Dark's gotten over the whole 'I Shouldn't Train With the Patrol If I'm Not In It' thing, finally, and is down in the boxing chamber, in the middle of a match of fisticuffs with another hare. The two are at a standoff; Dark's got a bloody nose, the other hare's eye is slightly swollen, and they're circling each other. Long jabs are thrown by Darklett, but unfortunately, the other hare's got the range on him, easy, so none of them land, and a counter rolls the buck's head backwards slightly, making him back off. Arr.

Hmmmm. The Colonel had been eating innocently enough in the dining chamber when a young recruit had come tearing in. After some excited whisperings with his friends, the lot of them had torn out of there. So what can Zoe really do, other than follow? She keeps her distance and so appears in the boxing chamber entrance about a minute after the small gaggle of recruits does. Her eyebrows go up at what she sees. Aha. Darklett boxing. XD No wonder. He's always been famous and the most recent events have only served to increase the recruits' fascination with him. She smirks.

The ex-Major isn't oblivious to the sudden rise in crowd, though he's not aware of exactly who's there in particular. Standing a few paces away from his opponent, Darklett lowers his guard and sticks out his chin, daring the other to come get him. The other buck bites, and dances forward, Darklett keeping his guard down, his back slightly turned backward. Having never boxed with Darklett, the other is simply thinking he's got an open shot, no problem. But as he delivers the overhead right to Dark, Dark sidesteps it, ducking under the follow up, parrying a hard, close jab, leaning out of the way of another overhead, and parrying two more jabs, thoroughly frustrating the opponent with his paw speed. Darklett steps back again, circling out of the way of the corner he was near, and sticks out his chin in a second taunt.

Zoe_Lang limps forward, leaning on her cane until she finds the nearest bench which she sinks down upon. Hmmm. Not a bad technique, has Darklett. XD She rests her paws atop the handle of her cane and her chin atop her paws. A faint smile touches her lips, her ears twitching thoughtfully away. She doesn't interrupt, only clearing her throat softly when the recruits crowd in too close to the ring, some resting their arms on the edge of the mat. They look back, spot the Colonel, and immediately back off.

Darklett grins at his opponent, watching the insides of his ears turn a little red. Another flurry of punches fly for Darklett's head and body, at least fifteen or sixteen punches, and only two of them land, both in Darklett's chest. Needless to say, being winded isn't one of the buck's concerns, as, before he was out of the patrol, he was probably the most agile fighter in the mountain. The opponent, though? Different story. He's starting to tire, and Dark's grin gets wider. The punches get easier to block and dodge for Darklett, until he finds a huge opening in the guard, and... exploits the heck out of it. Dark gets inside range, and fires away, knocking his opponent in the chin a few times, then, for the sake of not putting him out of commission for Patrol duty, resorts to body shots exclusively. It's really sad, the other's not even putting up much of a fight, so Dark winds up and places a haymaker neatly and firmly on his opponent's jaw, flooring him instantly. Ow, Dark shakes his paw a bit after that one. :P

Aha. A knockout. XD A cheer goes up from the audience, which is joined by quiet clapping from the Colonel. She grins, shaking her head slowly at the ex-Major's display. Save for some very tricky act of cunning, Darklett could beat her. This realization hits her with a bemused snort and she stands up from the bench, approaching the edge of the ring. "Knockin' out my fightahs, I see." Smirk.

Darklett leans into the corner for a moment, rubbing at his knuckles in afterthought of that one, before working on unwrapping his fists. His ears perk, and he turns to see the Colonel behind the voice that caught his attention. He tosses out a breath of a quick chuckle, and salutes with a half-wrapped paw. "That I am, though in my defense, he was trying to do the same to me, Colonel." Stepping out of the ring, lifting one leg over the middle rope, then the other, he continues unwrapping his paws as he jumps down and sits on the ring edge. "Afternoon."

Darklett uses some of the wrapping to dab at his nose, looking at it and frowning at the blood. "I've been good. Been living, anyway." He continues to dab at his nose, before he looks up towards the Colonel again. "Audri? She's doing alright, too. Coping, anyway. Healers said the infection in her tail's completely gone, now, so that's one less thing to worry about."

Ooh? Zoe's eyebrows go up. "That's good news," she offers with a small. Her arms fold together behind her back and she rocks first backward and then forward on her heels. Hm. "I nevah spoke t'you about that report, did I?" Thoughtful squint.

Darklett takes a breath, balling up the wrapping and dabbing his nose one more time before leaning against the outside of the bottom and middle rope, eyes up on the Colonel. "No, you didn't," is his reply, a long breath following afterwards, though it's quiet.

Zoe_Lang's eyebrows raise very slightly at the slight but noticeable change in Darklett's behavior. A minute shake of her head is given, and the faintest of smiles twitch at her lips. "Well, aftah readin' yer report n speakin' with Audri, I feel comfortable assumin' that the vermin will no longah be in the same location. Fact, Audri seems rathah convinced that they'll come t' us. What's yer opinion on that, Muh-" Uh. "M'lad?"

"Does she think?" Darklett's paw raises to scratch behind his ears in thought. "I guess they tracked us down once... But the sand should have covered us long before they could follow us." More thought. "Unless they identified Taye and Seven as Long Patrollers, and know about Salamandastron." He lowers his paw to his lap. "So it's a possibility that they'll follow. I don't know why, but they'll do anything to get to Audri."

Zoe_Lang considers Darklett for a looong moment. Hrm-hm. "Well, fer the time-being I'd like t' just send out our usual patrols n inform them all t' keep their eye out for any ships sailin' close t' shore. If they haven't appeared in the next coupla weeks, then we'll go out lookin' for 'em. Fer now, we're just s'likely to waste a week. Bettah to wait 'til they're more likely t' be shorebound, again."

Darklett nods to the Colonel's plan, considering it for a few seconds. "Sounds like it'd work. If the patrols find anything, they can take care of 'em quick if they can. If they're not close enough to shore, report back with the location, and we'll keep an eye on any strange ships." Standing up, he looks over his shoulder at two new sparring hares, stepping away from the ring. "Let 'em shore up, and trap 'em from their ship so they can't retreat, except inland."

Zoe_Lang follows Darklett's eyes up to the ring and she too steps back from it, idly limping after the buck with her eyes turned to the ground. Her head bobs in the occasional, considering nod. "Aye. Just so, m'lad. Just so. I'd like it if we kept Audri in the mountain fer the next coupla weeks. I don't want her gettin' nabbed. Think ya c'n handle that?"

"I've no problem with that." Darklett sighs out between nearly closed lips, shaking his head. "Tough part's gonna be convincing Audri that that's a good idea. Especially since it's the middle of the summer. But I'll do my best to keep her in the mountain."

Zoe_Lang smirks knowingly, looking around to the two sparring hares for a moment. "Aye. I know how that is. Just do what ya can. Have a coupla privates keep an eye on 'er 'round the mountain, if ya want, n if ya don't think it'd be too upsettin' for her."

Darklett grins at the Colonel's suggestion. "You know, she always manages to give her escorts the slip, so I don't know if it'll be worth it. She's around Taye a lot, though, so maybe I don't have to worry about that." He shrugs. "Either way, I'll do my best to keep her out of trouble." Pause, as he turns to watch the fight momentarily, fidgeting with his footpaws as things drop into silence.

Ooh, silence. Zoe turns to consider the fight, as well. Squint-squint. "... Well. M'sure Taye n Seven will keep their eyes on 'er." Mm-hm. And silence, again.

Darklett nods slowly, seeing the two fighters exchange shots with each other, commenting and complimenting a maneuver every so often, offering advice to the opponent. Recruits, perhaps. "...Colonel?" Hesitation. Hm.

Hm? Zoe glances to the side at Darklett, eyebrows raising. "Aye?" her arms unfold from behind her back, resting at her sides. Attentive ear perk.

"Nevermind, just... uh, reminded myself." The prompt reply is followed by Darklett's paws going behind his back, the usual position for him, a clearing of his throat the only thing following it that comes from his voice as he continues to watch the boxers.

Zoe_Lang blinks and her eyebrows go up a fraction more. "... Ah. I see." Humhumhum. Slightly awkward silence, which Zoe fills by murmuring words of compliment to a move here and there as the the presumed recruits box.

"...How's the Major that took my place?" Darklett's voice gets quieter as he finishes the sentence, as if about halfway through he realized he didn't want to ask that at /all./ "Er... I mean, is he doing a good job?" Oh. Zoe blinks, sending Darklett a surprised look out of the corner of her eye. "... Oh. Um. Well. We've just got one of the Lieutenants on that, fer now. He's doin' a... fine job." Pause. "If ya'd named a lieutenant for yer patrol... before, we likely would've jus' promoted em righ up, but." She shrugs, very gently.

Darklett nods slowly at the response, beginning at the announcement of his doing a fine job. "I see... Well, good thing I didn't. My patrol doesn't have a lot of experience behind it, and Buckthorn... Wouldn't be pleased as Lieutenant, let alone as a Major."

Zoe_Lang has disconnected.

"He wouldn't, would 'e?" Hm. The Colonel considers what she knows of the healer in question, then nods. "I s'pose yer likely righ'. Ah, well." Muse. "... Ah well. Well. What t' do, righ'? What t' do."

Darklett shakes his head. "No, no he wouldn't. Glad the replacement's doing alright, though. Cuts off the ripple effect of my idiocy on this angle, at least." Another hesitation as things fall into silence. "I don't think I ever really apologized for misleading you. Know you put a lot of faith in me, and all..."

Zoe_Lang looks on the verge of reproaching Darklett for the ripple effect of my idiocy comment. But she is distracted by the apology. After a few seconds, a sigh fizzes out between her teeth and she shakes her head. "... What would I 've done in yer situation? Prob'ly the same thing, I imagine. You were young, n ya came to a place of safety with beasts willin' t' accept ya." ... Shrug.

The buck watches as the sparrers leave the ring, leaving just him and the Colonel, who he faces now, in the boxing chamber. "...If I'd told you about my old life myself, and you hadn't found out the way you did..." The second half of the hypothetical question doesn't come out immediately, and may not ever, as he turns to look forward.

Zoe_Lang's ears twitch back. She does her best to maintain eye contact, but it is hard given the mixed look of pity and concern which stamp her features. Eventually she settles on staring just to his right, at his shoulder. "Dark..." She trails off, a sigh issuing forth.

Darklett's face seems to sour, and he bites his lip, shaking his head. "I guess all I wanted to say is that I'm sorry for letting you down. After... After everything, I'm sorry that I still... I still let you down. And..." at this, he looks to the Colonel's averted eyes. "Th... That's all." His shoulders twitch as if he were going to turn to leave, but again he hesitates.

... Oof. Zoe blinks, sharply, her eyes shifting briefly to look at him again. Her head shakes, slowly, her eyes solemn and worried and awr. "... Oh, Darklett. M'lad. Oh... ya don't let me down, son, not now n not evah. I've done things m'not proud of in m'life, plenty of things, some things I've nevah spoken of to anothah beast livin'. I s'pect all find m'self facin' the Dark Forest at the end o' the path." She falls silent for just long enough that Darklett may wonder if that's all she has to say, and then she continues. "But, Darklett, tis what ya do t pay yerself back for those moments o' shame. T' try n live up to 'em. Ya've lived yer life doin' that since I've known ya, s'far as I can tell."

This response only makes the buck look more hurt, angry, frustrated, sad... All mixtures of those things that were already present on his face. "Thanks... Colonel," is muttered, despite this. "That's... Exactly why I worked so hard. Tried to be the best damn hare I could've been. When I was in the Patrol, I was redeeming myself. I was making up for all the stupid things I'd done, before and after I'd showed up here. When that was... taken away, I felt like there was nothing inside me." He shakes his head, putting a paw on his chest. "I... /really/ wanted to ask you what I had to do to regain my position. I see now I'm not ready."

Uwah? That wasn't quite the reaction Zoe was expecting. Her lips part in silent surprise and, for a moment, it would seem that she has... nothing to say, not to all that, anyway. But a few seconds longer and she gives a minute shake of her head, her muzzle closing with a small but audible click of teeth. Once regrouped, she... sighs. "Darklett... ya have t' know. Have t' know that I didn't want t' do what I did. 'Twas just... the only thing I could do at the time. D'ya undahstand that?" Fwish goes her breath out through her teeth. And then a thought occurs to her, and she actually almost sort of smiles. "... Did ya know that some of the Recruits are gettin' up a petition t' have ya reinstated? They don't think I know about it, but they're kinda hard t' miss."

Darklett's ears pin as he looks towards the Colonel. He could finish that sentence for her if he wanted to. "I understand," he briefly replies, his head going forward. Again, he looks like he's about to go again, his head going to the door, but he never manages to make that step. Fortunately for him, because... That next statement actually catches his attention. The pinned ears lift slightly, and he looks back towards Zoe. "Petition?" She doesn't get a smile, but it's close. "They want me back that much?" Then, the frown returns. "...Why?"

"Because yer theirs. Their Majah. I've called ya somethin' along the lines of the Advocate t' the recruits before, haven't I? Now I know this ain't the reason ya did it, but what goes around comes around, m'lad." Her smile grows, and she tips an ear forward at him. "Ya've got their hearts, n they'd follow ya anywhere. Seems they want t' keep followin' ya."

Theirs. Huh. Darklett swallows, his ears lifting up the rest of the way. "...I always liked training them. They, uh. They were still young. New... Didn't mind a little extra. Somethin' that might've been harder." The buck /does/ actually smile at this. "One of my... uh, better memories of the mountain." The smile weakens to a straight face, as he glances toward the door again. "Why're you doin' this?"

"Because ya need t' remembah that yer a great man. A flawed 'un, but a great 'un nonetheless." This the Colonel says while reaching out to rest her paw on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Maybe... once ya realize that, you'll be ready t' ask for that somethin' back." She drops her paw.

Darklett sighs, his head going from looking to the exit to turning towards the paw on his shoulder. "...I'm... Grateful for everything, Colonel." Dark nods a few times, his head and glance going lower each time. "Just not ready yet. I have to take care of things first, then... I'll see." Then, his glance goes back up. "If that petition passes." He smirks, ears giving a quick twitch.

"If that petition does s'well as I expect it will, I'm gonna have more of a headache than I've wanted t' have in a... long, long time." The Colonel smirks faintly, giving a faint shake of her head. "Do me a favah n bury me with dignity when the Recruits crucify me fer bein' a heartless, unfeelin' ole thing, eh?" He almost ends up with another paw on his shoulder, a habit of hers, but she holds it back with a small chuckle. "But I'll let ya see it whenevah those darlin' Recruits get up the courage t' hand it ovah, n we'll celebrate it with a coupla ales. A'right?"

Darklett smiles fully, now, /his/ paw going to the /Colonel's/ shoulder. He may be mocking her. If so, then... Darklett's back, baby. "I'm sure you've got enough leg in you to kick 'em off ya." The smile becomes a grin! "And when they do, I'll see your couple of ales and raise you two shots of whisky."

Zoe_Lang's lips curve up into a welcome smile as the paw settles on her shoulder. She glances to the side at it, almost laughs, and shakes her head. "... Aw, go on with ya, lad." She chuckles, looking well pleased in general. "I think you'll find yerself s'prised at how much this ole thing c'n put back s'far as drinks go. So we'll jus' see who's raisin' who, eh?" Grin. XD "Now why don't we get on outta here, eh? The recruits'll be gossipin' about whatevah it is they think we talked about, as is."

Darklett dips his head slightly in a nod, looking back up with a grin. Still filled with humility, but a more proud kind. Happier, anyway. He opens his arms up, then shrugs, very animatedly. "Can't help but eavesdrop and see if they're onto anything... Don't tell anybeast I'm thinkin' about this. If somethin' changes my mind, I don't want to feel bad for lettin' anymore hares down, alright?" He smiles, hopeful look sent to the Colonel. "Just as a favor."

Zoe_Lang bobs her head in a ready nod, looking as if she couldn't be happier for Darklett's good judgment. "I won't mention it t' a soul, m'lad. Not a soul. That's up t'you t' do." She smiles once more, a certain amount of pride seeming to reflect off of him to be returned in the way she looks at him. "... Good lad," she murmurs, with a nod, then grins. "All righ'. Enough of that! I'm off." With a snort and a wave, she turns, limmping for the door.

"Thanks." Darklett smiles at the Colonel, turning to her as she walks away, paw lifting in a salute. "I'll... speak with you later," he calls after her. "About things. And... Maybe I'll be ready someday soon." A firm nod, then... Of all things, he goes into the boxing ring again, to shadowbox, apparently, as there is no dummy nor a partner.