Hard Choices (A Redwall log)
Redwall Abbey Pond
Mice: Emyuil, male. LilyMoore and DoraRose, females.
Rats: Thorn, female.
Sea otters: Silverstorm, female.
Badgers: Zee, male.
Thorn is sitting by the pond, throwing skipping stone and watching them go across the pond and sink. She sighs softly and hugs her knees to her chest.
Silverstorm walks over to the pond, her outfit is simple and she has on a grey sleeveless, hooded cloak around herself.
Emyuil sits not too far away, watching Thorn chucking stones. Occasionally he considers testing his reflexes by knocking them out of the air with a rock of his own, but he decides not to bother. He lays back on the grass and stares up towards the sky.
LilyMoore comes towards the pond, looking sad. She can feel that her brother is safe, even though she has yet to see him, and her mother and uncle are back safely at the Abbey. She is back to her bell ringing lessons. Her home wasn't attacked by marauding Vikings. So why is she so sad? She walks over to the pond, her head downcast, oblivious to everything.
Thorn looks over at the mousemaid, "Hi....did you want me to move away from the pond, I can if like"
Emyuil rolls to a sitting position. "Oy!" he calls to Lily. "Why so down?" He doesn't move towards her yet, in case she wants to be left alone.
Silverstorm watches the others slightly before she speaks "Anyone seen Benar, I was hoping to speak to him before I left the abbey"
LilyMoore starts as she is suddenly addressed. "Oh! Oh, no, you can stay," she tells the ratmaid. Shrugging a tiny bit, she sits beside her uncle, but instead of answering him, she turns to the sea otter. "I haven't seen him for a few hours. Why are you leaving the Abbey?"
Thorn nods, "I lived here....well at one time, not sure I would be welcomed back or not. I meet a Redwall novice but didn't talk to him much."
Emyuil holds his tongue. If Lily wants to talk to him, she will. There's no sense in pressuring her, he thinks to himself. He instead watches the clouds drifting above.
Silverstorm sighs "I..I just can't fully be me and maybe I can better help fellow otters, even if they reject me for being different from them. And...I stepped down as an order Sister."
LilyMoore glances at the rat and tries to smile. "I think you're welcome. Maybe we can be friends." She then sighs and hugs her knees to her chest. "I wish /I/ could go help the otters....wait, why would you stop being an Abbey Sister?"
Thorn nods "The novice name was...ummm...oh, oh yeah Caleb." She doesn't explain how she meet him, least yet.
Glancing over to Lily, Emyuil says, "Y'know, there's ways you can be helpful without running over to Camp Willow and fighting..." He leaves it at that, not sure if DoraRose would approve of the idea he's about to give.
Silverstorm says, "I can't...keep being totally peaceful, that's why, which brings up something else the abbey will need a blacksmith and one better trained than me..." She frowns that sounds bad "Not that...Zork didn't do a good job, he did ...he was a great teacher but I know some he couldn't do well , in the abbey anyways and he tried outside the abbey. I just can't...do as well when comes to weapon and armor making, I am so-so at repairing them but at a time like this...the abbey needs a much better beast"
Speaking of which. DoraRose herself comes walking through the orchards, dressed in her green dress and blue apron, deep in thought. LilyMoore frowns. "But what will you do, Silv--CALEB?!" The rat has Lily's full attention now, and the mousemaid hops up, much more alert than she was a few moments ago. "Caleb is my twin! Is he okay? I haven't seen him yet, was he hurt?" The otter gets ignored, but not out of rudeness; Lily was just very worried about her brother, is all.
LilyMoore is also ignoring her uncle for the same reasons. Ooops.
Thorn frowns as Zork name is brought up, she remembers him, and he even saved her life once and helped her not be so troublesome. She has to ask, she has to it just comes out "How did he die anyways, Oz didn't say and I didn't want to ask HIM how his brother died? What happen?" She finally answers the mouse also, "And...Caleb was chained up and I picked...the lock...."She frowns, yeah she can pick locks.
Emyuil allows Lily to jump up, aware that he'd disregard just about anything in the same way if a family member was at risk. "Yeah, how /is/ Caleb?" he asks.
Silverstorm blinks and frowns, "He..." Seems she rather not talk of this either, then the other thing is mention "You know how to pick locks, how did you learn that?" She looks to the entry "You know I should just go, as I said abbey needs a better skilled Blacksmith and I am not it"
LilyMoore looks at the ground. "He....his heart just.....stopped working, while he was in....the orchards. My great-grandmother said he probably felt no pain...." She then looks up and walks towards the ratmaid. "You saved my brother, and I can't thank you enough. ....do you think you could maybe teach /me/ to pick locks, sometime?" She offers a small, yet friendly, smile. Dora comes to the pond just in time to hear that. Raising her gaze to the sky, she decides to address that later. Kneeling, she whispers in her brother's ear, "You made your sword, didn't you? Perhaps /you/ could take over as Abbey Blacksmith..."
"Maybe," Emyuil says, caught off guard. "I'd need supplies and a place to work, plus somebeast to take on as an apprentice naturally...I doubt the elders would approve of me holding such a position," he says semi-regretfully.
Thorn shrugs "I don't...know, I don't even know how someone will feel on me being back here after....well been a while and I missed so...much and...father proba'lly...h...hates.." And now the tears flood, great just great.
Silverstorm looks at Emyuil "Why do you need an apprentice.....you wouldn't right away or at all." She says calmly and sighs as the ratmaid is crying now. "The abbey has a forge...weapon making and repair...same with armor is able to be done, for now anyways while under threat." She adds "After all is normal your be able to make locks, hinges, kitchen and garden stuff...things like that, maybe better locks for those wall gates be good"
"That's what my father taught me," Emyuil says calmly. "Always have somebeast to pass the skills onto. In case something happens to you. Otherwise, the Abbey would be out of luck if I died suddenly. And it's useful to have an assistant anyhow."
Poking her brother, Dora nods sagely. "Yeah, to begin with, you wouldn't need an apprentice, but a capable beast would probably show up soon. But I think they would let you....accept you as the new Blacksmith. You probably wouldn't even need to join the order." Lily goes to hug the ratmaid. "I'm sure he doesn't hate you, but even if he does, I'll still be your friend," she says gently.
Thorn frowns as she looks down at the ground as she is hugged "I...I have not seen him, he most likely doesn't know I am here"
"Good. I wasn't interested in joining up," Emyuil says, relieved. "Could you help me with this?" he asks quietly. "I don't know how well I'll be able to speak to the Order, Benar especially. We have...issues between us. Or did."
Silverstorm nods "Most of the forge tools are in the storage unit by the forge. I even found old weapons and some are still good, from when the abbey was taken over some seasons back...those are in the old blacksmith room locked up." Should she do this, she is unsure and then she decides to hand over a set of keys..3 on a chain, they go to the forge storage chest, the storage unit there and the blacksmith room, which she never really used, nor did the former blacksmith, she looks between him and Dorarose as she holds out the keys. This proves she is serious on stepping down, totally.
Smiling, DoraRose goes to hug her brother. "I will always help you do what's right. I promise." She then looks at the keys, raises an eyebrow, then nudges her brother, indicating that he should take the keys. "If you're sure about this, Silverstorm, then I think you should write a letter explaining this and naming Emyuil as your successor and give it to Benar somehow." Lily just hold the rat. "I'm sorry. If I'm able to, I'll go with you when you meet him, if you'd like. That way you won't have to face him alone."
Emyuil returns the hug gently, a smile spreading across his weathered face. "You have my thanks," he says, both to DoraRose and to Silverstorm, taking the keys carefully and inspecting them, turning them one way, then another, in his paws.
Silverstorm frowns, she walks over quietly and sits down to write the note, she will be quiet for a little while.
Silverstorm hands the note to Dorarose and nods as she heads to the gates. It says:
Dear Abbot and others of the elder council, I have decided to step down as Blacksmith as well as Abbey Sister. The abbey needs a better Blacksmith, one more skilled than I am at making weapons and armor at a time like this. I am not fully trained but I know one whom is: Dorarose's Brother, Emyuil. And I feel he would be good to take over for me. He can run the forge and better serve in this time of need and most likely afterwards as well. His garden tools and locks, hinges would likely last longer as well so please let him be your new forge beast, your new Blacksmith. Signed, Silverstorm.
Zee comes slowly over to the pond. He never was one to stay in a darn infirmary. He has no armor on and the blade he carries is with someone else and he is fine with that. He does have his staff that he leans on and slowly walks. His right leg is tightly bandaged and he has a small bandage on his arm. It could of been much worse but the armor he had saved him. The armor is in a safe place by the way. He leans on the staff and seems to have to catch his breath before he gets out "Ello...all"
Thorn nods "I...he is most likely busy and has other things to be worried about than the fact I am back"
LilyMoore shakes her head. "Just because someone is busy doesn't mean they wouldn't want to know that their family is back. I'm sure it'll be a relief to him to know that you're back home safely!" DoraRose smiles, then frowns at the badger. "Are you really sure that you should be leaving the Infirmary? You looked awful yesterday; I think it would be best if you rested a few more days." She slips the note into her pocket for safekeeping.
Emyuil stands up. "I'm going to go think for a while." Most likely on how he'll back up Silverstorm's vouching for him before the Elders. He heads off towards the orchard.
Zee sits down slowly and frowns, "I dislike de infirm lass...and I be sorry." He doesn't know someone is home "I didn't see ya son...just saw..." He frowns "Zurrgg's foul friends tried to take me out...think he would of if someone didn't knock him out."
Thorn frowns, she saw some of the fighting and then ran off with Caleb before it got worse.
LilyMoore just sits beside the ratmaid and listens. Dora smiles and waves a paw. "Caleb is safe back here at the Abbey, thanks to Thorn here," she gestures at the rat, then sighs, looking sad. "But Xander is still missing. And...there's been a terrible massacre in Camp Willow, and....I can't decide which is best, to try to find Xander, like I promised Zinnia, or to help win camp Willow back." It's been troubling her so badly, she hardly slept last night.
Zee nods "I heard bout de camp, I even found this poor otter maid in de woods and a friend of her's...she also had a dibbun, but the dibbun sadly died, and so did her friend. I carried de lass to the abbey and Magramba and a guard helped her to the infirm" He frowns deeply. "De threat to...The abbey needs tending to, I want ta help but me leg is broke and feel sort of helpless right now"
Thorn speaks "Zurrgg said he was not staying in the...area, with insane beasts around...yeah I...I overheard Zurrgg talking before I...left where he was, surprised he didn't send someone after me, heck maybe he did"
Nodding in agreement, Dora overhears what the rat said, and her blue eyes suddenly fix the ratmaid in a fierce stare. "You overheard him say that?" Lily turns to look at whom she hopes is her new friend. "Did you hear where he said he was going to go? Please, if you did, you have to tell us! A Dibbun's life is in danger!" She is friends with Marek; she has no problems with becoming friends with other reformed Abbey enemies....or whatever Thorn might be.
Zee looks over at the rat "You...were thar?"
Thorn backs up a little, she just frowns "I...he didn't say where and then he was having his goons try to kill him" She points to Zee and sighs "I sort of took the distraction and freed Caleb and would of freed the badger cub but that monitor thing grabbed him!" She looks at the ground now looking near tears.
LilyMoore goes to hold the ratmaid's paws. "I believe you! Maybe he said something about a direction? Beasts he wants to meet up with? Anything?" Dora crosses her arms and silently waits for the rat's reply, deciding that the way her daughter is doing it is probably the best way.
Zee waits quietly and frowns, he feels useless right now.
Thorn frowns as she tries to remember but all the yelling and the lizards, the terror of running... "I don't remember, I'm sorry"
LilyMoore is crestfallen, but she does her best to hide it. "It's okay; I believe that you tried. We'll find him soon, I know we will, right, Mom?" Dora's eyes widen, and her face softens. Lily's shoulders slump. Rose finally comes forward and hugs her daughter and tries to hug the rat. "I will do my best, but...." she looks like she is holding all the world on her shoulders. "Camp Willow is also having a lot of trouble..." She looks at the badger. Surely he understands the difficulty of her decision. ...right?
Thorn manages to back away and stand, then as tears flood down her checks she rushes into the orchards and away from the pond.
Zee nods "I know lass, I hope de otters get their home back and soon and this threat is over soon"
LilyMoore sits down and buries her face in her paws, her previous sad mood returning. Dora sighs and walks over to the badger. Sitting down beside him, she, too, covers her face with her paws. "I wish I knew what the right choice is. I desperately want to find Xander, but my heart is also telling me that I can't leave Mossflower in the grip of the enemy. I wish life...I wish Right and Wrong were more black and white, clearly defined. This is so hard..."
Zee speaks "If this...whatever de threat is, is not taken care of and put to a stop, thar may not be an abbey even ta come back to." He says quietly, yes he knows the Camp Willow thing needs the highest attention right now.
Rubbing her face with a paw, DoraRose looks up and gazes sadly at the pond. "I know," she says softly. "But that doesn't make the decision any easier..." Lily is still sitting farther along the bank, but now she, too, is staring at the pond's surface....or, rather, glaring at it. She HATES this choice.
Zee frowns, a single tear goes down his cheek "I failed....I failed Zinnia...I feel so...horrible and now with me hurt..." He shakes his head.
LilyMoore hears the badger and looks up at him. Her empathy aroused, she stands and runs to him, and goes to hug him. Dora nods and throws a stupid rock at the stupid water. "How could I have missed them? I was so close. ....I hate this whole flippin' mess!" She hung out with the hares for a while, it seems.
Zee will allow any help to the infirm, that is after he has had a good cry, yes even beasts as old as the badger can cry like a dibbun might. He will allow the hug, this most likely looks odd to anyone who sees this.
Fortunately, no one passes by, which is odd, yet goodish.
Will Xander ever be rescued before Zurrgg can do something terrible to him?
Will DoraRose be able to help rid Camp Willow of its plague of Vikingish beasts?
Will Emyuil be allowed to become the Abbey Blacksmith without having to join the order?
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Thanks for reading!! And ish is a usable thingy, and I will use it to my heart's content. So there. ;)
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