An ache so deep that I can hardly breathe.... (Long Patrol Log with some Felicity backstory)
This song seems to (kind of) fit the majority of the RP: [1]
Shallows - Western Sea (L10)
Saltwater tinted in shades of green, blue, and grey swirl through the waterlogged sand where it meets the shore whirling over and pushing about beautifully colored stones and shells. The whitish sands of the seafloor shine through the thin depth of swirling water that conceals a slight undertoe.
Exits: [D]eep [W]ater, [Sh]ore, [N]orth, [S]outh
Ciocan the male badger Felicity the female hare.
It is beautiful down here on the shore, the air is clear, the sky is a deep indigo shading toward purple as the sun sinks towards the western horizon. Ciocan is standing in the shallows, dressed in his full armour, the bronze and copper scales glistening in the streaming summer sun as he works out with his hammer. Spinning lightly, moving through the motions as he steps and slides and for such a huge creature moves with a grace and a deadly step.
The sunset is beautiful, reflecting off of the waves. Felicity comes from the mountain, not wearing any uniform of any kind, but rather a deep red tunic and faded and patched green leggings. She has her short sword strapped to her side on her black belt; its buckle gleaming in the ruddy light, it's engraved Celtic knots like graceful lines of coal. The auburn-furred haremaid breaks into a jog, then slows when she sees the badger training. She starts walking silently, a slightly sad look invading her pretty blue eyes as she tries to go past him unnoticed.
Ciocan spins lightly first one way and then the other and steps, the waves crash around him and he turns and hurls his hammer! It sails up and over Felicity's head and thumps into the sand behind her with a very loud thud, scattering golden sand every-which-way as the Badger lord looks down at her. "Felicity, you appear to be out of Uniform and sneaking around the beach at Sunset."
Felicity jumps with fright, and her "fight or flight" instincts take over. She whips around, unsheathes her sword and gets into a fighting stance all in 1 fluid movement. Blushing slightly, she then stands straight and sheaths her weapon, staring at the sand at her feet. "Sorry, Sah. I do this often, Sah. I sometimes.....just need to get away from the mountain and other beasts, Sah. I didn't mean to be sneaking, Sah. I just didn't want to disturb you, Sah. Sorry."
Ciocan waves a paw negligently as if it was of no matter and thumps up the wet sand to reclaim his hammer. "It is no disturbance when one of my Hares is in need. I too like to get outside, just so I can look up and admire her." he motions back toward the sandy slopes of the magnificent volcano, "It's beautiful and out here I can train and exercise."
Felicity turns to look at the mountain aswell. "It is beautiful, Sah. I've lived there my whole life, and I love it, Sah. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, Sah....not even Redwall, wot!" She smiles softly, standing in an at-ease position. "I'm glad that ye have found someplace that is friendlier to ya height, Sah."
Ciocan chuckles quietly swinging his hammer from side to side, "Tha training room is just being ta low ya know?" He hefts his hammer and grins, "So as ye be outside care ta spa? I promise ta nah go to hard on ya. But even a Badger needs someone ta practice against."
Felicity smiles brightly. Hey, this badger's not half bad. "Sure, Sah. I need practice against larger beasts." She then looks past him to where he had been practicing in the shallows, and smile fades from her pretty face and is replaced by a deep, sad, yet hesitant look. "Um, Sah, I mean you no disrespect, Sah, but, um.....do ya mind if we spar.....somewhere else, Sah?"
Ciocan glances back at the crashing waves, hefts his hammer onto one shoulder and turns and walks back into the breakers, "I do mind, a hare who cannot fight on any terrain shouldn't be in the patrol. Be they runner or fighter, recruit or colonel. Just as a badger who cannot stand in salt water and still fight cannot call themselves Lord." he turns, spreading his feet and smiles, "Come Felicity, if you are a patroller then the sea shall not bother you. I have sailed on her, swam in her and now I stand ankle deep in the waves and salt, it makes us all better warriors to fight where we do not wish to."
Felicity blinks and seems to wilt at the reprimand. She gazes at the ground and blinks back tears, missing his smile. "Sah, please excuse my forthrightness, but it is not the waves that bother me. It's...this is where my brother was killed. Ambushed. ....murdered by searats."
Ciocan tilts his head and listens, watching her, "I see, then I am sorry for your loss Felicity. But you cannot hide from it." he walks over, a huge paw resting on her shoulder, turning her toward the ocean. "It was a wicked thing, unforgivable. But if you let that act drive you to never look at the shore again then the sea rats have won. How can we protect the shore if you cannot fight on it? How can you honour his memory by being ready next time the rogues of the sea attack the shore?"
Felicity shakes her head, tears starting to spring to her eyes. The badger must not have been told. But how can she tell him that almost her entire family was killed near this area a little over a season ago? How can she tell him when it's still so fresh and real. She doesn't resist his guiding, but is he still has a paw resting on her, he will be able to feel her trembling. She stifles a sob at the memories rising, tears trickling down her cheeks. Her knees start to buckle underneath her.
Ciocan steadies her, helping her to sit down, huge arms enfold her, soft, warm, surprisingly gentle, "Let is out young one, you must never hold back the tears. Hold back the sorrow... and you must not let vengeance creep in. Let out all that is within so you can be stronger, hardier, faster... and make the memories of those who are not here sing soundly."
Felicity lets him help her sit down and breaks down in heart-rending sobs, sobs so hard that she sometimes can barely breathe. She goes to bury her face in his shoulder as she cries.
Ciocan handles this quiet well, as if crying hare maidens is a thing that just happens. He pats her shoulder and looks out toward the setting sun. "It is never easy losing those you love... hold nothing inside Felicity."
"Mam...." she manages to get out. "Dad....David had gone.....to gather shells.....for....Julie and me....why?!" She pulls back and looks up at the badger's face, her deep hurt and brokenness as evident as darkness at night. She manages to get the story out through her weeping. "David...loved....givin' presents....he wanted....to give me and our sister....Julia....shells...went out alone....ambushed...searats....dead....Mam and.....Dad...insisted....joined the Patrol....tracked the rat.....killed them all....Oh, Mam and Dad! Why did ya die, too??!" she collapses on the beach, literally unable to stay sitting up because she's sobbing so hard again.
Ciocan lets Felicity cry, sitting softly in the sand, the waves splashing back and forth against the shore as she lets it out. "Dark Forest calls us all when it is time Felicity... only vermin strike down those whose time is not yet here. It is good they are gone... but you must face it, let it out and let them make you stronger."
Felicity lays there for a long while, her sobs quieting down until they are gone. She stares at the rolling surf, then closes her eyes and curls into a tight ball, feeling empty, yet more whole than she has for almost a whole season. She is now silent and still.
Ciocan reaches out a paw to rest it upon the maiden, "Never despair Felicity, there is always life, we must carry on as best we can but never forget them."
Felicity opens her eyes slowly and stares at a tiny little crab as it scuttles along the wet sand. When it gets washed away by the surf, she slowly sits up, like she has the weight of the whole world on her shoulders. She goes to move the badger's paw into both of her own, in her lap, just staring at it, barely noticing that it's bigger than both of her forepaws put together. "I have a sistah. Julia. She's almost 2 seasons old. She's always loved shells. But I....David and I....'ad been talkin' about shells and I mentioned that I....wanted a few....to make jewelry out of...." she turns to look him in the eyes, her own seeming to search for the answer to the question that has been plaguing her since she first had learned that he had died. "Was it my fault that he went out and was killed, lookin' for stupid shells?"
Ciocan lifts Felicity's chin and looks into her eyes, "No, it was not your fault young one. It was the vermin's fault, they struck the blows that robbed them of their life."
The haremaid's chin starts to tremble, and she goes to rest her forehead on the badger's chest. "Thank you, Sah....." she says in a barely audible whisper.
Ciocan touches her forehead, "You are welcome Felicity, I am the Badger Lord of Salamandastron, you are one of my hares and I think a friend. Together we can make sure that it happens to no one else on my shores."
Friend? A friend to the Lord of Salamandastron? The thought makes her smile slightly, but at the same time fills her with slight apprehension. "Aye, I want these shores to be as safe as possible for my little sister, Sah."
Felicity looks up at his face so he can see her slight smile.
Ciocan says, "Then we'll do it together, all of us." he taps the head of his hammer, "Tomorrow, at dawn, aye'll see ya down here and we will spa."
Felicity smiles a little more broadly. "Alright, Sah. Sounds good." She looks down at what she's wearing and gently strokes the bottom hem of the tunic. "These were my mother's. I wear her clothes whenever I don't have to be in uniform. Is it alright....if I don't wear my uniform clothes to spar with you, Sah?"
Ciocan nods his head and smiles softly, "Training uniform or your mothers clothes are acceptable for spa-ing with me tomorrow. As we move along you'll move up to uniform and even light armour."
Felicity smiles and nods. "Thank you, Sah. But...." she hesitates, unsure if she should go on. Oh, whatever. She'll just say it. "Excuse me for sayin', Sah, but I'm a Runner. I thought it wasn't wise for me to wear armour since it'd weigh me down."
Ciocan says, "It isn't wise for you to wear armour when on duty, that would indeed be silly. But you can train in it, hone your body and your skills whilst carrying the extra weight. Then when you are not wearing it you'll be faster then you are now.""
Blue eyes dancing at the thought, Felicity give the badger an adventurous half-smile. "That sounds wonderful, Sah! Even faster than I am now? I could beat any hare in the Mountain, and half the vermin I encounter!"
Ciocan says, "That is why we must all train beyond what is 'Needed' of us to train as hard as we can in ways not required, so we can better ourselves."
Felicity nods. "That makes sense, Sah." She stands and smiles at him again. "And thank you. I....everybeast at the Mountain knew the story about my....about what happened, I guess I've nevah talked about it before. Thank you, Sah." She pauses, then adds, "Excuse me for askin', Sah, but did nobeast tell you about my family? I thought for sure you had been told many times by now, Sah."
Ciocan says, "No, I do not pry into the private lives of my hares. If any of you have such a story to share then you will share it with me in time when you are ready."
This gives Felicity pause. She stares at him for a few moments, then nods slowly. "Thank you, Sah. I appreciate that. I guess I'm sort of used to Nosey Nellies always tryin' to know everythin' about everybeast. All the Leveret Caretakers do that to me whenever I get Julia from them, wot. ....er, Sah." Manner, girl, manners. He may be thinking of you as a friend, but he's still your surperior officer.....er, Mountain Lord. Thing.
The badger hangs his hammer on his belt and stretches his arms above his head and sighs happily as he stares up at the mountain then glances toward Felicity. "It is the only right thing to do, honour dictates that we not pry into peoples business."
Felicity wrinkles her nose. Even with such a disfiguring facial expression, she is pretty. "I wish more beasts 'ad such honour, Sah. Then maybe we wouldn't be needed to guard these shores....there would be no reason to." Yeah, so she kind of changed the subject a little. Whatever.
Ciocan smiles gently and shakes his head, "Well that is why we are here, to protect those who cannot protect themselves whilst we make sure those who have no honour are stopped."
Sighing, Felicity nods. "Aye, standing up for those who can't stand up for themselves. I just sometimes get tired of how much evil there is in the world. It sometimes seems to nevah end, Sah."
Ciocan says, "It weighs us down certainly, it seems never ending but we must do our part during our time here. So that we can hand a peaceful land onto our descendants"
Felicity looks up at the very tall (comparatively) badger. "You believe that we're making a big impact here, don't you, Sah?"
Ciocan asks, "Of course, are ye hares not tha Long Patrol? Am I not the Badger Lord?" he gestures toward the mountain, "We are all perilous beasts and the Western Shore is safe with us watching her."
Felicity grins, enjoying his enthusiasm. She then glances at the sun and claps a paw to her forehead. "Holy smokes! It's time for me to get Julia!! If I don't go get her, she might rally all of DAB, and the havoc that would ensue would be terrible!! Permission to leave, Sah??"
Ciocan says, "Of course Felicity, I shall resume my work out" he steps back, bows and then slides back into the graceful dance of the warrior."
The haremaid is off in a flash, running back towards the mountain, faster than the average hare. Hopefully she's not too hideously late and DAB has not taken over the kitchens or something.
Thanks for reading! I figure that the leverets that are the equivalent of 2 and 3 year olds are probably DAB members because they lack the discipline to do anything other than throw fits until they get what they want (I've done paid childcare for 10 years. I have a decent understanding of toddlers. Self centered little miscreants....) Here's another song: [2] It makes me think of Felicity. Not sure why, LOL :)
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