08:14 PM
Logfile from Redwall Muck Jarril.

Leaning on the big desk in front of the room, Jarril carries on talking as he looks about the room from time to time.  "And so, since we've gone through the basic's of beach landscapes I am going ta move onto inland, especially the wood and forest areas.  Anyone at all can tell me why it is more dangerous than being in the open while stuck within a dense forest?"

Dandelion perks up an ear and looks up, and his arm jerks up - but then he changes his mind and takes it down again, trying to look inconspicuous.

Terrance sits quietly as he listens from his seat about halfway back from the desk. The fighter recruit ponders this then slowly puts a paw in the air.

Jarril looks at Terrance and nods.  "Ah Terrance, care ta give it a shot then?"

Terrance stands and says, "Yes sah. Because if there's any enemy hidden in tha vegetation, they can see you easy but you can't see them, sah?"

Dandelion glances over at Terrance, and then back down at his feet, tugging the one of his ears which is hanging down.

Jarril nods.  "Partially true.  Both sides won't be able ta see much in a dense vegetation area hence more care has ta be taken care while inside these areas.  Hence..."  The major turns around and picks up a scroll, unravelling it.  "The patrol has ta change it's formation while inside such a dense area.  As ya can see we usually have two runnah's up in front as scouts.  These are there ta make sure that the way ahead is clear.  The main part of the patrol is in the middle while another pair of runnah's and fightah stay ta the rear.  So what's the purpose of the hares in the rear?"

Again with that spasm in the arm. Dandelion's arm goes in the air again, and this time it stays there, albeit a little hesitantly.

Jarril grins and looks at Dandelion.  "Ah, willing ta answer this time Dandelion, go on then?"  The hare rolls up the scroll as he waits for the answer.

Terrance takes his seat with a nod and then keeps his arm down on this one.

Quinten has arrived.

"Uh..." Dandelion takes his hand down and pauses for a while to gather his thoughts. "Uhm... Reinforcements, sah?" he squeaks.

The door slides open and a head peers around it into te room, tousled hair, sleepy eyed and eats flat down his back, its Quinten

Jarril nods.  "Ya getting a bit ahead there, but that is one of the reasons..."  He places the scroll down on the table and carries on ta speak.  "The main task of the rear is ta make sure that there is no evidence that the patrol has passed through that part of the wood or forest.  Yaz do not wish ta have a enemy tracking behind ya, however, if that happens, there is a way around it.  We move ta dealing with enemy trackers.  Ya may want ta write down notes as well as ya be tested on this in the final exam patrol later on..."

Terrance hms and takes the parchment and piece of coal he was using earlier. Hearing the door he looks back to Quinten as do most of the other recruits when he enters and smirks, a few others quietly chuckling as they look back to Jarril, waiting to see what he does.

Dandelion looks around to see who entered, and begins to try to smooth out his ears at the same time. As he notices it's Quinten he stops the pruning, trying to masquerade the gesture as a greeting, and then turns back to the front.

Jarril grins.  "Nice of ya ta join us Quinten, sorry that this class was scheduled so early in the morning ta interrupt ya beauty sleep.  Please sit down, ya can get whatever ya missed from someone else later, if they so wish ta divulge that information though."

Quinten sighs and slips the rest of the way into the room and shuts the door quietly moving to take a seat next to Dandelion "Yes sir...sorry sir....i'd say it won't happen again sir but it probably will..."

Jarril carries on talking.  "Now, in the unfortunate event that the patrol is being tracked, there are several ways of dealing with it.  Ya can try ta lose the trackers or deal with them quickly head on.  That however will be up ta the commanding officah that is in charge.  We shall though deal with the evading part first.  I hope that most of ya have been paying attention ta the tracking lessons, right?"

Terrance blinks at Quinten's response, not exactly the best thing to say. He shakes his head a little and tests his charcoal out on the parchment to make sure it is still writing well enough.

Dandelion starts to dig through his stuff for some new charcoal, the old one having been used up on a bunch of idle sketches.

Quinten takes parchment and charcoal out of his small shoulder bag and spreads it out beginning to write down with it.

Jarril carries on waffling in his own way.  "The main points are ta make sure that extra care is being done in removing anything that is giving the patrol away ta be followed.  Broken twigs, disturbed leaves, crushed flowers and grass.  If though there are some that are using scent as well there is a way ta mask that."  He pauses and turns around to pick up some large leaves as he continues.  "The first thing is this, make sure ya wrap these about ya paws, this will help ta keep the scent from being left on the ground and hopefully ta keep the damage ta a minimal.  Who wants ta demonstrate putting these leaves on in such a way that it's secure.  I wish ta time ya."  In the other paw, he has some length of string.  "Ya be needing this as well, which should be part of ya usual backpack for a patrol."  He looks for a volunteer.

Quinten holds up a paw "I'll volunteer sir...."

Jarril nods and motions Quinten to come down.  "Okay, I be checking ta see how well ya do this on ya own."  The major holds out the string and the large leaves.  "Well, come on down then?"

Quinten stands up and pads down to the Major reaching out to take the string and the leaves, checking to see if its once length that needs splitting into two or two lengths "On my footpaws sir?"

Terrance scribbles down some notes and then looks to Quinten as he volunteers and smiles then shifts his head so he can see this.

Dandelion tilts his head to the side, watching the demonstration.

Jarril nods his head.  "Yes, make sure that it covers ya footpaws so that ya don't leave any scent, this should make tracking ya that much harder by the enemy."

Quinten nods and sits down taking the leaves in one paw he begins to wrap them around his left footpaws, encasing his foot in them, binding them in place with the length of rope "Its kind of like....making a boxing glove cept with leaves and on your feet"

Dandelion stifles a giggle at the analogy, and then straightens up and tries to look attentive and serious.

Terrance arches a brow and shrugs, "Suppose that's true enough" he mutters to the recruit next to him.

Jarril carries on talking.  "Now that is something that ya will practise tonight in ya free time.  I would like ya all ta be able ta get the leaves tied on ya feet as quickly as ya can, for the main reason that ya may not have much time in doing so."  Pausing for a moment.  "However, those leaves won't last forever so the main thing is ta find a stream or a river as quickly as possible.  Which will be the main factor for the hares at the front ta know the lay of the land."  He does frown at some of the talking amongst the cadets though and coughs.

Quinten glances up at the Major and goes silent tying the last knot and standing back up stamping his foot paws to check the leaves are tied on properly, he glances up at the older hare and salutes

Dandelion glances down at his notes, and realises maybe he should actually make some notes. He scribbles down something confused in his illegible shorthand, and manages to break off a piece of coal in the process.

Jarril nods.  "Good, ya did it quick enough but ta make it fair..."  The major smiles.  "The one tomorrah that manages ta get them tied fast enough and do it properly will get an weekend pass ta go ta Halyard village."  He nods for Quinten ta head back up to his seat.

Quinten smiles and pads back up to his seed, still wearing the leaves on his feet, his ears perk up at the mntion of the village and he sits back down with a huge grin, "That's great" he murmurs to Dadenlion "I've not left the mountain in months...sincei got here"

Terrance sighs quietly at the homework assignment but then his ears perk up at the mention of the pass and smiles at that. Well there's a good incentive.

Dandelion perks up his ears and looks up at the major, then glances to Quinten. "Won'er if ya can take a friend?" he murmurs.

Jarril nods his head.  "So when the class is over, please come down and collect on the table over there ya leaves and string.  We move onto the final thing before ya can head off for lunch.  Quick question.  Which way do ya move if ya using a stream or river ta evade being tracked?  Upstream or downstream?"

Terrance hms and raises his paw again for this one.

Dandelion holds up his hand, waving it a little.

Jarril hmms and looks at Terrence.  "Go ahead."

Quinten holds up his paw then brings it back down as Jarril speaks

Terrance says, "Downstream, sah."

Jarril nods.  "Good and can ya tell me why?  Dandelion, ya can answer me that one."

Dandelion takes his hand down. "Cause the stream carries the scent downstream, sah." he says.

Quinten scribbles this information down on his parchment rather glad he didn't get asked

Jarril shakes his head.  "Actually, if ya moving along in the same way as the water, there is less disturbance in the stream or river bank with mud.  If ya were moving upstream they would be able ta see the mud cloud flow down the stream."

Dandelion nods to himself, looking a little embarrassed. "Ah, yea..."

Terrance huhs at that tidbit, having thought along the same lines as Dandelion. He adds that to his notes real quick then looks back up.

Quinten is also adding the information to his parchment "Well it makes sense...i guess" he murmurs to himself charcoal scratcing

Jarril carries on.  "So even if it will take ya away from ya main objective, it is better ta walk that much further and in safety than rush ta where ya have ta go and risk being found.  Okay, that's it for now.  Quinten, I hope ya going ta take those leaves off before leaving as they won't last long and I don't have any spares.  The rest please come and collect ya supplies before heading out and take good care of them.  I be available if anyone wishes ta have a word."  The major turns around and heads around the desk as he closes the class.

Dandelion starts to roll up his papers, putting the assorted pieces of coal in a pocket, and gets up.

Quinten leans down blushing and rmeoves the leaves and tucks them into his bag carefull, he stands up and shuffles down to stand before Jarril's desk fiddling with his claws

Terrance rolls up his coal piece in his parchment and stands, getting in line to get the leaves and string.

Jarril has sat down on one of the many chairs that line the back of the large desk as he writes something down and looks up.  "Ah Quinten, late again I take it, ya know that ya have ta take this ta ya commanding officah."  The major finishes and hands over a small folded piece of paper.  "Anything ya wanted?"

Quinten looks at the piece of paper and sighs "Yes sir....who is my commanding officer?"

Dandelion goes over to the desk, picking up one of the leaves gingerly, as if he expects it to curl up and bite him.

Terrance steps up behind Dandelion as he picks up his leaves and string. "So how 'ave ya been doin' Danny?"

Jarril ponders.  "Actually, ya can take it ta a colonel and let them deal with ya tardiness for class."

Quinten nods and Salutes "Yes sir...sorry i was late sir didn't mean to be late sir....slept in sir..."

Dandelion rolls up the leaves and puts them in his bag along with the papers. "Me? Oh, been fine. You?"

Jarril nods at Quinten.  "Well, get ta bed early then.  So anything else ya wanted?"

Terrance walks alongside Dan and says, "Not too bad. A bit stiff from the conditionin' us fightah recruits 'ad this mornin'. I swear they keep waking up us earlier and earlier in the morning for these."

Quinten says, "No sir...just to appologise for being late...again""

Quinten says, "No sir...just to appologise for being late...again" he glances at Terrance and winces, that'll be why he was late, he went and fell asleep after the early morning rn around"

Dandelion rummages around in his bag some. "They haven' woken me up earlier 'an dad used to yet." he remarks, grinning.

Jarril nods.  "I see.  Well, if ya think it be bad now, just wait until ya on actual patrol duty.  Don't make it happen again or I suggest ya do extra chores this weekend even if ya do the leaf thing quickly."

Quinten winces at the mention of extra chores "I'll be here ontime tomorrow sir, promise i want to win that pass, i've not been allowed out of the mountain since i got here...."

Jarril nods.  "Well, that's okay then.  Well ya best run off, get ya food before the larger patrol hares get there or ya won't get much."

Dandelion adjusts his bag, then turns to Jarril. "Uh, major, sah...?"

Jarril blinks and looks at Dandelion.  "Yes?"

Twitching a little, nervously, Dandelion clears his throat. "Uh... If I win the pass, can I bring a friend?" he asks, and promptly looks away at the very interesting wall behind the major.

Jarril ponders for a moment.  "I suppose so but ya be going with larger main patrol hares anyways, for ya own safety of course if ya win that pass."

Terrance looks to quinten and says, "Doesn't help that ya said you'd probably be late again" hopefully low enough so the major doesn't hear.

Quinten sighs and his ears flops down his back and his shoulders slump "Well it was the truth Terr.....you know me....i'll only go and do something and be late again.."

Dandelion nods quickly. "Great! Uh... I'll get to practicin' then..." he says, and, after saluting, hurries out of the room.

Jarril blinks.  "Oh and don't neglect any of ya other classes or chores practising, in ya own time."  Finishing, the major collects his stuff and gets up to leave himself now.

Terrance nods and says, "Aye, but you don't need to tell tha majah or othah superior officahs that." He starts to walk out of the room with the rest of the recruits.

Quinten follows along behind Terrance "Oh well....seemed the thing to say at the time...." he sighs and shuffles after Terrance "I'm not doing very good am i? I mean i'm good at what i've been taught but my time keeping sucks