07-29-05

Characters involved: Zoe_Lang, Oxeye, & Miette.

Salamandastron: Crafts Room

With tomorrow's battle fast approaching and Zoe for once not concerning herself overly much with the strategy, her time instead finds her in the crafts room, preparing long strips of cloth into roll after roll of bandages. After all, she is supposed to be a healer.

How complimentary, Zoe and Ox are to each other. While Ox wouldn't give a darn about rolling bandages, the buck's been busy strategizing. And preparing for tomorrow in his own way. For the past few weeks, Oxeye's been quite moody and ear-droopy, but the buck enters the crafts room with perked ears and a pre-set grin, carrying a bundle of javelins that need sharpening before they can be fire-hardened. Where better than to do this here, entertaining Zozers. Lalala.

[Miette:] And, just then, Miette peers in. A blanket is draped around her shoulders, indicating where she came from, and Flower is held with one arm. This time, however, she doesn't come running in with a shout at the sight of her parents. Her ears perk up, and she looks in toward them quietly.

Well, of course he wouldn't care. Ox has always been perfectly content to bleed all over everyone. But Zoe knows better. If Ox starts bleeding, there will be no end of bandages in which to trap him. At the sound of Oxeye's approach, she glances up from where she sits, and initially looks apprehensive until she realizes that this is happy!Ox and not gruff!Ox. She returns the grin before looking back down to the roll of bandages she holds, and before Miette peeks in behind Ox. "Hullo, deah."

"Hey there, dahlin'," Ox quips, dropping to a seat, erm, across from the doe? Yes. Something like that. He lays the javelins to one side, taking up the first and giving it a sweeping glance. An ear flicks at some inner diagnosis, but Ox doesn't mention a thing about the weapon's state. "Th'mountain seems bustlin' with excitement." Or maybe that's just Ox..

Miette quietly crouches on the ground, pulling the blanket over her head to turn herself into a little cloth heap. Very slowly, she starts crawling on the ground toward them, pausing every short distance.

No, it's pretty safe to say they're all just as crazed as he is. "Aye... Well, big day t'morrah. T' be expected." The doe grins wryly. "Also, most of 'em are too green t' realize that battles 'n' patrols aren't quite the same thing..." While the conversation continues, she's busy with her paws, cutting a non-dyed cloth - which is laid out across the table's surface - into strips. Not having Oxeye's uncanny sense of smell or ears quite as good as they used to be, Miette continues onward in her stealthy cloth heap unbeknownst to Zoe.

Ox, for his own part, should be paying closer attention. But the scent of battle is heavy in the air, and Oxeye's senses are overwhelmed with its aroma. Everything from the smooth wood of the javelins to even the measured lengths of cloth, however unnecessary the latter may seem to the buck, is capturing Ox's attention. His paws tap slowly, a measure of his attempt to vent some of the seething energy within. "Sadly. No mattah, though, m'deah. Ah can promise a bettah outcome than las' time, that's f'damn sure." Consider Miette able to sneak closer.

Miette, now close, doesn't move to surprise them as one might think she would. Instead, a paw and arm creep out of the blanket edge, feeling on the floor toward the javelins.

Zoe_Lang waves his reassurances away with a shake of her head. "There's no way they could withstand us with a full force. We've done subtle, now it's time t' go in there 'n' handle things." And hell if she doesn't look pleased about that. Still, with the not noticing Miette. Ri-i-i-iiiip! goes a strip of cloth, which Zoe then adds to a partially completed roll.

Oxy dips his muzzle in a nod, eyes staying constant on Zoe now. His gaze does not need to be focused downward on the javelin in his paws in order to re-work it. One of his large paws reaches for a simple carving blade, from his tunic, and goes about tempering one end of the weapon, propping the other blunt end against one footpaw that has now stopped tapping. "O'course. Poorly trained, anyway. Disorganized. It was more o' a brawl, las' time. Could have easily organized an' fought 'em off, had Ah 'nuff time o' troops.." Mumbling.

Miette grips one of the javelins, then starts carefully crawling backward. Now, however, there's the faint sound of the wood trailing along the stone.

Zoe_Lang is well aware that Ox is still sensitive about the last mission's failing, and so she simply concedes with a nod. "Well... t'morrah will go well, eithah way." She sets the now-completed roll aside and her lips part in preparation to say something when the gentle scuffing of wood along stone catches her ears. They perk, and she promply shuts her mouth. Standing, she leans forward over the corner of the table and down, to see a heap of cloth and a small paw holding a javelin peaking out. "Ah-" she glances to Oxeye, who is closer to the "intruder". Heh.

( Oxeye is all too aware of just who that is sneaking off with a javelin. However! There's a sudden crash from the hallway, and a yell of pain. With a look of - if anything - irritation at being interrupted. Nevertheless he hauls himself up and heads for the door, with a look to Zoe which suggests that she should handle things from there on out. )

As Oxeye exits, Zoe too drags herself up and around the corner of the table she comes. The shaft of the javelin, however, is likely to become suddenly much harder to pull, because Zoe has placed one booted footpaw on it.

Miette gives the javelin several hard yanks. After a moment, an eye peeks out of the bottom of the blanket. It widens, the javelin is released, and the arm and paw are quickly drawn back under the blanket.

Zoe_Lang releases a silent breath and crouches down, first pulling the javelin back and away and then reaching out to the blanket. She grasps a pawful of it and slowly draws it back. "Miette?"

Miette gives Zoe the most innocent little smile once the blanket is off, leaving her huddled on the floor, "Yes, Mumma?"

Zoe_Lang doesn't look exactly... taken in. "What were you doin' with that javelin, deah?"

Miette says, "Ahneededi', Mumma."

"And what would m' sweet daughtah need with a weapon?" Whatever it is, Zoe doesn't look very happy about it.

Miette says, "To help Daddy."

Miette says, "Ah'm gonna be a fightah t'morrow."

And Zoe was exactly right in not being happy. Already crouching, she reaches forward and takes Miette by the shoulders - gently. "Ya most certainly are not goin' to be a fightah t'morrah." She shakes her head. "Why evah would you want t' do that, deah?"

Miette's ears fall immediately, "Ah wanna be with Daddy t'morrow."

Miette says, "Ahwanna'elp."

Zoe_Lang releases Miette's shoulders with a small frown. "Well... deah. Why don't you stay with mama in the infirmary t'morrah? You c'n help me prepare things, there. How's that sound?"

Miette says a bit quietly, "Ah wanna make sure Daddy's arrigh', Mumma.."

Zoe_Lang touches a knuckle to the underside of Miette's chin, lifting it just so. "... We c'n both do that best by bein' ready and waitin' for his return, deah... He'd be beside 'imself with worry if he knew ya were in harm's way."

Miette says, "So Ah won' tell."

Zoe_Lang taps her lightly on the nose, and smiles sadly. "Yer da's not the only one who'd be beside 'imself with worry, deah. Don't ya s'pose you could give yer old mum a few more seasons of bein' sure yer not at the mercy o' a horde of vermin?"

Miette's eyes are getting just a little watery, "Ah really wanna, Mumma."

At the tear's threatening, Zoe opens her arms in offer of a hug, but puts in a few words before the hug itself. "... I'll make a promise with ya. The day you c'n best yer mum at a boxin' match will be the very day that I'll willingly agree t' let ya fight. All righ'? We'll have a go in the mornin' if ya want - just in case."

Miette shakes her head, then hides her face against Zoe.

Zoe_Lang sighs - but smilingly so. "Ah, Miette... there, there. Yer da' will be all righ'. He always is. Why, before ya were born he went 'n' walked offa cliff 'n' he was right 's rain." Well, that's not strictly how it happened, but all the same.

[Miette:] ( No sniffles sound, but the little leveret doesn't look up. She just clings to Zoe. )

Zoe_Lang scoops the silent Miette up and stands. With a few reassuring pats to the leveret's back, she heads for the door. "I'm guessin' yer da's found his way back t' the dormitories by now... why don't we go meet 'im 'n' get some sleep, eh deah? Mayhaps we c'n all read a bedtime story t'gethah before."

Miette says very softly, "Arrigh, Mumma.."

Zoe_Lang nods, and continues on towards the door, and then out.