A Beautiful Day for Trouble ((Eastpaw, Open!))

[.:Fawn:.]

"Beautiful day, eh East? The sun on our handsome ol' faces, the wind at our backs... Is there anything better than this?"

Clearly very thrilled to be away from the parade grounds, Southpaw "Bloodfire" Varilde swept out his arms, gesturing to the land and shoreline that lay out in front of him, the scout's paws churning up sand as he went. Blue eyes glittering with a playful glow, Southpaw glanced to his partner in crime, fervently hoping East would have some brilliant idea as to how they could entertain themselves out here -- while the weather was still nice, at least. Gazing out over the dunes, Southpaw suddenly let out a wild yell, charged at some invisible enemy, somersaulted forward and landed right on smack dab on his scut. A momentary wince crossed his features, before he was overcome by a sudden sense of laziness, flopping back onto the sand with a dramatic sigh.
"....do you think Ripley ever wonders about me? Well, maybe not that often, but perhaps oh I dunno, once in a grand ol' blue moon? She'll think of poor ol' Southpaw who'd climb a mountain and cross and ocean for 'er?"
His brother shouldn't be too surprised when he'd brought up the object of his affection -- Southpaw seemed to generally want an honest answer out of his younger twin sibling.
The lovesick hare snorted, as though for umpteenth time he had suddenly grasped just how unfortunately smitten he really was.
"Sorry to keep bringin' her up mate, I just can't really 'elp it anymore!"

[Kenyon]

“Beautiful day, eh East? The sun on our handsome ol' faces, the wind at our backs... Is there anything better than this?"

“Nothing better, me ol’ messmate.” East agreed, his pace easy as they strolled along the shore. He lifted his arms, stretching them to the sky with a yawn. They clasped behind his neck and he leaned his head back, watching a pair of birds soar the currents of air above him.

"....do you think Ripley ever wonders about me? Well, maybe not that often, but perhaps oh I dunno, once in a grand ol' blue moon? She'll think of poor ol' Southpaw who'd climb a mountain and cross and ocean for 'er?"

“I’m sure she wonders about you all the time.” East lightly kicked sand at his brother’s prone body. “Like, ‘Wonder if that scatterbrained hare will bring me wilted wildflowers again?’ or mebbe even ‘I’ve gotta get a restraining order’ or perhaps even ‘That boxing fool can’t sing worth a turnip.’” He shrugged, flopping into the sand beside his brother.

"Sorry to keep bringin' her up mate, I just can't really 'elp it anymore!"

East sighed, taking pity on his brother and his forlorn face. “Eh, I’m sure she thinks of ye all the time, chap. She’d be lucky t’have yeh.”

[.:Fawn:.]

“I’m sure she wonders about you all the time.” East lightly kicked sand at his brother’s prone body. “Like, ‘Wonder if that scatterbrained hare will bring me wilted wildflowers again?’ or mebbe even ‘I’ve gotta get a restraining order’ or perhaps even ‘That boxing fool can’t sing worth a turnip.’” He shrugged, flopping into the sand beside his brother.

"Psh Tush, you flippin' cad, you know just to jolly well say to pick up a chap's mood, dontcha?" Southpaw playfully shoved Eastpaw, pretending to be deeply offended by his brother's joking words.


East sighed, taking pity on his brother and his forlorn face. “Eh, I’m sure she thinks of ye all the time, chap. She’d be lucky t’have yeh.”


Suddenly struck with a thought, Southpaw rose up on one elbow, looking at East with inquisitive eyes. "Say, East ol' chap?" He said, waiting until he had his brother's attention before continuing. "I know yer always havin' to listen to my blinkin' sufferin' on account of one gel in particular... But ah can't help but notice you don't seem to be pinin' away for some pretty little haremaid at all -- at least, I think you aren't." Southpaw suddenly looked at him suspiciously. "Unless you're bally well keepin' the gel's name all to yerself so I won't steal her from you, wot wot!" Cracking a grin, South dropped onto his back again, heaving a sigh."I don't know about you, brother of mine, but gels will probably be the death of me. Being such a tragically good looking gentleman'n'all."

[nikki]

Heartsease was trotting briskly along the shore, lifting her face to the sun with a sigh of pure contentment. Despite the military lifestyle, the rabbitmaid felt freer here than she ever had in the stodgy, stuffy warren. More herself, really.

And she certainly felt more at home than she had with any other rabbit save her brother Banwurt; the friendly, welcoming faces were a far cry from the austere, ever-so-mannered family that felt a young rabbit, particularly a doe, was a demure beast to be seen more than heard.

Speaking of friendly faces... her ears shot up as she heard a battlecry in a familiar voice. Shading her eyes with a paw, Heartsease spied two golden hares not far away - one landing quite firmly on his scut after a somersault.

It was difficult to tell at this distance - they looked so alike! - but she was willing to bet pastries to pebbles that the somersaulting hare was her new friend, the first beast that had greeted her on her arrival to the mountain.

"South!"

The young rabbit sprinted foward in a flurry of sand, waving gaily to the two hares as she approached and arriving just in time to catch the tail of Southpaw's remarks.

"I don't know about you, brother of mine, but gels will probably be the death of me. Being such a tragically good looking gentleman'n'all."

She gave him an interested look, head tilting; it took her a moment, but she identified South quickly enough, noting that the other hare was a bit thinner and bore a few scars she hadn't noticed on Southpaw.

"Well my goodness! I didn't realize this was a conversation for gentlemen."

Heartsease laughed, twitching an ear at the lankier hare.

"And two of you! Dear me, a maid wouldn't know what to do coming across this, if your... brother? ...is anything as gallant as you, South."

The rabbit giggled, looking between the two in delight. Two of them! What an interesting discovery!

[Kenyon]

"Psh Tush, you flippin' cad, you know just to jolly well say to pick up a chap's mood, dontcha?" Southpaw playfully shoved Eastpaw, pretending to be deeply offended by his brother's joking words.

East laughed, rolling in the sand as his brother pushed him. He elbowed his brother back, rolling his eyes with a grin as South started on another tangent. He rose up on an elbow, mirroring his twin.

“Well, South ol’ chap,” He sighed, ears drooping and eyes sad. “As a matter o’ fact I am pining for a pretty haremaid…” He drew out the silence mischievously, though his face remained straight. Finally he spoke solemnly. “Her name is Ripley.” He wasn’t able to maintain the straight face and rolled away laughing as he avoided South’s clutch. After a while they both lay back, staring up at the sky. East sighed in unison with his brother.

"I don't know about you, brother of mine, but gels will probably be the death of me. Being such a tragically good looking gentleman'n'all."

“Aye.” He agreed, watching a cloud take the shape of a ship.

"And two of you! Dear me, a maid wouldn't know what to do coming across this, if your... brother? ...is anything as gallant as you, South."

East catapulted to his feet, reaching for the rabbitmaid’s paw and bowing over it gallantly. “Ah, you must be Miss Heartsease. I do hope my perishingly handsome brother behaved himself, though he’s none so handsome or gallant as myself, wot! Eastpaw, miss, it is a pleasure to meet you.” His blue eyes twinkled with good humour and mischief.

[Stryker]

“Well, South ol’ chap,” He sighed, ears drooping and eyes sad. “As a matter o’ fact I am pining for a pretty haremaid…” He drew out the silence mischievously, though his face remained straight. Finally he spoke solemnly. “Her name is Ripley.” He wasn’t able to maintain the straight face and rolled away laughing as he avoided South’s clutch. After a while they both lay back, staring up at the sky. East sighed in unison with his brother.

"Oh you rotter! Take that back!" With a howl of mock rage, Southpaw tried to hold back his laughter as he pushed at Eastpaw's shoulder, grinning.


"Well my goodness! I didn't realize this was a conversation for gentlemen."

Heartsease laughed, twitching an ear at the lankier hare.

"And two of you! Dear me, a maid wouldn't know what to do coming across this, if your... brother? ...is anything as gallant as you, South."

Springing up immediately, Southpaw looked delighted to see her again. "Hey, East look! It's my favorite flippin' rabbit on the whole mountain! How're you fairin' in our humble abode, Heart?" Southpaw jerked a thumb in Eastpaw's direction, holding his other paw on one side of his mouth as though to prevent Eastpaw from hearing him whisper loudly; "never mind this roguishly handsome cad, he's just trouble with legs, I tell ya!"

[nikki]

“Ah, you must be Miss Heartsease. I do hope my perishingly handsome brother behaved himself, though he’s none so handsome or gallant as myself, wot! Eastpaw, miss, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

Heartsease blushed at the coutly gesture, pinkening clear to the black tips of her ears as she curstied to Eastpaw with a light laugh.

"Likewise, sir! Bit of luck running across you both out here, isn't it?" She beamed at the two hares, ears flicking happily. "But s'pose we call it 'each more handsome and gallant than the next', is that fair enough?"

"How're you fairin' in our humble abode, Heart?"

Heartsease perked further at the hare's question, spreading her paws in an expansive gesture.

"Oh! It's marvelous! I quite like being around all the hares here, lovely scenery and the food's something else again, isn't it? And none of that 'a young doe should eat daintily' nonsense, huh, you can't imagine how many perfectly good things I've lost to my brothers on that account." She huffed slightly, indignant. "But I've been able to take a few lessons as well, bit of history and all that, and got to pick up a bit of spearwork beyond what Timothy showed me. Got knocked scut over ears, but I think I have the hang of what I was being shown!"

The rabbit laughed again, quite exhilirated just talking about it. Her delight over being knocked over, of course, was not so much the act itself as that she hadn't been handled delicately; it was reassuring, in its way.

"Hm, I'll wager you're not a beast to call another trouble, South. But anyway isn't that half the point of being a Patrol hare - being trouble for somebeast or another?"

[Eastpaw]

"Likewise, sir! Bit of luck running across you both out here, isn't it?" She beamed at the two hares, ears flicking happily. "But s'pose we call it 'each more handsome and gallant than the next', is that fair enough?"

“Nonsense! He’s m’twin! We go everywhere together.” East leaned forward in and echo of South’s attempt to keep him from hearing his words. “If ye ask me, ‘twas a bit of luck, you running into him alone!” He waggled his eyebrows, elbowing South amiably. “Now whether it t’were good or bad, I won’t say. Wot tall tales was this rogue brother o’ mine tellin’?”

"Oh! It's marvelous! I quite like being around all the hares here, lovely scenery and the food's something else again, isn't it? And none of that 'a young doe should eat daintily' nonsense, huh, you can't imagine how many perfectly good things I've lost to my brothers on that account." She huffed slightly, indignant. "But I've been able to take a few lessons as well, bit of history and all that, and got to pick up a bit of spearwork beyond what Timothy showed me. Got knocked scut over ears, but I think I have the hang of what I was being shown!"

"Hm, I'll wager you're not a beast to call another trouble, South. But anyway isn't that half the point of being a Patrol hare - being trouble for somebeast or another?"

“If ye want t’learn about bein’ scut o’er ears, Miss Heart, just watch us spar!” East jumped in, looping an arm around South’s shoulders. “South here will show you all ye need to know, he’s quite the expert on bein’ knocked on his tail, right South m’lad?”

It wasn’t quite true, South and East were actually on rather an even par, but East wasn’t one to let an opportunity for teasing his older brother pass him by.

[Stryker]

“If ye want t’learn about bein’ scut o’er ears, Miss Heart, just watch us spar!” East jumped in, looping an arm around South’s shoulders. “South here will show you all ye need to know, he’s quite the expert on bein’ knocked on his tail, right South m’lad?”

It wasn’t quite true, South and East were actually on rather an even par, but East wasn’t one to let an opportunity for teasing his older brother pass him by.

Southpaw grinned. "ho ho! Righto m'lad, then if I'm a regular ol' expert at scut over ears, then my buddy Eastie 'ere is the flippin' king o' unconsciousness! So 'ow bout it, Eastpaw? Ready for a bit of a snooze?" The eldest Varilde's eyes gleamed,he was obviously trying to entice his brother into a bit of a boxing match -- just to show this lovely haremaid what a real boxing matched looked like. All in good sport, of course.

"Never was too 'andy with a spear myself, I'd rather be close enough to my opponents to give 'em the ol' one-two instead of trying to jab at 'em with a spear or a halfberd or anything. I do know a chap who's an ace when it comes to polearms -- We call him Fuzzy Lizard, you know who I'm talking about, dontcha Eastpaw? He's a Corporal now." Southpaw gave the fur between his tall, long ears a scratch, head tilted to the side a bit like a lost dog. Hmmm...He could never remember that hare's full name... It ended with a D, or was it an H? His first name was Cordin, and then there were some words in the middle that sounded like Fuzzy Lizard...

[nikki]

"ho ho! Righto m'lad, then if I'm a regular ol' expert at scut over ears, then my buddy Eastie 'ere is the flippin' king o' unconsciousness! So 'ow bout it, Eastpaw? Ready for a bit of a snooze?"

Heartsease giggled at that, tipping her head to one side.

"Well! While being knocked over is all very useful I'm sure - lets y'know you've done something wrong, doesn't it? - I think more of my concentration ought to be on knocking over than being knocked. So which of you will be the first to show me how it's done, I wonder?"

Oh yes - she would very much like to see a demonstration between two expert boxing hares. What kind of trainee could pass something like that up?

"Never was too 'andy with a spear myself, I'd rather be close enough to my opponents to give 'em the ol' one-two instead of trying to jab at 'em with a spear or a halfberd or anything. I do know a chap who's an ace when it comes to polearms -- We call him Fuzzy Lizard, you know who I'm talking about, dontcha Eastpaw? He's a Corporal now."

"I learned to like a bit of distance - hard for a bigger beast to overwhelm me if he can't get close." She grinned, rubbing the back of her head just below the roots of her ears. "Of course I've only fought Tim - squirrel, you know - and he's not all that much bigger." The principle still remained, of course. She nodded enthusiastically at the mention of 'Fuzzy Lizard', lughing.

"Oh, Cordin! Er, Corporal Dorchester I mean. I met him same time I met South, he's already offered to show me a thing or two. Looking forward to a good spar with him!"

Even if she got knocked 'scut over ears' again.

[Eastpaw]

Southpaw grinned. "ho ho! Righto m'lad, then if I'm a regular ol' expert at scut over ears, then my buddy Eastie 'ere is the flippin' king o' unconsciousness! So 'ow bout it, Eastpaw? Ready for a bit of a snooze?"

“Pah!” Eastpaw scoffed, winking outrageously at Heartsease. “I say, wot a thing to say about one’s own brother, wot? Right Miss Heart? Hurts m’feelings, he does.” Eastpaw clutched his chest over his heart and staggered about comically, pulling faces until he ran smack-dab into South. “Ow, me schnoz.”

"Never was too 'andy with a spear myself, I'd rather be close enough to my opponents to give 'em the ol' one-two instead of trying to jab at 'em with a spear or a halfberd or anything. I do know a chap who's an ace when it comes to polearms -- We call him Fuzzy Lizard, you know who I'm talking about, dontcha Eastpaw? He's a Corporal now."

“Dorchestor. Corporal Cordin Dorchester.” Eastpaw supplied easily, he was good at names and faces while Southpaw seemed to stick to describing them vaguely in hopes his twin would know who he was talking about.

“Right, ‘nuff talk, wot! Ready South m’lad?” East tugged his brother’s ears, jumping away into a ready stance.