05-16-06
Characters involved: Harper, Quinten, & Flaxpaw.
RW Abbey: Great Hall
Harper has finally escaped from scullery duty after a good two hours of scraping and cleaning. At least he hadn't been assigned to the cauldrons, this time. Instead, he'd been set to washing dish after dish after dish in a long line of dishes. He is not covered in grime, but the front of his habit is wet and the tips of his fingers look like prunes under his fur, which is wet up to the elbows. Oof, what a job. "Ain't gonna be able to lift my arms above the shoulders fer a week..." Mutter.
Quinten is sat in an armchair, a writing board on his lap, practicing his hand writing, none of that blocky recruit script, proper joined up writing, words flowing from his ben like water. He glances at harper and waves his hears "Hey Harp gud tae see ye"
... Ooh. Harper's ears twitch, twitch, and flatten back. He turns slowly, eyes narrowing in silent thought. "Quint." He surveys the other buck before starting toward him. His tone is gruff, but he's making an effort to make the words nonchalant. "So I hear you were talkin' to Flax."
Quinten frowns "I had a bit of an arguement with her the other day aye, been trying to track her down and say sorry" he dips his pen in the ink again "Was a bit stupid really, so wots it like down in the scullery?"
"Dirty," he offers in one-word reply. He arrives before Quinten, staring down at him. "Said you were talkin' about me. That so?"
Quinten looks up at the bigger buck and blinks scratching an ear "I did? you know i don't rightly remember, was all silly heat of the moment stuff, she started going on about the Major, i said something back about him being too old and too much of a proper officer, some of that rot" he looks at his page and sets it down, pouring sand on it to dry "So Dirty? that all? I got to start down there in a day or so on my rota." not seeming to notice anything wrong.
Harper's eyes narrow, his arms crossing over his chest. "Heard you said a lot of interestin' things about the Major. 'Bout the major 'n' me, matter fact. You know anything about /that/?"
Quinten frowns "Wot?" he laughs suddenly and shakes his head "Oh tha, i said she'd have more chance flirting wid ye then the major, really Harp didn't think it was a bad thing to be saying." he leans back in the chair "Sorry if tha offended ye Harper, really was just an example could have easily have been Greg or Harry or someone" damn...what did he say? must have been something to get a reaction like this.
Harper's expression doesn't lighten. "Flax said you said I fancied her. I ain't /never/ said anything about that to you. Where d'you get off, mate?" And the crux of the matter, "And what's this with her asking about my father, huh?"
Quinten blinks and waves a paw "Ahhh come on Harper twas just a bally arguement, an i never said that damn flighty doe" he lifts his paws of the arm rests, just holding them over his stomach... in case harper goes for him. "As for your father Harper ii don't know anything, Major was going on an on about you after we got here, made me give him a full on report about your actions oin the way here. I mentioned your step dad hitting you, oddest report i ever had to make" he raises his eyes to look at Harper firmly, jaw firming .
Harper's jaw drops. "My /actions/? What about my /actions?" His fingers twitch where they rest on the opposite forearm. Tap-tap-tap. "And why'd you go 'n' tell him that, huh? You think it's something I want folks knowing, let alone /him/?"
Quinten looks at Harper in disbelief "You wot....you expect me to stand there and lie to the Major? he grilled me Harper, like he'd just caught me sneaking back back to my room after lights out."
"Tell him I fell! Tell him anything! Just don't tell him that!" He throws his arms open wide, looking exasperated. "I can't believe you, Quint!"
Quinten looks totally baffled "Harper calm down...sheesh all i told him was what you did on the way here, same as the rest of us, paddled thos blasted paddle boats, tried to outsmart that GUOSIM gauntlet up the river bank, yeeesh hardly like i told him anything private"
Harper lets out a hissing breath which is almost a sigh through gritted teeth. "... Yeah. Right. Do me a favor. Keep yer opinions about me 'n' Flax or me 'n' Jarril to yerself. Got it?"
Quinten sighs and hangs his ears down the back of his head "Fine...." he closes his eyes and slumps down in his chair "Great that makes like...the only two recruits i know now hating me..." he flings his quill pen into the fireplace and lowers his head into his paws "Arrr why is nothing ever easy"
Harper doesn't even wait to listen to the other buck's mutterings. He merely nods. "Good. That's good. Right." And... he turns, storming off to the other side of the hall. He doesn't leave, though. He just... sits. /Facing/ the other way. Mm-hm.
Quinten is trying not to cry, really he is, he's leagues from home, Gabby is all too busy being wrapped up in making a new life for herself to spend any time with him, and now his best friend hates him and so does Harper. Great wonderful start, depressed from everyone leaving yesterday and now this, the short buck starts to cry softly into his paws
... Oh, are you kidding me? Harp's ears flit backward and his head starts to turn. But then, with a grunt, he stills its course. "... No. His own damn fault," he mutters, reclining back in his chair. His arms fold high over his chest.
Quinten stands up and wipes his eyes dry and grits his teeth /Stupid...idiotic harper, it's all his stupid fault/ Quinten moves past him towards te stairs "I hope that insane otter shoves you in a cauldron and boils you" he hisses "All i did was follow orders" he kicks the back of Harper chair, hard with a hind leg and then sprints up the stairs.
"Hey!" Harper's eyes widen, his chair all of a sudden collapsing forward on him. He scrambles up and to his feet, watching Quinten go with widened eyes. The only thing that keeps him from charging after Quinten is the sudden appearance of one of the Sisters from the kitchen, who calls to him. With a grimace, he rights the chair and turns to jog over to the Sister. Grumble mutter mutter.
[Later...]
RW Abbey: Main Gate
A chill wind teases your whiskers as you stand at the main entrance into Redwall Abbey. The gates stand tall and new, having been replaced only seasons ago. The entrance arch is amazingly thick, denoting the strength and thickness of the ancient walls themselves, which, despite the upheavals of the past, and numerous cracks present in the rose colored stone, still stand tall and strong. Uncountable pawprints can be seen in the snow, leading both in and out of the Abbey
Shadows are lengthening, and you can see the sun falling over the western grasslands. The Abbey walls are a blaze of crimson in the dying light.
Are you a newcomer to Redwall? Type +skills apply rwchat to keep track of what's happening.
Exits: [Enter] the abbey, [R]ight Along [W]all, [L]eft Along [W]all, [R]oad
Flax is leaned against the arch at the entryway, arms crossed, watching the grass outside the gates. She's managed to get changed into her patrol uniform again, and is certainly more comfortable. leaned next to her aghainst the wall are two wooden practice swords...just in case they're wanted.
Classes have finished for today, and despite the interesting events of the day, Harper has kept in mind Flax's question. Therefore, he appears at the gate with a bow and set of arrows slung over his shoulder snuck from the weapons supply left for the recruits in the gatehouse. He spies Flax where she stands and jogs over to her. "Hey!" he calls.
Flaxpaw turns to wave at him, a broad grin on her muzzle, wasn't sure he'd come. "Hey, glad you came." She look s at the bow approvingly. "well, shall we see about gettin out of this stuffy place an gettin some real stuff done?" she winks, picking up the practice swords. "Hear the abbey beasts don't even believe in /practice/ inside here. huh."
Harper rolls his eyes and shrugs. "Who knows what they believe? Let's go." He pushes off the gate and turns, heading out toward the road. As usual, he paces himself to allow the doe to catch up. "Talked to Quinten."
Flaxpaw falls in step, and looks over at him. "oh, him...and?"
Harper's shoulders jerk in a shrug and the arrows rattle in their container. "I warned him off of telling folks things he doesn't know about, 'n' he kicked the back of my chair. Kicked it over, matter fact." He smirks. Shrugs again.
Flaxpaw looks over and offers a small smile. "Bet he got all preachy too, didn't he?" She chuckles a little, shaking her head. "An, he kicked over your chair? That was...expressive of him." She shrugs. "so, found anythin you like doin here in th'abbey?"
Harper smirks. "Yeah. 'Expressive'." He tactfully leaves out that Quinten had been crying at the time. XD "Aaand... no. Unless you count scrubbing huge pots in the scullery. Which. I don't." He glances to the side at the doe, and he actually looks interested. "You?"
Flaxpaw looks at her foot paws, watching him out of the corner of her eye. "Well....I've found somethin that's a bit interestin. Bit of a change, really. I've been..um..." her voice drops "helpin mister Keiran with copyin books. don't laugh."
Harper's eyebrows raise. "Ain't that Major Darklett's brother?" Following on that, he shrugs, looking indifferent. "Why would I laugh? Better than scrubbing pots, anyway. I dunno what I'm gonna do here."
Flaxpaw nods. "yeah, it's his brother, nice chap." now it's her turn to look interested. "so, wot'd you do to manage hettin picked as the pot-scrubber?"
"I was stupid 'n' volunteered in the kitchen." He rolls his eyes skyward, pressing his paw to the back of his neck as he tilts his head back. "That or that otter fellah, Garn, took a fancy to me. I dunno." He shrugs once more and reaches over his shoulder, plucking an arrow out of the quiver to fiddle with it. Feels good to be holding a weapon - any weapon. "I guess I figure I'll try to specialize in healing. Seems most applicable to the patrol, ya know?"
Flaxpaw nods. "I'd have thought about that, but, I hate th'infirmary, an all that. An, well, mater was a healer. She looks over at the arrow in his paw. "say.... you any good with the bow? it's not my strong point..."
Harper's lips draw down in a thoughtful frown, not at her question but at her words prior to it. Nevertheless he offers an answer. Or a demonstration, anyway. He unslings the bow from his shoulder and notches the arrow he was fidgeting with. "Gimme a target 'n' we'll see."
Flaxpaw grins, dropping the practice swords she's been carrying on the ground, and moving in near his elbow, pointing at a tree. "see that one there? with the big knot in it? c'n you hit the knot?"
Harper glances to the side at Flax with a grin that is strangely relaxed - at least, that is, for him. It slips into a more natural looking smirk and he shrugs. "We'll see." He turns his attention to the task at hand. And just like his 'father' taught him, he takes a deep breath and holds it whilst drawing back the bow string along with arrow, aiming carefully and a little high as they've /all/ been taught. He lets the arrow fly, and it flies true, striking the very edge of the knot and sinking into the tree's trunk.
Flaxpaw looks quite impressed. "wow, Harp, good shot!" she considers the tree and the arrow. "hmm, how d'you /do/ that? I know wot they say in the trainin, an I guess I c'n shoot alright, but...I'd never get it where i want it to go like that....."
Harper lowers the bow with a small sigh, then shrugs. "Guess I get it from J-" Er-hem-hem? "... just practicing a lot." Heh.... Eh heh. He ducks his head, slinging the bow over his shoulder and jogging over to retrieve the arrow - assuming he can pull it out of the trunk. He grabs hold of the shaft, tugging at it.
Flaxpaw follows him, and stops, standing next to him and watching him tug. "hmmm, you really got that tree, didn't you?" She tilts her head to the side. "you still think you're goin to switch to bein a fighter? you said that the first time i met you....seems you'd make a good runner, that skill with the bow, I hear that's important for runners especially."
Harper glances to the side and shrugs. "I dunno... 'Least now I don't have to decide for a coupla seasons." He gives another extra hard tug on the shaft and stumbles back with the arrow in paw. He examines it for a moment and, with a nod, returns it to the quiver. "Mostly I was just angry, I guess. But maybe you shouldn't do something just 'cause yer good at it, ya know? Oughta be a better reason."
Flaxpaw nods and looks at him, thinking. "I suppose that's true. Wot sort of reason d'you have in mind?" She looks undecided briefly, then adds "an, why were you angry? angry enough to change, that is?"
"Aw, I don't really know, Flax... Just 'cause I felt like it, I guess." He shrugs and shoves his paws in his pockets, starting to walking along once more, heading further from the abbey. "And... I was angry 'cause of Randall, 'n' just a lot of things. Tired of everyone expectin' me to be one thing when I'm something else all together, ya know?"
Flaxpaw follows along, forgetting the practice swords laying where she dropped them. "yes, I do know about that. well, for me, they expected me /not/ to be somethin that I /am/. They expect you to be runner? That wot's wrong? or they expect you to be somethin else?"
Harper's paw swipes through his headfur, a nervous habit which is accompanied by a frowning glance to the side at Flaxpaw. "My da-..." No. He corrects himself. "/Randall/ never expected me to be a runner, anyway. He's one of the 'tough guys'. He's the type would've been a fighter no matter what, 'cept he's too bloody stupid for the Patrol." He shrugs. "So maybe I'm a runner 'cause I'd die 'fore I was like him. But now... I don't know. I don't know, Flax." He gives an agitated shake of his head and burrows his paws further into his pockets, hunching his shoulders as he repeats himself. "I dunno. Never mind."
Flaxpaw looks at him, and nods, also sticking her paws in her pockets. "well, ok. I understan not wantin t'be like your father. why d'you call him Randall? he's still your dad isn't he? I don' really think much of my parents either, but... family's family." She sighs. "an...Harp? if you do want to talk...." she shrugs, and looks the other way, slowing a little.
Harper glances to the side at Flax, worrying at his lower lip thoughtfully. He shrugs and looks forward again. "I guess maybe I lied the other day. He's not my real dad. He's my mam's mate, 'n' he's my brother's dad," and here he pauses, his shoulders jerking in another slightly agitated shrug, "but he's not mine."
Flaxpaw nods, looking back toward him, and putting a light paw on his shoulder briefly before yanking it back and shoving it in her pocket again, "well, that's family anyway, Harp. Family's wot you make it. Patrol's family now...an this chap, he sounds like family to me." She tactfully, for a change, refrains from asking about his real father.
Harper surprisingly doesn't pull away from the paw at his shoulder, but he does glance up. He looks at Flaxpaw for a long moment, then nods. "Patrol's family, now." Something occurs to him, and he grins. "So what does that make you? My sister?"
Flaxpaw laughs and ducks her head. "well, never thought of it like that..... guess so." she looks just a bit disgruntled at that, thinking, then she grins back, giggling. "suppose that makes th'officahs our uncles an aunties, too....."
Harper smirks slightly. "Just don't let them catch you calling 'em uncle 'n' auntie, if you wanna keep yer head straight on yer shoulders."
Flaxpaw nods, a mad fit of giggles on now at the image. "well, so ong as I call 'em by their rank..." gasp "uncle majah, sah. auntie colonel, ma'm."
