Redwall MUCK Forum

SCENE: Salamandastron Infirmary Recovery

CHARACTERS: All hares
Terrence, male.
Felicity and Julia, females.
Dominik, male. 
Spoofed female Healer. 

LOG:
It has been an /interesting/ past couple of weeks for Terrence, to say the least. Adjusting to the new lieutenant has not been easy - while Lt. Velm was totally within his right to order Elbio in charge of /that/ particular group of troublesome recruits, the sergeant couldn't help feeling interfered with when it came to the recruits' training. He'd had his own plans for them after all, but now it was done and trying to change it would muddle things further - but he wouldn't completely abandon the new ensign, not yet at least. With these thoughts swirling around in his head Terrence enters the infirm and quickly crosses to the recovery room where at least /some/ good news was. With a polite knock on the doorframe he smiles. "Hello, Felicity!" It's been some time since he's last been in here, having had to double down on his duties and take no breaks.   

The door opens, and the Healer who's been assigned to take care of the doe smiles and lets him in. "She's not fully better, but there's certainly improvement." Felicity is still in her rocking chair, but instead of staring out at nothing, she's drawing. Her ears twitch, but she doesn't respond to her name like she used to. But at least she's doing something.

Terrence nods, his attention on Felicity. "I see that, but improvement's still improvement in my book." He steps fully into the room doing his best to contain the excitement he feels as he walks over. "Felicity?" He tries her name again, looking for any more of a response.   

The Healer returns to her book, although she's still paying attention to what's going on. Felicity's ears twitch again, and she finally looks up, her gaze blank for a few moments before she focuses on his face. "...Terrence?" She straightens, having been hunched over her sketchbook, and smooths the blanket on her lap. She blinks a few times, maybe a little confused. "Hi..."   

face brightening as she says his name, Terrence's smile grows and he nods. "It's me, yes - and hello. Been a while, hasn't it?" The refeif is evident in his voice.   

Felicity smiles a little. She still looks a bit out of touch, but she appears much like her old self. "Yeah....'ave I really been in 'ere foh months? I don't remembah much....an' what I do, I'd...I'd rathah...fohget it." She sets her sketchbook on the cot beside her. The page is covered in pictures of Gorax and monitors, and there's a drawing of the doe herself, except with her mouth sewn shut.
   
Terrence blinks, the time frame finally dawning on him. "Well, yes. It has been months, hasn't it." The sergeant glances down at the drawing and his eyebrows raise as he's taken aback, though he quickly gathers himself and decides it's best to leave that unaddressed for now. "I don't blame you fo'h wanting to forget, Lissie. I don't."   

It seems as if Felicity is receiving a visit from someone else...or rather, two someone elses, as a large, familiar head peeks around the corner of the door into the room. Checking if it is okay to enter, the hare gets the go-ahead from the healer, but before he steps in, he ducks his head down and whispers something to someone who appears to be just a tad shorter than him. "Psssst. Said it okay, ve can go in, say hello..." he replies to the small doe who is accompanying him. "No running, though, yes?" he gently warns, before he lets Julia go in ahead of him to see her sister. Dom hangs back a bit, giving a nod to Terrence as he sees him there in the room as well.   

Felicity doesn't notice his reaction to her drawings, seeming to be losing focus again, her smile draining away. "I...yeah....but I can't quite seem to..." "Hi, Lissie," Julia says happily, being careful to walk over even though she really wants to run. The older doe quickly shuts her sketchbook, suddenly jerking into full awareness. Her smile returns. "Julia, love, 'tis good t'see you." The leveret crawls into her sister's lap and hugs her tight. Felicity looks up at her friends. "....Dominik....hi...."

Nodding in return to Dom, Terrence takes a step back. "Well, there's genuinely a rule about not having more than whateveh many visito'hs at a time, wot." As Julia passes by him the sergeant waves a farewell to the three hares as he heads for the door. "I'll make my leave before a healah makes a fuzz - I'll try to be back latah, if I can though."   

Dominik puts on his best attempt at a smile as he watches Julia climbing up and clinging tight to her sister, the large buck giving Felicity a nod at her greeting. He knows how much Julia missed her sister, and so he lets them reunite for a bit before he decides to approach. He remains in the spot near the door, arms folding across his broad chest. "Hello, Felicity. Dom is...happy to see, is feelink better, yes?" he comments, softly. "Leetle vun, is driving crazies, vanting to see yous, all the times. Am thinking all Dom's fur is beginning to fall out," he jokes. "Is not made for bows and ribbons, is supposing." He gives a nod to Terrence as he turns to leave, shifting a little in the spot he is leaning.   

This isn't Julia's first visit to her sister, but she's as happy as if it is. She pulls out a folded piece of paper and starts to unfold it. "I drawed-" "Drew," Felicity corrects automatically. "I /drew/ y'anovver drawing, Lissie!" The leveret proudly shows it off, revealing that it's a really big flower. Felicity smiles and accepts it. "Why, thank y', Julia! 'Tis lovely." She hugs her sister close and looks back at the buck. "You look nice with bows, though, Dom," she tries for a joke.   

Dominik eyes Julia as the leveret hands her sister the drawing she'd worked extremely hard on. "Is nice flower, yes? Took her qvite a long time to finish, vas thinkin' that Dom's fur vas better to draw on then papers," he smirks, a little, the buck lifting his arm and showing the various marks made there by various drawing implements...which he hadn't gotten around to washing off, just yet. "Vas good practice, though, looks like." The buck eyes Felicity warily at her joke, but cracks a smile after a few moments. "Hmm. Leverets seem to think this too, for some reason. Have replaced medals with ribbons and bows, is looking like." The large buck shrugs. "But, in most case, Julia vas good, and vas behavings." He nods, with a smile. "Dom enjoy time spent vith leetle vuns. Is seeming others prefer this to spending times in catacombs, vith Blorg."   

Felicity smiles as her sister contentedly cuddles in her lap. "I think y've still got medals, they just look different now. Most beasts wouldn't be willin' t'spend so much time wi' th'leverets." Julia wrinkles her nose at the buck. "Why y'wanna be in da catacombs when y'could be wi' us 'avin' fun? 'Tis ridicilulous!" Her sister smiles a little. "She 'as a point."   

Dominik gives a soft sigh, his ears flicking for a moment as his gaze drops a little. "Is...a bit complicated, leetle Julia." He lifts a paw and rubs at the back of his head uneasily, before his eyes lift again. "Do not misunderstand, Dom alvays love being vith leetle vuns..." he smiles. "...but, in some vays, brain is not...completely back to normals, yet. Dom spends time there, to clear head, make sure does not ever go crazies again. Speaking vith Blorg helps vith this." He shrugs, explaining his reasoning. "But, anyvay...how is Felicity feeling? You look qvite a lot better, must say. Dom must apologize for not visiting a lot. Peeked in every now and then, but you were...not qvite there, at the times."   

Julia wrinkles her nose, not quite understanding, but also not arguing. Felicity blinks. "Sorry....I..." her gaze starts to fade again. "I..." she hugs her sister again, not answering his question. Julia looks worried. "Lissie, you okay?"
   
Dominik takes the opportunity to step closer now as he sees Felicity seeming to relapse a little into her previous state. As he approaches the doe, he reaches out his paw, and attempts to take firm hold of her chin so he can level her gaze at him. His own eyes are intense, the buck concentrating on Felicity as he does his best to get her to look him in the eye. "Felicity..." his voice changes tone, now much more firm and direct. "Do -not- let this overtake you vunce again. Dom has been in position, knows vat is like. Too many times, let brain-fog take over. Look at me..." he commands, the buck's eyes narrowing, as his attention remains focused on the doe. "Your sister is here, now. Terrence vas here. Dom is here. All friends. Think of this, do not let the fog take over..."   

Julia gulps, looking a little frightened, but then she gathers her courage and hugs her sister around her neck, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Yeah, it be okies. I gotcha!" Felicity looks into the buck's eyes, then blinks and looks ready to cry. But she's present in this moment instead of retreating into her mind.

Dominik is inwardly pleased that Julia takes the initiative and seemingly knows just what to do to try and help her sister, as his eyes shift to watch the leveret wrap her arms around Felicity's neck to hug her, for a moment. They immediately return to Felicity as his gaze locks on hers. He seems determined not to let her slip back into her own mind once again. "Dom remembers vhen he vas in bad state. No vun else vanted to help, vanted to kick out and leave to fend for self. But Felicity put footpaw down. Felicity offered to help Dom, spend time vith Dom, to make sure it did not happen again. Helped to bring Dom back." He lets a smile crack his muzzle, his paw still remaining there gently holding the doe's chin. "Is somethink Dom vil never forget. So now, is turn to help Felicity. You have sister who loves you, to take care of. Have Terrence, who also loves. Also have Dom. Many reasons to fight back."   

Felicity starts to cry. Julia pats her back in that awkward Dibbun fashion. "It okies, Lissie." She thinks for a moment, remembering something she was told. "I cry, too, when I get scared." The older doe hugs her close and continues to cry. The Healer stands and hovers nearby, clearly concerned, but for now she's not interfering. Just watching.   

Dominik notices the healer beginning to rise to intervene, but Dom lifts a paw and holds it up in her direction, motioning for her to stop. Definitely something that would be wise to heed at this point, it seems. His attention remains focused on Felicity still, however, and as she is overtaken with emotion, his paw withdraws from her chin, and he simply crouches there and lets Julia do her best to comfort her. "Is okay," he rumbles. "Is good sign. Emotions are returning, crying is good." That smile grows upon the buck's muzzle, and he gently gives Felicity's cheek a light pat, pressing it there for a moment. "Vhenever is feeling like is going to fall back into old vays, remember vat Dom tells you. Let the memories of friends and family fight the battle inside here..." His paw lifts, and he gently taps it against the side of Felicity's head. "And also here." He shifts the paw down to hover it over the doe's heart. "Use both things to fight. Both are good veapons."

The Healer scowls slightly at the buck, but his back is turned so he doesn't notice. Julia continues patting her sister on the back. Felicity sniffles and cries, but she nods so the big hare knows she heard him. The Healer steps forward and strokes Felicity's head. "Would y'like some tea, deah?" The Sergeant nods, and the Healer goes to the fireplace.   

Dominik glances back over his shoulder as Terrence returns, and as the healer nears and begins to tend to the doe, he slowly rises back to his full height. He seems content to let Julia, Terrence and the healer take things from here...he feels as if he'd said his piece, and has given Felicity something to ponder over and think about. He also hopes he'd given her a weapon to use to fight against that fog in her head. "Dom is going now, but is hopink Felicity vil think about his words, yes? You are stronger than you know. Dom knows that Felicity vil be right as rain in no time, vith help from Julia and Terrence. If ever need to speak, vil know vere to find." With that the large buck begins to make his way towards the door. He pauses there to give Felicity a smile and a nod, before he slips back out once again.   

Terrence , who had paused in the doorway to take in what was going on, realizes Dom was on his way out too late. "Wait Dom!" But the big hare is already gone and the sergeant doesn't have enough energy to chase after him. "Well, damn." Shaking his head he comes back into the room. "I was hoping to tell him I'm putting him with Elbio's band of misfits," He says as way of explaining - even if he's not sure Julia or Felicity is listening or fully understands, "With the primary purpose of seeing how he acts in a corporal role. And sort those twerps of recruits out while he's at it."

Felicity gets her crying under control. Julia pats her sister on the head, then whispers something to her and hops down to go help the Healer. The older doe looks up at the buck, slightly confused. "Who's Elbio? An' whot's this 'bout bad Recruits?"   

Terrence had realized too late that she was crying, and now awkwardly stands nearby rubbing the back of his head. Julia seems to have things under control, though - until she goes off to the healer. "Ah, yes Elbio-" Figuring the best way to handle it is to have a normal conversation, he starts a flood of information, "He's the new ensign. Came here with the recruits that ol' corporal - /Sergeant/ Adrian and Corporal Monty picked up in their travels. He's going to be the new Redwall Hare, as well as being a new officer. As fo'h bad recruits - well, the new Lieutenant, Velm, put the poo'h hare in charge of ou'h more belligerent recruits. I had planned to put them in with Greenhill and he'h squad, but now...Well, I hope Dom can help."   

Felicity frowns. "I do 'ope 'e doesn't 'ave Whisowski.....although may'ap 'e listens bettah t'male's than 'e evah did t'me..." The Healer and Julia bring Felicity's tea over, and the doe sips it. The leveret yawns. "Mm, looks like 'tis somebeast's bedtime," notes the Healer, to which Julia protests, "No, I no wanna go t'bed!" Felicity sighs. "Maybe Terrence could read y'a bedtime story?" Felicity looks up at him as she says this.

"Pvt. Whisowski I'm thinking I'll send to Greenhill's unit." Terrence laughs. "That pack of veterans'll sort him, I think." He glances at the leveret as he's volunteered, and he nods. "Maybe I can, though I'm not much of a performah myself."   

Julia pouts for a moment, then walks over to the buck. "Okies....but I picks da book!" She then goes to grab his paw and lead him to the Dibbun dormitories. Felicity waves, then thinks about what everyone had told her while the Healer helps her get ready for bed, too.

"Right - riight." He spares a glance back at Felicity as he's dragged away. "Well, suppose good night then!" Terrence says with a wave of his own, bent slightly double as the leveret pulls his paw out of the room.

~*END*~

Thanks for reading!