07-28-05

Characters involved: Zoe, Ender, Darklett, Keita, Algador, & Lily.

Salamandastron: Kitchens

"Yes, yes... I'll see t' it that she's spoken t', marm. I wouldn't worry about it - 'm sure she didn't mean any harm." Zoe is speaking in such a placating manner to one of the mountain's cooks, and for the most part it seems to have worked. With a gruff nod, the cook turns back to one of the stoves to stir a large pot of what appears to be some sort of soup. Zoe, on the other hand, turns to leave - but not before spying a basketful of still-warm biscuits. With a glance over her shoulder to the unawares cook, she plucks one up and takes a bite. Mmm.

A shadow is slinking in the background. It has come from the store room and seems to be heading for the dining chamber. The shadow stops moving when it notices the biscuits, and Zoe taking one. The hood of the shadow's currently worn cowl is cast off, and Ender's face is revealed. He bends himself slightly at the waist in order to look older, as if that is possible. He hobbles towards the biscuits and grabs the entire basket, and begins to shuffle towards the stairway.

Unfortunately, the cook turns just at this moment to see Ender making off with the roll of biscuits she's just made for the evening's dinner. "Oi! What d'ya think you're doing!" Out of habit, Zoe's eyes widen and she, too, hurriedly hides the half-eaten biscuit she pilfered behind her back. Er. She looks to Ender, blinking.

Ender stops, his back going rigid for a moment. He turns, slowly. "Erm, marm, beggin' your pardon. I'm right famished and cannot seem to find any sustenance worth having. These, erm, biscuits seem to be quite, erm, the delicacy." The bottle beneath his robe seemed hidden well enough for now. Now he just wants to escape to his beloved library. "And how c'n you expect an older fellow like m'self to take care of this mountain's scallawags without large amounts of tucker?" The rabbit pats the basket, protectively.

The cook scowls at him, and gestures to a counter with a wooden spoon. "Then come to dinner 'n' bring yer little scallawags with ya! Those're for the rest!" Tsk. The very thought... and don't think she doesn't notice that biscuit Zoe stole. There're crumbs on her tunic. "An' you, Colonel! Stealin' like a no-count recruit!" And the amazing part? Zoe actually looks sheepish. She brings her paws out from behind her back and shrugs, holding up the half-eaten biscuit. "Heh?"

Ender's cheeks begin to turn scarlet. He puts the basket away, nearly loses his grip on the bottle beneath his cloak and bobs slightly in the cook's direction before fleeing for the exit.

Zoe_Lang watches Ender leave with a thoughtful frown and, with a shrug and a small, apologetic grin to the cook, she pops the rest of the biscuit in her mouth and heads for the door, following after the rabbit. The disgruntled cook gives an offended snort as she leaves.

Salamandastron: Level One

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Salamandastron *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

You have come to a large intersection of paths. Passages lead off in

every direction, turning and spiraling off into the distance. There is a

clearing of sorts where they all meet, a circular 'room' which gives space

for traffic to pass smoothly in all directions.

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Visible Exits:

[Up] to the Second Level [Down] to the Caverns

[O]ut Along [P]assageway [D]ining [C]hamber

[K]itchens [S]tore [R]oom

[S]econdary [I]nfirmary [F]estival [H]all

[M]ain [H]all

The rabbit is standing in the hallway, gazing lovingly at a bottle of what appears to be wine. He twirls the bottle in his paws, checking for any cracks. Seeing none, he clutches it happily. The rabbit reaches his paw into his pocket and pulls out one of the biscuits as well, and a small glass. His stern features melt into a blissful look. He turns suddenly, hearing steps.

Those are the steps of Zoe, as the door to the kitchen closes behind her. On spotting the bottle, she gives Ender a reproving look. "Not showin' a very good example t' the young'uns, are ya?" Hypocrite. Then again, her biscuits already gone. XD

"Hmhmhmmm... Dodododa... Skeebledoobopbowbow..." o_o Darklett's gotten in a habit of nipping into the kitchens for some between meal snackage. And, apparently, he was daydreaming, 'cause he about runs into Ender. "Oops, sorry. Hmmhmmhmm..." He steps around Ender, and sees Zoe. To her, he throws a smart salute, and continues on towards the kitchen.

Ender grins at Zoe. Nothing will ruin his mood now. "Jes' a bit of a snack, marm. No harm done, eh?" He does a half-hearted salute in her direction upon seeing Darklett's reaction.

Zoe_Lang grins and rolls her eyes at Ender, but at the sight of Darklett heading for kitchens, she clears her throat quietly. "Er - wouldn't go in there if'n I was you. Cooky's in a bad mood."

Darklett stops, then, turning around. "Ah. Thanks for the heads-up, Colonel. Catch a..." He's facing Ender now, and spots wine and biscuits, both apparently stolen. "...Thief?"

"Coupla of 'em. Apparently a doe'd just made off with a buncha tarts before yon Endah got ambitious." The Colonel smirks, but as the rabbit's not saying anything, she leaves him be for the moment.

Darklett nods slowly. "Ahh. Guess it's best to stay away until mealtime, then." He casts a glance to the rabbit again, then shrugs. "So. Talk to Keita much since she's been here?"

Aaaaactually... Zoe looks suddenly evasive. "No - I've been busy. Haven't had the chance t' sit down 'n' chat, as a mattah of fact." Pause. "'Course, I was told she made it out. Ah - good news, eh?" Awkward grin.

Brooooow quirk. "Yeah, that's always good news. She told me she was interested in going on the patrol as a healer," Darklett comments, his paws going behind his back and locking.

Ender looks back and forth. His silence had the desired effect, but they are going unfortunately far above him with their current conversation. He saves the details of the conversation for later...use. Ender decides to stay silent right before he begins to cough. The rabbit coughs for what seems to be an eternity before stopping, straightening up, and giving what he hopes is a charming smile, but comes across as a long-toothed grimace.

Well, /this/ wipes that grin off her face - from the shock. Heh. Both eyebrows go up. "... She did? Well, she always was a good student when it came t' heal... in'." She looks at Ender on her last word, interrupted by his coughing. "Er. Ya a'right there?"

Darklett nods as Zoe speaks, but... slowly, his attention is diverted over to Ender. He walks over to the rabbit, and starts patting him roughly on the back. "Yeah, you gonna live?"

Ender accepts the help of Darklett. "'Bout time someone showed respect for their elders, neh?" He spits out, unable to stop a couple more coughs. "I'll live, I've gone through worse. But it /is/ about time I had my medicine." Ender easily uncorks the bottle, and pours a good-sized portion into the glass, which he proffers to Zoe. He coughs once more, a last gut-wrenching, hacking, gagging noise.

Zoe_Lang waves the offered glass away with a shake of her head. "'Tis all yers."

Darklett pulls a face, taking a cautious step back from Ender at the... rather nasty coughing. "Uh... huh..." He sorta watches Ender as he pours the glass, hacking and wheezing away, looking halfway between concerned and disgusted. "You sure you don't just want some water?"

Ender announces "I'd rather just drink from the bottle." He winks hugely at Zoe before draining the glass and re-sealing the bottle. Ender regards Darklett for a moment. "Respect is one thing, sirrah! Pity is another. I've lived for a good long time without you guidin' my ways. 'Twas merely a slight attack, and I have and shall go through much worse before my time here ends." This speech seems to have invigorated the rabbit, and he scoffs his biscuit before making a great show of wiping off his face and paws with his garments. Ender then reaches out his paw towards Zoe. "I don't believe we have met, marm." He says, simply.

Darklett is speechless. XD "Al...right." Backing off, he lets introductions pass, standing with his paws behind his back again.

"Colonel Francis," Zoe offers with an extended paw, then relents with a small nod of her head. "Zoe." She then gestures to Darklett. "This is Darklett. Lieutenant."

"A colonel and a lieutenant, eh? Much more important than lil' ole me, Miss Francis. The name is Ender. Jes' Ender." He smiles, slightly. Shifting his gaze to Darklett he looks apologetic. "Didn't mean to snap at you, young sir. Not too many old folks in these parts, eh? Hard to know how to treat 'em. I'm beginning to think that when some grow old they simply fade away, into the sand. Beggin' your pardon, marm." He adds, turning back to Zoe. "I work in the library. I believe I have seen you there, marm." Ender begins to look a bit uncomfortable standing, and shifts his weight from paw to paw.

Darklett raises his head up a little along with his eyebrows, then lowers both in a quick nod. "Nice to meetcha, no harm done, sir."

"That ya have.. So yer the interim librarian while Maria's away, eh? I've been meanin' t' meet with ya." Zoe steps forward and extends her paw in greeting.

The two paws meet, and Ender shakes firmly before dropping his paw back to his side. "I was actually planning on heading back up there with m' little snack here." He gallantly offers her his arm. "Would you like to join me?"

Zoe_Lang considers this for a moment, and in the end she nods. "S'pose I'll join ya." She looks Darklett's way inquiringly, to see if he will, as well.

Darklett just sorta stands by as the two elder lapines talk. When he's inquired, he thinks for a moment, then nods. "I'll come along too, if it's alright."

Salamandastron: Library

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Salamandastron *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Here lies the collective efforts of a few good, intellectual hares of the mountain. Over the seasons, this room, which was once little more than a storage room, has been converted into a quite functional library, filled with books of all sorts. The room is staggered with bookshelves, all crafted within the mountain, which reach very nearly to the ceiling, with only a foot or two of space above them, in most instances. And, surprisingly, the shelves are basically all full. Apparently, over the seasons, hares have donated books, and books that were previously stored elsewhere have been brought here.

Some books are older than any of the hares alive in the mountain, and, even more, some are nearly as old as the mountain, itself. These sort are usually journals and records - histories of the mountain. In fact, there is an entire section of this, in a corner of the room, which one can only get to by making their way through the maze of bookshelves to that corner, which is quite like a room in and of itself, closed in by walls on two sides and bookshelves on the two others. However, in the center of the main room, there are two tables set, and upon these books like, some open and some closed, despite the efforts of the librarian hare to keep them on the shelves.

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Visible Exits:

[R]ecords [R]oom [C]orner of Library

[Back] to Second Level Intersection

Keita nods to the book Algador holds. "That'uns about a young buck who goes explorin', ends up sailin' on a sea ottah vessel. I thought it was rathah interestin'." She hms, remembering back. "Actually... tried 't build m'self a boat aftah that, but it wasn't actually what ya'd call sea-worthy." Snicker.

The door bangs open, causing a few papers to flutter around. Ender comes through it, along with Colonel Zoe. He is leading her with his arm, attempting to keep his balance, not drop the bottle held with his other paw, and have a conversation at the same time. He is mostly unsuccessful. Upon entering and seeing what the younger hares are doing Ender puts his bottle onto a desk, lets Zoe go, and charges towards the trio. "Reading, eh?" He nearly shouts at Algador. "Them paws better not be sticky! You stain mah books and you pay the price!" He turns to Keita and Lily. "This is a /library/! We talk /quietly/." As if remembering this 'law' Ender's next statement comes a bit quieter. "Now, try and be 'spectful of us older folks and officers." He walks back towards Zoe, shaking his head slightly. "Part of m'job I failed to mention. I'm s'posed to take care of those blasted leverets."

Algador looks at ender and stares at his paws 'not sticky' he goes back to trying to read the book

Zoe_Lang looks over towards the "blasted leverets", and... sees Keita. Erhem. She blinks and looks sharply back to Ender. "Well... I only see the one lev'ret, but I take yer meanin'." Er. "I usually go with a bit softah approach, m'self." Grin.

In a room page-pose, Ender learns the @oocdesc command.

Darklett brings up the rear, walking behind Ender and Zoe and standing a good distance behind them as he watches the interim librarian enforce the literary law on the current inhabitants of the place of reading. He's still currently in awe of the elderly rabbit's antics, finding the brash behavior quite funny, and repressing the snickers, but not the smirk that comes with them.

Eyeing Ender with incredulity rather than what he calls "respect", Keita slowly shakes her head and looks for these "officers" the rabbit speaks of. At which point Zoe and then Darklett are seen. Brow-quirk. O... kay.

Algador grins as stares at the writing on the book he quietly sounds out certain word 't..h..e' and ignoring all the other beasts

Ender harrumphs slightly and moves some papers on the desk around, before realizing he doesn't exactly look busy. He glances over the five other hares before deciding Zoe is still the most approachable. "So, erm, anything exciting been happening of late?" He asks, blushing slightly. He /does/ notice the looks from Darklett and Keita, but concludes they have merely not met many old folks in their time.

"Well... The mission t' Halyard's in two days time." Zoe's not sure if this will count as exciting to Ender, but she offers if nonetheless - with often and frequent glances in Keita's direction.

Algador hears about halyard village again and looks up away from the book intent on hear as much as he can about it

Darklett moves on into the library, giving waves of greeting to Lily and Keita, along with smiles, before Ender attracts his attention yet again. He still has nothing to say, but he decides to look away towards Lily and Keita so he can snicker in private, his eyes darting over in Ender's direction.

Lily has sunk deeper into her chair the whole time. She starts to grab the tarts and shove them under the table with a scared look at Keita. The doe scoots back in her chair and presses her paws to the ground, attempting to sneak away behind a bookshelf with a large currant berry tart shoved in her mouth.

"Well... that's righ'. The." Keita watches Lily slink off, but stands from her chair and goes to crouch by Algador. "... What's the next'un, there? Starts with a... B." She taps this with a claw-tip.

Algador looks back at the book and shrugs 'b...ug?'

Ender nods vaguely at Zoe. "Halyard, neh? I've, erm, seen that place. I lived about thirty miles south of this area. There are some right bad ol' chaps there, right?" He notes Darklett and seems about to explode with another lecture about respect, much like he did not ten minutes previously. Darklett is saved when Ender notes Lily. He walks directly towards her and stands in front of her. He begins to rear up to his full height when there is a loud crack from his back. Ender's eyes bug out for a moment as he collapses to the left. The elderly rabbit barely manages to catch himself with his paws and attempts to stand. Pathetically, he cannot.

Darklett is really too busy laughing at Ender at first to notice that he's fallen, but when he turns to him again, the buck blinks at the rabbit, furrowing his brows. "Uh... Are you alright?" He cranes his neck downward, as if to peer at him, then looks at Zoe. Then at Ender.

Keita nods and taps the word again. "Bug, that's righ'. B-u-g." The doe pats Alg on the back and stands back up. "Ya know yer alphabet, then?"

Algador shrugs 'bit' he stares at the book

Lily pulls back and stares at the rabbit. She starts to tremble and the tart in her mouth shakes visibly. "Levae meh 'lone!" The doe shouts and scrambles back under the table she was sitting at. She drops the tarts on the gound and pulls a chair close, her claws digging into the woodwork.

Ender grasps the chair as it rushes past him, and uses it to lever himself upwards. He looks at the food on the floor, and is about to lash out again when he sees that Lily is plainly terrified. Ender looks absolutely mortified, and glances at Zoe. He walks towards the desk and grasps his bottle of wine. The old rabbit glances around the library once more.

Zoe_Lang watches all of the goings-on with very surprised eyes. "Ah... Ya okay, there?" She tries a reassuring grin, which she extends to Darklett as well.

Keita nods but doesn't press Algador. Instead, she turns to find Lily - and there she is under the table. She meanders over and crouches, peering under the chair. "Ya a'right?"

Lily steps unpleasantly on a tart as she scoots to look at Keita. "T-too many beasts. S'Zoe too. She knows. Mmmhm. Quit th' patrol. She knows." The hare says, pointing a paw up in a random direction. "Angry rabbit. Tried t'hurt meh."

Ender walks towards Lily and pats the chair. "Didn't mean to be quite that hard on you, miss. I, erm, am just a crusty old rabbit. Pay me no attention." He looks even more ashamed when she speaks.

Algador stands and closes the book, putting it back he waves to the beasts and leaves

Keita scooches closer to Lily and reaches out a paw to her. "Don't ya worry 'bout them. Zoe eithah. She's too busy avoidin' me." The doe flashes Lily a grin and wiggles her fingers hopefully. Ender is paid no attention to, at least for the moment.

Darklett has no idea what's going on, and, wide-eyed, watches everything quietly. He starts taking steps backwards, towards a wall, or maybe an exit.

Lily crosses her arms, the feeling of the tart jam between her toes getting slightly annoying. "Why she ah'voidin' you. Your her dah'ter aint yah?" Lily hisses under her breath, her eyes turning up to the bottom of the table. "Gonna try an' get meh in trouble fer eatin'! Can't use th' 'hall. Go back t'seaweed." Lily huffs, lifting her foot up as the jam drips.

Ender looks at the floor. He reaches into his pocket and fishes around before settling on something. The rabbit pulls out a small shell. It seems completely normal until you look closely at it. There is a very small picture painted onto it, of Salamandastron looming into a night sky twinkling brightly with stars. The painting on the shell seems very exquisite at the bottom, but at the top the painting is smudged and less precise, as if the one who made it was unable to continue. Ender holds this out and sets it down in front of her. "One of the last I made. I, erm, worked very hard on it before I came here. You could use something pretty." Ender smiles sadly.

As it is not taken, Keita withdraws her offered paw and sits back. When the shell is set down, she looks between it and Lily without saying anything.

Meanwhile, Zoe's just staying back and away from all this - much like Darklett's doing. In fact, she's inching back towards the exit herself.

Darklett looks stuck in that state where you're about to say something but just can't figure out what it is you're going to say. His eyes go from beast to beast, and... he clears his throat. "Well, uh. I need to check on... I said I'd meet... Err, 'scuse me." DART!

Lily leans forward, her front paws pressing up on the ground and her nose twitching. She gives a faint look to Keita and reaches for the shell very carefully. Lily turns her eyes up to the rabbit just outside the table and scoops the shell up. She rolls back into a sitting position and cups it in her hand, looking at it carefully. "S'pretty."

Ender smiles, a bit more at ease. "I'm glad you think so. I used to make all kinds of things before I came here. Maybe one day I can show them to you." He glances at Keita, fully focusing on her for the first time. He notes that she is not exactly a leveret. "Sorry for, erm, barging in on you folks." Ender states. He turns back to Lily. "You should prolly get out of that mess before y'completely soil your pretty footpaws."

Keita looks up from her regard of Lily to focus on Ender, also for the first time. She nods with a small shrug of her shoulders. "Not a problem, sah."

Zoe_Lang takes Darklett's cue and... raising one finger-tip, she coughs. "Ah..." Her teeth come together with a click. Never mind. With a small shake of her head, she turns and walks purposefully to the door, and out.

Lily looks down at the muck on her paw. She slips the shell into the tattered pocket of her old uniform. "Yes. Maybe." She agrees with the rabbit, giving him a thoughtful look. The doe glances to the door as the majority of creatures leave. "M'not in trouble?"

Ender shakes his head emphatically. "O'course not, miss. You are, erm, quite fine. But next time let's try not to eat in the library, hm?" He smiles amiably. Glancing at Keita again he shakes his head almost imperceptibly. Too military. Too unfeeling. Ender decides to risk it and proffers his paw to Lily, to help her stand.

Keita stands up from her crouch as Lily calms, looking relieved - and a little thankful for Ender handling things so delicately - well, after the first bout of yelling, anyway. Heh. She steps back from the two, leaning against a chair back.

Lily trembles for a moment, a hesitant look given to the rabbit. One part of her mind screams for her to bite or run, and the other calmly informs her she is being offered help. After a few seconds she takes the paw and staggers to a stand. "Thank yah."

Ender begins to feel awkward. He pats her paw protectively before pulling away. "It's probably about time, erm, for my afternoon nap. I'll see you later, lovely lady." He glances at Keita and corrects himself reluctantly. "Ladies, of course." Ender winks half-heartedly before heading out the door. He looks back at Lily one last time before his footsteps are heard pattering down the hall and a door is heard being closed with a bone-jarring crash.