3-2-10 - Dagda, Darklett, Taye, Tyree, Sidney, & Fiona.

From Redwall MUCK Wiki


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.

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                 Visible Exits:

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

[Out]

It is mealtime at Salamandastron. The dining chamber literally reverberates with the sounds of Patrol hares selecting food and drinks for themselves. Dagda is already seated, a bountiful smorgasbord of mountain cuisine arrayed before him. The buck's head hovers over a book lying open on the table, slowly shoveling salad into his mouth as he reads.

Darklett enters the dining room... Without Taye! He had to ... Go change or something. Dark's here, Taye is not. And darn it, they didn't beat the crowd after all. He gets patiently in line, rocking on his footpaws as he waits for his turn to pile up a plate.

The sound of munching on lettuce is faint, and easily covered by the noise in the mess. The hare notices Darklett enter the room, and sits up from his reading, giving the major a salute.

And of course, Darklett notices the salute! He gives a brief nod to Dagda, offering a tip of his paw from his forehead and outward in a return salute. Guess he'll go over there when he gets his plate. ... So when he gets his plate, he goes over there, sitting across from the healer. "Mind if I...?"

"Not at all." Dagda eases his book closed, noting his place. The buck slips it into his satchel, quickly doing up the buckle, and pulls his plates in closer. "How's y'r evenin' goin', sah?"

"It's... Going well!" Darklett really isn't sure if he's lying or not. :P "How about you?" He glances to the door to see if he's been followed yet or not.

"Same, sah." Dagda rotates the empty salad bowl out for a plate of savory flan. "Any important biz goin' on at the tip-top?"

"Nothing outside of my patrol that I've heard. If you know Sidney, he was just promoted to..." Hm. "Co-Lieutenant in my patrol." Darklett shrugs, taking a big bite of salad.

Taye finally shows up after a few minutes. 'Changing', AKA sobbing brokenly! No, okay, maybe not sobbing brokenly. Shhhh. He looks around in search of Darklett and spies him sitting with Dagda. He raises his paw in greeting and turns to head over to get himself a plate of food.

And who should show up behind him but... "Taye." No, it's Tyree, who arrived just after Taye's second coming. He's walking towards the line himself, paws behind his back as he follows behind the bigger buck.

Taye glances back over his shoulder to Tyree. "'Ey, mate." In spite of Tyree's quirks, he's become fond of the buck! "How's... it goin'?" Eh wot?

Darklett gives a wave to Taye as he enters. "But really, that's all the news I have. That I can share, anyway." Wink. Ohhh mysterious. "...Whose patrol are you in, anyway?"

"Ahm." Dagda clears his throat, eyes downcast. "I'm not actually in a patrol at the moment, sah."

"...Oh. You're a recruit?" Darklett browraises. "Could have sworn you were a private." He stuffs his own face, reading Dagda's.

Dagda reaches over to spear a bite of cake. "I am a private, sah. Just, no assigned patrol."

"Goin'? Oh. Er. It goes," Tyree says with a semi-satisfied nod. "What about you, eh? Just got in for vittles?"

"...Why's that?" Darklett asks after swallowing down his bite and just before taking another one.

"... Yeah. Yeah, y'know. Just eatin'," Taye answers with a shrug. He loads up his plate when they get to the table and then turns, looking around again. Ah, there's Dark. "You wanna join us?" he asks of Tyree, starting over that way.

Dagda chews at the cake. Spongy. "Not sure, sah. Must not be needed, or summat." Another bowl of salad is rotated to the fore in front of him.

"...Well that's doubtful. Have you brought it up to anybeast yet?" Darklett frowns. This will just not do. "It's hard to believe there's any private in this mountain who's not assigned."

"No, sah." The buck takes another bite, expression thoughtful. "Just assumed someone would tell me when a post came up." Dagda stabs a small tomato, studying it for a moment before popping it into his mouth.

"Ahh..." Tyree looks back and forth, as if trying to find an excuse. There is none. "Certainly," he says to Taye, though not enthusiastically. Just... he'll join! Whoop dee doo. It's a step in the more sociable direction, anyhow. His plans usually involved eating and then go stick your nose up at someone.d

"You gotta take the /initiative./" Darklett stabs his fork into his salad to accent that last word. "That's why you're not in a patrol yet. No one's going to take a hare that waits for the world to come to him."

Dagda shrugs, swallowing another bite. "Didn't want to go against policy, sah. And I didn't know what policy was." A slight grin steals across the hare's features.

"...Well, really, policy is that you're supposed to be in a patrol as soon as you're promoted." The major thinks. "I'll have it looked into."

Certainly! Good! Taye sets his tray down opposite Darklett, pulling out a chair to sink down onto it. He reaches up to rub in an absent fashion at his left shoulder, nodding to both Dark and Dagda. "Hullo," he greets.

"Aye sah. Thank ye." Dagda stabs another bite, chewing as he nods to Taye. "'Lo, sah," he says, mouth still full.

"Hey, Taye." Darklett gives a brief wave across the table. "Dagda here isn't in a patrol yet." That's conversation topic of the moment! "He's a healer, though..." He glances to Dagda for confirmation. "Right?"

Dagda nods shortly, slipping a finger through one of the linen arm bands, pulling on it a bit till his finger slides back out.

"Strange," Tyree remarks as he drops down next to the others. "A healer would have much use in any patrol, you know. That should be rectified at once."

"Ah, well. Throw 'im in the ocean, then," is Taye's immediate reply. He grins a little bit, knowing of Dark's prejudices. Then he gives Dagda a glance over and a shrug. "Y'know, he's not s'bad as healahs go, though." After all, they bonded! Sort of. Ish.

"Is that so?" Darklett glances to Taye, and commences the talk-about-Dagda-like-he-isn't-here segment of this evening's supper. "Oh yeah? Well maybe I'll have to see what he can do. I mean, besides the stuff I already know he can do."

"Which is what, eat?" Dagda stacks a few of his empty dishes to condense his space.

"He has performed admirably from what I've seen," Tyree supplies helpfully. "Nothin' exceptional like savin' the Badger Lord, but..."

"He's pretty good at keepin' annoyin' does off m'back," Taye replies with a smirk for Dagda, and a nod of thanks.

"Mmhmm?" Darklett nods, mouth filled with food as he chews. When he manages to swallow at least enough so he can speak, he continues. "Well, obviously he's brilliant," he comments to Taye. Then focuses on Dagda. "...So are you good?"

"At keepin' annoyin' does away, or at healin'?" Dagda chuckles, reclaiming his fork. "If y' mean the latter, then yes, reasonably so. 'M young yet."

Tyree, who has noticeably only gotten a sparse portion for himself, is chewing slowly as he eats, watching the others quietly while his input is passed over.

Taye starts to dig into his meal while the conversation shifts rather pleasingly to Dagda. He ducks his head, taking the moment to kind of regroup. Om nom nom, etc.

"...Wait, so you don't think..." Darklett glances at Taye, then Tyree, then Dagda again. "You don't think you're the greatest healer to ever set footpaw in Salamandastron?" Darklett chews excitedly, then swallows the rest of what he had in his mouth. "You don't... You don't think you're the finest hare this side of Mossflower?"

Dagda grins, clearing his mouth again. "I'd put myself about the middle of the pack."

Darklett gives a meaningful look to Taye. "Okay..." His eyes turn back to the healer. "But you're adequate. And... How are you with a sword?"

"Best ta' be so good as ta' not be in the race, wot," Tyree says simply, but quietly, as he takes a bite of salad.

Dagda squints one eye, his entire face shifting to a point closer to somewhere around his right cheek, while his paw makes a shakey gesture. "Basic proficiency."

"Hmm..." Darklett places his chin on his thumb, snout up against a closed paw, looking pensive. "We'll have to see about that," he concludes. "Are you fast?"

Taye doesn't quite catch the glance from Dark, as his head's ducked to eating. But his ears do flicker at Tyree's words and he glances at the buck. Brow quirk.

Dagda rocks his head from side to side. "So-so. Not as fast as a runnah, certainly."

"Well, I wouldn't expect you to be," Darklett responds. Hmmm. "...Don't tell anyone you're not in a patrol," he decides, "Before I get a chance to see what you can do with a sword, okay? I might want to bring you on."

Tyree returns Taye's ear flicker with... a flat stare. His ears hardly move at all, if that. "... Yes?" he asks, and figures he's being questioned about what he said. "Is it not the truth? Ta' simply excel is the answer?"

"I s'pose. I'm just wonderin' why yer mutterin' to yerself," Taye answers with a faint grin. He glances to the side at Dark, then, and then across to Dagda. No surprise from him - he was expecting it.

"Alright, sah." Dagda nods complacently, polishing off the last of his food. He folds his hands on the table. "When did y' wanta do that?"

"I never mutter ta' myself," Tyree says plainly. "I /think/ ta' myself. I muttered an' you were the only one who heard me," he corrects patiently.

"Soon, for sure." Darklett nods surely. "I do special classes for some of the more... Eager recruits in the evenings sometimes, so you'll find me in the training room after dinner on many days with them. Just stop in and see if I'm there, and I'll be glad to try you out." He looks pleased. Munch, chew.

Sidney has arrived.

'Oh', is the shape Taye's muzzle forms. "Right," he answers Tyree. Aaaaand lifts his drink. To take a sip. XD Sip!

"Will do, sah." Dagda lifts his drink, the last edible item in his range. However, he doesn't take a sip.

"Good to hear." The major goes about his dinner, then. Doesn't want it to go to waste. After all that, though, he does give a quick appraisal to Taye's current state. It is ever so fragile, don't you know.

"Right," Tyree agrees. And takes a bite of food. Bite. "Are you experienced in just the sword?" he asks Dagda. "It is good ta' be experienced in many different disciplines."

"No, I've received training in every variation of weapon, although to different depths." Dagda takes a sip from his drink now. "I favor the long dagger and throwing knives. As you can see." He's carrying them.

Darklett's ears perk, and Dagda is given his attention again. "...Good choice," the major comments, reaching to his side to pull out one of his specially-made throwing knives, giving it a quick twirl around his knuckles and placing it back into his belt.

Dagda doesn't pull one of his own out for display, but nods at Dark's comment.

"Hmm. Sling, spear, an' sabre are what I am especially proficient in," Tyree comments, to no particular purpose. "Quick, an' efficient weapons I find."

Sidney enters with a slightly brisk step - late for dinner, scruffy and semi-damp like he's just bathed. He heads right on past the little group nomming at their table, to grab up a plate and hopefully scrape together a meal of whatever's left over at the buffet table.

Of course, there's plenty of food. The major spots Sidney, then raises his brows. "Oh, look who it is." He nudges Taye with a foot under the table and gestures with his head towards the newly promoted Lieutenant.

Don't worry, Dark, Taye noticed. The buck's eyes follow Sid thoughtfully for a moment and he mutters an 'excuse me' and stands up. He heads over after Darklett, tapping the buck on the shoulder. "Sid?"

Dagda cranes his neck to look over at Sidney. "Needs his new badges." The healer tips back his drink, finishing it off and setting it back on the table.

"Sah," Tyree says in greeting to Sidney. Must remember to adhere to proper etiquette, now that he's... well. One of those 'higher ups.' "Welome ta' the gatherin'. We were just about ta' break out our harecordions an' share some deep secrets." Because they're being so sociable right now. Yes sir. So social it hurts.

Sidney half-turns toward Tyree, ears tilting forward. For a moment he looks a bit.. confused. Then, "Oh." And a bit of a grin crosses his face - and there's Taye. The grin drops into a only very slightly wary sort of smile, his head tilting a little. "Hey, you. How've you been feeling..?"

"... Hey," he echoes the other buck. He shifts a little uncertainly, and then puts his paw to one of his shoulders. He catches the edge of one of his lieutenant's badges and briefly grits his teeth, as he rips it loose. They're not exactly soldered on or anything. With a faint grin he presses this to Sid's chest. "... Wear this for me out there, wouldja?" he asks the buck quietly.

"Well, I need more food." Dagda gets up out of his chair, his satchel clinging to him as though attached. He stands a few feet away from Taye and Sidney, selecting a flavor of pie.

Sidney blinks once, and his eyes flicker past Taye, over toward Darklett. Then, to Taye's face, and with one hand now just holding his plate vertical by his side, he takes the badge from the other buck and gives him a similar little grin in return. "'course. I'd be happy to," he replies, curling the bit of fabric in his fingers. He means it.

Darklett isn't looking in that direction, Sid. He's just chomping away at his food. And he's all by himself over there, now, too. Good, good.

"... Thanks," Taye murmurs. He glances over briefly at Dagda when he spies the buck out of the corner of his eye. Hum. "Keep an eye on tha' one. Dark's thinkin' about bringin' 'im into the patrol." He thumbs a paw at the eavesdropper. And then! With that, he turns, heading back over to the table. He sags down with a flickering glance at Darklett and then drops his attention back to his food.

Taye's badges are gone? Hum. "...Still okay with it?" Darklett's reading body language here, you know. Taking psychological shots in the dark.

Having made his selections, Dagda heads back to his seat. As he passes Taye, he murmurs, "Really was jus' gettin' pie, sah."

Sidney's mouth opens just a little, and shuts. He says nothing, but turns back to the table of food with a glance at Dagda, then scrapes himself together a meal, not really in a rush.

Tyree keeps his eyes on his food as much as possible. But perhaps, through youthful curiosity, he catches the exchange out of the corner of his eyes. Hm. That was interesting. He says nothing as Taye comes back, however, figuring others would know him better enough to talk him through the transition.

Fiona has arrived.

Just one of them! Taye's other badge is still there, looking all sad and lonely. Only half the badges for half a lieutenant, oh the melodrama! XD "'Course," he answers.

"You sure?" Darklett presses. Tension between he and his good friend, let alone between two members of his patrol, would be disastrous.

Taye's ears flicker and he glances up at Dark. He takes a deep breath. "... am I okay with bein' a cripple? No. But it is what it is, righ'? So... yeah. I'm okay with it." His eyes drop again and he spears up some broccoli and takes a bite.

Dagda loads up a forkful of some unknown pie. "Looks like cheesecake," he mutters.

"You'd 'ave ta' lose the rest of your limbs ta' be a real cripple," Tyree says quietly. Perhaps, somewhat supportively.

Mmmmm. Darklett nods. "Hey. I better go. Told Selene I'd come by tonight." The major stands. "I'll see you around, Taye." And he gives a generic farewell to the rest of them. "See you." He takes his plate to the kitchen.

Dagda salutes the departing Major with... his fork. "Evenin', sah."

Taye glances up at Dark briefly, with a nod. "Aye. Okay. Latah, Dark." Meanwhile, Tyree gets a glance. He's gotten used to the buck, which is possibly the only reason Taye's tray doesn't end up splattered somewhere. "Thank you for tha'," he replies, deadpan.

"You're welcome, sah," Tyree replies, just as flatly. Maybe he thinks Taye meant it? Or maybe he's just trying out his own brand of snark, as if to say, 'you know I'm right?' Tyree, see, still doesn't know what can't be done. Just a regular ball of youthful energy, he is. Look at him go. Chewing his food. Barely moving.

The last of the mystery pie is swallowed, and Dagda gathers his empty plates together. As he stands, the buck adjusts the strap on his shoulder and lifts the stack of plates, bowls, and platters. With a nod and an "Evenin'," Dagda makes his way to the dirty dishes counter, and from there to the exit.

That's Taye, spreading awkward one remark at a time. Flee before him! Ahem. But no. He glances across at Tyree. "... So."

Another bite of salad, and Tyree looks up again. Oh, look. Everyone else is gone! "Um. Yes?" he asks.

Taye shrugs. "I dunno. I just thought I should say somethin'." He hehs, smirking a little.

Sidney eventually comes over to the table, now with a plate of food. He glances between the others and sets his plate down at the spot Darklett just vacated. "Hey."

"Oh. Thought I'd offended you or the like," Tyree explains. But he doesn't sound very guilty! He nods when Sidney sits down, his salute as crisp as the food on his plate. "Sah."

Taye snorts at Tyree's words and shakes his head. "... I've gotten used t'yer brand of. Um. You," he explains. And glances to Sidney with a nod. "Welcome."

Everyone's leaving and Fiona is doing the opposite of that, making her way from the food line a little late. The doe's hair has been quickly pulled up into a high ponytail so free pieces fall around her face and at the nape of her neck. She says nothing as she settles down by Taye in a vacant spot, placing her food in front of her with a roll already in her mouth.

Sidney gives Tyree a mild grin, as he lifts a flaky, somewhat smushed roll-thing in his hand as he sits down. "You're always going to say that? Even at meals and.. whatever?" He then glances at Taye, brows lifting slightly. "Welcome?"

Taye glances back at Sidney with a return of the lifted brow. "... well. I already said 'he-'." And then Fiona sits down and he glances to the side at her. "Oh. Hey, darlin'." He slips his arm around her, fortunately his good one, and leans over to kiss her temple.

"Yeah, but - welcome?" Sid takes a bite of that roll, getting crumbs all over his hand. Flaky flaky. "That's so.. stiff, Taye."

Taye snorts and glances back to Sid, shaking his head. "'Least I didn't call you 'sah'." Like some other bucks he could reach across and poke. Tyree!

Tyree tilts his head curiously at Sid. "Um. Yes? You are an officer now, sah," he replies, as if Sid should have known that all along.

Fiona leans into Taye as he pulls her close to his side, head tilting into the kiss to her temple. With the roll still held in her mouth she can only offer an 'mm' in greeting. When she is released the doe pulls the bread from her lips with a piece missing, swallowing this quietly and glancing to Sid with her brows lifting.

Sidney cracks a grin at the two T bucks. ".. you know. Yesterday I saluted one of the other lieutenants and got this look like.. 'what was that for?' ... think I kind of forgot for a minute, there."

Tyree glances down at the spot he was poked at. What? Why is he being targeted? He just wants to be prim and proper! "It's just good etiquette," he mutters, brushing his uniform off. "At least, the drill sergeants never once got ta' know us on a first name basis."

"Except if they decided your first name was 'vermin-bait,'" Tyree adds.

/That/ makes Taye snort, though he looks a little green. "... 'Ey, a little respect for the recently vermin-baited, eh?" he protests.

"Yeah, but I'm not a drill sergeant... and I /do/ know your first name. /Tyree/," Sid jokes, and dusts crumbs from his whiskers, then goes back to eating. After swallowing a mouthful he mutters, "The bait always dies - you're not dead, so you don't count as bait, Taye."

"Ye'll get'em next time." Fiona offers kind of sideways without actually looking to Taye, starting to pick at her food in a more involved sort of way. Mm, salad. A forkful of mixed greens is popped into her mouth.

"... Yeah. Yeah, next time," Taye echoes Fiona. He glances briefly at Sidney, but decides not to belabor the point. He was munched on! It counts.

Y

"Mffrm," Tyree replies under his breath, finishing up his plate, which wasn't much to begin with. Half rations, one might say. But Tyree does like to keep his trim, svelte figure. "Well, tell that ta' Quinten. It'd be much better if you officers would decide whether we're supposed ta' maintain proper deference ta' rank or not."

Sidney leans back a little with his brows slightly raised, and nibbles his roll a bit further. "What about Quinten? He's the.. librarian."

Taye tilts his head, snorting in surprise. "Quinten? Quinten's not a bloody officah, he's a bookworm." He glances at Sidney again. Smirks. Jinx! Ish.

Sidney hooks his thumb at Taye with a grin. That. He nudges his elbow against the other lieutenant's.

Tyree stops. He blinks. He squints his eyes. Wait, what? Really? He could've sworn... "Er. Right... well. My /original/ point still stands," he says grudgingly, twirling some crumbs around with his fork.

"... Don't tell me ole Quinten's goin' on a powah trip?" Taye asks with a faint grin. /That/. That tickles him.

Sidney looks rather tickled, too. "Hey. /Taye/. I outrank /Quinten/ now," he says low, but with a very wide grin. Inches from laughing, looks like.

That name rings no bells and Fiona is content to eat her food without interrupting the conversation too much. Something also looks tasty on Taye's plate, though, so she ends up plucking some of it up to gobble it as well. Hm. Not bad. Now she is leaned across to eat off of his plate instead.

"Well... /he/ said he was a 'sah,'" Tyree mutters, looking chafed that he was caught in whatever kind of faux pas he's found himself in. Just look at your plate, let it blow over...

"Did he now," Taye muses thoughtfully. He's going to have to visit the library, check this out for himself! Meanwhile he pokes Fiona's shoulder as she picks at his plate. Tsk! XD

It's almost like having a lap gremlin.. Fiona is tilted all in Taye's way so it's easy to poke her in the shoulder. She slurps a noodle and glances back at him with some still in her mouth, teeth closed to try to keep the food in as she speaks. ".. Yes?" Innocent smile.

Taye's muzzle twists into a faint smirk in return to her innocence. "Food stealah." Tsk tsk.

Sidney snorts with amusement at Fiona and Taye, and then shakes his head. "Seriously?" he directs at Tyree. "Wow. ... I'm not even going to say anything. I'm just not."

"Well.. ye weren' eatin' it." Fiona protests after she's swallowed her mouthful. Then she leans back over to occupy her seat again, occupying herself with unsnapped green beans. "Fair game."

Tyree huffs and pushes his plate away. "Well, I won't if you won't... sah," he replies to Sidney. Apparently it's not going to break his habit any time soon. Better safe than sorry after all. "Was an honest mistake. I /am/ just a private, you know." Of course, now that he thinks about it, Quinten might have been joking about it too. But. He had been in such a panic at the time. And now he's hearing it was okay? But not? He's so confused!

Taye can't help but laugh at Tyree's predicament. He turns and presses a kiss to Fiona's forehead, though. "I think I'm going t'head out."

Sidney shakes his head with a grin. "Not /you/. Him. If Quinten told you to treat him like an officer, it's his fault for telling, not your fault for obeying, right?" He reaches over to lightly bump his knuckles into Tyree's arm, reassuringly. "No worries, mate."

Fiona tilts her chin up with her eyes closing, accepting the kiss to her forehead. "Do ye wan' me t'come with ye?" She quips, close to Taye's neck with her green gaze flicking up to his features sincerely.

"You're still eatin', love. But it's your choice," Taye murmurs with a grin. He stands up, pushing away from the table and backing up a couple steps to continue looking at Fiona. He offers nods to Sidney and Tyree, too.

"Sorry... Sid," Tyree forces out, with seemingly great effort and apparently gritted teeth. He nods to Taye as he begins to leave before returning to Sid. "Ah... so. How is it really? Knowin' you'll be in charge durin' a patrol?"

The doe nods her head and turns back to her plate to finish off a few more bites while starting to stand up at the same time. It means she's hunched over the table for a moment before picking up the dirty dishes. "Okay." Fiona mumbles. "'m done." A smile is offered to the others in farewell.

Sidney responds with a snort. Tyree seems to be on a different page, ahwell. He sits back, and returns to his roll, flashing Taye a brief grin of goodnight-seeya-later-ish. "Night, you both." Then, back to Tyree. "Well I'm not in /charge/ of it.. exactly. Darklett is."

Ha. Taye grins at the doe and takes her paw in his, giving one final nod to the other two before he turns, leading himself and the doe off - stopping to drop off the dirty dishes on the way, of course. And off they go!

"Well, ta' be sure... oh, good night you two," he says to the departing pair. "Ta' be sure. You're not exactly... up there. But you'll have others under you, now. May come a time you'll 'ave ta' make some decisions of your own," Tyree presses.