Wapun Meadow it isn't about the stuff

'No'?! No?!?! Bewilderment and what little levity was left in Brou's face were fast evaporating as she instead offered one upcurled lip. Take. It. BACK, she gritted out, eyes glittering as she stepped stiffly forward. She was so sure that if she just pressed him enough the old way-more-fun wussy version of Charles would reappear. Though did she have to whup it outta him now? Despite her glaring and obvious threats Brou was scrambling to envision what that might look like, in her mind—she'd never been in a real tussle, not really, but hey if this bratty boy was gonna make her defend her honor she supposed there was no time like the present. He couldn't have any more alternate identities up his furry sleeves, right?! Surely not. Surely there was no way she would lose if this wimpy guy was really going to insist on picking a fight...

She was caught flat-footed when instead he did pretty much the exact opposite, whipping tail-about and fleeing instead. For a heartbeat or two Brou just stared angrily after him, affronted as much by this next sudden shift of his as anything, and just when she'd been psyching herself up for a fight, too!  Though how could he claim she was the scared one here?! No way! That—that twerp! He really ought to have stayed here and faced his crimes, by all lights, but Brouhaha wasn't really much in the mood anymore. All the entertainment had suddenly vanished from the day, leaving in its wake only a surly disenchanment. Oh yeah, yeah, you stick-legged bat-eared smelly little freak?! That's what you think! Okay, really not impressive as comebacks went but Brou was kind of pressed for time here, all right? Indeed she already was uncertain the fast-blazing boy was within earshot anymore. But she took another bold step after him and shrieked some more, just for good measure. Yeah you better run! Next time I'll feed you to the fish myself, you slimy dullnosed little runt!

An instant later she sagged in place as Charles whooshed over a small distant rise and disappeared, all the fight going out of her all at once and her tail drooping like a branch overladen with snow. Well that had been a disappointment. Where on earth had she gone wrong?! No...no, wait, on second thought it surely wasn't her fault at all; it was that dumb boy Charles with whom something was terribly wrong. Not her fault at all. But as she turned for home her footsteps dragged rather dejectedly. She had hoped that for once she might have actually made a friend, darnit. If only that Charles hadn't had to go and ruin it all. Blast!