Orph and Benar go exploring for clay

RW Abbey: Great Hall

Benar walks up into Great Hall. "now where is it you normally go for clay? I take it there is none near the abbey pond we could use? we'll need buckets... and a spade. I want to bring back a decent supply.

Nicodemus enters the room and heads for the hearth.

Benar is talking with Orph, the grey squirrel pauses however when he spots the Abbot and bows, still unused to his new habit. "Father Abbot sir.. good day."

Nicodemus drops into a chair by the hearth. "Merry meet, _Novice_ Benar. How are you finding your new path?"

Benar runs a paw over his ears, "Wet Father Abbot but good so far. I have discovered what a mop is and that cleaning breakfast cauldrons is not easy." he smiles warmly at the use of the word Novice. "I was hoping to see someone who might know. Does the Abbey have a kiln? For pottery work?"

Orph waves at Nic before turn back to answer Benar, "Well there's some by the Moss River, but mostly I've been using some I found by the East Sea. The River's closer. I have a trowel with me from home and we can get you one and buckets."

Nicodemus leans back into the chair, sliding the thick socks off his feet. "I would expect it must; there are fired plates and mugs. But, as they need to stay warm, I wouldn't expect it in the main building."

Benar glances at Orph and chuckles, "The Eastern Sea is a bit far to go abroad for Clay dear. But the River moss is only half a day from here I believe." He listens to the Abbot and smiles, "I would like to hunt down where it is if I may Father Abbot. I have some amateur skill in pottery."

Nicodemus holds his feet to the fire.

Nicodemus says, "By all means."

Sunrose arrives from the stairs, having worn the bottom of a parchment to wrinkles and the end of her headband to frays. "Oh .. Novice Benar.. the /kiln/ .. I found it .."

Sunrose hurries up to Benar, acknowledging the Abbot with a bow of her head before showing Benar a map with the kiln's location circled. "You may have to fight the dibbuns classes now and then for time.."

Benar peers at the map and smiles. "Ah Sister Sunrose that is great news... " he curls his tail from side to side. "Thank you for finding it Sister... oh yes you wanted to speak to me after settling in about the things I should be learning? Or guided towards?"

Sunrose shifts her weight, considering the map a moment as if it would just record her thoughts. "Well I'll only be guiding your classes time to time .." she holds up a finger, "Likely in healing, herbalism and .. well, mental coaching ..! You mentioned pottery and those are *certainly* things that don't stand to time so well in a busy abbey, so that's certainly a useful skill .. "

Sunrose glances upward thoughtfully.. "Brother Sharpclaw is a healer .."

Sunrose says, "Brother Harper is the recorder .. but I certainly haven't seen him about lately."

Benar smiles, "Well I guess I should focus on learning to read.. i get the feeling it is a rather important skill. Oh and you shall be glad to know I now know what a mop is. I spent the morning with one it was quite an education."

Nicodemus says, "Brother Harper is on a journey to Salamandastron."

Sunrose ohs!

Sunrose says, "Well that certainly explains that."

Sunrose says, "Benar, every volume you shall have to dust will be upon unto you once you learn ..."

Sunrose grins playfully.

Benar backs his ears worriedly, "Uhm.. well as long as you only want me to dust them. I might upset the recorder if i try to put them back in the right order. I'd end up having to go by colour."

Orph tugs at Benar's arm, "Weren't we going somewhere?" he smiles wanting to get on the road once more.

Sunrose poses, looking from the corner of her eyes slyly. "And how do you think our blind novices organize them?"

Nicodemus turns to the rat. "So, Orph, you eating enough?"

Orph nods, "I guess so, better than I was anyway." Oh, and I not in trouble anymore." he adds happily.

Benar goes cross eyed. "By touch?" he looks down at Orph and smiles, "Ah yes.. Father Abbot... erm.. or do I ask you Sister. But can I go out with orph and collect some clay?"

Nicodemus says, "Two good things at once."

Sunrose asks, "If you believe you can juggle so many responsibilities, Novice Benar-- who am I to stop you?"

Benar scratches his ears nervously, "if you rather I let it wait for a week or so.. until i settle into routine as a novice I can."

Nicodemus says, "And I don't have enough hours in the day to attempt to manage such details. "

Orph tugs at Benar's arm again, "Let's go, already."

Sunrose puts a paw on Benar's arm, smiling. "Routine ..? Boy .. someone sure lured you in here..!"

It seems Benar is somewaht intimidated by Sunrose and idly picks at one of his bracelets. "Uhm... Just didn't want to let Orph down."

Sunrose says, "Orph, if you're not a habit destroyer, I just don't know whatc'ha are-- I have little paw-print drags all over--"

Sunrose looks up from the little tug marks Orph has already made into her own belt and furrows her brow at Benar, "Gracious, if you're fit to see the little one along with you-- go on with yourselves, clearly you do well in the company of one another."

Orph sighs, "I wouldn't, if anybeast would just listen the first time."

Sunrose says, "We're all the way up here with our big old ears. "

Benar smiles, "Thank you Sister, I'll bring him back by supper and give him a bath." he scoops the little rat up then. "He's bound to find some excuse to fall in the mud." he swings him up onto his shoulders and starts towards the door.

Sunrose calls out after Benar, "Aye-- and I bet he becomes your excuse to play innit, as well!" she teases.

Nicodemus mutters, "Such as being tossed into it."

Orph ignores Sunrose's comment knowing one day he likely will tower over all the mice here.

The River Moss

Orph grins, "Sure. Onward! Oward to ... wait ... first home then the river. We need a bucket and another shovel won't we. And we’re there. You walk too fast."

Orph sworms, "I can walk by myself now. Let me down, ok."

Benar swings Orph down and chuckles, "Sorry... it's all the running in trees. We can swing down river to Moledeep from here? I should have brought a bucket from the abbey."

Moledeep: Berke's Gardening Shed

Orph digs through the various tools look for a pair of buckets that aren't rotten.

Benar follows Orph into the shed, looking around with some interest. "This place... seems quite ancient, are you alone here?"

Orph says, "Yeah, but I gave Corbyn directions to give Nic and I've had two visitors since then."

Benar smiles, "Ah have you never thought about... coming to live with us in the abbey? For good? You would be welcome."

Orph says, "Now I've had three visitors. I just stayed there a whole week when I was in trouble. I like the Abbey and all my friend are there at least sometimes, but I like my tunnel better."

Benar smiles, "You sound like a mole Orph." he picks up two large buckets and after a bit of digging turns up a yoke. "And as you heard Sister Sunrose found us a kiln in the abbey."

Orph tosses a trowel onto the floor by Benar and drop his own next to it still looking for a bucket.

Orph asks, "Any luck? I all the buckets I found have holes in them.""

Benar picks up the trowel and puts it in one of the buckets he is holding. "Thanks." he raps the side of the buckets he is holding. "I found two that seem ok."

"Good." Orph grabs his trowel from the ground and drops in in a bucket for now.

Benar asks, "Well then Orph, shall we? I've not got my claws into some good clay for quite some time yet.""

Orph nods, "Now were ready. Back to the river. We can grab something to eat form the orchard on the way out back.”

Mossflower Woods: Bank of the River Moss

For some reason the grass gets thin around here. Probably the river you assume. Then you notice the huge mountain in the east. And you can just make out a waterfall and pool further east. Hmm must be the river's source. The ground seems to have been tossed about here recently, as a couple of trees lie uprooted. One of the trees lies half in the river moss, creating something of a dam which is causing the water to pool up and overflow the banks.

Orph says, "This looks like as likely a spot as any for clay especially with the dam there catching everything like that."

Orph plops down to rest and starts looking over the area for a good spot to start digging at.

Benar sets the buckets down and starts to move along the bank, snout twitching. He pauses to pull off his habit and hang it over a tree branch. The squirrel then moves back to the bank and crouches down testing the bank with his trowel.

Orph walks around to the fallen tree to see if the dam has reviled anything for them.

Benar stands up and walks over to look at what Orph has found, "Anythuing?"

Seeing Benar discard his habit, Orph pulls off his grey robe, wads it up and toss it to the shore. He lays face down to the tree tuck in his linen trousers sraping at a supiciously dark red patch of th bank with his trowel.

Orph nods a bit at Benar,"Maybe. See what you think of this darker patch here. It's redish and the rest of the bank is brown." he scrapes some of the red earth into his free paw blindly expecting gravity to ignore him.

Benar crouches down next to Orph, prodding at the bank and mmming. "This looks promising. What do you think?" He digs in with his trowel and tries to dig some up.

"The part in the water is wet and easier to dig. This part up here's dry for a while. It'll take some time to get out." He stabs the red patch with his trowel and slowly digs out a chunk of the red clay. "I don't know how good it is, but it is clay."

Benar nods his head, picking up a paw ful of the wet clay and rolling it between his claws. "It is not too bad.. smooth and not full of too many impurities."

Orph crawls off the tree trunk taking pains not to fall in the river and goes over to grab a bucket. Then he heads back. Holding the bucket with one paw under the dry part of the red patch he then digs out the clay with his trowel in his other paw. It's slow going at first, but after a while the clay becomes softer under the trowel. Having made a small tunnel like hole in the patch of clay. He discards the dryer clay laying it along the tree trunk then he slowly lets the water into his bucket so as to cover the clay inside it.

Benar nods in approval, watching Orph collect the clay. Using his own trowel to dig up some more of it. "May want to get in the water... see what is wedged up against the dam here. Could well be clay as well from the colour of the water."

Benar lies down on the tree trunk, dressed in just his shorts he reaches down into the water as far as he can, feeling at the various wet substances backed up against the dam.

Orph has filled his bucket with clay and water not quite to the top. he slips off the tree trunk splashing into the damed up part of the river clumsily, thrown off by the weight of the bucket he's trying to carry to the shore.

Benar eeps and reaches out to try and catch Orph and falls into the dammed up part of the river himself. Sinking his foot paws into the clay hidden there and supporting the rat. "Ok... now we are both wet."

Orph, who is right near the shore, digs his claws into the bank to climb out. "I got ahold of the bank now. I think I can climb out." he calls over his shoulder to Benar.

Benar nods his head and goes back to feeling the clay under the water, he pulls his bucket over and starts to scoop out paw fuls into his bucket. "Should have brought more buckets this is quite a good supply."

Orph has now climb out of the water and on to the bank. "We'll have to find some somewhere else I think most of the ones at my tunnel had holes in 'em. This'll probably last us a while.'

Benar says, "We can get some from the abbey, we have lots of buckets there. We can make a trip of it with some of the others my young friend." He climbs out of the water once his bucket is full and shakes his body. "Mmm green tainted clay here. Quite nice.""

Orph begins to dry himself by slicking down his fur with his paws and wringing out the water that way. Orph nods at Benar's suggestion, "Never seen green before. There's big mount of grey with some yellow by the East Sea, but that's a longer trip. I manged it in a day* once but that without stops and eating on the way. There's a cherry orchard over that way. I fill my pouch up with those and eat 'em as I walk. Ma saided that it was very likely my folks came across from there, but nobeast really knows for sure."

Benar smiles at Orph and nods, "Well we can make a trip to the sea another time." he starts to ring out his tail." And hey look at then neither of us went rolling in the mud."

Orph nods happily. "Doesn't this count as a bath? Or do I still need to take one?" he asks curiously.

Benar chuckles, "Well if it was u p to me, i'd say this counts. But you never know what the sisters might decide." he rings out his body fur as well and moves to pick up his habit.

Orph grimces, "Bet they'd say 'no'." He walks over find his robe and shakes off the leaves and debries that have collected on it before pulling it back on over his head. With his wet fur slicked down the grey and charcoal robe hangs even looser on the dibbun not counting the parts that stick to him."

Benar ties his belt back into place, his own habit sticking to his form and looking a bit ridiculous as he hefts the yoke onto his shoulders and attaches the buckets to it. "Well at least we got what we came for."

Orph stomach growls, "Yep. We'll need to remember this place so we can get more when we need it."

Benar smiles and nods to Orph. "well shall we go back to the abbey and find our kiln?"

Orph says, "Yeah. Maybe if it's not too late when we find it you can show me who to use it."

Benar says, "of course, though I must insist you always have an adult present when using it. It is a dangerous thing""

Orph says, "Ok. Maybe /when I'm older/ I can do it by myself."

Benar says, "Of course when you are older you can do it by yourself Orph."

Benar leaves with: Orph

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

occasonal bare spot. An especaily worn spot is the path that leads

between the kitchen gardens and the vineyards.

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 buttery.

Benar walks around to the Kitchen Yard, and points, "Ah there see just where Sister Sunrose said it would be." he walks over and opens the door, looking in. "Got three wheels and a kiln." He points to the three paw-peddle powered wheels and the large kiln with a banked fire beneath.

Orph wander over in awe of it all. He's never use anything like that before. All his little clay figures have been pawmade with a little help from the odd twig and grass to color each figure's habit.

You room-page, "'to color' should be for. I don't know how I messed that up."

Benar smiles warmly at Orph and starts to examine the kiln himself. Starting to feed the fire slowly after setting the buckets of clay down. "Well Orph this is a kiln." he opens the big door at the front. "We put the finished clay in here and let it bake."

Orph sees Saja, "Hi we just got back from the river," he says as though the grey robe sticking his body did show it plan enough, We did good. We found lots of red, red-orange, brown, and even green clay. We also got wet, but we didnt fall in the mud like Sister Sunrose said we would.

Benar laughs softly and turns from where he is banking up the fire beneath the kiln. The two rodents seem quite happy to have fond it. "Ah.. hello there sir. I am afraid we have not met." he holds out a paw, "I am Novice Benar and like Orph says we just got back from the river."

Saja seems to have been inspecting the various plants when the two come upon him, the male turning and eyeing both warily. The dibbun rat, especially, gets a frown. Perhaps somebeast doesn't like kids? "...How...wonderful" comes his less than enthusiastic reply, made worse by his direly raspy voice. He even seems to rasp lightly when he breathes. "Clay...you are teaching the kit pottery?" he inquires, a hint of interest coming to his voice.

Saja notes the paw extended his way. He seems reluctant to take it, bordering on rude, before finally shaking. Benar, being a soldier, might recognize the tenseness in his muscles, as well as the way he seems to look at both Novice and rat dibbun, almost sizing them up.

Benar does indeed recognize the tenseness, "No need to worry sah." he gives the fox a crisp salute, "Indeed I am teaching Orph here pottery. Is one of the skills I picked up during my life. Finally putting it to good use."

The fox's eye narrows briefly, letting go of the other beast's paw. "And you were...a soldier, then?" he inquires, moving back a few paces. He seems to limp rather heavily as he does so.

Benar inclines his head, Benar, Orph and Saja are standing just inside the Kiln, "Aye, I was Corporal in the Army of Southsward until i came back to the Abbey to take up a kinder life."

Saja smirks at the mention of Benar taking up a 'kinder life'. "That's a rare opportunity. Most beasts that take up a life of violence get drawn into it, and eventually consumed by it. It's something you should take full advantage of."

Orph cocks his head, "Consumed? Like eaten? That doesn't sound good."

Benar smiles at Orph and touches his ear, "I think he means... unable to stop. Once a beast starts killing... it... does something to them inside." he looks at Saja, "I had.. some help and I was able to leave."

Corbyn turns round the corner, a wheelburrow full of scrap pushed in front, singing a little tune to himself: "Oh, i once was a lad. Long long ago. As foolish as one can be. But that all changed, as I came of age, and found my love of the sea."

Saja actually smiles at the small rat. "Something like that..." he states. To Benar, "Very lucky. Though...at the very least, your path was as honest of one as a martial trade can offer." He chuckles a bit. "Oh...I'm being cruel again. Gale will have my head if she finds out. Ignore me, I've perhaps seen a little too much in my short life." That last part, directed at Orph. "So.../potter/, do you do work for others? I'm something of an...amateur herbalist, you could say. I seem to be out of corks for my bottles." He turns as an otter rounds the corner, a paw reaching up behind his back out of reflex. His paw clenches air, and he growls lowly; whether to the missing object, or himself, nobeast but he could say.

Benar nods his head, "I don't really know how to make corks... not clay ya see. But I could make some clay lids for your bottles?"

Orph waves, "Hi, Corbyn. I made something for you. You want to see it?" he calls loudly wanting as many adults around him right now. This fox is up to something and Orph thinks himself to be unarmed this time.

"Oh the sea, shes rough and shes oh so tough, to one who never been. She can be cruel, but if'n ya ask me crew, shes a beauty ya never seen!" Corbyn grins as he spots Orph, waving a paw. "Ah! Greetings lad! Learnin' a trade are ye?"

Saja frowns, waving a paw dismissively. "No, as often as I travel, anything less than an actual cork will lead to spillage. The herbs I keep are expensive." He rubs his own ears as Orph becomes rather loud. "...Young kit, not so loud...please." Nevermind that Orph's not a fox! Corbyn gets the same appraising, paranoid stare that the others received, before the fox finally nods.

Benar moves back inside the kiln "I am trying good master Corbyn." he glances at Saja and nods, "Ah I see.. sorry I cannot help with corks." He sits down on a stool, foot-paw working the peddle on the potters wheel. The open front of the kiln letting him look outside as he scoops up a small pawful of green clay, slaps it into the middle of the wheel and starts to use his claws on it as it spins.

Orph tightness his grip on his trowel, he'd forgotten he was still holding it, he sure knows it's there now. He takes a few steps into the kiln walking in so as not to turn his back to the fox. He knows he needs to control his temper and not get in trouble but he is a rat and that is a fox - a not nice acting fox at that.

Corbyn chuckles softly. "Well, ya keep at it. Workin' with ya paws... now thats real work, if'n ya ask me." The otter grins, till he notices the Fox's stare, arcing an eyebrow. "Don't think we've the pleasure of meetin' yet. Corbyn Seaotter."

Orph watches the fox closely and grips his 'weapon' tighter.

Benar eyes Orph and reaches out with his free foot paw to hook his claws into the rats belt and pulls him to him. "Put that down and I'll start showing you how the wheel works." He is shaping the green clay into a small, flat round box.

Saja shakes his head again towards Benar. "Not an issue." Most beasts would probably frown at the rat upon noticing that tightened grip. Instead, Saja merely smiles towards the small dibbun. Then, Benar drags the beast away. His attention is soon drawn again to the seaotter. "...Saja Hawkeye." The fox's voice is horribly raspy and tight, as though there's something wrong with his lungs.

Orph whispers to Benar.

Benar pats Orph's ears, and murmurs to him before showing him the wheel. "See the peddle makes it spin? If you wet it then put clay in the middle you can spin it as you work on it." He starts to demonstrate how it moves under his claws

Orph nods listening to Benar's instructions leaned his head close to Benars.

Corbyn give a polite nod in response. "So, herblist are ya? Interestin' line of work that. Always a need for someone to gather the helpin' herbs."

Orph whispers urgently to Benar.

Benar smiles at Orph and stands up, claws sticky with clay he lifts his creation and sets it on a tray outside the kiln. He then motions Orph to sit down. "Ok start peddling, slowly and set some clay in the middle. Never let go of it whilst the wheel spins."

Saja shrugs a bit. "Yes, I suppose there is. I, despite my /kind's/ reputation for it, am not one to take hospitality without pulling my own weight." The fox turns away, suddenly coughing heavily onto a sleeve. When he finishes, there's quite a bit of red stained onto his robe. The vulpine frowns heavily, reaching into a kit he keeps at his side. After finding a particular bottle, he uncorks it, and swallows down a deep drag of whatever's inside.

Benar whispers to Orph sternly.

Orph turns his head in time to catch the fox's coughing fit then turns back to the wheel. He seems a bit distracted as he forms the clay with his long claws and the tips of his fingers. His whiskers twitch a bit as the clay takes form.

The otter winces as he hears the cough, not looking at the fox's sleeve. When the coughing stops, he look at Saja again. "Ya don't sound so well lad. If'n ya mind my saying so, you should try and see if the healers here might have somethin' to help with that cough."

Benar watches Orph at work, whispering helpfull advice to himj as he spins the wheel and the clay. "See... you can shape it alot easier with it moving."

Saja sighs a bit. "Nothing that they have is any more effective than what I've made for myself. As impressed as I am by the genuine care of the Healers here...they would have me stuck in a bed, rotting away while they drive themselves to death hunting for something that doesn't exist. Say what you will about vermin, but I will /not/ do that to such pure beasts."

Orph nods a bit starting to slowly spin the wheel as he works the clay taking shape faster now. At the word /vermin/ an ear swivels backward toward the conversation between the fox and Corbyn. The red clay is being formed into a tower of sorts now perhaps a vase?

Corbyn shrugs. "Suit yourself lad. I anit a healer, so I'll have to go with ya on what ya say." He shakes his head lightly in disagreement. "I'd rather a few more paws lendin' help, but that’s my view."

Benar smiles, watching Orph work, "If you make it any taller it will not stand on its own, depress your thumb claw into the middle and start hollowing it out.

Saja merely cocks his head, the fox packing up his belongings. "...Your concern is touching. But, do not worry. It is a thing I've dealt with my entire life." He nods to the various beasts about. "Excuse me.." Then, he's headed back to the Abbey.

Orph presses into the clay and beings to hallow it out as instructed. After the fox has left he starts to work faster widening the base forming it more like onion or flower bulb and turning the neck down at the end fanning it out a few moves of the claw around up and down the wheel begins to slow down. A blood-red vase sit where a lump of clay once was. Crisscrossed with what may pass for ivy vines all around. Open flower petals ring the top of the vase. The scratched in 'ivy' doesn't look much differnt then plain lines criss crossed all around would. The petals are petal shaped but lack any real details.

Benar smiles at the vase and gently lifts it, setting it besides his clay pot, the two pieces of green looking a bit plain compared to Orphs. He lifts the wooden paddle then and slides their creations into the kiln and shuts the door. "And now we clean the wheel and our claws."

Corbyn grins, looking over at the three vases. "Lookin' good lad... ya got a real good eye." The otter chuckles as he wheels the scrap over to Abby forge. "Ya got skills indeed."

Orph grins from ear to ear at the praise. "It's not /that/ good. I wasn't even paying attention to it all the time," he admits shuffling his feet.

Benar smiles and pets the rats ears. "neither was I. You kinda zone out and let your paws do the work." he then moves to a bucket of water and washes his claws and paws free of sticky clay. "We'll let them bake for about an hour."

Orph half nods at the squirrel, that wasn't what he'd meant - he knew the difference between zoning out when making something verses getting distracted by something. Orph follows Benar's lead and washes his sticky paws off in the water bucket.

Benar sits back on his haunches and considers, he stands up and puts the buckets of clay in a small stone cupboard off to one side to keep them cool and out of the way. "Well i'd say that was a good first day."

Orph nods with a small smile, "I'm gonna go in and see if what they have to eat in the kitchen."

Corbyn dumps the scrap metal by the tiny forge. He pulls a stool from near the forge, taking a seat and looking over the scrap. He looks over his shoulder at the squirrel and rattling. "I'd say very good meself!"

Orph locates his trowel and heads out in search of the kitchen or at least the entrance back into the Abbey itself.

Benar steps out of the kiln, the open fronted shed like structure quite a relief from previous kilns he has worked in. The squirrel wanders over to the otter's forge and watches him idly working. "Aye... I guess you are right."

Orph wanders off to find his way to the kitchen.

---

* Orph is lying in that it took much longer than a day. It may have seemed like a day ... a very very long day but it wasn't a real day.