Young Writers Society

Just

“Well, my fine speckled friend, you certainly are seeing things,” Just said calmly, taking another drink. “Unfortunately, Henry and young Whiskers there usually fight in the evenings.” He glanced at the cracked wall clock. “I say, they started a bit early today.”

“Shut up, Just,” said Jessamine.

“Well, pardon me,” Just put on a face of mock hurt and sat back, trying not to laugh.

“As I was saying,” Jessamine said, sending Just a reproachful look, “I think I’ve seen you around before.”

“As I said,” said Stitches. “I like to see things happening.”

(I'll post soon. Too tired right now.)

Basil

The night wind was starting to get chilly. Basil rubbed his paws against each other, his expression growing more and more stormy as the minutes ticked by. Pip was supposed to have met him here an hour ago, to fill Basil in on what was happening in the slums. The pup - for all his flakiness - was an excellent source of information.

But, of course, Pip had blown off their meeting, much to Basil's frustration. Basil didn't have unlimited time to spend looking for Pip. He had to focus on his studies at some point.

Basil glanced behind him and saw the dark bodies of a group of rats watching Basil from the shadows. Basil's fur rose. He was in a gang-controlled section of the slums. Usually this wouldn't be a problem, but no one knew Basil was here. Besides Pip, who had gone AWOL.

Basil adjusted his scarf and slowly picked his way away from the group. A seed of uneasiness grew in Basil's gut. Pip could take care of himself, but Basil wondered what had gone on that day to put the gang members on alert. They never usually bothered Basil.

Basil decided to try and find Pip.

Pip

Pip watched the barfight get roughly broken up without much interest. Sighing, he roughed up the fur on his head and glanced down the length of the bar to where the bar tender was methodically wiping away some glasses. Pip stared at him for a moment before the rat looked up and caught Pip's eye. Pip motioned him over with a single finger. The rat narrowed his eyes and stomped over.

"What?" asked the bar tender suspiciously.

"I'll have one of those," said Pip, pointing to the drink in Just's hand. The rat growled.

"No. We don't serve to pups. Besides, you couldn't pay for it."

"Watch me," said Pip, clenching his fist. The rat laughed, and Pip felt Jessamine punch him lightly, amused. The bar tender looked toward Jessie.

"Is he yours?"

Jessie laughed. "Absolutely not." The bar tender growled and stomped away. Pip rolled his eyes.

"Getting ahead of ourselves, are we?" snickered Jessamine in Pip's ear. Pip scoffed.

"This is the only place in the city that won't give me anything." Jessamine gave a bark of laughter and turned back to Just and Stitch's conversation. Pip sighed and glanced around the bar, bored. He turned at the sound of the doorbell jingling. Pip grinned.

"'Sil!" he cried. "'Sil! Over here!"

Basil turned towards Pip's voice, his eyes furrowed. He marched toward Pip quickly. "Basil, Pip. I've told you that before. It's Basil," the rat said gruffly, his eyes flashing. "Where were you today? We had an agreement."

Pip smirked. "Forgot," he said casually, leaning back in his stool. Basil's nose twitching in anger. He opened his mouth to say something when he was interrupted.

"Friend of yours, Pip?" asked Just coolly, locking eyes on Basil.

**Sorry for the LONG post!

Eary (Reheak)
-

Heavy breathing, coughing, then retching. That was the life of Reheak Eary.
He sat, bent towards the edge of the stone he sat on, throwing up bile, since food had long since left his body.
deep breaths he told himself, as the spasms left his body. "Phew," he mumbled, shaking his head to clear the fog from his mind. "Thats a relief."
As the burning in his throat died down, a new colder pain rose in his throat.

The pain of a loss.

Just

“Friend of yours, Pip?” Asked Just coolly, sizing up the other rat. Middle class, he thought, tending towards poor. Not many scratches. A rat with a nice upbringing, but not the somewhat politer manners usually found in middle to upper class society, it seemed. Just thought that this was not the sort of rat he would get along with. But still.

“Because it seems to me, you’ve rubbed him the wrong way. What’d a pup like you do to upset him?” he said, not taking his eyes off of Basil.

“We were supposed to meet,” said Pip easily. “I just forgot, that’s all.”

Stitches:

This was getting more interesting by the minute. He hovered in the background while Basil and Pip argued.

"Next time, you better not 'forget' or I'll have your tail off."

"Hey, I won't."

I hope he doesn't... I'm not up to reattachment yet. Stitches grinned and put up a paw to hide it. They went on for a while, then retreated into separate seats. Crisis averted.