03:39 AM

Mossflower Woods

The woods are dense here, but for a well-hidden path that snakes through the underbrush. The trees sway softly in a light breeze, and you hear the sounds of the forest all around you. Dappling shadows and patches of light dance across the forest loam, formed by the intricately interwoven canopy above. To the east, the woods seem still denser, darker, and far more intimidating.

Exits: [T]unnel, [W]est, [S]outh, [N]orth

Earblade hops out of a hole that suddenly appears where a strange rock had been a second before.  Just as he gets out of the hole, it snaps shut behind him.

Sitting on one of the fallen logs within the forest.  Jarril has one of his long footpaws pulled up to the chest as his right arm holds onto it, while munching on a red apple with his left paw.  Wriggling his ears about slightly to the sounds from all around him, the major wipes his moist lips and swallows.

Earblade steps outside of the tunnel, clicking his back as he does so. "Argh" he moans as he runs his back sorely, staggering a few steps away from the entrance, "Bloomin' short types making darned tunnels for short chappies" he grumbles to himself. He looks up and grins, "Ah, well if it ain't Jarril me old buddy, bin a while". after this statement he slowly plods over to where Jarrils is seated and places himself on the log next to him, sighing as he relaxes.

Marleigh hops out of a hole that suddenly appears where a strange rock had been a second before.  Just as she gets out of the hole, it snaps shut behind her.

Jarril shifts the apple to the other paw as he watches Ear with his only eye.  "Aye, been a while."  Taking another bite and continuing on while chewing softly.  "Then again, remind me but ain't ya supposed ta be dead or something?"  Stuffing the cork into his mouth, the hare grins a bit more mischievously as he swallows that as well.  "Or did we get lost?"

Earblade laughs at the young hare's comment, "Dead? Why m'boy, you really haven't been listening to the fighters who say they just can't get rid of me whatever they do. It's true yaknow, y'reckon I'm dead but no, I'll just wander outta the woods with a beer and give yer a smack, jus' as I usually would". Earblade grins mischeviously as Jarril takes this in and gives him a swift clip on the back of his head, "See? Think I've gone off with the fairies and no, back to haunt ya" He chuckles and reaches for the hipflask in his pocket, unscrewing it and taking a wee tibble just to keep him going.

Emerging from the tunnel, cloaked and hooded, is the young doe Marleigh. She spots the other two and highly conciders going back in. She needed fresh air, and found that interaction with other hares resulted in her either angry or crying. Her emotions were on high wire and she didn't understand why. She put on her best smile and looked at them. "'Ello."

Jarril rubs the back of his head with a paw and smiles.  "Ah well, then it's lost then."  Looking around he spots the doe and smiles at her.  "Good day ta ya miss."  Getting up from the log.  "Care ta sit down and rest those paws?"  Moving to the side, if only to get a bit away from Ear and anymore clips behind the head.

Earblade stops mid-swig of his flask, peering at the young doe emerging from the tunnel. He chokes slightly and puts the hipflask away. He glances as Jarril as he greets the young hare and invites her over, "Aye lass, the more the merrier an all that" he adds, moving the opposite direction from Jarril and patting the space in between them, not noticing the reason why Jarril moved away. He smiles disarmingly, "Come, join. Don't worry, we're all off duty here"

Shaking her head, Marleigh smiles. "No thank you. I was off ta get some air. It's bloody stuffy in the Infirmitory." She looked down at the ground beneath her paws. What in the world was wrong with her? She was usually so happy and social, now she just wanted people to leave her alone.

Jarril nods and sits back down again, reaching to pick at a dry stalk of grass and places it into his mouth and chews softly, keeping quiet.  After a few moments, he pulls it out and speaks softly.  "Nothing wrong I hope?"  Looking at Marleigh after giving the matter some thought.

Jarril nods and sits back down again, reaching to pick at a dry stalk of grass and places it into his mouth and chews softly, keeping quiet.  After a few moments, he pulls it out and speaks softly.  "Nothing wrong I hope?"  Looking at Marleigh after giving the matter some thought. *repose*

Earblade raises an eyebrow at the haremaid's response, he gives Jarril a quizzical look then glances back to Marleigh with a frown. "Aye, Does look like you're troubled in some way, anything we can do to help m'dear?" he asks, a slight look of concern crossing his features. He takes another swig from his flask to clear his senses, or not as some would have him believe, and sighs. He leans back, expecting a tree to be behind him to lean on, after a moment of embarrasing arm flailing he realises the tree is a foot or two to the right, where he originally sat. He retakes the position and leans back happily.

Marleigh shakes her head and tries to get a convincing smile. "'M fine. I've just been in there for a long time, needed a tad bit of fresh air. Nothing wrong..." Thinks to herself, 'I hope.' She smiles at them again. "I'm Marleigh, by tha way."

Jarril nods his head slowly while placing the stalk back into his mouth and chewing it.  "Ah, which patrol are ya under then?"  Scratching his cheek for a moment.  "I don't think ya under my patrol or the name would've rang a bell, eh wot."  Pulling the stalk back out again, he smiles.  "Major Jarril Black Fleetpaw at ya service."  Bowing his ears down slightly before springing them back up.  "Best runner in the patrol, wot."

Earblade smiles with a bit of a chuckle, "I know who y'are lass, t'was always my job to know who everyone is. Used to train most of the hares that joined the group, gave me a bit of a knack for knowing the new recruits and wotnot. Then after a while I had'ta do the paperwork the the new ones and all the boring stuff. Basically, if you're in the patrol, I'll know who y'are... unless you appear when I'm on one of m'jaunts of course." He chuckles to himself glancing at Jarr, "Or 'dead' of course, if you'll believe these worrying types, reckoning a hare can't look after himself. He raises an eyebrow at Jarr's claim to fame, "Best runner in the patrol are we now?" he says with a grin, "News to me matey".

Marleigh giggles slightly. "Pleasure to meet you. Oh, I'm in Rahier's patrol." She nods slightly. "Healer." She laughs to herself, it was her way of keeping from bursting into tears for no reason.

Jarril just grins back at Ear and nods his head.  "Well, I've been training hard and left other runners behind."  The stalk moving about in his mouth as he talks.  "Blame me for practising so hard all the time.  The major not mentioning the times he got told off by Colonel Zoe about working too much and not relaxing enough.

Earblade laughs at Jarril makes another claim, "Yaknow, I'm pretty sure Zoe was complaining about you being far too lazy, a positive wastrel. Disgraceful really" he says with a shake of his head and a mischievious wink aimed at Marleigh. "Ah, good t'see so many healers about these days. Hardly any about a while ago, we were in a tight spot really, looked like the art of healing was about to disappear from the patrol all together. But no, luckily enough the trade picked up again and we're all sorted. Good eh?"

Jarril huffs and flicks his ears about irritably, replying back to Ear coldly.  "I do my duties ta the best that I can, sah."  Turning his head away and pondering pushing his limit up from now on.  Taking a deep breath.  "Aye, glad that they were or I never have had this eye of my taken out, even though it pains me some days."

Marleigh looks at him. "What happened to it?" She felt nosey, so kill her. She wasn't always, but as long as he was talking about it, what was the harm in asking. She felt like crying again. 'Don't do it Mar, don't cry.' She held back the tears.

Jarril smiles slightly.  "Ah, just a young fool of a hare who kept sending insults ta a leader of a sea corsair gang of vermin.  We eventually met during the last battle."  Looking down to the grass, while pulling the stalk back out of his mouth.  "Thought I could handle it but my close combat fighting isn't the best, doncha know.  Ended up getting hurt and he slashed my eye open with a throwing blade.  The healer in my patrol eventually had ta burn it out and sew it up.  Was a tough lesson ta learn really in knowing what my abilities actually were."  Looking up, he smiles at Marleigh.  "But that's in the past, I am alive and glad for it as well.  I just see it as a battle wound now, that's all.  Besides the black eye patch looks spiffingly good on me, wot."

Marleigh nods. "Sounds bloody and painful. Two things...that I do not like." She shivers. "You would think with me being a healer I would be able to put up with the sight of blood, not so, rather makes me feel like passing out." She shrugs. "I guess I'll just have ta learn. Won't I?" She laughs slightly.

Earblade takes a swig from his hipflask, wot with it being a while since his last and looks towards Marleigh, a serious glint in his eye. "Yes m'dear, you'll have to learn the sight of it, but not so much as those on the front line. Wot of those who must see their friends cut down, have to face their enemies and look them in the eye, knowing that these beasts would see their loved ones dead. Surely those that have to face that fear need to be backed up by those willing to overcome their own fears to help them, they need the knowledge that the offices are directing the battle intelligently, the runners are passing urgent messages to the best of their ability and, most importantly, the healers can overcome their fears to help those who are hurt in the line of duty. Its a lot to ask a gal, but its a lot to ask the rest of the patrol. As long as you're doing your best, we're all glad to have the help"

Marleigh shivers slightly. "I'd rather stay here...I don't know if I could be on the front line. Seeing my family be hurt during fight." She shakes her head. "I wouldn't be able to do it."

Jarril takes a deep breath.  "No one wants ta see death and that sort of destruction, miss."  Looking straight at Marleigh's eyes.  "Even I don't want ta see it but sometimes someone has ta do what has ta be done at the time, if only ta protect the innocent or young ones from harm."  Smiling more.  "If there was such a thing as peace all over then I would take it but sometimes things do happen and I rather stand there ready ta defend peace and safety for all and let those continue ta have it, instead of falling foul of those that wish ta destroy it."  The majors eye show a lot of determination behind the look.  "Don't think everyone wants ta fight, sometimes it's the only last resort that has ta be done.  I never regret doing what I did ta protect those that couldn't fight for their freedom or for their peaceful lives.  Not ever."

Earblade sighs, "Sad talk for such a night though, and besides. There comes a time in a hares life when he finds that he's fought for freedom for his life and gotten so far, but is not one for fighting anymore, best leave that to the young'uns an all." He looks between the two hares and grins, "Basically you've got to put up with things you don't like, work hard to overcome the difficulties, fears and any other obstacles in your way and eventually you'll get old enough to retire, by which time you'll be able to sit back and tell people to get over their difficulties as if it was that easy. Fun hey?" He adds with a wink.

Jarril gives Ear a wink.  "Well, some may not want ta end up as old as ya, then again I probably end up thinking the same way if I ever get ta be your age."

Marleigh nods slightly, looking around her. "Well I should be heading back in now. Must get back to what I was doing. "She smiles at the two of them. "Nice meeting ya." She turns and walks back into the tunnel and off to the Infirmitory.