It only took a moment, as Lock was fed up with the drum lesson and went to the living areas to smoke. Barrel scurried out of the lair and up the rope ladder. He snorted as he tried to hold back his laughter.

"What'd you do to piss [i]her[/i] off?"

Of the three of them, Carver took the least abuse from Shock, so whenever she crossed a line with the tricksters' leader, it was almost always spectacular. Barrel also doubted the doctor tied her vines into knots...and particularly of the kind she couldn't easily pull herself free from.

But he obliged and pulled her over his shoulder so he could bring her down into the lair. While he couldn't make out [i]exactly[/i] what she was saying, he briefly heard Shock cursing from the tree house before the water from the bathtub drowned it out. It was probably best to stay down in the lair for a few hours. Maybe he'd warn Lock.

[I]Maybe[/i].