06-26-05

Characters involved: Audri & Taye

Salamandastron: Forge Room

Two tufted ears appear in the doorway, before Audri peeks in, eyes curiously looking over the room. She quietly slips inside, tapping her chin thoughtfully whilst heading for the wall holding the various weapons.

Storming into the forge room and slamming the door behind him, Taye doesn't even notice Audri's presence as he slams a paw against the now-closed door. Swearing for possibly the first time in his life, the buck turns and slides down until he's seated with his back to the door, his knees drawn up to his chest. He buries his head in his arms, and lets out a single, shaky sigh before he is silent.

Audri was examining a unfinished dirk, looking over the blade curiously when Taye storms in. Not expecting anyone, Audri gives a startled squeak, the dirk tumbling to the floor with a clang. She whips around, about to make up an excuse when her eyes fall upon Taye. Blinking, Audri walks towards him, fingers fiddling with her braid. "..Taye?"

Taye's ears perk at the squeak and the clang, and then even more so at his name. He doesn't look up, though, and only shakes his head in response, his ears turning a frightful shade of red in either irritation or embarrassment, it's hard to tell with his face all hidden like that.

Audri stops right infront of the buck, staring down at him with a small frown. She gnaws her lip thoughtfully, before speaking at a whisper. "Taye, what's wrong?"

A sudden sniffle is heard from the ball o' Taye, and finally the young buck looks up, the fur about his eyes wet. "M-m-m-miyrr." He takes a shaky breath before continuing, and when he does he buries his head once more in his arms. "... She n-n-nevah came back from the the mission!"

Audri's ears fall, teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she knees down infront of Taye. She hesitantly places a paw on his shoulder. "Miyrr..Miyrr could still be in Halyard Taye. Maybe she just got separated from everyone and stayed in the town."

More head-shaking, and another small sniffle. "The town's full o' vermin, Audri. If she's not 'ere, she's..." He trails off, and a couple more sniffles come forth. After a moment, "Maybe if I'da gone..."

Audri heaves a sigh, tail beginning to droop. "That doesn't mean she's..well ya know. If she didn't fight or nothin', they may have just taken her hostage. So, ya shouldn't be thinkin like this. Ya have to keep some hope." Audri scoots to where she's beside the ball o' Taye, gently placing her arm around his shoulders.

As the arm goes around Taye's shoulders, they begin to shake, gently at first. "But maybe if I'da /gone/..." He can't seem to get past that thought. At a small, hiccuping sob he pulls away from Audri in embarrassment, slightly turning his back. His voice is very tiny. "I-I'm sorry."

Audri's shoulders slump, paws going back to her braid. "If ya had gone, ya wouldn't know if it'd be any different. Or it could've been ya who didn't come back 'n all..." She mumbles, staring at the floor. "'n ya don't know if she's even like that. She could of just been captured."

With the smallest of sighs, Taye puts his back once again to the door, tilting his head 'til he's staring at the ceiling, tears still glistening in his eyes, the torchlight bounching off of the glitting surface. "Mayhaps I c'n convince Majah Jarril t' take me on the next mission... Mayhaps she is jus' captured."

Audri nods, keeping her own gaze on the floor. "I'm sure he'd let ya go iffen ya wanted to. 'n I'm sure she's just got captured 'n is fine as can be."

Taye's ears lift just the teeniest bit in hope, and he chances a glance over at Audri. Without obviously looking in her direction, he slips an arm around her shoulder, and gives her a squeeze. For acting like a putz, that is.

Audri smiles faintly, leaning against Taye while she fiddles with the end of her braid. "So, are ya alright now then?"

With the paw 'round her shoulder, he plucks the braid out of her fiddling reach and does his best to smile for the younger squirrel. "Yeah, 'm all righ'."

Audri's paws drop to her lap, returning his smile. "Good then. No fun to have ya all upset like that 'n all." She glances over to the fallen blade, ears flicking before she turns back to Taye. "Ya been training anymore for yer exams?"

Taye nods, "Aye, every day... don't seem t' get a break, eithah." He glances down at his ever-sore ankle with a small sigh. "They had us all get checked out by the healahs th'othah day. Think they're gonna start the exams soon, 'n' wanted t' make sure we were all in good health first."

Audri follows his gaze, looking at his ankle for a moment. "Yea..I'm sure its pretty hard too. Is ya ankle doin' any better? Maybe ya should try keepin' it wrapped or something.."

Taye hehs at her comment and lifts his pants leg. The bandages are clearly visible above the boot line. ".. Yeah." He grins, a bit sheepishly. "Jus' glad Da' didn't notice durin' the physical."

Audri ohs, looking over the wrappings with a curious look. "Maybe he should have. Ya don't want yerself gettin' hurt worse. Did ya wrap em yerself?"

Taye nods, and studies the wrappings with the critical eye that only a healer's kid can have. "Yeah. Could be a bit tightah, I guess." He bends forward, to poke and prod at them a bit. They meet whatever standards he has, and he sits back, rolling his pants back down. "'Tis really a'right, Audri. I don't do t' much t' tax it, 'n' it's got plenty o' support with the wrappin's."

Audri nods, looking off to the weapons rack. "I could make em tighter iffen ya liked." Audri mumbles, going back to fiddling with her braid, ears twitching. "Well, long as ya careful. Ya don't want it givin' out on ya in a battle or nothin'. Or on ya exams."

... No, neither of those would be very good at all. He sends an accusing look towards its ankle, as if it is the source of all his woes. "... I think it'll be a'right. I hope. It will be. Yeah." He then gives Audri another hug with his arm. "How are you doin'?"

"Mm, if ya sure. But if ya need it wrapped tighter, I'll be happy to help ya with it." Another smile graces Audri's muzzle, her head moving to rest atop the buck's shoulder. "A'right I guess. Just keepin' to myself like usual. I do wish this stuff was Halyard was over though. I really wanted to go there."

The mention of Halyard drains the smile from his face pretty quickly, but he tries to hide it with continued talk. "Once everythin's been sorted, we'll definitely make the trip t' Halyard, the both of us. I c'n show ya around propah."

Audri notices the smile drainage, ears flicking back. "Sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned that." Letting out a sigh, Audri slips out from under Taye's arm, heading over to pick up the fallen dirk. "When do the exams start?"

Taye watches Audri go. "They don't tell us. We're just s'posed t' be waitin'. Could be any time."

Audri nods, placing the unfinished dirk back in its place, turning back to Taye. "'n ya be gone for a week then when it happens right?"

Taye looks to Audri quietly for a moment, and then nods. She looks thoughtful, so he'll keep his silence for the moment.

Audri has gone back to looking at the same dirk, fingers running over the blade before she walks back over to the buck. "Well, I hope ya do a'right on em. But I know ya will. Just keep ya wits about ya."

Taye listens attentively, nodding as she speaks. But then, at the end, he half-grins... "Ya gonna miss me?"

Audri grins. "Course I'm gonna miss ya. I won't have anyone to go on adventures with. Or keep me company."

Taye reaches out and knocks her playfully on the shoulder. "I'll see if'n I can't sneak a journal in so that I c'n read everythin' back t' ya when I'm done, 'n' not leave anythin' out. Righ'?"

Audri giggles, tail moving to bat his paw. "That sounds good. Ya could always just sneak a few pieces of parchment instead of a whole journal. Might be less conspicuous."

See? That's what he keeps her around for. "Righ', that's a good idea. I'll do tha'." He grins. Will have to start carrying that around, then, just in case.

Hehe. Audri nods, looking a bit pleased with herself. "Good. 'n make sure ya write down /everythin'/. 'n have ya found any weapons to train with yet?"

Taye shrugs, uncomfortably. "Nah... but I've been goin' t' Colonel Zoe's boxin' class. 'Tis voluntary, since it's not really necessary t' know how t' box. I'm just hopin' maybe it'll... make me strongah, 'r somethin'." He hehs, just a bit too grimly. "I've learned a coupla things, 'n' it's at least good t' be speedy with boxin'. I dunno. Mayhaps it'll help."

Audri nods again, scratching her neck nervously. "It might. But, ya know...I was thinkin' 'n I bet ya could use like a sparrin' partner or somethin'. It could help ya learn to use weapons better 'n stuff. Course it's just a thought 'n all."

Taye tries his very best not to grin - not because he finds her offer funny, but because it's sweet. He nods, in all seriousness. "Well, t'be honest, I could use a sparrin' partnah..."

Audri's ears perk, not thinking he'd actually go for the idea. "Well..I know I'm not really that good 'n all, but I..wouldn't mind tryin' to help ya practice. I mean, ya'd probably learn more from someone more experienced, but ya don't want to be pushed to hard or nothin' cause of ya ankle."

Though they're not exactly the same size, with Taye being a runt she's not /that/ much shorter or smaller than he is, much to his general and frequent embarrassment. So, it would work pretty well. "Nah - yer righ'. I'd rathah spar with you than one o' the othah bucks. They're more int' hittin' everythin' that moves rathah than learnin' somethin' outta it."

Audri's grin seems to be growing, though she's trying her best to prevent it. "A'right then. So, umm when do ya want to start 'n what weapon do ya want to use?"

---

The question of the weapon, again. Er. Taye answers the former question rather than the latter. "T'morrah aftah m' done with classes?"

Audri nods. "That sounds good. 'n since ya don't know what weapon, we'll just try a few from the armory 'n see which one ya like best. Ya want something that ya feel comfortable with."

Taye gives a small nod, though after two seasons give or take of training, he'd think he'd have found something he felt comfortable with. Eh heh. Cue sweat-drop. "... Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks, Audri." His rear starting to hurt from sitting for too long, he wincingly gets to his feet - partly due to stiff joints and partly due to his ankle, but he'll just pretend it's the stiffness. Yeeees.

Audri grins. "Ya welcome. 'n ya'll find something Taye. No worries." She watches him quietly, brow creasing in worry at the wincing. "Ya ankle buggin' ya?"

Taye shrugs, putting tender weight on that leg. "'Tis fine," he lies. Through his teeth. XD He then glances towards the door, and unintentionally yawns. Blinky. He looks back to Audri, somewhat sheepish. "Mayhaps we ought t' get t' bed."

Audri still has a worried look on her face, eyes watching that leg of his. She glances up, giving a nod. "Yea. Ya got an early day with trainin' 'n I got some readin' to finish up on."

Nodding, Taye turns to the door and opens it, gesturing her throat first. "Ladies first 'n' all tha'." Grin.

Audri grins. "Thanks Taye. Sleep good 'n don't train to hard." Giving one last nod, Audri slips out into the hall and off to the dorms.

Taye watches Audri go, and then steps out into the hallway himself, and walks slowly down the hall, deep in thought as he goes.