mods please delete

[LegionWolf]

Just as Daichi finished his new addition to his order, the other two Riders from their group who hadn't joined them before arrived. They each ordered what the wanted as well before pulling up chairs and stools to join their friends at the table in the back. As if realizing the others were there, Briar seemed to snap out of her thoughts and smile at them, giving words of greeting, but otherwise was quiet.

[Madame Butterfly]

Dachi sighed. "Yeah, I hope I can too," he admitted. Probably not, as this was his first time drinking after that disastrous experiment when he was sixteen, friendless, full of angst and just wanted to go along with the crowd to get everyone to like him. The result... not pretty. He was pretty sure he didn't retain any of the drink, the plants around that particular tavern got it all.

His mother had laughed, 'better luck next time!' But Daichi had avoided that next time like the plague.

He wanted to groan and put his head in his hands, because what in the name of Yami had he gotten himself into? But he kept his face ridged as was his trademark.

Daichi smiled as the others sat down, and soon the table was loud again. With the whole group of them together there was never a dull or quiet moment, as he was the most reserved but the others were quite social. However... something seemed off with Briar.

"Are you feeling alright?" Daichi asked, concerned. Maybe she'd gotten sick.

[LegionWolf]

Not really paying any attention to the new arrivals once they settles and lightened the mood for most, Briar remained quiet and to herself. She leaned heavily on the back of the chair which was at her front, her arms crossed over the wooden back and her chin in her arms. Her eyes were unfocused and distant, a clear sign she wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings, but instead the thoughts that whirled through her mind.

Blinking when she thought she heard her name, she lazily looked around the table to see if anyone was trying to talk to her. Seeing Daichi's innocent eyes looking worriedly at her, she shut her eyes for a moment to refocus and opened them again. "Huh? Sorry, I didn't really hear what you said..."

(I would have posted yesterday, but I was waiting for bipolar-wolfcat to post. Since he hadn't, I just went ahead and posted so we weren't waiting)

[Madame Butterfly]

Daichi frowned, concern growing even more. This wasn't the first time one of the group had found Briar unfocused and deep in thought, especially now after the... incident. She'd retreated to her mind for whatever reason. It was... fine, Daichi supposed; certainly not unhealthy and probably he would have left it alone under normal circumstances like if they were some place else besides for a place to eat heartily and relax among friends.Well. That and he'd called her out of whatever it was already, mistakenly thinking she might be ill until he had watched her drowsy reaction, a sure sign she'd been drawn out of her thoughts.

Daichi was glad of the loud, boisterous noise from the rest of the group.

"You seemed, off, sort of. I thought you might be feeling unwell," he continued cautiously. He was dreading treacherous grounds here, as a rider's personal thoughts were off limits, but...

"Or is it something else?"

[Oh, it is OK. I don't mind waiting... just as long as the trainee RPers don't have to wait forever to play. xD ]

[bipolar-wolfcat]

Kael greeted the other members of the Riders, keeping an eye on Briar and Daichi and trying to keep things light-hearted with the rest of the group. As long as he could keep some of the others smiling, he felt that he could keep the thoughts of Carter and Sonja from his mind. He calmly waited for his drink, hoping that might take the edge off of his growing anxiety.

(sorry for a long wait for a crappy post, but I'm somewhat distracted at the moment.)

[LegionWolf]

Chin resting in the crook of one arm that remained over the back of the chair, Briar reached out for her drink just as their waitress arrived with them. The food was on its way, she said, but Briar was fine with this as long as she had the numbing mixture before her. Lazily dragging it close to her face, she stared at the lip of the tankard as she considered what Daichi asked. "I suppose it's what's bothering everyone.." she admitted quietly, so only he would hear. The rest were talking to loudly anyway. She sighed though, her eyes going out of focus again. "I... I couldn't get to him in time..."

Just barely sitting up, Briar lifted her mug and brought it to her lips, taking a long, but slow swig of the honey mead. It was stout stuff, but with a nice, sweet taste. She just wanted to numb herself to what she was feeling, to her thoughts, to the memories... to Carter's last moments in life. No one but Briar had seen the horrific way he died.

[Madame Butterfly]

Daichi thanked the waitress and took his drink, rather nervously. The color of the mead was entrancing. He was still horrified of loosing control, but there was a breath of curiosity in his soul. Last time it'd tasted bad, but he heard as one matured the taste actually was quite good... he put it away for a few, and focused on Brair.

Daichi bit his lip. "What happened?" He asked awkwardly, voice cracking just the tiniest bit from emotion. He hesitated, then whispered; "You don't have to tell me! Its just, you were... you were the only one who saw."

They'd all seen the body afterwords though. Daichi pulled the mead to him, feeling the cool against his palms. The rest of the riders hadn't noticed the intense drop of temperature in their midst, a solemn conversation in the middle of their cheerful celebrations. At least, he thought they didn't. Kael was now glued to his drink so it was hard to tell.

He turned back to Briar, and sighed. "It wasn't right of me to ask. I'm sorry."

[bipolar-wolfcat]

Kael listened to Daichi and Briar, though he didn't show any sign of it... His eyes were indeed glued to his drink as he swirled the drink absentmindedly, sipping from it on occasion. The strong, sweet drink perfectly matched his taste, and it tended to be a favorite of his when it came to the drinking games he'd played with Carter in the past...

Daichi's question to Briar made him uneasy and heightened his level of anxiety drastically. He wanted to know what had happened to Carter, but at the same time he was afraid to know. Carter had basically been like a younger brother in Kael's eyes. He made sure to keep up his jovial facade to keep the other members of their group at ease.

[LegionWolf]

Wrapping her hands around the drink, Briar sighed once more. "Don't apologize," she answered quietly as she looked down into the honey-colored liquid. "You and the others have a right to know just.... just not now. We're suppose to be having a good time, after all." sitting up further, she picked the tankard up again and drained the contents suddenly, gulping it all in one breath. When she lowered it again, her cheeks were a bit flushed. Briar drank with the guys when they were all out together, though would rarely get drunk. Obviously tonight would be one of the few times, though not out of enjoyment.

[Madame Butterfly]

((OOC: I'm sorry, I'm going to be real flighty this Halloween weekened. Please forgive me? I'll be fully-back on Monday!))