05.03.09 - Impromptu Visit

Location: Halyard Village; then Redwall Pond and Great Hall

Characters Involved: Darcy, Soclose, Harper

Soclose tak-tak-taks about the village square, his talons scratching marks in the dust as he studies the winds. "Yes, yes. Best get into your sack, and keep down your head or anything you do not want more holes in." he calls out.

Darcy smirks a little as she spreads the sack on the ground, and crawls in, trying to get a somewhat comfortable position. "Please don't drop me," is her only reply.

Soclose jumps up and flaps away into the sky, it is quiet for a bit as the wind gusts. Then with a triumphant cry Soclose returns, swooping down from above! Grabbing hold of the sack as he passes, there is a sudden shuddering lurch upwards as the osprey begins climbing rapidly. It's quite disconcerting as he twists the bag end over end in the air, trying to find a better aerodynamic purchase, as glimpses of buildings and shops tumble by the opening.

Darcy can't quite contain one little cackle of laughter as adrenaline surges through her. She hangs on, curled up in the sack, peeking out - too exhilarated by the experience to be scared like she ought to be.

Soclose looks down from above, "Hist! Belay that noise, do you want to be spotted? You are lucky I know my way about a harbor, but there are those we do not want to attract!" The osprey's talons have perforated the bag enough that glances in most any direction are possible. It would appear that you were flying inland, presumably the correct way.

Darcy quiets fairly quickly after the first little giddy laugh. She positions so her weight is in the bottom of the bag, with no risk of tumbling out - but she leans just enough to peer out, looking down-down-down and then out in the direction that Soclose is headed, happy anticipation on her face.

---

Soclose glides down, twisting tightly in the process of landing in the courtyard. The osprey flaps his wings quickly to slow his descent and dangles the bag from one talon as he lands on the ground with a bump and thump, "Out! Out!" he calls, "I have become tired of sacks and letters and all this. Now I am curious, curious to see how our hello will be."

With a little 'oof' the doe tumbles out of the sack and onto the grass, rolling over a few times with the momentum, and ending sprawled on her back. She just lays there for a moment, blinking upward toward the scarce clouds and littered stars. "Uhg. .. not like I can expect a welcome party, no one knows I was /coming/..."

Soclose struts about, ruffling his feathers and muttering, "Not expected? Surely someone must have seen us land, you being a surprise visitor or not." He pauses, glancing over at Darcy and in a moment croons out with concern, "Oh, what has happened? My pie has not cracked its head--has it?" He calls out loudly and clearly, "I will call for help...ahoy abbey!"

Darcy pushes up on her elbows, and grins at Soclose. What a funny bird. "I'm not your /pie/, I'm... the supplier of pie. And I haven't cracked my head, I'm.. you know. Letting my limbs go back into their proper position."

It's late, but not so late that Harper isn't out wandering. He's like that. It makes for good brooding time! Or something. The buck has been wandering in the orchards, but the noise by the pond has drawn him. He heads this way, and free of the trees and... stops. He sees the larger bird, first, jaw dropping.

Soclose hunches his head down to look at Darcy closely and says agreeably, "Of course, of course, I can see that now. You looked like a bad accident in this dark." He glances up and looks over at Harper, the bird's eyes glinting in the dimness. "Ah, we have attracted notice, I see."

Darcy flops onto her back again. "I probably look like your next meal laying like I am... Have we?" She rolls onto her stomach and lifts her head, hands against the ground, then draws onto her knees. Her gaze skims to Soclose's face, then she follows the direction of his gaze. Immediately her muzzle splits into a wide smile. "/You/..."

Harper is in shock. Give him a moment. He... makes a sound. That isn't a word. Because he has been shocked. Into silence. He... raises a paw. And.... waves. Wave to the nice matey mate, Harper.

Soclose exclaims, "Ha-hum!" He looks between Darcy and Harper. "Is that all," he asks, "are you sure you weren't expected? His eyes seem a bit wider than healthy."

Darcy's expression dims fractionally. Still smiling, expectant, now with brows slightly raised. She pushes up to stand, cramped muscled protesting. "Heh," is her response to Soclose, giving the bird a glance. "I'm pretty sure he didn't expect to /see/ me again. Possibly ever. Just... give him a moment."

The moment. That's all it takes. He... blinks. And starts walking forward. Kind of dreamily. His paws lift, finding her cheeks. And he pulls her forward, into a kiss. No greeting! Psht. Who needs greetings?

Soclose's foot absentmindedly scratches a divot in the grass as he watches, "Ah, yes! It appears this is all it takes."

Darcy responds with a quiet 'mmf' and curls her arms around the back of Harper's neck, up on her tip-toes to do it. She kisses back, one foot leaving the ground a little.

And then Harper breaks the kiss... but only so he can swing Darcy around once before putting her down. He holds her out at distance, staring. "... How? Why? Why didn't you... /tell/ me you were coming?" He hasn't made the connection yet, clearly. Big bird, etc. He's still in shock. Shh.

Soclose shakes his head and croons, "If another messenger was available, they would have surely gotten here before me. So, there was none to be had!"

Darcy emits a cackle of delighted laugher as she's swung. Her hands slide down to Harper's biceps and she grins up into his face. "I, uh.. well. /He/.. showed up in the tavern. So I asked him for a ride! ... a few hours ago." She gives Soclose a glance, still grinning. "... I now owe him a fish pie. And another for the return trip!"

Harper blinks. His eyes turn to the bird, now. He... shakes his head. "You're crazy, Darce, but I love you." And he ducks his head to kiss her, again. But just a brief one! "How long're you stayin'?" He smiles.

Darcy fairly purrs with affection for the buck. She clings on to him a little, leaning into his chest following the kiss. "Uhm. Til tomorrow? Maybe longer? It was /very/ impromptu..."

"I am worried too." Soclose says, "How long will we stay? Until morning, I will insist. The winds are not in our favor to return until the sun is up. Perhaps we will stay longer--even long enough to bake pie. Even from as far as the coast you can hear about the kitchens here."

That twitches his ears back a little. He was hoping for a /week/... He glances at the bird, offering a polite grin. "I think we c'n manage a pie for such a guest as you."

Darcy looks over to Soclose with more of a tired smile. "I promised you a pie, and a pie you'll get! If not tomorrow then the day after, maybe.. I'm not sure. I haven't seen him in a while," she explains. Harper gets a glance. "Depends on how long I can be convinced to stick around, maybe." Make him work for it!

"Sir bird, I'll make you pie every day if it will keep the both of you here longer." Harper grins.

"I might well take you up on this." Soclose muses, his orange eyes staring at Harper. "I have to admit your offer is better than any I have received asofar." His beak snaps together with a click as he imagines digging into an endless series of meals.

Darcy draws a breath, and lets it out on a satisfied, airy note. Her muzzle tilts to regard Harper. "I need to go back /eventually/... The tavern, and Keita. I left without even saying goodbye to her."

Harper nods his understanding. His paws rest at her sides. "... Okay. Just. Not tomorrow?" He smiles slightly.

Darcy considers her mate's face, and nods. "Not tomorrow," she concedes, and nuzzles at his shoulder.

Soclose glances between Harper and Darcy, "Tomorrow we can be certain on!" He ruffles his feathers and preens them down again, sparing a look towards Harper. "The rest we can talk and talk about at length some other time."

Harper glances to the bird, smiling. "I appreciate that." And then to the both of them! "Well, should we get inside? You must be tired - the both of you."

Darcy nods. "You have /no/ idea. Harp, I got a bloody spider bite and the night before last I /didn't/ sleep, I was hurting so bad..."

Urk. Harper blinks. "You did? Well... yeah. Let's get you inside 'n' t'bed." He guides her with an arm around her waist, glancing to the bird to see that he follows.

"Inside?" Soclose mutters quietly, "What is to be found in there?" Seeing that he's being watched, he follows along into the abbey after a backward glance towards the pond.

"Pie," is Darcy's absent answer. She leans into Harper, smiling and her eyes half-shut. She looks like she just could /not/ be happier.

Harper nods his agreement. "Pie. Or, well. There will be. Tomorrow," he promises the bird as he guides Darcy in.

Darcy mutters as she goes along with him, "What's the last letter you got..?"

Soclose appears not to need any other convincing as he follows along, saying sing-song, "Ah, my reward! Crafty I am...am I re-ally?"

Harper's ears twitch back slightly. Ah, the letter. "You were tellin' me about your routine over there, 'n' runnin' into Tam for the first time, 'n' about... a talk you had with Keita." Yeahp. He shakes his head. "Let's not talk about letters. You're /here/, so..."

Darcy's muzzle gives a slight twitch, and she glances up at Harper's face. Hmm. "Did you write /back/..?" And to Soclose, distractedly, "You are /so/ crafty. Craftiest bird I know."

Harper smiles faintly. "I hadn't gotten around t'it yet. I c'n write back once you leave, if you want." Faint teasing. He glances back at the bird, chuckling.

Darcy shakes her head, amused, and fatigued. "How do you not /get around to/ writing back to your mate? I mean really Harper." She tugs free, grasps the buck's hand, and pulls him after her, headed inside.

Soclose blinks and looks at Darcy, "--eh, what?" He croons, "You mean the song? It's meaning is nothing of the sort." He hunches his wings and rasps, "The First taught us it as a cautionary tale." He nods, "He also told us not to talk about letters in public which should be private."

Darcy lets go of Harper once she gets inside, and tilts her head back, looking at the high ceiling. Ahhh. "Okay, so! What've I missed?" she asks, with a smiling glance back toward the buck.

Harper grins... and laughs. "Ah, Darce, you know the Abbey... It's either painfully boring or crazy as it can get. It's been pretty borin', lately."

Tak-tak-tak. Soclose struts about the great hall, taking in the table, the chairs, the tapestry, skirting the fireplace, and peering into the various exits. He tilts his head on occasion, so it is obvious that the osprey is listening to the conversation.

Darcy spreads her arms wide and spins a few times, face up, until she wobbles a little and stops. "You know.. I /have/ missed this place. I mean. It's not /Halyard/ but..."

"I agree, " Soclose says, "no fish nets and sea smell, but you can get to like it just the same."

Harper chuckles at Darcy' words, but it is Soclose's apt statement that gets him grinning. He glances at the bird. "... Couldn't have put it better myself."

Darcy beams at Soclose. That /bird/. She goes toward Harper, hands resting on his arms as she leans up a little. "... I love it there. I /love/ the sea and the sand and the.. wind. And the /tavern/ and... I think we have a problem." She keeps on grinning, though.

Soclose turns quick at that, "A small problem? No problem?" His eyes look sharply at Darcy, "What problem?"

Harper glances at the bird, smiling slightly. "No problem for you. Don't worry. You're fine." He's keeping his good spirits if it kills him! "Do you want some of the world famous Redwall tea? I know it's not Halyard brew, but."

Darcy gives Soclose a small shake of the head. ".. not your problem," she echoes, and exhales a slow breath. "I could use some world famous Redwall /sleep/... I was just carried in a sack for a few hours."

Harper chuckles. "Okay. Sleep, then. We can do that, too."

Darcy shakes her head, hand rubbing at her short hair, and gaze flickering around the room. "... sooner I go to sleep, sooner it's tomorrow."

Soclose looks up the corridors and stairs again and ponders, "Perhaps I'll stay right here?"

Harper looks to the bird and nods, thoughtfully. "... Migh' be best. D'you need anything?" He's not exactly up on bird comfort.

Darcy's muzzle spreads apart in a brief yawn. "... we could build him a /nest/."

Soclose shakes his head and rasps, "This place is big, but it is too low. Too low! How could I see anything with these walls?"

Harper grins at the bird. "Y'know, I like you. Heh. Well, there's a nice high roof. The sparras like it." He gestures vaguely up. Starts towards the stairs, going to guide Darcy that way.

Darcy reaches to catch Harper's hand so she's tugged along. "Goodnight, then, sir bird!"

Soclose nods, "Then you can find me there in the morning! Take care!"

Harper waves his free paw to the bird, and then continues with Darcy up the stairs, giving her paw a squeeze on the way!

Darcy really has nothing else to say. Not here anyway. She leans a little into Harper as she goes up the stairs with him.