Quinten Log 63 - 01 03 2006

Salamandastron: Western Side

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

The wind blows by as you gaze up at the tall and mysterious mountain. There is a red glow at the top of it. To the north stretches more coast as well as to the south. You notice a small cave at the base of the mountain. Some beach stretches between the mountain and the waves of the sea.

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Flaxpaw raises the wooden practice sword in her left paw, her eyes wide. "oh, dear" she murmers, knowing that she has no chance against the fully armed wildcat. Louder she asks, "not a friend, then, eh, sah?"

Vladek circles the hare ignoring the comment he jabes at eh hares left leg.

Flaxpaw jumps back, recieving only a scratch, and tries to smack the wildcat's arm.

Flaxpaw gasps and drops the wooden sword as the wildcat's blade opens a large gash in her right arm. She stumbles away, gasping a bit, and trips "Eu-er-HEEELP" she shouts, trying to keep moving.

Vladek laughs and advances on the fallen hare blade raised.

Flaxpaw notices that her dropped blade is behind the wildcat, and rolls toward it, feeling that some wepon is better than none at all.

Vladek gets ready to strike when a voicesuddenly comes from the dunes "I say there sah picken on a petty hare maid the nerve of you wot wot" spining around Vladek snarels at a lone hare standing on a near by dune holding his bastard sword.

Flaxpaw looks up as she regains her wooden sword, a look of relief spreading across her face.

"Run me dear run ill take care o this scum" and with that the hare charges down to dune the cats weapon held like out like a spear. Vladek draws his othe sword and waits for the hare to come to him.

Flaxpaw needs no second bidding from the gallant hare, and scrambles to her feet, dashing what she judges to be a safe distance away from the wildcat, looking as though she feels she ought to stand and fight, but grateful that she's not going to immediately need to swing anything with injuries to both arms.

Vladek waits till the hare is near when he drops the sword in his right paw side steping he swings his paw at the hares face claws out. Having no time to react the hare is blown of his feet and lands in the sand a few feet away dead.

Flaxpaw gasps, staring for a moment before dropping her bit of wood sword, the she takes to her heels, stumbling a bit as she does, but picking up spped quickly.

Salamandastron: Entryway

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

This is a small, raised platform in the side of the mountain upon which

you can see down to the small niche in the mountain. Cunningly designed,

this precaution allows one from this vantage point to 'see' who is

standing outside without being detected.

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Flaxpaw leans against the wall, trembling and gasping. blood flows from a jagged cut in her left shoulder, and drips down her right paw from a second gash in her forearm. she watches anxiously, seeming unwilling to relax until she is sure no one is outside.

There is a pattering of paws on the steps from the sentry room and Quinten hurries into view, "Flax!..wot happened me girl...ye look dreadful, wot were ye doing outside"

Flaxpaw starts with a muffled scream, then realised it's Quin. She allows herself to sink onto the floor. Her eyes are wide, and her voice unnaturally even. "oh, Quin, been a bit stupid really." her gaze is fixed on the far wall. "practicin on the beach-wildcat was out there-"

Quinten blinks in surprise "You....went and practiced on the beach....." he shakes his head and moves to support the doe, pulling hr back up by her uninjured arm "Come now lets get you up to the infirmary....wild cat ye say...ye were lucky to get away then"

Flaxpaw allows herself to be supported by Quin and nods "lucky, yeah." she draws herself up. "there's more Quin." tears well in her eyes, but she blinks them back."I-I'm ok, don't need the infirmary." she murmers, swaying as she speaks.

Quinten frowns at her and shakes his head "Your getting that wound looked at no arguments..." he starts to lead her down the corridor "And wot more? what else happend?"

Flaxpaw looks at her injuries, as though noticing them for the first time. "oh, right, I remember that now." she murmers, leaning against him, and allowing him to lead her. "There was a hare out there too." she almost whispers as they follow the passage way.

Salamandastron: Passage

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

You are inside the long, narrow, concealed passageway that leads into the

bowels of Salamandastron. At periodic intervals, there are small alcoves

in the wall with torches in them to light the passageway.

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Quinten leads the way slowly down the corridor, frowning as you mention another hare "who was it? Should i send someone back to wait for them? Or does he need help?"

Flaxpaw shakes her head, not meeting his eye "no, he's-no." the tears she was trying to blink back pick up in earnest.

Quinten blinks and pats her arm "Ok....ok...i'll let an officer know...maybe....maybe we can still get them help"

Salamandastron: Secondary Infirmary

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

This is the Secondary Infirmary of Salamandastron, the room to where all

wounded beasts who must be treated immediately are taken. There is a

small alley in the room, with 5 beds each on both sides of it, the back

wall just a mass of cupboards holding herbs, though not as many. One of

the cupboards has no door, and a string dangles down, looping around a

pulley somewhere below the opening. It is a dumbwaiter, leading up to

the Main Infirmary, used for transporting herbs and other medical

supplies to the Secondary Infirmary if need be.

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

Flaxpaw shakes her head, and whispers, "he's past help, Quin. But, they'll ned to go to-" looks at him for a moment as though she can't finish, then drops her eyes again.

Quinten sighs and pushes open the door to the secondary infirmary and flags down a healer "Ok....ill tell the healer....we got....a body to pick up..." he looks at you sadly before whispering to the healer

Flaxpaw clings to your paw "Quin-I-" sighs, looking around the infirmary.

Quinten looks back at the doe as he sits her down on the edge of a cot and lets a healer look at her injured arm "You wot Flax?"

Flaxpaw says, " Should've been me back there. He protected me. " She's shaking, tears rollin down her face. "I want to back, Quin. I owe him that.""

Quinten frowns "Well....we'll see ok....he wouldn't ave told you to run if he didn't want you to get back safe...your back now...just rest..we'll, send a patrol down to get him"

Flaxpaw looks up at Quinten, and shakes her head, but allows the healer to help her lie on the cot, still holding your paw. "don't wanna be alone, Quin, not now." she murmers.

Quinten hooks a stool with his foot paw and drags it over so he can sit down "Well i can stay put for a short bit Flaxpaw, now tell me wot possesed you to go out there on your own"

Flaxpaw wipes a paw across her eyes, and tries to show a bit more control of herself. " don't know, really. it was such a clear morning, an I was up early. Major Clover always said there's nothin like sword drills on the shore." She looks at you, frightened and repentant. "

Flaxpaw says, "she never said anythin about wildcats. "

Quinten pats your paw "Shhh dear its ok, ye weren't to know, though in future i'd go up to the crater and down to the gardens....ye can still enjoy the morning and see the shore."

She lies quietly for a moment, then her voice grows firmer "Wildcat was playin with me, Quin, that's all there is to it. When that buck came-" she gulps, and shakes her head "it was like he wasn't even armed. the wildcat jus'" she motions weakly with one paw.

Quinten sighs and hugs your un-injured paw "shhh now dear shee its ok, damn wildcats are evil, thats why we call em vermin"

Flaxpaw winces as the healer returns and begins dabbing at her wounds. "Thanks, Quin." she nods. her paw still shakes in yours, but her head seems to be clearing, and her tears have stopped. "damn silly of me, wot? You're right, o course, that's why were here in this mountain, learn to keep 'em away from decent folk."

Quinten smiles "Thats the spirit, buck up flax if it doesn't kill you, learn from it me matey"

Flaxpaw smiles up at you, though it dosen't reach her eyes. "Aye, I've learned all right."

Quinten sighs and his ears pin back "Yer gonna get a chewing out you know..not only did you go out on your own....a beast got killed cause of it...i know its harsh of me to mention it now but you best be preopared for wen someone comes to talk to you"

Flaxpaw nods "no more'n I deserve. It was stupid an careless. Believe me, they'll not say anythin I can't hear. He was a gallant buck, Quin, didn't even seem afraid.

Quinten smiles "Thats the way wid most hares on the mountain Flax, gallant widout a care in the world, they know tomorrow or today could be their last"

"thank you" Flax tells the healer who's finished cleaning her wounds up, but she shakes her head at the sleeping draught the healer offers. She holds your eyes "if I'd not been afraid or foolish or both as I was, it've not been his last. I'll not run again, though. I'll make myself a real patroller."

Quinten pats your shoulder "Thats the spirit....you've got to focus on the future and try your best to be a patroller, thats what i do every day, i seem em walking past, laughing and joking and then hare out to do battle at the drop of a pin."

Flaxpaw says, "Can't wait to get back to training. Won't be long, will it?" "

Quinten shakes his head "A day i'd guess was not much of a wound....as long as the Major or Colonel don't bust you out of the programme"

Flaxpaw blinks "I'd deserve it. This was out of line, even for me.

Quinten pats her paw "Shh its ok i don't think they'll bust you out...as long as you don't get cocky with them"

Flaxpaw asks, "cocky? I'd be on shaky ground there." She looks away "no, whatever they do, I'll not complain. "

Quinten nods "Well flax i tink your ok you won't get thrown out but you may find yerself on double, if not triple kitchen duty, the worse messiest jobs they can find"

Flaxpaw says, "seems that it ought to be worse than that, old chap. "

Quinten smiles "I know but its not the end of the world old chum ye'll see a few weeks of being the filthiest, grease covered hhare in the mountain and you'll never do it again"

Flaxpaw looks surprised. "I'd not do it again. Next time I leave the mountain I intend to be armed and ready for the blighter." She looks as though she's just realised what she said, " That is,if the officers order me out, of course.

Quinten is smiling behind his paw and nods "You bet though i tell you know you leave this mounain again without me along for the trip and i'll be upset and pout"

Flaxpaw laughs "No, wouldn't leave you behind, couldn't loose my mate over a stroll, wot. "

Quinten smiles and winks "Good and next time you want to practice under the sky go up to the gardens"

Flaxpaw nods "done. Now, change the subject, eh? there's a good chap. I want to hear about your lady love, seemed like a nice sort o gel. " she smiles at him, a glint of mischief in her eye.

Quinten blushes and bats at your ears with a paw "Hey now....me and Gabriel are getting along great...i seem to be doing things right"

Flaxpaw smiles " I'm sure you are.

Quinten smiles "I made her a tiny squirrel carving the other day"

Flaxpaw asks, " a squirrel, huh? I think I saw her holding a little carving. That's sweet."

Quinten nods and smiles "I'm glad she seems to like it, i spent a whole day carving it out of a block of wood"

Flaxpaw asks, "Where'd you learn to carve? "

You say, "My dad taught me back at home, before we lost him""

Flaxpaw says, "It's a good skill, and I am sure that Gabby will treasure the squirrel."

Quinten smiles hapiply "You think so? I want to take her out on a date...but its so fard here in the mountain when eveyrone knows what your doing"

Flaxpaw shakes her head "Don't you worry 'bout wot everyone knows. Worry 'bout you. Unless you don't want that Grego-that chap to know? Seems you an Gabby are the ones that you ought to worry about making happy.

Quinten nods and seems sad when you mention Greg "Yeah...well i'm sure we kin slip away someplace quiet and have a nice lunch someday soon"

Quinten nods and grins "You bet i will, i know a couple of places were hares don't generally go to"

Flaxpaw says, "Guess I'll be needing to find some of those when word gets out 'bout what I did this morning. "

Quinten shakes his head "Don't worry we'll do our best, us recruits stick together, the privates to"

Flaxpaw nods "sorry, morbid of me to dwell on it."

Quinten shakes his head "No...was probably the first time that has ever happened to you in a combat situation

Flaxpaw looks sleepy in spite of herself "Worst thing ever happened when I followed Major Clover's patrol was running rats an such off, thay were cowards at heart, Basil, Lt. Basil, that is, said they were all cowards, not fighters.

Quinten smiles and nods patting her paw as he watches te doe drift off "Aye well vermin are generally cowards, why do you think they take prisoners"

Flaxpaw' grip relaxes on his paw, as she murmers sleepily "no prisoners.

- Several Hours now pass -

Flaxpaw after sleeping fitfully for a while, Flax jerks awake. "Wha-" she sits up gingerly.

Quinten is just re-entering the infirmary, carrynig a covered tray in his paws "Hey Flax" he murmurs "You missed lunch so i grabbed you some left overs"

Flaxpaw's face clears when she sees Quin with the tray, and she grins "Thanks, Quin! I'm absolutely starving."

Quinten grins and sets te tray down and uncovers it, some warm vegetable soup and some bread and a mug of water

Flaxpaw breaks the bread and begins eating, dunking it in the soup. "Wonder if I can leave here soon? Don't think that healer said one way or another.

Quinten smiles "Probably not until an officer has been down to speak to you, word is filtering all round the mountain already"

Flaxpaw's ears droop, and she nods. "Tell me about them, Quin, the officers. I've spoken to the Colonel, and seen the others in passing." She looks jittery at the prospect.

Quinten smiles softly "Well if your lucky Major Darklett will come see you, if your unlucky Major Jarril will come chew you out, as Major Darklett cannot leave the main infirmary...it is probably going to be Major Jarril>"

Flaxpaw bites her lip, and nods "I oughtn't hope he won't chew me out, it's best to get it over with, isn't it?"

Quinten nods his head "Yes get it over with quickly and back to training and getting as greasy as they can make you" he grins "we all ave been there, you should have seen me a few months back"

"what did you do?" Flax asks curiously.

Quinten grins and sits down on the stool he was using earlier "I was always late for classes every single class"

Flaxpaw asks, "why? "

You say, "I was just awful at waking up on time or time keeping, got ssent to the Colonel in the end""

Flaxpaw says, "She did seem all bad.....?" She trails off inquisitively."

Quinten nods "she's a good sort is our Colonel but she can be stern when she needs to be"

Flaxpaw nods, finishing off the soup. "Thought I'd be in trouble before, but she let me stay. Had no idea I could be more nervous 'bout meeting an officer than I was when I met her."

Quinten smiles "She has that affect on recruits, especially if she gives us the ye"

Flaxpaw sits thoughtfully, then asks "Major Jerril's harsh, then?

Quinten nods "He can be, especially when it comes to recruits who break the rules"

Flaxpaw flinches slightly at that reminder, and sets her jaw "best it's him, then." She nods firmly. "Definitely best that way."

Quinten pats your paw "Make sure you tell him that, that'll maje it not as bad if he knows you wanted him to assign your punishment"

"Not a punishment, a reminder, though he can call it what he will." she says, her voice sad.

Quinten nods sadly and pats your shoulder "Ye'll be fine Flax"

Flaxpaw looks over at Quin "Doin it again, aren't I? Speakin of fights, What were you doin fightin in front of that gel o yours?

Quinten sighs and fiddles with his paws "Oh tha....well see....i was thinking forbidden things about bucks before i got togeter with Gabby, i ad kissed greg a couple of times and he seem to think that meant we were together permanantly"

Flaxpaw nods slowly, "You told me a bit about that, seemed to me you weren't so sure at the time, but anyway, wot about the fighting in front of Gabby?"

Quinten sighs "We were having a good time together when he just came at me, shouting at me and then he threw a punch, had to defend meself"

Flaxpaw asks, "bit of jelousy, huh?"

You say, "Ya....didn't want him to take it out on Gabriel""

Flaxpaw considers him for a moment "An' you're over him, are ye?"

Quinten nods "Yes...i only wish to make Gabby happy"

Flaxpaw says, "Think you're well on the way to that old chap. How'd you meet her? "

You say, "I met her here when she arrived in the mountain, she's here to stay with her Grandpa Ender.""

Flaxpaw nods "Ender seems like a nice chap, bit odd, but a good sort."

Quinten sighs "I wish we could still be friends but that doesn't seem possible at the moment"

Flaxpaw asks, "You an Greg? "

You say, "Yea he doesn't want to talk to me at all, at least not without trying to hit me""

Flaxpaw says, "I think he'll get over that if you give him time. Look, mate, I'll try an talk to him if you want. I kinda understand, I think. "

Quinten smiles "Maybe you can charm him into submission with a smile and a quick wink"

Flaxpaw giggles, and ducks her head " Not me, sah. But I do know a bit 'bout reasoning with oneself. Had a bit of a liking for an older hare a while back, didn't return the feeling." nods "Could've thrown a few punches at that one myself."

Somewhere on the muck, Niveus has connected.

Quinten nos his head "Ye should have done, one thing i have learnt is you must never ever bottle yer feelings up"

Flaxpaw grins "sometimes, it's best. Friendship's a valuable thing, it'd be a shame if you 'n Greg lost yours.

Quinten nods "I think we lost it already"

Flaxpaw lays a paw over yours "Not if you don't want to. Not saying it's easy, but if it's worth it to you, make him understand what happened. Maybe he'll throw a few more punches, an you should be ready for that, but one of you needs to be stronger than that."

Quinten nods and grips your paw "Well i want to do my best to be friends....i know we can get through it"

Flaxpaw nods "you can, an be happy with Gabby at the same time, if that's what you want."

Quinten nods "It is, i think i'm falling for gabby big time"

Flaxpaw smiles, happy for him "You looked to be, the other day."

Quinten blushes and nod s"Ya....still i dread to think what her grandfather will say when he finss out"

Flaxpaw asks, "will he object so much? why? "

Quinten shrugs "He's a bery old, very grouchy rabbit and he doesn'[t like me too much"

Flaxpaw smiles "who wouldn't like you, Quin?

Quinten shakes his head "You have not met Mister Ender, he only seems to like a few beasts, i mean he hates Gabby and yet will defend her as family if he has to"

Somewhere on the muck, Sorrel has reconnected.

Flaxpaw blushes "I met him briefly, and not under circumstances that showed me to advantage. I do see what you mean, though. Well, family, I've been told, want the best for the young 'uns. Show him you are the best for Gabby. "

Quinten nods and grins "Oh i will do, i intend to show that old cranky rabbit i'm perfect for his granddaughter"

Flaxpaw returns his grin "That's the spirit!"

Quinten smirks "I'm already good at wood carving i'm going to try to get him to teach me"

Flaxpaw laughs at his strategy "Hope Gabby hasn't shown him that squirrel."

Somewhere on the muck, Sorrel has disconnected.

Quinten shakes his head "I don't think she has, he's been away to Halyard for a week or so and only just gotten back"

Flaxpaw nods at this information. "In that case, it sounds like a perfect scheme."

Quinten nods "I thought so...soften him up and knock him down wid me charm"

Flaxpaw tilts her head at Quin "say, mate, hate to be a bore, but the ol' arms twingin awful, think I might lay down for a bit more."

Quinten smiles and waves good bye to Flax "You rest well i best get back to class, ,later"

End Log -