Quinten Log 135 - 23 06 2006

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

The wind blows by as you gaze up at the tall and mysterious mountain.

There is a red glow at the top of it. To the north stretches more coast

as well as to the south. You notice a small cave at the base of the

mountain. Some beach stretches between the mountain and the waves of the

sea.

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Up along the waterline a bunch of hares come running. They're Long

Patrol recruits, exhausted from a long run, and accompanied by instructors

who are driving the bucks on with shouts of alternately encouragement

and threats. "Almost there! Fasta', ya lazy bums!"

Moving down the beach from the North four hares slowly come into view,

all dressed in immaculate uniform and loping along at an easy pace. The

veer off and head towards the recruits obviously intending to intercept

them.

"Come on! Faster!" the instructors shout, and as the mountain

approaches, one of them yells, "Now, sprint! First one ta tha sentry gets extra

time off!" Somehow, the staggering recruits manage to gather up some

extra energy and set off toward the entry, sprinting as fast as they can

in the sand.

There are glances passed between the eyes of the patrol, Tomas, Hazel,

Brownears and the recruit Quinten. They nod and shoot down the beach

obviously having heard the instructors orders they pick up the pace and

change angle. Aiming to overtake the recruit party, Quinten seems to

have improved his stamina greatly on this march back and is keeping up

with the others easily.

Among the recruits is Dandelion. Not first, but not last either. When

he sees his brother approaching, however, he changes direction and runs

up to him instead. "Oi! Tomas!" he shouts.

Tomas just grins at his brother and tips him a half hearted salute

before the patrol plus one recruit sail into the lead and slide to an

expert halt outside the Sentry niche. "Aye yup Dande." Tomas grins and

starts to stalk towaards his younger brother with a smile on his muzzle.

Dandelion smiles tiredly. "Ah, they're runnin' us ragged... Hey, Quint

joined your patrol?"

Tomas looks back at Quinten and grins, "Sadly not...though he's shaped

up a bit on the journey back, he'll be getting a good word from me at

least." He nods to the recruit who shuffles and steps out from behind

Hazel so everyone can plainly see his rank insignia.....

Dandelion takes a closer look at Quinten's uniform, and then his ears,

and in fact his whole expression drops. "Oh. What happen'd?"

Tomas allows Quinten to answer this himself moving off to the side to

speak to the instructor about finding an officer to report to.

"Colonel's orders Dande.....i got demoted and shipped back ere...." Oh how he's

trying not to cry the shame of the whole class starring at him. "Got

into some bother on the way from the abbey...to the 67th....i took full

responsibilty....was one straw too many....so they striped me rank."

Dandelion frowns, kicking the sand a bit. "Aww, what a mess... And ya

had ta go all the way back here, too..."

Quinten sighs and his ears and shoulders have drooped. "I messed up big

time Dande....Major was real dissapointed...as was Brother Keiran...we

were just about ready to start work on the actual building of the bell

tower and i had to leave him in the lurch...i messed up Dande.."

Dandelion nods slowly. "Eh. You'll jus' have ta do the exam again.

It'll be easier this time, no?"

Mara has disconnected.

Quinten smiles sadly and nods, He looks over at Hazel and shifts, "Can

i go unpack?" She nods and gestures him inside. "You go unpack, we'll

tell the Colonel your back, Dande..." She looks over at Tomas brother

and nods. "Take Quint up to his room will you." She then turns back to

listen to Tomas. Quinten just turns around and looks up at the mountain

and sighs, "Didn't expect to see this so soon.." then with his head low

and shame burning in his ears he trudges inside pack slung over one

shoulder and a paw clenched around his belt pouch.

Dandelion pats Quinten on the back. "Hey, let's get inside, eh. I need

somethin' to drink..."

Quinten nods and glances at the other buck and smiles a thin smile.

"sure...not had a drink since this morning....was good...you know? At the

end there i felt like was part of tha patrol.....now that won't happen

anytime soon."

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

You have come to a large intersection of paths. Passages lead off in

every direction, turning and spiraling off into the distance. There is

a clearing of sorts where they all meet, a circular 'room' which gives

space for traffic to pass smoothly in all directions.

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

Quinten plods into the mountain, seeming to withdraw back into himself

as we pass other hares. Several of them start at seeing Quint and brows

raise and ears flick as they see his rank. But the short buck refuses

to meet anyones eyes and comes to a halt at last at the main

intersection. "I can't do this dande....i can't...." He seems on the verge of

panicing and stares at the door to the dinning hall in terror.

Dandelion pats Quinten on the back again. "C'mon, it's your friends,

wha's gonna happen? Tomas'll take care of tha officas..."

Quinten leans against the wall and drops his pack taking a deep breath

and starring at his friend. "Your right...its just..they're all going

to learn what i did....i mean there was no way i could stop the

weasel...but someone had to take the blame so i did....i mean i'm busted right

back down as far as i can go without being kicked out....i'm going to

stand out like a sore thumb in classes...." He takes another deep breath

to calm himself down.

Dandelion shakes his head. "Don't worry about that, I stuck out too,

joining when I was this old an' all..."

Quinten smiles at Dande and nods, "Aye...i guess so

Dande...thanks...can we go get that drink now?" He looks at you and smiles. "Thanks i'm

glad it was you i saw first."

With that the two bucks move into the Dinning room in search of that drink to quench their parched throats. One from training, the other from running on patrol.

- End Log