08-18-05

Characters included: Zoe_Lang & Darklett.

Halyard Village: Main Street(#123920RJ)

Standing atop the barricade along with the necessary four archers, the Colonel is standing behind the barricade looking over. For the moment, she's sans bow. One look at her would explain why - her left arm is in a sling. Still, she appears to be in good spirits, her ears perked amiably enough.

Darklett returns to the barricade for his checkup on the archers, the lieutenant hare making his rounds for the evening to make sure everything is still in place. And look, it's Zoe. "Colonel." Dark salutes like a nice little subordinate.

Zoe_Lang starts to look around at the greeting, but at the stiffness, she just gives up and turns around entirely, stepping away from the barricade. The salute is returned somewhat less sharply than Darklett's. "Lieutenant."

Darklett drops the salute, and steps towards the barricade again. Uhhuh, sling. Eyes wander down to it, but move away quickly. "Just checking on the archers, Colonel. Do they need anything?" And, as an afterthought, "Do you need anything?"

Somewhere on the muck, Samuel has disconnected.

"A nice, sharp drink?" She delivers a droll smirk and then looks at the archers. "Me, not them. They don't need anythin'." Not that she asked them.

Darklett grins. "Heh, I wouldn't know the sharp ones from the dull ones. Maybe I can find Keita, or somebeast that can help you with that. Erm." He shifts, and straightens. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your arm, there?"

Zoe_Lang dismisses the Keita suggestion with an absent shake of her head, but at the question she glances to the other archers and then, with a jerk of her head, gestures Darklett away from them. She moves off, though she waits until he's close enough before responding. "We had a bit o' a scuffle earliah. We took a coupla captives."

Darklett follows the Colonel, curiously. Ooh, secret business. Heeee. His ears perk, though, at the news. "You did? Hmph... Where are the captives? And... how could I have missed this?" The hare looks a little disappointed.

At the last question, Zoe looks very slightly miffed. After all, all of the officers should have been informed. Some runner's going to get a talking to. She points towards one building, and then the other. "One there, one there, three guards each. Both injured. One with a whole beltful o' poisons."

"Besides your arm, were there any other injuries or casualties?" Darklett asks promptly, scowling a little at the mention of poison back in the direction of the buildings.

Zoe_Lang looks back towards the buildings as well. "At least a pawful... First'un took a daggah t' the head, but it jus' glanced off... A couple dead. They did good - took a few out themselves, first."

Darklett's expression seems to tighten at the response. 'A pawful' was not the answer he was expecting. And his jaws pop out at the sides, evidence of clenching teeth together, when he hears that there were deaths. "Colonel," he mutters, teeth gritted still, "We need to attack. No more waiting."

Zoe_Lang looks back around at Darklett. She sighs, softly. "I'm well aware o' that, lieutenant."

Darklett's paw rests on his belt, running his thumb over the handle of one of his knives. "Well... Every fighting hare in Halyard is ready, waiting for your order. Myself included."

Zoe_Lang holds in a frustrated sigh - or growl, she's not sure which - only by turning away, looking back towards the barricade. Her words are clipped when she replies. "I'm not in the mood t' take thinly veiled ordahs from a lieutenant righ' now, lad."

Darklett's hesitation could mean that he knows he really shouldn't press the matter. His paw still fiddling with that same knife on his belt, he lets out a deep sigh, and raises a shaky paw to his forehead in a salute. "...Colonel."

Somewhere on the muck, Sunrose has connected.

Zoe_Lang doesn't look back, but his reply is answer enough. "At ease, Darklett." She watches the hares at the barricade for a moment longer before returning her attention to Darklett. "Death is a fact o' war, lad. It's not fun 'n' it's not easy. I'm sorry fer that. Mayhaps I'm too used t' it at this point. But I nevah stand back 'n' let othahs die without puttin' m' own neck on the block. Don't ask me fer more'n that."

Darklett lets his arm fall slowly to his side, then behind his back to fold with the other paw. "Understood, Colonel. Can't ask anybeast for more than that." His eyes move to the archers, watching their intent attention on the main street. "I apologize. It's hard sitting here and waiting, though, when I know it can be over, and these hares can head home without fear that they might be the ones on the ground after 'a bit of a scuffle.'" And he hesitates... Maybe realizing he went over the line, again. "But, I'm not in any position to trust a veteran such as yourself's judgement. Just voicing my hopes. Colonel."

In a room page-pose, Darklett had extra time to pose, went ahead and went the extra mile. :P

Whether he went over the line or not, Zoe's expression remains impassive and her voice stays calm. "That 'bit o' a scuffle' resulted in the death o' two hares - true. Howevah, we now have two captives 'n' two sources o' information that we wouldn't have had if we'd gone in before. More'n that, we killed at least twice the numbah o' vermin, if not half a dozen. Since the archahs've been in place, we've killed several othahs - s'far as I could from the distance o' the barricade, anyway. S'far as I know... they're not gettin' in any reinforcements at this point. The more of 'em killed before - even if we lose a couple in the process - will mean a good many less 'ares that will die in the final battle." Pause, and this is said much more gently. "... Every one o' the hares that I've seen killed in m'life - they all joined the Patrol o' their own free will. Darklett..." And her voice goes softer here, and she shakes her head. "They knew the possibilities. You know 'em, too. I know 'em. We're born t' die. I'd rathah die as they did t'day than asleep in m'bed long past bein' worth anythin' t' anyone anymore."

Darklett is very glad Zoe didn't flip out on him, and it shows. But, as she goes on, the buck seems to get less and less rebellious. Although he never looks down or away, it's obviously a struggle for him, and by the time she finishes, he has to nod, or something, anything to break eye contact acceptably. But he remains silent, in the case that she has more to say.

Zoe_Lang apparently doesn't - not on the same line, anyway. And she feels bad, when he looks away, because uncomfortable isn't what she wants to make him. No - she wants him to understand. In the end, though, she just turns and moves a few steps away before stopping, and speaking. "We attack in three days, late mornin'. Long enough t' find out what information we can from the captives. I give ya my word." With that said she starts moving again, looking even older and stiffer than usual as she limps away.

Darklett turns his body so he continues to face the Colonel as she starts moving away. "Yes, Colonel!" he replies, giving a firm nod after she speaks. Beginning to turn away himself, he stops, watching Zoe's stiff, jerky movements for a few seconds. Another second of thought is given, and the hare keeps moving on towards the barricade.