Many things...many lessons... "They count on us..."
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 spattered 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.
In the middle of the trees a space has been made where the soil is freshly turned, waiting for the grass to regrow and the small sapling apple tree in its centre to one day fill the gap.
Exits: [F]irst [O]rchard, [P]ath by [G]reat [H]all, [Ki]tchen [P]ath
Zarok once again is aimlessly wandering the Abbey Grounds...but for some reason not quite as lively as he was several days ago...A few things are bothering him. And even he isn't quite sure what some of them are.
DoraRose is sitting on the roots of an ancient peach tree, reading. She looks up and lays a paw on the 3 books beside her as she sees the lizard out of the corner of her eye. "Zarok! How are you, sweetheart?"
Well, the little lizard's day has just brightened a bit. 'Dorrozzzze' is here! He wheels about to face her and springs onto the roots of another tree, close to where DoraRose is sitting. He sinks his claws into the wood to ensure a firm grip, and smilez. "Dorrozzze! I goodzzzz...Bu'..." he trails off.
Flicktail walks in whistleing.
Leon walks in slowly, he has a walking staff with him and is taking his time walking towards the orchards.
Zarok picks up the scent of the two new arrivals before anybeast could see them, but he remains where he is, perched on the tree root.
DoraRose pats her lap, inviting Zarok to sit on it. "But what, dear?" she looks at Flicktail as he enters the orchard whistleing and smiles at him. "Good day, Sir Flick." she has yet to notice Leon.
Flicktail says, "Ello Dora Rose..I brought Leon ere with be so you could pay off yer debt to me"
Bark splinters fly as Zarok rips his claws free of the wood and springs into the mousemaid's lap. He pauses, trying to consider something, then suddenly his tongue slips and he says without thinking, "Who E-mule?"
Leon makes it the rest of the way to the orchards and sits down slowly.
DoraRose gets indated with information and has several interesting reactions all at once. She gasps as the lizard pounces on her lap, gets a sorrowful look in her eyes at his words, blushes scarlet at the foxes' words, and smiles brightly at the sight of Leon. All at once.
Flicktail stands with his muzzle open unsure any beast could do all that like DoraRose just did.
As these many expressions each appear on DoraRose's face, Zarok, in her lap, leans back a bit away from her rapidly changing face, a bit weirded out.
Leon smiles at Dorarose, "You..ok?"
DoraRose's face is now stuck in an almost radient smile, but she is still flushed a deep red. "Oh, uh, yeah...yes, I'm fine." she manages to stammer out. She is very happy to see Leon out of the infermary.
Flicktail chuckles and sits down beside Zarok and whispers "watch this Zarok..DoraRose is going to pay off a debt
"zzzzzrk?" Zarok buzzes inquisitively, unable to find words in the common speech as he's still preoccupied by the procession of expressions on DoraRose's face.
Leon looks at Flicktail confused and looks at Dorarose to see what he means.
DoraRose suddenly looks very embarressed and clears her throught exactly 4 times. She glances at the fox and murmers, "H-here? Now? I didn't realize you were being serious..."
Flicktail says, "o course I am serious....what's worng with ere and now?" the fox smiles with great mirth.
Leon stands "I think I will...go now, this is getting....strange."
Zarok agrees. "yrk-zrrzz," he buzzes earnestly as he rises from DoraRose's lap and scrambles up into the treetops.
Flicktail says, "Quick Dora Rose..e's gettin away."
DoraRose jumps up as soon as her lap is empty, an almost ashamed look on her face. She reaches out to gently grab the other mouses arm. "Leon...no, wait, please. I'm sorry for disturbing you...it's just...Flick, ah..." she now looks slightly flustered.
Leon stops as she takes ahold of his arm and looks at her, he listens "Is everything...alright?"
Flicktail relents "Oh It's ok Dora Rose, you can just sayyer glad he's ok?" without telling Leon he releases Dora from her promise.
DoraRose smiles. There's no turning back now. "Yes, Leon, everything is just fine. It's wonderful, actually. I'm nearly ecstatic that you're alright." she gently takes a hold of Leons' shoulders and whispers so that only he could hear, "I love you, and I almost died when I heard that you were...ah, supossedly lost." she is gazing steadily into his eyes.
Leon smiles as Dora talks to him and hugs her.
Flicktail's ears perk eyes wide, he heard nothing but he knows SOMETHING is going on....
DoraRose wraps her arms around Leon's neck and closes her eyes, hugging him gently. She wispers again, saying, "Flicktail tricked me...he let me hold the Sword of Martin, and promised me that if I gave you a kiss on the cheek, we could joust and I could use Martin's sword." she buries her face in his shoulder, continuing in a muffled wisper, "I thought he was joking..."
Leon smiles he nods, "Oh?..." he says.
Flicktail blinks concerned thinking DoraRose is crying he feels deeply shamed "Dora..I..I didn't mean ya had ta....you can still if..if ya want...."
DoraRose nods, then turns her non-tearstained face up so she can gaze in his eyes. "But I think I will anyway, even though he said I didn't, because...well, because I love you." she goes to kiss Leon on the cheek.
Leon smiles at the kiss on his cheek, he gives her a hug as he says, "Love you too..."
DoraRose shudders slightly and smiles even more broadly. She hugs Leon even more tightly -- hopefully not too tightly.
Flicktail watches them smiling "um..i can leave you 2 alone if ya likes."
Leon is not hurting from the hug, he just balances his staff so he doesnt fall over.
DoraRose feels the other mouse shift his weight and lets go (mostly) in alarm. "Oh, are you alright? I'm sorry..." her brows furrow, and she seems to have forgotten about Flicktail...even though he's talking.
Flicktail says, "oh dear me" he says looking to be the one awkward now.
Leon nods, "Just, still can't walk with out the staff...yet, hopfully wont need it long" He offers a smile.
DoraRose smiles, but she still looks a little worried. She finally remebers the fox and whips around to look at him. "Oh, Flick, I'm sorry, I had forgotten that...ah..." maybe she shouldn't say that.
Leon says, "I will be ok, it's just still healing thats all."
Flicktail looks at his footpaws awkwardly.
Leon smiles, he goes to give her a smalll kiss on the forehead and smiles, "I am going to go rest...ok" He slowly useing the walking staff heads back to the bunk room.
DoraRose smiles brightly at the kiss and says, "Alright. Do get better." she watches him go, a dreamy, happy, and yet malencholy look in her eyes.
Flicktail is still nervous "um...I hope I did not..do somethin wrong...."
DoraRose laughs lightly and turns back to Flicktail. "Oh, I don't think you did. Just don't do it again, OK?" she is not mad, but she is serious.
Flicktail nod nods "yes Marm."
DoraRose chuckles and comes over to where the fox is. "Don't call me Marm, it makes me feel like an old maid." she smiles. "Now, shall we joust?"
Flicktail says, "oh..of of course" he hands her martins blade and retrives a normal blade for himself.
DoraRose feels the weight of the sword, frowning slightly. "It's the size of a bastard sword, but it's so much lighter." she twirls it around her paw, then freezes, a look of alarm crossing her face. "Won't we get in trouble for jousting in the Abbey?"
Flicktail says, "No I have to do so somewhere....don't I?"
DoraRose hmms, then nods. "Yes, I suppose so." she twirls the Sword of Martin again then hops into an at-ready stance. "Shall we begin?"
Flicktail nods and starts out with a thrust at Dorarose.
DoraRose quickly and almost expertly blocks the thrust. But she is not acustomed to the wieght of Martin's blade, and so the swords meet allot sooner than she was expecting. A resounding clang echoes through the orchards, and some Abbybeasts stop in their tasks to watch the 'fight'.
Flicktail is forced to react quickly, the sword he uses being heavier but much slower. When thes words meet though, the heavier one does not force martin's blade away...sparks fly as you put a large notch in the sword Flicktil weilds. Several more Beasts Gather Cheering on DoraRose.
DoraRose stares agape at the notch she puts in Flicktail's sword. The sound of cheering filters through her shock and dismay, and suddenly her face becomes grave. "I...I cannot fight for the amusment of other beasts, Sir Flick..." she murmers, drawing back and causing a ripple of exitment from the surrounding beasts, who think that she's about to attack.
Flicktail shakes his head "this is not for their ammusment Lass...they are adknowledging yer skill..all here know you are not intending harm...and it gives them hope."
DoraRose lifts her eyes. "Hope?" she slowly gets into an at-ready stance, the question written on her face as clearly as a birthmark...well, maybe not quite that clearly, but nearly.
Flicktail says, "aye there are vermin out there, even though this is aplace of peace..peace only comes if you CAN defend yerself...they rely onn us he takes a cut at her swining down toward her.
DoraRose blocks the swing, much more comfortable with the sword now. "/They count on us.../" she murmers...then a determined glint enters her eyes. She would learn as much as she could from the Abbey Champion. She swings, then stabbs, taking a step forward.
Flicktail suspects he will learn as much from DR as she connectes with his sword the fox revereses so the recoil ends his blade opposit slicing toward her legs.
DoraRose jumps, avoiding the fox's blade. When she lands, she bounces lightly on the balls of her feet and feignts a cut to his left side, then quikly bringing her sword around to slice at his right shoulder.
Flicktail's sword is slower and he only just BARELy deflests her blow....he tries to use the pommel to knock her over.
DoraRose ducks the pommel and hops back, but trips over the skirt of her dress. She gives off a soft scream as she falls, and she tries to avoid the blade of Martin...but she still gets a small slice on her shin.
Flicktail says, "oops...That apples sometimes" he retrieves the sword and has an abbey mouse help her to the Infirmary to have that looked at, the sword is VERy sharp.
