17th May - After Review - Cleaning out

"Good at that. Better they learn it sooner than later. For they'll have more than one opportunity to carry many a man with them again. Not only they though.. but lets hope as few as can be." Though with the battle soon to come, many would die, many be injured and Sinclair may as well be pleading for more help with the wounded and be swamped with work so, and be also low on the bandages and supplies he could use for healing.

"Do you learn much.. from books.. or more from the experience you have... right doing the operations during the ..peak times?"

"They deserve more recognition than a well trained battle horse, I think soemtimes. But tis unlikely ter ever happen."

He considered for a moment, "Clearly I read, fer ye canna go into something like that with no knowledge, but ter carry out the operation is ter learn it more thoroughly. Tis why we have such a demand fer bodies.
Although t'ain't something tis alway smiled upon, using dead people ter learn how ter save t'living."
he shrugged. some people were just strange that way. it seemed the best use for a dead body to be put to.

"You... practice on dead people? " Perhaps he wasn't one of the people who cherished the idea. But it could've als been as he was more prone to become such a test subject, if he was to be killed. And though he would probably not have cared, being dead, the feeling was still just, not that pleasant.

"..It isn't that..., how do you know you would have saved a life, when you have a dead man to work on. Can't more than die once,... a person."

He had to laugh at that idea, "Tis more knowing where ter find things. I'm sure yer'll agree t'body ain't laid out all nice and neat, like, with little notes on it saying 'cut here' and 'stitch here'."

He considered a little more, "Once ye've done a thing onece, it's easier, yes? so t'more tim eye do it, the less time it'll take, the better it'll be fer t'patient. Ye wouldna like ter think t'first time I opened someone up 'twas ye, would ye?"

"Well, I'll inform you if I do find such notes.. though now you have me tempted to have a few stiched on, just in case there's a first timer to find me, and not a skilled doctor, such as you."

He looked rather amused, though still not quite certain whether he liked the idea that a dead body was in such way cut up. Which made him wonder, why cutting up a body of an enemy in a similar fashion - but to kill - was so much different than having a doctor do it after death.

"..And yes, certainly, I would not wish for you to try your first 'opening' of your life. Though I hope, you won't be trying any, even with your experience and 'many times a' done it."

"That's an idea. Mebbe I should pop them inter the people I chop up, ter make it easier next time..." he smiled at that, an intriguing idea.

"Tis a war, laddie. M afraid there'll be more'n one man I'll be chopping up."
he reflected bitterly on the problems of war- the men who'd die because they weren't brought ot him fast enough, or had tried to heal themselves. The ones who'd go home missing something, or stay on but be changed. And, of course, the days and nights of little sleep and less time, stitching and bandaging and smiling at them even though he wanted for nothing more than a cuppa and a sleep.
"But it ain't hurting us, yet."

"..That I know of, sir." It was a war they all fought, friends died as well as enemies and they had to make do with what they had and hope that if they were meant, if the bullet had their name on it, they would either be wounded so, it could be saved. Or that they would possibly die quickly.

"Pop them, in you should. But don't you try that on me ankle. I'll take my chances, sir." He smiled and was at last near finished with the second horse.

"yer don't want me opening up that ankle again, fer ease later?"
he feigned surprise, although ankles were hardly difficult things to deal with, and rarely did he peel away skin to peer at one anyway.

"Are ye sure? tis a once in a lifetime oppurtunity."

"Oh, sir. How great it is for you to offer, yet.." He grinned and moved his leg that had had the injured ankle back, quite a bit further away from Sinclair. "I believe that a man must miss an opportunity of a lifetime sometimes. Only to not have his life too great!" He chuckled and patted the side of the second horse lightly.

Feigning disapointment, Rob turned his head to stare at the sparrow again, shaking it slightly.
"Well laddie, tis yer own problem, should ye find yerself in less skilled hands...."
he raised his eyebrows at that, suggesting maybe that would be the case. But he couldn't keep a straight face, not with a small bird pecking at his shoulder, and he had to smile.

".. I doubt I shall have much of a choice in the matter sir." He began, then shook his head with a chuckle. "Sir , you do play a cruel game , yet I can't say nought but that you are an artist of play and portraying an emotion that might not be so true, but seems upon your face." He looked at the bird who was pecking at Sinclair again and smiled. With one hand he reached to it, to see whether their feathered friend would take him as a foe or friend, or a worm to be bit on.

"Me? Cruel?" He rested a hand dramatically across his chest, rolling his eyes. "You wound me, sir, indeed you do."

The sparrow tilted its head, peering at the proferred finger before tapping it.
"Think it'll be hopping onter ye in a moment." Rob muttered, not wanting to disturb the moment when she, or he, would hop across from his shoulder.

" Few moments more and I might suggest that you act in a play that the soldiers might prepare at a later time. They have before, that is, even the officers did. I'd have been sure you would be given the main role." Much said teasingly.

He watched the little bird and kept his hand as motionless as he could, and trying not to have it appear in no way threatening to the bird. After all, he did not mean to have it go off fluttering as if a cat was after it, and then never gain its trust again. "You are certain of that, sir?"

"They put on a play sometimes?" his eyes lit up at the idea of watching something. it would be funny, he was sure of it, and maybe they'd need some music or someone to tell people about it.

"Certain t'birdie'll take ter ye? Weel, I'm hopeful on't, fer then I can leave her up ter ye, ter...." there. A quick hop and suddenly his shoulder was devoid of warmth and feathers, they reposing now on another man entirely.

"Yes sir. When there's more time for it though, and more waiting in a place. Then it would possibly the more known of plays for the country we are in. Not all can read, but learn a line or two, that's a certain." Not for the officers though, who could all obviously read.

"You know my way of travel is certainly not for a bird of such station as her. A proper carriage, a wagon, that's what this princess would need." A silent laugh, for he wished not to disturb the little thing. He felt her hop onto her finger and then his palm, slowly ascending his arm. "There now, no pecking. That's reserved for your doctor, you hear?"

"I look forwards ter it." and he did, it being a thought to please him and remove any lingering doubts caused by the mention of the upcoming battle.

"A wagon, ay...but if ye should be my official horse- cleaner, I shall bestow t'duty opf bird-minder as well."
She was a curious wee thing, hopping closer and closer and he considered, idly, that willoughby was likely to loose his hair too, at this rate.
"Pecking reserved fer me, laddie? Ye willna be teaching ehr bad manners, now, are ye?"

" You suggest it so to my officers and they'll think it a splendid idea." Though he did not mind, if it meant that he could come and see to the doctor at any such given time. And the horses were horses after all, even in his free time he could come and tend to them, no problem. Fill his time, do a good deed and enter fine company.

"Bad manners sir? Never crossed my mind, that did not!" He however decided the bird would know not to peck at his hair , or his busby which needed its own furr well enough.

"I was just'.. oh.. bestowing that honour, only and solely to you sir. For I should not be granted such attention by this princess." He smiled and pulled his queue a bit to the side, having his hair still longer than the soldiers of Foot.

"I don't think yer officers are too sure about me. I beleive they reckon I'm up ter nae good, subverting t'path of justice and all...." he shot a glare at the building he could still see, grumpy with them and still trying to work out a way to get round it.

"So tis good manners ter go a pecking at others hair, is it?" he smiled at the way willoughby moved his hair, "Such an honour ye treat me with, laddie. It makes me feel o-so-humble." he bowed.

"Justice? But sir, their punishment was that I clean after horses and horses as is, it would be in favour of such justice that I do so. Especially were we to depart sooner." He smiled though and thought nothing serious of it.

"Spare not a thought on them sir. If you can so. They'll come sooner or later, asking for you in good nature." He smiled and observed as the bird looked rather unimpressed that hair has been moved some away from her. She hopped up the shoulder and made a neat chirp right into Willoughby's ear before turning to look quite satisfied with herself.

"Ouch. May it be an additional honour that you listen to her song.. up close as well? And I do not?" He asked with a small amused smile.

Had he been that transparent? "I'm sure they will. Though I would prefer not ter have our first discussion while I'm chopping them open."

He returned the smile, stretching it as he did so, at the face willoughby had first pulled when hearing that high-pitched cheep up close. It wasn't designed to be easy on your ears, by any stretch.
"Och, I think she wishes ter sing ter ye, is all. Would ye deny her t'pleasure?"

" If I am without hearing by the end of the day I shall ask you, dear doctor, to make me a new ear all thanks to this bird." Though he had no doubt that a new ear would be as useless as holding one of another man in his hand.

"There , easy now, little thing. Singing is for a special occasion, are we of an agreement?" He spoke to the bird and grinned at it, then glanced back to Sinclair. "Is there any writing you need me still to do?" He asked amused, remembering his time that he did just that for the doctor.

"And I shall make it tasty, so she will be pecking ye forever more."

The creature did seem quite happy, though he wondered what would happen when she was older. Would he end up with a nest of chicks to look after, or would he never see her again?

"Writing? THere is always writing. Half the time I'm not even sure who I'm writing ter. But ye needen't bother this time, I've almost finished it..."he eyed the other suspiciously, "Unless ye be angling fer some of that food I gave ye, last time? There should be something hanging about."

"Ah, and see , you are cruel again, sir. Encouraging the pecking against a mere Trooper. " He shook his head, and had acted somewhat more dramatically then smiled.

"Ah.." He looked innocent." Well.. .now, if you insist, sir." He murmured with a grin." I would be.. humbly accepting such an offer." His memory was not poor about the food that Sinclair had made and tasted well enough to have him eager for another taste.

Rob grinned unapolagetically, giving the second horse an affectionate pat as well, impressed by their cleaner outlook.

"If yer going ter be a-calling me names, Laddie, I willna be giving ye anything ter eat."

Slowly he turned to walk off, "I'll jus' be a looking at what there still is, lying about. I'm sure ye can finish without me."
THere was an agitated fluttering from willoughby's shoulder as rob moved away..

"Sir." Willoughby spoke with a subtler tone, concerned. "..If I have offended you, sir, I did not mean to." He began after the man, confused at what had just transpired and yet willing to make it right, if he had done something wrong.