11-04-05

Characters involved: Keita, Vansinnig, Darklett, Malica, & Lily.

Halyard Tavern: Main Room

Keita is sitting on a stool on the 'tender side of the bar, chin resting in propped up paw. She's stirring thoughtfully at a mug of tea because, well. No customers. The tavern's still suffering from all of the upheaval in Halyard.

Vansinnig slowly steps into the bar, pushing the door open. A wound in his abdomen is crusted with blood and obviously fresh. Glancing about, he instantly notices Keita. "Oy. Well if it ain't th' brazen hussy." He grins. "Last time I saw ya, you were divin' inta vermin up to your neck."

Darklett has been following Vansinnig ever since he saw him... Stealthily sneaking behind him the whole way into the village, he followed him all the way up to the door of the tavern, keeping it open just a crack, enough so he can get a single line of eyesight through it, ears attentive to hear the badger and doe.

Keita's ears perk at the voice and slowly a grin forms - which finishes as a beam once she spies the badger. "'Ey! If it ain't the 'ole badgery type! Where ya been hidin' yerself?"

Vansinnig chuckles, before sitting down at the bar in front of the hare. "Hmmm, been among the dunes a th' mountain, actually. Pretty borin' place, but 'ere's this one 'are that makes things interesting." He chuckles, rapping a claw against the bar. "Get me some hard stuff, aye?"

Darklett continues to silently watch Vansinnig and Keita, repressing confusion as to why the two get along so well.

Keita's eyebrows raise at this explanation, with a special snort of agreement at the boring bit. "Oh yeah? Any bunny I'd know, ya think?" She's standing as she talks, of course, readying to fulfill his request. Before doing so, though, she grabs up her pair of crutches which were previously leaning against the counter on her side of the bar. Van may not have noticed them before. She then turns, limping a few steps down the bar to prepare his drink. She glances over her shoulder. "There're quite a few entertainin' hares ovah that way, aftah all."

Vansinnig isn't smiling when she turns to look at him. If he hadn't seen it before, he sees it now. His face darkens dangerously. "Who....did that to you?" His voice seems to drip malice. He is not a happy badger. "He'd better be dead, fer his sake." Obviously, he wasn't able to make his promise. Nope, not happy.

Ooookay. Scratch /that/ method of "breaking it to folks" off the list. Keita manages a wincing grin. "Er - she. Actually." The filled mug is brought over and pushed across the counter to Van. The crutches are set aside as quiiiietly as possible.

SLAM! The fist comes down. The glass jumps. "I'm...a badger of m' word." His voice is icy. "I'm dishonored." Odd to hear the word 'honor' out of him but...eh. He looks up, red eyes glaring. "Is....she....dead!?"

Darklett jumps a little at the sudden outburst, his paw going down to his belt in readiness... Though he makes no noticeable move. His eye narrows as it peers through the crack in the door.

Vansinnig suddenly sighs, sighs, sighs into his paws. "Keita...." he mutters softly. After the sudden outburst, he seems far too quiet. "D'ja really have ta do that? Go an' get yerself mangled?"

Keita jumps in time with the glass, looking first surprised at the outburst and then resigned to the question. "Well, y'know. I didn't exactly /plan/ it..." The doe ducks her head down, rubbing wryly at the back of her neck. "And no, I don't believe she's dead. Not too concerned about it, t' be honest."

Vansinnig flutters his lips, before downing the glass straight. Letting out a sigh, he grunts slightly. "Another." Glancing at the crutches again, he flicks his tail at the door. "Hmm?" Apparently thinking it nothing, he turns back to the only visible hare. "Don't gimme none a that 'She's fergiven' stuff. You have a right to be angry." He snorts. "I'd take care a her for you."

Keita smirks dryly at Vansinnig before picking up her mug and taking a sip of the cooling tea. She peers at the badger over the rim. "Nevah said she was forgivin'. Just said I don't care." The mug is lowered though her paws remain around its warming surface. "I wouldn't worry about it. 'Good ole mum', she's takin' care o' it. Apparently. Told her not t' bothah s'well - what good that did."

Vansinnig stares at Keita, but the edge is no longer there. "I'd worry if'n I were in her shoes." He growls somewhat. "Anyway, d'ya know a certain hopper named Darklett?" His mood suddenly shifts for the better, as if something were amusing him. The corner of his mouth goes up in a smirk.

Keita's grin returns at Van's sudden mood change, and nod she does. "Aye - yeah. I know 'im. Good friend o' mine, actually. Why d'ya ask?" That smirk makes her nervous when in connection with one of the LPers. XD

Darklett's ears perk as his name is mentioned, and he tenses up, wondering if he'd been spotted... Dismissing it, he continues to stoically watch through the crack in the door, strained for hearing what's going on inside, however clear it is to hear.

Vansinnig grins now. "Hehehe, the bloody idiot stabbed me a few times. I knocked him about a bit." He raps his claws against his empty glass for a moment. "He keeps things interesting. Breaks th' monotony a things." He chuckles harshly. "Don't think he likes me much."

Keita's brow quirks at the mention of stabbing, and then further with his explanation. "... He keeps things interestin'. By /stabbing/ you." This is not /exactly/ a question. "Bucks 'n' badgers... I'll nevah undahstand."

Vansinnig snorts. "I don't think ya unnerstand males period." He chuckles. "We're all like 'at. Funny, cause' I thought them mountain 'ares worshiped m' kind, 'r somethin' a that nature."

Darklett is convinced he hasn't been noticed, and actually smirks at this... He shakes his head slowly back and forth, continuing to listen closely to the conversation... His paw never strays from his belt.

Keita stares. "Ah, see now, I'm /pretty/ sure not all male bondin' involves impalin' each othah's flesh with sharp objects. /Pretty/ sure." She rolls her eyes, then smirks. "Yeah, well. Generally it helps when ya don't try killin' 'em, for the whole worshipin' thing."

Vansinnig taps his empty glass against the counter, flicking his ears back, towards the doors, towards Keita. He seems momentarily aggravated, licking his teeth, before sighing and relaxing. Motioning with the glass at Keita, he sighs. "Get me 'nother, will ya?" Leaving the glass where it was on the table, he snorts softly. "I don't wanna be worshipped. Nothin' ta worship, ya see. Leave that idiocy ta th' hares in the mountains." He hmms softly, before chuckling. "Keita, ever met someone who irked ya so bad, ya wouldn't be able to think of life without 'at annoying splinter of a guy?"

Darklett stays where he is, paws warily gripping around two throwing knives, furrowing his brows as he listens in on Vansinnig and Keita, hopefully still unnoticed as he peeks through the crack in the door.

Keita's eyes widen markedly at this question, and she can't help but smirk. "Now Van, this couldn't be yer way o' tellin' me ya fancy our Darklett, would it?" She waves any immediate response away with a paw, and continues with a playful shrug. "Now mind, if ya were I would of course accept 'n' support ya in yer decision. Convincin' Darklett t' cross ovah... well. That'd be anothah thing entirely." Beam.

Vansinnig is completely deadpan. "Ya gotta be kiddin', right? I meant th' sparrin' aspect." He snorts. "I'll make things more clearer next time, ta save me from yer very twisted mind." He looks at the empty glass. "The drink?"

Darklett grits his teeth as Keita speaks to try and keep himself from laughing, and giving away his position. He even tightens his grip around the knives to try and stop the laughter... Finally, after a quick bite down on his lip, he swallows down the laughter, and continues to spy on Vansinnig... The sparring, eh? He thinks of it as sparring.

Keita inclines her head in mock thanks. "I thank ya for the thought. Too often I find m'self wishin' that folks'd take more time t' considah savin' me from m'self. Yer a real peach." She quickly waves this bit away, though, to answer his real question. "Well, aye. I've known a beast're two like that. Didn't generally end up stabbin' 'em, though."

Vansinnig grins. "Ya should try it sometime." He glances at her crutches again. The alcohol from earlier is making him talkative. And suddenly depressed. "Hmm, b'sides the blasted hare, I had someone else who were like a splinter....in a different way." He looks at the empty glass again, staring at it hard. "Blast it, Keita. Gimme some more alcohol!"

Keita eyes the suddenly depressed Vansinnig, then reaches across to swipe up his glass. Getting up on her crutches, she goes to do as asked. She speaks over her shoulder. "In a different way, eh?"

"Love," Van spits out, as if the word was distasteful. "Never asked for it neither. She were somethin' though."

Cough. Ahem. Definitely not a snicker. Keita returns to the spot opposite Van, setting down his drink once more. "She were somethin', were she? Anyone I'd know?" No, but no harm in asking.

Darklett's definitely surprised at this one. He's grinning quite widely, wishing there were some way to show everybeast in Halyard this little precious moment at once without revealing himself. He even almost snickers, forgetting himself. But, he holds back, sufficing to just grin.

Vansinnig simply glowers at her with red eyes. "Not unless ya were a badger." He flutters his lips. ".......and....I killed her." He grits his teeth, before swigging down the drink.

Blinking, Keita instead of releasing his drink, pulls it back to her side of the bar. No need for a stupidly drunk badger when he's confessing murder, now is there? "You, uh... Huh?"

Darklett jumps, gripping at his knife intently. He gulps down, pulling away from the crack in the door, and blinking a few times, before plastering it against the opening again.

Vansinnig looks up, eyes bloodshot. "I killed 'er." He clenches his teeth again. "Weren't by my paw. Not directly." He rubs his forehead, gritting his teeth. "By t'were my weapon. My dark intention. And my own design." He briefly touches the chains.

Keita eyes Vansinnig uncertainly as she moves the drink back, back, and then down onto the shelf below the bar. She then reaches forward, touching his forearm. "Yeah? Well..." She trails off, shrugging to herself more than to him. "I'm sure it wasn't yer fault."

Vansinnig laughs suddenly, harshly, pulling his arm away. "Ya ain't naive, Keita. Ya seen me. Ya know me better than any other on this sad li'l world, as it is. D'ya smell the blood on m' fur? D'ya smell the iron a battle? C'mon, wit' that sensitive li'l nose ya yourn, ya know I'm a doomed beast. A beast of wasted life which ain't me own." He laughs again, as if finding the absurdity in it all. "It were me fault. It'll stay me fault." He grimaces, a mix between a tight frown and a grin. "Ain't it all funny?"

Keita shifts in a slightly uncomfortable fashion, not quite sure what to do with a broody badger of this sort. "C'mon, Van... Yer not doomed. You do good things. Ya saved me at least a coupla times, righ'? That's got t' count fer somethin'. Ya know... redeem ya, kinda like." She won't debate the 'at fault' issue anymore.

Darklett frowns at this. Jeeze, wish Van here would be this much of a wimp when -he- ran into him...

Vansinnig looks at her crutches pointedly. "Saved ya? When've I saved ya? Ya lost th' proper use a yer legs. I'm sure that were really pleasant." He snarls lightly. "Instead a redemption, I took 'nother path entirely." He snorts again, looking around rather stupidly for the empty glass to ask for another drink. "Yer a good soul, Keita. You'll see love, probably. You'll see family, perhaps. Mayhap even die old, which is so rare these twisted days." He tips his snout up to look at the ceiling, a sort of troubled confidence passing over his face like a cloud. "An'...I hope ya do. I'm gonna keep on killin'. Too late for me now."

At his words about love and family, Keita opens her mouth, theeeeen. Shuts it. To contradict him or not to contradict him? For now, the doe simply shakes her head. "It's not too late for ya, Van. It's not. Everyone's got things in their life they ain't proud of. You c'n eithah let it define you, or ya c'n work t' change it."

[ An intermission in the RP.]

The door to Halyard tavern creaks open... Very slowly. First, a head peeks in, then the rest of the body... It's Darklett. It's a completely empty tavern, save for the newly entered Lieutenant, and he hesitates, before stepping in, shrugging off the nice new overcoat he had fashioned for him, folding it over his forearm. "...Hullo?"

Malica slowly comes up to the tavern, not too long after Darklett. Her face is a mixture of slight pain, and somewhat happiness (The pain from sitting on a bed for a long time) She starts to slowly come in the door behind Darklett "Hello.." She says in her some, friendly voice.

At the tentative greeting, a pair of ears peek out from the back door - and then a face. It's Keita, looking curious. "Hullo?" Her eyebrows raise at the sight of Darklett and then - Malica? "Oh. C'mon in, you two. I was just doin' some work in the back."

Lily stomps down the stairs, a tin bucket in one paw and a few logs cured under the other arm. Her rusty red coat has started to become blotched with winter white, and a good portion of her is sooty black from the job she has just completed. The doe pauses at the bottom step and hesitates, looking at the unexpected gathering.

Darklett turns around, smiling at the vixen with a laugh. "Ah, hello. Do you know if...?" The greeting from behind him towards the bar grabs his attention, and the smile goes wider as he sees Keita. "Ah, Keita!" He grins, heading for a stool. "How've things..." And he's interrupted again as Lily enters... He stands. "Lily." He even looks shocked at this one!

Malica walks into the room quietly and says "Hello." She follows after Darklett towards a stool. The entering Lily, well she goes unnoticed by the fox, the fox being half-blind Lily is in her blind spot.

The unexpected gathering doesn't keep Keita from noticing Lily's arrival on the scene. She smiles, almost immediately, and it only grows as Darklett takes notice of her, as well. She limps from behind the bar and over towards the other doe. "Hey, Lil'. You all righ' with that?" The stuff she's carrying. Not that... she could help. XD

Lily takes a quick step back. "Oh! Erm, 'lo Mis'er Darklett, Sah." The does ears flick around. "Kei... didn' know y'were entertainin'... um, jus' gonna stroke th' fire. Don' min' me." Lily's eyes lock on the fox for a moment, and Lily scoots off the stairs in order to bob her head respectfully to the others in the room. She makes a beeline for the fireplace and kneels by it without looking up.

Darklett smiles, following Lily with his head. "Hi! Uh, long time no see!" As she heads off towards the fire, he watches, just for a few moments, before turning back to Keita. "Er... Hey, how are you? Haven't seen you in a while, either." That's a lie, but... :P

Keita's ears dip as Lily passes by her and over to the fireplace without much more than a nod. She doesn't say anything, though, as Darklett draws her attention. She grins a bit distractedly, and shrugs. "Been pretty good, thanks. Just... y'know. Settlin' in." She shifts her weight from one crutch to the other, then limps back towards the bar, sans Lily. Psh.

Malica sort of rubs her right arm with her left arm "So odd.." She just shakes her head then and glances around. She still manages not to see Lily because of that eye though.

Lily concentrates on the fire, rolling the logs into place and plucking a fire poke from the metal basket. The end of the poke is quickly used to stir the fire, an in turn a puff of sparks and soot spews out. It doesn't seem to bother the doe as she quickly pinches the bits of fur that might catch flame. Quick, secretive glances are taken to the others.

Darklett glances down to Lily again, but only briefly, his attention going back to Keita. "I see, I see. You seem to be doin' pretty well." He pauses after this, then swiftly adds in, "You know, given what you've been given, and all. Any good customers, lately?" When he says this, it doesn't sound at all like an off-the-cuff question.

Once again, the main door of the tavern slowly swings open, and in ducks one deathly looking marten. From the looks of it, he has to 'duck' in through the doorway on part by the long handle of the massive sword on his back protruding far up past his left shoulder. Once he straightens his posture, the marten begins to slowly make his way over to the far side of the tavern, as if he's been here a few times before. All the while, looking over the patrons out of the corner of his sharp eyes.

At Darklett's question, Keita can't help but smirk. "Good customahs? Uh... well." She doesn't elaborate; instead, Dosu's entrance distracts her. She watches the marten's path out of the corner of her eye, looking amused. "Well, well, everyone's showin' up at m'humble tavern today."

Malica sits quietly there now.

Darklett looks over his shoulder as the tavern door opens, wincing. So much for some quiet talk. "Busy evening for ya, Keita." The lieutenant turns back to the bar. "Ah, well... Before the rush, can I get a light ale of some sort, please? Whatever you'd recommend."

Lily rolls back onto her backside from the fire, her feet turning up as she stumbles. "Mrg." She grunts, scrambling to stand. The doe attempts to brush herself off, puffs of soot flying from her fur. Using a stiff soot brush, the doe sweeps the soot into the bucket and hefts it up, turning to the bar with a glance to the fox, then a longer one at Darklett.

Keita inclines her head, ducking back behind the bar to attend to the drink-getting. When it's ready, she sets it before him and sets herself on a stool opposite. Lily is given a long look before her eyes fall back to the buck, though. "Busy? Relatively speakin', I s'pose. Nothin' like we used t' get."

Darklett grabs the mug, giving Keita a nod of thanks... and he turns to Lily, catching her glance and looking away quickly, nonchalantly. "Yeah, give it time. Your brews'll get 'em coming back in no time, Keita." He grins, having a sip, nodding and 'mm'-ing in delight. "Nothin' like one of your ales to deal with a thorn in the side..."

Dosu ends up at his usual spot at the far corner of the tavern. He slowly reaches up to the long handle by his left shoulder, giving a grunt as he slowly hefts the massive chunk of metal from his back, and leaning it up against the wall. He then slowly turns back away from the wall, his tired gaze stopping on the nearest empty table as he begins to make his way for it.

Lily slips to the back of the bar, disappearing into the back room for a moment. The dull clank of metal is heard as is the sound of splashing water, and soon the doe is back with her fur wet and combed, and a clean apron tied around her waist. She clears her throat and makes her way towards Dosu. "What can Ah get yah t'nigh', Sah?" Lily inquires as he settles.

"Well... we aim t' please." Keita still is sending the occasional glance Lily's way. "So how's the mountain been doin', Dark?"

Dosu lets out a light sigh as he slumps into the old wooden chair. His right leg resting over the right armrest, his left elboy on its own armrest, which in turn props up the marten's head with his left paw. His dark, tired gaze slowly focus's on the newly arrived hare. "...Double rum... If its not to much trouble..."

"Pretty good, actually... Pretty boring, pretty quiet... It's miserable, really, had to get out." Darklett chuckles, rubbing his thumb over the rim of his mug, before raising it to drink, gulping and lowering it.

Lily shifts her weight and bobs her head to the marten. "S'tha' all, Sah? Y'look as if y'could fancy yerself ah meal o' some sort. Nice batch o' stew simmerin' in th' back, s'well as some fish bites." The doe offers with a careful smile, the first one seen since she has arrived.

Dosu lets out another light sigh with the shake of his head. "..Thats quite alright Miss... The rum will be fine..."

Keita grins appreciatively at Darklett's words. "Miserable, huh? Took ya long enough t' figure that'un out." She glances at his glass, then quirks a brow at him. In other words, 'Want another?' The question she asks, however, is entirely different. "So guess who I saw earliah?"

Darklett smirks, sliding the mug towards Keita and giving her a nod, as if to say, 'Why yes, please!' "It's not bad -all- the time. Just had to get a change of scenery while I didn't have work to do..." At the question, he mock-thinks for a few moments, then shrugs. "You got me. Who?"

"Sure, whatevah ya say. But I grew up there. I /know/." Keita smirks, theeen shrugs. "A certain badgery type. Believe ya know him."

Lily shrugs and turns on heel, heading quickly to the bar. She slips behind Kei and starts to work a few bottles, pouring the substance into a glass. With a mix and an eyeing measure of more rum, the hare lets herself brush up against the bar owner as she makes her way back to the marten. "Here y'are, Sah. Four coppahs. Shall Ah add it t'ah tab?"

Dosu lets out a light sigh once again as he digs out enough coinage for at least 3 more drinks. He looks at it for a moment before lifting it up, and placing it in the waiting hare's open paw. "..Just bring me one more and we'll call it even...", he says as he takes his drink from her.

Darklett tries to act surprise. "Vansinnig, then? Hmph..." He turns his head to the side, crossing his arms. "Don't tell me you -served- him..."

After Lily brushes by, Keita glances at the other doe's back as she moves away. She frowns - just slightly - and shakes her head. She then looks back to Darklett, looking distracted. "What? Oh. 'Course I served 'im."

Darklett notes the glance between Keita and Lily's back, lightly drumming his paws on the bar surface. "Why?" is his simple question, the hare asking with a straight face aimed directly to the barkeeper.

Lily bobs her head and slips the coins into the large pocket on her apron front. A paw is patted and the juicy jingle of coins causes the doe to grin. "Yessah. Ah'll keep 'em comin'." Lily echoes and makes her way towards the bar, taking the coins and pouring them into the jar behind the counter. "Eh, wot's this?" The hare asks, finally trying to come into the conversation.

Keita eyes Darklett curiously. "Uh. 'Cause he wanted a drink?" Turns out it wasn't really a good idea with the whole "drunk and depressed" bit, buuuut. Yes. She glances to Lily as she approaches, but she'll leave Darklett to do any explaining.

"I mean, he's vermin." Darklett grits his teeth for a second. "A little alcohol, and he coulda gone crazy, and just killed ya." As Lily pops into the conversation, he stops talking, giving her a glance, then a meaningful one is directed towards Keita.

Keita rolls her eyes at Darklett's words, but the meaningful look is either not noticed or not heeded. "Vermin, huh? Well, that vermin saved m'life at least a coupla times, so I can't say 'm too concerned with him killin' me."

"Saved your life, did he?" Darklett rolls his own eyes, scoffing. "Never mind all the lives he tried to -take.- Guess that doesn't matter much, in the long run, so long as you're safe. Right?"

Lily idly rubs at a mug with a already dirty cloth. "Wot?" She demands, her ears flicking forward. "Ah, don' tell me yer servin'... servin' /vermin/." Lily hisses under her breath, her eyes narrowing and turning to the doe. "Who is killin' who? They'll have t'get through /me/." The doe snaps, riling herself up.

Keita eyes Darklett for a long moment. "What's botherin' ya more? The fact that I get along with 'im, or that you don't?" No harm in using information gleaned from her discussion with Vansinnig, now is there? Theeeen, she looks around at Lily. She bites back on a sigh, shaking her head. "You two don't get that it's not s'simple as 'vermin' or 'woodlandah'. Not always. Sometimes folks're just folks."

Darklett snorts. "Oh, it's not that you get along with him. It's that you tolerate the very badger that's tried to kill me, and several other Long Patrol hares. Came -damn- close to ending my life, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's got the blood of more than a couple hares on his head." Darklett's voice firms, and he grits his teeth together, pausing a moment. "And you give him drinks, pats on the shoulder, advice when he -admits- he's a murderer to your face, and tells you he'll keep on killing..." So, he lets the whole eavesdropping cat out of the bag, so to speak.

One ear flips down, the other up and alert. She looks very torn for the moment, her weighing between her hatred of vermin, and the desire to tell of Darklett for talking to Kei that way. Her paws fumble and she sets the glass down, though it is far from clean. As her ears wiggle, she makes up her mind. "Lookit, you..." The doe starts, leaning on the counter on her palms and glares at Darklett. "We run ah business 'ere... an'... well, 'oo Kei serves is 'er own damn business." Lily says, though she still doesn't sound sure. A nervous glance is given to Keita. "Still... uh, is 'e righ', Kei? Did th' badjah do all tha'?"

Keita eyes Darklett for another long moment, her ear merely twitching in Lily's direction in response to her question. "So Darklett. Yer not a murderah, then? Ya seem awful alive t' me fer all those battles ya've been in, if yer not." The whole eavesdropping bit? She's totally not even touching that, for the moment.

Darklett turns to Lily as she turns on him... The whole while, he simply stares back at Lily, shaking his head. "And you follow her on it, too... I'd expected better." And to Keita, he simply growls. "I -protect- beasts that are innocent. You think you'd be makin' much business if hares like me sat around and picked -bloody- daisies all day while Halyard was under vermin control? How about everybeast else here? The captured hares from the mountain, and the beasts that live in Halyard... What do you think they'd be livin' like if beasts like Vansinnig Mordare were still in control? In -chains,- Keita. Like they were before the so-called murderers like me came to their aid!"

The growl from Darklett is given a small squeak, and the skittish doe takes a step behind Keita, her paws automatically curling into the back of Kei's shirt. Her ears fold back and she digs the tip of her pink nose into the crook of Keis shoulders as best as she can. "S'...s'got ah... ah point." Lily whispers quietly.

Keita manages to keep just short of rolling her eyes in Darklett's face. As Lily moves behind her and very nearly cowers, she glances over her shoulder, reaching around to untangle one of Lily's paws from her shirt and rest it on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. "In case you hadn't noticed, half o' this village consists of so-called vermin residents. They fought alongside the woodland residents the day the Bloodthirsters attacked. You decide who's innocent 'n' who's guilty based on what they look like 'n' what othah beasts tell you t' think, 'lieutenant'. Don't growl at me 'n' mine because I choose to take a closah account of a beast before I pull the pointy-sharpies on 'em." She snorts, with some measure of disgust - though she tries to keep it out of her voice. "Why d'ya think I got the hell outta that mountain? Couldn't put up with all that self-righteous crap anymore."

Darklett stands up from his stool, leaning into the bar, his voice still caught in that low, loud growl. "Vansinnig's a vermin 'cause he acts like one. You didn't see me up at arms with that fox and marten that were in here before, did ya? So -you- don't tell -me- what -I- choose to judge on, Keita, and don't you -dare- tell me I do nothin' but follow orders!"

Lily grips her shoulder equally as tight, her eyes peering right over the other at the angry buck. Her ears shimmer in surprise as Keita admits why she left. The subject was never touched on by Lily, and she was suddenly flooded with interest. "Err..." The doe glances from Kei to Dark, looking nervous. Sensing the growing pressure, the doe attempts to scoot in front of Keita. "Jus'... calm down, eh eh? Dark... h'aint no business who an' who we don' serve... an'... an' Kei... leave 'em be, a'righ'? Th' patrol h'ain't as bad as all tha'..." Of course, the spark of bravery is soon to fade, and the doe begins to quake and gulp down the nervous spit in her mouth.

As Lily steps forward, Keita too limps forward a step on her crutches. She reaches out, placing a paw to the small of the other doe's back. "Lil'," she murmurs, to express what? She doesn't know. "The marten you spoke of - Dosu, righ'? That's who ya mean?" She's calm, very calm.

Darklett seems to block out Lily for a few seconds, but as she keeps talking, he's forced to give her attention. The lieutenant seems to have some semblance of kindness in him left, as he doesn't shout or raise his voice at the trembling doe... Rather he keeps it inside, turning back to Keita. "I've no clue what his name is, didn't get an opportunity to ask."

Lily pauses and nearly winces at the touch. She doesn't shy away, however, and simply sort of leans into the paw. It is more than obvious that the two don't really pay her much heed, but at least the growls were gone. Her ears droop and she suddenly drops into a crouch, grabbing a bottle of strong whiskey, pouring herself a glass and downing it. Heck, they can work out their own problems. "S'Dosu, yeah." Lily mumbles from the bar area floor, downing a second shot.

Keita blinks at Lily's sudden movement, but... well. She sighs inwardly, then looks back across to Darklett. "That good fellow who you seem t' trust has a good few more skeletons in 'is closet than Vansinnig does. Howevah, he's /also/ a good creature. Vansinnig's on the right path towards the same, if anyone'd give 'im the chance." Snort. "'Stead of eavesdroppin' 'n' takin' some grief-stricken, drunk oath as a confession o' murdah. Are ya really that dense that ya can't tell the difference?" She then looks back down to Lily, who hopefully hasn't downed too many more than two shots by now. "Lil'... Lil'. C'mon, stop that, a'right?"

Darklett snorts out again, and starts to throw on his coat. "Eavesdroppin'? Heh, well, I guess I was!" He reaches into his pocket, jingling around in it. "And if I ever catch that Dosu marten trying to harm a goodbeast, and same with any other vermin you say are 'on the right path,' I'm gonna do my duty, and I'm gonna -stop- him, however I need to stop him... And for your information..." He slams some coinage on the table. "I wasn't spying on you. I was tailing the badger." Reaching into his pocket, he tosses the rest of his tab onto the top of the pile of coins. "Had no idea he'd lead me to a traitor." At that, he pulls his coat over his shoulders, and storms towards the door.

Lily keeps the shots coming, her ears barely even twitching as Kei attempts to stop her. She leans back against Kei's leg for the moment, pushing herself up as Darklett calls Keita a traitor. "Hol' it, you!" The doe growls right back, crooking her arm back in a position to chuck it at Darklett. "Y'take tha' back... or I swear..." With her free paw, she swipes a slick of whiskey on her upper lip.

That last hurts. She doesn't let it show, but it does. As Lily's arm goes back Keita's paw goes down, snagging the bottle by its neck. She relieves Lily of it and sets it on the counter with a quick shake of her head, "Noooo... nono." She then limps a few steps on towards the retreating Darklett and smiles thinly, her words subdued and a little bitter but probably audible too both of them. "Pity - I was always a traitah, Darklett. Ya just didn't know it." The doe stops, leaning forward over her crutches as she watches him go.

Darklett doesn't take a look backwards until he reaches the door, and he hears Keita speak. Standing there at the exit until she's finished, the lieutenant finds his pockets, and shoves his paws into them, looking over his shoulder with a mixed look of anger, sadness, and disappointment. Wordlessly, he opens the door, and steps out into the autumn night, letting a gust of wind blow it shut behind him.

Lily's paw wiggles as it is suddenly bottle-less. With a confused, and rather disappointed look, the doe grabs her shot glass and heads back to the bottle after the buck has left. "I could'ah hit 'im. Square bah'tween th' ears. Knocked some sense int' him... or at leas' ah nasty headache." The doe complains, trying her best to score another shot. "Ruddy bucks... swear 'em off f'good, yeah?" Lily babbles, trying to avoid the eyes of the other.

Dully and suddenly very tired, Keita turns and limps back over to Lily. Without a word she plucks the bottle out of the other doe's paw once more and, without any more adieu, tosses it with all possible force at the nearest wall. It shatters like a bomb, splashing liquid and glass in a six foot radius - beyond their reach. "Don' do that." Drink, that is. She turns without another word and limps towards the stairs.

"If y'want some I can jus-" Lily starts, but within a blink of an eye the bottle is being smashed against the wall. Her ears shoot up and her eyes widen. The doe pushes herself up against the bar shelf behind her, knocking a few glass down that shatter as well. Lily, now dripping with whiskey, takes a moment to catch her breath and calm herself... well, to an extent. "Wot th' 'ell was tha' for?!" She snaps, her ears laying back. "I defended you! Wot... wot in th'... damnit, Kei!"

"Don't defend me if ya don't agree with me!" Keita barks back, then turns. "Don't try 'n' escape the situation by gettin' drunk 'n' actin' stupid! Don't avoid me just 'cause there're other folks around!" The doe's eyes narrow in a mixture of hurt and hunger and frustration. "Stop actin' like m' bloody pet and start actin' like m'mate, damn it!" From the look of her she'd throw another bottle if she had one. As it is, she just turns, stumbles, and almost falls as she limps towards the stairs again. The last, as she reaches the bottom of the stairs, is no longer a shout and in fact barely carries the distance across the room. "... And stop tryin' t' pretend like I'm so bloody perfect." She begins the trek upwards.

Lily's lip begins to turn up on her teeth, leaving the slimy film of baited whiskey. The doe's mouth opens slightly, full and ready of angry words to exchange with the other hare. "I'm tryin' t' keep mah private life an' work seper-" She starts, but her voice falters at Kei's words. Such an intimate term hadn't ever passed between them that Lily can remember. Her ears suddenly flop, and all confidence brought on by the heat of alcohol in her mouth is lost. The daydream of storming out of the tavern and showing up Keita has long flown out the window of opportunity. Lily starts as Kei stumbles, her foot leaving the ground to go help, but it falters. "But... y'are... t'me." The doe mumbles, in an equally soft voice.

A clear and present despair can be heard in Keita's voice. "But I'm /not/..." And up she goes.

Created by Oklina