Quinten Log 71 - 12 03 2006

Salamandastron: Underground Spring

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

This is a small, circular room with a pool in the middle - the lifeblood

of Salamandastron. This freshwater spring allows the mountain a water

supply in the event of a siege. The spring bubbles up from the center

(and providing a great assistance to bathing: having the water already

warm). A passage leads slightly uphill to the Store Room for easy

transport of water between the two rooms.

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

Flaxpaw slides the dagger through the rapier's handle as she straightens from her lunge, and shakes her head " 's not that, exactly." she sets the blades down on a flat rock a bit away from the spring, taking a very long time to arrange them.

Gregorian doesn't get up from his lent position on the wall just yet, partly blocking the doorway as well, brow still raised "So wot is it exactly?..."

Flaxpaw scuffs her toe, not looking at Greg, and shrugs, looking very much like a leveret who's been caught stealing scones. "Just, well, there're so many hares about right now, an-oh, I'm not sure I ought to be using these." she gestures to the blades, watching the floor carefully.

The door from the store room creaks open and Quinten trundles in carrying a small barrel, he moves towards the spring, not noticing Flaxpaw and Greg

The door from the store room creaks open and Quinten trundles in carrying a small barrel, he moves towards the spring, not noticing Flaxpaw and Greg

Gregorian glances to the blades at the gesture and frowns a tiny bit "This wouldn't 'ave anythin' tah do with yah wantin' tah do somethin' about the vermin would it?.." eyes on

Flaxpaw watching her rather carefully until Quinten then turns up and he quickly looks over to him at the sound of the door opening.

Flax's color transitions from light pink to crimson at Greg's question, and her shoulders slump a bit, but at Quin's enterance she perks up, and offers him a small smile. "Quin! Hello." She sounds rather nervous.

Quinten frowns at the weapons in Flax's paws and nods hello, kneeling down to dunk the barrel in the spring, starting to fill it "Flax, Greg good day"

Gregorian nods to Quinten "Afternoon Quint, er, kitchen duty or something?" does notice Flax's nervousness, isn't saying anything more on the subject though it seems.

Flaxpaw makes sure her blades are really settled on the flat rock where she has set them, then goes over to the spring to sit next to Quinten as he fills his barrel, looking at Greg as though she hopes he'll come over too.

Quinten lifts the barrel back up on the side and shakes his head "No juust finished said i'd fill this up before i went, so what you two doing down here?"

Gregorian doesn't seem to be moving just yet, he's in a lazy lean against the wall sort of mood, not to mention he's sweaty and ash smelling from the forge "Just arrived here myself, we were just havin' a chat is all"

Flaxpaw nods quietly, "I just came down to get away from all the jostling, there're so many hares around, you know."

Quinten smiles at Flaxpaw and nods his head "Ahhh i know that, the kitchens are crowded with hares trying to make off with food, we keep having to throw them out"

Gregorian heads over to the water's edge while they're talking so he can sit and dunk his footpaws in the water.

Flaxpaw lays flat on her stomach, chin on the edge of the spring, and peers in, remarking "Yeah, well, that's why I've been hoarding, only go in one every few days." She grins.

Quinten shakes his head and whaps her ears "Aye well next time you go in expect to be given an ear full, recruits who don't show up for kitchen duty get dressed down big time

Gregorian wiggles his footpaws in the water and leans back so he's half lying on the edge of the pool and propping himself up with his elbows "Oh lay off will yah Quint"

Bandem is roaming about, doing another exploration tour. When he sees hares by the spring, he enters the small chamber. "Hello."

Flaxpaw grins at Greg, her earlier nervousness forgotten. "They c'n add it to the list, if they're payin attention. Officahs seem pretty occupied." She rolles to her side to acknowledge the new arrival with a wave and a smile.

Quinten grins at Greg "Hey just saying what i've heard, i overed heard the chief cook complaining about recruits not turning up"

Gregorian shrugs at Quinten "Well with all the recruits around it's hard tah do anythin' anyway" a glance going to Bandem as he enters and Greg quickly looks away again, eyes on the pool slightly panicked for a moment before he calms himself down.

Bandem sits near the spring. "How are you chaps, wot?"

Quinten smiles at Bandem "Howdy Bandem, nice to see you, we seem to be doing pretty good"

Flaxpaw tenses when she notices Greg's reaction to the buck, but nods at Quin's reply, pretending to go back to peering in the spring while watching Greg carefully out of the corner of her eye. "Lovely spot down here, isn't it? " She remarks.

Gregorian glances at Flaxpaw very quickly, he can sort of tell she's looking or something, eyes staying on the spring the rest of the time "Hm, yes, lovely spot"

Bandem rests a paw lightly on his sabre hilt. "I say, it is nice, although I've only been here once or twice, wot. Water's nice and warm." Bandem has picked up on Greg's slight panic and eyes him rather unhappily.

Gregorian's panic was brief and he seems quite normal again now, well appears normal anyway, watching the spring bubble.

Flaxpaw splashes a bit of water at Quin, and seeing that Greg's calmed down, she pushes herself back up to a sitting position, and stands, drawing a cloth from her pocket. She moves ober to her briefly abandoned blades, and begins to carefully polish them.

Quinten grins at Bandem and shakes his head "Ahhh no matter, anyway how are you finding the over crowded mountain?"

Bandem glances over at Quin. "Well, it seems fine to me, but I want to take a jolly old trip to Halyard to see my Mater and Pater."

Gregorian finally gives a glance back over to watch Bandem leave, shaking his head a little and looking up to the ceiling before he looks over to the others for a moment.

Flaxpaw huhs quietly at Bandem's desire to see his parents, and watches him go pensively. Carefully not looking at Greg, she says, very off-paw sounding, "Say, that reminds me, Greg, you did say your family were otters, didn't you?

Bandem has left.

Quinten smiles after Bandem, calling good luck "I wonder if he can get out? With the lockdown in place it'll be really hard to get out" he looks at Greg "Yes tell us more about these otters"

Gregorian was already uncomfortable and generally going through a cycle of telling his mind to shut up before Flaxpaw speaks and everyone starts looking towards him, he looks over the the doe and looks slightly puzzled for a moment before recognition of what she said hits him and he nods, calming down properly at last "Er yeah, ottahs, wha' yah want tah know?"

Flaxpaw looks a little touchy, she's pretty sure she knows where his mind has been, she sets the dagger down, and begins polishing the rapier, now a bit roughly. She shrugs. " 's interestin."

Quinten grins "You bet it does, i've only ever met one otter and he was some grumopy sea otter so tell us what was it like living with em?"

Gregorian gives Flax a slightly puzzled look, he's a little worried about her, answering Quint though "Well, like anyone else I suppose, they liked swimmin' a lot though and even the grumpy sort lightened up with a bit of ale in em"

Quinten leans forwards "Well did ye end up eating alot of fish?"

Now Flax looks up, an amused smile playing around her mouth, but she looks back down quickly to her blade, as it is pretty new, it's becoming a stretch for her to continue polishing it, so she contents herself with playing with it admiringly, extending her arm to sight down the edge.

Gregorian smirks a little at Quint's question, haha, buck is forgotten again "Tons, tis their main source of food, lucky they have so many ways of making it"

Quinten nods "I bet it'd get rather boring just eating fish wot"

Flaxpaw is still very aware of Greg's reaction to the buck, and as she lowers the blade, she glares toward the exit moodily. "how'd you come to want to join the patrol, Greg? Wouldn't it make sense for you to be a fisher or somethin?" she asks, not looking at him.

Gregorian chuckles at Quinten "Probably but Great Aunt always had a new way of cookin' it, if yah were lucky yah could avoid eatin' it too" he glances over to Flax, a good deal of hesitation in his voice, she looks angry or something...not his fault, she knows about him, can't be mad at him he's not done anything wrong...so why does he still feel bad...darn does

"Er, well 'eard stories, besides, every beast round there was a fishah, come wit' bein' an ottah"

Quinten chuckles and nods "Aye and i ghuess being a hare they'd out strip you in the field of fishing, i'm glad you came to the mountain you'll make a great patroller"

Flaxpaw hears the hesitation in Greg's voice with a flash of regret, and sets the blades back down, standing to go sit by Greg. She curls her feet under her, and reaches over to set her paw on his arm. "yes, I'm glad too."

Gregorian looks a little surprised at Flax...now he's really confused, nodding a little distractedly at what Quinten said "Er right, they would every time..." eyes still on Flaxpaw.

Quinten stands up and brushes off his trousers "Mebbe i should leave you two alone...i think you need to alk wot"

"nonesense, Quin." Flax snaps sharply.

Gregorian looks over to Quinten and opens his mouth about to say something before Flax speaks and Greg decides to keep his mouth shut instead.

Quinten folds his paws "Oh i think i should leave definatly, i don't want to get involved in this"

Flaxpaw asks "in wot, exactly?" an irritable tone in her voice now, although her paw remains resting on Greg's arm.

Quinten looks at the paw then at you both "You two, its quite obvious"

Gregorian has his head turned from Flax and eyes on Quinten, he looks like he'd quite like to be somewhere else right now, does liking him was never a problem that he'd anticipated.

Flaxpaw draws her paw back quickly, looking unhappy. "You know there's no such thing as us two, Quin. You should understand that better than most." She says quietly.

You say, "I do yes, but your making Greg uncomfortable and despite the fact he ates me, i don't want to see him uncomfortable, nor you unhappy""

Gregorian looks between the pair, was less uncomfortable than when they weren't talking about it, small frown starting to form.

Flaxpaw looks as though she's been slapped when Quin finishes, drawing her legs up to her chest, and resting her chin on her knees, staring ahead across the spring. "Won't say I don't know wot you mean." she says flatly. "Haven't been real fair, have I?"

Quinten raises his paws and sakes his head "Not my bussiness" he shrugs out of his tunic, then his trousers and boots, leaving him in his briefs and wades out into the warm spring water and ducks under swimming about

Gregorian glances back to Quinten and after a moment he finds himself staring and quickly shakes his head before looking back to Flaxpaw, frowning a little still, more in a puzzled way though "Fair?"

Flaxpaw glares at Quin's submerged form. "Yeah, fair."

Quinten surfaces some way out and flicks his eyes, stroking back and forth half listening to you both

Gregorian frowns at Flax and goes to tap her on the head to get her paying attention, if he can resist staring at Quinten he's sure she can.

Flaxpaw turns her attention to the floor near Greg, relaxing her legs to cross them, and rotating slightly to face him more than the spring. She looks resigned, but miserable.

Quinten turns onto his back and starts to swim further out, away from you both but still listening

Gregorian attempts to look her in the eyes by ducking down to look up at her "Alright, wot's goin' on?" trying his best to ignore Quinten being there.

Flaxpaw bites her lips, as though trying to keep her mouth shut. "If you don't know, Quin should've kept his mouth shut." She pauses. "But he's right. I'm behavin badly."

Quinten flicks his ears at Flax's words but stays perfectly quiet, not getting involved any more then he has done

Gregorian frowns a little more before he goes to look over to Quinten, a paw pointing towards the door "Go deliver yah watah or somethin'" not keen on having him out of anyone hear anything he's got to say, he looks back to Flaxpaw again "I could a guessed, maybe not believed...I mean why on earth?.."

Flaxpaw blushes, gesturing at him. "You're-" she trails off, and looks over at Quinten, "do come away from the water, Greg." she says, almost asking, and begins to scramble to her feet.

Quinten pads out of the water, he shakes his fur dry, muscular form dripping, he gathers up his clothes and snags a towel from the low shelf they are kept on and wraps it about him "I will be over there" he points to thr far side of the room and walks over, ears flicking and cotton tail poking out flicking rapidly

Gregorian pulls himself up and goes to follow Flax, footpaws leaving little puddles and a short glance going back to Quin as he hears him.

Flaxpaw judges Quin to be far enough away, and turns back to Greg, keeping her voice low. "I know I shouldn't, knowin what I do, but, well, I do, an I know Quin's right, if I can't stop it I shouldn't show it in front of you." She looks thoroughly embarassed, and shrugs a little. "Can't help how i feel Greg, but I promise I'll try to keep it to myself. Forgive me?"

Quinten hums softly so he won't hear anything and admires the far wall as he dries off slowly

Gregorian glances to Quinten to make sure he's not looking their way before he looks back to

Flaxpaw, frown's gone and a small smirk is in it's place "Ah if yah were a buck you'd be just perfect, pity and too bad for me"

Flaxpaw shakes her head, smiling a little. "If I was a buck, you'd knock me on my tail for being stupid, sah." Her tone is light, though she's still interested in the floor.

Quinten has gone quiet now just leaning agiant the wall and looking back at you both quietly

Gregorian chuckles very lightly and goes to move a paw so he can try to gently move her head up to look up rather than down, could look little odd from a distance maybe "Now I think we know that's not true"

Flaxpaw allows him to raise her head, and meets his eyes, a soft smile on her lips. "no?" she seems a little amused at herself. "You're a good beast, Greg." She leans in to plant a light kiss on his muzzle. "Now, then, that's settled. I've blades that want looking after." She turns to the rock with the weapons on it.

Quinten eyes those weapons again from afar, how did she get them, recruits are not issued with real weaposn until they graduate to a certain level of training, and he wasn't aware she had gotten that far, especially not so soon."

Gregorian smiles faintly and returns his paws out the way to cup them together behind his back before he really pays attention and gives the weapons a glance "So just wot are yah plannin' on doin' with those?"

"Have them re-balanced. they're definitely made for a larger hare." She replies, looking to Quin, and calling "I'm behaving now, mate, c'mon back."

Quinten walks back at Flaxpaw's call and moves to pick up the stiltto dagger of hers "I didn't know you'd been awarded yer actual weapons Flax, who gave em to ye? well done Flax"

Gregorian looks almost peachy right now "Re-balancing? Well I wouldn't mind seein' how that's done"

Flaxpaw grins at Greg "Me neither, but that chap I was talking to the other day said he knew how to do it." She turns to Quin, her face closed. "Don't say anything,

Flaxpaw grins at Greg "Me neither, but that chap I was talking to the other day said he knew how to do it." She turns to Quin, her face closed. "Don't say anything, Quin, just pretend you didn't see 'em, ok?"

Quinten frowns at Flaxpaw "Sorry Flax can't do that, if your not meant to have been issued em i got to tell someone, Greg'll agree if your going to do someting stupid with them...your my friend Flax put em back"

Wother looks silently in from the door before entering quietly. nodding a greeting to the beasts gathered.

Gregorian gives Flaxpaw a glance but the arrival of Wother distracts him after that and he looks over in the hare's direction, small nod given to him.

Flaxpaw's voice raises a bit "who says I'm goin to do somethin stupid? Oh, Quin, wot's it matter? You weren't there...." She trails off as she notices the buck who has just entered, actually trying to hide the blades behind her back. "Evenin, sah." she says pleasantly, hoping for a way out of the conversation.

Quinten sighs and moves nearer to Flax and looks at Greg "I heard wot Greg said earlier about you planning something, give em over Flaxpaw" beseeching Greg to back him up on this

Wother smiles looking at each individual hare "Good evening" he begins walking further in.

He easily notices Flaxpaw hold her arms behind her back "wot you got there?"

Gregorian sighs faintly and turns to look at Flax, not going to say it but eyes have definite look of may as well give them up.

Flaxpaw sizes the new arrival up, and concludes he doesn't seem to be an officer. She takes a step back from Quin, replying to Wother first, "Nothin as interestin as all this, old chap." Her jaw sets stubbornly as she looks from Quin to Greg. " 's not your concern, mate." She adresses Quin, then laughs humorlessly. "C'mon now, we're on lock down. wot do you really think I'm goin to do? dash off to challenge him with the entire bloddy mountain full to burstin?"

Quinten looks at Wother and nods a hello to him then looks back at Flaxpaw "The lockdown will end sooner rather then later and then i have a feeling you'll be off," he takes a deep breath, he really doesn't want to do this but he really should.... "She has some weapons Private sah, weapons she removed from the armoury without being issued em sah, she's just a recruit."

Wother shrugs lifting his longbow higher up on his shoulder "Well now, i'd put 'em back if i were you" he stretches his arms above his head "why, may i ask, are you all gathered here?"

Gregorian takes a step forwards towards Flaxpaw at her step back so she never gets further away from him, doesn't seem to be much paying attention to the other two, just Flax.

Flaxpaw glares at Quin, unaware of Greg moving toward her, and looks stubborn. "With all due respect, sah, see no reason to give 'em up." She ignores the second question, shaking now.

"They're for practice, sah, those wood swords just don't have the right feel." She seems to be daring Quinten to contradict her.

Quinten shakes his head "You already admitted tose swords are the wrong weight Flaxpaw, a practice weapon can be made to the exact same weight as the real thing, do you really think an officer is going to buy that?"

Wother looks at flaxpaw with an amused smile "i think you'd better hand those weapons to me"

Gregorian tilts his head at her and looks a little sorry, moving one paw to hold it out towards her "Flax, come on, this is just causing trouble"

Flax' eyes fill with tears as she looks from Greg to Quin, and whispers, "You weren't there, you don't uderstand." Then louder, "Won't give them to the two of you" She nods, stepping to the side, and striding quickly to Wother, she sets them on the ground. "Sah." She salutes him as she steps back.

Quinten sighs as he looks at her "An if you go after him you won't come back to us, yer just a recruit and that wild cat has killed more hares then i can count" he looks at Wother and salutes "Well Private sah if ye will excuse me"

Wother leans down and picks picks the weapons up tucking them neatly into his belt. He nods to quinten and looks back to flaxpaw "i won't report you for these, but i don't want to catch you with un-issued weapons again, understand?"

Gregorian looks worriedly at Flaxpaw but just keeps quiet for now, a small perk of the ear going to Quinten as he mentions the wildcat.

Quinten looks at Flax paw again and then moves to pick up the barrel of water he filled up earlier, moving back towards the store room door, still damp ears flicking, cotton tail wriggling from side to side. Great first greg hates him and now Flax hates him and he was just doing the right thing.

Flaxpaw pauses a very long time before replying to Wother, avoiding looking at her fellow recruits. "Please, sah, can't I just keep the daggah? I won't use it, I promise, just keep it down here. An if you issued it, it wouldn't be unissued, would it, sah?"

Wother smiles at her "better ask a higher officer, but i'm afraid i have'nt been introduc of you, i am Runner Wother james P Longpaw" he begins for the door "but now i'm off to drop these of at the armoury

Flaxpaw shakes her head, looking after Wother mutinously.

Quinten smiles at Wother and wiggles his ears "Recruit Quinten Taran Marben Teno Aluioscious Tof'marole Delmenare, pleasure to meet you Private but if you will excuse me" he heads throgh the door and into the store room to get rid of the water barrel and then go grab something to eat

End Log -