04:35 PM

Salamandastron: Leaders' Lounge
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The officer's social lounge, a completely different world from the rest of
Salamandastron. Whereas the mountain is mainly designed for the kind of
efficient practicality left for the most pedantic of military
organisations, the mess is a sophisticated, well furnished and luxurious
den. The furnishings are mostly polished walnut wood with large, padded
maroon leather armchairs creating small circles, each with a small table
next to the right arm. The walnut finish is also applied to the bar at the
back, shelves of expensive liquors and fine wines line the back wall, with
a small, private passage down to the cellars. There is a finely crafted
billiards table in one corner of the lounge, the well-polished balls adding
to the candle-lit shine of the room. The walls have various
expensive-looking hangings and ornamental weapons, the crossed swords
framing various different coats-of-arms from some of the famous BadgerLord
families or noted heroes of the Longpatrol over the ages. There is a more
business-like area of the lounge with a large notice board, complete with
detailed world map and various bits of parchment pinned across it.
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                  Visible Exits:
[Out] to Hallway

On the rare occasions that one of the higher ranks has time off, this room is filled with tired hares that just want to be here to relax and talk without having to give away orders or whatnot.  Jarril is one of them as he is seated quite comfortably in one of the armchairs with a drink in paw, just leaning back against the chair.

There is a chair in the corner turned towards the wall.  A large shadow is covering it, and it is hard to make out who is lying in it.  An elderly rabbit is curled in a ball in the center of the seat, snoozing quietly.  He seems to have been there for a while, but has not noticed beasts slowly filtering into the rest of the room.  Ender lets out a whistling snore, his head pressing hard into the edge of the chair, leaving an odd pattern all over the right side of his face.

Zoe_Lang has escaped the infirmary! Finally! She appears standing in the doorway, looking around with tired contentment. Next to the bleakness of the infirm, the leader lounge is quite like paradise. She sighs, leaning against the doorframe for a moment. Eventually she gets moving, limping over to one of the nearer armchairs, which she collapses into. It just so happens that she's about halfway between drinking major and snoring rabbit. She doesn't take immediate notice of either them, sinking down into the chair and closing her eyes. Ahhhhh, heaven.

Jarril doesn't say anything at first as he just watches the colonel come in and decides that this is the best place for someone to relax and it's not that infirmary.  Sipping his drink a bit more he looks about the room and rests a paw on the soft arm of the chair, a grin moving through his face as he thinks of the recruits sitting on their hard chairs in the library revising about now and gives of a quiet chuckle.

Ender isn't really thinking about anything.  In his dreams, carrots seem to circle around a hare...but what hare is it?  Not carrots...a halo...around, around...who?  Miss...It /is/ Zoe!  Ender smiles in his sleep, kerwhuffling loudly.  Suddenly, the rabbit jolts upright, looking around wildly.  "Eh!  Not...was..er..."  He trails off, seeing just how out of place he is.

Zoe_lang's ears twitch in faint annoyance at the disturbance of her much-needed comfy restingness. One eye squints open, and she turns her head slowly... to see Ender? Huh? She blinks. "End? What're you doin'... in /here/?"

Jarril gives off a grin as he speaks.  "Well, cousin, he got in just I did, through the door."  Sipping his drink with a chuckle.  "It's how one usually gets into a room, wot wot."

Ender is extremely groggy as he looks around.  Is this another dream?  Zoe's there, but not Quinten.  So it is a good dream, at least.  "I, uh..."  Someone definitely just asked him a question.  "Hi."

Zoe_Lang looks away from the rabbit to hide a grin. Ahem. When she looks back, she's able to keep a straight face. She nods. "Hullo, End. Ya awake, there?" She sends a glance Jarril's way. Psh. Cousins. :p

Jarril is glad of Ender being about and keeping Zoe from the discussion and goes back to relaxing with his drink before leaning to the side table and picking up a scone filled with fresh cream and jam.

Ender yawns again, his eyes madly focusing in and out.  "Eh.  Miss Francis?  C'n I call you that when, erm, the recruits aren't about?"  He laughs, coughs, and clears his throat.  THe rabbit doesn't see Jarril yet...oh, boy.

Zoe_Lang allows herself a grin, this time. She shakes her head. "No. You c'n call me Zoe, though. How 'bout it?" Because 'Miss Francis' either makes her feel older or younger than she is, though she's not quite sure which. Mm-hm. And don't think she's forgotten Jarril! She flicks an ear at him. Ahem. "Though it's nice t' see that some beasts are still respectful o' othahs." Mmmmm-hm. That means /you/, JarJar! XD

Jarril rolls his eyes up at Zoe as he hears that and just shrugs before muttering.  "Oh don't start on me now, not my bally fault."

Ender tries to listen.  "Right, Zoe.  Er.  Is there someone over there?"  The rabbit finally noticed he is standing on an armchair and blushes, knowing how foolish he must look.  He begins to climb over the arm, paws scrabbling for the floor.

Zoe_Lang pshaws, looking around at Jarril. "Mm. Righ'. Yer paw was forced, that it?" Tch. She shakes her head and looks back at Ender, giving /him/ a smile. To emphasize her distinct displeasure with the other. "That there is, End! Majah Jarril, cousin in kin, though that doesn't seem t' mmean much in the way o' embarrassin' me in m'own infirmary."

Jarril places his glass down and gets up from his chair.  "Fine, if it disgusts ya that much cousin, I'll resign right away."

Ender finally gets onto the ground, his whole body seeming to compact onto itself, leaving him in his usual stooped position, his gait reduced to a hobble.  The rabbit takes his cane and walks towards Zoe, eyeing her worriedly.  "Somethin' wrong?  Is this the bastard that tol' you, erm, off in the infirmary?"

Zoe_Lang snorts derisively,  making a broad and dismissive sweep of her paw in Jarril's direction. "This has /nothin'/ t' do with rank - 'tis about loyalty. 'Tis about leavin' someone a bit o' dignity." Ender is nodded to with squinted eyes. "Ya got it in one, m'friend. That ya did."

Jarril just looks at Zoe with hatred in his eyes for the first time.  "Oh and the fact that ya were about ta collapse completely went out of your head.  Well, the next time I'll just leave ya ta it and fall over.  And as for the other thing."  He shakes slightly.  "I didn't even know that it did happen.  But you're so perfect in every way, aren't ya cousin.  No family problems of ya own do ya?"  The major shuts up not wanting to say the next thing.  Instead he turns and leaves the room completely.

Ender watches Jarril go, his mind not really listening to what the hare said.  Zoe called him /friend/.  Wow.  Her friend.  Zoe's friend.  Ender shaks his head for a moment, and then looks at the door.  "Didn't seem too, erm, happy."

Zoe_Lang looks just vaguely /displeased/... up until the point that he mentions /her/ family. Then, she's scowling. "The /nerve/... What the hell does he think he's thinkin'?" Scowl, splutter. She stands up from her armchair and takes a step towards the door, but then she hesitates, on the edge of continuing and sitting back down, one or the other. It looks like the unsteadiness on her feet wins out, though, because she collapses back into the armchair with a scowl, placing fingertips to her temples. "Bloody damn /idiot/..." Grumble mumble.