07-19-05 1

Characters involved: Ralai, Darklett, Slain, Keita, & Ana.

Salamandastron: Dining Chamber

Ralai sits at one of the tables eating calmly

Darklett is also in the dining chamber, having a nice little dinner before the big rush happens. He's partaking of some sort of thick-looking stew, and a tray that carries a wide array of fruits and cheeses. He gives an occasional wave to a hare walking in, or one eating across the room, but, as is the usual, he's off eating on his own. Nobody wants to get close to that psycho lieutenant Darklett.

Slain enters the dinning chamber, still flanked on each side by his 'escorts', still not happy with being kept under guard and watch he continues to speak in his native tongue to the two, it's clear that they don't know what he's saying, but even they did it's unlikely they'd talk back to him.

Grumble-grumble... Keita stands in the doorway, her eyes squinted half-shut as she searches the room for any familiar faces. There are of course a couple, but none that she knows particularly well. And so, in the end after a detour to grab a plate of food at the serving table, Keita takes a seat at a lone table along the edge - not Darklett's, but one nearby.

Darklett hasn't heard about the big escape from Halyard. Somehow. So when he sees Keita, he goes all thoughtful all of a sudden. "Hey, err. Keita." He gives a wave to her to try and get her attention. He's not walking over there, he's got way more food than the doe does.

Slain takes a seat randomly chosen, which just happens to be across from Darklett.

Ralai notices darklett is almost alone and picks up his plate and moves near him saying "care if i take a seat sirs?" to darklett and slain

Keita's ears perk as her name is called, and up she glances from sipping at her soup. The spoon is held poised before her mouth. Brow-quirk. Ahhh, it's Darklett. She sets down her spoon and waves. "'Ey - ah, Darklett." Er. She glances at Slain and Ralai as they appear beside Darklett, and she flashes a wry grin to the buck before looking back down to her soup.

Hrm. Should ask somebody about that sometime. But for now, there's a giant badger and a monitor there. To Ralai, he offers a smile and a gesture to a chair... two chairs, actually... and to Slain he gives a... brow raise and a nod of greeting. And then, he takes another spoonful of stew, blowing on it to cool it. "I guess you're from Halyard, then?" he asks of the lizard.

Slain shakes his head "No sir, I've come to help the brave warriors here free it though..." He glances back at his 'escorts' before saying "I'm still waiting to speak with one of the beasts in charge around here..."

Ralai sits down fitting in a single chair and the chair holds his weight though it creaks in complaint at him

Darklett hms at the news of the lizard not being from Halyard. So maybe Keita's the only one that got out. The hare makes a silent note to keep up on things like this. "Beasts in charge? What kind of charge? I'm in charge. Sort of, anyway. More in charge than any of these beasts here," he says, gesturing to the otherwise sans officer dining chamber.

Keita snorts. "Look forward t' waitin' for a long time..." Not one to be a loner, Keita suddenly appears, with tray, at their table. She grins at Slain.

Slain looks at Darklett "Then would you be the one I talk to about the information I have and the plan I have to get more?"

Darklett nods to Slain, his attention just barely diverted by Keita's appearance. Giving her a nod and a wave, he returns his gaze to Slain. "Information?" Now he looks at the badger, the doe, and the escort hares that are the only other beasts near him. "We can talk later, unless a superior officer shows up, then you should talk to him or her."

Ralai starts to eat

Slain nods "I was told yesterday when I arrived here that they would send for me but here I am, still waiting..."

Darklett smirks, chuckling quietly. "I'm not really surprised at all, sir. By the way," the buck extends his paw over his food to shake the lizard's claw. "Lieutenant Darklett Fletchpaw."

Ralai leans back in the chair causing it to creak a little

Slain takes his paw firmly in one of his gloved claws "Slain, dragon from the east."

Ana walks in looking cautiously around. Seeing Slain she smiles and walks quietly to stand by him, giving a small nod to everyone present.

Ralai smiles at ana saying "hello miss"

Ana smiles at the badger. "Evening."

"...Dra...gon." Darklett's paw hesitates in its shake, but continues just as firmly as before. "I see. Well, go ahead and grab yourself some food, there's plenty. Help yourself..." He pulls back his paw, and begins to take his own advice.

Keita spoons up some more soup, which she sips at whilst listening to the conversation.

Slain's attention is grabbed quickly by the sound of Ana's voice, looking back he smiles "Good evening Ana."

Ana grins. "Evening Slain." She says stepping close to the monitor. A glance is given Darklett. "Found another friend?"

Slain sends a half smile in Darklett's direction "It would appear so."

Darklett looks up from a block of cheese, dropping it to his tray before giving a wave to Ana. "Did you come with Slain, here?"

Ralai pulls out that puzzle box again though it seems nothing is inside this time and he has reset the puzzle and starts to work on it again

Ana smiles looking up at Slain. "Sort of more or less." She replies answering Darklett. Then to Slain. "Did you ever find out the names of your other two friends?"

Slain looks at his two followers "No, they don't seem to speak eastern tongue very well."

Ana giggles. "I think they would be a little bit tired of you if they did."

Slain pretends to look by this.

Keita looks across the table at Darklett and grins, clearly amused by the badger, lizard, /and/ otter sitting 'round the table. She returns her attention to her soup.

Darklett looks between Slain and Ana. "Uh...huh. Keita." He turns towards her. "How'd you get out?" the buck asks, quite interested, as he takes a bite of that same block of cheese.

Ralai continues to fiddle with the puzzle box sliding the puzzle into place even though he has solved it it is hard still

Ana smiles hugging Slain. "I think you should teach them. Then you could all discuss anything you felt like saying with them."

Slain grins a bit, placing a gloved claw on her arms around him "I would, but I have too much fun saying what ever I want to them."

Ralai laughs at that continuing to slide the peices to the puzzle around

Darklett shifts his eyes to the monitor and otter briefly, before returning his attention to Keita..

Ana thinks this over then nods. "Yes. We don't want to ruin all of Sir Slain's fun do we?" She teases.

Slain motions to a seat next to him "Would you care to join us milady?" He says directed towards Ana.

Ralai opens the puzzlebox nothing is inside right now then he closes the box and resets the puzzle

Ana nods. "Certainly sir. As long as the food is good." She takes a seat next to Slain. "What's for supper tonight?"

Ralai finishes eating and stands up saying "i should probably get back to fixing the broken weapons at the forge" then with a bow to the beasts in the room he heads towards the door

"Ah... well. There was a bit o' tunnelin', 'n' some lock-pickin', 'n' a bit o' vermin-killin'..." Keita grins slightly and shrugs. "Most of us made it out... s'far as I know." Heh.

Ralai walks out the door with a wave

Slain replies to her "I'm not all too sure, I only just got here."

Darklett raises a brow. "Most? That's great! Makes my job that much easier..." The buck rolls his shoulders, arching his back to the tune of a few cracks and pops. "How's the tavern there gonna fare without you, though?"

Ana hms. "Tis alright sir. Company's well enough without food to eat." She grins.

Slain smiles a bit "You're far too kind and forgiving milady."

Ana grins. "I should be. We're so formal tonight." She wrinkles her nose then sighs. "And yet you still aren't wearing my gifts."

Slain points to one of the dried flowers tucked into the strap of one of his gloves "But I am."

Ana claps her paws together. "Golly and me with out a saber!" She begins to laugh.

Keita gives Darklett a rather withering look. "... Thanks s'much fer reminding me. 'M not actually sure. Mostly just hopin' they don't burn it down in spite."

Slain raises a brow ridge, not really sure what she means by that.

Ana sighs at the confused look. "You know you're one of the beautiful beasts and I'm the handsome one...." She shrugs then smiles. "So how has your day been?"

Darklett shrugs, raising his paws defensively at the look. "Well, I'm sure a lot could be worse." He takes a bite of fruit, reiterating his fears from before: "They could burn it down with the remaining hostages still inside."

Slain rubs the back of his neck nodding "Ah, I see now.... well it's been alright, but I just wish that they'd send for me already, I'm getting tired of sitting around these halls waiting."

Ana nods. "Then what will happen?"

Slain adds "Then, I'll tell them what I told the Major and also my plan on how to gather a bit more information on what's going on here."

Ana ahs. "Do you think I would be able to help in some way?" She asks, drumming a paw on the arm of her chair.

Keita sighs, and nods. "Yeah... s'pose that'd be worse." She doesn't look too certain about that - skewed set of priorities and all that. XD

Slain places the gloved claw with the flower on her shoulder gently "I'm not sure, I was able to gather information on Ruingate because of what I am, I was counting on that working twice with these Bloodthirsters. I'd rather you stayed here out of harms way."

Ana sighs and rolls her eyes. "Alright I'll stay here. But I'd rather keep an eye on you. You always seem to wind up hurt some how."

Slain strokes her cheek "I'll make you a promise, I wont fight at all while I'm doing this, I'll simply get the information then disappear and return to you."

Darklett is finally finished with his massive helping of supper, only a few crumbs and the inedible parts of fruit littering his eating space. He opens his mouth to speak, then turns his head at Slain as he speaks, but only slightly, and far from obviously. Shaking his head, he continues with what he was doing. "Lieutenant Oxeye's planning an assault on Halyard to get the rest of them outta there. You won't be without your pub for long, Keita."

Ana gives a small smile. "Just don't get hurt." She says with a nod as if agreeing. She places a paw on his. "Please stay safe."

Slain replies while nuzzling her shoulder with the end of his snout "I'll move as a breeze in the night, I'll be gone before they ever know I'm there."

Oxeye, huh? "Good ole dad." The doe snickers and ducks her head, sipping at her water.

Darklett smirks, nodding and leaning back in her chair. "The hare knows what he's doing, that's for sure. At least I hope so." He pauses here, his eyes squinting a little and going off to the extreme right, towards a wall. Shrugging, he straightens himself. "So, what's your drink?" His paw raises in a lazy gesture to her cup.

Ana shakes her head. "Then how would you get information? I feel better now that I have your word that you at least will try not to get hurt." She grins then sighs. "Tomorrow do you think the summons will come?"

Slain shrugs resting his head on her shoulder "I don't know..."

Ana hms her eyes half closing as she smiles. "I think maybe it's me you should be telling to stay out of trouble. Remember when we met?"

Slain nods "True, but I was injured then too if you recall..."

Keita holds up her own cup, and grins wryly. "Watah." She holds the cup out to his and clinks it to its side. "Cheers."

Ana nods and smiles. "They should name an infirmary after us." She ruminates over what type of a name that would be then changes her mind. "Your name would have to come second." She states calmly.

Slain chuckles "I think it's fine just being called the abbey infirmary."

Darklett laughs, clinking the cup with Keita's. "Surprised you haven't gone and bothered Neville about a drink or two for dinner. You don't seem to be a water kinda doe," he muses with an afterthought chuckle.

Ana still ruminates over the name then sighs. "Yes it probably should stay the same any way you put it makes it sound like I was killed."

Slain frowns a bit at the thought and moves his tail gently around her waist while keeping his head on her shoulder "I rather prefer you alive."

Ana smiles hugging him again and kissing his cheek. "I prefer the same for you too."

"I was nevah the drinkin' type, t' be honest." Keita pulls back her cup and takes a sip, looking over the rim at Darklett. "Word t' the wise - the only successful bartendah is a sobah one."

Slain smiles and sits up a bit "Then I will return to you in one piece as quickly as I can."

Darklett leans forward towards Keita, his brows lowered as he stares at her incredulously. "What? Hah! I would have never guessed..." He shakes his head, and takes a sip of his own lightly alcoholic dinner drink. ANOTHER side-glance is given to Slain and Ana, before he asks Keita another question: "Did you live here very long after you were born? I don't think I've ever seen you in this mountain."

Ana gives nod. "Good you return in one piece and I'll stay in one piece." She glances over at Darklett and Keita before looking back at Slain. "What do you think's happening back at the Abbey?"

Slain lets his head hang over the back of his chair to stare at the ceiling of the room "I'm not sure."

"Actually, I wasn't born 'ere. I was /before/ the deah Colonel's Long Patrol era..." Keita rolls her eyes and smirks. "I came 'ere the first time when I was jus' shy o' two seasons old, 'n' lived here on 'n' off aftah that. Mostly I lived with m' Aunt, though."

"Ahh, I see, then. I guess your Aunt lives in Halyard." Darklett takes another slow sip of his drink, leaning back in his chair and hanging his free paw and its respective arm over the back of the chair.

Ana hms her eyes half closing.

Slain says "I'm sure Anaru is running a muck with the other little ones, Juniper is no doubt busy in the library looking at maps for any clues as to Jesmin's location."

Keita grins and shakes her head. Strike two, Dark. XD "Nah - she lives about a day'r so's walk downshore from 'ere." The doe crosses her arms over her chest and just waits, to see if he'll try at any more guesses. Hehe. Amused.

Ana sighs. "I wonder where she is. I hope she's alright."

Slain replies "I know she'll be fine Ana." He places a gloved claw on her paw to add reassurance.

Darklett slumps, his head tilting back until it can go no farther, and he stares at the ceiling. "Ah, alright." He brings a paw to his forehead and rubs at it, before sitting up straight again. He seems to have been silenced, for the most part. XD

Keita relents with a laugh. "Chin up, eh? Ya were righ' about not seein' me - the old mountain 'n' I don't get along s'well. Distance makes the heart grow fondah 'n' all that rubbish. Doesn't seem t'have worked." She casts a rueful look about.

Ana stirs herself. "Huh what?" She glances around then stretches. "Long walking doesn't and short rest never did make me a alert beast."

"Ah..." Still a bit silenced from before, Dark places his elbows on the table, folding his paws and resting his chin on them. "So why not?" He asks it as if he's fully aware this could be a bad question. :P

Slain chuckles a bit and puts an arm around her "I've over heard something about what they call a 'rec room' here, maybe you could rest there and maybe I could join you."

Ana nods making as if to stand but then stays seated. "What if I see that one hare here. There are so many of them here you know."

Slain says "The hares here are very kind, I doubt one as vicious as him would be let in here."

Ana says softly. "What if he was let in just because he's a hare."

Slain tries his best to comfort her by rubbing her shoulder "I doubt it, besides, there are hares at Redwall too."

Keita returns his look in such a way that suggests she knows full well that /he/ knows that this could be a bad question, and looks amused about it. Yes. If you can sort that out, you're golden. "Tends t' be less than accommodatin' t' dibbuns."

Ana shakes her head. "But they know what he looks like. I'm not sure if they would know of him here."

Slain says "In that case, I'll go where ever you want to."

Ana nods.

Darklett nods, and shifts. "I see." His gaze searches around the room, most probably for a convenient subject change. He shifts again.

Slain half closes his eyes while resting his head on Ana's shoulder again.

Keita would recognize that wandering look anywhere. Subject change ahoy! "So! Will you be goin' off with the othah patrol types t' rescue our deah Halyard?"

Darklett almost jumps at the new suggestion for conversation, nodding vigorously. "Absolutely. Ready to go, whenever they give me the word." He reaches down to his belt and pulls out a throwing knife, placing the blade tip on the table and giving it a little flick, spinning it. "I've even managed to get the Colonel to fashion me some new knives."

Ana lays her head on Slain's that's resting on her shoulder. When the hare pulls out his knife she catches the motion out of the corner of her eye but it's enough to startle her. She sits up ridged her eyes going wide as a paw grips Slain's arm like a vice.

Slain opens his eyes wide when he feels Ana's grip "Ana?"

Ana gives a small nod over to Darklett and the knife laid upon the table.

Slain looks to the knife then to Darklett as they are motioned to.

Keita catches the blade mid-spin by its handle, and holds it in her open palm, looking it over speculatively. "... Nice." She turns it around, offering it handle first back to him. "S'pose Ox'd have any use fer a bartendah doublin' as a healah?" She looks... thoughtful.

Slain puts his arms around her to try to comfort the otter maid "Don't worry Ana, it's okay, he isn't going to hurt you."

Darklett flicks his ears at the sudden silence from the otter and lizard, and looks their way, which explains the ease with which Keita was able to take that knife. :P He shrugs at the pair, then turns to Keita. "Heh, they work pretty well, too. Let's just hope the whole set performs as well as these three." He takes the knife back and puts it back in his belt, eyeing Ana oddly. "Heh, even so, do you think he'd let you?"

The lieutenant chuckles. "No harm in asking, but I don't blame you for wanting to help out... After all, the tavern there is yours."

Ana eases a little as the knife goes away but she still continues to watch Dakrlett as if not trusting him.

Keita shrugs. "D'you think he could stop me if'n he wanted t'? He may be Zoe's little fling, but he isn't /actually/ m' fathah." Blunt much? Keita calmly sips at her water before going on, a little less controversially. "Besides, I owe Zeraph one. Got t' make sure someone's around t' sew 'im up if he gets himself all nicked up again."

Darklett's eyes widen. Strike three? "Uh...huh. Well... I've got no problem with it, but Oxeye is coordinating it. I'm sure there are healers, but there can never be too many of them, right?"

Keita looks at Darklett over the rim of her cup, and at his widened eyes, she inwardly winces. Right. So, maybe being back in the mountain makes her a little more tetchy than she remembered. "Er - sorry." Cough. "Righ'. Healahs're good t' have around..." And because she's feeling guilty for being awful, she tries for a grin. "Besides, that way I'll be righ' there 'n' ready t' serve up the drinks once we smash 'em. Eh? You c'n have all the drinks ya want, on me."

Darklett grins, ignoring the little awkwardness they had for a second there with a wave of his paw. "Sounds good to me, Keita. I mean, it's the least you could do for me, considering I'm saving those very drinks in the first place..." He chuckles at the little jest, smirking into his cup before drinking the last of the vessel's contents.

Keita grins and pushes her bowl away, with its much-cold and congealed soup. "Well, if ya want a little taste in the meantime, I'd speak t' Rahier 'n' mention m' special brew t' him. He said he still 'ad a bottle knockin' around somewhere."

Darklett eyes the yucky soup bowl, turning his head away rather quickly. "Your special brew? Does Neville know that there's a bottle of that in this mountain?" He chuckles, his eyes going up a little in thought. "He'd throw a fit if there was a gulp of alcohol being drunk in this mountain that wasn't his..."

Eyes rolling playfully to the ceiling and coincidentally in Neville's direction, Keita laughs. "It's... kept undah wraps. Only m'best customahs get that stuff." She concludes with another short laugh, "Nev's... safe in his ignorance." Ignorance, yes. Especially of the fact that Keita regularly pilfered his supplies in her earlier tavern-running days, before she had a regular supplier. But he needn't know that. XD

Darklett nods understandingly. "Mum's the word, Keita. Mum's the word..." He takes one of his knives out and starts fiddling with it, as is the buck's regular habit. "Hmm." Thoughts have turned towards Halyard again. "Do you know where they're keeping the hostages?"

Keita frowns thoughfully. "Well, we were bein' kept in m' deah little tavern up t' the point where we escaped. I believe they've got some othahs in othah parts o' the village. Put 'em t' work, y'know?"

Darklett nods, looking... a little TOO thoughtfully at that knife in his paw. "Yeah... Now, were there a lot of guards everywhere?" He gets through that question and on with the next rather quickly.

"Well... there were a good few from what I saw - which wasn't much. They boarded up the windows so we couldn't see anythin' outside..." At this point, she's leaning forward with lowered voice. "I heard tell they were buildin' some sort o' thing'r othah outside, though. Nevah found out what, though." Pause. Frown. "But from the bunch o' vermin that came runnin' aftah us when we escaped, I'd say they've got a fair numbah o' guards, all things considahed."

Darklett stops fiddling with the knife, shrugging and putting it back. Just a thought. "Should have my work cut out for me, then, eh? After all, they let you all escape, they can't be that good at what they do..."

At this, Keita partially lifts her tunic to expose bandages, and taps claw-tips lightly on the lower part of her rib cage. "Well, they didn't let us escape without a bit o' trouble. We were just lucky t' have some patrol hares with us, 'n' a coupla othah friendly types t' help us out. Without 'em, there's no way the village folk woulda made it. Some of 'em didn't."

Darklett is really trying to stay confident about this. >.< "...Yeah." The hare eyes the bandages, his footpaw lightly tapping the floor a few times before he stops himself, and, thinking better of it, takes out one of his knives again and starts playing with it, eyes looking over it and to Keita on occasion, as he searches for another little quip of self-reassurance.

"... Well, ah. We killed some of 'em, anyway?" Keita's ears are drooping a bit at Darklett's drop in mood, and so she tries for another grin, though it looks a little bit sick at the memory. "I... well. I stabbed one of 'em righ' in the neck, 'n' anothah one in the foot." What a warrior. Yeah, right. ;p

Darklett clicks his teeth together, shaking out of whatever little sulk he'd mentally talked himself into. "Right! None of 'em... none of 'em know how to fight. Just go in, smash their skulls into their necks, and celebrate." He rolls around the knife in both of his paws, seeing his blobby reflection, and moves a paw down to grab another of the three knives. "I need to practice more. Ever throw any knives, Keita?"

"... Yes." This is said rather tentatively, though, and Keita grins. "When I was youngah, anyway. Last time I threw one, it ended up hittin' handle first. Worked out well 'nough, I s'pose. Knocked 'em out."

Darklett grins, expertly spinning each blade around his paws, always using just the flat of the blade, not the handle nor the sharp edges or tip. "Whatever works, I say. You just gotta practice enough... Get the feel of how it's supposed to roll off of your paw when you throw it, know how many times it's gonna spin in the air before it hits the target, if it's gonna curve because of a wind... Most good throwing knives, including these, are crafted so it's almost impossible for the blade to not hit the target."

Keita actually snickers. "Ya'd be surprised what I c'n make a weapon do against its inclination." The doe nods her head to his cup, where the alcoholic beverage was. "That? That's the only weapon I've mastahed in this life."

Darklett picks up his cup, inspecting it. "Well, I guess... with enough force, to the back of the head..." He looks to Keita, next, with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"'Ey now - I'll have ya know that gettin' the guards stinkin' drunk was the only reason we managed the escape a'tall." Keita returns the smirk with an amiable - and proud - grin. "'Tis a right powahful weapon, when ya know how t' use it."

Darklett's smirk stretches into a matching grin, nodding and giving a quiet laugh. "Giving a whole new meaning to smashing the enemy, I guess..." The buck scoots out his chair, and puts everything he used to eat on the tray that previously held the cheese and fruits, then picks up the tray. "Got some training to do, Keita. Find your da-... Err, find Lieutenant Oxeye and ask him about the patrol, if you want to go. We'll get you back in business soon enough." At that, the hare turns and heads towards the kitchen to drop off his dishes.