Fetching water

When he woke, Dan found himself greeted by the same shite weather as the night before. He glared discruntledly into the dark grey morning sky and sank deeper into his jacket. He sighed but started to collect the Chosen Men's canteens. It couldn't be helped, he thought, water was needed. But first he had to get rid of another urgent need. He left the shed and relieved himself behind the next bush. Then he made his way to the small stream the rain had filled, futilely trying to prevent being soaked by the downpour right away again.

As early as always Pye was up, with his kit ready and cleaned, his rifle dry and wrapped so that water could not reach it and make it soggy and useless. He hadn't slept well, lying on his back, careful not to crush the animal that he had taken. He wondered if he could leave it with the women following the 60th while they were out and scouting or in general on duty.

That would be a good idea. It wouldn't peep and chirp and disturb or give their location out. It would generally be tended to and remain somewhere warmer than out in the muddy and unpleasant front. He lay on his back only since he hadn't wanted to accidently crush the thing, yet give it warmth through the night. The chick was a fighter though. Against the odds and after a bit of a drink the other day it lived through the night. He smiled and left the shed silently making his way to fill his canteen with some fresh, running water. Spill the old out and then return for the rations even if there was no milk to be had.

He glanced around. Well, shouldn't have had all that much to drink - water, stew, and the like, without getting a chance for a piss, during the evening. And so, in similar fashion to a man he hadn't known or met, he relieved himself, then went on in search of a stream , not muddied as much by the risen water.

He took a short walk when he noticed a green coat ahead of him and arched an eyebrow in surprise. He'd thought most of the men decided to stay in the relatively dry shed. Just as he was about to try and figure who it was he noticed that the cuffs and the collar were of a different colour. Oh, the 95th! He approached silently, without knowing he had tried to avoid making a sound.

Dan walked on humming a random but gloomy tune under his breath. It didn't help improve his mood that he was freezing. He hoped against all odds that the others would get a fire started till his return. He reached a spot where it was relatively easy to get to the water. He knelt down and took the first canteen and held it into the stream. When it was full he took a deep gulp of the cool and fresh water, trying to erase the stale taste last night's supper had left. He re-filled the bottle and placed it in the grass. Then he splashed some of the re-freshing liquid on his face and shuddered.

Pye watched the man for a few moments, just standing there with droplets of rain falling onto his face. He squinted and rubbed at his left eye, cursing the offending drop silently for falling right into his eye.

He stopped once he was close, though more to the left of the man and then cleared his throat. Best to make himself known not to feel as if he was invading somebody's personal time. "Good mornin'." He dropped his gaze to the mark that Dan was a Chosen man. He remembered him from..ah, right. That face, he was the one man competing in the firing during the presentation! He felt rather small and insignificant for that.

Mommsen, sorting out the Riflemen's packs in haste, as the men of the 1st KGL Hussars came into the shed, wet, exhausted and starving hungry, realised that Pye had, for reasons known only to himself, left their billet. If he did not hurry, he would be late for parade, and from the look on Sergeant Stierli's face that would mean charges. He really was the most foolish of men.

He pushed everything into Breitmann's arms and hurried out to find Pye. It would bring disgrace on the squad if one of their men was absent without leave. Already the drums were sounding as the light increased, and the redcoats too were spilling out of their billets. He set off along the track... at least he could be sure that he would not pass the picquets without being shot.

Dan jumped almost visibly when he heard someone speak. Bloody hell, he was getting old... it was not good realising someone had approached only when he was in stabbing range! Calming himself that an enemy would probably not take the pains to address him in his own tongue he turned to the man. He released a breath when he saw it was only a lad dressed in the green uniform of the 60th. "Not a good morning at all, laddie. Sneaking up on an old man like that!" He managed a lopsided smile. "Dan Hagman, 95th. Fetching water yaself?"

Pye hadn't meant to startle the man, and flinched back expecting a shout for doing it. His jaw dropped in surprise when, not only had the man become less tense - a good thing! - but he smiled and he joked and he asked a question!

The very question that he had missed answering, staring as he was. He flushed as red as the unfaded colour of his collar and shuffled with the canteen in his hands. "...'m apologies sir.. eh.. Hagman." It wasn't an officer, and he'd been even more embarrassed to address him so. Could claim that he was doing it out of respect though, seeing that the lanky man was much senior to him.

"Zachary ..Zack Pye, 60th." He introduced himself hastly and nodded lifting his canteen." This.. yes. T' one in it's gone foul...mud got in."

The boy's obvious embarrasment made Dan relax even more. There was certainly no harm coming from someone looking that frightened. "Ah, ya see... that's one of the things a soldier has to look after. First o'course, is ya lass ya have ta see ta that she's always clean 'n dry" here he padded his rifle affectionately that hung over his shoulder. "But having fresh water with ya is almost as important." He took one of the still empty canteens and opened it "So, ya better start gettin' the mud out then an' some o' the fresh stuff in" Hagman knelt down again and started to fill the other bottles.
"An' while ya at it, ya should get some o' the grime off ya face too, lad" he grinned at Pye.

Friendly? Yes, the man was but he had learned by now, it was better not to take it for granted. Not anymore, not anything. Living on one's own of scraps and what he could steal had lately begun to feel like a dream long gone.

It was nice though to listen to the man share his delight of his rifle, his concern for the 'lass' just as he'd called her. The affection that was not made, that did not desire one to act 'tough' just so he would be permitted to do their job. It was natural, just there and it had the lad gaze at Dan as if wondering when this would end.

"Yes." Short reply as he moved closer to the stream and uncorked his canteen to have the water wash it through. He felt awkward kneeling there in silence, but considered it was something Hagman would have wanted any how. He rubbed his face with a handful of water, splashed it over his neck as well as his forehead and mouth. He took a few gulps of the water, washing away the funny taste that he had from the time he woke up.

It was the little beast of a bird, which he had considered leaving somewhere now, out in the cold just as it would please everybody else, that chirped and did so loudly, perhaps asking for drink and for food too.