Quinten Log 136 - 24 06 2006

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

You are in a fairly large room, the walls rising up around you hewn

from solid rock. In the center stands a colossal object - the forge. Steam

is constantly rising from the forge due to the intense fire burning

within.

The typical accessories are set around the perimeter of the forge:

billows, tongs, and a large bucket of cool water. Lining the walls are

finished and unfinished items ranging from great battle-axes to little

forks. A large ventilation shaft is above, raised higher than the rest

of the room to permit the rising heat to escape. Because of the flames

the room is well lit, although quite warm. Over in the corner of the room

is a small pile of raw ore just waiting to be molded into some implement

or another.

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

Gregorian stands by the forge once more, staring at the embers and

waiting for his metal to heat up enough to be worked with, sigh, spear

heads again, least it's not supervised this time, but he's been doing the

job for about an hour now and his mind is actively on roam setting.

The door creaks open and a short buck walks in, with his ears back and

his uniform freshly pressed Quinten looks every inch how a recruit

should, except for being much too old to sport the 1st class recruit

insignia on his lapel. He's carrying a sheathed sabre in his paws and stops

looking about for the smith.

Gregorian glances round to the door as it opens and he raises a brow

"Quinten? Shouldn't yah be at the abbey for a while yet?" not really

noticed the change in insignia or anything just yet, more puzzled by just

the presence of the hare, he's not in any of the very quite gossip

spreading groups so he's got no idea.

Quinten shrugs and his ears tilt to the sides. "Got called home by the

Colonel Greg."

Gregorian still looks slightly confused but a frown grows at that "Oh

dear, wot happened down at the abbey to cause that?"

Quinten shrugs and holds out the sabre towards Greg. "You may as well

know everyone else does, i got ambushed by vermin whilst me and Jakk

where going to the 67th from the abbey. Lost Jakk for a few days to the

vermin, got myself demoted and sent home."

Gregorian moves to take the sabre off of him though he really doesn't

know why he is "Oh dear, Jakk alright? Doesn't exactly sound like could

have prevented it though?" more of a question as to wether he actually

could have done something.

Quinten lets the other buck take the sabre and shrugs leaning against

the wall. "Not really no...maybe fought them off better, been quieter

whilst walking through the woodlands. Was the last straw really Greg...so

i'm back here in disgrace doing the bottom classes all again/"

Gregorian frowns slightly but still looks a little sorry for the other

buck "Nevah mind ol' chap, only way is up wot, know how it's done now

too, just keep yah head down a bit, tis how us on the edge of being

thrown out get by" he looks to the sabre "Now wot am I doin' with this?"

Quinten blinks and flicks his ears up again, "Wait...your on the edge

of being chucked out? and erm it needs to be resharpened."

Gregorian room-pages, "brb phone".

Gregorian chuckles and shakes his head "Yah remembah the me and Freddie

thin'? Can still get us thrown out anytime" he moves the blade though

"Would yah rathah like this done now or wait for the proper forge beast

tah see tah it?"

Quinten smiles, "Oh yes...how is that going between you two? not had

any more run ins with the colonel ave you? And well i don't mind waiting

or if you can do it now thats good. I get to keep that at least."

Gregorian smiles softly, most genuine smile he's got "Well as can be

expected I'd say, colonel's not come a callin' again yet" he says as he

gets what he needs and sits down to start at sharpening the sabre,

looking it over as he goes "Lucky thing yah get tah keep this though, fine

lookin' blade"

Quinten smiles and nods, "Well major said as its been issued and i know

how to use it, they won't take it off me, just keep it in me room until

i need it again."

Gregorian chuckles faintly, eyes on the blade as she sharpens it "Well

that's something at least, so how were things down at Redwall before

all this?"

Quinten shifts to sit down on a stool and smiles sadly. "was

great...was learning alot of new things Greg, i even helped design the new

belltower."

Gregorian looks up briefly and pauses as he sees the sad smile "Ah,

sorry mate, can change subject if yah like"

Quinten sighs sadly and flicks his ears, "Nah still more to tell you,

like what happened to Flax"

Gregorian's ears perk straight up and he looks to Quinten slightly

worried in an obvious way "Wot happened tah Flax?"

Quinten leans back and looks up at te ceiling. "She got thrown out

Greg, she wen't really weird on us....listening to some pine marten.

calling the Abbey a prison and accusing the Brothers and Sisters of chaining

her....she left the abbey with Mister Ender."

Gregorian stares at the other buck for a moment, completely still

before he looks round towards the forge window, slight panic in his eyes

"What?..And Ender too?...Where are they now?"

Quinten shrugs and sighs, "No one knows they just upped and left, i

tried to talk to them but Ender refused to even acknowledge my existance."

Gregorian's expression grows grim an a deep frown and he gets up,

crosses to the anvil and takes the hammer from it, leaving Quinten's sabre

there as he head for the door "Right."

Quinten sits up and goes wide eyed. "Greg...Gregorian what are you

doing." He jumps up and moves to the door blocking it. Being closer to it

then Greg that is quite easy. "Put the hammer back down..what has gotten

into you."

Gregorian stops in front of him and looks down at the smaller buck "Wot

I'm doin' is goin' out this door, out of the mountain and then I'm

going tah find the pair of them, kick their scuts into whatever next week

it is when I do and drag them both back, now, would ye mind movin' yah

in my way"

Quinten folds his paws and glares up at Greg. "I've only been back a

day if you storm out and go AWOL the Colonel will throw you out. They'll

turn up sooner or later and we can grill them then." He pushes a paw

flat into Greg's stomach and holds it there. "Now your going to put the

hammer down and do something sensible Gregorian."

Gregorian tenses up at the paw on him and he's grown since last seen,

not much that taller but hanging around a forge will be inclined to add

to muscles, standing at full height he glares down at Quinten, nothing

said, just glaring.

Quinten stands right where he is, "If your going to go you'r going to

have to hit me with the hammer Greg, you know i can dodge anything you

throw at me with your paws or feet. I'll let you hit me with the hammer

though, then you can run off, leave Freddie and us all beind to pick up

your mess and go play hero."

Gregorian stands there for a good minute, shaking slightly before he

turns and storms off back to the anvil "Stupid, bally, idiots, if they

shared brain power they'd still have nothing! Why do they have to?!"

Clang. The end of his shouts cut short by him taking anger out on the anvil

and hitting it with the hammer. Seems to calm him a little at least as

he stops, paws on the anvil so he's leaning down on it, head hanging

with a sigh.

Quinten just stands by the door, wincing something at the clang from

the anvil and hammer meeting. "Greg what is this all about? Why are you

so het up over them not like you could even find them if you left wotr."

Gregorian sighs once more and tenses again like he's going to go into

another shouting rant, but he calms again, doesn't seem to have the

energy for it, finally he looks up and to Quinten "I could try, I'd be

doin' somethin' then at least, stead of nothing, only thing I can do

without making things worse for myself.." ears droop a bit "And Freddie"

Quinten frowns, "Your not making much sense here Greg, your doing

plenty here trying to become a private and a smith and doing a darned sight

better then me."

Gregorian gives one last exasperated sigh and looks to Quinten "Tha's

not wot I'm talkin' about, I mean nothin' I can do about this situation,

damn it I should have gone tah the abbey too"

Quinten looks at Gregorian and nods his head sadly, "Aye i know....but

i doubt you could have helped out Greg...Harper had the best chance as

far as ic an tell and he messed it up."

Gregorian raises a brow and looks a little puzzled "Who?" having never

met Harper it's not hard to understand the confusion.

Quinten sighs and shakes his head, "Recruit Harper you must have met

him surely?"

Gregorian scans his memory a bit before shaking his head "I don't think

so, if did it was only in passin'"

Quinten nods "Aye well he and Flax where hanging around together quite

a bit and that is when she went rather odd when they went off

travelling."

Gregorian shakes his head "Daft pair, they bettah come back one day,

ah, I wish could do somethin'"

Quinten nods and sighs, "I wish i could do something too Greg but

they'll come back one day, though Flax isn't allowed in the mountain

anymore."

Gregorian raises a brow "I assumed she was out o' the patrol, not

completely and utterly banned from visiting the mountain"

Quinten shrugs his shoulders, "Just what i've been hearing is

all....can't say for sure."

Gregorian shakes his head once more and finally moves from the anvil to

sit down on a stool, head held in his paws "Great. Just great, suppose

will give me somethin' tah do if evah do get thrown out"

Quinten shakes his head and walks over, "Hey i'm the one meant to be

bummed out over being busted back to 2nd class Greg, your not going to

get thrown out."

Gregorian moves just enough to glance at him "Always knew it was

possible, not got an accepted lifestyle...does seem less and less likely

going tah happen these days though, hard tah believe somethings can go

right"

Quinten smiles softly annd nods his head, "Well Greg as long as we all

keep our heads down and don't do anything stupid we can get through

this and not get kicked out."

Gregorian smirks faintly though is not much of an amused one "And then

wot? Try for officah maybe? Can't hide so much then"

Quinten smiles softly, "Can be an officer Greg once your up she can't

get rid of you"

Gregorian chuckles, yep, actually chuckles at that "Got rid of

Darklett, fancy would need to get the colonel before could be even remotely

safe"

Quinten smirks softly, "She got rid of Darklett cause of what had

happened in his past, she can't get rid of you because of your life style,

half the patrol would go up in arms over her having a personal problme

and letting it dictate her judgement."

Gregorian raises a brow and snorts "As much as I'd like tah believe

tha' if it were true she wouldn't be able to throw me out now"

Quinten shakes his head and sighs, "Maybe...i don't know Greg...wish i

could help my fault your in this fix."

Gregorian grins slightly "Yah fault? Ha! Wouldn't flattah yahself tha'

much, besides, I've made me decision, now got tah live with it, quite

safe in the knowledge tha' retirement will be a blissful existence"

Quinten smiles softly and shakes his head, "ahhh you and Freddie don't

have to be patrol to stay here? Could be a smith and Freddie could be a

healer...non patrol like it happens you know? If your that unhappy with

how things stand."

Gregorian chuckles and shakes his head, running a paw through his

headfur "Nah, for one, Freddie's runnah, not healah and I don't know even

half of wot I should about workin' in here, besides, old dreams die hard,

yah'll tah escort me out o' the mountain before I'll stop tryin' tah

put a Colonel Harthwill in the histories"

Quinten smiles softly and nods his head and salutes, "Yes sah....and

besides ye outrank me right now, got to obey your orders wot."

Gregorian chuckles "Hmm, I suppose tha' could be true, goin' tah

confess all tah me now or latah?"

Quinten tilts his head to one side and grins, "Confess wot Greg?"

Gregorian smiles in a somewhat apologetic way "Sorry mate, ol' joke,

yah have had a habit of confessin' all tah officahs and dropping yah

friends in might big trouble"

Quinten shifts, "Well sah i'd like to confess i know exactly what Greg

and Freddie got up to in Halyard during the spring festival" He salutes

and sighs, "Aye'm not doing tha no more Greg unless its something

really impotant."

Gregorian's ears shoot up and his eyes widen a bit at that first part

before he chuckles lightly if slightly nervously "Evah report somethin'

like tha' and I'll be eatin' yah hide for me suppah the next

day..recruit" small grin added in after the recruit, he's always wanted to call

someone that.

Quinten chuckles softly and salutes, "Yes sah Mister Recruit Harthwill

sah, aye'll report tha ye sharpened me sword in good time an not

mention how tha hammer got damaged."

Gregorian glances round at the anvil "Bah, hammah's fine, will take

more than that hit tah break the thing"

Quinten nods is head nad smiles, "Ahhh well that is good then....i

don't know much about the forge." He grins and stands up pulling two rolled

pieces of paper out of his pouch. "Here life at sala for you to read if

you like. Ones i wrote at the abbey"

Gregorian reaches a paw out for the paper "Had fun playin' recordah?

Dare say I've got time for readin' wot"

Quinten sighs and nods, "Aye....it was nice to learn new things, but i

won't be doing much writing for a time, got told i'm being thrown into

my training and can forget any free time for months to come."

Gregorian hehs and shakes his head "Oh well, less time for gettin'

intah trouble I guess, nevah mind"

Quinten sighs and nods, "Aye never mind..will be a fighter afore i get

to be a recorder."

Gregorian chuckles "Ah I shouldn't worry about it, they just want tah

get yah back on the right track, yah'll get free time again sometime"

Quinten nods and moves for the door, "Aye your right there Greg..well i

got to get down to class..." he grimaces, "Its stupid i can do all this

stuff with my eyes closed."

Gregorian chuckles and raises a paw to wave him goodbye "Then yah'll be

twice as good this time round"

Quinten nods, "Here is hoping....no idea when they'll let me move up

though."

Gregorian smiles, sat where he is "When next have tests probably, or

whenevah thing yah ready"

Quinten nods and sighs, "Aye or they could keep me here till i give up

and reisgn...anyway see you soon Greg." He opens the door and heads

out.

- End Log - New Scene - Several Hours Pass -

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

You are in a medium-sized circular 'room' from which several passages

branch off. Each passage fades off around a twisting corner, winding

around in the bowels of the mountain. One passage, however, hardly

more than a short, straight hall, ends abruptly with a large wooden door -

the forge room.

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

The door to the forge opens and a short buck in a recruits uniform

walks out, speaking to the beast inside before he closes the door behind

him. Quinten is carrying a sheathed sabre under his arm and he pauses to

lean back against the door and stare up at the ceiling.

Taye is just reaching the landing of the second level and is starting

across to the stairs leading up just when Quinten exits the forge and

crosses into his path. He stops short, blinking in surprise with his eyes

drawing wide. Ummmm, "Quint?"

Quinten jerks back from Taye and then snaps to attention and salutes

him, "Private Taye...hello." He lowers his paw ans shifts just waiting,

it won't be long now Any second now Taye's going to see his rank

insginia and he'll have to start on the explnations all over.

'Private' Taye? With a slight furrowing of his brow, Taye glances past

Quinten briefly to the stairs beyond before looking back. "Whatcha

doin' back here? Can't imagine ya zoomed through the recruit program /that/

fast."

Quinten's ears sag back and he sighs, looks like he'll have to start at

the beginning. "Am back at the bottom of the recruit program Taye...and

i mean right back down to square one, demotion and sent home in

disgrace. Ordered back to the mountain."

.. Oh, wow. Taye's ears flick back and he shifts uncertainly. "...

M'sorry, Quint. How'd it happen?" This can be nothing other than an

uncomfortable conversation, and Taye looks it.

Quinten shifts from one paw to another as if not wanting to say and

then his shoulders and ears sag and he looks about ready to drop to the

ground as he bites his lip. "I lost Jakk...to vermin on the way to the

67th....tha was the last straw....though he managed to escape too....got

into a huge arguement with Flaxpaw too...she went all funny on us and

ended up walking out. Colonel's kicked her out completly and she's

gone."

Taye listens with mounting surprise and almost a sick sort of

fascination. Or horror. It's a close bet as to which it is. He shifts back a

step and then to the side, leaning a shoulder into the wall for a moment

while he stares down at the ground. He seems to be taking this

abnormally hard. "... Well hell, Quint, 'm.... sorry." Meh. He worries at the

back of his neck with a paw.

Quinten shrugs in resignation. "Stuff happens taye....Major gave me a

talk before i left...assured me i can still make it back up....just

gotta keep my head down and work hard...its ridiculous in class

though....stil as Greg put it i've joined the nearly kicked out club so thats me

and Greg and at least one other."

Taye glances back up after a few seconds, his eyes squinted with

something akin to worry or concern or something. "... Well, you'll be fine.

Just got to work 'n' keep yer head down, like ya said. It's good to have

ya back, one way or anothah. All righ'?"

Quinten smiles and nods and pulls two piece of parchment out of his

belt pouch and pushes them back into Taye's paws. "Here life at Sala i

wrote whilst away....and it is good to be home...was why i was going to

the 67th so i could concentrate on my fighter training..." The buck

starts to jog for the stairs. "Now i got an unarmed combat session

downstairs so...later Taye."

- End Log