All things considered, it was a wonderful dinner, a nice respite from the terror that surrounded them. If only it could have lasted... Rikes' cuts and scrapes were looked after. He was gonna be fine. His 'uniform' was kind of a mess, and there wasn't a replacement available, so while Isaac had tended to his wounds - Not an easy task. YOU try helping someone who nips at your fingers when you hurt them. - Britta had at least managed to find some needle and thread to make the vest less...destroyed. The wolf had had a few close ones, or he snagged it alot. Hard to say, really. This tear here could've been a knife, or a twisted piece of metal... [i]That[/i] one had definitely been a bullet, as it matched a scarred part of his body. The process took [i]at least[/i] an hour. Once it was done, they'd reconvened to the so-called barracks that was the sleeping area and decided to take a rest, Isaac idly petting the wolf. [color=ed1c24][b]"I thought he was gonna take your hand off, back there."[/b][/color] [color=f7941d]"No, he wouldn't. Between [i]my[/i] training and the army's training, he's more likely to kill an Imperial Soldier than anything. He knows better."[/color] [b][color=ed1c24]"So, can I...?"[/color][/b] [color=f7941d]"Yes, you can pet 'im."[/color] He chuckled as she did so, and the wolf grunted with certain approval. Here, it was finally when Britta shared what was bothering her. [b][color=ed1c24]"My little brother is in the army, Isaac."[/color][/b] [color=f7941d]"Your brother? I didn't know you had one."[/color] She nodded, solemnly. [b][color=ed1c24]"Hans has always looked up to me, so...I guess when I joined the army to lighten the load, back home, he must've thought it was the best thing to do, as well."[/color][/b] Immediate thoughts went to Jean and his dearly departed sister, Olivia... [b][color=ed1c24]"I've tried to get word to him, find out his situation, right now. I'm pretty sure he's through training by now and serving [i]somewhere[/i].[/color][/b]" [color=f7941d]"If I hear anything, I'll let you know."[/color] [b][color=ed1c24]"I'd hope that [i]anyone[/i] would, but thanks just the same. I did get word out that I wanted to hear from him. Barring some communications block, I [i]should[/i] hear something from relatively soon."[/color][/b] [color=f7941d]"I'm sure you'll get thr- Hey, whoa!"[/color] Britta had been scratching Rikes behind the ears [i]particularly well[/i], just then, and the wolf let out a groan and a whimper before hopping up and proceeding to lick the young woman's face. The suddenness of it surprised her, [i]immediately[/i] breaking the tension that'd been there and she fell back on the bed they were sitting on, trying to keep this shaggy beast out of her face. [color=ed1c24][b]"Oh my [i]god[/i], his breath is [i]horrible![/i]"[/b][/color] [color=f7941d]"Rikes, how [i]dare[/i] you! I was there [i]first![/i]"[/color] They managed to get him off and the wolf began running around a bit at random as Britta cleaned her face off. She then smirked at Isaac. [b][color=ed1c24]"'I was there first'? I don't recall a permanent claim being made, Mr. Isaac."[/color][/b] This actually caught Isaac by surprise, enough to make him feel red with embarassment. [b][color=ed1c24]"The things that come out of your mouth, I swear..."[/color][/b] [color=f7941d]"It's just what naturally comes to mind..."[/color] Britta sighed and shook her head, shoving the Edinburgher over with one swift motion. [b][color=ed1c24]"I'm just teasing you, you crazy wolf-man. Now, make room on this thing. We both need rest, and I want to be around someone that doesn't have dead animal breath."[/color][/b] >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So, sometime later, we have a fairly-pleasant scene. The two Gunners were asleep in the same bed, essentially making sure the other didn't fall out of it. They hadn't done anything more than try to get some sleep, but to say they weren't thoroughly comfortable around each other would be a blatant lie. Rikes, in his somewhat-repaired army vest, lay nearby. Sometimes, he snored. Other than that, there was very little disturbance that could be noted during the post-dinner moments - which were relatively peaceful and calm - and now. [i]Now[/i] was when everything went wrong. Now was when that moment of peace was suddenly broken. Now...was when the [i]shot[/i] rang out. More of a [i]Boom[/i], to be fair. Like a cannon. In fact, the words 'cannon shot' was exactly what occurred to Isaac as his eyes opened. Then, his mind leapt directly to 'Mortars' and even 'Gas' before resolving to... [color=f7941d]"Oh no, not [i]again[/i]..."[/color] ...as the close-up blast of Hill 58 went through his mind again and he clutched the waking Britta tighter, half-thinking there was going to be an explosion right nearby again. It WAS nearby again! The moment the far-off sound of a cannon fired, Britta had slowly come to, but Rikes alot faster. He was on his feet with a whimper and a growl. Then as she felt Isaac grip her, she knew [i]exactly[/i] what he was thinking...as the in-bound whistling of a high-velocity object was incoming, coming close- [h2][color=9e0b0f][i][b]BOOOOMMM!!![/b][/i][/color][/h2] That resounding explosion, the sounds of shattering and destruction not far from here, and yet loud enough that it almost seemed to be on top of them... The way Isaac reacted, after his too-close encounter with a mortar shell...completely understandable. The Lance-Corporal soon came back to reality when he realized the explosion was both not imagined and very different from the mortar shell. [color=f7941d]"What the heck was [i]that?[/i] Sounded more like a cannon, than anything."[/color] Basic training. They familiarized them the sounds and sights of explosive materials being shot and such at the training grounds. Isaac got up, as did Britta, to strap on their equipment. Outside the barracks, there was activity and even panic, everyone asking the same questions: What was that? Where did it come from? Isaac wanted to get some binoculars... Hell, there WAS a pair, just lying around! He saw Diana nearby, looking just as shocked. [color=f7941d]"We're at the ready, Diana. We have to be prepared to move out, 'cause I think they'll be asking people to go find out what that was...and [i]guess who[/i] will volunteer us. Get the word out."[/color] He got out his binoculars now to look around while shouting [color=f7941d]"Everybody suit up! We're being attacked!"[/color].