June 24th, The hare's other leg

Freddie left the tent quickly, burdened with plates and cutlery. Although Captain Torrington and that other Captain seemed to have cooled down somewhat, Freddie didn't trust the peace yet. And he didn't at all like that his captain seemed to have been in one of those polite, posh fights with only words - he didn't understand enough to know what was going on, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to help his master. He had waited outside, not daring to interrupt, until Torrington had come out and called for their tea to be brought in. His lordship had also told him to clear the table and enjoy what was left: Nearly half a hare, some vegetables, and a nearly untouched bottle of wine.

In Freddie's mind that equalled sharing it with Pye, and possibly Cotton and Burke. So he set the food down by the fire to keep it warm, and set off at a gallop to find his friends.

Cotton had just put the kettle on, and was settling down to give the lock of his rifle a quick look - he needed to oil it and make sure that it was as clean as it could be. Captain Vickery was off checking the picquets, which meant that Cotton had time to himself.

The lock seemed fine and he laid the rifle aside, laying back to enjoy a peaceful five minutes or so, and letting the everyday sounds of the bivouac wash over him as he relaxed.

Pye was lying on his back, head on the knapsack, Hands folded over his chest. Peggy the chick was pecking away happily close to his hip, where he had scattered some of the seed for her. She was growing and was much more self efficient, if only because she was able to find things on her own as well as eat what she was given. She also knew perfectly well how to 'convince' the other riflemen to feed her.

After she was satisfied with how much she had eaten she hopped onto Pye's elbow, climbed up his arm and settled herself comfortably on his belly. She fluffed up, closer her eyes and breathed peacefully on her safe perch.

"Zach, Zach! Dinner! Ein halber Hase und fast eine ganze bottle Wein!"

Freddie pointed to the tent and excitedly shook Pye's shoulder, before galloping over to where Cotton was resting, where he very abruptly stopped, tried for dignity, made a kind of half-bow and asked:

"Herr Cotton, there is Hase left from dinner. Do you want to eat with us?"

"What the..?" There was a stream of very fast, very excited German coming from above him somewhere, and Cotton opened one eye to find Rottländer standing over him, asking something. He opened both eyes and sat up. "Hase... rabbit? Slow down an' tell me all that again, do - me German ain't so bit good as all that!"

He'd caught the words 'Hase' and 'Wein' so it was something to do with rabbit and wine... he thought. Though precisely what about them, he couldn't say.

Zack was learning words that had to do with food faster than he had learned the orders telling him where to turn and how. It was thus, no surprise when the lad nearly had the poor chick flying off of him when Freddie finished shaking him and finished telling him about a rabbit that was ready to be eaten!

He checked that Peggie was allright, then he was up on his feet and ready to follow his friend to where the food was at. He looked much more eager about the said news than a puppy, seeing its master ready to throw him a stick. "Food!" He said excitedly. "Essen!" He added even happier.

"Uhm, there is a half rabbit over and a bottle wine, and mylord says we can eat it. Do you want to eat with Zack and me?"

Freddie spoke slowly, trying to invite Cotton in good English (or at least as good as he could manage), but he practically vibrated. He needed to get back, in case the Captain called for him, or this other Captain did something bad, or ...

He looked at Cotton hopefully under his fringe, willing him to accept.

Cotton grinned. "I can understand German, but you have to talk it slow, rather'n rabbitin' on nineteen to the dozen... Like I have to talk slow in English when I'm talkin' to you." He got to his feet. "All right, then. I don't mind eatin' your food if you'm goin' to share it. Only... Is there enough for Maggie, too?"

"Uh, rabbiting?" Freddie shook his head, trying to make sense of that. While rabbits seemed to be Hasen and therefore had a place in this conversation, he couldn't quite understand what he was supposed to have done now. The second part was easier, though. He nodded eagerly.

"Yes, yes - Frau Cotton is very welcome!"

It would be enough, even if he would have to give up his share for Maggie. He felt strangely honoured that she would consider eating the things he had cooked.

And Rottländer had a blank expression on his face. "Oh, sorry. Rabbitin' on... talkin' real fast. It's a... It's just a way of speakin', like." And talking of Maggie, where was she?

"I'll come over. Though I'll have to find Maggie to let her know," he said. She would be tickled pink at being called Frau Cotton, he thought.

Freddie grinned like an easter bunny.

"Yes, yes, please come and bring Frau Cotton! I make fresh tea for her!"

He hovered for a moment longer, unsure how to politely take his leave, then settled for another jerky halfbow and sprinted back to his tent. He would make tea (a proper woman was coming! There had to be tea!) and toast the leftover bread - it would be a real dinner!

He barely managed to break before cannoning into Pye and happily exclaimed:

"Herr Cotton looks for Frau Cotton and brings her! Has the Captain called?"

"No, no he hasn'... I don' think. Agh.. you've right near toppled me over!" He grinned though, as food was music to his ears and at that very moment Rottlander could have tipped him into a big puddle of mud and he would still not have held it against him!

"Need any help?" He asked eagerly. "Hilfe. Need it?" He paused and hoped he said it right when he translated it into:" Braucht....brauchen.. brauchst du Hilfe?" He looked sideways at his friend, his chick peering at Friedrich as well. While she had kept a safe distance from the 'roadrunner' she believed it safe enough, when he was still, if only for a moment! She chirped a greeting, looking hopeful that there was something for her too.

At Pye's perfect German sentence, Freddie's grin nearly split his face.

"Ja, bitte! Kannst Du ... can you ...das Brot schneiden ... uh, cut the bread?"

Just to make sure, he mimicked what he meant; after handing his remaining bread to Pye (since his lordship usually wasn't much of an eater, something Freddie thought a personal offence, Freddie mostly dined on leftovers these days) he shook out the crumps in the breadbag for Peggy.

"Here, Fräulein Peggy. Will you auch come to dinner?"

"Ja!" Pye answered with a laugh. He said it correctly. How proud could a lad be, when speaking a foreign language? The thought itself was foreign to him, but he was learning!

"Kanns... kann ich!" He answered and nodded. No, maybe he should have said, 'ich kann?'. That was much more similar to I can, then can I. He was not questioning his own ability!

"Ich kann." He corrected himself quickly - thinking he needed correcting and took the bread from Friedrich's hands. "Peggy would like it too. " He did not need to say that, for the chick chirped merrily away when she saw breadcrumps fall to the ground.

She made a couple of circles around Friedrich telling him just how happy she was, or perhaps just checking if he had more to give and then began to peck at the crumbs on the floor.

"Achtung, Miss Peggy! Nicht zu nah ans fire!"

Freddie carefully kept still while the chick performed her greeting. Then he carefully stepped over her and began to tidy the place up - well, at least he made sure that there were no leaves and mud on the log used for sitting, and a horse blanket for Maggie to sit on. He didn't dare to use his lordships good porcelain, but he gave his own mug an extra polish and put on fresh water.

"So. All is ready, is it? Now we wait for Herr and Frau Cotton, and then eat!"

Zachary had cut the bread and placed it in a wooden bowl. This he placed well away from the fire but also away from Peggie who looked at him accusingly. Of course she had assumed that this source of breadcrumbs had been cut for her, and was now quite disappointed when it was withheld. She had however decided to nestle herself a bit further away from the fire and observe what would happen next.

Pye brought his own kit so that he could eat from it, when food was served. "Do you need me for anything more?" He hesitated and began to whisper. "Do you think we could share a wee bit of honey with them.. or better not?"

Deep lines appeared on Freddie's brow as he tried to think this through. Some honey for Mrs. Cotton would certainly be the right thing to do, but then there was Cotton himself ...

Before he could answer, or even come to a conclusion, his name was called, however, and he snapped to attention; then, realizing who and where it was, he grabbed his rifle and darted off, asking over his shoulder:

"Captain Vickery! I must ... You come?"

Maggie laughed when Cotton delivered the invitation. "So I'm 'Frau Cotton' now? That sweet Freddie. Of course I'll eat his officer's food, if you're sure we can!"

Cotton grinned at her. "Well, if I've got to put up with bein' called Herr Cotton, you can manage with bein' called Frau. Jus' mean 'Mrs', don't it? An' he wouldn't ask us if it wasn't all right." He chuckled and offered her his arm.