A drink

[ranjit]

Ranjit walked into the bar. He loved the warmth that radiated from the place. It was strangely empty today and he looked around confused. This place is usually jumping it's almost dusk.All the soldiers usually come down here and buy a drink. Oh well maybe someone will find me. he thought as he walked to a booth and sat down. He unbuckled his sword belt but kept all his daggers on him. He didn't want to have to kill anyone tonight but if he had to he would. He wanted to get into a scrap and maybe knock somebody unconcious but not kill anyone.

[Typhoon]

As Typhoon stepped into the tavern, he looked around and sighed. It was empty, or almost, anyway. From the corner of his eye, he could see the form of Ranjit, a soldier from the Horde that he was not familiar with. As such, the badger pretended that he had not spotted him. He went to his customary seat at the counter and struck up a conversation with the bartender, an old ferret who filled in for the landlady, who was not often around.

"A pint of beer, please. Well, business certainly isn't very good today, eh, Pete?"

"Aye, sir, that's to be expected, wot wid all them beasts leavin' this island." replied Pete as he filled a pint mug from the barrel of beer.

Typh took a pull at his beer. "Well, with the town infested with bandits like it is, I can't really blame them..."

"Not jus' the townsfolk! I saw, wid me own two eyes, your sentries run from their posts, board a ship, and sail orf!"

"WHAT!?" Typh was about to storm off to the jetty when he realised that there was nothing he could do. He sat down with another sigh and sipped at the beer.

[ranjit]

Ranjit heard what he said and got up and sat down at the counter next to Typhoon. He saluted and then sipped his ale. "Hi sir." he smiled and then looked for some sort of reprimand.

[Flameclaw]

With a sigh, Kalem straightened up, looking over his work. It wasn't quite up to scratch, but it'd do for now. Flame had headed off somewhere else part through it, the slacker, thought the cat. He was rebuilding the forge that had provided him with work and the ability to support himself. Fortunatly, most of his tools were still fine, the anvils were just a little blackened, the forge itself just needed the ash shoveled out, the hammerheads were fine, as were the tongs. He had to get new bellows, but they could wait until he made a roof to cover the forge. Anyway, it was time to head to the tavern for the afternoon.

The bouncer at the door took one look at Khan Kardez, and knew that what he heard of the blacksmith could well be true. The burly weasel was nothing beside huge wildcat. He took a respectful step back and opened the door to allow the blacksmith in.

Khan sat down heavily at the bar and said in a tired voice,
"A beer, and go light on the froth."

[Typhoon]

The weasel seemed to be just begging for a scolding from Typh, and he got more than he bargained for.

"Hi? What do you mean "Hi"?! Is that the way you speak to a superior officer? IS IT?! Base disrespect! I tell you... I might not have much of a regiment, or a company, even, but I am STILL your superior officer!"

Typhoon looked down at the weasel's stripes. "Well, Sergeant... Are you missing your old days as a private? Because the next time you exhibit such disrespectful behavior... YOU'LL BE BUSTED! Reduced to the ranks! Demoted! DO YOU HEAR ME!?"

Scowling, the badger drained his mug. He had not done anything like this before.

[ranjit]

Ranjit saluted and then fell off the stool. He picked himself up and dusted himself off. He sat back on the stool.Geez what did I do? he thought angerly. Typhoon knew him and he knew Typhoon.What's going on? He didn't want to ask him becuase that would be pretentios. He just sulked in his seat. He would have given Typh a piece of his mind if he wasn't a major.

[Typhoon]

Sighing again, Typhoon ordered another beer. He turned to Ranjit, intending to apologise. His anger about the alleged desertions had created a almost certain desertee. Though hardly a physiognomist, the badger could see the resentment in Ranjit's eyes. Taking off his finely polished glasses, he massaged his temples, sighing yet again.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean it to come out like that... It's just that... Things are so bloody depressing! Here we are, three of us, in a tavern that used to be a second home to more than twoscore of our soldiers! Where have THEY gone?! Sometimes..."

Typhoon's voice trailed off, and he gulped at his beer, trying to drown his sorrow in drink.

[ranjit]

Ranjit smiled. "Yes but I'm sure if we were to send out a recruiting party we could get some soldiers and have an adventure sir." This is the sort of idea that gets one promoted here.

[Typhoon]

Typhoon hesitated, undecided and indecisive as usual. In fact, the badger was convinced that he had been promoted to major due to the total absence of a better candidate. Ranjit, had he joined up before Typh, would definitely have been the one with officer's insignia on his shoulders.

Typh knew the town, and had had unpleasant encounters with the brigands that inhabited it more than once. Anyone asking them to join up either had to be mad, or desperate. At present, Typh was both.

"I suppose... we should ask Kalem."

He turned to the wildcat, with whom he had made a slight acquaintance, but whom he had not said a word to since he came into the tavern.

"What do you think? We're pretty short of soldiers, and Ranjit's plan might just get enough troops to actually man the walls properly."

[Flameclaw]

OOC: oops... I forgot to do Khan's accent in my post before... btw, it's Khan... lol.. he's the town blacksmith!

The wildcat was too bored and tired to jump much at the badger's outburst, but the shouting did serve to catch his attention. Khan listened carefully to the exchange, knowing he was evesdropping.. but who's perfect eh? A sigh issued from the cat when Typhoon mentioned the emptiness of the tavern. It was a depressing subject, not only because less soldiers meant less work, but as anyone knew, if a fort began to empty and remain filled only with officers, that was a clear sign that the place was on a downhill run. Few recruits trickled in, a mass of the soldiers just seemed to dissappear and a major part of the town was in ruins from the attack that came so suddenly and left about as quickly. He was deep in thought when he held out his mug to the barmaid,
"Hae ye goot anythin fer an unhappy caat?" Her reply shocked him.. she had a reputation for being the hardest ice queen of the place, and now she sounded like a lightskirt.
"I've got a room out the back." He sat there looking at her, wondering if she'd gotten a knock on the head in the attack. The vixen must have seen the look on the wildcat's face, because when she put his mug back on the table, she patted his cheek, that fox, patting someone's cheek and saying,
"Don't worry, it'll just be you and me." Now he was sure something had to be wrong. No vixen should change like that.. it was abnormal! Then he truly understood why his father always said that "...only three toms ever understood a she-cat, and their heads exploded that instant." Typhoon's words interupted his thoughs, a thankful interuption.
"Wha? Ooh, the stroongarms in tha toon? Thee'll fand thet theey'll flook tae ye, whoot weeth the invasion an all. They woont stey unless the peey's good an regular like, thoo."

[ranjit]

Ranjit had a hard time figuring out what the wildcat was saying but he understood bits and pieces of it. He heard that they will stay if the pay is good and regular. that was about all he heard."So, are you going to spearhead this operation, Typhoon sir?"

[Finbar Bellamy]

Finbar pushed open the door to the saloon, savoring its familiar creaking. All bar doors sound the same the world over. Sauntering up to the counter, he seated himself and casually ordered a beer. Always a beer, never anything stronger. He couldn't stomach anything else.

As the weasel waited for his drink, the conversation taking place next to him reached his ears. That was an officer of some sort talking. And an eager soldier...offering an idea. Fin scoffed inwardly.

Adventures. Ha, imagine me going on an adventure. That'll be the day...

He chuckled to himself for no particular reason as his ale arrived, eliciting a stare from the bartender, to whom he flipped a coin.

[ranjit]

Ranjit looked at Thyphoon."Sir, if you have no objections. I would like to organize this properly and then send out our troops accordingly. I have a few ideas of places we could find some good troops for fighting. My old village is about a three day sail from here to there. I could go with a few beasts and see if anyone would like to come and join." Ranjit was thinking all the time No one in my village would want to come but going there would beat the heck out of staying here for a while. And it would be a good chance to promote myself. If a get some good people maybe Dirk will give me some recognition. Ranjit smiled then looked at Thyphoon for an answer.

[Flameclaw]

There she went again, if those weren't coy glances, then the cat would go out and bite his best anvil. Khan sighed at it all, something strange was happening here, then well, he was loosing his senses. And that little Lieutanantd there who thought himself such a hotshot... Khan knew it would be a waste to try and discourage the young'n, but still, he needed a reality check, a good fight to show him what he really could do, or more importantly, what he couldn't do.

Draining his cup in one long pull, the cat hardly wanted to give it to Junda, but she was there in seconds, taking his cup and filling it again without even asking. She handed it back, holding Khan's paw in hers for a few seconds. Her paws were the first thing Khan noticed, but her eyelashes were what held his attention the longest... Burn me, thought the cat, she may bloody well be flirting, but that's no reason to gaze into her eyes.

Ranjit's little suggestion looked like a useful interuption, so Khan spun to look over, pretending that something the weasel said had caught his attention.

[Typhoon]

Typh sighed again and drained his mug.

"Alright, Lieutenant. Go ahead. Take six of the fellows from Legion 2."

OOC: Sorry about the short post.

[ranjit]

"Yes sir I won't let you down." Ranjit saluted beaming proudly. He was so glad he had been given this task. He practically ran out of the saloon to get to the second legion's barracks.

[Typhoon]

The badger sighed as he looked at the retreating figure of the weasel, who had buggered off without paying, though the female fox bartender who had taken over from Pete had seemingly not noticed.

"There he goes again, dashing away on some harebrained scheme... Ah well, he's an eager one and no mistake..."

Typh had lost count of the number of times he had sighed in the past few minutes. Sighing again, he asked for a refill from the fox bartender. The badger hardly knew her, even though he had come to the tavern innumerable times. When he asked for a refill, she ignored him. Typh looked where her eyes were focused on and found that the object of her attentions was Kalem. Determined to get at least another pint, he banged the wooden mug on the table, trying to get her attention for at least a few seconds. But, on seeing that she continued ignoring him, Typh gave up and instead went behind the bar and filled the mug up himself, muttering to himself all the time.

[Dingus and Shotput]

*Running in, the two pine martens grin and look at the drinks. Choosing out two hearty mugs of strawberry cocktail and elderberry wine, they mix it togethor and take a sip. Emmediatly becoming hyper, they run arond drunkly looking around with crazy looks in their eyes.*


*Eager!I`m eager!OO pick us!*They scream at Typhoon, hearing his remark.*

[Chicory Rue]

Rue stumbles in, weary to the bone. She collapses in the nearest chair, which happens to be right next to Typhoon, and wearily called for a mug of mead. When her drink came, she sipped it slowly, sizing up the badger sitting next to her. Presently, she nodded at him.

"Tis' nice to see another badger 'round here, if you don't mind me saying, Commander. And where do you hail from, sir?"

[Typhoon]

Typh looked disdainfully at the two pine martens but otherwise ignored them, not wishing to raise his voice in front of the other badger. Drink appeared to have the same effect on them as it did on Ffasma. Like Ffasma, when they drank, they seemed to have been posessed by spirits, screaming and foaming at the mouth, with a crazy look in their eyes. Turning to Rue, Typh tried to talk over the mad screaming, but it was evident that he could not be heard.

Typh lost his temper for the second time that night, though this time, his anger was more justified. Picking up his mug, he threw its contents on the faces of the two impudent pine martens and bellowed,

"SHUT YOUR BLOODY MOUTHS BEFORE I SHUT THEM FOR YOU, YOU STUPID SODS!"