A fight on the good Ship of Valour (IC RP 6/20/2020 Dibbun Slavers TP)

BlisaMarshmellow · 2020-06-20 07:37:48 PM

SCENE: On The Ship of Valour, on the deep blue sea...

LOG:
It has been long enough on their voyage that land was far out of sight, yet Terrence still tends to look back in were he assumes the hare disappeared. He hasn't quite gotten that good at telling were he is without the sun and shore. Clutching the railing the sergeant keeps his eyes on the horizon, trying to ward off the inevitable sea-sickness that has been threatening to take hold of him since they got to deep water, but he figures its mind over matter. Forcing a smile at the passersby, the bespectacled hare has kept close to the edge of the boat not daring to go under deck even during the night. It was warm and pleasant enough today, which was a pleasant bonus, but still. "Damn...Can't believe not even a day in and I'm already wishing fo'h solid ground..." He mutters to himself.

The buck isn't the only one. Groans and moans can be heard from a number of the creatures on the ship, and DoraRose, one of the beasts suffering, stumbles above deck, clutching her stomach with her free arm as Felicity and Matilda support her. The mouse goes over to the railing on the port side of the vessel and leans over, sounding a bit like she's dying. As the hedgehog tries to give the mouse some special tea, Felicity, not looking miserable in the slightest, makes her way over to her fellow Sergeant. "Seems like most everybeast is 'avin' some trouble wi' th' sea," she remarks, seeming worried. Ciocan is at the helm, steering the ship and doing captainy things.

"Indeed." Terrence manages, smiling again in a way that seems more like a grimace. "I suppose that's what we get fo'h nevah having naval training o'h whatevah one calls it, eh?" With a quirked eyebrow he examines the Redwallers. "I suppose it might be worse fo'h them, eh? Living in the middle of a forest like they do..."

Felicity shrugs. "I dunno. Matilda seems t'be fine, but Ms. DoraRose is 'avin' it pretty bad. I wondah if age makes a difference -- Ms. Rose isn't quite old enough t'be m' Mum, but she's also not as young as we are, eithah." She leans on the rail, watching the rise and fall of the ship on the waves. "I'm doin' pretty well. 'Aven't felt sick once. Y'look like y'not doin' too well, though."

"I really am not." Terrence smiles again, unconvincingly. "And I know that at least half the privates are doing worse - they keep complaining to me about it all." With a laugh the sergeant turns back to look out at the sea. "I've heard that keeping you'h eyes on the horizon tends to help, though."

"Mmm....y'look like y'swallowed a bad fruit," Felicity remarks, looking at him, obviously not convinced by his smile at all. Matilda seems to be directing DoraRose to look out at the horizon, but so far all the mouse has done is rest her head on the rail and moaned. The auburn-furred doe turns to face her fellow Sergeant, leaning on the rail beside him. "Kinda glad we got this mission togethah, y'know? 'Tis nice t' 'ave more time t'chat." Since everything got even more hectic than usual in the Long Patrol recently.

There's a moment or so before Terrence answers. "Yes- yes. Glad." He begins, partly deflecting the conversation. His voice drops to a whisper so that the mouse and hedgehog can't hear. "I daresay though, well, I'm nervous about what will happen when we reach the slavahs - if we evah do. I know we've fought toads before, but I feel like these slavahs will be hardah to deal with. Especially with the wild cards that are those Redwallahs. They might be able to fight, but I'm not certain on how well they'll mesh with the patrol..."

Felicity frowns, but she tries to be logical instead of just jumping straight into defending the mouse, who she really looks up to.
The doe says, "But maybe tha's part o' th'point, Terrence. They're not like th'Patrol, they 'ave their own way o' fightin', and may'ap tha's no' a bad thing. The way we fight an' battle isn't th' only successful way t'do things. Many, many times o'er the seasons our ancestors lived through, th'Patrol an' Redwallah's an' their Mossflowah allies banded t'gethah successfully, an' while they didn't 'mesh'" she makes quotes in the air with her fingers as she says that word "with th'Patrol, they still worked t'gethah jus' fine, an' came out victorious in th' end."
Now she allows her hurt to show. "An' are y'really gonna be so focused on battle tactics an' tryin' t'force our allies int'bein' like th'Patrol tha' y'can't enjoy us bein' on the same ship f'r 4 weeks? Y'said y'liked me, y'took me out on a date, then y'practically ghosted me. I undahstand we've been busy, but I can't 'elp feelin'...I dunno, kinda 'urt an' ignored."

Terrence stiffens, keeping his eyes on the fair off horizon. "I-" He starts, in a quiet voice doing his best to turn and meet her gaze, "I'm sorry about that. All of it." He waves his paw vaguely. "I didn't mean to ghost you... not at all, no..." Taking in a deep breath (either to calm his nerves or try and settle his stomach), he continues. "I've just been - bah." Shaking his head he looks back out to sea. "I'm scared. I've been scared, fo'h a while now." His voice is louder now, more firm. "I don't think the patrol is quite ready fo'h a fight again. I know death is unavoidable in ou'h line of work, but even so - well. Well, I don't wan't hares to be killed, no mattah what." With a sigh he lets out what he's been holding in for nearly eight seasons. "If hares are going to die again, I'd much rathah it be because of the patrol's blundah rathah than some abbey-beasts fault, if that makes since. I mean, I don't want them giving ou'h hares orders, no mattah how they do things. They have thei'h own way and we have /ou'hs/. Even if the badgeh lord himself ordahs me to hand ovah command to any of them I'd refuse, because frankly-" With a nervous looks around he drops his voice again to a hiss, "I don't trust eithah his o'h the redwallahs' judgement in battle, not after what happened last time we helped them."

Felicity hugs herself as he apologizes, but as he continues, she just looks shocked, then angry. "'Twasn't th'fault o' th'Redwallahs tha' so many 'ares died! 'Ave y'even /read/ any o'th'repohts?? The base camp was ambushed wi' no warnin', an' th'group whot went t'th'Abbey was vastly outnumbahed, even wi' th'Redwallahs an' their allies there!"
She's not trying to be quiet, and some of those above deck are now watching them closely (although not the Badger Lord -- the doe isn't being quite that loud yet). "The Redwallah's weren't in command o' any o' th'Patrollahs who died, an' they 'ad no control o'er whot th'enemy did! They were stuck inside the Abbey durin' a flippin' /seige/! 'Ow could they 'ave prevented to attack on th'base camp? 'Ow could they 'ave prevented th'overwhelmin' amount o' deaths on all sides due to 'ow many o' the enemy there were??"
She's kind of gotten in his face now, obviously very upset. "'Ave y'even /talked/ t'any o' th' 'ares who went?" Her blue eyes flash. "None o'th'Redwallah's gave any o' our 'ares ordahs, an' 'twasn't th'fault o' th'Redwallahs we 'ad t'go 'elp 'em." He would know that she wasn't 1 of the ones who went to Mossflower that time, but she's still lumping herself in with them. "Y'allowed t'be afraid, but y'not allowed t'falsely accuse beasts if y' 'aven't read th'repohts 'bout it or talked t'any o' th'survivours!"

During her rant Terrence backs away as far as he can, shrinking away. However, there is one thing she says that cause his shoulders to straighten and he stands upright. In the moments of silence that follows, Terrence's mouth tightens and his eyes hold something that's not quite anger but are cold. When he speaks, he's still quiet but firm. "Felicity. I /know/ it's not the Redwallahs fault - not that time. I- I'm just expressing well- It was the bloody patrol and those heading it. I don't trust Ciocan-" Here, he doesn't bother with titles, "-o'h the rest of brass, let alone some fa'h off woodland ordah that seems to need rescuing every othah blasted summah." With a deep breath he turns away once again. "As fo'h survivahs, well... well. All the hares I knew and worked with /died there."/ He bites his paw. "I- I nevah read those reports because I..." With shake of his head and a sigh he falls silent once more, leaning heavily on the railing his eyes closed. After a long pause he says, in a calmer tone, "That cannot happen again. But I'm scared it will - it doesn't need to be a patrolah's fault o'h the badgeh lord's o'h the Redwallahs'. It just needs one bad decision."

Felicity scowls. "O' course they need t'be rescued -- they're a peaceful Ordah! I think all theih best Warriohs are on this bloomin' ship!" She curses. "Redwall could be undah attack righ' now an' we wouldn't know it!"
DoraRose is trying to pull herself together enough to come over and try to smooth things down, but all she can do is take 1 step before her seasickness rolls back over her and Matilda has to catch her. Ciocan has noticed the fight (although he still can't hear what it's about), but no one else who knows how to steer a ship is available to take over from him just yet.
The haremaid's paws curl into fists. "If y'don't trust 'is Lordship, then why 'aven't y'left th'Patrol by now? An' if y'so scared 'bout somethin' tha' can't be prevented, then why are y'botherin' t'go on livin'??" She deoesn't mean that, not in the slightest. She's just really, really angry right now. Dora straightens up as best as she can. "Felicity...." The Sergeant waves a paw at her to shush her.
Felicity shakes her head. "An' why th'" she knows some very choice words! "would y'not read the repohts if y'want it t'nevah 'appen again?? Tha's th'best way t'prevent things, is t'read whot 'appened in th'past!"

Rufus flies onto the railing, luckly not near the hares, and tilts his head "What wrong with bunnies?"He asks, a private shrugs like he has no clue, a couple others look closer....ohhh an arguement.The sea gull yarks loudly "Stupid bunnies need fight bad beasts...not selfs"

By now even the hares who were purposely ignoring the sergeants have to take notice, with others, such as Konner, seem almost eager for the fight. Terrence, however, doesn't seem to be all that angry all things considered. At least not until the bird has the 'gull' to squad at them - earning Rufus a look that implies the buck is trying to strangle him with his mind. "Why? /Why/?" Terrence voice is raised for the first time, even as he taps the railing to do his best to ignore the seagull from now on. "Felicity I-" Nostrils flaring, the bespectacled hare shrugs. "I don't want my friends - the hares I care about - to follow fools to thei'h graves. Trust me, I left the patrol once and I've thought 'bout doing it once again. /But I haven't./ And the reports? Ha." A fit of manic mirthless laughter takes hold of him, and he clutches the railing for support. "Sure, I'd /love/ to read 'bout th'deaths of my fathah and squad and nearly every hare I was friendly with besides you and Ewan, /sounds absolutely blinkin' lovely./" He hisses, before sliding down as sea-sickness washes over him. "Of course, Ewan died latch anyway, the poo'h sod." There's bitterness in the words, and he covers his face with his paws.

Caleb was up on deck where the others were, swabbing the floors to make sure things stayed clean. However he did look over as he saw the commotion. Having no voice was hard as he would come up and look over where the hares were fighting. He wants to try to break them up... but he's waiting if they get physical.

DoraRose stumbles forward, Matilda hurrying to keep her from falling. The mousewife goes to lay her free paw on Caleb's shoulder, trying to ignore her seasickness. "Don't...." she pauses and grimaces, trying to get her nausea under control. "There's more to this than is obvious to outsiders, and only I know about those things because Felicity told me. Let's just...." another pause and grimace. "Let them figure it out." Matilda, not knowing either of the hares involved, just shrugs, having to trust the Gatekeeper's judgement.
Felicity glares at the gull. "We're 'ares, no' bunnies," she firmly corrects him. But what her fellow Sergeant says gives her pause, and he's down on the deck for a few minutes before she can think of a reply. "'M sorry y'Da died," she says, crouching down to his level. "I will say tha' if y'can't read th'repohts, an' if y'refuse t'talk t'any survivours, then y' 'ave no right t'be blamin' anybeast foh anythin' tha' 'appened. Y'eithah 'ave t'know th'truth, oh y'need t'not be formin' opinions." She stops for a moment, then adds, "Y' 'aven't talked t'anybeast 'bout this befoh, 'ave you?"

Rufus puffs up and speaks "You..are bunnies...you leader is bunny lord.." He decides to go find some fish, he seems to debate droping it on thier heads but that be a waste of tasty raw fish, so he just eats it on a clear area of the floor, a private steps back and looks..ill, rufus tilts his head "Bunny want?" The private quickly shakes his head and backs up "ya ya,,more fer rufus" peck..peck at the fish.Yum!

"Not even two days in, ladies and gentle beasts!" Konner calls out, trying to make things light again, "An' the poo'h sergeants 'ave already snapped! If only I 'ad made 'ares place bets-" With a kick to his shins courtesy of Greenhill and a hissed suggestion on were to place his bet from Reuenthal, Konner quiets down to slink off to do his chores.
"No - not since the assumably when the brass told us what happened." Terrence manages, his face turning greener each moment. "And I-" His voice return to barely a whisper, "I did skim the reports, but by Hellsgates, I didn't want to look any furthah. And I wouldn't put it past this who wrote the reports--" He cuts himself off, deciding he had said enough about that. "Daresay I'm not as sorry 'bout my fathah as I should be, but that's anothah can of worms. Ompf." He shakes his head, looking very sick.

Caleb was about to step in when he feels the familiar weight of DoraRose's hand on his shoulder. He looks back towards her and was going to answer but his ears fold back... the mouse just nods and waits to see if it it actually gets violent. If it were... he won't hurt anyone. He just doesn't want the crew fighting is all.

DoraRose doesn't want fighting, either, so she watches warily, knowing how couples can get slappy when they're fighting. Matilda murmurs, "They seem to be calming down...."
Felicity frowns and goes to help her fellow Sergeant stand upright, facing the sea. "Y'said lookin' at th' 'orizon 'elps wi' seasickness, so up y'come, laddie buck!" She shakes her head. "Then may'ap y'should ask more questions....an' talk t'beasts more. 'Tisn't good t' 'old this kind o' stuff in, Terrence." She's not so sure of that, herself, but it's the advice she's been giving Dominik, so it's the advice she'll give her other friends, too.
Dora visibly relaxes. "Aye, I think they have. Oooh..." she doubles over, clutching her stomach with her free arm. The hedgehog supports her, but looks a little strained. "Caleb, help me get her back to the rail. She'll feel better once she starts looking out at the horizon....if she ever will." The elicits another groan from the miserable Gatekeeper.

Neither hide nor hair had been seen of Dominik ever since the brief sighting of the massive hare during boarding of the ship, the buck having seemingly successfully found his own little spot to keep himself holed away during the journey. Learning about the journey, and more specifically, the reason as to why they were taking it had affected him profoundly, and he had seemingly reverted back to his more silent, unpredictable and brooding state. As the other hares go about their argument and/or discussion, the sounds of creaking boards is heard nearby, and out of the shadows of the galley steps Dom. He shifts his gaze between all those on deck, giving a soft grunt, before he heads out towards the bow of the ship. He takes a position standing there, the large buck staring out to sea with steely, hardened gaze, paws resting then tightening upon the rail.

Rufus watches them "Why all bunnies and beasties getting ills...bad fishes?" He seems happpy the two hares are not fighting and looks at teh half eatten fish and flies over to frop it by Terrence and Felicity "Tis good fish..fresh...not get ills from"He flies away back to another railing and seems...happy, ya he helped!

With the half eating fish being tossed in front of him, the last ounce of willpower leaves Terrence, who, having feebly let himself be pulled upright, clutches the railing and hurls what little he ate from lunch. After a long, long minute, the sergeant mutters a rather foul name for the bird, and he groans as he pulls himself upright. "I...its not good to hold anything in, it seems." Once again he tires to smile - and once again it appears more as a grimace - both at his weak attempt at his joke and how he feels. "Well...Welp." He sighs. "This was rathah a poo'h place fo'h it all."
Konner, meanwhile, had very nearly walked into Dom, avoiding him with a squeak and a hasty "Excuse me!" As he darts around the big arctic hare, all plans of checking the rigging in the bow forgotten.

Caleb was still thinking of it... but Dora was right that things seemed to be dying down. He'd only sigh and look back towards his friends with a whimper as he nods and helps up DoraRose's other side, waddling with Matilda to get his mouse companion to the railing.

DoraRose gets to the railing and leans over it, eyes screwed tight as she strives to control her body. Matilda sighs. "Dora, just look at the lovely horizon! It'll help you feel better, I promise." She glances at the other mouse, ready to interpret his signs should he start trying to talk.
Felicity also looks a little sickened by the half-eaten fish carcass. "Um, no, thanks, we're good! Uh, y'c'n keep it." She spots Dom and decides to check on him, too. "C'mon, love. I've 'eard tha' walkin' 'elps, too. Let's go say 'llo t'Dom." She goes to guide Terrence that way, supporting him and struggling (and failing) to find interesting things on the horizon to point out to him. "Well, anyplace is battah than noplace, sometimes."

Dominik merely stares out at the horizon, the massive hare seemingly having no issue at all with seasickness. He did after all work on ships back in the Northlands, and so he'd taken many a trip out onto the sea and learned the various ways to keep from getting ill. He'd just gotten used to it at that point, and so as he hears others approaching him, he turns his head to glance back at them. He gives them a nod, before his gaze returns to its previous place. Who knows what the big hare is planning in his head? For their enemies, it likely was not at all a good thing.

Rufus looks at Dom...that is one large bunny! He puffs up a little and goes to fly over and lands near Ciocan, he perns a feather or two back into place.He will just eat the other half of the fish beside...the bunny Lord!

"Actually," Terrence gets out, stopping and looking /very/ green, "I might just stay by the railing here, thank you. Sorry 'bout thi-." He breaks free of Felicity's grasp just in time to make it the edge of the boat, hurling. "Bahhh." After he's finished, he looks around and heads to a more deserted section of the boat were hopeful he won't disturb anyone.

While Matilda continues to administer to DoraRose, Ciocan smiles at the gull. "And how are you today, my friend? Seems whatever was going on between my 'bunnies'," he uses the bird's term in a polite way "resolved itself."
Felicity grimaces as Terrence goes off and does his thing, and carries on to the other buck on her own. "'Ey, Dom," she says, leaning on the rail beside him and observing him closely. "'Ow y' 'oldin' up? I can imagine this'll be a 'ard Patrol." She figures he knows, and with how he loves children, she figures this is a really hard thing for him to be wrestling with.

Dominik notices Felicity joining him there at the railing, and he doesn't speak for a few moments. He simply continues to stare out at the horizon, his jaw clenching and eyes narrowing, his paws tightening their grip on the railing. "Vil be the last mistake they ever made," he mutters in a low, dangerous tone, the buck shifting his eyes to peer down at Felicity. "Does -not- know vat they did. The second they made decision to lay paws on leetle vuns, it vas -over-. Second Dom found out, it vas -over-." He growls softly, before his eyes return to their previous location. "Dom is not responsible for vat happens to them." A chilling response, and the buck seems deadly serious.

Rufus nods to Ciocan, "Not know...bunnys grumble...then bunnies okies again...maybe sea travel make grumpy or had bad fishes" Yes bad fish is the reason,must be.

Ciocan nods, smiling slightly. "I think 'tis probably the sea travel, and the nervousness over what's to come. Most of my hares have never been at sea before, so this is probably a nervewracking experience for some of them. But how are you faring, my friend? Is the crow's next a comfortable perch for you?"
Felicity looks pensively out at the horizon, carefully weighing her words. "Dom....I undahstand tha' y'want t' 'elp th'Dibbuns, an' I fully agree wi' you. It's jus'...I only ask tha' y'be careful, alright? I don't want y'turnin' int' Erg agin. I'm 'appy t' 'ave m'friend back. I don't want t'lose y'agin."

Dominik gives a soft chuff, the hare chuckling dryly. "Vil be as careful as possible. Is understanding Felicity, and does not vant to lose all progress. But, as much as is vanting to, Dom cannot promise vat vil happen. Is vhy Blorg is here, vith us. He is down vith Dom, down there." He points a paw towards the underside of the ship, where he is currently situated. "Is here in case Erg is vanting to return." He glances down at Felicity. "As long as Dibbuns are safe, is only thing that matters to Dom. Vould give life to make sure is safe."

Rufus nods "Nest is nice, will be back, always back at darklight time..watch for lands and bad beasts ya ya...Rufus use to sea...like sea."

Felicity is not the least bit surprised the huge hare brought his skeleton friend with him. After all, he said it helps keep him sane. "Good. I'm glad y'did whot y'needed t'do. Although y'should prob'ly make sure t' 'ide 'im from th'othahs.....who /knows/ what Majah Varus might do." She goes to rest a paw on his arm. "I trust tha' y'll try, love. An' I trust you with th'Dibbuns. /Any/ Dibbuns. We'll do ouh best t'keep 'em safe, t'gethah."
Ciocan nods, continuing to steer the ship with a steady paw. "I trust you will, my friend. I, too, like the sea....it's been too long since I've been out here on it. If you need anything to make your nest more comfortable, let me know, and I will see what we can do."

~*END*~

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#1 2020-06-20 07:37:48 PM

A fight on the good Ship of Valour (IC RP 6/20/2020 Dibbun Slavers TP)

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