Quinten Log 85 - 30 03 2006

Salamandastron: Recreation Room

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

The recreation room for the army of the Longpatrol. Here soldiers come

to relax after a hard day's work and the officers come for a game of cards

or a quick drink by the fire. The room is quite large, having to deal with

a lot of hares at one time. Along one wall there is a large worktop with

some cuhsioned stools lining one side of it. On the other side of the

worktop there stand many kegs and bottles, lined so that they can be

easily opened by someone standing on the inside of the bar but well out

of reach of the rowdy hares on the other side. There are a few woollen

cloths on the bar and mats in front of each stool. The next thing nearest to

the bar are the round tables, each with 4 chairs around and a lantern in

the middle of each one. There are a couple of slightly larger oval tables

with 8 seats around, obviously for larger crowds. The other end of the room

is littered with armchairs, comfortable armchairs, each pair with a small

table in between. The armchairs are near the fire, used to heat the

room and provide extra comfort for the relaxing soldiers.

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Quinten is sat at a table writing in a notebook, a clear glass at his

elbow filled with orange juice and a plate of pastries in front of him"

Gabriel has been sitting in a far corner for a while, and after a few

minutes she raises her head, blinking sleepily. She notes Quinten and

stands, stretches, and walks over to him.

Quinten looks up and smiles "Hey Gabby i didn't see you there...pastry"

he holds out the plate to her

Gabriel shakes her head at the proffered food and sits next to the

hare, snuggling up against him and sighing contentedly.

Quinten slides an arm about her waist and pulls her in close and rests

his head on her ears "You ok dear? you have seemed despondent these

last few days"

Gabriel pushes against him slightly, nuzzling into his neck before

sighing and closing her eyes. "Quin...I don't know why I'm here." She's

trying to hide something, it is obvious.

Quinten blinks "Wha....your here....with me....and errr you came to

find a home"

Gabriel stops her incessant sighing and looks up at him. "I've heard

about a trip, Quin." She's speaking quietly, barely loud enough to even

be heard.

Quinten nods his head "Supposedly a load of recruits are going to

Redwall with Major Jarril"

Gabriel's eyes light up when Quinten speaks, but almost immediately

dull again. "Quin, I want to..." She sniffs loudly, and a few tears fall

from her eyes. "I want to go there."

Quinten catches the tears on his paw and wipes them away "you...want to

go to Redwall, will you come back...back to me.."

Gabriel takes the hare's paw and kisses it lightly. "I do want to go.

And...I..." She almost chokes on her words, and begins to cry a bit

harder. "I don't know if I'll come back." THe rabbit begins to wail,

looking at him, praying this won't ruin their relationship. She calms

for a moment. "Can you come? Or...or move there when you're a fighter?"

Quinten is trying to hold back the tears welling up in his eyes "I....i

can't come...only second year...students near the end...of their

training can go....on the programme...and and.....when i'm a fighter....i'll

be assigned to a patrol here...."

Gabriel kisses his cheek, trying to do whatever she can to keep him

from crying. "Ask the Major. Maybe you can go? Just for the trip...or,

or something? I don't want to leave you, Quin. I don't!"

Quinten's ears pin back and he sniffles "I...think...i might be allowed

to go along...on the trip there to see the recruits off.....but i can't

stay...i'm too young and only juust started my training they'll never

let me....gabby don't leave me please...tell me what to do....please"

Gabriel wraps her arms around the hare's neck, trying to get some sort

of affection from him, anything to make her feel better. "You're not

too young! Tell them how much you want to, er, need to! There's

nothing you can do. I don't...don't like it here."

Quinten sighs and hangs his head "Why....what..have i done to make you

want to leave...gabbby...they won't let me go i know it"

Gabriel pulls Quinten's head up so he's looking at her. "Quin, you're

the only reason I'd ever want to stay here. You're the one thing I

love about this place. I do love you." She looks at him, brows creased,

looking ready to cry again.

Quinten shivers and kisses her "I love you...but please...i don't want

you to stay and be miserable....go if you have to...but

they'll/.....never...let me go...with them..."

Gabriel really can't stand this, and her face begins to quiver again.

"I'll speak to the Colonel! I'll /make/ her let you come with me,

Quin!"

Quinten grips her paws and then can't hold back any longer, burying his

muzzle in her shoulder he starts to sob

Gabriel hugs him close, rubbing her muzzle in his neck fur, also

sniffling, tears streaming. "We'll be together again, Quin. We'll be

together forever."

Quinten sobs harder at that clinging to her "Please...don't go....i

love you....i i don't want to was out the programme but if...i'm to go to

the abbey...i think that is....all they'll accept....i'm not old

enough....or far enugh along...to go"

Gabriel isn't about to let this go, she needs some kind of closure.

"Well...how long until you graduate, Quin? If you can't come with me

now...maybe later? To run the base out there, maybe?"

Quinten sniffs "I....wanted to try for...recorder here......and they'd

not...let a raw recruit out to the 67th patrol...."

Gabriel looks at him, lips wobbling a little as the tears start to

slow. "Who d'you want to be with more, Quin..." She sniffs, not liking to

make him make a choice. "Me, or the Patrol?"

Quinten sniffs and wipes his nose "Tha/....is cruel...dont make me

choose....i want to be with you...i love you....i wnt to grow old together

so we can be as crotchy as Ender together...but...i...want to be in tha

patrol....i promise them...i'd do good"

"Quin...I understand that the Patrol is where you belong." Prolonged

sigh. "I don't know where I belong. But not here." Gabriel wipes away

a tear on his cheek. "I don't want to leave you, though."

Quinten has sagged rigt down "you....if...you don't belong here....how

can...we be together.....your gonna leavbe me aren't you"

Gabriel shakes her head adamantly. "Even though...even if I'm not

here...we'll still love each other. I'll come back here...maybe when you

graduate. Could you...live...somewhere...no, no you couldn't." Gabby

sighs...this isn't going well.

Quinten sniffles and just sits there silently now crying, tears

dripping of fhis black muzzle "I...might get the 67th...but then...i'd never

get to come home and.....be a proper patroller...."

Now a little put off, hoping for some more support than she has

received, Gabriel stands. "I love you, Quin. It seems you love being a

patroller more than me." She puts a paw to her mouth, surprising even

herself with this proclamation. "...I didn't mean it, Quinten..."

Quinten blinks and raises a paw to hers and stands up wrapping his arms

about her "Give me the wrod....tell me to come with you and

i'll....quit right now...i love you Gabby....i...got noting else i can do in te

world if i quit...bt i'd get to be with you"

Gabriel really can't decide, and her face shows it as she puts her head

on Quinten's chest, sniffing loudly, almost crying again, her tears

nearly all wept. "I don't know that I want you to do...you can't stop

here...that's not fair for your future..."

Quinten strokes a paw over her ears and sighs "I don't know what to

do....what do i do..."

Gabriel is quiet now, having nothing left. She told him, that's enough

for now. "We still have...a couple weeks..."

Quinten sighs and sags back onto the bench "What....are we gonna do

Gabby..."

Gabriel doesn't sit again. "We can do whatever we want, now. Let's

have fun...while we can..."

Quinten smiles albeit a bit tremously "Ok....uhm...what shall we do?"

Gabriel shrugs, not really sure, emotionally drained. "What do you

like to do? I know you like helping other beasts in the infirmary...or

having nice meals together...or just cuddling together...or something..."

Somewhere on the muck, Flaxpaw has connected.

Quinten smiles and blushes "Could we....share a sauna? maybe.....i

could help comb out your fur"

Gabriel gives him a Look, the usual look with such suggestions. "You

could comb out my fur, but I think my modesty prevents me from doing

much more." She coughs and also blushes.

Quinten's ears turn bright red "Wha....more.....we're not..married yet

Gabby" he flounders and flaps a paw embarassed

Gabriel gives him a little shove. "I meant the sauna." She giggles

and flushes a brighter red, her whole head looking ready to burst. "Um.

What were we doing?"

Quinten smiles and kisses her "Being stupid gabby...i love you and

nthing will ever stop me from being with you...come on...lets go pilfer

something to eat and hide out in the underground spring"

Gabriel looks pleased at this suggestion. "You pick out what to eat.

You always choose the most wonderful things."

Quinten grins and takes her paw "Ok then come with me, i know just what

to gert"

Salamandastron: Kitchens

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

The kitchens of Salamandastron are the center of much activity, charged

with feeding all the inhabitants of the mountain. Countless cooks in

white apronsscurry about, brushing hurriedly past the obviously

uninvited non-culinary hares. Food is everywhere! Some tables, covered in

flour, fruit juice, and cutting boards, are apparently used for food

preparation, while on others sit cooling cakes, well-tossed salads, and other

finished products. Though the numerous ovens occupy the side of the room

farthest from the door, their combined heat is enough to substantially warm the

whole room and all its occupants. And with the heat come the scents,

as the aromas of various foods, spices, and seasonings waft around the

room, enough to tempt even the most stoic beast.

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Quinten leads the way into the kitchens, sidling around the edge with a

purposeful stride, meant to be here, don't interupt....that is wat it

says

Gabriel idles at the door, waiting. She looks sad...but kind of

excited.

Quinten snags a tray and loads it with various things from the tables

and then before anyone can shout hustles you through the store-room door

"Come on quick"

Gabriel grins and follows, eyes drying up fairly well, considering the

sad scene she just went through.

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.

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Quinten shuts the door behind us and leads you out across the cavern

and to the other side of the circular pool "Easy so my Gabby." he turns

and kisses her "I love you and i will do anything to make you appy"

Gabriel kisses him back, hugging him with one arm. "Me, too, Quin.

Let's not think about the future, hm? Today is now."

Quinten smiles happily and kisses her again then sits down and pats the

stone next to him "yes lets"

Gabriel sits as well and looks at him mischeviously. "Remember when we

first got together? And we went in that cave?" She suddenly remembers

something and sighs. "I hate the lockdown."

Quinten shifts from left to right "I....know a way to get to that cave

Gabby...." he blushes and presses a pastry into her paws, filled with

cream

Gabriel looks mildly intrigued, but doesn't want to cause /more/

problems. She eats the pastry, letting him decide.

Quinten shifts and moves to look down into the water as he eats his own

pastry "Its in this very room....a passage out of the mountain to the

cave Gabby...i found a mention of it in the book i was reading...an the

rhyme too....i managed to solve it"

Gabriel looks at him, suspicious for an instant, then deciding he is

sincere. "Really?! You're a smart one, Quin."

Quinten shuffles and lowers his ears "How...do you think...Mister

Quincy...got out..."

Gabriel suddenly sits bolt upright and looks at him. "He let you

/help/ him? But...then he's gone, right?" She looks a bit happier, a smile

playing around her lips.

Quinten smiles and nods "He wanted to leave...that was the best thing i

could think of, i had solved the riddle the other day and well...i

showed him how to get out" he takes your paw "Please don't let anyone

know...i'll be in so much trouble"

Gabriel shrugs, squeezing his paws. "Well that's nice!" She chirps,

eating another bite of pastry. "O'course I won't tell anyone."

Quinten smiles and kisses her neck and offers her a small bowl filled

with tiny black things "Try an olive from the deep south"

Gabriel looks at them suspiciouly before trying one and almost gagging.

"These are...good?" She looks at him, wondering if it is a joke.

Quinten smiles and helps himself to one "Glad you like them, they stuff

them with nuts and cheese too, try a green one"

Gabriel looks at him and giggles. "Wouldn't say I quite /like/ 'em.

But." Just for the sake of adventure, she tries another, this time

screwing up her face and shivering.

Quinten chuckles and leans in "Hmmm what did it have in it? Cheese? An

almond?" he picks up another and eats it himself

Gabriel isn't really sure. "Something slimy and...maybe I could learn

to like these, hmm?"

Quinten chuckles and kisses her neck again "Well they are nice but take

a while to get used to them"

"I guess so." She eats another, still making a face as she chews. "So

when did Ender leave?"

You say, "The day before yesterday, and even if someone finds him and

makes him come back...he can leave again, now he knows the way""

Gabriel looks at Quinten. "Think someone will? I thought Greg may

have. Didn't want him to. But maybe something happened to the old

buffoon." She doesn't seem too upset at this possibility.

Quinten chuckles "Who can tell, he's your family"

Gabriel shrugs, not pleased with this being pointed out. "Right.

Whatever."

Quinten chuckls and licks one of her long floppy rabbit ears "Hmmm here

tryone of these" he holds up a rounf of crisp bread drizzled in oil

Gabriel is almost full, not really wanting to gorge herself. She takes

the bread a bit distastefully, looking down at her stomach before

taking a bit and grunting in approval around a mouthful of crumbs.

Quinten strokes your ears softly, enjoying their silky texture "Did

you..want to see the tunnel and the cave?"

Gabriel shakes her head. "We'll only get in trouble. I'm fine right

here."

Quinten smiles and nods his head "Ok then Gabbya nd we'll only get in

trouble if someone catces us"

You page, "*snugs close*" to Flaxpaw.

Gabriel chuckles and pokes him in the side, hard. "Don't want to risk

it. I'm not a great fighter like you, Quin."

Quinten blushes and shuffles "Not..that much of a fighter"

Gabriel laughs even more, the rec room entirely forgotten, for now.

"Well, an adventurer, then. I live inside the rules, hm?"

Quinten chuckles and shuffles and holds up an arm, black fur blending

in with the gloom "I guess your right Gabby i do kinda like to get stuck

in and imvolved"

Gabriel also notes the darkness and how he blends in, vaguely

impressed. "There's one small difference, hm? Nothing too big." She's done

eating, and snugs close to him.

Quinten boffs softly and holds er close to him "Oh whats that

difference then dear?"

Gabriel puts her paws, folded together, on his chest, snuggling closer

comfortably. "You like risks. Maybe you can get me to, too, one day."

Quinten grins and nibbles at the tip of one of her ears "I like safe

risks.....i dont ever really do anything really dangerous"

Gabriel prods his chest a little. "But you're going to be a warrior.

You'll be in battles 'n things."

Quinten shuffles "Your right there.....still thats some time off"

Gabriel stops picking at his clothes and closes her eyes, murring

softly. "And I'll be there...with you."

Quinten blushes and kisses her lips gently "And i'll be by your side

whenever you need me"

Gabriel doesn't speak, enjoying the feeling of him next to her, sighing

softly.

Quinten rests his head on her shoulder and starts stroking her ears

"And one day...i'll be brave enough to ask you to marry me..."

Gabriel laughs through her nose, short bursts of air. She whispers;

"And maybe I'll be brave enough to say yes, hmm?"

Quinten chuckles and kisses her nose and then wriggles his "Maybe, and

then you'll have to track me down and drag me out of hiding ass the

nerves kick in and i dive for cover"

Gabriel giggles aloud, enjoying the look at the future. "Things'll be

just right, then, hm? We'll be together, 's all that matters."

Quinten nods and squeezes her "And even if we have to spend some time

apart we'll still be together"

Gabriel gasps with surprise and grins joyously. "Of course!" She sits

up and throws her arms around him. "Thanks for understanding..."

Gabby whispers, voice slightly muffled from his fur.

Quinten blushes and just wraps his paws around her waist and presses

his nose into her fur "I am your hare Gabriel.."

Gabriel is feeling much better, now. She stays in this position,

smiling.

Quinten snuffles through her neck fur lightly and chuckles "Hmmm rabbit

fur smells so nice"

Gabriel laughs a little, too. "I cleaned myself up before I took a nap

in the rec room...getting ready to tell you."

Quinten nods his head and chuckles "So with you gone....and Major

Darklett taking a personal interest in me.....whose gonna keep me in check"

Gabriel shakes her head. "'m sure the Colonel will. Or Greg or Flax.

They're all nice."

Quinten chuckles "Nah got greg and flax wrapped around my ear"

Gabriel huhs before moving away from him. "I'm a bit drained...gonna

go have another nap, believe it or not."

Quinten chuckles and stands up helping her to his feet "Ok Gabby, you

rest up well and i'll surprise you with dinner in a couple of hours"

Gabriel nods at him and walks towards the door, blowing a kiss.

Somewhere on the muck, Darklett has connected.

Quinten smiles and waves his ears after her then pads towards the door

as well

End Log -