Day For Relaxing-Redwall Log
Redwall Log:
Involved:
Oz-Papa Oz and caretaker of dibbuns
Benar-Father Abbot of Redwall
Aden-Resident squirrel of Redwall Abbey
Ruadhan-Squirrel visitor at Redwall Abbey
Aolani -Swan
Thorn-Rat and Abbey resident, she is also Abbot Benar’s adopted daughter
RW Abbey: Second Orchard
Verdant green has swept across the orchard, taking over from the icy hand of winter, long since passed. Blooms and leaves have sprouted on the mature trees that dot the orchard and give it its name. Trees mostly of the apple variety dot this area of the immense orchard, though others of almonds, peaches, oranges, apricots, walnuts and others are scattered throughout. Why in the minority? /Their/ area of the orchard is a little ways closer to the pond. Grass sprouts as if on a mad quest to cover anything and everything with its pleasant, gentle emerald spreads across the ground. Soft to the footpaw and not so tall as so you have to wade through it, it's one of those plants that's taken for granted, even beneath the shade of the leafy orchard trees.
Sunlight lances down through the translucent leaves and patterns arrive on those blades of grass that let little specks of sunlight through, though the whole air of the forest is cool and green, a vision in jade. Against that jade, little specks of color of flours and fruit can be had whilst wildflowers can be seen scattered about the orchard floor along with the soft, springy carpet of grass. A shady/sunny portion of the abbey that's farmed and sat under, lunched and played under and an integral part of the abbeybeast's lives.
Exits: [F]irst [O]rchard, [P]ath by [G]reat [H]all, [Ki]tchen [P]ath
The orchard is a nice place to be; it is relatively quiet and tucked away from the brunt of the Abbey hustle and bustle, and while Aden would normally be 200% down to be all up in that hustle and bustle, this afternoon finds her craving something a little more secluded. The silver squirrel strolls through the trees, her palms pressed against the small of her back, her thumbs working at a knot coiled there. She breathes deep, pausing to lean against one of the orchard trees - sometimes, it's just good to get away for a moment.
Benar is sitting in one of the branches of a large ancient plum tree. The abbot has a scroll open in his lap, his tail wrapped about the trunk of the tree and his legs dangling to either side of the branch. He looks up at the sound of footsteps and smiles, "Aden my dear, good afternoon, I don't often see you out here in the orchards."
Oz is also out in the orchards today. no dibbuns right now as he is just taking a walk among the trees. The caretaker does need a day off once in a while and the dibbuns should be fine with Sister Jenny. He nods to an abbey Sister who greets him with a hello before he heads a little further into the orchards.
Aolani has wandered a bit from the pond and ended up taking a bit of a nap under the shade of one of the many trees of the orchard. From a distance she'd look like a white, egg shaped form at the base of a tree, but a closer look shows she's just got her wings folded fairly tightly against her back, and her long neck twisted around to have her head gently tucked beneath a wing. She's still looking pretty ragged, with many of her feathers missing, but for now, she continues to rest peacefully.
Aden's attention is pulled upwards, and a small smile grows. So it's not exactly the solitude she was seeking, but it's not as if company /completely/ repels her. "Father Abbot! I didn't see you up there. I make an appearance every once and awhile." She grins, pushing herself from her reclined position against the trunk of the tree and stepping back to keep from craning her neck in the conversation. One ear twists back at the sound of heavy footsteps, and she swings her gaze around to Oz with another small smile. "Oz." She greets, amiably. "And how're -" She catches sight of the sleeping swan, squints a little to... Figure out what that white lump /is/, and then reigns in her voice to a softer whisper. "And how're /you/ this afternoon?" She asks the badger.
Benar smiles and stays up in his branch, he's been letting the swan sleep, unexpected avian guests are a thing you just have to accept at Redwall. "Well I used to run the orchards so I like to spend time out here admiring them"
Oz tilts his head to answer "I am doing fine, thought I take a day off, its....been a while since had a day off after all."
Aolani slowly begins to stir, as first her wings move a bit, then she pulls her neck back up to a more normal position, eyes blinking in the light of day. Finally she stretches her wings a bit and stands up before starting to walk toward the others, folding her wings back along the way. She greets Aden and Oz with a nod before turning her attention more toward Benar. "Good afternoon." She greets warmly.
There's a small laugh from the acrobat. "Well, you enjoy that day off. I'm sure you've earned it." Aden shifts her weight to the balls of her feet, and then lifts herself onto her toes to snatch at a lower branch. She hauls herself up, tail twitching behind her to keep her balanced, and she climbs until she is level with Benar in the adjacent tree. Cue lounging. "I didn't know you used to run the orchards, Father." She drawls, looking down towards the swan and raising a paw in a cheery wave to her. She adjusts herself among the limbs of the tree - it's starting to become harder to get comfortable, although tree branches aren't exactly known for their back support, to be fair. After a small moment of unrest and scooting back and forth, she finally settles in and reclines amongst the leaves.
Benar smiles quietly and waves at the swan, leaning forward a bit, "Good day friend, I hope you are enjoying the abbey," He then glances at Aden and smiles, "Ah I was the Groundskeeper before I became the Abbot."
"A day off is helpful at times" The badger explains, he listens quietly before speaking again "Today seems a ...fair day so far"
Aolani nods to Benar as she sits under the tree and look up at both Benar and Aden. "I am enjoying it greatly. You have a lovely pond, and I dare say I will have to be enjoying it for a while longer as I'm in the middle of molting and can't fly at the moment." She then gives Oz a small wave. "Yes, time off is always nice."
"I would need far more than /one/ day off if I was handling the dibbuns all day and night." Aden laughs, though it is a short lived mirth. Because... Yeah. She pauses, thoughtfully, and frowns. "I actually... I have to go." Theeeeeeeere's the panic, again. She was wondering when it would rear its ugly head. The acrobat leaps from her tree, scrambles from limb to limb through the orchard, and then disappears.
Benar watches Aden skip off and frowns worriedly after her then turns back to Oz and Aolani, "Well you are welcome to stay in our pond as long as you like my friend. I am Benar the Abbot and this is Oz my badger father."
Oz nods "Greetings" He says. He listens as Aden seems to rush off then his attention to back on the other two beasts
The sudden disappearance of one squirrel seems to set off the sudden panicked scrambling of another as Ruadhan, who was cautiously investigating the trees from the edge of the orchard, suddenly springs from branch to branch to keep far out the way of the sudden movement. There's a quick string of squirrelly chittering with the odd imaginative curse word thrown in as the dwarf squirrel perches on a lower branch and shakes a fist after the long departed maid.
"Yes, I have met Oz already, but it is wonderful to meet you Benar. Everyone here is so friendly and hospitable that I think I may stay for a good long while. My name is Aolani by the way." She replies before Ruadhan appears and grabs her gaze for the moment. "Well hello there."
Benar says, "Well Aolani it is a pleasure to have you here, and please do stay as long as you wish...." He trails off and stares at Ruadhan from his seat up one of the plum trees, "Sir... I would kindly ask you to keep such language out of the abbey... that is no way to talk there could be dibbuns around or order beasts."
Oz arches an eyebrow, "Is something the matter?" He asks curious as to why one is grumpy today. He then speaks to the swan "The abbey is a nice place and I am sure your find a place to fit in and even help at times"
Ruadhan's chittering comes to a sudden stop as soon as he notices the others looking at him "...Ahh. Hello...Right. The words. I forget which y'don't like but I know that's a thing" He sticks to the trees but springs through the branches a bit more, approaching in random bursts of jumpy movement.
"I really do appreciate the generosity." Aolani says to Benar before nodding to Oz in agreement. "I'm sure you're right on that account. I am already feeling pretty comfortable here, and I was also helping to look for Xander, well until I was grounded by loss of feathers that is."
Benar says, "I see... well" He shakes his head and stays up his tree, "Welcome friend to the Abbey of Redwall, I am the Abbot Benar and this is Papa Oz."
Oz nods "I have a feelings he is no longer even in Mossflower, not after all this time and I know a good deal of the searching as been sadly called off."
Ruadhan nods very quickly to Benar's introduction "I know, I've seen...er, that is t'say I've seen beasts around here and someone mentioned..." He clears his throat awkwardly, aware that it sounds like he's been lurking the trees watching everyone "Erm, Ruadhan, that's me. I, erm, visited a few times, briefly, before...They didn't mention swans before" he gestures at Aolani "Y'seem new anyway"
Benar smiles "Aolani is a new guest of ours," He tilts his head and smiles, "Also be welcome here to the Abbey Ruadhan, all are welcome here"
Aolani nods grimly to Oz. "Yes, I was coming to feel the same way. With how many were searching, and I myself covered a good portion of Mossflower, if he was still among the woods, he'd most likely have been found by now. I'm not sure what should happen next, but I'm afraid I likely can't do much in my present flightless condition." She says before turning to Ruadhan and nodding at his statement. "Yes, I am fairly new, didn't exactly just fly in yesterday, but a more recent arrival than most I'd say."
Oz nods "That is true and it may even be dangerous for you right now to be out and about if you cannot fly right now." He hmmms "I have even been unsure of any short trips to the market down the road, we seem to be low on tea and I may or may not get some soon"
Benar says, "Indeed please do not take any risks Aolani," He frowns and flicks his ears, "I do still hope we will find Xander."
Ruadhan's twitch and his naturally squinting eyes do flick between Oz and Aolani picking up on that conversation but he doesn't add to it, it sounds like dangerous things. He nods quickly to Aolani "Well, more recent than me" He chuckles awkwardly before he looks back to the Abbot again, eyes flicking back away at talk of the missing beast.
"Don't worry, I'll be taking it easy till my new feathers grow in. If it wasn't for the protection of the Abbey walls, I'd likely be off in the woods somewhere near a pond or lake, hiding most of the day while hoping I'm not discovered by something that'd be interested in having me for dinner." Aolani confirms with a nod before continuing. "I guess I found the Abbey with very good timing."
Oz smiles "Inside the abbey is safe, that’s also true"
Thorn walks slowly into the orchards, it’s been one of those not doing much days.
Benar swings down from his tree and lands lightly on the ground "Well I need to get back inside I have to talk with the Friar. But it was nice to meet you Aolani, Reuadhan, a pleasure to meet you both."
Aolani catches sight of Thorn and looks happy to see her. "Hello Thorn, how are you fairing today?"
Ruadhan remains up perched on his branch and quickly nods to Benar "Yes, right, good bye...maybe I'll hang around for a while" He doesn't spot the rat right away so he's still pretty calm until the Aolani greets someone and he looks over. He straightens up, suddenly very alert "Erm, rat. It's a rat" it's a very polite panic.
Oz asks, "Greetings Thorn how are you today?"
Thorn looks at the nearby beasts "I am..doing fairly well, I guess. I may work on some pottery today"
Benar says, "Pottery is always a good thing" Benar says as he walks over and gives Thorn a hug, "I like to see you working in the kiln. I'll try to join you there later," He smiles at Ruadhan, "This is Thorn my adoptive daughter, there is no need to worry... now then," He hugs the rat and kisses her cheek and waves, "I must to a meeting, later everyone," and he is off amongst the trees.
Aolani tilts her head a bit, pondering. "I've never seen pottery work before. I might like to watch I think." Truthfully she wasn't even sure what it was, but didn't outright ask. "Goodbye Benar!" She calls after the squirrel as he leaves.
Ruadhan barely takes his eyes off of Thorn long enough to quickly glance around and check there's no more coming "Yes, but it's a rat...you're aware it's a rat?" he immediately replies as Benar's leaving, seeming to genuinely think it's a possibility that they haven't noticed. They're too calm for him and he brings his tail around to pick at the fur on it where there's already a bit of a bald patch, a quiet squirrelly chittering noise starting up again.
Oz frowns "Yes she is a rat and she is also good and a friend to the abbey and will harm no one sir"
Thorn smiles "Ok talk later" She says, she does hear the others but for now doesn't reply.
Aolani nods in agreement with Oz. "Yes, she's a very nice rat and we had a nice little chat last we met. You have nothing to worry yourself about friend." She offers in an attempt to reassure Ruadhan.
Ruadhan keeps playing with his tail and quietly chittering between words "Right...nice, sure...all fine, just fine...fine" another quick glance around and he suddenly starts moving again, hoping on to a higher branch "Right. Erm, I should...erm...things that need doing, yes" he hops another few branches, pausing on each one for a second before he scurries off, disappearing entirely in to the trees somewhere.
Thorn frowns, but she still will stay quiet, and she finally sits down under one of the trees.
Aolani watches as the squirrel scurries off and shakes her head a bit before turning to Thorn. "You feeling alright Thorn? You're... really quiet today." She states the obvious, but genuinely sounds concerned.
Thorn says, "I was just thinking of the lizard I saw the other day, it scared me and made me feel concerned"
Oz listens "Lizard? What type and where was it at?"
Aolani blinks a bit. "A lizard? Hmm, I met one a short while back down by a nearby lake, a pretty red one, who ended up trying to sell me to a bunch of vermin. It was a long day..."
Thorn says, "This was a monitor lizard, works with a wildcat"
Oz frowns “Not a good thing to have roaming around if they are indeed somewhere along the road"
Aolani nods in agreement with Oz. "Well, as if I needed another reason not to leave the Abbey while I'm molting... I wonder what they're up to?"
Thorn sighs and gets up “I am going to go work on pottery see you all later”
Oz watches her go and decides to check on her later, he then walks off to check on his Uncle Zee.
