2-24-10 - Tyree, Cole, Rahier, Delphi.

Western Shore

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shore ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A sea of sand surrounds the magnificent mountain now to your side. The golden sand is flat and hard, easy to walk on. You stand directly between the volcano and the sea. The refreshing sea spray tickles your face as a tropical wind from off the sea whisks it in your direction. The serene roar of the blue-green waves and perhaps the call of a distant gull are typically all that can be heard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Exits: [W]estern [S]ide of the [M]ountain, [Sh]allows, [U]pshore, [D]ownshore

It's a long way to the top. Tyree knows this. And it's one of the reasons he's constantly pushing himself and looking like he's about to snap in two for whatever reason. Right now he's outside, doing something that only one other creature has seen him doing. Whittling. There's a spear stuck into the sand, alongside several arrows and a bow in a holster on his back. He's been doing... something. Going through routines, maybe. But now he's on his break. His hunched back, intent stare at his work, and curled up posture are clear signs: Do Not Disturb.

It's a pity for Tyree that Cole's impervious to body language! The young buck's just come in from a run with a couple other recruits and one of the privates. Whereas they continue past with nary a glance for Tyree, Cole slows and glances around at him as he goes past. And then he stops. Hm. "Makin' something, sah?"

"Grk..." Tyree goes, with a visible flinch. He slooowly turns his head around. Glare at Cole. "... I was," he says, though not completely in a voice full of malice. He doesn't share what he was making, though. Tyree notes the others Cole has come in with. "Just get your exercises done?" he asks, unaccustomed to being called sir. He is no sergeant, or colonel after all. It wasn't *too* long ago he was a mere recruit himself.

Cole's ears fold back a bit at the glare. His shoulders hunch a little bit, mostly just from habit. Being tall at his age, he's used to trying to make himself look smaller. "Yessah, was just out for a run 'n' some tracking trainin'." Even the fighter recruits have to know a bit, eh?

Tyree stuffs the whatever-it-was into his tunic pocket and stands up, wiping sand off his little tail. "Runnin'. Runnin' is good," he decides. "Well, what did you see? Anythin' worth trackin' down?" Maybe some uppity vermin so he can give them what-for? Of course, he'd rather do that in Halyard, where for all he knows Tam is still... lost. Tyree's ears stand straight up and his shoulders are perfectly square.

Delphi has arrived.

Wow, Tyree is making /Cole/ feel tense. He reaches back, rubbing at the back of his neck with his head ducking. "... Ah, no. We were just followin' some tracks laid out earliah by one of the privates." Nooooothing special. He glances to Tyree's tunic pocket. "My da' whittles. I'm not very good, though."

"I wasn't whittling," Tyree says simply. Coolly. 'You didn't see anything,' is written all over his face. "I was." And then he realizes how silly he's being. "Well. I *was* whittling. But I am almost not particularly good." He looks down at his carving knife. It's almost creepy the way he does it. "So, um. Cole. I hope I wasn't interruptin' you gettin' somewhere. Never thought I'd be interestin' enough for a sidetrack."

"Figure it doesn't mattah if you're good. It's... relaxin'," Cole allows with a small shrug. His eyes shift past to the entrance... and he shakes his head. "No. Nah. No where in particular. Guess I could go eat or something..." He takes a couple half-steps in that direction.

"I... that it is," Tyree remarks with a faint, satisfied nod, putting his knife away. "It is... very relaxin'." His shoulders stop being so straight. Juuuuust a tad. Maybe a twitch in his ramrod straight ears. "I've been doin' it more often, nowadays. Unfortunately I'm findin' many more reasons ta' try an' relax."

"Maybe... ya know. Maybe we could do some whittlin' togethah, sometime?" Cole suggests tentatively. He turns halfway back towards Tyree, while his hunched shoulders jerk in a shrug. "I guess I haven't really gotten to know much of anyone yet, really. So... it'd be nice. And I promise it shuts me up so you won't have to listen t'me."

"Ah," Tyree says, sounding almost satisfied about that. Whittle... Cole doesn't talk for a long time. He gets to make up the excuse that he was socializing. But he'd have to actually do something. With someone else. "Well. Er... perhaps we... c-... could," he forces out. He can drink with Rahier, he can whittle with someone else. "That would be... er... nice." He supposes. He picks up spear and arrows. "You said somethin' about somethin' to eat?"

Cole actually... grins. It's a close thing, like he's not sure if Tyree will change his mind and spirit away with his whittling self. "Yeah? Okay. Yeah," he nods, trying to curb any outward-showing enthusiasm. But oh! "Yeah. Eating. I'm kinda hungry. I mean. I'm /always/ hungry, so." He takes another coupla steps that way. "You wanna come or should I leave ya alone?"

Yes, don't get enthusiastic. It's not like they're bosom buddies or anything. But he does begin to walk alongside Cole. And then right past him. "Oh, you're welcome to come if you like," he says with a small smirk over his shoulder. "Wouldn't have asked were I not hungry m'self, bucko."

A smirk! There's hope! Cole grins a bit as Tyree moves ahead, and the long-logged buck lopes after him to catch up. He falls into step behind him, though. "Thanks, sah."

"Don't call me sah," Tyree says without looking back. "An' get up next ta' me, we're not in flippin' parade formation," he says, gesturing for Cole to get up alongside with his spear. Much easier to talk when he doesn't have to crane his neck all over the place.

Cole shifts over to the side to come up alongside Tyree. "Sorry - what's your name, then?" Aaaaand he can't help it. "Mind if I ask what you were makin'?"

"Tyree," says Tyree. "Tyree Wincello Tuddrunner, of Tuddrunner fame. An' yes, I do mind. That particular one is private," he says. So put a paw near it and you're like to have it bitten off, nyeah, see, nyeah! He doesn't give out any details, however. Special gift for a special someone? Memento in the works? Reminder of times gone by? They'll never know!

"Oh. Sorry," Cole murmurs. Ahem. He glances again to that pocket, but says no more about it. "Good t'meetcha, Tyree."

Salamandastron: Dining Chamber

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Salamandastron *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

This is the dining chamber for the mountain of Salamandastron. It is a

veritable cavern, the necessity of feeding so many hares making the room

so big. Dominating the room is a huge banquet table made of solid oak.

Nobeast knows how such a venerable object came to be here, but its

presence is undeniable. Smaller tables skirt the outside of the room,

each sitting near a large torch burning brightly in its sconce. The chair

at the head of the table is different from the plain maple chairs that

occupy the rest of the room - it belongs to the Badger Lord. The massive

object is graced with a carving of the very mountain it is in, with the

sun setting over the sea.

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

                 Visible Exits:

[M]ain [H]all [K]itchens

[Out]

Tyree is coming into the dining chambers. But miraculously, not alone! What black sorcery has he been put under? An offer to whittle, apparently. He's put his weapons away, of course. Can't bring a spear to a salad bowl. "Have you been at the mountain all your life, Cole?" he asks the recruit as he steps up into line for vittles. Prim and proper he may be, but he too can feel hunger like any hare.

Perhaps not quite as much as Cole, though. He eats a full course meal and his stomach's like, 'Moar plz.' He comes up beside the other buck, grabbing a plate as they fall into line. "Mm-mm," he shakes his head in dissent. "Just a few weeks. What about you?"

Rahier is just. Wrinkling his nose at most of the steamed food. Steamed veggies, arg. Rather than use a plate, he simply takes a big carrot from the pile and steps out of line, nibbling it as he begins to walk back toward the entry. But hey, certain strains of conversation prickle at his ears, it's Ty and Cole! "Hey Ty," greets the major, pausing by the pair. "Dinnertime?"

"Oh. That explains why I've never seen you before," Tyree mutters to himself. "I'm a Patroller through an' through. Born at the mountain. Bred in it. Lost family to it," he explains, his voice crisp and blunt. Whatever feelings he may have on the matter, they sound squared away. He snatches up a modest portion of stew and salad. "But I'm dedicated ta' the cause. It's our duty, after all."

And WHOA there's Rahier all of a sudden. Tyree's eyebrows shoot up as he turns to the Major. "Ah... sah! Hello." He tries to salute with both paws full. Doesn't work. Almost flips his tray onto his chest. "Yes, sah. Showin' a recruit around, sah. This 'ere's Cole."

Cole piles up a full plate and a heaping bowl of stew, as well. Once that's done, he backs away from the table with tray in paw. He looks about to offer his own two cents on Tyree's statements, but! Ah. There's Rahier. Heeeee nods. "Hullo, sah," he greets the older buck. He too lacks the ability to salute, so he just dips his head in a polite nod.

Rahier is unladen by either trays or vast quantities of food, so he can touch a finger to his forehead and return the half, almost-disastrous salute. To them both, for Cole's nod. "I know Cole, we've met," says Rah, looking entirely too amused for his own good. But that passes quickly. "How y'likin' it?" he asks, of the young Brightlance.

Why does Rah always look at Cole like he's going to start cackling any second? The young buck shifts, glancing briefly to Tyree and then back to the officer. "It's great, sah. I love the routine 'n' the trainin'. Bettah than just chores back home."

Tyree looks between the two as the talk goes on, and looks around for a table for all three of them. "Routines. Routines are good." Zombie voice. But he's distracted. Soon he finds somewhere they can plonk down, and does so unceremoniously. Sitting up perfectly straight the whole time he wraps a napkin around his neck.

The doe who steps through the door now is not at all a Long Patroller. She's barefoot, in overalls, with a few different colors of blue paint smudged smudged here and there on her hands and forearms. Delphi's blond hair is in loose pigtails today, draped down the front of her shoulders, and she plays with the end of one while looking around the room curiously, her other hand resting on her stomach.

Rahier walks with Ty and Cole, opting to lean against the table when Tyree takes his seat. Of course, Ty retains the same posture sitting as he does standing, so. "If it's chores y'want I can think of plenty," jokes the officer. The carrot receives another nibble, breaking like glass it's so crisp.

Cole sinks down into a chair opposite Tyree at the table, pushing his tray out in front of him and then shifting things around. Stew first! While it's nice and warm. He gives Rahier a glance and a grin. "No thanks, sah. I think m'okay." He nods to Rah's carrot, then. "Tha' all you're gonna eat?" How does he subsist, tsk?

"He'll probably have some kind of alcoholic drink ta' round things out," Tyree says, giving Rahier a somewhat teasing glance. Or a bored, contemptful one. Probably the former since they're friends. He sips daintily of his own stew, but as he raises his head again, he spots Delphi. A hare... who does not look like a Patroller. Incongruity detected. Initiate analysis procedure.

Delphi's pale eyes scan the room and fall onto Rahier. She blinks once, and tilts her head. Her ears, which are naturally in a loppy position to either side of her head, perk a little and she walks toward that little group.

"I already ate," replies the healer, tucking some carrot into his cheek so he can speak. "This is jus' a snack." To put it into hare-parlance, betweensies or somesuch. "Yeah, /some/ kinda alcoholic drink," says Rah, as dry as he feels right at this moment. All the attention directed to his side and the approach of Delphi make him turn his head, to see the lop-eared doe. "'Lo," he greets, with little recognition.

Cole is a follower! And so his eyes turn to follow the rest in a glance to Delphi. He tilts an ear at the doe, looking curious at her attire.

Is that paint? They have an artist in the mountain, do they? Wanting to be polite he stands as she approaches. "Miss," he says with a nod, back straight and arms at his sides. "Welcome ta' the dinin' hall of the Long Patrol." Yes, well. Everyone can see that. He already feels kind of silly and just... sits back down. Just keep eating.

Delphi pauses a few steps from the table when Tyree stands up. Her face lights up with a smile, just a bit bashful maybe, and then she steps up to them, sliding her hands into the pockets of her overalls. "Hi there.. Mind if I sit here..?"

Cole shakes his head in answer to Delphi, though. You know. Recruit! His opinion's not important. When Tyree jumps up, he pops up briefly as well, and then drops back down. "Please," he offers politely.

Rahier is a bit more casual than the two who pop up to offer her their seats, but still, gotta greet her. Rah extends his paw to her in an offer for a shake, giving her a simple smile. "I'd say I'd remember a face like yours if I'd seen it b'fore," says the major. "Y'mus' be from Halyard."

It's like Whack-a-Hare! The lop-eared doe blinks at Cole's quick up-and-down, and a faint chuckle draws out of her, before she leans over a little to reach and take Rah's hand. At least the smudged paint on

Tyree glances at Cole's little hop-to-it, wondering if he had something to do with that. "Pleasure ta' meetcha," Tyree says with a polite nod, pulling out a chair just like that. "Plenty of room at the table." He's on a roll. Talking with recruits, offering people chairs... maybe next he'll hand out hugs and chocolates. "My name is Tyree Wincello Tuddrunner. This is... Cole." He needs a longer name. "So you're a Halyarder? Let me guess... artist?" It'd explain all the... smudges.

Cole blushes a little at all the glances. Yeah, okay, he's a dork. He sinks down deeper in his seat and goes quiet, redoubling his eating efforts. Energy, eh!

He does have a longer name, just look at his desc! "And I'm Rah," offers the major. "Rahier." The buck doesn't offer his title, but he does take that paw clasped in his hand and bend his nose down to kiss the back of it. "Pleased t'meetcha." And he lets her go so she can take Ty's chair, raises his carrot and takes a bite.

"I dabble," Delphi responds to Tyree - then she's quieted by the little kiss against the back of her hand. Her ears dip back and she goes on smiling, with maybe just a little touch of pink showing across the top of her muzzle. "Pleased to meet you, too," she replies, as she sinks down to perch on the chair Tyree supplies her with. Her eyes shift to Tyree and Cole. "And both of you, as well."

Cole glances up from his eating, chewing and swallowing quickly and then. Nodding. "You s'well, Delphi." He manages a small grin, raising his stew spoon in 'cheers'.

"Of course." Tyree just nods. "Is there anythin' we can get for you, miss Delphi? There's plenty ta' go around, I'm sure. Even with the bottomless stomachs some of us are reputed ta' have."

Delphi would raise a spoon back, if she had it. Instead she grins right at Cole for a moment, then turns her muzzle to give Tyree that grin next. ".. you know, now that you mention it.. I've been craving a blueberry muffin all day."

Rahier munches on his carrot. Almost gone, at this point, despite its genetically abnormal largeness. To speak of it, a muffin sounds good, but he'd better abstain for the moment. "Tyree, go grab the lady her muffin," suggests the major, crossing his arms to look at Delphi. "Whatcha doin' in th'mountain, Del?"

And of course, Cole presses his paws to the table and pushes himself up. "I'll get it," he offers, backing away from the table and turning to head off at a trot for the sweets. Blueberry muffin, coming up! Oops, he stole Tyree's chance.

".. oh." Delphi's smile broadens for a moment, on the verge of laughter. "You could've just pointed me in the right direction, but.. thank you..!" she calls after Cole as he goes on a pastry quest. She rests her hands, one on top of the other, on the table, and turns her smile back to Rah and Tyree. "I've got a few friends in the Patrol, I like to come visit them time to time," she explains.

Muffin she wants, muffin she gets. Tyree interrupts his precious mealtime to go acquire said tasty pastry- and then Cole goes and gets it what. Tyree, who was already up, stares at Cole with something approaching suspicious indignance. Rahier told *him* to get it. Uppity recruits! He drops back into his chair, huffily. "Hmm. I'm sure they appreciate it." Can't be hard though. Since Halyard is like, right outside the mountain. "Stayin' long?"

Cole returns with a... plate of muffins! One for each of them. You know, just in case. He sets it down in the center of the table with a grin as he slides back into his seat, plucking one up for himself. Nibble!

Ah well, Ty should just feel important that the recruit did some menial task instead of him. "Thank y', Cole," Rah says, with a little grin, deciding he'll have a muffin anyway. The buck takes one, biting off one of the blueberries.

Delphi picks up a muffin as well, and with it held in both hands she takes a dainty nibble from the edge of top portion of it. She answers Tyree after a moment with a small shrug of her bare shoulders. "I'm headed back tonight. I guess once I'm done muffin-ing.. I already saw who I was wanting to see, all I really stopped in here for was a snack before going home."

"You should have someone walk you," Cole interjects helpfully, trough half a mouthful of muffin. His head's still down, busy nomnomnomming.

Tyree pointedly does *not* take a muffin, thank you very much /Cole./ Hogging the muffin-light. He is seriously reconsidering their whittling appointment. "Yes, thank you," he says anyway. Seriously though, he just doesn't want one, just stew. He looks back to Delphi with a mere nod. "Very well. Glad we could be of-" Cole interrupts again, and Tyree sighs. "Yes, well. /Only/ if you feel it necessary."

Rahier puts a paw on Del's shoulder and gives it a squeeze. "Ah, don' worry, I'll walk y'back. I should go say hi to Keita anyway." Perhaps.. sneakily, so that Zer does not notice.

Cole doesn't mean to be presumptuous, Ty! He's just good-natured, honest. He glances up when Rahier offers his assistance, a satisfactory arrangement. He does not to himself, then sets aside his half-eaten muffin to dig back into his stew.

Delphi smiles sideways and up at Rahier, the muffin positioned an inch from her mouth. "If you'd like.. thanks. And thanks to you both, too, for the offer," she says to the private and recruit.

"Certainly," Tyree says, and bows his head to eat once again. Mmm, stew. Muffins can come later.

Rahier grins to the private and the recruit. They're good lads, they are. "Delphi and I will leave y'to your dinner," he says, offering the doe his paw so they can stand and leave at his limpy pace.

Delphi takes Rah's hand and rises, with the muffin still in her other one. "Goodnight, then," she says to the other two.