05-12-06 1

Characters involved: Torwin & Zoe_Lang.

RW Abbey: First Orchard

Some rustling can be heard in the trees farther into the orchard. Torwin pauses on the limb of a tree not to far from the others.

At present moment, the Colonel happens to be passing through the abbey orchards. Her head is down and her paws are folded behind her back. No doubt on her way to somewhere or other. And she continues in this oblivious nature until she hears rustling from the most unexpected of places - above her head. She looks up, and straight toward a tree hopper who is, of course, in a tree. She smiles faintly and calls a greeting. "G'day, Torwin!"

Torwin gives a nod to Asthore and then looks down at the colonel and says, "G'day Colonel. Good to see you. How's your visit been going so far?"

Zoe_Lang chuckles, glancing over her shoulder to see to whom the squirrel is nodding. "Ohhhh, visits goin' fine. Certainly can't complain, though m'certainly ready to return t' the mountain. Always hate bein' away for too long, doncha know?"

Torwin chuckles and says, "Understandable. So who's in command while you're away?" The squirrel glances around briefly, checking on the others in the orchard, before returning his gaze to the hare.

Zoe_Lang continues forward a few more paces, craning her neck up. "In command? Oh, no one beast in particular... Everyone's got their duties t' attend to, same as if I'm there. I did stick a coupla the majahs with m'reports, though." She winks.

Torwin grins and takes a seat on his branch, setting his back against the trunk, "Wouldn't want to do reports while on vacation now would you?" The squirrel jokes. "Your recruits seem to be fitting in just fine."

Zoe_Lang gives an appreciative nod. "... Aye. I appreciate yer sayin' it. They're a good lot, even if I do give 'em hell a little too often." She chuckles, holding a paw up to shield her eyes. "You gonna stay up there all evenin' or somethin'?"

Torwin smirks and says, "Usually, but I guess I can make an exception for a colonel." He goes ahead and hops down, sinking down to one knee before straitening up. "Giving them hell is half the fun of bein' in charge though. And its good for them too I suppose" the squirrel says with a grin.

Zoe_Lang snorts softly and smiles, watching him straighten. "Well, I s'pose any hell I c'n give 'em won't be half what they'll get from the vermin they'll be fightin' one day."

Torwin nods and says, "Indeed. Although they don't seem to appreciate that until quite a while later. My nephew has been my apprentice for while now."

Zoe_Lang ducks her head, smiling lightly. "I once kept my niece as m'healin' apprentice. She was a good student, but in c'n be a bit difficult when they're family. And - my apologies, but apprentice in what? I'm afraid I don't know yer duties here."

Torwin nods and says, "Aye, I can understand that." He then smirks and says, "Well as far as status at the abbey goes, I'm just a resident. I'm actually training my nephew to be a Ranger though."

Hm. "A rangah? I'm not familiar with tha'. Is it somethin' like a local policin' force?" Throughout the conversation she's been favoring one leg over the other, and now she takes a quick look around and then over her shoulder. Her eyes light upon a fallen log, and she limps to it, lowering to a sitting position with one leg drawn out before her. She looks back up, slightly squinting with interest. It's a thoughtful look, mm-hm.

Torwin bobs his head and says, "Not exactly." As the hare goes to take a seat, he makes his way to a nearby tree and leans his shoulder against it, facing her. "A ranger is a woodsbeast mainly, who follows the code of the 8 virtues. And of course, when you go around the woods alone, its generally a good thing to know your way with a bow and other weapons in case you stumble across trouble." He then glances about, "I did help out though when the earthquake struck, and the subsequent seasons after whilest the walls were still down."

Zoe_Lang hms, dipping her head in a nod. "I figure any beast with a bit of know-how in their heads was a great deal o' help followin' the earthquake. We were fortunate at Sala when all that happened. It didn't reach us." Hm-hm. "So. I am 'n' always will be a suckah fer a good mystery. What're the eight virtues?"

Torwin smiles and says, "That's lucky indeed." He then shifts a little to get more comfortable before going on. "The 8 virtues are humility, compassion, honor, valor, sacrifice, honesty, spirituality, and justice. Following these virtues is what differentiates what I would call a true Ranger from those who don't know better and think being a ranger just means being a warrior in the woods pretty much. Was rather interesting when a few of such beasts came to the abbey around this time last year."

Zoe_Lang's eyebrows go up. "Oh, aye? And what did those types do durin' their stay at the abbey?" She rests a paw on her knee, rubbing absently. Achy old bones.

Torwin shrugs and says, "Nothing much. Just flout around their meaningless titles and then eventually they just disappeared after a couple o' months."

Zoe_Lang inclines her head, as if this is to be expected. "Aye, well... you'll always have a few o' that sort, sure 'nough. Nothin' t' be done about it, save fer mayhaps beatin' 'em soundly at a round of boxin'." She offers a small, half-grin. "Then again, that's m'answah fer a rathah lot."

Torwin chuckles and says, "Oh I was plenty tempted to put an arrow in this one squirrel's ear, but he was inside the abbey so that kind of ended that. Almost made me want it to be the days when the walls were still down and have my bow on me."

Zoe_Lang chuckles appreciatively and shakes her head. "I prefer a nice, simple smack upside the head t' sort out any troublesome hares in the patrol. No sense in damagin' ears that might eventually be perfectly good if they decide t' straighten up, aye?"

Torwin nods and says, "True, but its much more satisfying in some cases. Not to mention you don't have to walk over to the beast to do it.

Zoe_Lang laughs at Torwin's words. "You archahs... nevah could undahstand folks choosin' a bow fer their main weapon. Always seemed too chancy fer me in a fight."

Torwin smiles and says, "Well if you pick 'em off before they get to ya, there's not goin' to be much of a fight in the first place." He then slides down to take a seat on the ground. "I would say that my bow is my secondary weapon though, I just use it before more main weapons. Falcatas."

Zoe_Lang's eyebrows go up. "Falcatas?"

Torwin smiles as that seems to pique the colonel's interest. "Aye. A falcata is a blade about as long as a dirk, with a wider blade that curves forward. The forward curve makes it easy to deal powerful slashes. I've splintered wooden shields with 'em."

Zoe_Lang hms, trying to imagine the blade which he describes. "Aye? Is tha' so..." She gives a drooping ear a thoughtful scratch then allows it to straighten. "Don't suppose you've one you'd be willin' t' part with, fer a time? Always lookin' fer interestin' new weapons t' add to the mountain's armory."

Torwin hrms a bit, "Well I only have two. Although I do know a very good smithy in the area who can make you one. He was actually a friend of your last badger lord as I recall."

He's piqued her interest once more. "Oh, aye? And what happens to be this beast's name?"

"Urthpaw" Torwin replies. "I think they both used to live in Fraterin or something like that. He's got a smithy in Mossflower Village"

Zoe_Lang hms. "Well, mayhaps I'll have to pay this Urthpaw a visit..." Slowly, pushing down on the log to help propel herself up, the doe stands. Her knees pop nonetheless, and she smirks. "... Well, I must be off, m'friend. I thank ya for sittin' 'n' passin' a spell with me." She inclines her head. "'Twas a pleasure. But now..." She sighs, smiling, "I'm off fer some shut eye. G'night." She offers him a final nod and turns, limping slowly toward the abbey buildings and sleep.

Torwin stands and nods, "Good talkin' to you too colonel. See you around."