04.15.09 - Bedside Manner

Location: Salamandastron Infirmary

Characters Involved: Darcy, Rahier

Darcy has found her way into the infirmary - of course she has. The healer doe is trying to not step on anyone's toes, but there's not much stepping to be done, just a few injured hares sleeping in cots and healers at their duties. She lingers a few steps inside, looking around at the facilities with quiet interest.

"Ahm.. yes, up here.. ah..." The major is in the rear of the infirmary, teetering on a stool. He looks quite immersed in trying to find.. something, the stool having been placed in front of one of the many shelves. He runs a finger across the spines of many old books, leaving a trail of fresh sheen through all the dust deposited upon him. A book falls over, causing him to make a sound roughly equal to 'nerf', as the poof of dust overcomes his nose.

Darcy moves past a line of cots toward Rahier, glancing at a feverish young recruit sleeping in one of them. Then, up at the Major. Her hands dip into her pockets as her head tilts up. She can at least tell an officer when she sees one. "Hey... are you the guy in charge around here, or what?"

Rahier has discarded the tippy-toppest shelf and moved on to blindly pawing around the very top of the bookcase. Hrmph, he mumbles, pawing at nothing but dust. Until his finger nudges a-something. "Ha," he says, bringing down a particularly mouldy book. His ears poke up as he is addressed, and he hops off the stool, landing mostly on his good leg. "Aye, thas' me," he says, looking to the doe. "What'cha fer?"

Darcy's whiskers ruffle a little forward at the dust motes dancing around her head. She waves in front of her face to clear some of it. "What'm I for? Nothing. I'm a healer - visiting from Redwall, figured I'd introduce myself." Her hand is offered out, brows a little lifted while glancing across Rahier's face. "Darcy."

Rahier grins. "Sorry about th'dust, it can get a bit heavy on toppa th' shelves." One ear drops sideways and he shifts the book from right paw to left. "Redwall! S'a great place, but I figure y'know that." At the proffered paw he pats his own against his tunic, leaving a dustmark vaguely in the shape of his paw, and takes hers. "I'm Rahier." Shakeshake. xd "Please t'meetcha."

Darcy's fingers curl around Rahier's hand to give it a brief shake. "Yeah, it's well enough," she replies with a smirk, withdrawing her hand after. Her eyes narrow a little thoughtfully. "Rahier - Taye's dad?"

"Been there a coupla times, y'know. Always preferred th'mountain, but what can y'do." Rah limps the few feet to his desk, to drop the great red tome on its hardwood surface. He pokes experimentally at the thready spine with the tip of a finger. "Aye, aye, Taye's m'kiddo." Grin. xd "What's he been sayin' 'bout me this time, eh?"

"Ah.. I don't know him well. Met him a few times," Darcy says with a smirk, following Rahier's movements with a tilt of her head, and turning slightly to still be facing him. "I sort of wound up with some knowledge of who's who. Comes from having a former Patroller for a mate, I guess. Heard you're the best healer around here, though."

Rahier chuckles. "S'good, he's a good kid. Never much took after th'family business, but I think I'm still obligated t'love 'im." He gives the doe a wink and a grin, and then looks to his book. "Th'best? Well, I donno 'bout that. Jus' good at patchin' people who've sprung a leak." He raises the book to her. 'Maladys of the bodee' is emblazoned on its ancient cover. "Sometimes we all gotta consult th' lit-rature." He sets it back down, opening automatically to the page held by ancient bookmark. "What's th' purpose of y'visit?" He asks, conversationally.

Darcy finds a seat - the foot of an empty cot not far from the desk. One foot rests on the wooden edge. "Visiting Zoe - me and her got to be good friends when we were stuck in a quarantine together, heh. And visiting some of Harper's family here and at Halyard."

Rahier takes a seat on the edge of his desk, maneuvering his unfavored leg to a more comfortable position. "Ah heh, Zoe's got that kinda infectious personality." The healer crosses his arms, shifting again. "Ah, so y'been t'our little fishin'-village. There's a good bar there."

Infectious personality. Haha. Darcy grins, and shakes her head a little. "She's great, yeah - and yeah. I've been staying at the tavern. Bartending, actually. I sort of hit it off with the proprietor. The shore's really nice, much better than the last time." A gesture is made at the buck. "So you're, ah.. a Major..?"

Rahier beams, glad she agrees. xd "S'a great bar. Ours is, ah, okay, I s'pose, but.. s'not the same as one off-mountain. There's also a nice otter what lives there, she's great at mendin' uniforms. I'm not much of a fish person, tho'." With a laugh, he shrugs. "I hit m'required number of blows t'th' head, so t'was seen fit t'promote me. Can't tell if it's a good thing, as I los' that faculty in th'process." Cackle. "Ahh, hit it off with ol' Keita, didja?" He gives her a more curious look. xd

Darcy's muzzle breaks into an amused grin. "Yeah, Keita.. we get along. I mean I've /got/ my guy, but if I get good treatment 'cause she likes looking at me... who'm I to complain?" She nearly laughs, shaking her head.

Rahier snickers and shakes his head. "I s'pose thas' true. Keita, Keita." He shakes his head, rueful. xd He draws one leg up, resting it across his other knee, and leans back, propping himself up with his paw. "So are y'stayin' here or over there?"

Darcy rubs at her jaw, still with a smirk in place. "Over there. Zoe told me I can stay here but I'd rather my own room at the tavern than a bunk room or something. I figure I'll be going back and forth a lot, though. I'd want a better look around the infirmary one of these days if you don't mind too much."

Rahier heh hehs. "Well, th'air's a bit nicer over there, dependin' on prevailin' winds." Grin. "I used t'do that walk quite a bit m'self, but th'sand gets me down these days, s'murder on m'knee." He shrugs widely, and turns the shrug into a partial wave at the room. "S' simple place. I like t'think it's a bit more homey since I took over." Homey and slightly disorganized.

"It's nice. Cozy," Darcy says with a nod, eyes wandering around the room. "Not like the one at Redwall, that's a bit.. stiff. Starchy. That and it's full of every idiot this side of Southsward calling themself a healer.." She makes a face.

Rahier grins. "Thankee. We try t'keep it jus' a bit nice in here, but not too nice, else they never wanna leave." At this comment, he laughs. "Yeh, I remember. Crazy foxes an' this'n that all over th'place. I've got this place firmly under m'thumb." Chuckle. "Y'are welcome t'pitch in if y'feel like it, o'course."

"Good - I just might. As it is I'm sure me and Zoe will be talking healerly things one of these days," Darcy says with a slight nod. "It'd be good to work with you, though - see what I can pick up."

Rahier looks at the various cots, occupied and otherwise, and shrugs. "Well, mostly what we get up here's small stuff, sure as they got at th'abbey. Bruises, sprains, th' 'casional busted limb what from trainin' or someone tumblin' down th'stairway. Dangerous livin' in a mountain, volcano rock's not f'givin'." He touches a finger to his chin. "Y'get really good at sayin' 'walk it off'." He grins most toothily. xd

Darcy snorts, and grins back. "I can imagine - can't be a bad place to spend your time. Back at Redwall I have a bit of a.. heh, reputation. Harsh bedside manner and all. The poor peaceful mice and things get all indignant when I'm gruff with them."

Rahier cackles. "You'll fit righ' in. Bein' nice is great but if y'are -nice-, then y'know, y'get those people..." He mimes holding his hand over his stomach. "Sir, I can't go on duty t'day, I gots a tummy-ache. Ooh, m'head." Grin. "Give 'em a poke, a look in each ear, then kick their butts to th'intersection."

Darcy shakes her head, a mirthful expression spread right across her face. "Too bad I can't be a real healer here without, you know.. joining up, training, all of that. Same at Redwall - it might as well have been /my/ infirmary, but I never wanted to be a novice there. Why waste the time I could be working.." Her fingers scruff absently into her hair. "But if you say I can, then well.. I will /certainly/ put my bedside manner to good use."

"Um, well, we appreciate havin' volunteers as well.." He shrugs. "We don't tend t'get many people passin' through what with us bein' a great scary lookin' mountain on the edge of the earth but we've had some real characters in here." Grin. "S'nice t'have a hare lend a hand, even if you aren't a patroller. Harper's a good guy so I'm sure y'can't be all bad." He grins lopsidedly. ;p

"Or I could be all the bad he's not. You know." Darcy grins. "To balance it out? I'll be sure to stop by." She starts to get up, brushing herself off. Dust and all. "I'll let you get back to work. Got a bit of a hike back to the village, and all. Nice meeting you, though."

Rahier snerks. "In that case, I'll have t'keep m'eye on you." He grins and offers her his paw once more. "Thanks f'stoppin' by. Door's always open." By necessity, of course. "Have a nice walk back. Say h'lo to Keita for me."

"Will do," the doe says, grasping his hand again. "See you around, then, Major." With a little faux-salute and a smirk, she turns to head out of the room.