Novice In Training?!

Over the course of a couple days this takes place

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.

You must be IC to enter the Main Hall.

Exits: Abbey's [Li]brary, [K]itchen, [C]avern [H]ole, [B]reezeway, [En]try, [Stairs]

Contents:

Caleb enters a little after the two start talking and stays close to the doorway leading outside.

Lacota pats Krystal's shoulder. "You just remember this... Don't let anyone tell you that you aren't beautiful ever again, alright?" Lacota suddenly looks over at the mouse. "Young Master Caleb, I have been looking for you."

Krystal nods "I will...try not to let anyone say it. " She goes quiet for now.

Caleb frowns as he is spotted and walks over and stops beside the friar, "Yes sir?" He waits on whatever the reply will be.

Lacota squeezes Krystal gently as he addresses the mouse. "Caleb... I am sure Oz and your father both have discussed your behavior regarding my kitchen already. To be perfectly frank, I have nothing more to add, except to ask, why did you do it, lad?"

Krystal stays quiet so the two can talk.

Caleb looks at the floor, "I..Didn’t mean to break the cinnamon jar, or help Pip and Chip get stuff out. I helped clean up afterwards. As to why skipped class, I don’t know class is boring as I know most of the stuff."

Lacota frowns slightly. "Boring, lad? In what way? Are they not..." He waves a paw in the air, trying to think of a word, "Err, challenging you to learn? Explain what you mean by know most of the stuff, lad."

Caleb shifts back and forth, "I know my letters, numbers, the abbey code and charter, and I am good at counting. I even read and write really really good, you can ask Sister Ginny that...she'll tell ya." He sighs, "I shouldn’t of followed them but I wanted to see what they were doing and then I stayed cause I would of gotten in trouble if I left" He frowns as he got in trouble anyways and even more a couple days later.

Lacota places his paw on Caleb's shoulder. "Lad, how old are you? I you have learned that much, there's not much else one can learn, except maybe a bit more Abbey history, which is never a bad thing, I always say."

Caleb looks up at Lacota “Just turned 5 seasons sir."

Lacota hmms. "5 seasons... You're almost old enough to be a novice, you know that? But, traditionally, beasts don't become Novices until their sixth season. I don't suppose... You'd care if we discuss the matter with... Abbot Lorimis or Elder Benar, would you? About my proposition to make you a 'Novice-In-Training', hmm?"

Caleb blinks, "A..novice in training sir?" He is showing he is interested "Doing what?"

Lacota shrugs. "I leave that up to you, lad. Whatever you feel most comfortable in. Of course, I shall have to run this past your parents first, but I see no reason why every beast shouldn't be agreeable."

Caleb says, "I..am not sure what I want to learn, I have watched when the cooks where making food, one even let me help add already cut up veggies to a stew. I do not think I want to be a healer, but I.." He frowns "Didn’t tell father that as it might upset him, I helped him in the infirm when I was...after I was back, but..." He shivers briefly, "I..I rather not see that much blood again, weather its someone I know or even a bad beast."

Lacota crosses his arms, nodding. "I understand, Lad. As for helping in the Kitchen, I would gladly allow it... But you'll have to prove yourself, understand? I will be watching your progress closely."

Caleb nods, "Alright and..I would like to be a novice one day"

Lacota smiles, patting Caleb's shoulder. "Good lad. I will find out when Benar or Lorimis are not busy, and see when your parents are available, too, and we'll all discuss my idea. How does that sound?"

Caleb smiles "It sounds like a good idea sir." He adds after a frown, "I...know I have worried a lot the past few days and I am sorry for that also, I shouldn’t of thought of running away it only made the matter worse and...almost really really worse."

Lacota nods gravely. "Aye, that was a foolish thing to do. I'm glad you returned, unharmed."

Caleb says, "I..was upset, no one seemed to be listening to me and Pip had tripped me so I.." He frowns, maybe he will keep quiet on what he did, unless it was told."

Lacota nods again. "I know what Pip did, and I know how you responded. Given the circumstances, though, it was only to be expected. Pip and Chip are proving to be two very unruly boys. They need discipline, which can only be had by peeling potatoes all day long."

Caleb looks down "Am...I gonna be punished for punching him. Papa Oz and..Dad didn’t say yet, they just so far seemed glad I was ok from..the whole polecat thing"

Lacota says, "Well, I for one think you've been punished enough."

Caleb nods "Yeah been a bit..not to fun a week." He then smiles at something that he remembers, "I made a friend..sort of, least she didn’t cry around me, this little beaver babe. I was even gonna take her into the woods to hide if I had to cause, cause it seemed like Mr. Flicktail was gonna lose, so I threw a rock at the polecat and then the polecat got all...mad and started to go after me instead. It was scary."

Lacota frowns. "It must have been a vicious fight."

Caleb nods, "Yeah..fighting is bad." He then looks towards the stairs as he hears his dad and sighs "I got to go" He then heads in that direction.

--Later in the evening--

Lee comes up the stairs from Cavern Hole, nodding and waving to passing beasts. Spotting the mouse by the fireplace, he approaches. "Well, Caleb! I be very glad ta see yer in good 'ealth, after all that... Trouble earlier this week." He glances down at the paper, but doesn't mention it.

Caleb looks up, the paper has the first part of the abbot charter written down, "I..wasn't hurt, just a bit scared."

Lee nods his head. "So I 'eard." He frowns somewhat. "No, it be Flicktail who were hurt, an' it's bad..." He shakes his head. "That polecat could've killed 'im... I just wish 'e'd asked for me 'elp, y'know?"

Caleb frowns, "I..think the polecat worried him, cause he said if..if he didn’t fight him alone he was gonna.." He stops there not wishing to remember the polecat’s words, "But the polecat did go after me once..when I threw a rock at him"

Lee leans forward. "Said 'e was gonna wot? Nobeast 'as mentioned any o' this."

Caleb explains, “He said he only wanted to fight Flicktail and said if any other beast tried to follow him or fight or try to find me and the beaver dibbun he,...he would kill us."

Lee sighs, shaking his head. "Now I understand. But it were still a foolish move... Ugh, an impossible situation all around."

Caleb says, "Flicktail said I helped when I threw the rock at the polecat, that I distracted it. The rock didn’t really hurt the polecat much but he turned away from Mr. Flicktail and started to go after me instead, that was really scary and I run and hid in some tall grasses and the polecat didn’t find me and then Flicktail surprised the polecat and the polecat died. The guards helped Flicktail inside and my dad..my dad tended to him, with some help."

Lee nods again. "Ye were very brave, Caleb, to throw that rock."

Caleb manages a smile, "I used a sling shot. But don't worry I would never use it in the abbey just outside and only if I had to"

Lee says, "That is very sensible, lad. "

Caleb says, "It’s what the charter says, I am trying to remember it in fact. No weapons inside and the don’t harm another unless it’s to protect a life and a slingshot is still a weapon"

Lee nods his head. "Yer memorizin' the Charter, eh? Is it for yer schoolwork?"

Caleb says, "Part way and to maybe be a novice one way, once I learn what I want to do."

Lee asks, "Ah, yer gonna join the Order, are ye? Ye know, I considered joinin' the Order meself, but eh... Got too much of a fightin' spirit in me, I guess." He chuckles. "Ye'll make a fine novice, though."

Caleb says, "You protect others and that’s good"

Lee smiles. "That I do. It's me job, an' I take pride in it."

Caleb nods "Like said I am still unsure what I will do...maybe cook? Or maybe protect others one day as a guard, I don’t think a healer is a good job for me though."

Lee scratches his whiskers, chuckling. "Cook, eh? Wot does Friar Lacota think o' that idea?"

Caleb says, "I don’t know, I haven’t tried to make anything yet"

Lee hmms. "I see. Well, ye know that Lacota is a very...particular beast when it comes to 'is kitchen."

Caleb says, "well I would have to ask to make something"

Lee says, "Aye, be sure ye do that, lad."

Caleb nods “Yes Sir”

--Next Day—

The Kitchen is buzzing with activity as dinner is prepared. Lacota keeps a tight rein on his helpers, overseeing every aspect of the cooking. Eventually, though, he wanders into Great Hall in order to get a bit of a breather. He finds a chair by the fireplace and sits, propping his feet up on a stool to rest a few minutes.

Flicktail sits uncomfortable, finding it hard to get comfortable with a sword wound thru his hip. his nose works overtime at the scent of the cooking, as he gets out some wood, and a cloth, so he can whittle and not get wood shavings on the floor

Lacota finally spots the fox, and frowns. "Flicktail! Shouldn't you be in bed? What are you doing up?"

Caleb pokes his head into the room and frowns, “My dad wouldn’t be too happy to see you up and about so soon Mr. Flicktail, he have a fit"

Flicktail exclaims, "I am Allowed Lacota!" The fox replies plaintively "I didn't escape. I can come down with help. I asked Leon and Everything...Look Caleb is here, he has been helping to heal me"He winches as Caleb makes his announcement "um..er....not really a FIT would he?”

Lacota shakes his head. "For shame, Mister Flicktail. You know you almost died, right." He raises a paw to Caleb. "Good evening, Lad."

Caleb frowns "I..don’t think he would want to see ya down here"

Flicktail looks down "Really, he said with some help I could, maybe even rest in my Cabin instead of always in the Infirm as it gets awful lonely up there lately” “

Lacota makes no move to get up from his chair, he just sighs. "If Leon said that, then alright. Still, fighting that wicked polecat alone was a terribly stupid thing to do, you know that? I'm sure Lee has already told you. He was rather upset about it, you know."

Caleb looks between them and frowns and goes to head to the stairs.

Flicktail says, "Caleb please wait.I never get to see you" He looks at Lacota "What was done was necessary no more or no less... Lee and I already spoke of it and it were good for him, he went off looking for Martin's sword alone . "

Caleb looks back to them, "You two look..busy"

Lacota raises his paw again. "Caleb, please, do come here." Back at Flicktail, he nods. "I see. I just don't want the relationship between you two to become strained... But as I've observed, Lee appears to be something of a loner... Nonsense, Caleb, I wish to speak with you as well, as adults."

Flicktail says, "I am never too busy for you Caleb, And Aye I am trying to help Lee with that"

Caleb walks over slowly and stops in front of them.

Lacota looks up at Caleb, and smiles. "So, I've left a note for Benar, informing him that I wish to discuss my proposition concerning you as soon as possible. Now, Lad, I think it would be ideal of your parents were there too when I do, alright? Therefore, I'd like you to deliver this note to your parents tonight. All it says is I have something I wish to discuss with them about you, alright?" He pulls an envelope sealed with a wax seal from a pocket in his robes, handing it toward the young mouse.

Caleb smiles large "A novice in training sir! Can I help maybe..cook something?" He takes the letter and his eyes sparkle with excitement.

Lacota chuckles, delighted at Caleb's excitement. "Yes, you may. I sense a kindred spirit in you, Lad, and I think you'd make a fine protege, to possibly even... Who knows, take over as Friar after I'm gone."

Caleb is for sure excited at a chance to learn, a chance to be a novice and goes to hug the friar..still very excited "Thank you Thank you Thank you!!" Well hug if allowed to as Lacota could easly move.

Flicktail asks, "You are goingto be a Chef beast Caleb?"

Lacota allows the hug, chuckling. He glances over at Flicktail, and says to both he and Caleb, "As is fairly well known, I can be a grumpy old coot, but it feels good to make somebeast happy."

Flicktail says, "You make ME happy Lacota"

Lacota says, "Well, I've been rather happy myself lately, to be honest."

Flicktail says, "You know Lacota, part of me job is to confront beasts when danger strikes"

Lacota nods his head. "Yes... And I'm very glad you...ahh, rescued Krystal... She is the source of my recent happiness."

Flicktail says, "Aye she is beautiful, in her new dress"

Lacota smiles. "She is most beautiful... I care for her very deeply..." He is not ready to use the word 'Love', but the squirrel is quite clearly smitten with Krystal.

Caleb smiles and holds the letter for his parents still and then besides to go deliver it "I'll be right back!"

The young mouse runs all the way into the gate house and about crashes into his father.

Leon smiles “Whoa Caleb, whats going on now?”

Caleb shows the letter*To Dorarose and Brother Leon *.

Leon hmms , “Ok let’s go show this to your mother and we will read it together” They head on back to the gatehouse loft where the letter is opened and read together.