The West Woods

Chapter 11 : All's Unwell

Dawn broke like any other to the sound of Catcoons meowling as they crawled out of their burrows and the din of bees buzzing around the main yard, and the peacefulness was abruptly disrupted by the sound of yelling from the front gate. This was what roused Woodie from his sleep and alerted him to the realization that Wes was not next to him as he had been expecting.

There was a moment of grogginess before panic settled into his chest and stomach. He threw the beefalo covers from himself and grabbed his plaid shirt, buttoning it up as best he could manage with one hand while the other reached out to grab Lucy.

As he rushed to the gate he could make out the forms of Willow, Wolfgang, Wickerbottom, and the children. Wolfgang had his arms about Wes, holding him tightly while Wes kicked and flailed, teeth gritted and fists -gloves off- balled up. His body twisted this way and that while he tried to pry free of Wolfgang's grip.

Two new faces were among them. A man in a tattered red vest, with hair that reminded Woodie of a cat, and a bloody patch over his left eye. This man was kneeling with his arms around Webber and a scowl on his face.

The second man was in a torn up suit and was on his backside on the ground, a hand print clearly marked across his face that one could guess -by the look of things- was Wes'. This man was rubbing his face and seemingly Dazed from the slap. This man somehow seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"You must not throw punches, small friend. Even if the man in question is a mere bug who deserves to be squashed," Wolfgang said, trying to calm the other. Even still the gruffness of his voice hinted at some shared hostility toward the man.

"No no, by all means. Let him have at him, good sir," the man in the red vest chided. "If he chokes him to death we'll just smash his bones and use them for arrowheads. It is a better use than holding his saggy old muscles up."

Where did Woodie know this man? Why was Wes so hostile? Woodie had never seen Wes act this way before. Whatever this man had done to Wes had hurt him greatly. The thought made his hand tighten around Lucy.

"Say pal, control yourself would you? It was forever ago, right? Let bygones be bygones."

Say Pal.

Say Pal.

Say Pal.

SAY PAL!

Woodie did know this man. He knew this man had promised him something. He knew this man had tricked him. He knew this man was the reason he was trapped in this hellhole! He knew this man had probably done the same to Wes, and he was filled with a blind fury.

In the blink of an eye Lucy was on the ground and Woodie was over Max. His fists connected with the man's jaw over and over in succession. Maxwell's arms lifted to try and block him but it did little against Woodie's assault.

"That is quite enough!"

Wickerbottom latched onto his arm, putting all the weight she had into dragging Woodie off of the fiend. Woodie spat angrily at him even after he'd been tugged away. The librarian panted, worn from the exertion of lugging Woodie away and she adjusted her glasses on her nose before glaring at everyone.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves, fighting like this in front of the children. What example is this setting for them?"

Wes stopped his flailing but he was glaring even still. Woodie was not feeling any sort of guilt for hitting the man. He deserved it! He was the reason Woodie was here, he was likely the reason Wes was here. Hell, he was probably the reason all of them were here, children included. What kind of person did this to children?

"I know that he's wronged us, all of us, but it's no excuse to turn into savages," Wickerbottom stated, dusting her hands on her skirt. "We will work this out like adults, and nothing less. Children, please turn in for now, and don't come out of your cabin until I tell you. The rest of you meet me at the firepit."

And with that she marched off leaving everyone else speechless.

It had been settled that Max and his rather stubborn and angry acquaintance would be staying with them. Wes and Woodie's cabin had been promptly finished and two beds put in for them, and they moved all of their belongings in so that Max and his partner could occupy Wickerbottom's cabin until theirs was finished.

The man with the bloody patch over his eye and the cat like hair went by the name of Wilson. He was a scientist who had been down on his luck trying to make a machine that would help him find his son. Max had promised to give him the knowledge to do this, but as always Max hadn't made good on that vow and Wilson had ended up captive to this land just as everyone else had.

Wilson - as coincidence would have it - happened to be cousin to Willow, and the lost son he had been looking for was none other than Webber, who he referred to as 'Winston'.

Wilson had a grudge against Max the likes that could rival even Wes' own, and Woodie was not sure if he found that fitting, or concerning. Either way he knew that Max would be having no easy time now that they were all here. Woodie, admittedly was even joining in on Wilson and Wes' glaring from time to time.

No one could blame them.

In the end the bickering between Max and Wilson proved but one thing; Wes and Woodie's quiet and comfortable lives were now disrupted.