06-28-05 3

Characters involved: Jarril & Zoe_Lang

Salamandastron: Northeast Mountainside

Standing near the edge of the path, Jarril has a few stones in his paw that he's using to throw into the open air, watching to see how far he can throw them. He's a bit oblivious to anything while deep in thought.

Making her way carefully down the rocky path to the northern face of the mountain, having been informed by a young recruit that he'd seen Jarril heading this way, Zoe squints into the wind, trying to shade her eyes from the sun with a paw as she looks down. And... there he is. With a small, soft sigh, she continues picking her way down the path towards him.

Jarril turning his head slightly, wind blowing, the major takes a deep sigh and waits for the colonel to come down. Muttering quietly to himself, he throws a stone. "Well, pata. Looks like I am gonna make ya stop being proud of me." Juggling a stone in his paw, the major calls out. "G'day Colonel. Ya wanted me?"

Stopping a couple of feet further up the path, Zoe looks to one side and then the other until she finds a suitable boulder to sit upon, and sit she does. She rests each paw upon a knee and looks towards the shore, eyes squinted against the wind. In answer, she nods.

Jarril pauses slightly and tosses the pebbles he has onto the path and then walks other, rubbing his paws clean from the dirt. Ah well, may as well get this over with. Stopping in front of the colonel, he stands there at attention.

Zoe_Lang continues to study the shoreline for what might seem like ages for Jarril, and at the point where it might almost seem that she's forgotten what she came for, she speaks. "... Jarril, how long've you been in the patrol, now?"

Jarril blinks and ponders that one for a moment. Looking down in thought and back up again "Five or six seasons I think."

Zoe_Lang finnally turns her head towards the other. With a considering look, she nods. That sounds about right. "What made ya decide t' join?"

Jarril doesn't move, unsure of the situation right now as he replies back. "Ta be honest, it was mostly in respect ta my parents being in it, all those stories and all. That and maybe I was a bit ta young and wanted ta impress them. But..." He gives a slight frown. "Times change I suppose."

"D'ya regret joinin'?" That's the crucial question, isn't it?

Jarril blinks. "No, of course not. Just that things are a bit different now that's all." Sighing. "Look, I know I went a bit over the line a few days back but things got ta me. It won't happen again."

With the slightest of wry grins, Zoe gives Jarril an amused and relatively light look. "A bit, lad?"

Jarril shrugs and rolls his eyes a bit. "Okay, I went right out of the mountain, then walked all the way ta redwall and left the line a few seasons back." Moving now, the major sits down on the ground. "I can't deny what I did, some things just got ta me, that's all."

Zoe_Lang chuckles as she shakes her head. "Well... don't beat yerself up about it, eh? We both know you work yerself t' hard. Especially takin' on as much as ya are with the recruits... Mayhaps you could pass on some o' the burden?"

Jarril nods slowly. "It's not just that. I know I work ta hard sometimes. It's the only thing I know ta do around here." He looks out to the open and frowns. "It's jsut after my family being killed by vermin up north and now we have that other problem we have at the moment and things aren't going well for us and ta be honest. I felt like no matter what I said that day it was going ta be thrown down as though no action was ta be taken." Stopping he shakes his head. "Sorry, few things hit a bit ta close ta home with me lately. I do mean it won't happen again though. I do whatever has been decided on the matter."

"Jarril, I should think ya wouldn't need remindin' that othahs have a lot ridin' on what comes o' Halyard, too." Zoe doesn't skirt around the topic, and her easy demeanor is slightly... less easy, now. Not pissed, just 'meh'.

Jarril nods. "That I understand now. Don't worry. I trust ya and the other colonels now. I am passed what happened that day. Sorry if I have upset ya, colonel."

Zoe_Lang shakes her head, and tries at a smile, however faint. "Ya didn't. 'Twas the vermin that managed that'un." She then stands, crosses to Jarril, and pats him lightly on the shoulder. "You'll be a'right, lad. Everythin'll work out."

Jarril nods his head. "Aye I know and thank ya colonel." He says getting up and nodding his head in respect. "And thanks cousin, it means a lot ta me that does. I won't let ya doen again, ya have my word on that one."

Zoe_Lang dismisses his assurances with a snort and a shake of her head, "No need, cousin, no need. Ya know I've got faith in ya." She grins and gestures back up the path. "Shall we head back t' the mountain?"

Jarril nods slightly. "Aye, so anyways." He says walking up alongside the colonel. "I haven't talked ta ya as much as I should? How goes?"

Her pace upwards is considerably slower than the younger buck might typically go. Got to be careful and all that. With a sigh and a smile, she shakes her head. "It goes s'well as it can, Jarril. Things happen in our lives, 'n' we just keep on fightin'. Eh?"

Jarril slows down and nods his head. "Aye, that it does." He pauses. "Nothing major changing in ya life, is there?" He moves up slightly and waits for the colonel to catch up.

Pausing briefly to consider the question, as well as to give her joints a bit of a break, the doe then begins the climb up towards where Jarril now waits. Her look upwards at the more nimble Jarril is wry. When she reaches him, she answers. "Well... t' be honest, I've been thinkin' about retirement a lot jus' lately." Pause. "Not... that I'm plannin' t' retire any time soon, I s'pose. Just been thinkin' on it."

Jarril quirks an ear slightly as he looks a bit shocked. "Ya, retire?" The major gives a sly grin. "Somehow I don't think ya will just sit about and let others bring out punishment ta those that require it, especially vermin." He shakes his head. "Sorry, but I just can't see ya not doing anything at all. But I suppose ya could always come out of it if and when ya need ta. It's not like anything has to last forevah."

"Aye..." Zoe's brow wrinkles ever so slightly. "I've just been startin' t' question some things, I s'pose." The doe sighs and rubs a paw absently at the back of her neck, and then 'hehs', softly. "Yer righ', though. I don't s'pose I could stay away if'n I tried." She pats the buck on the shoulder as she comes alongside of him. "Ferget I said anythin'. How've things been progressin' fer yerself?"

Jarril chuckles. "Well, apart from getting a few young'uns looking at me like I am some big old veteran." He helps the colonel up to the crater and smirks. "Like yesterday, I had one recruit thinking I was at least 20 seasons. I haven't aged that much have I? Although I suppose the eye patch does give that sort of impression." Thinking a bit more as talking about the eye patch, he fixes it slightly. "Things are going okay, kinda busy ta be honest. What with my own patrol and teaching the young'uns. Tell ya the truth, I am just itching for some action right about now."

Zoe_Lang doesn't blame him. Zoe could do with a couple of vermin to maim. "Well, I'd speak t' Oxeye 'bout that. I've set 'im t' lead the next attack on Halyard. He's a rathah capable fightah, 'n' the spirits know I'm too bloody old." The doe grins.

Jarril pulls a face. "Well, okay, but I put a bet on in making ya breakfast one morning if ya not there wanting ta get in the thick of it." He smiles and begins to head back into the moutain. "I know all about ya fightahs, can never refuse a challenge, wot."

Zoe_Lang snorts, but nods. "Well, we'll see if ya won't be makin' my breakfast or not, I s'pose. Soon enough." She heads towards the entrance to the mountain as well.

Jarril nods and heads down the stairs. "Oh, seen the cook lately? He's a bit annoyed due ta stuff being taken from the store room. It's really getting out of control, wants something done about it before he does something himself on the matter. Don't know what that is, either."

Zoe_Lang steps to the stairs and follows Jarril down them as she responds, "Is that so? Well, I'll see what c'n be done..." Her voice trails off, and she follows behind Jarril silently down to the third level.