Shadowed Scales

Chapter 11: Games That Gambled Morales

_CHAPTER ELEVEN_

Games That Gambled Morales

"The first game is Rescue Team!" one of the counsellors, a border collie announced cheerfully. "Now, when I call your names, please take the ribbons from Counsellor Eve. You will be given different colours, which will be your teams."

This was something Sameer dreaded the most! Not only was he going to be in a team but some of the campers may not be so friendly after his outburst during dinner. Besides that, there were a few gossips and rumours about him.

"I wonder where that cobra's going to go?"

"Hope he doesn't join me....I heard cobra venom could kill an elephant!"

"He's the Judge's son and yet he's acting like a baby! Judges don't act like that!"

Sameer flared his hood, wishing it would cover his face. He hasn't talked to anyone at camp since his arrival. It felt awkward to introduce himself and was expected to talk more than just a hello. He doesn't understand unnecessary talks after simple introductions.

When it was his turn, he received a blue ribbon. He scanned amongst the campers to find others with the same coloured ribbon. The group he was in consists of a female platypus, a moon she-bear, the Spanish bull from his cabin and a sambar doe.

"Wait a minute," the she-bear paused in her step. "We're missing one more group member. All of the other groups have six members."

And she was right. The bull crossed his arms, snorting in frustration. "Come on, we gotta find this guy! Wasting our time just because other teams have six!"

Sameer was about to argue when he spotted the last member of their team. It was none other than the blind Honduran white bat, Arthur. He simple slithered over to steer the fluffy bat into his group circle.

Needless to say, everyone looked disappointed.

"Are you kidding me?!" The bull was close to bellowing out in anger. "It's bad enough that we have girls on our team but a blind bat! Do the counsellors want me to lose?!?!?"

"Hey, we're a team! What do you have against girls?" the doe demanded, not caring that she was smaller than the bovine. Sameer raises his body so that he was face-to-face with him.

"You really think you can scare me, pretty worm?" the bull taunted, wrapping a hand around Sameer's neck. He may not have legs, but the Egyptian cobra was wriggling his way out of the bull's grip. His heart was pounding at a rapid pace while his eyes felt like popping out of their sockets.

"Oh, you think you can really fight me? I know everything about you snakes without reading a textbook!" the bull laughed, tightening his grip. All of the campers were petrified at the scene while some tried to call the counsellors.

Sameer was coughing violently, his throat was about to spill out blood. Just then, the bull let out a scream. When he released the cobra, Sameer began to cough, visions blurry from the sudden reaction.

Regaining his composure, he saw Arthur was nipping the bull by the ankle. Despite being small, the Honduran white bat was clinging for his dear life onto the thick ankle while the bull was trying to shake him off.

Sameer flared his hood, let out a warning hiss before coiling his entire length around the bull's waist to pull him down. It was the first time he had ever gotten himself in a fight with a large animal.

Before anything else could happen, the camp counsellors were already breaking the three of them up. Sameer leaned close to Arthur while glaring at the bull, who looked livid.

"That's it! I will not have any fights in my camp!!"

...

He never felt so humiliated!

As punishment from the morning game, Sameer's punishment was to prep food for the hungry campers in the kitchen. Besides him, Arthur and the bull who was called Daymas, were there to share the work.

Not only that, but they were also wearing frilly pink aprons!

"I want these potatoes peeled, boiled and mashed," instructed the camp's cook, who was hippopotamus. "Afterwards, wash the green beans and these eggs scrambled. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," the three of them answered in unison.

Once the cook left, Daymas gave both Sameer and Arthur a look at could trample the both of them. The Egyptian cobra was thankful that Arthur couldn't see since the Honduran white bat had a default smile on his face.

"You two are gonna pay for this," Daymas threatened as he pounded the potatoes. Sameer gulped, hood was flaring again. The sound of the bull's fist against the spuds in the bowl echoed the empty kitchen.

Was Daymas imagining himself beating down both him and Arthur?

"I-I don't think I have much pocket money on me," said Arthur, whose mouth was immediately covered by Sameer's tail. He made an emphasised shush in the bat's ear.

Thankfully, the blind bat understood.

When Daymas decided to visit the bathroom, Sameer turned his head towards Arthur, who was listening to the green beans before washing them. It was strange since no one puts vegetables close to their face to listen.

"Hey, I want to thank you for saving my life," said Sameer at a fast pace. This made Arthur paused, then faced him. His expression was something that couldn't be deciphered.

"You're welcome. Think of it as payment for helping me on the first day of school."

Sameer winced, feeling guilty about his frustrated self back at Gryphon Cross before the both of them fought at the library. Now that he was here with Arthur, he will to apologise for the trouble he had caused.

"Arthur...I-"

"Hey, what are you two doing?!" Daymas had returned from his bathroom trip. "I wanna get out of here once this is done. Stop wasting time and get back to work!"

And this was the least of his problems!