Eula had spent the remainder of the day fuming, storming about and essentially letting everybeast on the mountain know just how angry she really was. At dinner, she snatched herself a cup, fell heavily into a chair and slammed the cup back onto the table, spilling tea everywhere.
Del raised a brow at her friend, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of cheese. "Mayhap if you try a little harder y'can shatter it." The older haremaid already knew something was wrong with Eula, but felt it was pointless to ask if Eula wasn't going to come straight out and tell her.
All Eula did in reply was to give a loud huff and glare straight ahead. She reached to get herself a slice of potato pie when she heard her name called. Jerking about quickly, she accidentally elbowed her cup, sending her drink to the ground.
The one who'd called her stooped and picked up the fallen cup, setting it gently back onto the table. "My apologies, wot. Didn't mean to startle you m'gel."
"Can I help you?" Eula asked haughtily, crossing her arms and narrowing her gaze challengingly at Daikon. Del remained silent, feeling Daikon could not have chosen a worse time to pluck up a conversation with Eula.
In truth, Eula had an underlying joy, finding vicious pleasure in having a target for her foul mood. She watched silently as Daikon took it upon himself to grab a napkin from the table and mop up the mess Eula had made on the floor. The haremaid only sat there, arms crossed, watching him wordlessly.
Daikon smiled good-naturedly, tossing the napkin he'd finished using lightly back onto the table. "You're quite welcome o' course," he said dryly. When no reply was forthcoming he shifted his attention to Del instead. "Good evenin' Del," he smiled, nodding at her. "Lieutenant wants us out on the compound once we've all eaten," he informed the two haremaids. "Says he's got-"
"Important news?" Eula cut him off, glancing at him through hooded eyes. Daikon's green eyes flicked to Eula.
"Well, if you didn't hit the nail on the jolly ol' head, wotwot!" He grinned, giving an exaggerated wink and bow to the pair of haremaids before preparing to leave. "Though it wouldn't blinkin' surprise me if y'knew the news already, as you're Lieutenant's favorite." It was Daikon's first malicious shot at Eula in a long while.
The younger haremaid took full advantage off the situation. "True, true. Ho, I'm jolly sorry you're so jealous, wot! Y'really should find a rather more appropriate outlet for your anger, don't y'think?"
Del rolled her eyes in exasperation before turning back to the table and continuing her meal.
Daikon was undaunted by Eula's sarcastic retort, but he couldn't figure out how to reply when his mind kept amusing him with the thought of how terribly hypocritical Eula was being. So instead he only stood there with a small smile on his face.
Eula kept eye-contact with him for a few minutes before purposefully knocking her empty cup back to the ground again. Daikon stepped forward, picked up the cup and set it back on the table. He gave another gallant bow. "I'll see you two later then," and before Eula could say anything, Daikon slipped off.
Del seemed to be choking on her food, and Eula turned back to her quickly, worried. It took her a moment to realize her friend was laughing. Tears of mirth moistened the haremaid's eyes, and she shook her head, chuckling helplessly as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes.
Eula pursed her lips, staring at Del, nonplussed. "What's so funny?"
"Nothin', nothin'," Del insisted. "Jus' remembered a funny joke..."
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Instead of the meeting being in the compound, as Daikon had informed Eula and Del, all the Long Patrol hares had been ushered to the shore, where there was enough room for them all to be addressed at once.
All the Long Patrol hares were milling about, conversing quietly and offering their opinions on what the news could be. There was definitely a consensus met among everybeast gathered; the fighting hares were being called upon for help.
Del had abandoned Eula, for the younger haremaid had been annoyingly aloof without meaning to be. Eula didn't even notice that she was alone as she stood there, staring down and scuffing the sand with her footpaws, deep in her own thoughts.
A genial voice shook her from her thoughts. "Didn't know you could be so quiet an' detached."
Eula blinked and looked up, recognizing the quiet hare, Thatcher, from her patrol. She caught on to the friendly tone quickly and smiled. "Didn't know you could talk."
"Jus' not to small, short haremaids," he was quick to parry.
Eula bit her lip, looking up at him with a mockingly dangerous glare. "Try again."
"Jus' not to pretty haremaids?" He offered, grinning amiably.
Before Eula could reply, a harsh voice rang out over the shore. "What're ya doing y'lazy duffers! Dress up smart now, in ranks!" The whole patrol moved fluidly, organizing themselves into straight ranks. Oldest, most experienced troops towards the back, and the younger groups towards the front. Eula fell into rank among her patrol, placing herself between Del and Thatcher.
The officers stood before their subordinates silently, slightly off to the side as Colonel Buttespur marched imperiously before his attentive audience.
"You're all aware I have important news to break to you. Just yesterday evening we received word that a vermin horde is in Mossflower. We haven't yet gotten word of how big this horde might be, but you've all been taught to NEVER underestimate your enemy. Now orders have been made and the lot of you shall be mar-"
He was cut off abruptly as a young runner came skidding into view, nearly colliding with the colonel in a mess of swirling sand. Buttespur caught the young hare and put him back on balance, an angry look on his features. He was about to reprimand the scout before he saw his evidently urgent and frightened expression.
All of the watching patrol, even the officers seemed to lean forward anxiously, wanting to hear every word that came from the mouth of the runner.
Buttespur gave the young male a few moments to collect himself. The scout glanced up, a deep crimson crossing his cheeks in shame. He quickly stood to attention and threw a salute. "Colonel," he acknowledged quickly, still fatigue in his voice.
"Make your report Romney," the colonel replied intently.
The use of his first name seemed to calm the young hare down a tad, and taking a few more gulps of air, he delivered his report rapidly and smoothly. "Vermin horde spotted in northern swamplands. They seem to be led by three foxes, the group altogether is of mixed scummish species," he gave a distasteful scowl at this admission. "They've been headin' relatively-" he paused, dropping his gaze momentarily as he gave a small scuff of his footpaw, "-southwest."
An immediate murmur of discontent swept through everybeast who heard this report. Buttespur put on a stiff face, shaking his head once, muttering, "Is that abbey a damned magnet for vermin?"
Romney stood, looking up silently at Buttespur, awaiting instructions. The colonel nodded at the young runner. "Well done... One moment, chap. How many did the horde number?"
The younger hare fell into a few moments of uncomfortable silence. "A rough estimate, sah?"
Buttespur's eyebrows raised right there. "If that's all you can give."
Romney's gaze dropped again. His face reddened as he was keenly aware of all the eyes and ears paying him such careful attention. "P-perhaps... ah... a h-hundred over a thousand... sah," he said quietly.
All the officers immediately came up to the sides of the colonel and the runner, holding a loud, agitated conference whilst all their patrol just watched on in confusion.
Eula stood back, a stunned look on her face. She'd heard everything Romney had said. She glanced between Del and Thatcher, both of them looking as shocked as she felt.
Thatcher spoke his thoughts allowed. "Over a flippin' thousand? Redwall can't hold off that many..." Del nodded her agreement.
Eula felt a pang of guilt and foolishness. The others were worrying about the Redwallers. She'd been worrying about herself. Now here she was going off to battle with true soldiers, and she was concerned about her own well-being. Irritated with herself, she decided Jamie was right in demoting her.
True blue? She angrily kicked a small shell that was near her footpaw, winning herself a scowl from a younger recruit in front of her.
Oh bite me.
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A/N- As usual, I'm terribly sorry at my slow progress. Seriously, I could write you a whole story on WHY I've been going so slow. I'd probably entitle it "Of Hurricanes and High School Plays." In other news, I recently celebrated my Sweet Sixteen! -throws confetti- Thanks for reading! Pleeease review! )