09-08-05

Characters involved: Lesperance, Nadia, Nadenka, Keita, & Nivik.

Salamandastron: Infirmary

Lesperance is laying on one of the beds. His shirt has been stripped off, and a number of long bandages circle his middle. Currently laying back, eyes closed, with one bare forearm over his eyes.

Nadia sits on a cot currently.. watching Les quietly

Nadenka comes into the room slowly, looking really upset as she sees Lesperance, she walks over to her sister and sits down next to her looking on the verge of tears

Nadia looks at Nadenka, "What's wrong Sis?"

Limp, limp, limp. Keita reluctantly moves just inside the infirmary door, looking one way and then the other as she surveys the room. Noting one of the healers on shift, she crosses to them and, after a murmured conversation, she sits on a cot.

Lesperance shifts his arm off of his eyes, opening one to look at Nadenka. He stays quiet, however, as Nadia asks the question for him. His stomach clenches for a moment, bringing a slight gasp from him and causing him to grit his teeth, putting his other paw to his side.

Nadenka shakes her head and points at Les, "I's my fault he's hurt.." she says, stopping to think for a moment and says, "If I hadn't run away he'd be okay"

Nivik slips in, twitching his tail to and fro.

Nadia shakes her head "No.. Don't think it's causa us he got hurted.. Cause we left and he was gone for a long time.."

As the healer steps up to Keita's cotside, the doe unties her trouser leg to reveal the bandages. Not surprisingly, the healer goes about removing and redressing the wound. The others in the room are given the occasional glancing during this process.

Lesperance shakes his head a bit. "Naw, I got myself stuck for picking a fight. It wasn't your fault." he gazes at Nadenka, after Nadia falls asleep on the cot.

Nadenka shakes her head again, "No..You came out 'cause of me" she says, sounding really upset, "I shouldn'a gone out.."

Lesperance shrugs a bit, looking back up at the ceiling. "I'm sure you had a good reason for it."

Nivik pads over, and finds himself a seat, his tailtip curling as he listens in.

Nadenka walks over and goes to climb up on the cot carefully to see the wound better and to see her daddy, "You's gonna be okay?" she asks quietly

Lesperance nods, the wound wrapped in clean bandages for the moment, though a bit of red has still leaked through. "Its not as bad as the one I got up in Mapleleaf."

Keita grimaces and clenches her teeth as the healer gets to rebandaging the leg, tilting her head back. She mutters through gritted teeth, "Nng, little gentlah, ya think?"

Nadenka carefully goes to hug Lesperance and says quietly, "I'm sorry.." she looks up and tries to smile a bit, "I promise I won't do it again"

Lesperance offers her a little smile in return. "I'd appreciate it. Its better to talk about problems than run away."

Nivik, seeing his friend is okay, turns some attention to Keita, wincing a tad, "Eek...'ow ya doin', there?"

Nadenka sighs and nods, hugging a bit tighter, "Kay..I'm sorry..shouldn'a done that" she says, moving up a bit to make sure she doesn't accidently hit his wound

The healer mutters an apology, to which Keita merely snorts. "... Yeah." Still, she manages to relax somewhat and at Nivik's question she looks around, squinting at him. "Oh, jus' spiffy." At another twinge from the bandaging, she jerks slightly and winces, sending a scowl the healer's way.

Nivik twitches his whiskers, chuckling softly, "No need ta snap none, miss 'are. I figure since m' friend's arright for the most part, I c'n reassign m' planned doting."

Lesperance shifts, making room for Nadenka, sliding an arm around her. "Forgiven, little one." he chuckles a bit, ears perked.

Nadenka smiles and snuggles up, "Kay..as long as you're sure i's okay.." she sniffs and looks over at Nivik and Keita then back at Les quickly

The healer ties off the bandage with possibly more force than is strictly necessary for all of Keita's complaining, but Keita makes no further remark. She rolls her pantleg back down and ties it off, using her arms to turn so that Nivik can be regarded skeptically. "Dotin', eh? So where'd you lot come from?"

Nivik shrugs, "Eh...various places. 'M originally fr'm the deep south...an' dependin' on the faction I've been in, I been a buncha different places." He taps the various embroidered symbols on his coat.

Keita quirks a brow at Nivik's response and can't help but grin. "Well, I meant in the more general sense o' what're ya doin' here, but a'right." She grabs her crutches and pulls herself up, steadying her balance for a moment before bothering to move anywhere. "I'm Keita, by the way. Ownah of the tavern in Halyard Village."

Nivik tilts his head, and chuckles, "Ah...I really aughta swing a visit down that way. The LP 'as a stric'ly hare-only policy, maybe I c'n land a townsguard position. I just need s'm orgainziation in m' life. Used ta takin' orders...anyways, 've been fond of taverns in the past." His cheeks color, "Not so much anymore. 'Ad a bit of a problem."

Lesperance nods at Nadenka. "Yes, little one." leaving one arm around the kit, he brings his other to cover his eyes from the lights once more, though his ears stay perked, listening.

Keita grins and limps forward a step. "Problem, eh? Well, nothin' a little ale can't help." She hehs lightly, to indicate that she's joking. Yes. Haha, funny.

Nivik laughs, and grins, "I'm startin' ta get back into the swing of things...'m able ta get a bit smashed without doin' it every night."

Nadenka turns over to watch the hare and squirrel again for a moment, listening boredly before turning back to Les and asking softly, "Why's you covering your eyes?"

Keita chuckles, nodding. "Aye, well, if ya want t' really kick the habit, the best way t' limit yer intake is t' work in a tavern. When yer ability t' eat's tied t' the amount o' profit ya make, you drink considerable less o' the stock."

Nivik chuckles, and nods, "Yeah..." he stretches out, "Then again, 's hard to make a good bow if yer droppin' down wasted, an' that's how I get m' coin."

Lesperance chuckles a bit. "There you go, Nivik.. go be a bar server.." he has shifted his arm, revealing one violet hued eye, looking between the two. "Lesperance, by the way. Of nowhere that exists any longer - far to the north, unlike good Nivik here."

Nivik pulls a face, then his ears stand up, "Oh 'ell. Autumn's comin', innit? I'm here fer the seasons, then...ain' travelin' NOWHERE in no cold."

Nadenka looks at Lesperance and asks again, "Why's ya covering your eyes?" before turning to look at the two again, keeping them in her sight

Keita looks around at Lesperance, then nods at the greeting. "Pleased t' meetcha, 'course." At Nivik's words, her ears twitch and she grins. "Well, if ya don't want t' be stuck in this stuffy ole mountain, there's plenty of places in Halyard. 'Specially just now."

Lesperance looks at Nadenka. "Don't you think its too bright in here? Too many candles." he lightly tickles Nadenka's side with his free paw.

Nivik chuckles, and nods, twitching his tail, "As long as it's warm, yeh? 'M from so far south, it's horrible up 'ere fer me...y'll see me quite a bit, I imagine. Taverns tend ta be warmlike. An' a mulled cider or wine warms ye pretty good, too." A grin.

Nadenka giggles and shakes her head, "I's not that bright in here" she says, trying to tickle him back

Keita dips her head in a nod. "Aye, well, we're a one-tavern village so ya won't have trouble findin' it. Just follow the path - well, more like a trickle, these days - o' thirsty-lookin' beasts. First drink's on the house. You let 'em know ya want somethin' that'll warm ya up - I guarantee it'll do its job." Grin.

Nivik chuckles, and tilts his head, "'Em? I 'magine you'll be back 'fer the snow flies, eh?"

"Oh, aye, but I don't know s'I'll be doin' much tendin' fer the next little bit." Keita shrugs and shifts her weight from one crutch to the other.

Nivik chuckles softly, and pats the doe's shoulder slightly, "Ah, y'll manage. 'Ve seen all sorts of beasts w' wounds...'m fortunate ta not be messed up m'self. If tendin's what ya like ta do, though, y' should do it. If ya need help, there's beasts that'll lend a paw." He chuckles, "Like me, I ain' got anything more productive to do."

Nadenka stands up and walks over to Keita curiously and looks up, not really saying anything but it's kind of obvious what she wants to ask because she keeps looking at her leg

Keita chuckles. "Aye, well, 'm not one t' turn down a helpin' p-" Nadenka - and her stare - is noted, with an amused grin, "... A helpin' paw. 'Ey there, young vixeny type."

Nivik flicks his tail and chuckles, looking down as well, "'M a good shoulder ta lean on, at t'e very least, fer a tad bit of balance."

Nadenka looks up and smiles, still not quite asking the obvious question she wants too, she says, "I's Nadenka, not vixeny type" she says

Keita looks to the side at Nivik, chuckling. "Aye, just pitch the crutches 'n' have you drag me around, eh?" She grins amiably, then looks back down at Nadenka. "Ahhh, Nadenka is it? Pleased t' meetcha, then."

Nivik laughs, and shrugs with a wink, "Worse things coul' happen. I've gotten leg wounds 'fore, those things make yer arms ache dang quick, lemme tell ye."

Nadenka thinks about it for a moment and asks, "What happened to your leg?"completly innocently, "Did it hurt..?"

Keita rolls yer eyes upwards and nods, firmly. "Yer righ' about that. Nevah figured it'd be so hard t' just hold m'self up." Nadenka's words draw her attention again and she stares, then laughs. She looks around behind her and spies the nearest stool. Hopping backwards with the aid of her crutches, she sits. Then, "Got injured in a bit o' a battle, doncha know it?"

Nadenka nods and moves forward again to look at it, "Was it a big one?" she asks, sounding kind of interested, then looks up at her again and smiles, "An' you're okay now?"

Nivik chuckles softly, his tail flicking as he listens politely.

Keita inclines her head in a nod. "Aye, a big one. M'village was taken ovah by a vermin horde called the Bloodthirsters, 'n' the Patrol helped us t' take it back." Then, with a small grin to the kit, she pats her leg. "An' I'm okay now."

Lesperance nods a bit. "Indeed. Got myself in a scrap with one of them earler." a finger taps his ribs, gently. "Though he's worse for the wear from it. Met Daclon up in Ruingate awhile back, don't really care for him one way or another, truely."

Nivik blinks, and mmphs, "Well...'eck, if I'd known ya before, I woulda invested more arrers in that rat."

Nadenka smiles and reaches out to touch it carefully and looks back at Les and drops her paws, probably realizing that it'd probably hurt and all, "You's awake again" she says with a smile

Keita watches Nadenka, then as the kit withdraws her paw, the doe looks around at the reason - Lesperance. "Well... whatevah you feel fer the beast, I'd have t' say I don't much care fer the fellow."

Nivik chuckles, "Lesp? Eh...wounded stabbin' at a Bloodthirster rat. I don' like melee combat so much...but I need ta learn it so's if I get cornered I don' die."

Lesperance shrugs a bit, looking at Nadenka, offering a smile before turning an eye to Keita. "Eh, well. I'm here as a friend to Salamandastron, and seeing as they attacked the hares, I'll do my part to help oust them. I'm lucky I got close as I did, the lance would've gone through me."

Nadenka walks back over to Les and climbs up on the cot quietly and hugs him again, looking back at the other two with a smile

At the mention of a rat, Keita's nose wrinkles with faint displeasure. "Don't s'pose he happened t' be a big, bulky black rat, did 'e? His one eye's this creepy, all-ovah white?"

Nivik shrugs a little, "'E 'ad a bow, so all I really know is 'e was my primary target...mmm, I guess 'e 'ad a lance, an' a sword of some sort, maybe? Not sure...bigger'n normal, yeah...but I dunno about his eyes." He chuckles, and shrugs, "Ah...Vorth, er sommat."

Lesperance nods slowly. "That would be the one, truely." he tilts his head to the side, "Know him somewhat?"

Keita smirks and reaches up to scratch the tip of an ear. "Oh, aye. We go waaaay back. I owe 'im a thing 'r two for a coupla friends." Snort.

Nivik chuckles and nods, taking the time to examine his tail, pawing through it to make sure the sand didn't give him any gifts, "Shoulda plinked more arrers out there 'fore that other rat got close."

Lesperance chuckles. "Well, he's got a pair of holes in him, real nasty like." he lifts a paw, mimicing the thrust of a dagger, with a twist at the end. "And I likely broke his snout." he lets the paw drop. "But he got a stick to my ribs when I was up close and personal. Maybe I should invest in a hard leather tunic or something, my sides take the brunt of all my fighting."

Keita squints at Lesperance, looking him over. "I bet they'd lend ya Patrol tunic - they're nice 'n' padded. Saved more'n one o' their skins." The doe then positions her crutches under her arms and stands again. "Anyway, I ought t' carry m'self off t' the dormitories. Nice meetin' the lot o' you."

Nivik chuckles, and nods, "Wan' some assistance, or ya gonna be alright as is?"

Nadenka waves to Keita and smiles brightly, "Goodnight" she says, then turns to look at Les, paying attention to his wound again, curious to what it looks like and stuff

Keita grins at Nivik's offer but shakes her head, "Nah, think I'll be a'right. Got t' learn t' stand on m'own two feet soonah or latah, righ'?" Ahaha, ha. Yes. With a wink and a wave to the group, she makes for the door. And out she goes.

Nivik chuckles, and winks back, waving, "Night!"