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Sentry Duty & News from the 23rd - Long Patrol/NaEoaQ Plot 6/4/22

Nearing an End of a Quest; log XIV (Part 1...?)

In Salamandastron, Privates Rhonwen and Sheen are on sentry duty when word comes from the 23rd...
Pvt Rhonwen & MSG Terrence, + LCpl Addersmith, Pvt E. Sheen, & Lt. Redford (all spoofed by Terrence)

It was approaching noon now, with the late spring sun beating down upon the sand outside of Salamandastron. In a little crevice on the side of the mountain, just above the hidden gates, two slivers exist in the rock, and looking rather bored with her right paw propping up her face is private Esther Sheen. The shore outside hadn't had a single speck of movement besides the waves since she got to the sentry room just after the morning patrols returned and exercises finished. Not even a crab or seagull was outside now.

She let out a long sigh. At least four hours were left of just sitting there.

Rhonwen had been quiet as well, she would read a book but that was a big no no for right now. She yawned but stayed awake as she watched the shore quietly. She tilted her head as she kept watch, this was boring to her as well.

Sheen casts a sideways glance at her fellow sentry for a moment. Very few words have been exchanged today between them, and there was a part of her that loathed to break the silence. Yet she was also bored out of her mind.

So, after clearing her throat, she asks, "So.... Watchya planning on doing once you get out of this room?"

Rhonwen shrugs "Likely go ta the library, learn some more history. Some of it is real interesting, once they didn't have a cook and the Badger Lord was the main cook for like a season or two."

"Ah, I see." Sheen wasn't the best reader out there, especially of history, but she wasn't quite willing to admit that now. "I can take guess that far, far too many 'ares got cooking as punishment for somethin' or another, right? But what's the most interesting, by the by?"

Rhonwen shrugs "Not view cooking as such... now washing all those dishes after a meal.. .that right thar is a punishment, trust me ya don't wanna do that." Its clear she may well of gotten the punishment of wash duty. She keeps an eye out the slit, is that movement? ...no just an ant as she sighs.

As the small trail of ants on the windowsill is really the first sign of movement either of the hares have seen, Sheen absent mindedly flicks one away. "Trust me, I've done my fair share of scrubbing pots. Might be a rite of passage for the patrol, wot."

There's a beat of silence again.

"So, Rhonwen, right?" her eyes dart from the ants as she says this, "What do you think of, well," she waves northwards, "What's all happening up there?"

Rhonwen hmmms, she nods to the name "Not thought too much of it, do miss de tavern but tis fine. I am sure we can go to Halyard again soonish, maybe we just be having others worry too much"

"Aha!" Sheen gives a short laugh. "The bar 'ere doesn't quite live up to 'Alyard's, does it? But, yes, I 'ope so too. Closest we can manage is going to that stuffy base up there, the 23rd. You've been yet?"

Rhonwen shakes her head "No, not yet I think I am with the next group to go... in day or two, I think"

"Can't really say it's much more exciting than this room, sadly," Sheen gives the other hare a look of mock mourning, "And sadly far too many 'ares 'ave been lost to boredom up there. Truly, sacrifices we shall never forget. Though.... Maybe you'll see Konner make it back safe and sound, eh?"

Rhonwen frowns, she has heard of the missing hare "I wonder if they are still trying to find him or not, he could be hurt or scared or something... I mean just cause  one is a LP Hare doesn't mean to never be afraid"

"I think finding 'im is a top priority for the LP," she says, nonchalantly, muttering to herself, "Or so I'd 'ope." With another sigh she turns back to look out the window. "The problem is that 'Alyard's a lot of ground to cover, and right now trying to look for a 'are is difficult. But I doubt 'e's 'urt, really. Back before I was a recruit, a training group got attacked by toads in the swamps. Konner got lost for at least a week before that big lump Dom met up with 'im, and it was a while after that before either of them made it back to the patrol. But they made it out in the end."

Rhonwen nods, she is still watching the beach, yep lot of sand and water and nothing else. "Yeah, who knows maybe he decided to not be in de patrol and left. Or he is having a hard time getting back, or maybe he decided to try and gather more info before he comes back"

"Maybe, maybe." Sheen nods, staring northwards. "I doubt 'e left though. I was the last 'are to see 'im, and we were both running from a patrol of vermin beasts near 'Alyard. Split up in the alleyways, and well, I made it back."

There's a pause before the hare leans towards the window, squinting in the noon light. "Say, you don't see anything out there, do you?"

Rhonwen quietly looks, "Hmmm, I am unsure... if it is something it's far off for now." She is alert, not that she wasn't alert before.

Sheen has risen slightly from her chair with both paws resting on the stone windowsill. "I'm not sure, either."

A ways off, barely visible against the sand and the sun beating down high above causing a glare, something is moving south at great speed. The fur and the clothing is difficult to discern exactly as both are nearly a perfect match to the sand around the beast!

"That a 'are, maybe? Could be one of our uniforms..."

Rhonwen tries to get a better look, "Possible, a runner maybe and one in a hurry. I wonder if thar is trouble. Maybe one of us should get one of the officers"

"Could be..." Sheen replies, uncertainty colouring her voice as she stands fully. "I'm not sure we should bother an officer until we know for certain. Perhaps we should wait below to meet them, eh?" Even the private speaks she's moving towards the ladder to the main entrance below. "If it's a runner, once they tell us what's up we can get a 'igher up. Or not, if it turns out to be something minor."

Rhonwen frowns as she nods. If it was a threat they would surely know by now and, well there be a lot more movement to be seen. "Then why run if  it's minor, not know anyone that runs for fun"

"Maybe they're trying to get out of the sun as quick as possible," Sheen shrugs as she starts climbing down the ladder, "Or maybe the 'ave a message. I just don't want to call in an officer if the message's 'bout a lack of salt or something at the 23rd, you know? But if you want to get one feel free. I can't stop you."

Rhonwen hmmms as she seems unsure right now, she nods as she comes down. She knows an officer is usually close by, she just isn't sure how close by right now and other sentries are not here for a while yet. "Just stay alert"

Sheen grabs a spear that rest against the tunnel wall once she's down the ladder. "Yeah, I know." She replies as she opens the small side door next to the gate, stepping outside to add over her shoulder, "Though I doubt a single beast'll jump us, so I doubt there's much to worry 'bout."

Rhonwen stays very alert and knows they can always yell for trouble if needed, you don't leave a fellow hare by theirself just in case. She has a spear, and a sling if needed as she nods "Two to one odds in our favor just in case, always pays to be carefull"

"Exactly!" Sheen says a bit too brightly. "Just aim a stone between their eyes if it's a threat, wot, and that should sort them out. Now, though, I guess we wait. Did you 'appen to grab a spyglass, by chance? I forgot to."

Now the figure in the distance can be made out more clearly, their ears framed against the blue sky: a hare no doubt, clad in the sandy uniform of the main patrol.

"Well," says Sheen, "I think that might be one of ours, or I'm a badger."

Rhonwen nods as she hands over a spy glass "I have one,yeah." She looks towards where the hare is coming from "Wonder whom it is"

Esther Sheen nods as she takes a spyglass with a thank you, using it only for a moment. "Yep, that's our colours, alright. Got the blue facings and all. I suppose now we'll find out, wot?" Handing the spyglass back she steps rather boldly up a rock to expose herself to the shore, waving her spear to the patroller.

"AHOY!" She calls, and the runner waves back. "Now we wait, I guess," Sheen murmurs as she steps back down by Rhonwen.

Rhonwen nods as they do indeed wait to see if anything major is needed to know, or if it is indeed maybe some minor thing.

It takes about five minutes before the runner slows to a trot, stopping before the large rock. "Lance-Corporal Darrick Addersmith," he calls, "With a message from Lt. Lossow at the 23rd Base near Halyard. It's urgent!"

Sheen glances at Rhonwen. "I guess you were right."

Rhonwen listens and nods "Let me find an officer sur!"She salutes and she is off to find an officer,maybe the Master Sergeant is close by the entry.

Sheen waits with Addersmith, handing a canteen of water to the runner. "'Ere," she mutters. "So, what's so urgent?"

The older hare shakes his head. "Gotta tell an officer first, sorry Sheen. But I guess, well - there's some movement in town. I'm not willing to say more, though."

Meanwhile, the master sergeant is not the first officer near the entrance. Redford, the healer lieutenant under Velm's command, is. "Oh, hullo Rhonwen!" The officer says in greeting as he carries a crate up from the cellars.

Rhonwen stops and salutes "Sur! Thar is an urgent message from Lt. Lossow sur, I was looking fer the Master Sergeant." But this hare is an officer as well, so maybe it counts as the message was urgent and if the Master Sergeant was busy or too far inside the mountain, then the healer would have to do.

Redford blinks. "Oh, uh, right. Right, I'll be right there." The young lieutenant dips his head, "At ease, by the way - er," he looks around the hallway junction, his ears perking up as he sees a pair of hares coming down from the second floor. "Hey, Burnfield! Just the hare I wanted to see come here and bring this crate to the infirmary - you there," he says to the second hare, "Harold, right? Go find your master-sergeant and bring him to the gates. There's a message it seems from the 23rd."

The two hares share a glance before doing as they're asked. "What's the message about, sah?" Bunrfield asks as she takes the crate.

"Not a clue, but I'm sure we'll all find out soon!" Redford answers, turning to Rhonwen, "Well then private, lead the way!"

Rhonwen nods as she turns to head back to the entry area where the hare from the 23nd awaits. She had not heard what the message is but she leads the officer there to see.

When Rhonwen gets back with Redford in tow, they find Addersmith sitting with his back against the stone wall of the tunnel drinking water. Esther is leaning against the same wall, waiting. When the lieutenant appears they both snap to attention. "Sah!" Says the runner, "It is my duty to report movement in Halyard- a group of about ten beasts, half armed and armoured, heading south, presumably to here. I made good time, but they'll be here soon enough I fear."

Redford blinks. "Uh, righto." Looking at his feet for a second, he nods slowly. "Right.... Um, where's the captain, or Terrence... by chance...? Er, Sheen - maybe you go and alert the mountain and all that. Yes," he nods, "Do that."

Sheen, for her part after she salutes, glances at Rhonwen with a raised eyebrow and a shrug as she passes the other private. "Right sah."

Rhonwen blinks and frowns, she would ask if this was the first possible threat the healer has seen or heard before. But she stays quiet and alert. "So are we in... like danger or sumthing? Maybe I should get his Lordship even?" She is a bit worried but also unsure as just half of who ever this group is, is armed.

Redford blinks. "Right, his Lordship." He gulps. "That would be good, yes, yes. As for danger..." He glance sharply at the messenger. "What do you think," he squints as he studies the rank insignia on Addersmith's uniform, "Lance-corporal?"

"Maybe, sah- but it's only ten. Not exactly a fighting force I'd say."

Rhonwen is still worried, "Well... so far 4 of us." Better odds than earlier she thinks to herself. She is not even sure if the Badger Lord is in his room or maybe the forge as those are the two main places he would be usually.

"What's going on here?" Terrence's voice is unmistakable - as is the urgency in it. "Lieutenant," the NCO nods to Redford and the others. "Addersmith, what's going on? I saw Sheen in passing and said Halyard's made a move. She's getting the mountain on alert as we speak."

The young lieutenant bows his head. "Right, Terrence. I was just gonna send Rhonwen to fetch the badger lord and whoever else she can find, wot!"

"Good, Rhonwen - go do that. If any hare makes a stink about you interrupting the Lord, tell them I sent you." Terrence turns to Darrick. "Now then, Addersmith, tell me everything while we wait."

Rhonwen salutes and she heads off to find the Badger Lord, no one luckily gets in her way .

---

I play Atticus, John, Lossow, Terrence, and Spruce
The Long Patrol Landing Page!
Usually on the MUCK Saturdays + Monday & Wednesday evenings if I have the time
Fastest way to reach me is via my Discord: Luke_SkyOtter#1438