Maybe Zork Does Need An Apprintice...
RW Abbey: Great Hall
The Great Hall of Redwall Abbey. Countless paw falls have echoed from these stones, and untold numbers of feasts and merry gatherings have been held here. A table, not nearly so grand or large as its predecessors, but quite functional for mealtimes, rests near the center of the hall. Chairs exist here aplenty, and they are all of a matching set. High above, the stain glass windows give the Great Hall a beautiful appearance. The glasswork is exceptionally done, crafted by a skilled artist. The floor is clean and swept. A fire is kept burning in the fireplace at almost all times of the day and night, and there are several more comfortable chairs and cushions set up here, of varying sizes. One looks large enough to easily accommodate a badger.
The Tapestry hangs proud and tall, and while the rest of Redwall may still bear the scars of natural disaster, this most famous of Redwall's relics remains unharmed by beast, time, or the elements. The figure of Martin the Warrior seems to be watching over his own with an unchanging, kindly gaze.
Soft light is slowly beginning to filter in through the stained glass windows high above your head.
Exits: Abbey's [Li]brary, [K]itchen, [C]avern [H]ole, [B]reezeway, [En]try
Zork enters the room, he had been outside a little while. Least he seems to feel better today than he did yesterday but he is still taking it easy and carries, yeah he isn't using it, a cane he could use to help walk but feels it doesn’t need it or just doesn’t want to think he does. He sits down in the large soft chair and stares at the cane, he has added a medal piece to the ends of it.
Lacota is himself leaning on his staff, near the Kitchen, conversing quietly with a younger squirrel. "The Fall Feast is in a few weeks, lad. We have to make preparations. I expect the highest quality from all of you, understand?"
Zork looks over at Lacota and lays the cane he has down or more drops it and it makes a sort of clink noise and rolls against the chair as he leans back and sighs softly.
Lacota turns suddenly, ears perked. He says to the younger squirrel beside him, "Who is here with us this morning?" The novice answers, "It is Brother Zork, Friar." Lacota nods his head. "You are awfully quiet, Brother Zork."
Zork stays quiet and finally speaks, "Just...thinkin' be all. I not be as..." He frowns some, " As strong as I use ta be, brothers me some be all"
Lacota nods again. Turning to the novice again, he says, "You may go do whatever, I'll find you again to plan out the menu for the feast later. Off you go." As the younger squirrel leaves, the Friar walks slowly toward where he had heard the badger. "That happens when a beast gets older you know."
Zork frowns, "Not just...that, wot happen last season, I mean I gots..better but never fully and seem ta be a tad less...strong, if walk too far I get tried, if stand ta long I feel like I can't walk right. Me shoulder and arm would hurt after so long at de forge and that never happen before, I use ta be able ta run or jog no problem and yesterday I ...well got outta breath and me chest hurt a little and couldn’t do hardly anything.I mean..not nearly as bad as...de one time"
Lacota shakes his head. "You are overexerting yourself. From what I understand, your heart nearly failed last season. That's not something that'll ever be completely better, I wouldn't think."
Zork is quiet before he speaks again , "Yeah. I had..well off/on pains but never pained attention ta em' and I were sort of made ta do a lot. This monitor lizard angered me and that one day were after I had not sleep in like 2-3 days, I were already tried and even sore and she were threatening Lorimis and a little dibbun otter, I couldn't let her kill em' so I managed ta get me blade and...well fought her, and parts of de fight still be a blue ta me"
Lacota hmms, leaning on his staff. "The fight was one strain too many on your heart, it would seem."
Zork nods, "I..remember havin' real bad..pain but I also knew if I stopped she might kill someone and I could not let her. I know I injured her and she did injure me..some, but it were more those pains, and then I couldn’t even lift me blade and vision was blurry..couldn’t breath and this..pain, like nothing felt before I don’t even know how I got ta de infirm door, I just did I was..." He frowns "Scared, fer de first time in me life probably..scared. I was in a deep faint a week Lacota...a week"
Lacota nods again. "You are fortunate to have survived. More reason for you to be careful."
Zork sighs "Ya be right but...I don’t wanna haf ta give up everything. then again..de gate be done now. just makin' sure couple hinges are in place be all now and that thar be no weak spots"
Lacota says, "I mentioned before, you need an assistant.""
Zork says, "But...I don't know, haf ta be a trust worthy beast, ya know"
Lacota says, "Indeed so. I'm sure there is a novice here who is trustworthy."
Zork says, "It takes..some strength also, de hammer can be a wee bit heavy for most." He rubs his forehead, "I may haf ta...try ta finish something I be workin' on, sooner rather than later"
Lacota nods. "T'is why you should find a helper, Zork. You won't have to work as hard if you have a helper. Also, consider the future. Someday, all beasts eventually go to the Dark Forest. There will be a time when a new smith is required for the next generation of abbey beasts. That is my advice to you. “
Zork frowns "I don’t want ta think of dying, I like ta be around a good while still even if it’s in one of em' wheeled chairs or with a cane fer walking short distances"
Lacota feels around for a chair so he can sit. "I hope you are for a very many seasons, Zork."
Zork says, "Well, takin' it easy will help..suppose, already had someone be worried fer me...more so yesterday when I were outta breath I think." He folds his arms over his chest, "I..need to talk ta Lorimis or Benar, gonna start ta train someone in de forge"
Lacota nods, as he sinks into a nearby chair, raising a paw to his forehead. "Whew, having another dizzy spell again..." He leans back. "I myself have been grooming a young novice named Brad as a potential future Friar when I'm gone someday."
Zork watches Lacota "You doing ok Lacota? Wouldn’t want anything ta happen ta you either. Been any better or..possible seeing anything yet..anything even faint light or something" He is trying to think on when his brother was going blind but more what he was or wasn’t seeing clearly right before he went blind and hat would be in reverse for someone gaining sight back, right?"
Lacota hmms? "I am ok. The dizzy spells are not as bad as they once were, thank goodness. I am able to get around better, too."
Zork smiles "That’s good, Ozzy learned how ta get around everywhere and somehow knew when something was outta place. Thar was someone once that was like surprised he was even blind cause he doesn’t act it, he doesn’t even have that staff with him all the time of his, just sometimes. I even remember when he were goin' blind..went through the whole anger and depression thing, me and him even had an argument and I left fer a couple weeks, but came back...but you on de other paw , I believe will get ya sight back"
Lacota nods slowly. "I do hope so... The healers say my head injury is nearly healed, so maybe soon."
Zork nods, "Maybe so, ya will see again soon and your be excited"
Lacota smiles a little bit. "That will be very nice."
Zork chuckles, "Me training a forge beast...should be intrestin' ta say de least"
Lacota nods. "Aye. It'll be good for you, though. I think you'll enjoy it."
Zork says, "Might be fun and I can teach some beast de forge, always wanted ta, well one day anyhow"
Lacota rubs his paws together. "You know, I had planned out a cooking class for the older dibbuns, that I was going to do every few weeks..."
Zork nods "That could be fun, they could learn ta cook and have fun and maybe one will show an intrest in being a cook"
Lacota nods. "That was my hope and original plan, yes. The first class was to have been a couple weeks ago, but my current situation being the way it is, I felt it best to postpone."
Zork asks, "Anyone interested so far?"
Lacota says, "Yes. Elder Benar, for one. He expressed keen interest in my idea. Several other abbey beasts have voiced their interest as well."
Zork says, "Well, sounds like your have a good class then"
Lacota nods a little. "I do hope so... Preparation for the feast will likely postpone the first class again, though."
Zork says, "Always good ta prepare, I will have ta prepare fer helpin' ta raise de new gate, course others will help"
Lacota says, "The feast and raising the gates will be a joyous occasion."
Zork nods "Yep, should be and raise some sprits also, de new gate be strong too"
Lacota says, "Strong is good."
Zork nods, "Ya.." He stops as a novice whispers something to him and he frowns"Wot?" He stands, a little too quickly and about falls, he grumbles and grabs the cane and follows the novice, yeah let’s not say what happen, he does manage a "Gots ta tend ta something."
RW Abbey: Kitchen Yard
Boasting a decent view of the Abbey's orchards and gardens, this
space is mostly a work area, displaying well trampled grass and the
occasional bare spot. An especially worn spot is the path that leads
between the kitchen gardens and the vineyards.
From one end of the kitchen yard to the other, the space is nearly
filled by the tremendous gnarled trunk of an ancient apple tree,
roots and branches and boughs trimmed off and piled alongside for
later use. A deep groove of mud-churned sod and torn grass leads
back to the orchard, from where the fallen tree must have come.
There are also a variety of workshops around the edge of the yard,
the wood-shop, the cooper for making barrels. The small smithy
where the abbey's tools are made, the potters kiln and the brewery.
Exits: [Vine]yards, [K]itchen [G]arden
Silverstorm is looking over the forge, already some beast warned her not to try and repair a weapon and said weapon was taken, they didn’t say anything on looking it over did they?..Nope and she is clearly curious of it, and the tools.
Zork comes over and half glares, "Wot?..Who ya be and why ya touching me tools...wot ya doin' Ok he is a little over protective of what he sees as HIS forge.
Silverstorm spins around and looks at the badger, she is holding the forge hammer and sits it down, "Just looking, don't give yourself a rupture there...tis bad enough they took my dirk away, then its fine." She walks a little ways away "Nice forge by the way"
Zork still looks upset as he grips the cane he has and takes a deep breath, "Who are ya? And course they would take ya weapon away no weapons in here and none around de forge..or armor fer that matter, fer repair or makin'....ya can’t just waltz in ere' and..." Ok he needs to get calm.
Silverstorm watches him and shakes her head, "Its Silverstorm matey..and ya should relax, didn’t harm it or nuttin'..goodness and ok, rules are rules and I can follow that"
Zork rubs the side of his head and sits down on a chair he keeps out here and frowns, he takes a deep breath and exhales, yep came over here too fast and with a bit of a temper too, he then speaks, "Ok...sorry on the snapping thar just I be in charge of it and no one else has ever touched it before..well since I rebuilt it and used it anyways umm...3-4 seasons ago. I be de only one that has used it and checked it these past seasons"
Silverstorm now looks a little concern "You ok there? Ya look like your goin' to pass out or something."
Zork nods slowly, "I be fine, just not good ta run tis all, also why sitting down.." He studies her " Sides..de forge can be dangerous if ya don't know what ya doin'"
Silverstorm blink and then glares "Hey a moment there....me father was a Blacksmith and one of me brothers...oh..OHHH" She says "I get it, same as me brother a girl can’t work one of these things, that it?"
Zork shakes his head "I didn’t says that...I mean I never seen a...ummm, I mean ya could maybe" Ok great he is probably going to get himself in trouble now." Just tis usually..a..well"
Silverstorm glares again "Not a female right? Males are all the same..." She mutters.
Zork decides its best to leave but falls over chair and all and grunts, he sits up slowly and rubs his head, "Ouch.." He says."Look..lass calm ya self down. So wot brings ya...well ta de abbey?"
Silverstorm folds her arms over her chest and blinks as he falls over and decides to help him stand or least get the chair upright and help him sit back down in it." Just a place to rest and got to looking around and saw the forge..sorry bout being by it, I didn’t do anything to it or with it, promise."
Zork allows the help to the chair where he sits again and just nods slowly. He is just going to sit for a little while.
Silverstorm watches him "Do you like need anything? You still don’t look that great"
Zork frowns and nods, "Tea....ask Novice bout it, say its fer Zork."
Silverstorm frowns and goes to find novice, not too hard right? Well she does find one and gets whatever this tea is and is back in about 15 mins or so. She walks over and hugs him the mug, "Here...."
Zork gets the tea and slowly drinks it, he coughs a little, well this is what he gets for not having some last night or earlier, least Leon isn’t around, or worse someone else, he drinks the rest of the tea and looks up at the otter as he holds the empty mug now.
Silverstorm has gone from moody to concern, "You..need help to the infirm or something?"
Zork nods slowly, allowing any help to the infirm with slow steps and seems to be deciding to sleep there till tomorrow most likely and it’s only mid-afternoon.
