05-19-06

Characters involved: Harper, Quinten, Flaxpaw, Jakk, & Darkmane.

RW Abbey: Great Hall

Another long day in the life of a novice. Harper has finally settled down for the evening, his classes and recruit training done. A chunk of wood sits in his lap and he holds the edge of a carving knife to its surface, shaving the wood off sliver by sliver. The general form of a hare's head protrudes from the block.

Quinten comes walking into the Great Hall, he too has had a long day as a novice and a prodcuctive evening with Flaxpaw, he is being trailed by doe, a very pretty doe, dressed in a skirt, blouse and blue vest. curled slightly permed short cropped head fur. He looks about and when he spies harper grins and nudges the doe and starts over to waards him"

The doe pulls back a little, shaking her head at Quinten, and whispering as she is pulled along... "no, let's forget this. don't want him to see. I look funny. Quint..." she mayh be a tad nervous, especially now that she's spotted Harp.

Harper's head remains down, the tip of his tongue /just/ sticking out the side of his mouth as he concentrates on his work. His ears give only the slightest of twitches at the murmurs he hears from across the room. Another sliver peels from the wood, forming the curve of a delicate snout.

Quinten smirks and carries on towards Harper "Ahhh you do not look stupid Flax" he calls out "Hey Harper how are you"

Flaxpaw may as well just be a pink hare at this point, at least when Harp's there. Her eartips are once again a light pink, and she stammers for a moment before falling silent, still trailing behind Quint.

Not to interrupt any matchmaking scenes that /might/ be going on, a clatter is given as a young buck stumbles up from the cavern hole. Maybe he mis-stepped, but this can be easily seen because the clatter is actually caused for all the mops that fall about with this hare. Jakk tucks his head in, rubbing it as a mop handle hits him upon the back of his skull. "Ow. Dangit.."

Harper's brow knits in slight annoyance at Quinten's distracting call, leaving his blade to slip awry, scratching a blemish into the half-formed face. He starts to look up, ready with a vexed expression, when Jakk's racket draws his attention. His attention shifts, as does his head, not even seeing Flax as he looks at the clumsy buck with raised eyebrows.

Quinten turns around at the sound of Jakk and smiles "Oh i'd best go see if he needs a hand Flax you entertain Harper for a bit" he darts across te great hall, leaving the doe alone with harper "Hey Jakk need a paw there?"

Flaxpaw looks at Jakk, then Harp, then Jakk again. "uh...alright..." She glances back to Harp out of the corner of her eye, but seems intent on Jakk and Quint. "Bad luck there." she mutters.

Jakk's predicament could possibly have been caused by one certain failure on his part. A broom - looking quite alone amidst all the mops there.. poor broom - had gotten in between his legs to which they got tangled up - actually the fact that it's the only broom in the bunch would probably be the reason why it tripped him up in the first place. However this is the least of the recruit's problems now. He flushes when he realizes there are others in the great hall. Meanwhile the broom looks rather pleased with itself as he lifts it from the floor, fumbling to his footpaws. "Yeah.. No. I don' know. I'm fine." Both brown ears splay back.

Entertain Harper for a bit? What? The buck's head turns in a distracted way toward Quinten and then Flaxpaw's voice, though is eyes remain riveted on Jakk for a few seconds longer, as distracted eyes are wont to do. But eventually they snap back, first passing over Flaxpaw in his attempt to figure out what's going on, and then double-taking. His lips part in silent surprise and for the moment he just... stares, his head canted slightly to the side.

Quinten smiles at Jakk and reaches out to grasp a mop "Here let me help Jakk," he moves the mop out of the way and then grabs another one "I don't mind helping out"

Flaxpaw smooths the pleated blue skirt down, and looks back at Harp for a moment "Um..Evenin, Harp." Her gaze quickly starts roaming around the hall.

Jakk keeps a death clutch on that broom, letting it rest over his shoulder as he looks a bit embarrassed still. "Yeah. Just don' /want/ to need to be helped.." He stumbles over these murmured words, then gives a curious look as if to wonder if they are correctly stated. A peering glance is sent towards Flaxpaw when he finally averts his eyes that way and then one ear sticks up like a flagpole. "Is that Flax?"

Harper stares for just long enough to become aware of the fact that he's obviously been staring. With one bounce of his eyes down to what the doe is wearing and then back up to her face and the strangely girlish headfur, his ears tinge a bright red and one droops over as he reaches a paw up to scruff roughly at the back of his head. He looks back at her in jumping glances, first at the doe, then the floor, then a lantern, then the doe, then the ceiling. And he finally asks, his words overly gruff with awkwardness. "... What're you /wearing/?"

Quinten smiles and leans on the mop and glances back "Aye tis Flax alright, she looks good don't you think Jakk?" he looks back at the younger buck and grins "and hey its ok to not want help, but we're all patrollers we help each other no matter wot."

Flaxpaw looks down at the skirt, paws madly smoothing it, then at the fur, turning even redder herself. "I-it's just..well...it's a...a skirt. um...I /am/ a doe, you know. It's wot does....um...wear." She hunches a little, ears pressed down to her head, and really mutters now. "I...um...I'd better go get m'uniform back on. Silly thing to wear.....

Darkmane steps into the great hall from the stairs and surveys the room slowly to see what familiar faces are around

Jakk isn't quite paying attention to what Quinten is on about in that almost 'teacherly' manner. However the first question is heard. A strange mixture of expressions cross his features: thoughtfulness, unsureness, then a scowl. "I don' know. She's just a doe." Then the young recruit shakes his head a lot, squinting up to the older buck like he's insane.

Ummmmmm okay. Harp squeezes the back of his neck with a paw, his eyes continuing to dart from place to place, though he /does/ make his best effort to look only at Flaxpaw or the floor. Mostly, though? It's the floor. "Yeah, but. /Why're/ you wearing it? That ain't - it ain't - it's not..." Pause. Fluster. "It's a /dress/."

Quinten chuckles and winks at jakk "You say that now, you wait a season and you'll think differently, you'll see" he look sback at Harper and Flaxpaw listening with keen interest, ears perked forwards wanting to hear how this goes before he goes to his evening class.

Flaxpaw gets more flustered. "some idea of Quint's....oh, nevermind. it was a bad idea, don't know why i listen to him..." She looks at Harper, then shakes her head and turns on her heel, marching out of the hall, head down so she doesn't realise she's on a path to run into Darkmane if he doesn't move.

Even though Quinten is heard, Jakk doesn't quite take this to heart. Instead he is heading towards Harper and Flaxpaw with that broom before he can be stopped. Maybe Quin shouldn't have taken his eyes off of the pre-teen. Obviously though, he needed a better look at the female, just to see if it was /really/ her. That is, before the doe actually starts to storm away and so he hurries up.

Darkmane quickly steps out of the way as he notes Flaxpaw storming toward him, head cocking slightly as he studies her for a few moments "nice outfit Flax, ya look good"

Harper is so confused. He stares after Flaxpaw as she storms off, his mouth open in silent protest. If not for the slight hold-up which Darkmane provides, Flaxpaw would be off before Harp could blink. As it is, he starts after her with absolutely no idea what to say, except, "Wait!" And he halts, just a couple of steps after starting after her.

Quinten watches Jakk walk past him and mutters something nder his breath, he sprints forwards going to take hold of Jakk's arm "hey Jakk, let them be fore now" he shoots a glance at harper and whispers to him, "Just tell her she looks nice already, that's all she wants to hear" he flicks his ears and turns to look back at Jakk "Now did you bring these mops up here for a reason?"

Jakk is grabbed and kind of jerked back. Let's just hope that broom doesn't ram into Quinten when this happens, because that object has caused so much trouble today. His ears shoot into a confused, turned together position, before peering up to the older buck. "Why?" Squint. Like he doesn't have the right to talk to someone? Defiance!!

Quinten curses and ducks quickly as that dratted broom almost gets him in the head, it whistles between his ears and bounces off his head. "Because if you brought those mops and this dratted broom up here to do some chores with you don't have time to stand about chatting do we? so lets get on with it, then you can go see Flax"

Flaxpaw stops, not turning, but just standing there, waiting for Harper to say whatever he's going to say, ears turned to him, though. Darkmane's comment not really registering, yet.

Darkmane retains his silence merely watching for now

Jakk turns all the way around, though taking the most impossible route to do this, for the grip that Quint had on his arm. The broom swings around because of its position upon his shoulder. Headtilt. "Chores? No." A glance goes over his shoulder to what Flaxpaw and Harper are doing. And this is when the horse is noted. Woah!

Quinten shakes his head at the younger buck "Then why the mops and the broom? putting them away or what? there must be a.." he catches the broom handle and glares at it, "a reason you brought all these up here

Harper's ears twitch toward Quinten at what he whispers, and his flush only proves to deepen. He turns on the buck with exasperation, his voice carrying enough that Flaxpaw will likely hear it. "What're you /talking/ about? Why would she want to hear something like /that/?" He shakes his head, looking flabbergasted and a little more than vexed as his gaze shifts back to take in Flaxpaw's turned back. And he has no clue what to say to her, so he just... doesn't. Uh! Not fair.

Jakk reaches up a paw to bat Quinten's arm away from his broom. "Yeah. But I can' remember. So it don' matter." Such wonderful grammar the munchkin has, aye? "Why won't ya let me talk to Flax?" Maybe he just doesn't get it. It seems that Harper isn't the only lost one.

Quinten sighs and looks from Jakk to Harper and back again "Ahhh forget it...." he looks at Harper "she is wearing that" he says patiently and slowly "because she wanted to look nice, to, look, nice. She does look nice, she is beautiful in fact" he pushes the mops into Jakk's arms and starts for the library "But i havea a class i can't stay"

Flaxpaw turns around at the raised voice, and flicks her ears at the bucks. "Wot? I...." she looks hard at Harper, then shakes her head, hearing Jakk's comment. "no reason you can't talk to me, Jakk. C'mere." She blinks tears a little, then seems to comprehend that Darkmane's there. A new sort of flustered starts as she turns to salute her teracher, full recruit kicking in. "thank you, sah." She missed the final comments made by Quint.

Because of Quinten, Jakk's predicament reasserts itself by again having a jumble of mops and the one broom in his arms. Erf. He watches Quinten head for the library with ears splayed in confusion, then returns his attention to the soap opera. Yay! Flax called him over! The young recruit hurries for her, trying not to end up jabbing her with the handles of said objects. "Kay." Grin.

To look nice? This Harper mouths silently to himself, looking ever more incredulous as he watches Quinten head off. He turns to look at Flaxpaw, back to near-staring, before he gives a determined shake of his head and walks towards her. Jakk is given almost no notice as he addresses the doe. "Flax," is all he says to start, his lips twitching in a thoughtful frown.

Darkmane muses slightly "you should concider wearing something like that more often i think" his lips twisting into a wry grin as he opens his mouth to say something more then shuts it again and stays silent

Quinten steps through the libraray door and from sight, he doesn't however close the door, standing on the other side, he really wants to hear what harper has to say.

Flaxpaw smiles at Jakk, only chap in the room not flustering her right now, but is distracted, looking between Darkmane and Harp, ducking her head at the horse's words, then she focusses on Harp, looking up briefly before looking at the floor near his left foot paw. "yeah?" her voice is un-Flaxishly soft and a little nervous.

Something about this situation gets the kid to go silent. Dead silent. Jakk just begins to stare at the floor himself, in between Flax's footpaws with ears twitching about to listen. He's trying to go invisible.. while still looking like a walking mop rack.

Harper looks nervous and more than a little confused. True enough, he almost looks... dismayed. The poor buck. When he speaks again, his tone is quiet and curious and trying to be gentle despite the waver of uncertainty in it. "Flax... why're you wearing that?" Pause. Shift feet. Drop eyes. "I mean, you look /fine/," he's quick to add, "but... you /always/ look nice, but better 'cause you're not all nervous and uncomfortable like /this/." His nose wrinkles. "I mean, that thing's worse'n a habit fer doing stuff in. So why're you wearing it?"

Darkmane ponders toughtfully before grinning slightly "oh, i don't know, i think it would have been quite usefull in a fight currently atleast against some of you"

Darkmane then nods slightly to himself a few moments later "besides, i think some of her nervousness comes from the rest of your reactions aswell"

Flaxpaw looks over at Darkmane, then down at her footpaw, not saying anything at first, just shuffling, and blinking tears, then nods slowly, looking up at Harper, voice still quiet. "Told him it was a bad idea..." mutter that sounds oddly like "don't know how t' be a doe"

Harper sends Darkmane a glance, as if to ask, 'Well, what would /you/ do if you were in my shoes?' Young teens are not well-known for their quick-thinking calmness and adaptation abilities. He also sends a glance Jakk's way, but says nothing until his attention has returned to Flaxpaw. Frown. "Yer a /fine/ doe. And if this was Quinten's idea, it was a lousy one. I don't know what bucks yer trying to impress, but I know /I/ don't like ya 'cause ya wear skirts 'n' frilly things." He doesn't exactly say /why/ he likes her, apparently choosing to leave that unsaid with a gruff nod of his head. "I've gotta get up early fer chores 'n' all, so..." Grunt. "I'll see ya later." He starts to turn.

Darkmane shakes his head slightly as he places a hand on Flax's shoulder gently "i wouldn't worry flax as you are doing well, you do look good in most you wear tho so no need for dresses to impress others"

Flaxpaw sags a little, looking to Darkmane, and commenting in a slightly petulant, though still soft tone (but not so much that Harp would miss hearing her) "Who's he think I'm wearin such a stupid thin for, sah? I-I don't even like this dress thing. Quint said that's wot Gabby does...that an a bunch of other silly stuff". Jakk's comment will likely register later, but just now...Harp's what she's thinking about.

Harper doesn't miss hearing her. His ears give twin twitches and he loses half a step, glancing back over his shoulder in surprise. Did he just hear her right? He stares at her bug-eyed for a moment before giving a fierce shake of his head, apparently deciding as he is wont to do that anger is the better option, and so... to hell with the whole situation! "Ah, forget it!" he mutters explosively before turning once more, stomping for the stairs.

Darkmane shakes his head slightly at Harper's reaction then looks down at Flax "he will come around, i think he is just very flustered currently" quiet mutter more to himself then anybody else "and halfway a fool for that reaction"

Flaxpaw shakes her head, going to lean her forehead against Darkmane, in total dibbun-Flax mode now. "He won't. It was a bad idea. He...doesn't like me as a doe, just as another recruit. wot was I thinkin, sah? wasn't I guess."

Flaxpaw shakes her head, going to lean her forehead against Darkmane, in total dibbun-Flax mode now. "He won't. It was a bad idea. He...doesn't like me as a doe, just as another recruit. wot was I thinkin, sah? wasn't I guess."

Darkmane exhales deeply as he more or less automatically moves a hand to rufflepet Flaxpaw's head, his voice hesitant for a moment before deciding to speak "give him a day or so, if he hasn't returned to apologize before then he is a bigger idiot then i'd have imagened"

Flaxpaw sighs and nods. "Yes, sah....but, why d'you think /he's/ the idiot? I'm the one wearing the ruffles and stuff."

Darkmane smiles softly down at Flaxpaw "Becourse there is nothing wrong in how you are dressed, even if some can't seem to tackle it, and his reaction wasn't very proper i think"

Flaxpaw smiles up at him and nods, taking a deep breath. "well, sah....it's a silly frilly thing, 'course he didn't like that. We're fighters, not fieldmice on a picnic, sah." she shrugs.

Darkmane dips his head somewhat "do you wish to change into something you are more comfortable in?" head cocking slightly "little use in staying around in something you don't like unless you want to get used to wearing it"

[And here's where I had to go. ;)]