06-26-05 1

Characters involved: Zoe, Oxeye, Jarril, & Miette

Salamandastron: Recreation Room

News of yesterday's failure has reached Zoe, and thus so has a large drink. Sipping at it quietly, she sits in one of the armchairs facing the fireplace and mostly just... broods. Broodingly. Every now and then she rubs a paw at her temple and lets out another sigh.

That makes two broody-types, then. Ox enters quietly, ears still flopped over in a self-deprecating gesture. He passes by the bar, instead retreating to those familiar armchairs. Heavily, Oxeye flops down in one of them. Small grunt. That means 'hi, Zoe'.

The flicker of a glance up and across to the other means 'hi, Ox', so it's all good. She sits sipping her drink for a bit longer before she glances up again, and the offers the glass across to him. Looks like he good use it, as well.

Oxeye doesn't look over, but reaches out and takes the glass. He takes a single, though admittedly deep, sip before extending the glass back to Zoe. Brood.

Brood, indeed. She takes the glass back and cradles it quietly in her lap, whilst she does her best to think of something to say. Fiiinally, "... I'm glad ya made it out."

Oxeye snorts. "Ah'm not," Ox mutters. And it's true. He's damn pissed about it. "They wouldn't have killed meh. Ah could b'workin' on a way h'out, by now." If he was there. Finally, Ox looks to Zoe. "When d'we go back? An' without th'diplomatic bull. In h'arms."

Zoe_Lang shrugs, non-committal. "... Soon." She takes another sip of the drink, and then holds it across to him. "You'll be leadin' 'em."

"Damn righ' Ah will," Ox answers, but it's part dark humor and part equally dark rib-poking. You know, something like joking around. Except... Well, the buck's not in a joking mood, really. So it comes off as coarse. He takes the drink, but takes a smaller sip this time. Doesn't want to drain all of Zoe's booze. "Ye daughtah sends her regards." Blatant bull, but the point is there: Keita's definitely alive and kicking.

It takes a moment for Zoe to realize which daughter he means, but when she does, she sends him a sharp glance. It's nearly a glare, but that's mostly to cover up what she's really feeling, and no doubt he's known her long enough to realize that. After a few seconds, she looks away and holds out her paw for the glass.

Oxeye doesn't give it to her. "Ah wish we could'a gotten 'em out o' there, though." He shrugs one shoulder. "Lookin' in damn good health, too." Meaning Keita, that is. And with that, Ox relinquishes the drink back to the surly Zoe.

Realizing what Ox is trying to do, Zoe /does/ relent - after another long sip of her drink. "A'right - tell me everythin'."

Oxeye glances sideways, buying time while carefully weeding through his thoughts. Got to use the right words, see. "'Bout what? Th'mission o' ye daughtah?" Lala.

Oxeye shrugs again, brow furrowing as his recapitulation begins. "Started splendidly. Th'C'nel an' his hares had Daclon an' his goonies all tied up. Jar an' Ah slipped 'round back o' th'tavern, keepin' in twos an' threes at first. Sentry down, we proceeded in. On m'mark, we entered th'main room. Movements precise an' direct. Half took out th'guards, half took care o' releasin' th'sentries. Helped untie th'barstaff mehself. Then... Well. We pro'lly could'a saved time. But... Ah called f'th'dismantlin' o' all guards. Weapons an' equipment, broken o' confiscated. Then we moved toward th'door." He snorts, pausing. "... O'course. At that time, they started pourin' in on us like rain." No need to mention Keita's molasses-like speed. "Tried t'take 'em out, but... Well. Jar ducked out. An'... Ah should'a figgahed one officah was enough, escape-wise. Should'a stayed, really. But Ah ducked out, too." Pause. "An' then Ah ran into that martenny-thin'."

Zoe_Lang listens whilst sipping thoughtfully at her drink, her ears giving the occasional twitch. She seems to be taking it all in stride until the "martenny-thing" comment, at which point she blinks. "... What martenny thing?"

"Farren," Ox responds shortly, with... well, finally, a small grin. And then it disappears. "She brought news o' Redwall. She's 'round here somewhere, Ah expect."

Zoe_Lang's head turns in Ox's direction, expression registering surprise. "Farren? Here? Where is th' little trouble makah?" And yes, finally, there's a small grin here, too.

Oxeye is relieved Zoe didn't press for details, concerning Redwall. That's Farren's news to tell. Particularly about Kev.. He clears his throat, relaxing enough to allow a similar grin. "Ah can't keep track o' that one. Pro'lly gorgin' in th'dinin' hall."

"Don't blame 'er..." Zoe lets out a somewhat relieved sigh, now that the drink has taken its effect and the general broody tenseness is over. "Well, good. Was startin' t' wondah if we'd see 'er again." Not that she was /worried/, or anything. Perish the thought.

Of course not. "Surprisingly, Ah didn't even smell her comin'. She scrambled out o' th'dunes. Surprised she didn't run into Jar, first." Randomly, because it just occurred to The Almighty Player, Ox remembers his javelins. And his need to make more. Hrm. His thoughts wander.

Nodding thougthfully, Zoe sips away at her drink, 'til a question occurs to her. "So... have ya seen our daughtah about t'day?"

"Was hopin' ye had. No doubt she's 'round, but Ah haven't seen ear o' scut o' her, t'day," Oxeye replies after a moment's thought. Hrm. He glances over his shoulder across the room, as if expecting her to enter. "She been alrigh' lately?"

Zoe_Lang looks suddenly glum, and shrugs. "Well... y'know Miette." Heh. Finally, she sets the drink aside and shifts forward in her seat. "Same as usual."

Oxeye's ears droop, as well. He nods, in understanding. "Righ'... Well, maybe, eh... that changes? With... seasons, o' somethin'?" Ox isn't exactly knowledgeable on the subject. But.

Zoe_Lang snorts, softly. "Not s'much, in my experience. Seems t' get worse, actually." She grins, wryly amused.

Oxeye scratches between his ears, brow crinkling. "Oh Frith. Ah can barely understand her now..." Not her speech, just her behavior. Yes.

"Get used t' it, Ox. 'Tis a whole life time o' not understandin' a bloody thing." Zoe rests back in her chair, again, her arms crossing in her lap. Ahhh, relaxation.

Oxeye wonders, and perhaps hopes, that Zoe's not right. And that maybe her experience with Keita won't be completely identical to whatever may happen with Miette. That is, the confusion and all. Miette's a bright little thing, thinks Ox. Surely she'll be able to articulate and present herself to Zoe and Ox more... complacently. Or something. "... Huh. Alrigh'."

Zoe_Lang appears suddenly fidgety, and so, she stands, moving over towards the fireplace which she prods at with a poker. "Mayhaps I'm wrong, 'n' things'll turn out, Ox. I nevah know anymore."

"Ah think that's th'point," Ox assures Zoe. "That we h'ain't s'posed t'know. Pro'lly less stressful that way, strange as that seems." Ayup. Or something.

Le sigh. This doesn't seem to have the effect of calming Zoe. Nonetheless, she nods, and then turns to Ox. "Well, you'll be leadin' 'em. What's our next move with Halyard?"

Oh. Clever conversation-turner. Ox, for once, shows more visible displeasure. His nose wrinkles, and the buck almost shakes his head. Oi, Zoe.. Regardless: "As soon as possible, Ah'm hopin', we take a more direct approach. Ye damn well know we got enough fightahs. An' we know that town, o' mos' o' us do. No need t'hold it undah siege. It h'ain't fortified t'keep out a huge h'army. Not if'n they already know th'ways in."

"The less "direct approach" was in hopes t' keep the captives safe," she reminds him. Not that it worked so well, but all the same. "If ya go in there, yer goin' t' need t' split yer forces, some t' take the city 'n' some t' get t' the hostages. They'd be just as likely t' kill 'em all fer revenge, as ya well know."

Oxeye raises a brow. "An' that's jus' as feasible. A two-pronged approach, again. Only this time th'main body'll be kickin' scut, not wastin' oxygen." Silly diplomacy.

Jarril enters the room quietly, minding his own business as he begins to move over to where the notices are on the wall and carefully placing the new lot down on a table, he begins to take the old stuff down, pausing only once to look at one scroll that has names written on it before rolling it up carefully.

Zoe_Lang considers this whilst turning the poker she still holds over and over in her paw. "Sounds good t' me." After a few more seconds, she sets the poker aside, and stands looking at Ox speculatively. "Write up a report 'n' I'll discuss with the othah colonels. Start preparin' fer the strike in the meantime. Get s'many hares as ya can." Because she kind of really wants to crush them. XD

Oxeye grins, at last. A rather determined, dark-kind of grin. "Ye got it, C'nel." Hee. He doesn't move, though. Clearly, the formal planning is for later tonight. He's still comfortable in his chair. And he can do all the planning he needs to do in his noggin.

Jarril continues to pull down old notices as he rolls them up, placing them in their little pile before carefully moving to putting the new stuff up. Giving each scroll a last check, skimming over the writing, does it go up carefully. The major leaning onto his toes in some cases to get some on the higher parts of the notice area.

Zoe_Lang smirks at Oxeye's use of 'c'nel', and merely shakes her head at him. She turns away from him, towards the fire. She's silent for a moment, and theeeen. "Soooo, Ox. What would you say t' a bit o' boxin' latah?"

Oxeye perks a brow, and a corresponding ear. His tone becomes inquisitive, not taunting: "Ye're in th'mood t'lose, Zoe? That's rare." Despite tone, it's definitely a taunt.

Zoe_Lang snorts. "Ya've gotten slow in yer latah seasons, Ox, whereas I've merely grown more agile 'n' fond o' beatin' the snot outta you." Well, the latter's true, anyway, even if the former's not. Damn those arthritic joints. XD

"Mayhaps if'n Ah was as late in meh seasons as ye are, that would be true. But we're hardly on even ground, deah. Ye've got a few more seasons o' grayin' on ye. Consequently, Ah've still got meh advantage." He eyed Zoe critically, as if contemplating. "Will Ah have t'fashion ye a new cane, aftahwards? O' can ye find ye old one?"

Having a bit of difficulty with the recruits, the major manages to get the last notice up on the latest class results and leaves the area for them to check it out. Moving through the crowd now, the major deciding to drink now that he's finished his duties for the day. He leans on the bar and makes his order. "Just an ale." Jarril says, leaning on the bar.

Smirk. The doe clasps her paws together behind her back. "I do b'lieve I broke it ovah yer head th'last time ya insinuated I was gettin' old, m'deah."

Jarril gives the nod to a few hares that he knows that are near to him and begins to chat to them from time to time, some of it has him shaking his head and then shrugging his shoulders. "Not heard yet. By the way, I heard there was more stuff stolen ag-." Blinking at the nod. "Ah, ya heard. Terrible thing that." The conversation moves on to other things which eventually has the major leaning on the bar with just one elbow and his leg cross slightly as he pushes his toes against the floor. "Never, go on, what happened?" Jarril listens in on something that happened that day...

Oxeye merely settles more comfortably in the armchair, propping a footpaw on the nearby, low-legged table. "Insinuatin'? Ah nevah do that. Ah'm always straightforward." Hee.

Zoe_Lang roooolls her eyes, but she's smiling nonetheless. Easy banter always does put her at ease. "Mm, righ'. Well, seems ya like 'em old 'n' wrinkly, then." She quirks a brow at him.

"Ah'm in it fer th'perks," Ox teases. "Ye know, th'extra leave an' th'wage bonus. Not t'mention little Miette. Couldn't off an' find some youngah gel with that little terror runnin' 'bout."

Zoe_Lang chuckles, a bit ruefully. "Miette's a perk?" Of course, she's just kidding around. She loves the little terror.

In a room page-pose, Neville hrms, "Sounds like a sensible plan :P I'm gonna head off anyways, get some sleep before heading back down south tomorrow mornin

"Only th'best one," Ox confirms, with a smirk. He glances about the room, again. "O' course, hearin' ye snore at night ain't as big a perk..." Hee.

Zoe_Lang drops back down into the armchair opposite Oxeye, and promptly shoves his propped-up footpaws off the table with a smirk. "Righ'."

Oxeye flusters, as expected, for a moment. Before regaining composure. "Well, at least ye get meh warm, cuddly self. That's a perk, eh?"

Situating her own footpaws upon the table-top, she clasps her fingers behind her neck and.. reclines. Grin. "Sure, if'n ya like." Heh. ;p

---

Since Ox had to step out to handle a situation for a bit, Zoe is sitting in one of the armchairs near the fireplace, footpaws propped up on a short-legged table. Presently she is staring into the fire and rubbing absently at her knee. Old joints. Tsk.

Miette steps into the room. The young leveret has been getting a bit taller, perhaps on a little growth streak. She glances around, ears perked straight up, then gets a small smile on her face as her gaze settles on Zoe. She promptly starts heading in her direction.

Zoe_Lang continues the rubbing until she hears the soft approach of another. She glances over her shoulder to see who it is, and the curious look dissolves into a grin when she sees Miette. "Hullo, darlin'." She pats the arm of her chair invitingly.

Miette scrambles up, then reaches to give Zoe a hug with a grin, "Foundya!"

Zoe_Lang hooks an arm around the snuggling ball of Miette. "That ya did, m'deah.. How evah did ya manage it?"

Miette grins, "'Mjusta good trackah, Mumma."

Zoe_Lang chuckles and gives Miette a hug. "That ya'are, m'deah. You'll be ages ahead o' the othahs when ya start yer trainin' next season."

Miette asks, "Istrainin' fun?"

"Oh, aye. Mayhaps we c'n even even visit Aunt Hannah sometime between now 'n' then, and she'll give us both some lessons in healin', eh?" She pulls Miette closer, and looks into the fire. "Did I evah tell ya? She taught my mothah, 'n' she taught me, 'n' she taught yer sistah Keita. Now it's yer turn, deah."

Miette asks, "Will tha' be fun?"

Zoe_Lang suddenly fills very remiss in not having taken Miette to visit, what with that meaning it's been four seasons since she's seen her aunt. Guilt. She kisses the top of Miette's head. "You'll love it, deah. Aunt Hannah lives downshore o' the mountain about a day's walk, righ' on the beach. She's got a little garden patch above the sand line, 'n' she grows all mannah o' herbs 'n' vegetables. M'cousin Thomas lives with 'er along with 'is wife 'n' leverets. One's just about yer age, their youngest." She then gives Miette another squeezing hug, "And Aunt Hannah gives the beeeest hugs - bettah than mine."

Miette grins again, "Ahc'n give bettah."

"Well, I wouldn't dream o' disputin' that, m'deah," Zoe says whilst giving a playful tickle to Miette's side.

Miette giggles, promptly moving to scramble off the chair and out of tickling range.

Zoe_Lang watches Miette scramble down with a small smile. It's times like this that she doesn't worry so much about her mothering. They're rare, but treasured. "How're yer classes goin', sweety? Learnin' t' read 'n' write 'n' all that?" Grin.

Miette hesitates for a brief moment for some reason, but then nods, "Yeah."

No way that's going to get past a mom. "Yeah?"

Miette says, "'Ve been learnin' t'read'nwri'."

"Well, d'ya like yer teachah?" Zoe absently returns to rubbing at her sore knee whilst watching Miette curiously.

Miette says, "..Kinda.."

The start of a frown furrows her brow. "Miette..." Out with it, in other words.

Miette says, "Ihaftastayiinthecornahstoomuch'causeIdon'likethem."

... Sigh. Zoe lowers her head and begins rubbing at her temples in slow, clockwise circles. "Miette, we've been ovah this. Ya know yer t' treat the othah lev'rets nicely, 'n' /especially/ yer eldahs."

Miette's ears fall, "But Ah don' like 'em."

"Miette..." This is said more severely than before, and the furrow in Zoe's brow has deepened.

Miette says, "But Ah /don't/..."

Zoe_Lang sighs, head still lowered as she rubs at her temples. After a moment of silence, she gestures with a paw in the general direction of the door, without looking up. "Miette, go. Go t' yer room 'n' think about why ya should be kindah t' yer friends 'n' yer teachah. If I catch ya out again t'night, I won't be pleased."

Miette's eyes fill with tears, but then she turns and runs for the door.

Zoe_Lang looks up in time to see Miette running for the door, and with a sigh, she looks back to the fireplace. "Bloody 'ell..." Sigh.