06-23-05

Characters involved: Jarril, Zoe_Lang, & Earblade

Salamandastron: Leaders' Lounge

Sitting n one of the soft chairs in the room, Jarril has one of the free spare times that he has after spending most of his time going through sessions with the young recruits, dealing with reports with Lightpaw as much as the young buck has been able to remember a bit more about the battle. Keeping a few scrolls on his lap, he leans over slightly to take up a glass to sip at his drink.

Suddenly, the door shoots open, and likely before anyone can blink, the door slams shut, and Zoe is plastered against the inside of the door, arms spread as if to make sure it /stays/ shut. Her eyes search, search, search... and then lock onto their target. "Jarril... cousin, I'm goin' t' /kill/ you..." She's covered all over - uniform and all - in a very fine layer of powder. And this is where you have to ask - what. the. hell?

Jarril blinks as he looks at Zoe coming in with a loud bang of the door and coughs slightly, covering his mouth with a paw to stop himself from laughing out loud. "What have ya been doing, cousin?" The major coughs again to stifle any giggles that may try to escape from him.

"Nooo... no, no, nope, couldn't... oh, I dunno, spread 'em out a bit, assign 'em times... anythin'... Noooooo," Zoe shakes her head, taking a few ragged steps towards the other officer. "'Jus' go get yer physicals done t'morrah', ya tell 'em. 'Or else', ya tell 'em..." She continues 'til she's close enough to Jarril to strike, but... heh. The armchair next to him looks much more inviting, and so she flops into it, and concludes with: "I hate you righ' now."

Jarril is still trying to get his laughter under control but he gives in and laughs. "Sorry, cousin. I thought ya had enough staff ta cope with it. So what exactly happened?" He gets up from his chair and while chuckling, he moves over to where the drinks are and pours one out for the colonel and pads back with a smile on his face. "Okay, I owe ya one then. Here, this should help, so what happened?"

"Oh, they jus' stormed in righ' straight in the mornin', what with all tha' bloody damned discipline ya've been teachin' 'em..." She takes the glass with a slightly shaking paw, and tilts it back, downing the whole thing. Her arm flops back down to the arm rest and just sets there, fingers curled 'round the glass. She looks... vaguely haunted. "I've seen more recruits 'n' more /of/ 'em than I evah want t' see again in the space o' a few hours. Rah c'n handle the rest." She suddenly turns a sharp glare on Jarril, "D'ya /know/ how long it takes t' convince a self-conscious, awkward recruit t' show off their knickahs t' a senior officah?" She pauses, but not long enough to give him a chance to answer. "A damn bloody long time, that's how long!"

Jarril sits down in his chair and coughs. "Well, er. Perhaps I can talk about what I need ta talk about another time then." The major slowly rolls up his scrolls while not avoiding anymore eye contact with his cousin. Picking up his glass, the major takes a sip slowly.

Zoe_Lang sits there and stews in her own poor mood for another minute or two before her curiosity gets the better of her. A small frown twitches at the corner of her lips, and she waves the glass-holding paw in Jarril's general direction. "Fine fine. Have out wi' it..."

Jarril pauses slightly in thought and shakes his head, thinking to himself that he's probably the worse thing that could happen is being hit or worse, he coughs and looks at the scroll in his paw, partially rolled up. "Well, a few things. This whole mess with the village is becoming more dangerous. I already had ta remind the recruits on not going there again after some did go and met a few vermin. Said they were having a party and that they were invited. Was Taye and Audri. So I've banned them from leaving the mountain completely until this is out which I think it should be now. The second thing." He swallows slightly. "Is that I think some are ready for the tests, hence I kinda sent them up for a medical." He goes quiet again.

Which would explain the mass of unusually small hares heading her way this morning. Slowly beginning to settle down due to the joy that is alcohol, the Colonel sets her glass aside and folds her paws thoughtfully in her lap. "What information d'ya have from the scouts?"

Zoe_Lang makes a few sounds of agreement as he goes along, and as he concludes, she gives a final nod. "Well, the long 'n' the short o' it is this. We need more information before we c'n send a rescue mission in there. We may have t' send a couple o' the scouts int' the village itself, t' see what they c'n find out. It'd be risky, but... 'tis necessary, I think."

Jarril taking a sip from the glass, the major mulls over something for a moment and looks at Zoe. "Okay, now I am worried. Ya not thinking on ordering me in there are ya because of what happened with the influx of recruits in the infirmary are ya?" He smiles. "Not that I mind, but I ain't sure if I be able ta keep my temper down, doncha know."

Zoe_Lang manages a small grin for Jarril's sake, but she doesn't look all that humorous. "No, ya needn't worry 'bout that, cousin. We will need t' pick the best two, though... It won't do any good t' send beasts in there jus' t' be captured."

Jarril nods his head as he looks at the glass. "Well, it be asking far ta much if they have a loads of them, they may not have a choice in being captured. I think for the safety of it, that let those who volunteer for it will be considered." He coughs and nods his head. "Changing the subject, I need the cells prepared. Ya be available for helping out on that part of their exams?" Looking at Zoe with a grin. "Could get some revenge on what they did ta ya t'day. Can't do nothing about the patrol though, it's only those two things that need doing before we can pass some of them into full officah rank."

Zoe_Lang nods, "I'll be available fer help with that part o' the exams, aye." The Colonel smirks wryly, remembering one or two from last time that she actually made /cry/. Obviously, they didn't pass. "When d'ya figure t' schedule 'em for?"

Jarril runs a finger over the rim of the glass and ponders. "Oh I don't know, soon I hope. I think they know it's coming but I want them ta be shocked for when it happens. I think I be looking for the best hares again ta sneak into their rooms and drag them out of bed in the middle of the night, straight down into the cells. Shame we don't have an insider with them this time around like last time. Could've done with that." The major smiles as he remembers the last time around. "Who did we say was murdered?" The major thinking back while taking another sip from the glass.

Zoe_Lang gives a vague wave of her paw. "... Earblade, think it was?" Her brow wrinkles thoughtfully, but in the end she merely shrugs. "Believe it was Earblade. They were rathah upset, weren't they?" Another couple cried, at that point. Dear things.

Jarril nods his head. "Aye, I think it was someone poisoned his drink, the poor fellah. Ah well, we haven't had anyone volunteering for the victim this time around, not that we could get away with a stunt like that again." He looks at Zoe. "Unless ya have any ideas?"

Zoe_Lang rests her head back and hmmms... "Well... nothin' special comes t' mind, but I'll be thinkin' abou' it." She does seem to be thinking about it, too, what with the deep silence and all.

Jarril doesn't say anything else now, hoping that at least, Zoe has turned her mind onto other things than what had happened when she first came in. Picking up a scroll, he nods and unravels it again while giving it a look idly.

Abruptly, the entrance to the leaders lounge creaks open, with a rather chipper looking Colonel, of the Earblade variety, taking an elongated step through and allowing the door to swing shut behind him. He looks forwards once again, dusts his shirt shoulder slightly and launches into a bouncing walk over to one of the shelves, where he plucks up his favourite decanter, now refilled with his favourite port thanks to a certain purveyor of alcoholic delights, and wanders over to where his fellow colonel and the major are seated. He plops himself in a free armchair with a loud sigh and takes some time to arrange a side-table next to the arm of his chair, upon which the port and three glasses are placed. Once all is as it should be he looks up, waggles his now rather whitened eyebrows and greets the officers. "My dear fellows, how are we all this fine and wonderful evenin' eh? Perfect heat for a wee tibble while we discuss various happenings and all those other officery wotnots I reckon" he says with a grin

Earblade unstoppers the decanter and gestures offeringly to the two.

Glancing up from her thinking, Zoe offers Ear a very light smirk, and then lifts her empty glass. "Fill 'er up." She then gestures to Jarril. "We were jus' discussin' plans fer the exams - ya know, fer the recruits." The doe gives a small nod.

Jarril nods his head but doesn't look up from the scroll that he's reading. "So what ya think?" Looking up again. "We use ya again for being murdered or something?" The major gives a sly grin at Ear before moving his gaze back again to what is on the scroll.

Earblade grins and gladly sloshes a generous portion of the periliously pleasant port into the Colonels glass and waggles it towards Jarril as he makes up his mind, he takes the nod for an affirmative and fills up the major's glass. Once the beverages have been served he gets down to the less important things. He sits back in his seat and swills his glass for a moment before taking a sip and placing his glass back on the table. He nods in answer to Zoe's explanation of the conversation, before grimacing at Jarril's suggestion, "The very thought of it..." he trails off and glances at the port suspiciously... did it have an odd flavour today?... he looks back and peers at the major, "Well sadly no, I don't reckon we can pull that one off again, tho I must say I did enjoy having to lie in bed all day in the healer's was rather relaxing. What other ideas do we have? Murder again, capture, heroics? Or something more mundane, a fire per'aps?"

Zoe_Lang looks only mildly interested in the present conversation, or perhaps she's distracted. "A... fire?" She takes a sip of her own drink, and peers skeptically over her glass at Earblade. "Jus' how, exactly, d'ya propose t' pull that'un off?"

Jarril shakes his head. "Nah, fire won't cut it. Besides they wouldn't smell any smoke ta make it bad enough ta get them moving. It have ta be something else ta get them down ta the cells again."

Earblade raises an eyebrow, "A fake fire? Well we don't exactly need to fake the fire now do we? Y'know what they say, where there's smoke there's fire, and if we provide the smoke, who's to say there's not a fire. Have em all in a room, get a few people done up by the healers to be 'burnt' and injured, then burn a few leaves n all that, per'aps with a bit of spice in it t' sting the eyes and whatnot. We'll see who takes the initiative and who panics." says the colonel, mostly thinking out loud. He muses on it for another moment or two, "Thats the kinda thing we'd need I'd say, summit that feels like it could happen at any time, wouldn't have any reason t'think it was staged... not like last year. Who'd even believe that alcohol'd be the death of me?"

Jarril corrects the colonel. "We said a poisoner had put stuff in ya drink, remember." He goes back to his scroll again with a snerk. "And that is quite easily believable as well, wot."

Zoe_Lang shrugs, looking non-committal. "Still don't see why we can't jus' be out 'n' the open wi' it... No food, no watah, no sleep. Then we'll see who passes out firs'." She smirks, and takes another sip of her drink. "Make 'em read some o' Jarril's reports... it'd work, I'm tellin' ya. Last five hares standin' pass." Ahem.

Jarril turns towards Zoe with a smirk. "Well, I know ya had problems with them t'day in the infirmary. Don't make me make it a daily thing." He winks and sips his drink again. "Nah, I was thinking more on sending some hares down to eat and waft food smells in the cells with them. That would make any hare quit just ta get a thing ta eat."

Earblade raises an eyebrow, "Well it seems we might have differing opinions on what we're looking for in these recruits. M'self, I'm looking for the ability to adapt to a situation, initiative, bit of common sense an all that, can't very well train up an army that's all brawn and no brain now can we?" says the colonel, tutting slightly to himself, "Yes, if they get captured we need em to be strong and determined, but brain washing em and treatin' em like common criminals won't exactly endear them to our cause" he mutters.

Jarril nods his head. "Well, that's why I wanted ta get a patrol done so that they can track another patrol that will leave two days before. See if they can track but capture them. That takes a lot of talent in thinking about ya strategy and all. But what with the vermin being around, I've stil kept that option open but it's up ta ya colonels ta decide if it's safe or not ta do."

Jarril adds. "Unless ya know some friendly vermin we could use for that one."

Zoe_Lang looks between Ear and Jarril and, finally, the smirk turns to a grin. She rolls her eyes, "Wouldja like me t' get ya a soapbox, Ear ole thing?" She then sits up and forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "We have t' figure the patrol's out. Just ain't safe. If we could assure that they're all up t' snuff, that'd be fine, but then we wouldn't be givin' the exam, now would we?" She pauses, thinking. "What about havin' 'em search somethin' out down in the caverns? Those tunnels get complicated 'nough. Leave 'em with jus' their uniforms, and a small amount o' supplies fer each team. Put one officah with each team who's merely there t' watch, so they c'n do the scorin' on each recruits performance." She shrugs, thoughtfully. "Wouldn't need t' just pass those who found whatevah it was... Jus' pass the ones who use their brains 'n' their trainin' t' do what they're s'posed t' do."

Jarril nods. "Well, they won't need weapons, they just be searching for something but what would they be searching for and the reason. We need ta make it look good, set something up that they wouldn't expect."

Earblade shakes his head, still unconvinced, "The patrol would work if we split it in half - Some forge ahead to make the trail, then some of the more skilled scouts who aren't currently out on patrols would track the trackers, as it were, keep an eye on em and whats in the area. As long as they head in the opposite direction to the village then we should be alright with that one. Still not sure why it has to involve the whole capturin' and torturin lark. Thats for later in the training per'aps, but surely the newer healin gal's aren't expecting for that stuff, they won't even leave the mountain for seasons yet.... and Zoe's right, them not leavin the mountain gives us much more control, and if we make it a team event, means we can see how them compete, work as a team etc. It'll at least start off innocent fun"

Jarril nods. "I was thinking on the runner part though. Sometimes we do work alone, depends on the situation though." He gets up and pads over to look at something on the wall, placing his paws behind his back. "But ya know best, colonel. By the way." He turns his head back a bit towads Ear. "When ya going ta start training them?"

"Ain't passin' the exam a good 'nough reason?" The doe then looks to Ear as he adds his bit, before adding her own. "Don't see why it's got t' be "pretended up" or anythin'. I say, drop 'em in their groups with no instructions, jus' their supplies, and leave 'em t' figure it out. The supplies we give 'em ought t' clue 'em in, s'well as the "track" we leave 'em t' follow." The doe looks from one officer to the other, expectantly. She then thinks to add, "An'... don't worry abou' the healahs. I've got m'own things planned fer testin' their abilities."

Jarril stands there and gets a smile on his face. "Ya know I got it." He turns around and faces the other two. "Yes I think I do have it and they won't know it's a test either. But it would be the perfect thing ta see if they can do what they have been taught." He moves back to his chair and sits down, feeling quite happy with himself. "Ear, anyone ya know that we could use that isn't a hare?"

Earblade sighs and rubs his temples as he ponders the situation, he nods, "Aye, the runners need their own training for their own specialist jobs, jus' like Zoe says, the specialists train the specialist. So by all means take care of their training however you want, your patrol after all, but like you said, Yes, we know best, that's why we're the Colonels need I remind you major" says Ear, lowering his white and all aged-like eyebrows. He glances back towards Zoe, "I agree, if we leave em without clear orders and whatnot it should give them enough scope to use their iniative... if they have any" he muses and looks back to Jarril once again, "Most of the woodlanders and vermin outside of the mountain I know are far, far outside of the mountain, diplomatics and whatnot... Neville should know a few though"

Jarril nods. "Well, okay then. I leave it ta ya ta make up the final exam. As for the runner one. I'll sort that one out myself." Getting up, the major fixes his uniform. "Whatever ya arrange will be fine. If ya excuse me, I have duties ta do." The major adds with a hint of resent in his voice but not much. Placing the glass on the small table, he begins to make his way out of the room.

Zoe_Lang's eyebrows go up at the exchange between Jarril and Earblade, and especially at the resentment in Jarril's voice. She sits up a bit straighter, paws folded in her lap. "Jarril - cousin. Why doncha come back? Ya are, aftah all, skilled as a runnah. We could use yer input as t' what ya've been teachin' these lads that we c'n use..." She looks to the major expectantly.

Jarril stops at the door, and takes a deep breath. Looking down, he breathes in and then turns around. "Permission ta speak freely, which I thought this was the only room where rank wasn't that enforced, though if I am wrong about that, then I apologise."

Earblade nods, "Permission granted Jarril, you know this is a room where you can speak freely, but not one where you can cheerfully ignore all respect that is normally given to a hare of older seasons and greater experience" says the Colonel with a dour look, he sighs and takes a sip of his only partially-touched port, "What've you got to say then?"

Zoe_Lang... does not look pleased. She's not angry, but she does look vaguely... disappointed. With a sigh, she waves a paw in general 'permission', though Ear's already given his.

Jarril gives Ear a frown but shakes his head. "Fine, if I have shown that then I am sorry for that." Staying by the door. "I feel like one of those that shouldn't get this rank due ta my age, not had enough training and I admit it, thought I won't admit it ta anyone else outside this room. So I have made mistakes, get reminded of it many times so excuse me if I am feeling a tad bit bally well fed up with it all. I am doing my best." He looks about the room at the others in there and cooughs. "So lay off me for a bit. In fact from now on I think I just stick ta the runner part of things. Someone else can deal with the other training parts." Taking a deep breath. "That's how I feel at any rate." He doesn't know how this is going to go but at least the gloves are off now, for good or for worse, the major certainally at the moment has a chip on his shoulder.

Zoe_Lang looks more and more disappointed the longer Jarril goes on. And at the "lay off" comment, she simply... frowns. The Colonel sits back in her armchair and folds her paws in her lap, with a single glance to Earblade to communicate that... "she'll handle this", at least to start. Eh heh. "... Majah," she starts, and just the use of his rank instead of his name or "cousin" should tip one off to her displeasure. "If the responsibilities and pressures o' yer rank are t' much for ya, you c'n be relieved o' them." Brow-quirk. "Is tha' what you really want, Jarril?" She's being rather... calm, all things considered. Is it the calm before the storm? That's Jarril's decision, really.

Earblade scowls darkly, the whispy ends of his eyebrows almost meeting in the middle, making the appearance of a comical catapillar perched atop his snout, or the peaceful tops of the clouds overlooking a brewing storm, depending on your perception of it. He raises one-half of the catapillar and simply waits for Jarril to respond, allowing for Zoe to handle it for now.

Jarril replies back flatly. "No it isn't, colonel. But that's the impression I have got and I thought it was time ta come out with my own displeasure on the matter. Again I apologise if I am mistaken." He just stands there. "That's all I have ta say on the matter."

Earblade lets out a long sigh before raising his eyes to Jarril, quickly glancing over to Zoe to let her know that its his time to speak. "Major", he begins sadly, "I had actually held you in higher regard than this. Blaming your senior officers for your mistakes because of your 'lack of training' is simply an unwillingness to blame yourself. If that's how you feel then perhaps we do need to spend some time correcting that fact with further training...and we can't have an officer who is not fully trained in command. Therefore it is my opinion that you should be stripped of your command until your training is complete, however, this is not a matter to be made in the heat of the moment but for the Colonels to discuss in private. No more shall be said on the matter until such a time as a decision as been reached." he says. He lowers his head, shaking it slightly and rubbing his eyes once more before looking upwards again. "You brought this on yourself Jarril, Resume your duties Major."

Jarril nods his head slightly and heads out, not saying a word at all. After closing the door behind him, the major or soon not to be, just shakes his head and fixes his uniform. Muttering to himself. "Whatever, high regard. Pfft, never flipping well showed me that." He storms off to his own dorm, not saying anything to anyone, just frustration held within him.

With furrowed brow and a very soft sigh, Zoe tilts her head back and, closing her eyes, rubs softly at her temples. That... was not enjoyable. "Mayhaps... it would've been bettah t' have jus' rapped 'im on the nose with a rolled up parchment, ya think? Somethin' t' think about fer next time." She gives a small, considering nod and returns to the temple rubbing. It's good to be old. It mellows you.

Earblade picks up his port and considers it for a moment, taking a last large gulp and placing the empty glass back onto the table. He sighs and nods in agreement, "Aye, if it could've been avoided it would've. But the lad needs to learn now or it'll be something that comes out later in a much more dangerous spot. If the chap goes and decides he can do it better in the middle of a battle..." the Colonel doesn't finish that thought. "Well if we can straighten him out he'll make a good major... if we can straighten him out"

Zoe_Lang shakes her head, and finally gives Earblade a look. "C'n we avoid demotin' him? He's givin' a damned lot t' the patrol. He's jus'.." She sighs, and shakes her head. "Unpredictable, at times."