01-16-06

Characters involved: Jarril & Taye.

Salamandastron: Dining Chamber

Already sitting down at one of the tables, Jarril is talking to Skipai as the otter is sitting on the other side of the table in hushed voices. "Look, Skip. How much do we have of blackberries in the store barrels?" The otter wrinkles his nose. "We have about three barrels from the last harvest gathering party, y' remember that? Anyways why?" Jarril shrugs. "Oh nothing, just wondered if I could have all of it?" The otter blinks. "The entire lot, what y' thinking of doing, having a bath in it...? What y' planning?" Jarril shrugs. "Nothing much at the moment, just rolling a few ideas in my head that's all, could y' at least not use the blackberries until I know if it's safe enough plan. I don't want Zoe to learn, she think I've gone mad from the hit on the head, wot.."

Taye is standing in the doorway, and despite the jostling hares pushing at him from behind, he doesn't move. Instead, he stares across the room at Jarril, looking apprehensive. However, a thump to the back of the head gets him stumbling forward, and with a paw up to rub it, he moves forward.

Jarril looks about and nods to the otter. "Anyways, something else has popped up. Mind getting t' meals for us." He looks at Taye and waves for him to approach the table as the otter nods his head and pads back off towards the kitchen.

Grimace. Taye salutes, ducking his head almost immediately after. He stops before the table, paws resting along its edge, fingers gripping. "Sah," he murmurs.

Jarril looks at Taye and nods. "Well, ya looking like ya did something really wrong." The hare looks and nods to the otter before picking up one of the bread slices and returns his gaze back to Taye. "Well, ya can stay standing up and become a beacon ta the rest in here or sit down, eat and get whatever ya have off ya chest? Ya choice mind."

Taye slips around the table to the nearest chair, dropping into it with his fingers still gripping the table's edge. "Not somethin'.. wrong, sah. Not exactly."

Jarril nods as he takes a bite from the bread and chews slowly. "Maybe it's because ya want a transfer, hmm?" The major doesn't look at Taye as he dips the bread into the stew. "So, ya found someone new ta look up ta then I take it?" Slipping the moist bread into his mouth the major swallows. "Not that I mind, just that ya the only one on my patrol that didn't look happy that I was back on duty, in fact. I'd say ya been evading me?"

The reddening in his face isn't quite embarrassment and it isn't quite shame, but it's in the ball park. His cheeks are flushed nonetheless, and his slitted eyes stare unhappily at the tabletop. "... Sah, I'm /happy/ yer back on duty." His words are tentative. "But it would... make this easiah, if ya weren't." And then the flush is closer to shame. "I'm grateful for everythin' ya've given me 'n' taught me, sah, you know that. Ya gave me chances that I don't think most othahs would've, not ... s'young. So... it's not because 'm not... /happy/ where I am."

Jarril nods. "I see, well from my point of view I've declined the request for my own reasons. One of which I don't have a runnah at the moment in my patrol and Wimble isn't the most agreeable hare." He frowns. "So until another good runnah is found ta replace ya, I am afraid ya have ta wait. But if that's what ya want, then go above my head if ya that determined ta get away from me. Ya dismissed." The major looks away from Taye and goes quiet.

Taye's lips part in surprise. He stands, slowly, his eyes initially lowered. And for a moment, it looks like he'll just salute and walk away. But instead, he raises his head, salutes, and sets his jaw determinedly. "Permission then, sah, t' be temporarily reassigned to Darklett's patrol until the captives've been freed." He pauses, looking down at the sitting officer. "... Please."

Jarril ponders for a moment with a frown. "Sit back down, ya going ta tell exactly why runnah before I give that request." The major looks about and doesn't see anyone near by and frowns. "Ya disappointed in me, correct?"

Taye drops back down into the chair with slight resignation. At Jarril's question, however, his brow screws up and he shakes his head. "No, sah. It's nothin' t'do with how I feel about ya."

Jarril isn't eating at all now as he looks at the food and mutters. "Then what?"

"I just... need t'do this, sah. I want t'be at the front. I'm good at doin' what I do because ya made me good. But I... I think m'needed in Darklett's patrol, more'n I'm needed in yers." He stares across at Jarril's plate of food, the nearest thing he /wants/ to look at. Certainly not Jarril himself.

Jarril nods. "And ya think Darklett will be allowed ta go out ta the front after what happened?" He does now look at Taye for a moment and nods.. "Perhaps ya right, if ya think ya up ta it though?"

Taye looks up, frowningly. "Sah, it wasn't Darklett's fault, no more'n it was anyone's... Even you agreed his ordahs were good, given what we knew..." Given what they knew from the report he'd given them. His ears flick back. Meh. "But aye, I think I'm up t'it."

Jarril grins. "I know and it took saying that for ya ta actually look up at least." The major frowns but relaxes it. "Alright..." he turns and looks at Taye properly now. "Look ya majah in the eye and tell me that there isn't anything wrong with the patrol that ya in now and request the change in patrol."

Skip moves past but drops a note on the table next to Jarril who looks at it for a moment and grins, leaving it on the table in full view of the order of three large barrels of blackberries. The otter nods and hurries off to take care of another set of hares who had run out of food.

Taye straightens his shoulders, his arms held straight down at his sides as he looks the major squarely in the face. "Sah, with no reflection whatsoever on m'current patrol or the good creatures in it, I respectfully request a transfah to Majah Darklett's patrol."

Jarril nods. "Aye, okay ya get it. Temporary for the time being but we keep an eye on the situation nonetheless. But I want a new runnah before it becomes a permanment move though." The major picks up the note and nods. "Besides, I will request a side note ta the ordah though that I can take ya from time ta time if I need extra backup in my patrol." He goes quiet. "Don't worry about it, I am a bit upset but I suppose the student has ta fly the nest at somepoint, just didn't think it be that soon." The major gives Taye a pat on the shoulder. "Ya changed a lot since ya were a recruit, I just don't want ta lose a good officer but.." He goes quiet and sighs. "Forget the temporary thing. I'll see Colonel Zoe about it and make it a permanment change of patrol." The major goes back to looking at the piece of paper and smiles. "Besides there's something else I need ta discuss with her."

Completely unexpected and unwanted, Taye's eyes prick with tears at Jarril's words. He blinks once, twice, three times, to clear them. He swallows past a lump in his throat, and gives a hard nod. "Thank you, sah. Ya've always been the best t'me... I won't evah forget that, doesn't mattah whose patrol m'in."

Jarril nods slowly. "Aye, maybe it's for the best anyways. I don't see myself able ta keep up with a patrol within the next few seasons anyways. But enough of that." He gets up and nods. "I'll get ta work on that now, if I can catch her abouts, mind ya." He goes to move but stops, looking at the otter who nods again with a wink and the major smiles. "Ya never know what is in the works though Taye so make sure ya not occupied in anything ya can't get out of, hmm?" He looks at Taye before giving a sly smile and pads off.

Taye's smile is a puzzled one. "Yessah," he replies, and stands to watch the major go.