Blackfeather Woods mama, we're all going to hell

Nothing that he found in the cave, or was given exclusively to him, was touched. No meals had passed his lips since his arrival, no herbs (as far as he knew, since Titmouse slept much of the hours away), and any attempt at connection from his captors was met with silence or, more often than not, snide remarks and lots of curse words. By this point he was hungry enough (and drained enough of energy) that he might consider taking something - but as he was alone within the big dark cave, the boy found himself idly chewing on whatever was around instead. The latest thing was a big chunk of stone; some part of the wall must have crumbled apart in the past... But whatever. It gave him something to focus on, something to do, and kept him from falling in to a drug-induced stupor for the upteenth time. All the while Titmouse thought, They'll notice I'm gone, referring to his siblings of course, they'll notice and they'll come and these assholes will pay.

The yearling holds no sign of hostility as he makes his way towards the first prisoner he wishes they never had, for it had not really been by choice that they had taken him. If it was up to Vaati, Titmouse would be nowhere near the dark woods or its vicinity. However, the circumstance had called for action, and upon witnessing the definite outcome of yet another enemy caused by mistaken, brash actions inflicted by one of their own, words would not have sufficed. It was clear, perhaps not on an outward eye looking in but to him, that the star-speckled girl had no idea what she was doing. She certainly never meant to kill him, not by her own volition. But others would not see it that way. On accident, Cassiopeia had set upon them yet another foe, and only time would tell what the precautions of her actions would play out to be. 

For now, Vaati can only anticipate what is to come, if it came at all. To prove that they woods meant no harm to the other was virtually the only thing he could do to soften the aftermath of stupid choices. Blackfeather Woods was evidently destined to pay, however, it would help in the slightest if he did not make a true enemy of this other boy who was almost the same age as him. He knows Cassiopeia has not been the same, his words had taken a toll on her, added to the regret of doing what she did. Perhaps, if he could make the other see that the attack had not truly been intentional, they could release him on the grounds of a mutual understanding. An understanding that did not need to end in bloodshed. Vaati approaches cautiously, slowly, stopping a few feet away from where the other lies. "Has my sister come to tend to your injuries yet?" He couldn't recall if he had told her to do so or not; the last few weeks of his life had seemed to blur together in a series of rather unfortunate events that he couldn't quite differentiate from one another, other than the fact that they had all sucked massive dragon balls.

His method for coping was strange but it worked. Titmouse chewed at the chunk of stone until his jaws were tired and the soil beneath was damp with his saliva. He thought he could taste minerals of some kind, while the texture reminded him more of clay, but now was not the time to elucidate. While chewing he managed to break off a chunk of rock, and it gave so suddenly that his teeth snapped, echoing in the cavern. The boy's ears twisted and he held himself quite still as the sounds died out, wondering if anyone heard or would come to check on him.

Someone did, but the pale creature did not show any signs of noticing what Tit had been up to. The boy dropped the pieces of stone from his mouth, licked his lips, and attuned to the shifting position of the stranger in the dark. It wasn't Green Eyes. Tit couldn't remember Vaati's involvement in his kidnapping at all. When the other boy finally stepped in to view he was towering above the weakened Redhawk. He moved slowly, deliberately, as if Tit was a monster eager to reach out and snap a spine or two.

His words sound hollow to Tit's ears. But it gives him some answers - or he thinks it does. Green Eyes was this kid's sister? What a family dynamic. Did they often work together to assault strangers and then dump them in caves? Tit wouldn't think long on the topic; he was watching the ghost, unable to take his eyes off of him partly out of fear that something might happen if he did, and partly because he was starved for attention. If this sister was the one who dragged him here, maybe this ghost could be swayed to his own side.

Are you here to let me out? He bravely questions. Or are you trying to make nice for what that bitch did to me? By the sound of his voice it was clear there was no 'making nice'. Titmouse wasn't going to make any of this easy for Green Eyes or this guy - Snow White, his brain deems him. Whatever. I'll tell you what I told her -- fuck right off. He concludes this with a direct stare, gold-eyes to... wait, was Snow White missing an eye or was that just a nasty scar? Go figure. He'd be missing more than that when his family got wind of all this.

The other opens his mouth and his ears flatten slightly as if turning away to the foul vocabulary used to describe the girl who he so vehemently protected. He doesn't like it. Not the way the other speaks without regard for the circumstances they are under, the seriousness of it all, and lastly, the insult upon Cassiopeia that scratches at the back of his head with no rest. The threat of a growl attempts to emerge from within his chords, but he doesn't let it surface. Not yet, at least. Acting upon primal instinct was what had got him into the mess of captives and enemies in the first place, and this was not a chance he could mess up by bearing his fangs and threatening to mount the other's head upon the bloodied borders that surrounded the shadowed woods.

Instead, the yearling scoffs audibly. "You're a man who got his ass handed to him by a girl who can't fight, now, who's really the bitch in this situation?" Vaati cocks his head condescendingly and shrugs, looking to him with an expectant glare that simply asked whether or not this other boy was really that stupid to throw insults at those who were keeping him alive. But, Vaati supposes, if the other really wanted to continue down that path, there really was no stopping them from killing him, dumping him down a cliff and denying that they had ever seen him before if he continued to increase how irritating he was. And they could probably do it and get away with it too, however, Vaati internally regains his cool and takes a deep breath, granting the other a chance to speak before he continued in his attempt to create some sort of understanding between them, even if it was threatened out of him.

He had a point. As soon as it was made Titmouse (impulsive, sensitive child that he still was) reacted instantly; he wanted to shout and scream like always, refute those claims and explain himself. His entire body pulsed with a wave of anger. The sudden sensation of his leg screaming at him in pain was what caught him, held him back. Titmouse was a stubborn guy and he wouldn't -- wouldn't -- let the pain show for his audience. There was no way he would confirm all that had been said. 

But he didn't have the constitution, not really. Titmouse gagged from the pain and dry-heaved, grit his teeth, and buckled low against the dirt. When his body calmed its response he lifted his head again but couldn't fathom words yet. Instead he leveled a glare at the white wolf - one that was filled with rage and hate. Maybe some of that emotion was reserved for Tit himself, but there was no way to know.

After a handful of moments he cooled off - perhaps inspired by the frigid ghost - and dryly crackled, They'll come for you. When they -- when they realize, they'll come and you'll die, and it won't matter how great either of you are. Sure his voice shook occasionally, and had the typical gravel he was known for - but his conviction was terrifying to behold.

Vaati doesn't expect him to comply so easily, it doesn't seem to be in the other's nature. Yet, he flinches sightly as the other abruptly gags, dry heaving on an empty stomache that looked more uncomfortable than actually ejecting semi-disgested food. Vaati almost cringes, for this had not been the way he saw it panning out. He invisioned an agreement, a little expected hosility, but not the overly-stubborn being who simply refused to back down before him. But he had cracked much worse, he could do it again. 

The yearling shrugs at the captive's threats, unfazed by simple words as if he had not already wondered the exact same thing, from different enemies. There was always the threat of what could come, and truly nothing could prepare them for something they did not know the magnitude of. Perhaps that was another thing he could manage to get out of the other: information. Nothing damning, but the basics of what they needed to know. Rolling his eyes, he sighs undramatically, "So they come, so we die. Or maybe they come and we kill them. Either way, you're still here and writhing in pain so how about you cooperate and I can get you something for the leg," He indicates to the rather unfortunate looking thing, which indeed looked all too painful to withstand. Actually, the teen is rather suprised the other is still consious and not passed out from the pain, which he gives significant credit for. Otherwise, the other could simply die from his injuries and he would no longer be their problem. It created many more problems of course, but a disappearance was something that anyone could be blamed on, and was easily forgotten.

My mum can fix it, he squawked vehemently as a response to the offer. Titmouse did not trust anyone in this place, and he wouldn't let anyone near his leg no matter how much it hurt. It was one break, and a pretty clean one at that. As long as he didn't move... But that meant he couldn't run or try to escape on his own volition. The more he thought, the less he talked, and the clearer things became -- he'd have to accept some help.

Not from this guy though, he abruptly decided. If your bitch-ass sister comes back, maybe she can do something. He tried to sound nonchalant but it was hard to keep the edge out of his voice. He mentally told himself, 'This is not giving in. This is not losing. They help me, I escape - they lose. They don't, its just a matter of time before I'm rescued,' but Titmouse was struggling to keep the faith, and his leg was only going to get worse.