12.21.08 - Happy Midwinter

Location: Redwall Cavern Hole

Characters Involved: Sivaine, Tameus, Harper, Nathan, Zade

Third time's the charm, as they say - or in this case, third day and Sivaine's starting to settle into a rhythm, though she's nowhere near considering it 'pleasantly grueling' as Zade seems to do. Meal over, she's found a chair by the fireplace to put her feet up, and is waiting for sleep - leaned back into the cushions with her eyes closed and face turned to the ceiling.

By now Tam has just about given up on passing the flowers out himself. The box has been left in the great hall, upturned with flowers scattered willy-nilly across the floor, and he has a dozen or so in his satchel as he wanders into the cavern hole. Sivaine is once again his destination, and he comes up to her chair, smiling brightly. "Hi!"

"Unh?" Sivaine opens bleary eyes and blinks at the ceiling. Invisible voice? ..oh, right. She looks down and blinks again, mild surprise seeping through the fog of /tired./ "..Tam," she murmurs.

Tameus continues to smile at her, fingertips drumming the strap of his satchel. He came prepared for getting gifts; it's fairly stuffed. "Y' know what t'day is, don' y', Siv?"

"..um?" Sivaine looks confused and wear- "Oh." Her eyes snap open and she grips the chair's armrests. "/Blast it./"

The little buck's eyebrows shoot up. "Y' f'got, didn' y'?"

Sivaine lets out a deep sigh and sinks into the upholstery. "I forgot," she agrees.

"Well," the buck chuckles, digging his hand into the bag, "/I/ didn' f'get! This is f' y'." And out of the bag he produces a paper flower - meticulously folded and arranged, perching pretty and perfect in his hand. It's ... not a far cry from her eye color, actually.

"Maybe I won't die. That could be my present to everyone," Sivaine mumbles to herself, then glances over again. "..Tam?" she asks wonderingly. She reaches hesitantly for the bloom; it's her frailer paw.

Sivaine asks, "Why do I get one?"

Tameus shrugs a little as the flower is taken. "E'eryone gets one."

"Oh." Sivaine shifts a little in her chair, resting her chin on her paw and slowly twirling the gift between her fingers. "Well.. thank you, Tam. It's a wonderful color." She smiles at the leveret. It's tired, but genuine. "Clever fingers you have."

"M' brother taught me 'ow t' make 'um," Tam says with that same smile. "An' m' mum taught m' brother. An'way, e'eryone gets one'a /those/. On'y /y'/ get this.." And out of his satchel he brings a .. ink well. Fire-hardened clay, glossy finish, and the words, 'for your ink' carefully scrawled on the side. His handwriting could use some work, though.

The smile falls off Sivaine's face then, and the wondering look is back. She transfers the flower to her other paw and reaches for - but doesn't take - the little vessel. "..I thought you hated me," she says quietly. Her gift-receiving technique could really use some work.

Tameus keeps it held out, looking at Sivaine skeptically. "Well if y' don' /want/ 't," he mutters, and withdraws the gift a few inches.

Sivaine's mouth twitches to the side. Wry. "That's not what I said," she smiles ruefully, and plucks the inkwell out of Tam's palm. "I'm just surprised. Nicely."

Tameus smirks broadly as she takes the inkwell. "Y'r /welcome/, then," he prompts her.

Sivaine grins. "/Thank/ you, Tam," she repeats with a little bob of her head. "Thank you. Really. I know just where to get some ink, too."

Harper backs into the cavern hole with a tray of food and... tea! Of course. Who doesn't love tea? He is hummy a festive tune, his scut twitching this way and that. Hm-hm-hm!

"Y'r welcome," Tam says again, shoving his hands into his pocket with a satisfied grin. He glances up toward Harper's entrance. "Da', lookit what I gave Siv!"

Blink blink. It's.. a Harper. Sivaine just sits there, pondering her next move. ..her next move is to nestle the paper flower in the neck of the ink well.

Hm? Hm! Harper's eyebrows shoot up and he looks around, breaking out in a smile when he spies both Tameus and Siv. He scoots over there way, with a bounce to his step. Good mood much? "Well, let's just see!" He slides the tray onto the table and inspects the gift. He looks. Pleasantly surprised! He grins at Tam, reaching over to hook an arm 'round Tam's neck. Snug! "That was sweet a ya, Tammy."

Tameus beams. He's sweet, see? He leans up to hug Harper and then. Completely passes the topic of presents. Yup. "So's I saw y' ou' wit' th' otter t'day, Siv," he says to the mouse.

Sivaine raises an ironic brow at the kit. Ah-/ha./ Right. "The otter's name is Zade. He's helping me get strength back in my arm," she replies evenly, shifting forward in her chair. Right, that's what's different about her - she's using both limbs. The left looks quite a bit slimmer than the right, though, and sports a set of fresh scars. She looks up at Harper, unsure of something.

"Th' really big, 'andsome otter wit' all th' muscles?" Tam quips. "Th' one y'r wit' /all/ th' time? That's what 'e's doin'?"

Harper returns the hug, lifting Tameus into a big ole beeeear of one before setting him back down. And hey, he /does/ notice the lack of a sling. He gives Siv a closer look, tilting his head. "Hm! How's it feel?" His ears twitch at Tam's words. Uh /huh/.

"It's weak. It needs a lot of work," Sivaine answers Harper and narrows her eyes at the offending limb. "Yes, Tam, that's what he's doing. And then weapons training. Eventually." Mutter. "Which is why I'm about to drop dead, except I have to go run around the Abbey first." She shifts again. C'mon. Get out of the chair. She told you to move, body.

"Ah! Well. 'ave fun," Tam says oh-so-sweetly.

"'Fun' is not the word I would use," Sivaine grunts, pushing herself up. She ponders the inkwell-boquet in her hand. "..I'll have to put this somewhere."

Harper's ears twitch downward in quiet sympathy. He watches her movements. "Are you 'n' Zade doin' endurance trainin'?"

Tameus finds a chair and goes rifling through the contents of his bag, toes tapping together, ears perked as he listens to them.

"I think it's everything training. I don't think I've ever thrown up after a run before," Sivaine winces. "But I need this. I've gotten soft." She hums thoughtfully, then holds Tam's gifts out to Harper - and incidentially, actually looks at him. "Would you hold on to these for me?" she asks quietly. "There's a story you need to hear later." Her eyes flicker briefly over his shoulder to Tam.

"I'm due outside again, so." Siv quirks a rueful little half-smile. "Back soon."

Harper's eyes shift briefly to Tam, as well. He nods. "Sure, no problem." He adds as she readies to leave, "See if Zade'd be interested in the two of you joinin' me on m'daily runs? Safety in numbers 'n' all."

Tameus glances over, a cloth-wrapped object now in his hand. "I didn' know y' go runnin', da'. Can I come?"

"..right, you're a runner." Sivaine blinks, gaze going blank - then she quickly looks away, eartips reddening ever-so-slightly, and whips her cloak off the back of her chair. "I'll ask!" Then she's gone.

Harper's muzzle twitches in amusement. He glances back at Tameus. "That's because I go long before you're even thinkin' about bein' awake, kiddo." He considers, "If you want, we c'n start you on some runnin', but you'll have t'work up to my run." He glances back as Siv scoots out, then back to Tam.

Tameus looks at his dad with his brows up. "D' y' even /sleep/? E'er? Y'r up after me an' get up b'fore me." He holds out the object he holds. "'ey, lookit what Bottlebrush gave me."

Harper looks amused. He shakes his head. "... No. Y'know. I don't really sleep all that much a'tall, actually. But eatin's just about s'good, 'least for keepin' me going." He then looks at the object. "Bottle, eh? That was nice of him!"

It's a .. hare. A tiny little hare made of clay, and it looks exactly like Tam. "I think 'm gonn' leave this wit' y'. So's y' r'member what I look like," the leveret chuckles.

Harper nods. "I don't imagine I'll forget, Tam." Hmmm. "So I guess you 'n' Bottle made up, eh?" The grapevine, 'n' all.

Nathan looks cold and travel worn, and .. lost. He has no idea where he is, he's never been to the abbey before. He pauses on the steps leading to cavern hole, glancing around, and then spies Harper, who he approaches with a fatigued, but friendly smile. "You're a member of the Order, aren't you?"

"We uhh.. I d'nno. I mean. Taye says 'e's bad but 'e hasn't /been/ bad since 've known 'im," the leveret mumbles. Looks up at Nathan's approach, and grins. "'e's a /Brother/!"

Harper looks up! On sight of Nathan, he hops to his feet, smiling welcome. "Aye, you'd be correct. I am Brother Harper. You look exhausted!" He points to a tray of food and a now-lukewarm cup of tea. "I was going t'have some dinner, but it looks like you could use it more than me."

Nathan's attention drifts briefly sidelong to Tameus, who he smiles at. "Brother? Just my luck." His gaze goes back to Harper and he extends his hand. "Well met, Brother Harper. I'm Nathan. I.. won't lie," he flashes a grin that's almost sheepish, "I'm sore tempted by the food, but I'd much prefer share the meal. Shall we?"

Tameus snakes his hand out to take a bit of food off the tray while it's still within reach. "Y'r too late f' dinner," he tells Nathan, "an' 't was /really/ good t'night. Mi'winter an' all, y' know."

Harper grins amiably, bobbing his head in agreement, "That sounds fine to me. I'll just pop into the kitchen and get us a fresh pot o' tea. Then you c'n tell me what took you out 'n' this weather 'n' what's brought you here." He gives Tameus an amused look. "Keep 'im company, Tammy." And with that, he scoots out to the kitchen!

Tameus says, "I will, da'." His gaze flicks back to Nathan. "So's. Nathan, huh? 'm Tam."

"Of course, thank you much," Nathan says to Harper before the Brother exits, and his attention is caught by the young hare. He takes a seat. "Tam, is it? Well nice to meet you, Tam. Is that your father there?" As he speaks he leans back in the chair, exhaling tiredly.

"Sure is!" the kid says proudly. His muzzle ducks as he digs into his bag. "'e's a 'ealer an' th' R'corder. An' we're r'lated t' th' Colonel, y' know."

Nathan tugs a footrest toward him, taking a chance to put up his feet and lean back more. His eyes close briefly, then open to watch Tameus. "The... Long Patrol Colonel, I assume?"

Tameus nods enthusiastically. "That's th' one! 'm gonn' be Colonel one day. 'ere!" And out of the bag the leveret brings one of his midwinter flowers. Pale blue, constructed meticulously from paper. "'appy mi'winter, mister Nathan."

Harper returns with a steaming pot of that stuff everyone loves! Himself included. He plucks up a couple of extra teacups from a cart and heads back over. He overhears the gift-giving. "Did they teach you how t'make those in class, Tam? They're very nice."

Nathan sits up a little straighter. His eyebrows lift in momentary surprise and then he allows a grin to show, as he leans forward to accept the gift. "Happy Midwinter yourself, young Tam."

Harper begins pouring the tea, pushing a fresh cup toward Nathan and one toward Tam.

Tameus looks at Harper, and shakes his head. "M' brother taught me, an' our mum taught 'im," he explains to the Brother.

Harper ahhhhhs, nods. "They're /very/ nice," he amends.

Nathan flashes a quick smile of gratitude at Harper, tucking the flower into his vest pocket and accepting the cup. "Thanks," he says quietly, sitting up again with his feet on the floor. His gaze trails toward Tameus again. "Well it's quite a talent you have there, little sir."

Tameus sets aside his bag for now to take the tea, bringing it up to let the steam waft on his face. "Thank y'. I /guess/ y' can 'ave one too, da', if y' want."

Nathan chooses to just enjoy the tea for the moment, too tired to compete with the chattery dibbun. He sips it carefully.

Harper's ears twitch in amusement. "What, Da's don't automatically get midwinter flowers?" he queries. His attention then shifts to the tired-looking mouse. Hmmm. "So what's had you out in this weather, then?"

Tameus smirks. "Maybe they don'. Would y' be mad?"

Nathan sips the cup again and lowers it. "Ahh. Well I've been traveling the better part of a season now. Finally overstayed my welcome at the last place I was staying." He pauses, chuckles. "By which I mean, I ran out of money and was evicted from the inn room."

Harper grins at Tameus, tweaking his ear. "I would endeavor very hard not t'be," he teases. And to Nathan, he chuckles. "Ahh, well. That'd do it! Well, you're welcome to a bed here, 'n' sustenance. All we ask is that you pitch in where you can. There's worry it's going t'be a hard winter for all of us."

Tameus crinkles his muzzle at the older buck. "Y' /can'/ be mad at me. S' not 'llowed. Jus' 'cause y'r jealous I got other beasts presents an' not y'." Griiin.

"Oh, aye, I expect it will be," Nathan agrees. "I'm from far south of here originally, I'm used to hot summers and mellow winters. This is not an easy adjustment."

Nathan adds, "But of course, I'd be happy to help in whatever way I can."

Tameus quips, "What's 'at mean? 'mellow winters'?"

Harper inclines his head in thanks. "That's all we c'n expect. Whenever you're ready - and you look pretty close - just head into the main hall 'n' up the stairs, the dormitories are just up on the second level."

/Now/ Harper pokes Tammy in the side. "Oh, no, not jealous a'tall. Ya little scamp." He grins, allowing Nathan to field the question if he will.

Nathan sips his drink again before answering Tameus, "It means there's hardly any snow, and you can go about outside without a jacket if you want to." He chuckles. "When I was a kid I'd make snow angels without a shirt on. But they ended up being more like 'dirt angels'."

"Y'r lyin'," Tam responds with a giggle as he's poked. "Y'r not s'posed t' /lie/ t' y'r kid, y' know."

And the leveret's attention slides back to Nathan. "What're snow angels?"

Harper's muzzle twitches. "You're not supposed t'lie /badly/ to yer kid," he amends. Haha. "Oh, hm. You lie down in the snow 'n' move yer arms up 'n' down like this. Makes it look like ya've got wings."

Nathan gives Tameus a curious smile. "You don't know what a snow angel is?" He nods at Harper's description. "Well I'll certainly have to take you out and show you how to do it, then, won't I? In the morning, of course."

Ooh, this sounds like /fun/. Tam beams eagerly. "Can y' show me /now/? There's snow ou'side!"

Harper suddenly laughs. "Tammy, what is it with you 'n' the idea o' freezin' yer scut off at night when it's freezin' out?" He nods towards Nathan, "He's just come /out/ of the cold, silly."

Nathan chuckles, glancing between Harper and Tameus with his eyes half-shut. "There... is definitely snow outside," the mouse says with a tone of amusement.

Tameus reaches to tug at Harper's arm. "Can we go ou'side now, da'? I wann' see a snow angel!" He's up on his feet on the chair now. "Y' know why /now/? 'cause y'r busy all day! I haft' take 'dvantage!"

Harper shakes his head at he cunning little leveret. "Well, how 'bout this? I'll cut my mornin' run short tomorrow 'n' I'll get you up a bit early so we c'n make snow angels in the fresh snow."

"Really, it's no mind at all," Nathan ventures into this conversation. "It'd just be a moment."

"Welllll," Tam mumbles. Then his ears shoot up. "See! 'e said s' okay! C'mon, da', /c'mon/! Siv's out there a'ready!" Tug tug tug.

Harper's eyebrows shoot up. Wow, Tam really /must/ be desperate. He looks from Tam to Nathan, silently askance. You sure?

Tug tug. "S' y'r own fault f'r ne'er showin' me a snow angel b'fore." Tam gives Harper a winning smile.

Nathan blinks a little, looking at Tameus with his brows raised. It takes him a moment to realize Harper's looking at him, then he gives the older hare a smile and a nod. "Might as well."

All this talk of snow and running. Maybe it summoned Sivaine, because she returns now, face flushed and glistening with a fine patina of sweat. Her cloak is slung over her shoulder - no need for it with the exercise she's been getting - and she's breathing slow and deep, cooling down as she warms up. "I am going to /sleep,/" she mutters to herself. "No. Bath. Sleep."

A step behind Sivaine is Zade, looking just as tired but not nearly as grumpy. He leans into the doorway, glances at Harper. Grins at him. "How y' doin', Brother?"

Tameus jerks around and just about /sproings/. Off the chair. And toward Sivaine. "Siv! Y'r s'posed t' stay /ou'side/, we're goin'a make snow angels!"

Harper was just standing! "Well, I s'pose it can't hurt. But just quick, Tammy! Just to see 'n' come back in," he admonishes. And then he glances around. "Oh. 'Llo, you two. Well. This is Nathan - he's visiting with us. Nathan, this is Sivaine 'n' that's Zade."

Nathan takes another swallow of his drink and is just setting the tea down when Sivaine and Zade come in. He gets about halfway out of his chair and then something comes over him which causes him to totter and sit back down. Heavily. There is ... silence.

"Who's going to make snow angels?" Sivaine blinks at Tam, looking even /more/ exhausted than she did before, something she's coming to realize is very possible. "Oh." She looks up at Harper's introduction, and.. stops. A subtle change comes over her expression, and her cloak crumples to the floor. Staring.

Zade's eyes cut toward the new arrival and he gets a particular kind of smile. "Well 'ey there... Nathan."

Urk. Harper's ears fall as he looks upon Nathan. He blinks. "Nathan, are you all right? Mayhaps you should just head right up t'bed..." He's looking at Nathan too much to notice Siv's reaction.

Nathan stares hard at Sivaine. He draws a breath, shuts his eyes, and keeps them shut. When they open she's still there. "... Siva? Siva Brennig?"

Sivaine just. Stares. "What."

Okay, /now/ he notices Siv. He looks around, eyes shifting between the two. Uhhhhh.

Nathan pushes up from the chair, steps toward her. The tray is bumped into, his tea sloshes out onto it. The shock in the mouse's expression quickly dissolves from shock into a broad grin, and he takes two long steps forward to grab Sivaine up in a tight hug. A hug that /lifts/ her off the ground.

Tameus stands there. Just .. head cocked a little, looking confused.

Sivaine is still stuck in the shock stage. "Hnh-" she squeaks, eyes going wide and expression blank. No resistance.

Zade has a similar expression to Tameus, but more amusement. He's grinning.

Make that three! Well, minus the amusement. Harper's just confused! ^.^

Nathan just tucks his muzzle against the side of Sivaine's neck, squeezing her. He looks like he might try to twirl her next, but the mousemaid just ends up swayed a little side to side in his hold, before he sets her down. "... hi." He's grinning as he draws back his head to look her in the face.

Still staring. Sivaine's mouth opens slightly and her shoulders hunch, but the expression on her face is lost, disbelieving. "..you," she manages, a strangled little squeak.

Still with the confusion, but! Harper endeavors to move beyond it. "You two... know each other?"

"Me," Nathan responds, sounding a little breathless. One arm stays curled around Sivaine's waist and the other hand touches the side of her face, their muzzles close, his still holding the grin. That is, until he kisses her. Soft, warm. Right in front of their audience.

The silence which emanates from Harper all of a sudden is very, very loud.

Tameus gawks. Snow angels? Completely forgotten.

Sivaine.. doesn't flinch. There isn't that little moment of stillness physical contact usually elicits. Her breath catches in her throat, her eyes close, and for the briefest of moments, she leans in.

/Then/ those Brennig-blue eyes fly open, and several things happen at once - her jaw tightens, she pushes him away, she slaps him in the face. It's a good slap. Her right arm comes around, palm cocked at just the right angle, and there's follow-through wrist action borne of the anger suddenly twisting her features.

And for good measure, her left paw balls into a fist and punches him in the gut.

Sivaine says, "Get. /Off./"

Nathan jerks back a little, head twisted to the side by the force of the blow. The punch has less of an effect, but he backs up a half-step anyway, hand lifting to the side of his face. He looks at her with his eyes half-shut. "... what was /that/ for?"

Oh. Well then. Harper watches all this, looking strangely impassive. With a blink, he turns. Muttery. "I'll just. Get an ice pack, then." And he walks into the kitchen.

Zade actually .. laughs. He covers it with his hand, and it turns into some indiscernible sound of amusement.

"... wow," is Tam's only response to what's just transpired.

"What do you /think/ that was for?" Sivaine fairly /snarls./ "Forget that too?" She withdraws then and glowers at him, eyes flat and expressionless, but there's moisture pricking at their corners and her voice is thick with tears. "I should have done that. Years ago."

"Siva," Nathan murmurs, cringing. His hand presses at the side of his face and then lowers, and he extends his hand, stepping back in toward the other mouse. "Siva... I'm sorry. I'm /so/.. sorry..." His voice is gruff with the sincerity of the words, fingers reaching to close around her hand.

"Don't." She nearly chokes on her own voice, turns her head aside as if she was the one slapped. "Don't- call me that, just- don't." Her hand flexes at the touch, then she pulls it back and into a fist. "/Don't,/ Nathan!" She's breathing hard, nothing to do with her recent run, and she suddenly turns, looking for an escape route. "H-" she starts, but doesn't finish.

Zade unhelpfully edges over so his big form is blocking the entry to great hall.

Harper comes back in. Tosses a cloth tied around some snow onto the table. And turns tail to head straight back out.

Tameus looks.. concerned. He blinks at Harper and moves to follow after him, giving a questioning noise directed at his dad.

Nathan closes his eyes, sighing out a tense breath but smiling a little. "... what, would you rather the other one?" he suggests, and steps close again when Sivaine turns around. His hands come down gently on her shoulders, nothing at all aggressive about the touch. "... just. Find me when you're ready, okay?" He leans to lightly kiss the back of her ear and lets go, drawing back.

Tameus gets no response from Harper, who has moved speedily out!

And Tameus moves out as well, trying to keep up.

Sivaine watches Harper leave and just.. shuts her eyes unhappily, which leaves her completely unprepared for what happens next. She tries to curl in on herself, duck away; her ears slick back against her skull and her shoulders are shaking. "/When/ /I'm/ /ready,/ Nathan? I /was/ ready. I never want to see you again." She stoops quickly to collect her cloak, slings it over her shoulder, and with a last wounded glare lashes out at the other mouse with her whiplike tail. Zade's self-made barricade gets a curl of her lip, and then she's away through the kitchen in a swirl of steel blue.

Her voice floats out of the kitchen a moment later, a final strike. "I threw it away!"

And a moment after that, "/DAMMIT!/ Harper!"