12-06-08 - Snow Kings

RW Abbey: Infirmary Recovery

Characters involved: Harper, Sivaine, Tameus, LUcas, & Bottlebrush.

Harper is working! On the one hand, parchment and a writing implement are spread on an empty cot, with the parchment half-full of writing. On the other hand, Harper is doing his healer duties, doing the rounds of the cots. He's changing someone's bandages, at the moment.

Sivaine hasn't left the infirmary all day, except to eat and nudge Ardice. She's lying low for now, until she can get the blush under control. Or rather than recline, pace around the room on a much-traversed circuit around an unoccupied patch of cots, pausing every now and again to sneak a glance at Harper. Right now she's half feigning disinterest, half actually watching the scene outside the window she's leaning against.

Once again - Tameus looks like a powered donut. This time it's snow, though, which isn't really wanting to melt off even though he's back inside. He's drenched and flushed from cold and beaming and he scampers over to Harper with a big snowball in his arms. "'Arper, 'Arper!" Bouncy, excited. Did last night even happen?

"Now, just a few more days and you'll be out of here, Miss," Harper is saying to the young patient he's tending to at the moment. She nods, he nods, smiles, and then he's turning when - oh! Tameus. Harper grins, crouching down to be at his level. "Tam, Tam! What?"

"I brought y' th' head'a their king!" the leveret exclaims excitedly, and holds the snowball aloft. Stuck in it are pebbles that roughly make up what could maybe be some sort of face.

Lucas wanders in from the main part of the infirmary, possibly more importantly tea, biscuits and a small plate of cakes wander in on a tray with him. Always got to remember the food to bribe the healers with when visiting. An ear perk and glance goes to the dibbun and then Harper gets a nod "Evenin' Harper, all quiet?" Tam gets a second look and raised brow for head bringing. He's vaguely headed for Siv though.

Now Sivaine _really_ feigns distinterest. She shuts her eyes for a moment, and when she opens them again she's trying to focus on the farthest tree she can pick out over the notched red line of the walls.

Harper is unsure whether he should be alarmed or not. He laughs, eyeing the beheaded snow-King head... thing. "You /did/, did you?" He glances up at Lucas. Nods. "Aye." He notes the tray with quiet amusement.

"Yeah! There were a whole army'a snow vermin wantin' t' take o'er Redwall!" Tameus informs the novice, beaming, his breathing a little short. "I killed 'um all an' choppa th' king's 'ead!!"

Harper laughs again. "Aha, I see. Well, let me be the very first to thank you for savin' our poor scuts," is Harper's amused reply. He ruffles Tam's headfur. "You must be /freezin'/."

"I /am/," Tam replies, as he goes to set the 'head' down on a cot. "'m so cold m' /ears/ are turned t' /icicles/! But I /had/ t' save e'eryone, firs'."

Lucas is suitably amused by the dibbun but Harper has him under control so the mouse sees to leaving the food offering on the table and heads over to bother the other mouse "Evening Siv, bored out of your skull yet?"

Blink. Twitch. "Nnh?" Sivaine's ears flick and she turns on a slight delay. Tall creature, second-order novice habit. Definitely not Harper. Okay. She relaxes into a smirky, half-lidded smile that bears a trace of relief. "Novice Sharpclaw been talking?" she drawls, then grins. "Yes. Incredibly. It's good to see you, Lucas." She leans against the sill, bracing herself with her good paw.

"Aye, 'n' only as you should! It appears there's some hot tea t'help warm the warrior's heart, should you want some." Harper glances back at the tray in question, then stands from his crouch. He extends a paw to Tameus, despite the fact the leveret's paws are probably soaking.

He'll change those bed sheets later. ^.^

Tameus sets his hand in Harper's and tugs on it, other hand catching his elbow - pulling himself up in a slight jump and releasing a short giggle as he nods. Never mind his ears, his /hands/ are freezing. "'Arper. 'Arper-'arper. Dar'lett said I can meet th' Colonel!"

Lucas smirks faintly at the comment about Sharpclaw "Did see him earlier, beasts going stir crazy in the infirmary is somewhat a common thing though. I think some could probably pick out exactly where they were in the room from the patterns on the ceiling...How's the arm?"

"/Did/ he now?" Hm. Harper lifts Tameus up by the paw, swinging him briefly as he leads them over to the tray and the tea's promise of warmth. "Did you know - the Colonel's a distant cousin of mine?"

Sivaine's eyes study Lucas's face carefully while she snorts and nods. "And you don't treat for it, knowing it's such a common problem? You either had an incredibly skillful or unhinged plasterer, because the Eastern Shore really _is_ mapped out above my cot." At the mention of the arm, she glances down to her immobilized limb, purses her lips, looks back up. "It's.. quiescent. Not much pain. Just a matter of time - I think I was told a.. month, or a little more.." Her gaze drifts to the window for a moment, then snaps back.

Tameus's dusky-blue eyes go wiiide in his face. He stares. "You're r'lated t' th' /Colonel/??"

Sivaine angles an ear toward the other conversation now, but that's it.

Harper bobs his head. "Aye! Very distantly, but we are. We shaaaare... a Great-great-great grandmarm, or something of the like." Harper knew that would impress. "Our families go back in the Patrol for many generations."

Tameus hands onto Harper's arm, staring at the novice still. He's shivering without noticing, mouth slightly agape, and finally says in the most longing little murmur, "I would do /anythin'/ t' be r'lated t' th' Colonel!"

Lucas slowly grows a smirk, particularly at the idea of the shore somehow being in the ceiling "You may have to point that out to me sometime. I just got as far as a wiggly thing chasing a blob" be he wasn't in nearly as long "A month will fly by and I'm sure don't have to spend all of it in here. Can still walk" he can't help but eavesdrop on the others, an ear following them about.

Harper looks amused. "Well, it doesn't really afford any special privileges, m'afraid..." Harper pats Tameus' shoulder. "Why don't we get you into somethin' warm? I've a spare habit you c'n wear. It'll be a tent, but it'll be dry." He nods to the tea, then. "Have some. I'll be back." He turns to head back to the main infirmary, for the healer dorm.

"Yes, fly like a goose full of rocks," Sivaine replies dryly, but she's taking it with a grain of humor to judge by her expression. "I Can walk /again,/" she corrects him. "The first week I was so drugged on belladonna tea for pain I could hardly think straight, much less take a proper step. They only let me up and out a few days ago, on a promise of good behavior. And I'm still not allowed outside." She sounds almost wistful. Her nose twitches, though. "Is that tea?"

"But. But. If I was r'lated t' th' Colonel .. I'd be.. /related/ /t'/ /th'/ /Colonel/!" Tameus says, wonder and awe still on his face. He gives Harper a slight nod and lets go of him to clamber up onto the cot next to the slowly-melting Head of the Snow Vermin King. While the novice moves off the kid reaches to pick up the teapot and pour himself a cup. It ends up nearly overflowing and he gets his muzzle in close to slurp a little off the top.

Lucas cringes slightly at the drugged up part and looks slightly uncomfortable "Sorry I haven't really stopped by before..." a glance goes to the tea and he gets out the way, encouraging her forwards "Yes, tea, biscuits. Even a few cakes. Help yourself"

"Eh.." Sivaine winces slightly. "Sorry. Lucas. I've gotten sort of flippant about it, just to.. well." If you don't laugh, you'll cry. She glances toward the tray - and Tam - and stays put for a moment. "You're busy living in the Order. It's all right." Now she moves, her first step a bit halting, and looks over her shoulder back at the tall novice as she moves. "'Scuze me, Tam," she murmurs, rattling cups as she hefts the teapot. "How is the whole thing going? Brotherhood? Layne? The.. crickets?"

Tameus angles up his muzzle to look at Sivaine. His hands are against the tray where it sits, having been leaned over to slurp at his stationary cup. "Hi." Bright smile.

Sivaine looks a little surprised; some tea splashes into the saucer. "Hi," she replies. Uncertain.

Tameus asks, "Did /you/ know 'Arper's r'lated t' th' Colonel?"

Sivaine opens her mouth to say something, and shuts it when she realizes the tea's about to spill over. "No." The teapot is set down. "No," she repeats, sliding her paw under the cup. "He didn't tell me."

The smile stays. "Oh. Well you're not a 'are, either.. so."

Lucas follows Siv over towards the tea, shaking his head at the first part "No, I know" there's a small shrug to the last part though as he offers a small wave to Tam "Eh, very well and there are some things I just don't ask about, in that order"

"No," Sivaine replies with care. "No, I'm not." She straightens up, cup in paw.

And turns to Lucas. She draws a long, slow sip from her cup with some unfortunate slurping noises, given how full it is. "Hah," she breathes, with a satisfied smile. Tea heals all ills. Then she nods toward her cot, and trails off that way. "Come on, I'll show you the map. You can't tell me I haven't missed /anything/ interesting being stuck up here.."

Tameus's nose twitches and he sits back, picking up the cup of tea and continuing to slurp it.

Lucas' smirk starts to return again and he does seem interested in seeing his map "I should warn you I've never actually been to the Eastern coast and I don't even know half the stuff I've missed around here"

"Oh, well. You won't know what I'm making up, then. /Did/ /you/ /know,/ there are bats the size of badgers and the grasses are purple by moonlight?" Sivaine turns on Lucas with a look of moon-eyed wonder. Completely false, of course. "Up there." She points her chin toward the ceiling. "Up there. See the squiggly crack?"

Harper finally returns with a novice habit - it's a smaller one than would fit him now. It /used/ to, though. He ambles over to Tam, setting it on the cot. "All right. Off with the wet stuff, on with the dry." He looks around appraisingly. "You c'n duck behind that curtain there, if ya like."

The tea is set down and up Tameus bounces from the damp cot. The king's head is half-melted, dripping onto the floor. "Okay!" he chirps at Harper, and ducks behind the curtain. There's some shuffling and after a moment his hand is shoved out. "Gimme 't."

Lucas starts to grin "Ok, sure, I'm a guy from a little bit of wood but I'm not stupid" he looks upwards and scans the ceiling briefly "Where?"

Harper plucks up the habit and tosses it. It lands efficiently over Tam's arm, though it /could/ slither off and to the floor. "Here ya go!"

More shuffling, and then Tameus emerges. The habit is .. very very extremely large on him. It hands off one shoulder and drags on the floor like a queen's train as he wanders over to Harper, looking disgruntled. "How's 't look?"

"Perish the thought. /I'm/ from the woods," Sivaine replies, looking quite cheery. She takes another swig of tea and sets her cup down to point. "Right.. up.. there.." She takes a step closer, and her paw snakes down to yank Lucas's tail lightly. "You, on the other hand, are a guy." Grin.

"You look..." Hm. "Just about as comfortable as I did the first time I wore a habit." Harper smirks. "But you get used to it." He then turns, peering over the patients present. "I have t'get back to work, Tam. Call me if you need anythin'." And with a wavewavewave, he heads off to one of the other cots.

"This isn' a habit," Tam mutters, looking down at himself. "'s a royal ball gown."

Lucas keeps on scanning the ceiling as he chuckles quietly "Yeah but you've moved around a lot" he squints at one area and tilts his head a little, just distracted enough not to see the tail pull coming "Oi! Yes, guy's tails are still attached thankyouverymuch" it's mock anger as his tail gives a little tug back.

"Ha-/ha./" Sivaine grins like a shark. "Sorry. Like I said, I've been bored out of my skull." Innocent look? She's no Layne, but she's in an odd mood. Then she turns serious. More serious. Not simpering like an idiot. "We have.. I'm looking forward to spring." She picks up her tea again. Sips, thoughtfully.

Odd moods Lucas can handle very well, they usually amuse him but the seriousness dampens his smirk a fair bit "For your arm getting better?...Or planning another trip?"

"Both. Yes. I.. need to get out of here." Sivaine's eyes flick back to Tameus, before she looks out the window. Another long, slow sip. "I really do. My aunt - Lark thinks it would do me the world to see her, and I'm not arguing. D'you know, they joined up with the same clan?"

Lucas follows the eye flick and somehow gets it in his mind that it's probably a not a good time to talk about it though he certainly doesn't look happy about it. He moves onto the next point anyway "No, I think I've missed much of this clan business...I remember Lark mentioning she was part of one..."

Sivaine buries her nose in her teacup. "Mm. The Dawn Forest Clan, I think they call themselves. Uncle Fen's been writing to me about it since last year, when.. well, Mother." She goes a little quiet, then shakes her head. "Anyway. It's not too far from here. Nice and communal, right in the heart of Mossflower. Be just like old times."

Bottlebrush comes in from the Infirmary...

Bottlebrush has arrived.

Bottlebrush pads his way in, carrying another tray with bread, toast, fruid spread, and tea on it.

Sivaine is standing by her cot with a cup of tea in her paw, speaking with Lucas. Apparently he had the same idea; there's already a tray of tea, cakes and tarts on a cot.

Bottlebrush pauses and blinks, looking at the tray with Siv and then the tray in his hands. He looks back and forth a few times and then tries to sneak out before anyone notices. o.o

Lucas scratches his cheek lightly, it's an uncomfortable thing "Well, I'll admit it sounds rather pleasant...you will remember to visit right?" Bottlebrush is just noticed out the corner of his eye "Ah, we have fresh tea I suppose? Mine's probably getting cold by now" the infirmary is well fed and watered today.

Bottlebrush pauses as he is noticed and grins sheepishly, turning back inside, "Ahh..yes! Fresh tea!"

"No, that _is_ the visit," Sivaine corrects Lucas. She looks at him. "I'm coming back. Not bringing Ardice - Layne promised to look after her. Not at first," she amends, eyes shifting sideways. And blink. "Oh, Bottle." The healer-fox gets a smile and a waved cup. "Wonderful. Refill please, and time for an arm-check?"

Sivaine says, "After that, I don't know."

Bottlebrush makes his way over and puts down the tray, filling Sivs cup with a chuckle, "Everyone spoils the Siv." He moves over to her side after putting down the tea pot and starts to carefully check her arm. It has been long enough that there should not be sharp pain anymore when he pushes and prods and kneads. Maybe some twinges..

Lucas perks up a bit "Oh...Well excellent. It's nice to know next time have you back it won't be all the way to winter again...and I'm sure Ardice won't need much looking after" not to say he doesn't think Layne could do it.

"Ha. Haha," Sivaine deadpans, then snorts in amusement at Bottlebrush, with a little nod of thanks after. "Excellent jest, Novice. But, erm, no. She's.. getting settled here." The mousemaid looks rather uncomfortable about that. She takes a long, careful sip of her refreshed tea, letting her lids flutter open after a pause. "Mm. Fngh." She looks down at her arm. "That feels _strange."

Bottlebrush chuckles, "Strange? Like, less painful?" He checks the muscles and the bone with careful touches, humming to himself as he works, "Can you wriggle your fingers and tell me if anything feels like it is not moving as it should? Focus on your entire arm when you do so." He places a hand on Sivs forearm and on her upper arm so he can feel the muscles flex.

Sivaine watches the healer's work with a dubious expression. It's a very strange thing to have your insides shift and feel.. holes.. where flesh ought to be. She obediently flexes her fingers, mouth twisting into a little frown of concentration. "Nothing hurts, but it's.. strange," she repeats. Everything should feel in order to the fox, though.

Bottlebrush nods and moves away, "Time to clean that arm and put fresh bandages on it, my friend!" He continues to hum and starts to fill a bowl with water and gets a few cloths and some fresh bandages, "It will probably feel strange to have holes in you, Siv. That's not exactly how the body is ment to be, you know."

Sivaine closes her eyes and nods, having a sip of tea as she seats herself on her cot. She knows how this routine goes. "It is after an owl's grabbed your arm," she murmurs, taking a deep breath. "The.. holes, Bottle, how long will they take?" Pause. "To heal," she adds.

Bottlebrush hmms and thinks on that as he moves back over and starts to unwrap Sivs arm in stages. First he unwraps one set of bandages, cleans the arm,a nd uses a fresh cloth to dry it, and then wraps it back up with fresh bandage. This way, the arm always has sling-support while he he goes. He carefully cleans the puncture wounds and checks them as he goes, "A number of months, SIv. I am afraid you will probably have some pretty good scars on your arm for the rest of your life..But at least you will have the arm on you to show them off."

Sivaine sets her mouth in a careful line, keeping her eyes closed for the duration of this. Well, most of it. She briefly peeks every half-minute or so, and at times wrinkles her nose as the cloths move over a tender bit of half-healed flesh. "I don't care about the scars," she murmurs, but doesn't sound too earnest. "A couple months.." Wishful thinking there. "..can I /move/ it then? I can't travel without a weapon, and mine's two-handed."

Bottlebrush frowns and looks up at Sivs face, "Better take a beast or two with you who can fight, wherever you are going. Straining the muscle and wounds so early would cause tears or reopenings. A couple of months and you can do normal things, like carry stuff and go without a sling...Probably closer to six months before you could even think of swinging a weapon, if you wanted to be on the safe side."

Sivaine opens her mouth to say something. Closes her eyes. Takes a breath. Lets it out with an audible clack of teeth. "Six. Months," she repeats. "Six m-" She inhales, deeply, holds it. "Mmmmmrrrggh." This is not a happy Siv.

Bottlebrush finishes the cleaning and bandaging and looks up at Siv. He gives a soft smile and touches her nose with a water-damp finger, "Siv, be thankful you still have the arm. Many injuries, even those smaller than yours, cause a loss. All this will take is time, and we all have time..We don't all have an extra limb, though." He winks.

"The muscles will be _gone,_ I'll be out of practice, I'll have to re-train.." Sivaine's ears slick back, whiskers twitching at the damp touch but still looking very unhappy. "I'm- of course I'm glad I have my arm, but I can't.. I can't stay here that long, or.. I /can't./" Pause. "I suppose Lark.." she mumbles.

Sivaine says, "Right. Bottle, I'm going to visit my aunt as soon as the splint comes off, or.. whenever I don't need daily checks. No arguments."

Bottlebrush chuckles, "It will be there, Siv. It may take a bit of practice but your body never forgets. It's odd but true, you know." He then blinks and nods, "Please, take some beasts with you to prect you, Siv? I would hate to think anything happened to a true friend."

Sivaine just nods. She'd been so focused on the broken bones she hadn't thought much about the puncture wounds, to be honest, and she's still absorbing the news. "I.. right," she nods. One ear gives a flick. "Right." Mumble.

Sivaine says, "Bloody /owl./"

Bottlebrush chuckles and leans in to give Siv a friendly hug before he starts to clean up, moving the dirty bandages to the pile of dirty sheets and such, "I bet he was saying 'bloody mouse!', Siv...Ran at him, you did?"

"Yes," Sivaine muffles into the fox's shoulder, sounding like a sulky child. Frrf. She sits back when she's released, looking up at the supposed map of the Eastern Shore. "Taye took it to the _face_ and I'd.. mumblemuttergrumble. And just froze. Nothing was working so far, so.."

Bottlebrush nods, "I remember stitching him up..A good patient, he was..I always expected my first hare patient to pop me in the nose.." He chuckles and looks back towards Siv as she mutters and grumbles, "Perk up, Siv, or I will find someone to tickle you untill you giggle, yes? You were so cheerful when I first arrived."

"Heh, don't. Ribs're still a touch sore." Sivaine looks up at Bottlebrush. Huffs out through her nose. Taps her knee. And offers a bright, perky smile. That just doesn't look _right_ on her face. Really. "Well, when you first arrived we'd first arrived. Hadn't been here long. I still had the road in me. ..and on me," she adds, lifting a leg to inspect her rather threadbare pants.

Bottlebrush chuckles some more and nods, "Next time, I want a real smile, even if I have to dance for you, Siv." He then hmms and smiles as he remembers, "You and Ardice were so nice to me..I was expecting a hostile welcome and made friends..and then got attacked...And then made more friends..and got attacked again..I'm sensing a pattern.." He smirks, walking over to pour Siv some more tea if she needs it, "ANd I could always loan you one of my robes? They would probably drag on the ground for you, though."

Okay. She's done sulking. Sivaine gives the fox one of her trademark wry smirks. "H'm. Maybe you should stick with the friends you've got," she suggests teasingly, and holds her cup out for more tea. "I'll pass on the robes. Too close to a dress for my liking, really.. oh." Pause. Blink. "I need to see Gwennythe."

Bottlebrush laughs warmly, "Well, that list involves to pretty, kind mousemaid sisters, a few hares, and the Abbot..A good list." He pours some tea and nods, "And I need to get some sleep for now.."

"Heh. Flatterer," Sivaine smirks, but fondly. "Well. Thank you for the tea.. and the arm. I'm rather attached to it."

Bottlebrush laughs, "Let;s keep it that way. WHen you grown unattached to your limbs, there is a problem." He moves over to a bed and gets in. H ebelives in being right there, in case he is needed, "Good night, Siv, everyone."