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[JaxtalMK2]

"Thanks Panacea," I say as I stand up, "I'll be sure to let you know if something feels wrong." I head out, with a final goodby to Jaxler and Powder.

((End scene I think))

[Telgin]

Last scene over, new scene starting!



Virtue is sitting quietly at the well, watching her two children play in the grass as she tries to enjoy a moment outside and away from her paperwork.  Rose giggles as she chases an insect of some sort of another, whiel Valor prefers to stay near his mom and simply watch.  As long as they didn't go anywhere near the well itself, she was content to just let them be foals and enjoy themselves.

[JaxtalMK2]

I walk over to Virtue chewing my lip. I hadn't really talked with her since the trade depot incident, and this was a big thing I was asking... Her foals playing nearby helped make my mind up though, and I stepped forward. "U-umm... baroness? I.. I had an idea that I wanted to share with you... hope I'm not interrupting anything..."

[Telgin]

Virtue looks up from her playing children when Glyph addresses her.  She gives him a warm smile and shakes her head.  "No, you're not interrupting anything."  She watches Rose to make sure she was still in sight and nowhere near the well before adding, " What's on your mind?"

[JaxtalMK2]

"W-well... It's and idea from my old village." I look over at Rose smiling faintly. "Back home... none of the foals had parents... well none but the most lucky or important. Instead they all just lived in stables all together..." I shake my head snapping myself out of my remembrance. "N-not that I'm saying that we should take foals away from their families... that's not right... but.. I was thinking we could make one of our own, just to take care of the foals while their parents are working, or busy..."

I cock my head, trying to think my words through. "I'm sorry if I'm not explaining this well baroness... Mainly I just thought about captain Naginata, her foals would even come with her to training... I was always worried they'd get hurt... and it can be useful..."

[Telgin]

She listens carefully as he speaks, cringing a bit mentally as he refers to her as baroness again.  That still didn't feel right...  "Glyph... there's no need for the formalities, I'm still the same pony I've always been."

She smiles to try and ease the atmosphere.  "But I think that's a good idea actually.  Now that I have two foals of my own I can see how much of a hoof full they can be."  Valor huddles up next to her and makes a small noise, and she lays a hoof on him.  "And I worry a lot about Naginata and her family.  I've seen her foals watching the training too... and I'm concerned one day one of them might follow her into a fight..."

Her grip tightens a bit around Valor, who smiles and settles in next to her.  "If Marbles can't look after them all of the time, somewhere she could leave them where somepony can... that sounds like a very good idea.  I wonder who might could look after them though?"

[JaxtalMK2]

I relax a little, she seemed to like the idea at least... now about the rest... "W-well b-... Virtue... I was thinking... I could? I don't have much to do when I'm off duty, so I would be happy to be the pen-father..." I chew my lip a bit, thinking. "And... and I think Kat might enjoy it too... maybe some of the others..."

[Telgin]

Glyph?  He wasn't a father, but from what she knew, she couldn't think of any reason why it couldn't be him.  She nods slowly, raising her free hoof to her chin.  "Well, I don't see why not.  If you think Kat would be up for helping out, she seems like a nice mare, so I don't see anything wrong with her helping."

Her eyes track to the various ponies milling around the various workshops.  "I think it's a good idea, but I'd like to see what everypony else thinks about it too.  And we'll have to think about where to set all of this up.  I suppose we'd need a new building, maybe not too large though... we have... twenty or so foals I think?  And you wouldn't need to watch but a few at a time I think..."

[JaxtalMK2]

"Yeah we defenitly would need a new building, but even without I could look after a few at a time easy enough." I look over the grounds smiling softly. "Thanks for at least thinking about it though... and if you ever need anypony to look after your foals, I would be more than happy to. I... I hope the others agree..."

[Telgin]

She looks down and smiles at Valor briefly before returning her eyes to Glyph.  "Thank you for volunteering.  I'd trust you to look after Rose and Valor if I ever needed it, and I'm sure Naginata at least would say the same."  She looks over to the dining hall.  "I think perhaps tonight I'll ask around a bit and see what everypony else thinks.  We can probably get something started getting set up out behind the main housing area... I'll have to think about that for a bit..."

[JaxtalMK2]

"T-thank you for that..." My heart swells at that, that both her and Naginata would trust me with their foals... that was the best complement they could give. "I suppose I'll let you think then... I think I have a patrol soon.... but thank you for listening."

[Telgin]

Previous scene done, and incoming fort update, I need to learn to do these in smaller batches.  Some slightly interesting stuff this time.

Sorry vkiNm, I haven't had a chance to fix Kat's hair color.  I won't be able to acces my normal computer for about a week, where my software is.  I'll see about fixing it some other way, but it might be a while.

I've also taken some of Maklak's suggestions into account, but I haven't had a chance to work all of it in.  The suggestions for more images unfortunately I didn't follow this time.  I keep forgetting to take pictures when important stuff happens, then it's too late when I come back!



Virtue's Diary, 5th Galena, 257

Today we finished relocating all of the workshops to more permanent and organized locations.  Most of them are closer to their raw materials now, so everypony should have a little less trotting around to do while working.  The masons in particular should be able to work a bit faster.  I've drawn up a new map of everything:

Spoiler: Huge Map Image (click to show/hide)

This shows the new warehouses too, which hadn't been constructed yet.  I forgot to take a screen cap earlier.  Keep reading...

We moved the carpenter's shop, and wood conjuring stations to the wood stockpile, moved the mason shops to the stone stockpile, and relocated the craftshops to the north wall.  They're a bit further away from their raw materials now, but I'll try to see about getting some stockpiles set up nearer to them with commonly used things.

The gate traps have also been completed.  Flux oversaw the addition of some drawbridges that can be opened to force intruders down a snaking path of traps, where they can fall down a good distance if they get knocked off.  It sounds terrifyingly effective, and I'm worried that somepony in the militia might get hurt too.  I'm sure Halberd and Naginata will train their ponies to stay clear of the trouble though.

Lastly, I received some further letters from Coupledye about their expectations of us now.  They're looking for us to export raw steel and iron, of course, but they're also interested in any steel armor and weapons we can produce.  The liaison must have caught sight of our smith's work.  It worries me slightly that the king is looking for war implements instead of just steel, but it's not my place to question their requests.

Of course, I'm just trying to skill up my smiths and get some better gear.  A few masterworks were made for the troops, and this should get up my wealth for invaders.

15th Galena, 257

A party was thrown today for Sandstone, who is no longer a little colt anymore.  He's a stallion now, and he had his first lessons today with the masons, who he'll be joining.  We could have used his help years ago when he was still a little colt, but another mason is always in demand here.  We've still got plenty of work for them to do.

We also had a zebra diplomat arrive today, completely without escort.  I spoke with him at length today about our relationship with the zebras, which I'm pleased to report is in good standing.  They're fond of our little settlement, but he expressed some concern at the lack of trading we've given them in the past.  I assured him that our settlement is growing all of the time, and that we'd probably be needing more from them in the future.

He was quite polite and pleasant to talk to.  I look forward to his next visit.

17th Galena, 257

Well, it looks like perhaps we would get a chance to live up to that promise earlier than I expected!  A zebra caravan arrived today, and we traded a fair bit more than we have in the past.  It's come to my attention that our food stocks are all but overflowing, thanks to the hard work of our skilled chefs and farmers.  We traded the last of the scavenged badger pony junk along with a fair bit of our stocked celery and carrot stews, which the zebras absolutely fell in love with.

In exchange, we received a sheep, a lime tree, some milk, a little exotic drink and a lot of thread.  Panacea told me that we were running low on both thread and cloth, and this should bring us back up to a good stock.

Oh, and apparently Pewter was ambushed by a diamond dog just outside of the fort walls earlier today.  The guard rushed off after him, but he escaped.  At least nopony was hurt, although we'll probably see more of them soon, as we usually do.

21st Galena, 256

I had a terrible scare today.  Somehow, Longshot and Corkscrew got caught on the walls of the old pump network out by the brook, where they couldn't get down.  He said they'd been up there for days when Storm Cloud found them, and both of them were very weak from the dehydration.  We rushed them off to the hospital where Panacea took a look at them and started treating them immediately.

She said they had less than a day left apiece before they'd have died.

I feel horrible about it, even though they survived.  How could we not have heard their cries for help earlier?  I shudder to think what might have happened if we hadn't found them...

I'm going to go see them now.  At least Panacea says they should recover completely.

Stupid ponies getting stuck on stuff.  At least I saw the job cancellation spam on giving water, I'd have never noticed them otherwise.

22nd Galena, 257

Looks like I was right about the thief.  Another diamond dog arrived, but the zebra caravan guards killed him before we could even make a move on him.  Then the badger ponies showed up.  I'm starting to wonder if the two are in cahoots with each other.

When the warning rang out, I ran for cover with the rest of the civilians of course, so I didn't see the battle, but I have Halberd and Naginata's reports to work from.  The battle was swift, from what they say.




Naginata's After Action Report

My squad arrived late to the battle.  By the time we got there, Halberd's squad was already engaging the badger ponies.  Outside of the fort and past the traps.



From speaking with Glaive, he was already outside when the badger ponies charged the gate, where he slew two by himself.  He dispatched them with a few precise strokes of his axe, and I must say I'm impressed.  Falcata on the other hand used a bit less finesse when she killed the third.




Falcata doesn't play with thieves!

As I've shown the ponies under me though, you use any tactic that presents itself when you're fighting, so I didn't say anything to her about her methods.  It's not my place anyway, since Halberd commands her, but he seemed to not be bothered by it either.



Virtue's Diary - 12th Limestone, 257

Not much to report today.  We set up a loom to start maybe processing some thread and cloth into more useful things, and I also had Marbles make some more windows.  A lot of homes still didn't have windows, but I hope to remedy that soon.

17th Limestone, 257

Glyph stopped to talk with me today when I was out watching the kids, and suggested that we set up a small building where the parents here in Dawnpick could leave their foals for others to look after while they were at work.  I think it's a great idea, as I know Naginata and Marbles at the very least could use a little help, especially when Naginata is on duty.

He suggested that he could be the one to look after them, along with Kat.  They both seem like fine candidates, but we'll probably need somepony else who isn't in the guard or militia, who would have more time.  I'll have to think about that, along with where to build it all.

19th Limestone, 257

Well, I suppose any reprieve we were to have from the monsters below was going to be fleeting.  After we cleared out part of the caverns, the unicorns in the militia set up some early warning spells to tip us off of any new arrivals.  We had something turn up today, but at least it can't get to us.



24th Limestone, 257

I'm starting to retract my statement from before about not fearing what lurks beneath the earth.  We had two more monsters arrive today.  This time though, they were very deep down, and of no threat to us.  I'm going to have to look into setting up new traps on those levels too, maybe we'll be able to clear the caverns for good one day.





1st Sandstone, 257

We started work on a new warehouse today.  Although the rain and weathering hasn't caused too much in the way of trouble for our stockpiled materials, we're long overdue for one or two.  We'll be moving our furniture and crafts inside as soon as it's ready, which Mortar says shouldn't be all that long.

While I was looking over his plans for the warehouse, Diamond Shard slowly trotted by and took over one of the mason's shops.  I recognized the blank stare immediately as one of the strange moods that plagues everypony here, and after a brief moment to make sure she wasn't going to cause too much disruption, I left for my office to sort through some more paper work.

13th Sandstone, 257

Today I think I may have made the most difficult decision of my life.

Diamond Shard hasn't budged from her place in the mason's shop, and is getting antsy.  She's asking for cloth, but is turning everything away that we have.  She doesn't want any of it.  She just kept insisting that we bring her something new.  I didn't know what to do, the only other kind of cloth I could think of was silk and we have none here nor any easy access to it.

Diamond Shard hadn't eaten nor drank anything in a full day, and I was terrified that if we didn't get her what she wanted she would suffer the fate that Longshot nearly did.

There is only one source of silk in Dawnpick, and that's the caverns.  Where the monsters live.

I had to choose if I wanted to watch one of my oldest friends in Dawnpick slowly wither and die before me, one of the ponies who has mined up close to half of all of the stone and metal ore we've produced, or risk the lives of somepony to go down to the caverns to get some silk for her.  I agonized over the decision for an hour.

I chose to send somepony to get her some silk.  Partisan, Storm Cloud, Jaxler and Kat went down to the caverns after opening the beast trap, and stood guard while Fleece darted in, grabbed some spider silks and darted back out.  It was an amazing success, and they didn't have to fire a single shot at anything.



There WAS a forgotten beast in there, but it was a flying one who seemed to be busy flying around and doing nothing.  I sent the guard with their crossbows so they might have a chance of crippling or killing it before it got too close, but it didn't matter in the end, thankfully.

Then something truly terrifying happened.

From a breach somewhere we haven't sealed, another monster flew out of the caverns into Dawnpick.  I was standing out with Diamond Shard, trying to think of a better way to get her what she wanted, and worrying myself sick that I'd never see the five ponies who went underground alive again.  The monster soared over the walls, somehow flying with its body composed of mud, and charged straight for us!

Diamond Shard snapped out of her trance long enough to defend herself against the beast, but it tried again and again to jam its massive stinger into her body, only to find her mining pick in the way each time.  I thought she and everypony else here was doomed, and I froze in terror.

I'm stupid and forgot to take screenshots of it stinging her and getting deflected by her pick and clothes.  Too much time passed and I can get it now.

I also don't know how it got out.  It didn't go by Partisan else I'd have known it, I think it flew up an up/down stair case that breaches the caverns somewhere, but I can't figure out where yet.  It wasn't the same FB I was watching for.

I screamed and backed away from the carnage I was watching, to be rewarded with Glyph and Fuscina galloping to the scene.  Without missing a moment both set upon the monster, with Fuscina taking a few ineffective swings at it.  She finally hacked part of it away, and while it was stunned Glyph leapt up and severed its wing with a single swipe of his axe.  The beast fell dead at that moment, collapsing into a heap of unsightly mud when it smashed into the ground.



Glyph got the last blow but no credit for the kill.    He saved Diamond Shard's life though!

I was all but in hysterics at this point, but once Glyph and Fuscina assured me it was dead, I managed to calm down enough to see that Partisan was triumphantly leading Fleece to the workshops to get some silk made.  I sat by Diamond Shard's side the entire time it was being made, needing her company as much as she needed mine.  I nearly watched an old friend be torn apart in front of me, and that's something that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

I recovered slightly after that when Fleece presented a bolt of silk cloth to her, and her face lit up.  She immediately set off to grabbing things and went back to work.  I think Glyph and Fuscina need a reward of some sort, as do all of the ponies who went underground to save her.

I'm going to need a little while to recover from this, but I think I will.  Just knowing that we've got such a connection between everypony here that we'd go through such lengths to save a friend, and to know that the militia is standing by when we need them, all of that puts my mind at ease.

18th Sandstone, 257

I wanted to celebrate today when I heard that Diamond Shard finished what she was working on.  It was an absolutely beautiful stone throne.



I gave her a hug the moment I saw her and told her everything that happened, since she didn't seem to recall any of it.  She was in tears at the effort we'd gone through to save her, and I want to make it clear to everypony in Dawnpick that I'd go through such lengths for all of them.

Everything else today was a bit more tame, thank goodness.  We finished the warehouse and started moving our unused furniture there.

We also had a tiger pony stumble into the traps near the mines.  That's unusual, as we've never seen any tiger ponies around here before.  Hopefully they don't join forces with the badger ponies.  I'm probably just worrying too much.  After what happened, I think I can be forgiven for that!

[Maklak]

It took Indigo a few days to persuade himself to intervene, and warn his friend Kat about the danger she seemed oblivious to. He needed to talk to her, and soon. Fortunately their rooms were on the same floor, and he noticed his friend going to her room alone. He approaches and knocks.

Kat was just putting her Crossbow away, being done with the day of guard duty. Hearing the knock, she had to walk back to the door, unlock it, then open it up to see who it was. Seeing that it was Indigo, she gives him a friendly wave and a smile. "Oh, hey there Indigo."

Indigo gives a nervous glance at the corridor, but there is nopony there. "Hello Kat. I... I need to talk with you. Can I come in?". Normally his demeanour is more reserved, and Kat seems used to it, but this time he looks rather agitated.

Kat raises an Eyebrow and cocks her head slightly to the side, wondering what's up with Indigo today. "Sure!" she opens the door wider to let him in, then closes them after him, "what's it that you need to talk about?"

After walking inside, Indigo sits on the floor. "Well, I...", he stammers. "It is not my place to intrude upon Your life, but I believe I should warn you. I would expect the same from a friend." He pauses and frowns.

Kat sits down on her bed, still with a raised eyebrow and wondering what's it about. "Okay? So... what are you going to warn me about?"

"Well, I believe you got yourself into some bad company."

The Pegasus Mare's eyes turn rather.. stern. She looks at Indigo like he just said a bad joke. "And.. what makes you think that?"

"Well, I walk around the camp on various errands, and saw You with Stiletto on several occasions.  I believe she is trouble."

Kat's eyes become even more stern, mixed with disbelief and suppressed anger. "So... you think, Stiletto... the Alicorn... the one that's in the Militia, the one that ripped thieves after thieves after thieves to save our lives countless of times with nothing but bare magic and an axe the size of a small pony... is trouble. Is that correct?"

"Yes. I believe she seduced two stallions, and made some kind of commotion. Such indecency is hard to believe, but I think it is true. I've seen her with Flux, and one of the militia tucked under her wings. True, she mostly keeps to herself, and is a good soldier when it comes to defending us from bandits, but I do believe her to be trouble nonetheless."
 Indigo pauses, rather relieved to having said that, and waits for Kat's reaction.

The Mare just sat and listened. She wanted Indigo to continue and see what his reasons are, if any. Besides, she knows that it's not polite to cut somepony off while they're talking.
 "So.. you're saying, that after risking her life protecting us, so we don't have to watch our backs or have more coffins made for us in the tomb, after spending days in days out helping everypony, training, working under all that steel, just because she has more than one Pony with her, she suddenly becomes Trouble?" Kat asks again, as to confirm.

Indigo was rather at a loss for words "Well, yes. I believe she treats both of them as coltfriends, and such a thing cannot be. If this is true, she will hurt them both. And possibly others."

Kat finally smiles up, patting Indigo softly on the shoulder "oh Indigo... Ponies gets hurt and worse everyday. And I think sharing a mare with another colt is a lot better than getting stabbed by a badger thief no? We hurt a lot of many things everyday in our lives. And I don't think just because she has more than one coltfriend makes her a bad pony. Remember cultural differences? Of course you do. You know me, Ponies from different places have different thoughts and feelings. Probably from where she's from, it's acceptable to have more than one coltfriend. We're not going to be silly enough to make a different culture block us from making new friends, are we now hmm?" Kat tries to reason.

Indigo opens his mouth, closes it, and opens it again, visibly shocked. Finally he manages: "I... don't come from, where she comes from. And I will not stand for unfaithfulness."

Kat smiles, laying back slightly onto her bed to relax out. "Well I'm not from where you are from, or she is from. And Unfaithfulness was a really big sin. But do you know what's even worse?" She would wait for him to ask “what?” before continuing, but he just stared. "Being close-minded and dismissing anyone that's different from us. That makes us the true monsters"

Indigo looks even more shocked 'She is lying on her bed... like that, is she trying to tempt me?' "I... monster... " he stammers, but quickly continues, as if reciting a remembered text. "Like I said, it is not my place to intrude upon your life. My warning was given sincerely." After a moment's hesitation he adds. "I was wrong about you."

Kat sits back up, cocking her head to the side slightly again. "Well, thank you for your warning. It shows that you still care, and it's really great. But.. what do you mean you were wrong about me?"

"I thought it would bother you, of course. I don't understand your attitude. This is foolishness."

Kat beams Indigo another smile, opening her saddle bag and takes out a bottle of Strawberry wine, offering it to Indigo at first "Indigo, I really need to talk to you about the great goddess Faust sometimes. Taught us to accept, to befriend, to tolerate.. and to choose."

"I... see. I won't bother you about it, then. I... need to think now." He nods, then sighs, and starts walking towards the door.

Kat perks her ears up, seeing Indigo walking away like that, she calls out "Indigo?"

He stops, but is still looking at the door. "Yes?"

"You didn't bother me. Not at all... Thanks for visiting" She says, clear as day and filled with that cheer in her voice that Indigo used to hear when she talked before she joined the guards... That voice of cheerful, unassertive Kat who shared drinks and meals with him... who laughed and smiled with him... that he-... no... probably not.

He looks at her, feeling better. "Yes. You know where to find me if you want to talk. Just today... I had enough. Oh, and Kat, we are still friends, right?"

Kat smiles at him, nodding and still offering him that bottle of strawberry wine she has "Of course Indigo, always Friends. Always."

"Thank you, Kat. Goodnight." Indigo walks out of her bedroom without even noticing the bottle, but looking relieved. After a moment he perks his head back into the room "Oh, and what was said, was said between us, alright?"
 Without waiting for an answer, he heads back into his room. He has a lot on his head.

With Indigo out of her Room, Kat sighs, laying flat onto her bed. Rather worried at her friend, seeing that he's acting rather weird lately... wondering if it's really just about Stiletto... and if there's anyway she could help him... but for tonight... she rests.

For Indigo this conversation went very differently than he expected. At least they are still friends. His head feels heavy, but he can't sleep. 'She thought of me as a monster, not her. Is she under her influence now, and I was too late? Adultery is just wrong, why can't she see it? How can she possibly think opposing it can be worse than the deed itself?' She didn't even try to deny any accusations, seemed unbothered by them and didn't listen to reason. This is a very unsettling thought for him. He remembered her words: "Indigo, I really need to talk to you about the great goddess Faust sometimes. Taught us to accept, to befriend, to tolerate.. and to choose."
 'But it is wrong to accept  and tolerate evil. And what choice could she be talking about, when condemnation of adultery is the only option?' He was a rather smart pony, and it didn't take him long to figure that out. She was going to give him a choice to either turn a blind eye to Stiletto's excesses, or not be friends with Kat any more. She said, they would always be friends, but Indigo lived long enough to learn that there is no such things as always. Making friends was generally hard for him, and loosing them sucked. After a while he started quietly sobbing in the privacy of his room, and that finally brought him relief. It was a cleansing kind of crying, and it helped. The next day he almost felt all right.

((In case, you are wondering, Indigo misinterpreting Kat's words is at least in part intentional.))

======================================

I finally got stonesense to work, but I don't have pony sprites.

This is a deviantart gallery with large pictures of whole levels in Stonesense. Click "Load image" on each for full view.

I also have some smaller ones:

Gate, Trade depot, dining hall, and statue garden:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Dormitory, well and water engine:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Keep and more dormitories:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Love shack, bridge, and metal industry:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Fishing bridge and pasture:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Aqueduct filling the moat:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Kitchen and still:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Cellar under the keep and well:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Moat, and mine entrance:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Iron mine:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Narrow corridor in the mines, it should be expanded to 2-wide one.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Trap for Forgotten Beasts:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Second level of caverns:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Marble mine:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Another narrow corridor in the mines:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

<--- Back to Dwarf Therapist dump of Dawnpick

[vkiNm]

hey don't worry about it Telgin, no rush, i can wait. Thanks for doing it though!

[jaxler]

Jaxler woke up; he was on top of his apartment. All he remembered from yesterday was that he started drinking. He got up and looked around, and found his crossbow was five feet to his left and realized that he had guard duty today and that should have shown up around an hour ago. So he flew as fast as he could to the barracks

Kat was already in the barracks, really wondering where everypony is at the moment, seeing that she's the only pony in the barracks at the moment. Shooting at the Target with her guard crossbow and its wooden training bolts.

Jaxler finally arrived and walked into the building, "hay Kat, do you know who has to patrol today"

Kat perked her ears when she heard Jaxler's voice, but didn't look yet as she's aiming down the crossbow sight. "I think it's Partisan's and Storm cloud’s today… seeing that you just came and I still have more trainings to do.." she answered, then fired her crossbow, hitting the target right where it should be its left eye socket. "Good morning Jaxler."

"Good morning to as well" Jaxler walked over to the closet weapon rack and traded his wooden crossbow for a shiny steel one. "You mind if I practice with ya"

Kat look over to Jaxler, seeing him switching crossbows, then smiles "Sure! It’s getting boring shooting alone anyway." After answering the other Pegasi, Kat pulled the string back and secure it, loading another wooden bolt in. "it was more fun shooting at that beast."

"Ya, but the last thing this town needs are more cave monsters". Jaxler put a bolt in his crossbow and fired. He completely missed the target.

Kat Aimed down the sights again. "Well, if there's more. We'll just have to kill more. simple." she said, pushing the trigger and firing the bolt, hitting her target around its groin area. "You okay?" she asked, seeing that Jaxler missed his target by like a mile or something.

"I'm okay" Jaxler tried firing aging at the target but missed just as badly. He then tried again and actually hit a target but it wasn't the one he was aiming for.

The pegasi mare tilted her head slightly, seeing Jaxler's surprisingly bad aim this morning. "You just woke up hung-over... didn't you?"

Jaxler laughed a bit at the question "what gave it away?"

Kat shrugged and smile. Well, at least he seems to be in a good mood. "I think you shooting my target instead of yours gave it away" she said, sticking her tongue out playfully a bit while reloading her crossbow. "But hey! Good shot! I think that one hit the lung or something."

Kat aim down the sights again at the target, firing her bolts again and hitting it, breaking the right false rib and jamming it into the target's lung... if it were a living thing anyway. "Heh, I don't get why don't you just take the steel one as your own and use it every time. To get used to, better that way."

"Do what? I came to town with my wooden crossbow and my crossbow has saved my life on many occasions. What kind of a pony would I be if I just dropped it into a stockpile and let it rot?

Kat raises her eyebrow at the question "why would you drop it into a stockpile? Ask the carpenter to make a box for it and keep it for generations to come sounds like a good idea. Should give the poor thing some rest. But it's your crossbow; do what you want with it I guess?"

Jaxler laughed a bit and walked over to the weapon rack. He picked up his wooden crossbow pulled back the string put a bolt in it. When fired the bolt landed right between where the target’s eyes would be. "I don't think this thing wants to retire anytime soon."

Kat shrugged slightly, reloading her crossbow "well, looks like you got your aims back. You're really used to waking up hung-over do you?"

"Yes, yes I am. Getting hung over isn't all too bad once you get used to the headaches." Jaxler then picked his steel crossbow back up and fired it. This time the bolt hit the ceiling.

"Yes, that... or your steel crossbow's aim is way off. Maybe you should get that thing checked out sometimes no?" she suggested. Firing off her own bolt and hitting the target's midsection. "I'm really getting tired of shooting targets all day, you know?"

"Well being part of the guard really isn't as action packed as it seems. If you think this is boring then just wait till you haft to fill out paperwork, or listen to a pissed off old mare file a complaint about the sun being Too bright"

Kat finally is pleased with all the shooting, she slung her crossbow across her back and stretches out, flexing her wings as well to see if it's still working and haven’t gone numb to death yet. "Well, at least we don't get sent head-first into a bunch of monsters like the militia anyway... but there's these rumors of sieges or something now that we're a barony Probably why Partisan set up more targets and making them further and harder… heh... a siege. What do you think?" She asked, leaving the shooting area of the barracks to find a place to sit at for now.

Jaxler walked over a weapon rack and traded his steel crossbow for his wooden one and followed Kat out of the firing range. "If we were to be besieged I'd say our chances of survival depend on how much the enemy wants us dead."

She reaches the lounging area of the barracks, finding a table to sit at and taking out her own supply, already wanting to eat. "Another factor would be how good we are, and how good THEY are." she continued, taking out her bottle of Longland beer and some carrots

"Ya but skill is irrelevant if they send 90+ ponies mounted on war elephants all of whom are wearing full metal armor."

"You want to know what’s irrelevant? Time of death." she said, biting onto the tip of her carrot before downing it with her Longland beer. "Whatever you do, whatever happens, whoever you are, you die. Simple as that."

"Yep, you die. Which is why you might as well decide enjoy the time you got. Time of death is irrelevant but being able to die with a sincere smile is."

Kat pondered for a moment as she takes another bite from her carrot "hmm... I think I told you something similar when you asked me before I joined the guards..

Jaxler laughed a bit. "Why are talking about something a unpleasant as death right now."

Kat giggled before taking another swig of her drinks "who knows? Maybe I’m a sick, sick pony who could only taste food if she talks about death and destruction." she joked. Taking a large bite out of her carrot

"Man, I just realized that I haven't eaten today. Can I barrow some money so I can go buy some food"

Kat tilted her head ever so slightly from the request "don't you get free food? I mean, we're allowed to just walk in and grab something from the food storage anyway. Right? Or something from the Guard's supplies?"

"All the food here Taste bland. I was actually gonna walk over to the kitchen and pay the cook to make me something decent"

"Ah, sure! How many bits do you want?"

"Enough"

Kat taps her chin for a moment, then open her poach of bits, taking four bits out of it and place it on the table before pushing it towards Jaxler "there, should be enough."

Jaxler picked up the bits and said "thanks". He then started to walk out the door.

Kat waves Jaxler goodbye as she continues to eat her food there where she is.