. “That’s no problem. I’d have freed myself a long time ago, but I wanted to see where they were supposed to deliver me.”