Redwall Log-Afternoon In The Clearing

Redwall Log:

In the log:

Oz-Papa Oz and Dibbun Caretaker of Redwall

Zee-Abbey Resident

Pip-Abbey Dibbun, a rabbit

Juliana-Dibbun and dauhter of Flicktail and Rayen

Assorted Spoofed dibbuns

Sister Ginny(spoofed)

A nice clearing just slightly north of the abbey in Mossflower Woods

Oz rarely left the abbey, he disliked doing it. And the rare times he did it was just to a clearing slightly north of the abbey. But today got talked into it, well sort of. He sat with his arms crossed under the tall oak tree and nearby were dibbuns watched also by Sister Jenny. He fiddled with a blueberry scone and frowned as he took a small nibble of it. ”This was a bad idea”

Juliana stayed close to Oz and hugged a blanket close.

Zee grins, “Why ya say that fer Ozzy, de weather is good today and even the leaves are starting to turn slightly red and a little yellow, not many but some.” He offers him tea “Strawberry mint tea, tis good and not to worry this batch has nothing added, de dibbuns like it.”

Oz sighs and takes the cup and a small sip “Its ok…tea was always something the Winters Clan badgers made well, and you know my feelings are being outside the abbey..since…since well you know”

Pip giggles “Lunch in woods is fun!” He smiles and stuffs his face full of berries and then him and another dibbun play tag.

Juliana yawns and curls up beside Oz and is soon asleep.

Zee nods, he smiles at the little rabbit” Yes and different and all ya young ones stay close or ya gonna stress Papa Oz.” He looks back to Oz “And as for…well I remember or being told, Zork died while ye were out on a little outing with the dibbuns in this same clearing, he died in the orchards I know, it doesn’t mean if ya come to the clearing and go back someone will be dead you know”

Oz frowns and shakes his head” True..I mean…it’s just hard to not remember, I knew something was up when he didn’t greet me at the gates since he was gonna make a pie with the dibbuns, he even got permission to do so, I still didn’t find out till maybe half an hour to an hour after I got to the abbey and found Zinnia, she had locked herself in the library’s book binding room and was crying, that’s when a second clue came to me, why was she not being comforted by her father, I asked her hat happen and she told me and I felt…like my world caved in, maybe worse than she did I do not know.”

Pip is too busy playing tag with an otter cub to listen to adults, it’s a good day and birds even sing.

The other dibbuns are either making flower chains with hats left of some white and purple clovers or maybe collecting some red leaves, and a yellow leaf here and there, one dibbun even found a rock he likes. Sister Ginny keeps a good eye on them, and has the strawberry mint tea and water ready for when one is hot and of course the trees by the clearing provide shade.

Zee listens and lays a paw on Oz’s shoulder, “And I be sorry I wasn’t here when it happen ta help ya guys. Not that it were me fault, I know now but still. I still hope ta find Xander..something tells me he is still alive and out thar…somewhere.”

Oz speaks “Yes and Zinnia is out there too, I wonder if she is ok, it’s been a season now…all we know is she is wandering who knows where, as for Xander it’s been almost 2 seasons…well little over that maybe as he disappeared shortly after they got back from the western shores trip.”

Pip chases a butterfly and manages to catch it and shows it to Zee “Lookie!” It’s an orange and white one, with some black lines.

Zee first speaks to Oz” I am sure Zinnia be safe. And…well Xander…no clue” He looks to the rabbit and the butterfly “You should let it soar free lad, it may have been on its way back to its family, butterflies do travel many miles to homes in south this time of year, find other butterflies and make bigger families of butterflies”

Pip eyes widen “Like..dibbun butterflies?” He does let the butterfly go and it flies away as Pip waves “Bye Bye flutterby!”

Oz chuckles and smiles, a couple dibbun mice get in his lap and he pats them on the head.

Zee grins “Yes dibbuns and those dibbuns one day explore and travel too, it’s a butterfly sort of thing lad.”

Pip nods “I think I would like fly sometimes, but then it be too high and that’s bad cause I would be fraids, I like the ground as its nicer.” He sits down ”Me want story”

As story is mentioned other dibbuns circle around the badgers and Oz tilts his head “Well it’s quiet now, hmmms maybe Zee could tell a story this afternoon” The dibbuns turn to Zee and Sister Ginny chuckles.

Zee hmmms and smiles “I know one, that teaches about struggles in life we have sometimes, be they small or large..simple or hard.” He goes on.

“ A mouse found a cocoon of a butterfly.

One day a small opening appeared.

He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours

as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole.

Then it stopped, as if it couldn't go further.

So the mouse decided to help the butterfly.

He took a pair of scissors and

snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.

The butterfly emerged easily but

it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The mouse continued to watch it,

expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge

and expand enough to support the body,

Neither happened!

In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life

crawling around.

It was never able to fly.

What the mouse in his kindness

and haste did not understand:

The restricting cocoon and the struggle

required by the butterfly to get through the opening

was a way of forcing the fluid from the body

into the wings so that it would be ready

for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly

what we need in our lives.

Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us.

We will not be as strong as we could have been

and we would never fly.

So have a nice day and struggle a little and teach well.”

Pip blinks “So it may be hards to wait to be all grown-ups but it’s worth it too right?”

Oz listens as well and nods, a vole dibbun on his lap yawns a little.” A good story Uncle Zee, maybe not just for dibbuns, but for others as well.”

Zee nods “Yes for all. So…shall we collect some leaves, maybe some wild berries thar be bushes nearby and….I be sure we can talk Friar Lacota into letting some helpers make a good pie fer dinner.”

Pip jumps up and down “Yes yes yes..we finds them and make pie eats it all ups!!”

Oz nods “Sounds fun” He smiles ”We can collect the berries and then head home” A cheer is heard and it would seem the badger father is in a better mood now as he smiles and slowly stands with the aid of his walking staff.

Juliana tenses up and blinks.

Zee reaaches down to pick up Juliana and grins "Shall we go"

The berries are found and collected and taken to the abbey. Hopefully a pie or two will be made from the berries. Either way it was a fun noon for all.