Ahhh, nice vacation just a couple hours away from home. It's like he has a summer apartment in Halyard now, since technically Salamandastron isn't home, but he's perfectly welcome there, and he's also perfectly welcome here (at least Keita hasn't told him to get out yet). The tavern's got a few patrons, one of them being Darklett, who is sipping at something cool and thin rather than his usual thick ale.

Brom makes his way into the tavern, glancing around before proceeding to the bar. "Hey there mate. Guess I'll have your lunch special again, and some october ale to wash it down please" the sheriff orders, handing over the appropriate coinage before looking around the room once more.

Apple blocks out the light streaming through the doorway before ducking under the lintel and moving towards the bar, the badger rumbling softly as she greets a few patrons waving her paw at them in passing before leaning on the bar next to the otter and waiting for him to finish being served.

Darklett spots the sheriff coming in, watching him with no real purpose, and then does the same with the badger. He smirks to himself at... Something, and sips at his drink to quell it, setting it down on the table and leaning back comfortably into his seat, kicking two chairs out from beneath the table in preemptive invitation.

"Here's yer ale chap. Cook says it'll be a little bit fer tha special, eh wot." Brom nods and takes the drink, "Thanks mate." He then looks over to darklett and makes way to his table, taking a seat in on of the offered chairs, "G'day" he greets.

Apple smiles at the cook once he is finished with Brom and leans down to whisper in their ear, a low rumbling permeating the room. The hare wiggles a finger in their ear and nods before heading into the kitchen. Turning Apple smiles and pads over, "Good day Mister Darklett, aye do say tis good ta see ye here."

Darklett grins at the sheriff and the badger in turn, giving nods to each. "Hey, both of you. How're things here in Halyard since I've been gone, then? Keepin' peaceful, and all that?" He stretches arms behind his head, a relaxed writhe of a yawn coming forth from his throat.

Brom takes a swig from his drink and then grins back, "Yup. My job certainly got a lot more boring since the festival ended. Just hauling in some late night drunks to sober up every now and again."

Apple chuckles softly at Brom and waves a paw as she seats herself onthe chair which creaks under her weight. "Arrr dinnae be speaking loike tha Brom ye'll be wishing badthings apon our heads wid tha kind oh talk." She turns back to Darklett and smiles, "So where ave ye been mister Darklett? been soome toime since aye saw ye here."

Darklett chuckles, his paws coming back down to grab his glass and sip at his drink, swishing it around and then gulping. "I've been at the mountain, really. Hanging out there with Audri ever since we got her back... Much safer here, no offense to you, Sheriff. Just... easier to keep her from running off, you know?"

Brom shrugs and says, "None taken. There's a whole mountain of patrol hares there too and only one o' me here." He then smirks at apple but doesn't say anything

Apple winks at Brom and then smiles as the cook brings over a large plate piled high with fresh cooked fish. "Ahhh now this is more loike it." She grins at dark and nudges him, "So when ye going ta pick oop tha new dress fer Miss Audri?"

Darklett nods to the otter in agreement. "Mmhmm. Not to mention we sorta have a closed-door policy back at Salamandastron. Don't really just let strangers in." A frown crosses his face as he reminds himself of... Things, but he shrugs it off, deciding to look towards Apple and answer her question. "Oh! I think... I can get that now, she'll be happy when I bring it back to her. I forgot all about it!"

Brom chuckles and nods, "Aye. Although the fact that ya only have one door into the place helps that out a bit" the otter returns. He grins and then takes a swig of his ale before setting it down again.

Skye slips inside the tavern, ears swiveling forward at the sound of voices, glancing towards the group with a tilt of her head. Hm. Ignoring her thought, the doe weaves her way towards the bartop, murmuring something to the tender.

Apple takes a bite from her fish and smiles softly, "Och aye tis a secure place indeed ye knoo...anyhow Mister Darklett tis ready an waitin fer tha wee lass at me shop>"

"Great, I'm sure it'll look good on her." Dark grins, liking the fact that he'll be coming back with a li'l souvenir for his daughter. "I'll pick it up before I leave, is that fine? I think I'll be heading back to the mountain tomorrow. Been away for a little too long, heh."

Brom takes a swig from his drink again, glancing towards the kitchen before looking back. "So how are things with the patrol? Shores still clear o' trouble?"

Apple nods to Darklett and smiles, "Jist coome on in tha door will be open an aye'll see tae it tha ye get it, also made a hat tae go wid it."

"Yeah, as far as I know. We've been keepin' an eye out for the vermin that are after Audri, but..." Shrug. Darklett takes his glass, and mutters out before taking a sip, "We haven't seen them in a while. Think they turned tail." A glance is given to Apple as he sips at his drink shallowly, giving Apple a nod. "Oh, you did? Thanks! That's great. She's been cooped up in the mountain for so long, I think she needs a bit of a lift to her spirits. This'll do just fine." Heh. "Besides, she's got herself a little squirrel suitor to impress now, so..." Grin.

Brom nods and says, "Hopefully." He then grins, "A suitor huh? Was it that squirrel with the whip that was around here with you the other week?"

Apple smiles softly and winks, "Oooh aye ye dinnae say..well leave it tae me aye'll ave her decked oot to stop any squirrels heart."

Grinning at Brom, Darklett nods in confirmation. "Mmhmm. His name's Cade. Good squirrel, he is..." A longer drink this time takes place, and he smiles at Apple, setting his drink down. "You sure? I don't know, I don't exactly have the same perks I did when I was a Major. Don't know if I can pay for it, heh."

Brom nods and says, "That's a good thing." He then gives Apple a chance to do the talking for a little while.

Apple smiles and pushes her now empty plate away and waves a paw under darkletts nose. Ochu aye dinna worry aboot it, tis all fer free an aye admit good advertisin fer me too, all those hares are gonna be like, "Och were did wee Audri get those fancy duds from, an ye'll be able tae say, "Why doon in ol alyard at Miss Apple's shop an aye kin see me way tae soom nice hare customers cooming in, also aye got soomething fer ye too."

Brom grins, "Only problem with that is the hares have uniforms they have to wear" he says before taking a sip, "Don't have much time to dress up I imagine." His plate of food finally arrives, being a bowl of some sort of soup that looks like clam chowder. "Thanks mate" he says to the bar-hare that serves him.

Darklett's ears twitch forward at the thick accent, taking it all in for a second, then nodding in response. "Guess it /is/ good business for you... But what do you have for me? I don't really need anything..." He shakes his head, pretty ready to refuse anything offered to him.

Apple smiles softly and whaps Brom's ears with a paw, "Och dinnae spoil me opes of luring those mountain hares in." She turns back to Darklett and pulls something from behind her belt, it is a throwin knife... the steel tempered as dark as the hares fur, bound with black leather on the hilt and set with a dull onyx stone. "aye made ye a set of these, aye ad some left over steel an wanted tae use it fer something good."

As Apple produces something into her paw, Darklett rolls his eyes, prepared to just laugh and insist that he not take it. Then, he lays eyes on it, and... is speechless. His mouth opens slightly, and he looks over the knife, even as Apple speaks he watches the light flicker off of the blackened surface... Tentatively, slowly, his paw reaches out, so he can perhaps feel it, eyes going to Apple for permission.

Brom docks his head as he's batted at, grinning and chuckling a little before he digs into his soup. He looks up at Darklett's reaction and chuckles again, "Careful mate, your jaw might just hit the table."

Apple smiles softly and nods to Darklett letting him take the dagger, she knows how to captivate hares. "Thar are eight of em Darklett and they are yours, aye tempered tha steel on a new moon night whilst clouds blocked oot tha stars and thar is noone more suited to em then ye."

Darklett feels the throwing knife in his paw, tossing it up, balancing it on a fingertip, bring another fingertip up and nudging at it, letting it spin around once before his paw flicks up, sending the knife in a half flip and pinching the blade neatly between thumb and forefinger. "...This is... too much. I..." have lost all will power to deny it? "Thanks..." He flicks his wrist upward, sending the dagger in a quick spin around, his paw flattening out to catch the handle in his palm and close around it.

Brom chuckles and just continues to eat his soup. Hares.

Apple chuckles softly a deep rumbling coming from her throat, "Och Darklett aye kin see they ave got ye, tha rest are waiting at ye shop along with a proper belt tae old em all."

"I don't know what to say. I owe you." Darklett looks over the blade again, either side, an odd sort of light-absorbing property of the dark temper entrancing him. Needless to say, he is in love. o.o "Thank you. They're perfect... Balance, and the color, and design..."

Calvert stroles in bouncing on his big foot paws..onehand behidn his back as he crunches abig green apple, juice rolling down his wiskas "ello All..ow are you cpats ta day?

Apple chuckls softly and lays a paw on Dark's head, lightly resting it between his ears, "Och Darklett me dear ye deserve em, now ye make me proud wid owe ye wield em. Aye dinnae hand oot badger made steel lightly." She nods her head towards Calvert and looks back at Darklett.

Ra'Shirr steps into the tavern, looking around the room slightly and sits down at the table in the corner, beeing in the shadow

The paw on his head is... not minded. Darklett might have cared in another situation, but not now. "I'll make sure they're used with honor, Apple. That'll be repayment." The knife spins, seemingly floating in his paw as he moves his fingers dextrously, until it comes to rest with blade in between thumb and forefinger again. "Thanks," he repeats. "I'll pick the rest up when I get the dress and hat."

Calvert continues on, apparently just passing thru onhis way to eat.. crunching the apple

Brom just watches the hare and smirks some more, leaning back now that his bowl is empty. His eyes pass to the new arrivals for a brief moment and then goes back to those at his table.

Apple nods her head and smiles removing her paw form darklett's head, "Och tha is ok wid me me boyo, they will suit ye aye think."

Ra'Shirr isn't really listening to what the party says, but can't help smirkinng slightly at the way the badger talks.

Oh blah. Having been pacing around outside for a longish time, Xarus finally pushes the door open to the tavern to step inside as he glances about. The black squirrel has been trying to figure out how to do this, so right now he's going to go for the direct approach. Once he has finished looking to everyone, he starts towards the table that seems to hold the most people.. And they seem important. "Um. Excuse me?" Directed to the hare of the table.

Darklett looks up from the knife for a moment towards the squirrel, disregarding him at first. Then... Oh, was he talking to me? He looks back up to Xarus, ears perking up. "...Yeah?" Darklett sips at his drink, downing the rest of it, looking curiously towards him. "Need anything?"

Brom waits for the hare to stop oogling over his new toys so much to ask, "So this Cade, why does he have a whip on him?"

Apple turns to look at at the squirrel and smiles down at him, "Elloe dearie ow kin we be orf elp?"

Xarus clears his throat. "I was told to alert Halyard that..." Pause. A glance is given to Brom. Did he just interrupt? He has a right mind not to tell them anything!!! DX That is before Apple speaks up. Not quite liking to be called dearie the squirrel just goes back to his job. ".. alert you guys that Salamandastron has been taken over by a vermin horde." Rather calm isn't he?

Darklett's breath leaves him. So when he tries to answer, not much of a sound comes out. The knife is dropped to the table, his paws going limp slightly. "Salamandastron... Is what?" Darklett gulps down air, his mouth dry from the news. "Y-...You're joking," he stammers, his chair scooting out from the table as he stands. "That's impossible!"

Brom looks over to the squirrel and arches a brow at the look he is given. At the news though, his other brow goes up. "Not a funny joke if it is mate" he says to the squirrel. "Who told you to deliver this message?"

Apple stares at Xarus in shock, "Wot!" she rumbles grabbing hold of the table and just starring at him, "You best be jokin...dear lords tell me yer joking."

A female voice (Ra'Shirr) from the shadow in the corner says, not at all touched by those news "apparently it is possible, considering he speaks the truth"

Xarus notes that this seems rather important to the buck. x_x He backs off somewhat. "Yeah right. Like I'd joke with you." The squirrel seems like he may not care about the situation anyway. Next to be responded to is Brom, who he smirks at. "My brother. Lozi-Lao. He was in the mountain when it was overrun. Got out by making a bargain." Still he keeps back from them, especially since the badger seems rather excitable.

Darklett's paw clenches. "...Did your brother tell you about numbers, or... Or deaths. Status of the hares inside the mountain. Anything." Darklett walks around the table, giving Apple a look. "I'm gonna need those knives now." Where his eyes had been alight before, they still are, except instead of a glow there is a fire as he nears the squirrel... Not offensively, but still closing distance between them. "How are the officers?"

Brom frowns as Darklett seems to take this credibly. The otter drains the rest of his mug and then sets it in his bowl. He seems to zone out as he rubs his jaw thoughtfully

Apple stands up slowly and nods to Darklett, "Aye...aye'll be back soon...." She turns to look at the squirrel and nods, "Tell tha Major everythin ye knooo" With that she walks out of the room swiftly not hanging about now

"Uh.. Said he was in a cell." Bump. Because of Xarus backing up he gets to run into the bar. "That when he goes back in tonight that he would try to help the officers, so I think they're.. alive at least." His ears twist back, only taking suddenly being advanced on as somewhat concerning. Another glance goes to otter and then badger before she leaves. He looks up to Darklett again. "I guess a lot are dead. Cause he thought I could be, but doesn't know cause he was kept separate after they caught him.."

Paws tremble, and Darklett leans against the now nearby bar to keep steady. "...Taken over..." It's hard for him to believe, understandably. "How... could they let themselves... Are the vermin really?" Anger turns to worry. "If you can find your brother, tell him to stay out of the mountain. If he goes back in and is caught, I doubt they'll let him live. He knows what it's like on the inside, and I may need to talk to him. There are hares outside the mountain... Do you know how many the vermin are?" Worry turns to urgency.

Brom just continues to think, an ear turned to the others though so he's probably listening somewhat.

The badger is gone for slightly longer then should be neccessary to go to her shop and back, she had to change and sort out Calvert and Sethinvir. When the Badger darkens the doorway again several things are different. Her nice gown is gone replaced with more serviceable wear and she's having to carry her spear horizontal to keep the point out of the ceiling. She moves towards Darklett and holds out a set of crossed belts loaded with throwing knives. Grimly she looks down at Hare and squirrel. "Wot ave ye learnt? Is it true?"

Looks finally concerned. "Oh. No, the vermin want him back in the mountain. He made a bargain." Xarus has all his focus on Darklett, ears flicking back. "I don't know how many there are.. I know they're ruthless though. Just.. cause of what I was told." The squirrel glances around, then suddenly grins. "Well, not like I couldn't help you instead. I mean.. I'm from the same family as my brother." That's when the badger returns. She's a little creepy. He just squints up at Apple.

"They would have to be to take the mountain" Brom finally chimes in, glancing towards Apple as she comes in. The sheriff finally stands as he says, "I hope you're decked out like that to help me set up the village's defence, Apple."

Darklett's paws still shake. "Oh... Oh, you're /helping./ Sorry, but your brother got you involved in this. C'mon, we can't just stand here." He takes the belts from Apple, and, rushed, puts them on. "It's true, Apple. We're gonna need to find the privates and recruits out on the beach, /fast,/ before they come back to the mountain, get captured, and we've got nobeast left to help us take it back..." He looks down at himself, stepping back to the table and taking the one missing knife and shoving it in the missing spot, looking down at his other belt around his waist. "...What kind of bargain did Lozi make? What's your name?" Odd questions to be put back to back, but this isn't time for clear conversation.

Apple turns to look at Brom and snorts, "Aye am sorry but no Brom, tha badger mountain as fallen an as aye appear ta be tha only badger aboot aye'm nae aboot ta sit aboot idle an do noothing." She turns back to Darklett and nods, "Where are they? these others?" She then glances at Xarus and smiles, "Ye ave doone a good servicew warning us."

Xarus seems not sure what to say first, but then he just clears his throat. "I'm Xarus Maltazar. Youngest, but I know a thing or two about being an assassin. It's what my family does." There is a moment of thought so that he may answer the first. "I.. don't know. He only said he was hired for something in exchange for my sister and his mate's freedom.." Trails off, keeping closer to the hare than the badger.

Ra'Shirr is sitting in the corner for the whole time, probably just listening, but otherwise not giving any other reaction, probably just not caring about the whole thing

Brom shakes his head, "The badger mountain has survived for a while without a badger lord Apple. I need you here, especially since you're the only smith in town. You heard Darklett, he has some hare out. Where do you think the vermin at the mountain are going to come next though. I'll need your smithing skills and your fighting skills here." The otter says all of this rather firmly

"If he pulled anything under-pawed and endangered more Long Patrol hares, I will have no reserve in flaying him and letting him bleed dry on the shores." Darklett's eyes narrow at Xarus, and he holds this glare, proving the point that he is dead serious. "Apple. We will need defenses back here at Halyard. Sheriff's right; while they won't be interested in Halyard while they've got Salamandastron, if we succeed, this will be the first place they come. With no Long Patrol to protect it, Halyard will need all the help it can muster." /Now/ he moves his eyes from Xarus to Apple. "I know how you feel, but believe me on this one. Now, Xarus." He steps away from the squirrel and heads to the door. "Brom, when Keita shows up, tell her what I had to go take care of." Reaching the door, he turns back to see if Xarus is following.

Apple grumbles and thumps her spear down on the floor and glowers after Darklett, "ye tell me...tha moment ye need elp and aye'll bring tha whole of Halyard doon thar if i can...get tha mountain free Major Darklett orf tha long patrol..."

Brom frowns at the badger and is about to go on when Darklett comes to his aid. He nods at the hare and says, "Will do. Smooth sailin' to you mate." He then glancies to Apple and smirks, "Right now, the whole of halyard is just us two Apple. I'm going to go talk talk to a few beasts though, see if we can't change that." At that the otter turns to head out himself

Xarus has no clue what to say anymore - after the buck threatens his brother. Truthfully he doesn't know /what/ Lozi did, so he can't assure against said under-pawed act. Instead of arguing, the squirrel follows Darklett, ears tucking back. Blah.

Darklett looks to Apple with a long pause, straightening up slightly at the announcement of his old title. The knives that cross his chest and surround his back, along with the raggy assortment of clothing on his body don't make him /seem/ like any Major of the Long Patrol, but the fire in his eyes and the determination on his features as he matches his gaze with the badger pierces through and speaks of the pride and fearlessness that come with such a title. Yes, indeed... He is Major Darklett Fletchpaw of the Long Patrol. Giving one last eye to Xarus, he steps out the door and towards the exit of Halyard. There's work to be done.