People involved: Darklett and Terrance

Salamandastron: Level Two
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Salamandastron *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
You are in a medium-sized circular 'room' from which several passages
branch off. Each passage fades off around a twisting corner, winding
around in the bowels of the mountain. One passage, however, hardly more
than a short, straight hall, ends abruptly with a large wooden door - the
forge room.
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Terrance comes out from the training room, getting in a little extra training in before heading to bed. Unfortunatly for Terr though, Tom and his friends are having fun tossing some little recruit around.

Just a few seconds later, Darklett steps out of the training room. Well, kinda. He starts to, then he turns around, and shakes his head. "No, no, like -this...-" And he disappears back into the training room to correct something some recruit was doing wrong.

Terrance glances behind him at Darklett and then back to to the bullies. He smirks a little as an idea forms. He hides his smirk and starts walking, keeping his yes on the deck like he normally would. One of Tom's friends spots Terr and points him out to Tom. "Well well, look who we have here, all alone late at night." Tom says as he spots Terr and signals for his goons to surround him, leaving the other recruit free to dash away. Terrance sighs. "Come on guys. What did I ever do to you." Besides beat Tom in the mock battle at least

Darklett is standing outside the training room once again, only his back is turned. "No, more upright. Like... this." He mimes what he wants the recruit to do a few times, then shakes his head. "No, move your elbow towards your side more, and... Yeah, there you go."

Tom smirks and says, "What did ya do runt, wot wot? Ya just annoy me is all. An' I really like ta follow my feelin's ya know." With that he slugs Terrance on the arm, right where they always do, and then pushes him to his buddy across the circle who does likewise and pretty sure Terrance is being pushed around like a sack. Maybe this wasn't the greatest plan Terrance thinks as he winces at every slug. So much for trying to get that bruise healed up.

The problem recruit in the training room must finally have a handle on things, because Darklett finally turns around and walks out of the training room completely... Only to find the group of bullies picking on Terrance. He sighs, shaking his head, before raising his voice. "Atten... SHUN!"

All of the bullies look towards the source off the command and get the 'oh crud' look in their eyes before coming to attention. Terrance stumbles for a couple of more steps before regaining his footing and coming to attention himself.

Darklett shakes his head, making a few clicking sounds with his tongue and the roof of his mouth. "Oh, well look who it is again. The tough bucks, most perilous in all of Salamandastron, beware all recruits and leverets, for nobeast is safe from their treacheries..." His paws fold behind his back. "Name and rank, all of you."

"Recruit Tom sah." "Recruit Flatpaw sah." "Recruit Twignose sah." "Recruit Taggert sah." Each of them says, sounding off. "Recruit Terrance sah." Terr says, figure the 'all of you' meant him too.

Darklett makes those tongue clicking sounds again, shaking his head. "All of you are recruits..." He shakes his head, walking back and forth in front of the bullies. "Yet you all seem a little old to be recruits. I wonder why that is? Any ideas?" He turns to the ever-so-lucky Twignose, just inches away from his face. "Well?"

Twignose sweats a bit as Darklett gets in his face, "Uh...not enough room sah?"

Darklett stares down Twignose, completely silent for a good ten or eleven seconds... Then, he laughs. Loudly. "Hahaha! Is that what they told you? Not enough room?" He backs off, only to step in front of Tom, who he has identified as a sort of ringleader. "That's just their nice way of saying..." He reaches up from behind his back, and tweaks Tom's ear none-too-gently. "...You're too incompetent for the real thing. What do you think of that, Recruit Tom?"

Tom flinches as his ear is tweaked and he scowls a little bit. "I don't sah." All the meanwhile, Terrance is rather enjoying this, although he's hiding it well enough. Best not add salt to the wound just in case this backfires on him.

"Of course you don't think." Darklett grins in Tom's face. "It shows in how you act." He backs off Tom, and steps just to the side, at Flatpaw. "All four of you were doing this same thing to this same recruit before, weren't you? I think it was in this same intersection. Didn't you learn that this is just a bad idea yet?" It's a serious question, aimed with a serious face towards Flatpaw.

Flatpaw gulps, "We were uh, just tryin' ta help tha recruit toughin' up a bit sah. Get 'im ready for tha patrol sah."

Darklett just stares at Flatpaw, shaking his head and looking to Taggert. "Sounds like our friend Flatpaw here didn't show up for Good Lying class today, what do you say?" he asks, still standing in front of Flatpaw, but with his head turned towards the other recruit.

Taggert breaks a smirk and says, "Quite agree sah."

"Recruit Taggert, I wouldn't be smiling just yet." Darklett steps back to address the four older recruits. "Since all I ever see you four doing is picking on smaller hares, your training hasn't been the best it could be. That's why tomorrow morning, you will all report to the boxing chamber for a lesson from me. Is that clear?"

"Yes sah!" The four bullies sound off. Terrance in the meanwhile, is just standing at attention, trying to not break his military bearing

Darklett nods to the four all at once. "And I guess I should mention that this incident will be reported to the Colonels, who will decide for themselves what they think of your behavior."

At the mention of the report, the four of them seem to deflate a bit, some of their ears drooping. "Yes sah" they say out of unison and with a little less umf.

"Dismissed." Darklett stares the four down as he says it, especially Tom, who he gives his best glare.

Tom seems to wither a bit under the glare. Him and the other bullies give their salutes then quickly make their way out of the hall. Terrance gives his salute too and lingers around a bit, smiling a bit as he lets the 4 get away before he proceeds himself just in case they care to set a little ambush.

"Recruit Terrance." Darklett stops him verbally, his paws still behind his back. "How often do they bother you like that?"

Terrance's ears droop a little as he is addressed but he comes to attention. "Well they stopped for a while sah but in tha past month its become a fairly regulah thing. At least every othah day I'd say."

Darklett frowns at this. "Well, why haven't you hit them back at all? I bet you can take at least one of them before they get you."

Terrance blinks a little, "Well sah, ya said I shouldn't fight that battle yet sah. Been workin' on my boxin' skills a bit lately though. Just workin' up tha courage ta finally face 'em I guess sah."

Darklett nods. "I know I told you not to fight back yet, but I really didn't expect you to actually last this long without throwing a punch or two..." Darklett smiles, letting his paws simply rest at his sides. "They're a bunch of idiots. They can't do anything unless it's in a group. Work on your boxing a little more, and I bet you could take any one of 'em, maybe two at a time."

Terrance nods, "Yes sah. Thank ya sah."

Darklett nods. "Dismissed, Recruit. Have a good rest, you may need it tomorrow."

Terrance throws a sharp salute and gives a final "Yes sah" and then drops the salute and heads off, making sure to peer around the corner before heading into the dormitory hall