Stay for a Spell ((Braythe, open))

[Cross]

“Who are you?” She said crisply, paws on her hips as she surveyed the mousemaid again.

Victiore could tell at once that this hare was the no-nonsense type, and the mouse quickly straightened her shoulders and tried to tap pear as professional as possible, even though she was feeling her confidence waning once more. "My name is Victiore Fawn," she said clearly. "I-I would like to offer my services as a healer here, ma'am."

She really hoped she didn't look as nervous as she felt. Was this the infirmary keeper? She certainly acted like it. The mouse wondered how she would prove herself to the hare as she had done with the badger. Well, she wasn't allowed to tell anybeast about Braythe's injuries, so obviously that was one thing off her resume.

((Meh, short.))

[.:Fawn:.]

“No.” Roseleaf and Jamie entered the swinging doors behind the badger, Roseleaf pausing to secure them open once more, now that she was back from her walk.

Braythe snorted. Oh he'd heard of her. Roseleaf Wavebob wasn't it? Braythe never forgot a name. He'd heard from a few of the higher-ups that she was a no-nonsense kind of hare nurse, but that didn't frighten him in the slightest. He was a no-nonsense kind of badger.
"She knows what she's doin'. She'd make a good addition here." Growled Braythe, putting in his two cents. Alright, it was now that he was downstairs at the infirmary that it occurred to him this was basically out of his jurisdiction. He couldn't very well force her to take Victiore on as staff (at least not that he was aware of) if she was unable to prove herself in the eyes of an experienced hare nurse. Well...sure he was no expert on this stuff... But maybe if Roseleaf knew that Victiore had his unreserved support, she'd be intimidated enough to go a little easy on her in her assessment?
Bahhh.
She didn't look that intimidated. She'd greeted him the same way she'd probably greeted a thousand other visitors. Feeling out of place and somewhat useless, Braythe shuffled awkwardly to the side, dropping himself down into one of the nearby chairs (the poor chair letting out a strangled groan of protest), his tree-branch sized forearms laying on the armrests. Noticing Jamie, he studied the injured Lieutenant curiously, interested in his condition enough to ask a brief but to-the-point kind of question.
"What happened to you?"

[Tracy]

Jamie followed Roseleaf back into the infirmary, and was a little surprised, too, to find a little mousemaid inside. The hare went to move off. Whoever the mouse was, she was here to see Roseleaf, and Jamie didn’t need to be in the way. He was brought up short though, when he turned his way into the doorway and saw their massive Badger Lord also in the infirmary. Weird.

Although curious, his side and leg were also aching, and he wanted to go sit and find a way to ease the pain without Roseleaf having to see him wincing. Edging to make his way around the lot, he stopped when Braythe addressed him. Jamie turned slowly and eyed the badger for a brief moment, as if confused. The young hare had been fielding excited Long Patrollers all day, pleased to see him and even more pleased to address him by his new rank. But now here was the commander of their regiment, and not only did he not know what had happened to Jamie, but didn’t even see fit to address Jamie by his proper rank.

It had been brought to his attention that his desire for acknowledgment was rather naïve, so he carefully set aside his disappointment. “Good afternoon, m’Lord,” he started politely. The young officer quirked a brief smile. “Huh, if y’think I look bad now, y’should’a seen me a couple months ago.” Jamie shrugged a little. “A.. scuffle in Mossflower while I was on recon,” he explained, as if it was unimportant.

Okay, so he’d been captured and put on the menu with a group of Woodlanders by some nasty lizards and was nearly killed in the escape. Jamie had been notoriously quiet about the events that had taken place in Mossflower. There had been a small group of woodlanders who’d come back to Salamandastron, eager to relate the whole tale, but the hare tended to carefully sidestep the questions.

[Kenyon]

"My name is Victiore Fawn," she said clearly. "I-I would like to offer my services as a healer here, ma'am."

Roseleaf eyed the small mouse sceptically, eyebrow raising. This little midget of a mouse? First it’d been the otter last year and now a mouse? Was there a sign outside her door: Open to underaged healers? She tapper her fingers on her hips as she considered again. Well maybe she wasn’t that young. Perhaps mice were always that small? Still, she found the words escaping her. “What are you, twelve?”

"She knows what she's doin'. She'd make a good addition here."

“Is that so.” Her gaze swung to the badger. He seemed to have intentions on intimidation-- or was he always that gruff? She had had little interaction with the badger lord. Her gaze turned back to the mouse, something changing in her face as she considered what it would be like to have another healer on the mountain.

An’ you need someone else in your regiment.

Well, first she had to be sure the girl could heal. She didn’t need another midwife.

“Do you have any qualifications?”

[Cross]

“What are you, twelve?”

Victiore felt her cheeks go hot. Her ears flattened against her skull as she replied, "I'm nineteen, going to be twenty this winter." Well, she couldn't blame the hare for thinking that. She was small! She hadn't given much thought to just how tiny she was until coming here. All the creatures were so big at Salamandastron. She would have a time trying to keep up with her patients, who'd all be twice her size, if she was to stay here.

“Do you have any qualifications?”

"I . . ." Qualifications? "I studied the healing arts for ten years, learning about plants and their various effects on the body. I also learned how to set broken bones and sew up cuts." Glancing at Braythe, she held her tongue about bandaging him up, even though that might look nice on her resume. But was there anything else she could add? Well, she'd only been out on her own for two years. Maybe she wasn't cut out for this . . .

[.:Fawn:.]

“Good afternoon, m’Lord,” he started politely. The young officer quirked a brief smile. “Huh, if y’think I look bad now, y’should’a seen me a couple months ago.” Jamie shrugged a little. “A.. scuffle in Mossflower while I was on recon,” he explained, as if it was unimportant.

Braythe snorted, as though irked by the young Lieutenant's hesitation to tell him the full story. "There's more to it than that, Lieutenant Sersea." Replied the Badger Lord, revealing that he did in fact know of the young buck's name, but his unfamiliarity with distinguishing hares by their title was still very much present, despite having been at the mountain for some time. "Who was in the scuffle? Who went with you? How'd you get so battered up?" Details Lieutenant, Details! Yeesh, didn't he know that the start of a good yarn was usually laid out in three parts? The Beginning to build it up, the middle where things got interesting, and the end where everything in the previous parts was resolved/explained?
The Badger Lord tore his eyes away from the injured soldier long enough to take note of the conversation happening right next to him; Roseleaf seemed to be doubting Victiore's abilities, and Victiore looked a little uncomfortable when asked about qualifications. Why's she lookin' so nervous? If Victiore was nervous about her healing abilities, then should he be nervous about the number she did on his back?
I swear, if this thing gets infected and I die, I'll -- well, he couldn't really DO anything to her in that case...other then haunt her. Yeah, that was it. He'd haunt her until she died of fright -- which, judging from her temperament, wouldn't take as long as he'd thought.

[Tracy]

Jamie’s attention was drawn from the badger as he realized the mouse was trying to become a healer in their infirmary. He’d heard the Badger Lord call him by his title, and while pleased by that change, there were still a few things Jamie liked more than being acknowledged. And one of those things he’d been holding while she cried only minutes ago. Having an understandable interest in how this played out, he couldn’t believe now was when Braythe decided to take an interest in his adventures. What about all those lonely hours wiled away in the infirmary these past few months?

"Who was in the scuffle? Who went with you? How'd you get so battered up?"

Reluctantly, her tore his gaze away from Roseleaf, and turned back to Lord Braythe. “I was on my own, m’lord. Didn’t expect anythin’ more than a quick trip to Redwall an’ back. I was captured by cannibalistic lizards an’ was held prisoner with some Woodlanders. I got, ah… ‘battered up,’ because were outnumbered five t’one when we escaped an’ most o’ the Woodlanders had little fighting experience. More’n that I couldn’t tell ya because the memory’s a little fuzzy.” Jamie told the badger all this really quickly, being sure to answer his questions, but nothing more than that.

Instead, he turned back to Roseleaf and Victiore.

"I studied the healing arts for ten years, learning about plants and their various effects on the body. I also learned how to set broken bones and sew up cuts."

The young lieutenant hurried over. Standing behind Victiore, he shot Roseleaf a meaningful look. He’d just listened to her break down, overwhelmed from her job in the infirmary, and here was this mousemaid, gift-wrapped on their doorstep. He put his paws on the mouse’s shoulders reassuringly, “Did y’hear that m’gel. Ten years! That’s somethin’, huh?”

He moved around the mouse then, moving toward Roseleaf. “C’mon, m’gel, she’s on the spot. I bet both o’ you could benefit from seeing what she can do, not hearin’ it. Take her on. Think of it as probation – no commitment, wot? There’s no harm in givin’ her the chance.”

[Kenyon]

"I studied the healing arts for ten years, learning about plants and their various effects on the body. I also learned how to set broken bones and sew up cuts."

“Did y’hear that m’gel. Ten years! That’s somethin’, huh?”

Roseleaf blinked, and she even smiled, meeting his eyes, but her appreciation of his intentions didn't stop her determination to see if Victiore could manage the position.

He moved around the mouse then, moving toward Roseleaf. “C’mon, m’gel, she’s on the spot. I bet both o’ you could benefit from seeing what she can do, not hearin’ it. Take her on. Think of it as probation – no commitment, wot? There’s no harm in givin’ her the chance.”

“Oh aye,” Roseleaf agreed drily. “No harm until someone gets hurt. Are you sure you can do this, lass? There’s quite a difference between broken bones and fevers and tending to an infirmary in the middle of a war, y’ken.”

Her brown eyes were sharp as she watched the mouse’s reactions. Not only did Roseleaf listen to the words she was saying, but she was judging her reactions. The body could tell a lot more about a person than most thought, and she was in a position to know plenty about body language. Like that badger, who was perching uncomfortly in a hare-sized chair when she had a perfectly good badger-sized one. The leverets used it as a bench.

“And completely different from treating the badger.” She told Victiore, though her pointed tone and look was all for Braythe. The differences were slight, but she could pick up a slight limp from across the parade grounds and wasn’t fooled by his acting.

[Cross]

Victiore felt the hot blush deepen on her cheeks as the male hare came to defend her. She didn't need the job that badly . . . Okay, maybe she did, but he didn't need to go out of his way to help her. If she wasn't cut out for the job, then she wasn't. Her attention returned to the infirmary keeper herself with the hare's next words.

“Oh aye,” Roseleaf agreed drily. “No harm until someone gets hurt. Are you sure you can do this, lass? There’s quite a difference between broken bones and fevers and tending to an infirmary in the middle of a war, y’ken.”

"Y-yes, I understand," the mouse replied hesitantly. It wasn't that she wouldn't be able to handle seeing the broken bones, the blood, and other war wounds. It would be the emotional side of it when the soldiers died, even after her best efforts to save them. She had never had to do that before, and she'd only heard stories of how hard it would be, but living alone in Mossflower was already mental torment for her. At least here she would be doing some good, and doing something she loved.

“And completely different from treating the badger.” She told Victiore, though her pointed tone and look was all for Braythe.

The tattooed mouse's ears shot forward. Her eyes went wide as saucers as her entire face went red. Biting back a most un-lady-like curse, Victiore cringed, glancing at Braythe. Well, with a back wound like that, it was inevitable that he would be walking rather stiffly. But she wasn't allowed to say anything . . . You'd better not tell anyone! the badger had yelled. And she hadn't told anybeast anything! Honest!

[Stryker]

Reluctantly, her tore his gaze away from Roseleaf, and turned back to Lord Braythe. “I was on my own, m’lord. Didn’t expect anythin’ more than a quick trip to Redwall an’ back. I was captured by cannibalistic lizards an’ was held prisoner with some Woodlanders. I got, ah… ‘battered up,’ because were outnumbered five t’one when we escaped an’ most o’ the Woodlanders had little fighting experience. More’n that I couldn’t tell ya because the memory’s a little fuzzy.” Jamie told the badger all this really quickly, being sure to answer his questions, but nothing more than that.

Braythe, his attention -- and his grudging respect -- entirely given to the young Lieutenant, he tried to create a mental image of what a cannibalistic lizard could possibly look like, and the sight made his spine tingle with anticipation. He'd never met cannibal lizards, and frankly, he had a good feeling he would enjoy such a meeting. Braythe grinned, all of his teeth showing; they weren't so different after all, himself and those lizards. They'd both probably had their fair share of meat.
"Hey what--"
Watching Jaime suddenly hurry over to where Victiore and Roseleaf were standing, the badger lord couldn't help but feel extremely indignant. What the hell? Yeh don't just bring up cannibalistic lizards'n then dash off like a startled hare...Flippin' chap could've at least told me what they look like, so I'll know the next time I see one. The Badger Lord suddenly looked disturbed. Did I just say 'flippin' chap? UGH! I need to get off this hare-filled mountain.

“And completely different from treating the badger.” She told Victiore, though her pointed tone and look was all for Braythe.

Wait what?!

Braythe's ears flattened against his skull, and he feigned utter stupidity, sticking his chest out and raising his chin as if to say injuries? I don't get injuries. I don't even BLEED. But his eyes darted from Roseleaf to Victiore and narrowed dangerously... Oh if she'd told that confounded infirmary keeper...he'd be quite an unhappy Badger Lord.
"Of course it's different," he growled, "I'm not some hare or a squirrel or something, but I don't injure easily, so you won't be seeing ME in this place."

Bahh. Smells like medicine. I HATE medicine.

[Tracy]

Jamie wasn’t sure how Roseleaf would react to his leaping to the mouse’s defense. The brief smile she sent his way was reassuring though. It would just kill him if their recent conversation was so swiftly tossed aside. The hare wasn’t sure if he believed in fate or destiny or any of that rot, but the mouse’s timing was downright impeccable. Now if only she would stop blushing and stuttering!

The lieutenant didn’t even notice Braythe’s indignation. He was on a mission; this mouse needed to be hired. Jamie was about to jump into the fray for the mouse again when Roseleaf spoke.

“And completely different from treating the badger.”

The hare blinked, looking between the three others; the knowing expression on Roseleaf’s face, the fear on the mouse’s, and the anger on Braythe’s. Jamie thought about it for a second, and realized Roseleaf was on to something. Sure, he didn’t notice any discomfort on the part of the badger, but there was something all around suspicious about this situation.

“Say,” he started in a casual tone. “How’d you two meet, wot?” he asked, looking between Braythe and the mouse. There was no reason for them to know each other, and even less for the badger to insist on her employment at the mountain.

[Kenyon]

"Of course it's different," he growled, "I'm not some hare or a squirrel or something, but I don't injure easily, so you won't be seeing ME in this place."

“I’m no fool, badger, and I don’t reckon you are either-- so kindly stop acting it, or I may be inclined to re-evaluate my theory.” Roseleaf said crisply, taking in and dismissing the badger’s puffed chest and raised chin. She wasn’t too concerned, if the badger saw fit to act like a recalcitrant child he could continue doing so, for all it concerned her.

Her current concern was the mouse. And Jamie, who seemed determined to get her to accept the mouse as her assistant or something. He was currently engaged in a manoeuvre of some sort, apparently intended to convince her. All was performed in mime, behind Victiore. Roseleaf had the sudden urge to lower her head in her arms and smack her forehead multiple times.

Well, this was a little more interesting than she’d planned for her afternoon. She sighed, crossing her arms and turning back to Victiore, ignoring the badgerlord and his conversation with Jamie.

"I suppose we can see what you can do..."

[Cross]

"I suppose we can see what you can do..."

Victiore perked up then, her former nervousness melting away. Had the hare maid just said what Victiore thought she said? "R-really?" she said softly, a smile lighting up her face. "I-I . . . That's wonderful, thank you!"

Though she was excited, her voice was still as quiet as ever. "I won't let you down," she promised, rest siting the urge to bounce on her toes. She was really getting the job! Sure, she was just an assistant, or on probation or whatever, but at least she hadn't been kicked out.

"When do I start?"

((We can finish the thread here. I think it's at a pretty good end point, unless y'all have something to add.))