06-14-05

Characters involved: Audri & Taye

Salamandastron: Training Room

As usual, the training room has emptied for the night, the hares off on rounds or in the dining chamber. Coming out of hiding, Audri peeks inside, her long bangs falling over her eyes while she surveys the room. Not seeing any beast, she slips inside holding her newly snitched daggers. Audri ties back her hair into a loose braid, before she begins to jiggle them, ears pinned back in concentration.

After a long day of "training and revision", the recruits' assignments for the day, Taye is... heading for the training room, again. Devoted kid, but after the unintentional warning he received from Jarril about his combat abilities, he can't spare any time. "Not with exams a week away," he murmurs to himself, as he pushes the training room door open and steps in. He doesn't immediately notice anyone else in the room, the lights having been dimmed this late in the evening.

Audri's ears flick up, the faint sound of footsteps catching her attention, which results in four daggers tumbling to the floor with a dull thud. She squeaks in surprise, jumping back from the falling weapons, whirling around to face the door with wide eyes, seeing the faint outline of a hare. "Ooh, please don't tell Dark I was in here. He'll want to send me off again."

The outline jumps back in startlement, actually. He hadn't expected that /he'd/ be caught, either. He squints into the dim lighting, recognizing the voice but not recognizing it at the same time. He's been very absorbed in training and has been spending his time almost exclusively with the other trainees, and so he hasn't had much cause to see any other hares in the mountain. His brow wrinkles, thoughtfully. "I won't." Tell Dark? Wait, could it - "... Auree?"

Audri peers towards the outline, paw tugging on her braid while the other picks up the snitched daggers. "Actually its Audri. I can finally say my name right now. And..are you Taye? Cause you sound like it though I haven't been inside the mountain for awhile now so you could just be new."

"I shouldn't very well know yer name if I was new," he replies with infinite logic. ;p He then blinks, and steps further into the room, and eventually one of the wall lanterns draws light across his face. It is, indeed, Taye. Some old grin, anyway.

"Ooh, that's true. Didn't think of that." Audri sets her daggers aside, going back with toying with her braid, smiling at seeing someone she knows. "'lo Taye. How are you?"

"Good, thanks..." He glances at the daggers, but doesn't ask about them. Folks have their reasons, just like he's got his. "I've been, ya know - trainin'. I've been busy. Must be why I haven't seen ya around... How've ya been?"

Audri nods, taking a few steps closer to the hare, smiling meekly. "Oh, how's your training going? You gonna be in the patrol soon?" Audri shrugs, puffing a few bangs from her eyes. "I've been okay I suppose. Just keeping out of sight."

Somewhere on the muck, Wimble has disconnected.

Taye is still a little blown away by how much she's grown. He returns the meek smile with a grin, and just keeps himself from ruffling her headfur. "Training's goin' fine. Majah Jarril jus' today chose me fer his apprentice. I haven't even had the chance t' tell da, yet." He blinks. "Matter fact, yer the first beast 've told. Guess that makes ya special, huh?" Cheerful, him. ;p

Audri grins, ears perking up while she seems to relax. "Thats great Taye. I'm sure your da will be pleased about it." Audri looks doubtful, canting her head, tail flicking behind her. "And I'm not special. I'm just trying to keep out of everyone's way so I don't get sent to that Mossflower place."

Taye wrinkles his nose. "Who'd want t' send ya t' Mossflowah? The abbey's not s'very nice, s' I remembah it. Lotsa... holes in the wall, or somethin'." His memory is, at best, vague. Heh.

Audri sighs, tail curling while her paws fidget with her braid again. "Dark. I think its cause Mister Buckthorn sent that rabbit off, and kept telling him that'd it'd be best if he did the same. So when he told me, I went into hiding. Which is why you can't tell him that I was out playing with his daggers. He'd be awful made."

"Sent what rabbit off? And why? 'n' what has Buckthorn got t' d' with you 'n' Dark?" Blink! Taye looks... confused. "An' Dark told you... what?" Heh.

Audri continues her fidgeting, eyes starting to look misty. "That rabbit he rescued on the patrol when you all went off to get booze for Mister Neville. He sent him to a family in Mossflower, so Dark told me he thought I should live with squirrels in Mossflower. I got all upset, and just decided to be an orphan again and live out in hiding in the mountain."

Taye... sighs, and crouches down in front of Audri. He's got his Concerned Face, on. It's the Big Brother face, actually, but it's the same difference. "Auree - er, Audri? I bet ya anythin' that Dark's worried sick abou' ya, but if I promise you that, eithah way, ya c'n stay with me 'n' that ya won't evah have t' go stay with a squirrel family in Mossflowah, then will ya promise me that ya won't go int' hidin', anymore?"

Audri sniffles, rubbing at her eyes, trying to prevent the oncoming tears. "I doubt he's worried. He seemed happy when I went off by myself." Her ears flick again, eyes moving to look at Taye's face. 'But, I won't hide anymore. I'm getting a bit big for the crater, and the caves. Plus it gets awful cold up there, and it rains alot."

Taye nods. "... Good. I'd worry about ya up there cold 'n' rainy." He stands, and offers her his paw. "Why don't we come outta this place, go get somethin' t' eat or some sleep or... I dunno, anythin' othah than this dreary place. I've seen enough of these walls fer t'day." He tilts his head, "How's that sound?"

Audri smiles, wrapping her paw around his, taking a glance at the daggers. "That sounds good. It is awful dreary in here at times. Do you think those daggers will be alright in here?"

Taye nods, not even bothering to glance at the daggers. "I have t' get up early t'morrah. I'll come in an' take care of 'em before anyone else wakes up, don't worry." He gives her paw a playful tug, and then heads for the door. "Off we go, then."

You room page-pose, "Taye hasta head out pretty soon."

Audri giggles, following along behind him. "Alright. Thanks for taking care of the daggers too."

"Not a problem, m'deah." He holds the door open for the young squirrel and exits after her. The door swings shut, and the training room is left to itself.