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Post by Carrow on Mar 28, 2010 15:18:08 GMT -5
"You seem strong enough, both physically and mentally, to pawdle the tasks before you, my friend, and as said, I wish you the very best of luck. I'll be right behind you, of course. When we can, I suggest that you, Elliot and myself stick together. After all, we'll only be in each other's company for the next few years when we ship out, and I don't want us getting sick of each other too soon!"
The mouse winked at Caden, smiling at him once more. "Am I one for chess or cards? Well, I think cards would be a little more up my street. Not saying I'm any good at it of course," he told the pine marten, "but I think I'd be better suited to that more'n chess. I've never been able to wrap my tail around that one, to tell you the truth. Though of course you could teach me if you were so inclined. I'd be delighted to learn.
"Chess has never really appealed to me thus far, but I'm all for trying new things, of course - especially now that I'll be shipping out into something potentially life-changing in just a few short months. So I'm all for that.
"As for my Quartermaster prospects, yes, I could certainly say there are advantages and disadvantages - my main disadvantage being height, or lack thereof," he continued with another chuckle. "I know only too well that a taller creature would be better suited to such a position, but, well, that's all part of the challenge, isn't it."
The wood mouse was thinking of the other two as he spoke. He wondered how Elle and Spender were getting on with the choosing of their posts. They'd have a lot to discuss later on, he thought with a smile - well, the three of them, at least. His stomach rumbled a little. "I'd say it must be about time for something to eat. What do you think?," he asked Caden.
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Post by bookity101 on Mar 28, 2010 21:13:07 GMT -5
El was glancing down the list, the only ones that seemed of interest were Clerk and Sailmaker. Clerk would be something easy for her to do, and her scripting was decent, so maybe, but Sailmaker sounded intresting, and it would get her out of staying in an office all day.
Lost in thought, she jumped when she felt the starter touch her.
"Um, what? Oh..." El bit her lip. "I'll go for Sailmaker's apprentice sir." 'he' pawed the paper back. "Umm, I guess I'll e going then sir." El touched her knuckle to her forehead, gently this time, and followed the giant whom she assumed was Jal Calone, who was waving one huge paw saying.
"Alright everyone, this way, stay close please!"
El jogged to catch up with the others, throwing an arm over Carrow, the only one she could get an arm over.
"Hey guy's, watcha talking about?"
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Post by Carrow on Mar 29, 2010 3:40:57 GMT -5
Cerinus felt an arm being thrown around him, and he smiled when he heard Elliot's voice in his ear. "Hey guys, watcha talking about?" The mouse patted the mustelid's shoulder in a friendly gesture. "Elliot! I was just wondering where you'd been, actually. What have Caden and I been talking about, you ask? Well, various things. Discussing our new positions and so forth. Which brings me on to you, in fact: What did you end up picking? Caden's shooting for Lieutenant, and I hope to become Quartermaster someday, but you already know that."
His tail was swaying from side to side behind him, more out of habit than anything else. It was something the rodent often did without realising it. The three friends continued on their way; Caden was just ahead of the wood mouse and beech marten now, as the group moved along at a steady pace. There wasn't all that much of a rush, and the youngster liked it that way. He was now quite at ease.
"Oh, and I forgot to mention: D'you like playing cards, chess, or anything of that sort? This would of course be for when we get time to even do that kind of thing. Caden's a decent chess player, so he tells me. How about you? Any interest in those things at all? Anything you could suggest we do?"
Still no sign of Spender, the dibbun thought. He's probably a bit back from us at the moment. I would assume we're now headed for dinner? Heh, I was right; the old breadbasket making all that racket was a sign, His whiskers twitched in a happy manner. It had been quite a fulfilling day so far.
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Post by spender on Mar 29, 2010 5:00:18 GMT -5
Fates, what had he gotten into? Spender had tried, when he realised that Ladorak was saying something important that he should probably remember, but an ant had crawled across his footpaw and then he'd gotten distracted by how the grass moved between his toeclaws. Only the mention of Very Large Numbers snapped him out of it, just in time for him to get confused by what the numbers meant.
The poor little ferret found himself feeling quite miserable about it all. He hated it when adults talked to him like he was one of them. It wasn't fair!
But he perked right up again at having to deliver a message. He was good at that, at least. His father used to get in sulks at the tavern, and Spender would act as a runner between there and home, where his mother refused to leave - bringing the children to the tavern was out of the question, as was leaving them home. Spender didn't mind so much. After five or so rounds of it, his father would let him drink the rest of his ale and they'd stagger home together...
Spender walked slowly towards the lodge, muttering under his breath. "Everyone's in th'same watch, Larboard watch. Everyone's now in th'same watch, Mr. Stoat said, and it's Larder warch... Everyone's to be in th'same watch, and that's the larger watch..."
His tummy rumbled. His wrist hurt. His eye was swollen. And he really, really, really did not want to talk to Caden and Cerinus again. It wasn't worth picking on creatures who teamed up.
By the time he'd caught up to them, however, he'd figured it out.
"'allo!" he said cheerfully. "Mr. Stoat says we're all supposed t'be in th'same watch now, umm... watchin' Star Birds or summat. Any'ow, food's in that wooden hut over there, but none o' you are allowed t'eat 'cos he was very disappointed in your performance." He grinned and puffed out his chest. "But he said I did ex...cept...ionally well," he added, going a bit cross-eyed at the effort of remembering how to pronounce the word - he really wasn't a morning creature. Or an afternoon creature. "So I get to eat as much as I like."
Spender shrugged, feigning sadness. "I guess I could let you smell by belches if you'd like, but you have to promise not t'enjoy it."
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Post by Carrow on Mar 29, 2010 12:19:54 GMT -5
Cerinus had been leaning on Elliot for a bit, as a sudden fit of tiredness had overcome him for the briefest of moments. He'd soon snapped out of it, though. He turned around to face Spender. While it still stood that he was coming around to the ferret, he could be painfully contrary at times...
"I have to ask, right. Why are you still doing this? Sniping at the three of us in the way you are? Can we not just put our differences aside for a while? You mightn't agree with what I'm saying, but you have to admit it makes sense. After all, we're going to be at sea for YEARS. Not days, weeks or months. Years. I don't know if that has sunk in for you yet, but I hope it does soon.
"Look." The mouse's voice became softer, and his brown eyes twinkled as he smiled at the mustelid. "We can learn to tolerate each other, you and I. In fact, I'll tell you, I'm growing to like you. I really do mean that. I'm not looking to start something, as before - I'm the last creature who'd want to get into a fight, especially with somebeast like yourself. I'm just advising you. Whatever you hold against the three of us, drop it. I am quite frankly tired of it; surely you must realise it's not doing you any favours?"
The young wood mouse sighed. He wasn't sure how exactly Spender would respond to this, but it couldn't be said that the rodent wasn't being reasonable. He knew already that there would be nothing worse on a ship than one creature who absolutely couldn't stand, and set out to make life more difficult than it already was for, other creatures.
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Post by Ladorak on Mar 29, 2010 16:05:53 GMT -5
Oh Carrow....you can't reason with beasts like that. He'll stay stupid his whole life....or grow up. But either way it's a commendable but useless effort to try and reason with that bully. Of course Caden was only thinking these things in his head, and the mouse would never know either way. Caden didn't mind Carrow trying to talk some sense into Spender, but the albino figured it was going to be an uphill struggle.
"Ah don't worry too much about Spender. He obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. Ladorak wouldn't have said that, and besides, nowhere does it say food is to be withheld for punishment as anything. I mean if anything you're the one UNexceptional for making it up last. He's just joshin'....which reminds me, we all have to form a mess. We all get to eat together if we want....for the rest of our time at sea. Though a mess normally consists of four crew....so...." He was course referring to forming a group that would eat together from now until the end of their service or their promotion. A "mess" was a table in between two cannon where four crew would eat and socialize.
He gave Spender a contemplative look. "I'd definitely like to mess with Elliot and Carrow naturally....but who should the fourth person be? Last I heard Spender seemed to want to eat all on his own....hmmm....." the albino began heading for the lodge now, but kept looking at Spender. "I don't know. What does everyone else think?" he asked, giving a smug smile. He was teasing obviously, but was shooting for making the ferret feel just a bit uncomfortable since it seemed to be Spender's goal today anyway with them.
Ladorak was following somewhat behind the stragglers, who happened to be Caden and his group. Heh....it seemed as if Caden and Spender liked to exchange verbal blows...but when it came to wits Ladorak would put his money on Caden. He had street smarts, but also combined it with intelligence and integrity as well. Spender just seemed....well like a typical stripling really. Raging hormones and all that.
Shaking his head, he was disturbed by the clearing of a throat next to him. "HMS Agamemnon is it?" Ugh...that thick Highlands brogue....was it really? Yes....the one and only Captain George Elphinstone. Well technically George Keith, the Lord Elphinstone. His father was the title holder...not him. Born to Lord Elphinstone of Elphinstone Tower in Stirling (at least it wasn't Elphinstone County) County, he was that smarmy, disgusting type of uppercrust that Ladorak almost wished he himself was....almost.
"And to what do I owe the honor Captain Elphinstone?"
"Not much, not much Fugate. Captain Fugate sorry. You've got Agamemnon, and I've got the Robust. A 74 gunner you know."
"Yes....I'm sure." the stoat said gratingly, all too aware just what the HMS Robust was. "So as said.....you were coming here for some purpose other than to" sound pompous and annoy me "make small talk yes?"
"Ha. Somewhat. You see, actually it's only a shame I'm married you see."
"Oh? And why is that a shame?" What did this imbecilic polecat want? Oh Fugate, it's such a shame I'm married. Hahahah! See the humor in that? Do you? Do you? Just shut up and stay out of my life Captain Elphinstone of Doofusstone Tower.
"Well it turns out that Ferlusan is making some rather overt gestures to our government. They don't trust us." And why should they? We've been the hammer crashing on their heads for the past century now, spit it out! "They want to solidify our alliance or some such thing through marriage Fugate, marriage! One of their royalty to one of our...mmm yes one of our dashing and single I might add military officers. Their Princess I think it is is in fact in the infantry, imagine such a thing."
Nothing about this conversation interested Ladorak in the slightest aside from the mention of a jill in the military. Really? "OK so....I care about any of this....why again? Oh that's right, I don't! Can't you go be a pain in the tail somewhere else?"
Elphinstone snorted. "Well you should Fugate! What's gotten into you anyway? I was only bringing this to your attention because last I heard....you're single. You and a few other dashing jacks in the Navy are being paw picked to act as this very fortunate jill's potential husband to be."
"WHAT!?" Ladorak was pretty sure a few obscenities left his lips, but fortunately the wind was in his face, so maybe he'd be drowned out from the kits in front of him. "Who else!?"
Elphinstone raised a brow. "Bloody good question. I just know I'm not one of them sadly. I have a wife." Yeah....because being married must be such a tragedy in your book. "But you....YOU Fugate....are single. Lucky bachelorstoat. You should start brushing up on your courtin' etiquette m'boy" who was this guy kidding? Ladorak was 34.....Elphinstone was 47....so who was the "boy" here? "And by the end of the year you could be rolling in Ferlusan Princess."
Ladorak said nothing at first, keeping his eyes straight ahead. Rolling? He turned this over in his mind. Him? Being considered for a prearranged marriage? Why? The court hated him.....oh....wait...maybe that's why they were marrying him off. Or maybe not. He had no idea what other bachelors were up for consideration after all. "And...suppose I'm.....taken?" he asked carefully, not committing to anything just yet.
"Then you wouldn't get it you know. It'd go to someone else. Though I'm not even sure if you're first on the list or not." Elphinstone snorted again.
"Right....well.....it just so happens I might already be courting a jill.....so...." but he didn't finish. He didn't finish because he knew Molly Serra. At least the Molly Serra of 9 or 10 years ago. Would she....would she want to settle down with him? He felt this was being forced on him now. Not going with Molly...but this Princess deal. He did desire a steady, constant relationship with all his heart....certainly more than he could or would be willing to relate to Doofusstone here. But an arranged marriage? The jill he was drawn to was Molly...that much he knew. But how would she feel? Ack...he'd have to talk to her now about this.
"You're in luck. That Princess doesn't know about it...they want to sort of spring it on her and all." How thoughtful of them.... "So...."
"So we're eating, and I'm pretty sure I don't see a sign on that door that says 'For Crew of HMS Robust' anywhere on it." Ladorak finished for the polecat.
"Ha! I wouldn't dream of dining with you anyway. I may be working with you in the Cobalt but...."
"But it's time to eat, and it was wonderful chatting about senseless things with you Captain Doof....Elphinstone, but gotta sink before you can swim right?" He bade the Captain a farewell, and noticed he had fallen considerably behind even Caden and his group. He had almost stopped walking entirely, and the flustered stoat moved rapidly to catch up with the group, trotting downhill as the wind slammed into his face, reminding him that he was alive and had things to attend to.....
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Post by Carrow on Mar 29, 2010 17:35:39 GMT -5
"Oh, believe me, matey," Cerinus murmured in his albino mustelid companion's ear, "I have little chance of getting through to him, but I'm just letting him know that this has ceased to bother me in any way - which means he's automatically failing in his task, which is of course to get on my nerves. I'm not put out by his antics at all, more just tired of them."
Cerinus caught Caden watching Spender with a contemplative look in his eyes. "Four crew to a mess, as you said, right? Whether or not you're being serious about it, I reckon that Spender is well, too busy messing with us to bother messing with us, if you get what I mean." The mouse smiled at his pun. "I'd be quite undecided on such a thing, for what it's worth.
"We had better get a move on, now that I think about it." The rodent broke into a steady jog, and was soon a couple of paces ahead of his friend. "It's nice and all going along at this pace, but we should step it up, I think. Heh, besides, it's more exercise that way, which is good - need to stay in shape of course, so I'm taking any opportunity that I can."
"I'm all for forming a mess with yourself and Elliot, but, well, I'm blowed if I can think of who the fourth creature would be. We don't have that much of a choice, it has to be admitted, but I think we'd want to weigh up our options very carefully before we come to a decision. It'd be the best thing we could possibly do as regards it.."
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Post by bookity101 on Mar 29, 2010 23:19:57 GMT -5
El rolled her eye's at Spender. The guy was obviously playing them, and barely knew what he was talking about, really he was getting Larboard mixed up with Star Birds... She nodded along with what Caden and Cer were saying. Then jogged to catch up with Cer, getting a bit ahead of him, entering the building and holding the door for the other two.
"I'm all for forming a mess with you guy's, but maybe we should wait till we meet some more guy's and see if their interested in forming up with us." El glanced over at Spender, he still seemed to to be favoring his wrist. El paused a moment, then turned towards them again.
"Hey, I'll be right back." She stepped away from them and toward the big stoat who had guided them in.
"Umm, Jal Calone?" Luxe glanced down at the short beech martin, scanning the short beast.
"Aren't you one of the ones I saw with Caden?" El glanced up at him, waay up. Jal Calone was much taller than her, and was kinda intimidating to her, even if he normally wouldn't be.
"Umm yeah, I mean Yes sir I'm umm I'm Elliot..." El bit her lip and looked over at Spender. "I don't know what those thugs earlier did to Spender... but it looks like he's been hurt pretty bad, his wrist is turning purple." El had noticed this when Spender had approached them earlier.
"Oh really." Luxe glanced over at the stripling. "I'll check it out, thanks Elliot." Luxe stood by the door as El jogged back over to the others. Luxe watched as the rest of the lads filed in, and he was waiting when Capt. Fugate came in.
"Captain Fugate, something wrong?" He glanced out the door and caught sight of the retreating captain. "Whose he?"
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Post by Ladorak on Mar 30, 2010 15:38:24 GMT -5
Caden filed in with the rest of them, and his nostril picked up the scents of dinner. Dinner! Alright! Padding over to where the cook was fishing through his large pot with a ladle, the marten took a wooden tray and stood in line. "Ye know, the meat at sea is gonna be salty. They have to salt it a lot in order to keep it fresh, and when they boil it well, it's supposed to get rid of a lot of the salt but ye can't ever really get rid of that salty taste entirely."
As it was, they were on land, so the meat was quite fresh. Chops served from both lamb and pork that Ladorak had managed to secure from a local victualler. There was some selection of fruit as well, as the Ladorak knew full well about the dangers of scurvy and encouraged a good serving of fruit while it lasted. Of course being on land they didn't have to worry about conserving, so Caden helped himself to an apple and some lamb. "We won't be eating quite this good at sea, take my word for it." the albino clicked his teeth humorously, and settled for some apple juice from a barrel. The rum ration wouldn't go into effect until they shipped out, so no alcohol for the trainees today.
Once at sea though, oh the possibilities! Seajacks had the choice of beer or rum at both dinner and supper, though Caden wondered if he really would partake of it. Ladorak had told him his mother had been a drunk and an alcoholic, and that perhaps it was best to hold off on drinking just in case. But ultimately Ladorak had told him the choice would be his and his alone. If he felt responsible enough, the booze was free for his taking.
But right now Caden didn't have to worry about that. They weren't at sea, so no alcohol was in the lodge as it was. Picking one of the four seats around a table, Caden sat down and waited for his companions to join him. He'd definitely mess with Carrow and Elliot but Spender well...should he let the ferret sit down? Even if Spender plopped himself at their table it had to be a majority agreement about who got to mess with who, and if one couldn't be reached the offending seajack would be removed from the mess. But of course.....it remained to be seen if Spender actually would sit with them or not.
If he did well.....Caden had mixed feelings of course. Ladorak would be moving around to the various tables and asking if the messmates were happy with each other not and if this was the group they would form at sea. The stoat had informed Caden about that this morning.
Speaking of Ladorak....he had stopped to speak with Luxe when the big blacksmith had addressed him. "Something wrong? Eh....I don't know. Have....have you ever been in love Jal Calone....but wasn't sure if the jill you loved wanted to settle down with you or not? I....I think I'm in such a position right now." the Captain said slowly, chewing on his bottom lip.
"Just now Captain Elphinstone informed me that my government is setting up some sort of arranged marriage thing with a Ferlusan Princess in order to better our relations with said nation. I....happen to be one of the bachelors they're thinking of putting up for the marriage, among others of course. I....I...don't know what it is I want though. I mean....I want to ask this jill if she would like to settle down with me but....I don't know if she'll say yes. We had a....bit of a relationship...sort of...years ago.....a decade really.....and I just met her again and we still get along well enough but I'm just afraid to ask. We didn't have any commitment back then and I....suppose I'm looking for that now." he sighed, shaking his head.
"I'm so confused about myself sometimes I don't even know WHAT I want. What would you do Jal Calone?" he asked, letting his eyes wander about the room at the various messes forming.
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Post by Carrow on Mar 30, 2010 18:41:31 GMT -5
Cerinus was up just ahead of his albino pine marten friend due to his jogging exploits earlier, and so the smell of vittles hit him sooner than his other companions. Ah yes, nothing like some good food to help perk up a creature after a day such as this. Now, then, what was in the offing? Oh, joy of joys, lamb chops!, the mouse noted with a quick grin. He helped himself to a trio of rather tasty-looking ones, and took an orange for his fruit.
The rodent placed them on the tray, looked around and spotted Caden. He and the mustelid were clearly thinking the same thing from the expression that was visible on his furry features.
He padded gently over to the table, and took a seat beside his best friend, smiling at him. "I heard what you were saying there earlier, matey," he murmured, giving Caden a slight nudge as he took his cutlery in both paws. "It would have been hard for me not to in fact - you could talk for Welkin, not to mention that your voice carries better than most other creatures I know!"
He glanced over at what his potential messmate had procured, and he smiled. "I see you favour lamb chops. There's something else we have in common. They've always been a favourite of mine, and these ones look particularly nice!" The wood mouse licked his lips as he tucked in, and he was soon enjoying the meal, relish evident upon his face. He didn't have much of an appetite as a rule (in fact, as mice go, Carrow looked the slightest bit undernourished), but he was well in the mood to eat, and eat well, after the day.
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