Shadowed Scales

Chapter 18: Secrets From Pretzel Dip

_CHAPTER EIGHTEEN_

Secrets From Pretzel Dip

"What happen to your arms?" Beppi pointed out. "Did you get yourself into a beehive?"

Sameer was starting to get fed up with Daymas' attitude. He shut his book, slithering out of bed to confront the Spanish fighting bull. Despite the bull being twelve or thirteen years old, he developed a bit of muscle like those of a wrestler.

"Go and ask that black bird behind you!" Daymas bellowed in anger, causing Arthur to cover his ears while Sameer flared his hood. Tek simply shrugged.

"He started pushing me when I can't finish his painting," said Tek, snapping his beak. "Of course, we were both sent to the mess hall kitchen as punishment."

"You're the one who threw tomatoes at me," Daymas snorted, trying his best not to scratch his arms. "You could've killed me!"

"I wasn't the one who threw ice," Tek retorted, ruffling his feathers. The other four stood close together as they watched the bull and raven. "Besides, you never told the counsellors that you are allergic to tomatoes. We wouldn't have been in this mess because of it."

Daymas was about to punch but Maccus intercepted it while Sameer coiled around his torso like a belt. Beppi and Arthur had done their best to shield Tek despite his protests. All of this commotion, Sameer noticed, was taking its toll on poor Arthur who tried to cover his ears.

"STOP FIGHTING! PLEASE STOP FIGHTING!" Beppi yelled on top of his lungs, a throaty growl was emitted from the stressed marsupial. Sameer and the others were stunned by the sudden screams.

It was something that would be described as nightmarish.

"I want us to get along!" Beppi's loud growls filled the whole cabin. Tears were welling up in his eyes as he continued, shifting from Daymas to Tek and the rest of Maelstrom cabin. "I know we're all from the same school, but it doesn't mean we should be fighting each other. We're Gryphon Cross boys....we're not monsters..."

"Beppi's right," Arthur's voice squeaked over Beppi's snarls and grunts. The poor bat was covering his ears from all of the screams. "I don't want us to get hurt or worst! Please, stop fighting! I don't want anyone to die!"

There was tension in the air and Beppi's constant screams alerted a few campers and counsellors to burst into their cabin. Sameer couldn't blame them since Beppi's screams sounded like someone getting tortured.

"What's with all the noise?" Naia demanded. "Some of us are trying to relax!"

"What's wrong with his arms? Did you carnivores try to bite him?"

"Hey, does it look like we have the teeth for it?!" Tek squawked indignantly. "We're just having a private conversation. This has nothing to do with you!"

A single clap from their counsellor, a red kangaroo stopped everyone's voices from overlapping each other. "Enough! Gryphon Cross, the six of you will NOT be having dinner with the rest of us at the mess hall!"

Sameer thought it was unfair since it was Tek and Daymas who started the argument while Beppi tried to stop them. Then again, he wouldn't dare to intervene or else he will make things worse.

"W-were sorry," Arthur spoke those words quietly, ears drooped while his face was at the same level as the counsellor's. It never ceased to amaze Sameer on how Arthur does that.

"Hmmph! It's not going to give you any free food tonight," the counsellor crossed her arms. "We will see the six of you tomorrow morning."

With that, the others left except Naia who gave them a sympathetic look. Sameer snapped out of his stupor, extending his tail as invitation. "Sorry about Tek. He's always thinking that his feathers are going to molt."