Cadmus meets Justin in the dining hall, where he asks how he could go about joining the Thorn Valley Guard...

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Cadmus walks briskly through the main corridor, searching intently for a single rat in particular. His eyes have dispensed with his usual doleful stare, and are now alight with purpose and intent. He walks through the Dining Room doors, hoping he will not have to search long. He casts his eyes around, looking as thoroughly as he can, his face a little anxious now.

Justin stands out fairly well from the rest of the rats waiting their turn in the serving line, clad as he is in a rather disheveled and mud-spattered Guardsrat uniform. Judging by the remnants of mud caked to his fur around the ankles and the underside of his tail, he apparently opted to take his trainees out for the morning. He looks tired, but rather pleased with himself nonetheless: the morning's objectives were apparently accomplished without any significant hitches cropping up. The red-furred male rat is quite intent on quelling the rumblings in his stomach

Cadmus spots Justin in line, his ears perking suddenly. The look of Justin's messed uniform does not put him off any as he walks eagerly over. "J-Justin?" he says, unable to stop from stuttering a bit. "I er, I need to talk to you...when you're ready, of course." he adds, faintly hearing the rumblings of Justin's stomach. "Shall I have a seat somewhere?"

Justin's cheerful whistle is thrown into sudden disharmony by Cadmus' surprise interruption. He blinks and looks down at the mouse in mid-grab, his paw halfway to a slice of bread. "Um...yes, go find a spot and I'll join you," he says, unable to resist the impulse to cock a quizzical eyebrow at Cadmus. "I hope you don't mind me eating while we talk?"

Cadmus shakes his head, managing a wide smile now. "No, not at all, not at all." he says, turning to find a seat for himself at a nearby table. "I've got a bit to say, so it'll be fine." he casts over his shoulder, saddling into a seat and waiting with his paws clasped together upon the top of the table.

Justin nods as Cadmus replies in the negatory and resumes choosing his lunch. He grabs a couple more slices of bread and a pat of butter to go with what, he sadly reflects, are probably the last couple nearly-fresh berries he'll have until next summer. These are complimented by a number of pine nuts and a kernel of old dried corn, the better to whittle away at the incisors with. "So, what's up Cadmus?" he asks as he takes a seat next to the apparently excited mouse.

Cadmus bites his lip a bit, thinking over his words. He decides to just come out with it. "Justin...I want to join the Guard." he says breathelessly, staring and waiting almost nervously for Justin's reply, his paws still clenched hard upon the table.

It takes a supreme effort of will for Justin to refrain from giving any other sign of his shock or surprise than a widening of his eyes when he hears what Cadmus has to say. Rather proud of the fact that he's not ruining his perfectly good blackberry by spluttering incoherently in surprise, Justin sets the unfinished piece of fruit down and dabs his muzzle clean of juice with the back of one paw. "You want to join the Guard here? I can't help but confess I'm rather amazed at that, Cadmus. What brought this about?"

Cadmus stares right into your eyes, his own still full of intent and excitement. "I want to -do- something here. I want to be useful. I need to learn how fight, to defend myself and others. I've given it plenty of thought. Scouting was all I knew, and now I want to expand upon it." he says, now suddenly on his feet. "How about it? Can it be done? I know I'm just a mouse among rats...but Martin did it, didn't he?"

Justin takes another bite of his berry as he mulls over Cadmus' request and the reasons behind it. "Martin was a rather different case, Cadmus," he says evenly once he's had a few moments to consider his words. "This is not your home, and you've expressed your opinion of our government quite clearly--not that I disagree with you much, mind you. Have you really considered the level of commitment you'd be taking on if you enlisted?"

Cadmus nods vehemently at Justin, taking in his words. "I know. But I've got to try, there's just nothing else I can think of that I could do." He grimaces a bit as Justin mentions the level of commitment. "Yes, I know what hardships await me. I know it'll be grueling. I know it'll probably be the hardest thing I've ever done, but I've got to try!" he says, almost shaking with eagerness, "But you didn't answer my other question...Is it even possible?"

Justin sighs a little, as he realizes he hasn't quite gotten his point across. "It's not the physical nature of the training that I'm referring to by 'commitment', Cadmus. If you pursue this course, if you become one of *us*, you won't be able to just pack up and leave for the city on a whim--especially not with what's going on around these woods at the moment," he explains. "Is this *really* something you want to commit yourself to? What about your friends back home? The rest of your family?" Justin takes another bite of his blackberry before answering Cadmus' persistent question. "Of course it's possible for you to enlist if you want to--either Eugene or Martin would be able to help you out in preparing and training. But I still have to ask--is this *really* the kind of committment you want to take on at this time, given the uncertainties facing your home right now?"

Cadmus bites his lip a bit, a bitter memory with his brother intruding upon his mind. A small flash of doubt runs across his face, but he recovers. "It's -because- my home is in trouble that I even came here... I couldn't do a damned thing to help them!" He says, still staring at Justin. "How can I even consider going back if I can't do anything to help? What good am I to my friends and family if I can't even protect them?" His eyes go from eager, to worried, to almost pleading. "Please, just give me a chance..." he says, sighing heavily at a sudden thought, his ears splaying, "Maybe my dad would still be alive if I'd done something like this earlier..."

"I know you came here to get help for your colony, Cadmus," says Justin in a soothing tone. "I just am not sure how you joining -our- Guard is going to serve your colony better. I know Leon is doing all he can to organize a relief expedition, and others are carrying out the recruiting drive that I bungled so spectacularly." His ears fold back as he hears Cadmus start to blame himself for his father's death. "Don't believe that for a second, Cadmus," Justin says quickly. "Second-guessing yourself in matters like that takes you down dark roads that are very difficult to get off of. Trust me on this." He chews thoughtfully on the last of this first blackberry for a bit before finally speaking again. "I'm not trying to dissuade you from joining up; I'm trying to make sure that you've really thought this through. If you really *are* convinced that enlisting as a Scout here in the Valley is the best way to help your home, then I'll put in a good word or two with Xavier for you. He's Captain of the Scouts."

Cadmus bites his lip again, pulling his paws behind his back. "I just...know that this is something I want to do. I guess I can't blame myself for what happened to dad, no, but ever since then I've felt so useless. I -do- want to help my own home, but...I honestly enjoy it here more. My brother and mother might not like it, but that's the way I feel." He pauses to think. "Xavier? That'd be good. Thank you..." he takes a seat, breathing in and trying to calm himself. "I appreciate all that you are trying to do to help me and the Colony, but I need to do this. Whatever happens, and whether or not we do return to the Colony...I'm staying here.

Justin listens quietly as Cadmus explains himself further, and there's no denying the conviction or determination in the mouse's voice when he declares his decision. "Well then, I guess that's that," replies Justin after a moment or two to ponder his own reply. "If you're bound and determined to pull up stakes and move here, then I don't see why Leon or Xavier would have any qualms with taking you on," Justin states, more than a little confidence in his tone of voice.

Cadmus gives a small nod. "Then I'll be going to them soon." he says, cracking a smile. "I've got a lot of work ahead of me, though, don't I?"

Justin chuckles a little bit at Cadmus' question about the level of work involved in becoming a Guardmouse and then nods. "There's a reason the humans Christened the worst week of boot camp 'h*** week' for most of the armed forces, Cadmus," he replies.

Cadmus gets to his feet, preparing to make for the door. "Then it looks like I better bring some ice and a couple of bandages, hmm?" he says, his smile widening. "I'd best go off and rest for a bit if I'm gonna go off looking for Xavier next. He gives Justin a small wave as he walks off. "Here's to the next time I see you, I'll be saluting."

"We've got the bandages and ice covered, Cadmus," replies Justin with a chuckle. "But yes, be prepared to be very, very sore for a while. And I should also warn you that Xavier never seems to take anything seriously, so try not to be put off by that when you talk to him," he adds. "Enjoy your nap," he teases before waving back and returning his attention to his meal.