On Guard duty in the Crater

[Prankster101]

Dawn's first light glowed dimly through the morning clouds. The night's dew was slowly drying up as the sun began to take it's place in the sky. The sky was full of pinks and reds. Sea gulls and other birds cried out as they searched for their morning meal. Breakers crashed gently against the shore and the salt misting up into the new morning breeze.

A lone hare stood atop Salamandastron. The hare's dusty brown ears swayed gently in the morning breeze. He stood tall and proud. A longbow set lay against the wall and a small empty pack of food gave the appearance that the hare had been there all night. The hare's navy blue eyes never took their sight off of it's surroundings. The uniform of the hare was damp with dew, but the hare didn't seem to notice. It had a job to do and the hare would not budge from his post while he was still assigned too, even if every beast below had forgotten him.

Corporeal Dallas Dwayne Delory Devereux twitched his nose. He was hungry. His last meal was at midnight and he was not without the natural hare's never-ending stomach. But if he was not relived of night duty, he would stay in the crater. He couldn't leave the mountain unguarded. It just was not done! No matter how hungry or tired he was.

Then Dally's ears twitched. He heard footpaws on the stairs. Maybe it was the relief? Or it could be a spying vermin. His paws twitched toward the longbow set next to him. He would be ready, just in case. Dally stood near the edge of the crater with the land to his back, his eyes watching the crashing sea. He would be able to see the edge of the beast when they came up the stairs. But until they did so, he waited, his muscles tensed, while still standing as still as a statue.

[Elicia]

Eli really hadn't meant to sneak up on Dally, she really hadn't...but he was just so cute! Well, she thought practically all of the guys in the Long Patrol were cute, but, oh well. The point was that he looked hungry, and she had waited for a very long time to sneak food out of the kitchen for him. So, in a little cloth bag that hung off her belt was some fresh bread and cheese. She didn't care if she was caught. In fact, no one WOULD catch her. She had made sure of that. Anyways, when she saw him stiffen Eli was immediately apologetic.

"I'm sorry, I thought ye might be hungry, wot!" She smiled sheepishly, and came out of the shadows, untying the bag from her belt. Holding it out to him, Eli blushed. "Ye've been here quite a while, so...well, ye know. I just thought ye might need some company and a bit of scoff, eh? But if ye don't want me here, I don't mind leavin'." The young haremaid shifted her weight, and her saber clinked in its sheath. She looked down to find that one of her paws had rested on it without her even knowing. Embarrassed, Elicia placed it at her side, balled into a tight fist. She had been silly to think that he would want to talk to her-they had just been dreams, just dreams. Looking at the floor, she almost regretted coming. Almost. But then again...

He was just so cute!

[Prankster101]

Dally watch out of the corner of his eye as Private Elicia Pittney walked up the stairs. Inwardly he relaxed, she wasn't an enemy, but he didn't want to show her he thought she might have been.

Dallas stayed where he was , half-guarding the mountain, and half-listening to what Eli had to say. She did have food after all. And he was pretty hungry, but he had a job to do, so his navy blue eyes were piercing as he watched her speak as she held out the pack of what smelled like fresh bread and cheese.

"I'm sorry, I thought ye might be hungry, wot. Ye've been here quite a while, so...well, ye know. I just thought ye might need some company and a bit of scoff, eh? But if ye don't want me here, I don't mind leavin'."

Dally watched as she tripped over her tongue and ended up looking down at the ground. Her bright brown eyes not looking at his sharp ones. Dally reached out for the satchel and grabbed it. He spoke softy and short. "Ye may stay if ye bally must Private." He then turned back toward the sea looking down in the satchel. His nose proved right; not much of a surprise. Dally ripped the cheese in half and began munching on it. Watching the waves crash against the rocks on shore. While chewing, Dally looked up again at Eli, so see if she actually stayed.

[Elicia]

Eli blushed furiously, angry at herself for coming up to see the corporeal in the first place. His offhand words had cut into her pride, and to hide it the young private saluted sharply. "Sorry sah, didn't mean to interrupt anythin', sah, out of line, wot wot!" Eli's nose twitched indignantly at the curt way the corporeal had responded to her: who had brought the bloody bread and cheese for the miserable old bastard, that was what she wanted to know!

One of Eli's ears twitched with the strain of forcing herself to salute to this idiot. Suddenly, any feelings of good will towards the hare vanished. Eli's pride had taken a hit just then, and, for once, she was rather enjoying sulking. It made her feel like she was accomplishing something.

Eli's attention wandered slightly towards the landscape around them, and a faint smile touched her lips as the first birds started singing. However, she suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be sulking, and turned her attention back to the offending hare.

[Prankster101]

Continuing to munch on the bread, Dally watched as Eli blushed heavily in the cheeks. Apparently she had taken his words close to heart as she responded with a curt salute.

"Sorry sah, didn't mean to interrupt anythin', sah, out of line, wot wot!"

Raising his eyebrows at the all of a sudden change of attitude, Dally looked down at the bread as he took another bite. He then spoke again to Eli, not trying to sound cold as his distant manner sometimes made him.

"Nay Private. You weren't out o' line, wot." Dally said quietly. He then continued to rip what was left of the bread in half and offered the rest of it to Eli as he continued. "So ye can stop salutin' if ye feels like it, wot. "

He watched as she sort of stared off into space, looking at the bright start to the day, but then returned to her sulking salute. It almost seemed like she was enjoying it....

[Elicia]

Eli watched Dally for a moment, then relaxed thankfully. "Sorry sah. Bit on edge t'day, wot!" The haremaid shook her head at the food. "No thanks, old chap. I'm not hungry as of yet. Still too blinkin' early." She yawned, covering her mouth with a paw.

"B'sides, sah. Ye've been out here the entire night." The hare shrugged, and adjusted her leather belt self consciously. "'Tis not I who've been assigned to bloody guard duty, eh?" Eli bit her lip. Now she didn't know what to say. First she had been happy to see the Corporeal, and then she had snapped at him. What now? She didn't know.

A bird chirruped somewhere near by, and Eli turned to look at it, thankful that the bird had broken in. As it was, it saved her from a bit of embarrassment, for she was alone at the lookout point with someone that she found she couldn't talk to straight.

[Prankster101]

"Sorry sah. Bit on edge t'day, wot!"

Dally softly chuckled to himself, and if possible a smallest glimpse of a smile was seen on his face, but it soon disappeared as he spoke. "Aren't we all?"

"No thanks, old chap. I'm not hungry as of yet. Still too blinkin' early."

He raised his eyebrows. "Too early to eat? Are ye sure your a hare, Private, wot?" he said as he takes back the offered bread and scarfs it in one gulp.

"B'sides, sah. Ye've been out here the entire night.'Tis not I who've been assigned to bloody guard duty, eh?"

Dally shrugged. "Point." He said. He was never one for long conversations, or talking at all for that matter. So why he was talking now? Plus, Eli looked very uncomfortable. Dally finished off the rest of the food she had brought up and dropped the sack by the side of the wall.

A bird chirped near by and Eli had turned to look at it. Dally, finding nothing else to do listen to the bird sing as well. It was a sharp tone, but beautiful note the less, Dally found that as the bird sand he heard a song his mother used to sing to wake him up, echo through his head.

The happy sun rises,
It's time to play.
The little birdy sings
to this brand new day.
I'll sing with you my little friend.
For I never want this day to end! Oh.....

Twiddle diddle de!
Twiddle diddle do!
La la la la de!
La la la la do!
You sing to me,
I'll sing to you!

You sing so high,
I'll sing so low.
You will fly so very high,
While I sing down bellow, Oh...

Twiddle diddle de!
Twiddle diddle do!
La la la la de!
La la la la do!
You sing......

Dally stopped. It wasn't his mother's voice he was hearing in his head...It was a rich tenor.. a voice full of clarity....a beautiful voice.....HIS VOICE!!!!

Dally's body tensed again and he turned back toward the sea. He couldn't believe he allowed himself to do that on duty! And infornt of a fellow officer! He berated himself silently, then took a flash glance at Eli. This was not going to be good.....

[Elicia]

Eli smiled. "I'm sure I'm a hare, sah!" She yawned again. "A tired one, though, wot!" She watched the birds flying in the distance, but turned to watch the other hare as he was singing. He didn't seem to notice it for a little while, then he stopped suddenly and glanced at her, clearly embarrassed. She smiled at him gently, and looked back to the birds. Eli blushed, was silent for a moment, then hummed the tune of the song Dally had been singing, finishing it for him.

"You sing to me,
I'll sing to you!"

Eli's voice was much higher than Dally's. It was clearly the voice of a young maid; it was as gentle and sweet as a summer's day. "I believe you left off that bit, sah." Eli nodded to Dally. "Like the song. Who wrote the jolly old thing, eh? My old pa used t'write songs too."

[Prankster101]

Dally didn't know what to do. He had been caught singing! For one he couldn't believe he would let himself do that, but what really surprised him was Eli's reaction. She smiled at him, blushed and then continued with the song....

"You sing to me,
I'll sing to you!"

Her voice wasn't too bad, Dally thought. A little high, but that was accustomed to maids. Other than that, it was fairly nice.
He stayed stiff and alert trying to do his job, but feelings whooshed inside of him. Loss, pain, anger, embaressment...

"I believe you left off that bit, sah.Like the song. Who wrote the jolly old thing, eh? My old pa used t'write songs too."

Dally turned back toward the sea, away from Eli. His ears flapped in the gentle breeze that whipped up over the crater. He didn't want to dis the young maid by turning his back, but he tried to hide the moisture that made his eyes sparkle with loss. Straighting his back, he tried to reply, betraying no emotion.

"I guess I did." Looking down at the band on his ankle, he force his emotions back, but not showing Eli he was as he struggled to continue. "Me mother." Dally was brief and sharp. Not now, he kept telling himself, not now.....

[Elicia]

Elicia watched Dally's face intently, and her eyes widened in slight dismay as she saw the distress that crossed it before he turned away. She hadn't meant to say anything to upset him, so she was worried when he avoided her eyes. "I'm sorry, sah, didn't mean t'say anythin' that brought up bad memories, old chap." Elicia looked down at her feet.

"I'm sure that I didn' mean t'say anythin' t'upset ye, sah." She said. Then, sensing that the situation wasn't getting any better, she quickly changed the subject.

"Sah. I've got a blinkin' question fer ye!" Eli winked mischievously. "Have ye ever fought Colonel Conzett one on one, sah?" Her paw went instinctively to a small, hidden pocket in her tunic where she used to keep the silver acorn medal that Breeze had stolen off of Kenzie for her. She didn't carry it everywhere with her anymore, but she was still used to making sure it was there every other second.

[Prankster101]

"I'm sorry, sah, didn't mean t'say anythin' that brought up bad memories, old chap. I'm sure that I didn' mean t'say anythin' t'upset ye, sah."

Dally felt even more to blame. Now Eli was apologizing all over the place. Dally stiffened abit in his shoulders. He didn't want beast all a fuss over him. He really hated it when they started blubbering; he desperately hoped that the Private wouldn't start blubbering. he would never be able to live with himself.

But she didn't. Instead, she changed the subject. But not to a bad subject. In fact, by her voice, she enjoyed it very much...


"Sah. I've got a blinkin' question fer ye! Have ye ever fought Colonel Conzett one on one, sah?"

Dally thought to himself for a minute. Conzett, Oh, her. He was all ways a loner and never got close to anybody, but he had see her around. A bit of a tomboy from what he could tell, and was always hanging around Captain Breeze. Had he fought her....Well, he normal stead out of the competitions, only because after he won, no beast would leave him alone.

"Might of. Can't bally remember now wot." Dally was stiffly, watching out on to the yellowing dunes..Oh when was his replacement to arive?!?.....

[Elicia]

Eli shook her head slightly as Dally turned away again. She was trying to talk to him and he pushed her off to one side. However, from what little she knew of Dally, Eli realized that this was nothing new. So, instead of getting mad at his unhelpful answers, Eli changed the topic again, allowing for his little quirks.

"So. Let's play a game, eh?" She smiled. "'Tis called 'Contradiction.' Are ye playin', sah, now that I've explained th'rules?" Raising an eyebrow, Eli's ears were perked upright. She liked this game. She was good at it. Basically, she didn't tell anyone the rules, and thereby they would begin contradicting each other as to whether or not she actually had told them the rules. It was a stretch, true... but Dally wasn't co-operating and talking to her, so Elicia would have to call up the games that she had played when she was a young leveret. Inwardly, she sighed. Why was it that he was so quiet all the time? It was almost impossible to keep up a conversation with him.

[Prankster101]

Dally heard Eli sigh. Great, he thought. Not being very helpful am I? Deep down inside, Dally expected the Private to walk off, disappointed at him, but again, she surprised him by changing the subject. She really wanted to talk to him it seemed.

"So. Let's play a game, eh? 'Tis called 'Contradiction.' Are ye playin', sah, now that I've explained th'rules?"

The glimmer of a smile once again flickered across his face. He saw where she was going with this little "game". For one thing, the title gave it away, but trying to be polite, Dally decided to play along, even if he still stood cold, looking out over the dunes.

"Ye ne'er did tell me the bally rules Private."

Dally hoped that playing Eli's game would maybe make her less disappointed with him. He hated when beasts were disappointed. But why was he so worried about Private Elicia? He didn't know. From what he could tell, there was no difference between her and the other hares on the mountain, but then why did his conscious tell him, don't make her sad....Why?.......

[Elicia]

Eli's grin stretched from ear to ear as Dally replied. Somehow, she knew that he knew the game; he was a smart hare. She opened her mouth to reply, then paused. What if Dally was quiet for a reason? What if he hadn't wanted to talk to her in the first place, and was only putting up with her and her antics because he thought that it was polite? What if she was annoying him? Eli thought for a moment, unsure of what to say. She could reply, and keep on with the game. Or, she could just ignore his response and leave. But that would be rude, and Elicia didn't want to be rude to Dally. She didn't want to insult him- assuming that he really did want to talk to her.

So she smiled again, and simply said, "But I did, sah." However, her eyes were watching the other hare intently. She couldn't tell if he wanted her there or not. She knew that she had wanted to talk to him; where was the point in carrying out a conversation, though, if only one person was interested?

[Prankster101]

Eli smiled. At least he wasn't scaring her, Dally thought to himself. He had done that before. Of course that hare had caught him unawares while he was practicing his blades and was not in the "mood" per-say to be talking at the moment. It looked like Eli was going to continue, but then she paused.

He had offended her! Dally looked away and inwardly cursed himself. When would he finally get relived of duty! Hadn't he done enough damage singing!!!! Looking back over at Eli he saw that she had a smile on her face once more and continued with what she was going to say.

"But I did, sah."

So she was going to continue the game? Deep down it made Dally feel better that he had not upset her in any way. Why though? He had never really cared before. Arg!!! Life could be so complicated! Why couldn't he just go fight somebeast. That always managed to perk him up.

However, trying to be polite, Dally decided to continue with the game.

"But ye didn't Private......Quite remarkable how a beast can play a game with out the bally rules.....Especially when I'm beating you wot!" Dally replied with almost a smirk on his face. He secretly hoped that the Private would continue to play along.

[Elicia]

Eli smiled, and laughed softly. She was glad that he was playing the game, even if it was stupid and pointless. Any excuse to talk to him. "Why, sah!" Her voice was dramatically offended. "I didn't think that was bally well possible! Yore outstandin, beatin' me at my own game without the bloody rules!" The haremaid laughed harder. "But-wot's this? I think that I've just got ahead of ye, sirrah! Wot say ye now, eh?" Eli was having a good time- was he? She couldn't tell. His face was so nearly the same no matter what; what was he thinking? She didn't care. She was enjoying herself, and she could only hope that he was too.

((It's no good, sorry...XD))

[Prankster101]

Eli laughed at Dally's response. She was enjoying herself. That's good, Dally thought to himself. Something in his gut told Dally that playing the silly little game was good, and that making Eli happy was good. Did he really like the game? He wasn't sure. But it was nice to have a creature that wasn't angry or yelling at him. Elicia continued the game, this time with dramatic disbelief in her voice.

"Why, sah! I didn't think that was bally well possible! Yore outstandin, beatin' me at my own game without the bloody rules!But-wot's this? I think that I've just got ahead of ye, sirrah! Wot say ye now, eh?"

Dally chuckled abit to himself. This was becoming almost funny. Trying to relax abit, Dally responded to the Private, trying to keep the humor of the game going.

"I can say as much as I bally want Private. You are the one that has to clear their throat from sallowing my dust."

Dally tried relaxing his frame a bit. Not a whole lot, he was on duty after all! But still....Leaning against the wall of the crater, Dally picked up the bow that was against the wall and tested the string abit. The calm sea breeze whipped up over the mountain top and ruffled Dally's fur; flopping his ears along with the breeze.