02.12.09 - Wait and See

Location: Redwall Great Hall

Characters Involved: Harper, Darcy

Harper has ordained a corner of the Great Hall as 'Place to Organize Things for the Trip'. There are rolled up tents, blanket rolls, small pots, utensils, flint and steel, and... so on! Oh, and a couple piles of neatly folded clothing. He's crouched in front of all this, apparently thinking.

Darcy drifts in from the kitchen, a bowl of something in one hand and a spoon in the other. Her satchel is slung over the back of a chair somewhere, winter clothes there also, but otherwise she's left the packing and such up to the others. This is not her forte. "That's kind of .. a lot," she observes as she comes over to Harper, gesturing with the spoon.

Harper glances back over his shoulder briefly before looking back to the things. "It's not so much."

"And yet you look awfully intimidated by it all," Darcy responds, and scoops a spoonful into her mouth. Applesauce?

Harper shakes his head, meditatively. "Just thinking if there's anything else we need."

"Food," the doe says around a mouthful.

Harper gestures over the stuff. "This'll all roll up into a nice coupla packs - we'll have t'make yours a light'un, of course."

Darcy tilts her head. "I'm actually a little concerned. How /heavy/ is the thing I'll have to lug around?"

Harper turns slightly in his crouch, going down on one knee while he speaks with her. Head shake. "Not too heavy, I promise. You'll probably be tired and sore the first coupla days 'til you adjust, though."

"Oh. And grumpy," Darcy adds on, flicking Harper a smile as she sits on the floor, cross-legged, still eating. "Won't this be pleasant. What do you need me to help with?"

Harper considers a moment, then shakes his head. "Just bring your charmin' self 'n' that'll be plenty." He smirks.

"I mean.." Darcy licks off her spoon and then gestures with it at the supplies. "You need help packing up stuff? Whatever? Or should I let you be all manly and do it yourself?"

Harper shrugs a little bit. "It's up to you," he replies amiably.

"Don't be difficult," Darcy mutters, smirking as she sets the bowl aside - spoon tucked behind one long ear. She edges closer, on her knees now. "Tell me what needs doing."

Harper smirks back. "Well do you have anything else that's goin' with? That'd be a start."

Darcy gestures over at her satchel. "Just what's in that."

Harper holds out his paw, snaps his fingers, "Bring it here."

And then he looks at her. "Uh. Please."

Darcy is already rising before the 'please' comes. She glances back, gives him a curious look, and takes ahold of her satchel, bringing this back to where Harper is and handing it off to him.

Harper takes the satchel with a nod. He glances at her for permission to open it.

Darcy settles her rump on the floor again and makes a 'go ahead' gesture.

Harper opens it up and starts sorting through it, head ducked. Hmhmhm.

It's rather well organized. A little box of charcoal pieces, a small lightweight book of blank parchment; a healing kit, a rather full pouch of some kind of herb, a small jar of her strawberries, and a flask of something alcoholic. Darcy watches him with her head slightly tilted.

"... All right. We c'n tie this to yer pack." Harper seems satisfied with its contents and sets it aside. "I have to go get the packs. They're in m'room." He starts to rise.

Darcy lifts her brows. "I can't just .. carry it over my shoulder? Like I usually do?" She stands up along with him.

Harper shrugs a little bit. "You can, if you want. But the weight'll be more evenly distributed if it's tied to the packed."

Darcy looks a little perplexed by the idea of her bag not being where it ought to be - but she shrugs also. "You know best, Mister Sutton."

Harper gives Darcy a glance, smirks. "Uh huh."

Darcy smirks back, more broadly. "Well come on then." She aims toward the stairs.

Ah yes! He stands. "Suresure." He comes up behind her, tweaking an ear as he passes.

Darcy grunts, and reaches out to playfully push her hand against his side as Harper goes past. She follows him to the stairs, hand absently ruffling into her hair at the back. "So how long is this trip going to take then?"

Harper glances back at her. He appraises her a moment. "I think that'll sort of depend on you. But I don't think any of us are in a huge hurry. We'll probably take it easy, stop a few places along the way. We'll have a better idea after the first few days."

Darcy's smirk flickers away for a moment. "Right. The slow one sets the pace. Brilliant." Then it's back, aimed at him, playful as she descends the steps aimed for the hall where Harper's room is. "So where's the first place we're stopping off?"

"There's a village I've been to a time or two, pretty friendly to travelers," Harper answers as they ascend the stairs.

Darcy asks, "One of those brewer's villages you mentioned?"

Harper laughs, firmly shaking his head. "Not these, no. Not a brewer's village." He laughs again.

Darcy's eyes narrow a little. ".. what, why're you laughing?" A grin develops, tugging at one side of her muzzle mostly, and she gives him another light shove, ducking past Harper to go down the hall in front of him.

Harper's chuckles die off, but he's still grinning. "You'll see."

"You always say that. 'You'll see'. Like I'm a little kid." Darcy shakes her head, mimicking Harper's voice without much success - just dropping hers a few octaves. "'Oh, don't worry Darce-love, you'll understand when you're older, hurhur!'"

"It's no fun if I tell you. It's better if you /see/." Harper explains patiently. "Where's the mystery in your life, Darce?"

"It's a big silly buck following me around," Darcy quips back, pushing open the door, going into his room. ".. will I like it? Will it be worth the aggravation of .. you?"

"I guess we'll /just/. Have to wait and see." Harper is trying not to grin like the obnoxious idiot he is, but she's so fun to tease!

"/We/! You mean /I/ will have to wait and see!" Darcy aims for the packs, bypasses them, and picks up his pillow. She turns back toward Harper, brandishing it. Scary! "/You/ know me well enough to predict if I'll like it or not. /Gah/. I want to /know/ Harp!"

"Has abuse /ever/ worked, Darcy?" Harper just smirks.

".. no," she mutters after a moment of contemplation, watching him, and ends up just. Hugging onto the pillow, peering at him. "Would 'please' work..?" Her ears angle back and she gives him a little pretty smile.

Harper gives her a considering look and for a second there it looks like /maybe/... but then he grins. "Nope." What a brat.

Darcy's smile edges onto into hopeful, then drops. She actually pouts at him a little. ".. you're such an arse. Really. Really you are." Oh god the grin is back.

"Yep!" he agrees.