Strong Words

"Strong Words" is a Season 3 Day 14 thread written on December 10, 2014. It takes place after Tezz and Clover make a deal with Stonegit.
== Summary ==
== Full Text ==
Treepelt Halfpaw: Treepelt dusted her hands off after climbing down from the fortress
unseen and stalked off in the direction she had last seen Tezz. She found him
sitting with his back against the wall of one of the huts, head bowed. She
snarled, balling her fists and walking faster.
"TEZZERET!!"
Tezzeret Verdile: Tezz shrank at the sound of his full name, well, his
first name. Still flinching as she was striding ever nearer he could only look
at his friend. “Yes, Tree?” His voice was trembling as it came out.
Treepelt Halfpaw: She stood directly in front of him, lashing her tail. ”What were
you THINKING?!”she yelled, feeling some of her lingering post-possession rage
returning to rush through her veins. Her claws slid out of her fingers
unconsciously. “What was the ONE THING I told you not to do, Tezz? What was it?
Huh?” Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was aware of how scared he was,
how sorry he looked. But none of that registered in her blazing anger.
Tezzeret Verdile: He shrank even further into the bench, all he felt
right now was regret. “I… Give myself to Stonegit.” Tezz looked up at her, at
the friend he had hurt. He knew this was only the first of two people that were
going to berate him for what he did, that almost made it worse. 
Treepelt Halfpaw: "Yes." She leaned forward as he shrank back, wanting him to
fully understand her terrified anger. Her ears were pinned all the way back and
she was fairly sure her pupils were contracted to the point of being
invisible. "And what did you do? What did you do, Tezz?"
Tezzeret Verdile: Tezz stood up and threw his arms around Tree. “I… I’m
so sorry Tree…” The words were choked out in between sobs against his best
friends shoulders. “I… don’t want anyone to die… because of me…”
Treepelt Halfpaw: Every boiling emotion Tree felt dissipated instantly as her friend
hugged her tightly, shaking and sobbing against her shoulder. She floundered
for a moment, still tangled up in a few strings of resentment, and then let go
of it completely, hugging him back and squeezing her eyes shut. 
"I know. I
know."
The tears began
gathering in her own eyes. She put a hand on the back of his head, holding him
as he cried the way he had done for her so many times before.
"I just…I
can’t lose one of my best friends, Tezz. It’s like…" She sniffed and her
voice grew thick. "For a second, I was possessed again. I lived through it
again. Everyone being scared, hiding, threatened by dragons…it was…it was the
Warden all over again, you weren’t there for that, you didn’t know, but that’s
what it was like…and…" She shook off her awful memories. "You scared
me, Tezz, don’t you dare do that to me again. Nobody’s going to die because of
you. I swear it, I swear we’re going to keep everyone safe. Okay?" She
pulled back and held him by the shoulders.
Tezzeret Verdile: "Just… don’t be mad at me for trying…" He
sniffed as he drew back. "You won’t lose me if I can help it, but I’m not
going to promise that I won’t give my life for the sake of the others."
Tezz looked up at Tree. "But nobody will die for me. Even
Pitch… whatever it is that he’s done.”
He sank back down
onto the bench. “But… thank you for caring Treepelt… It’s still weird for me…
having a family again.”
Treepelt Halfpaw: "You’re welcome." She sat next to him, curling her tail around her ankles. "I, ah…I should be thanking you for the same thing." Tree glanced up at him briefly. "And I know how you feel. When I was guarding the dungeon…I wanted to protect everyone, I wanted to get them out so badly. I was willing to….am willing to die for them. It’s how the Warden got me, she convinced me I was protecting them by keeping them locked up.”
She paused, unable to remember why she’d started rambling. “So, uh…I know what you’re feeling.” She looked away. “And yeah…it’s weird to have someone love you after a while, huh? You’re lucky to have Clover and Melira with you; they care about you a lot.”
Tezzeret Verdile: "Yeah, they’re closest to my heart. I’ve fallen for both of them. But they’re not my only family around here. Even though he’s gone off the deep end, I still have a lot of respect for Stonegit. Then there’s Kiri, I think of her as one of my mentors, like an aunt or something. Starlord, a mischievous cousin, I almost always have fun when she’s around."
He put his hand on Tree’s shoulder. “And there’s you, Treepelt, my best friend. You’re more like a sister to me now, actually. Here you are returning the favor for all those times you needed me. I don’t think I ever had to yell at you though, but I guess that’s just your method of counseling.” He smiled and pushed his fist into her arm. “Let’s go get Melira and Clover, find something to eat.” He paused as he stood up. “Well, after she yells at me of course. She hasn’t gotten around to that.”
Treepelt Halfpaw: She smiled weakly and got up with him, following him back into the more populated reaches of camp. “Sorry I yelled. I was just…worried. I’m overprotective, I guess.” She nudged him back with an elbow. “And you’re a pretty good brother yourself.”
Still, as they walked side-by-side, something Tezz had said didn’t sit right with
Treepelt. 
…I still have a lot of respect for Stonegit…
…Stonegit.
Tree curled her lip at his name and glanced back at the fortress, ears flattening. 
He needs to be stopped.
Category:Season 3
Category:Events
Category:BOTGD
Category:Treepelt Halfpaw
Category:Tezzeret Verdile