They're Not Dead, Your Dead! Or The Death OF Zork Winters-ICLY Happens late morning 8-22-15
Happens Late Morning after this log http://rwmuck.limitless.org/rwmuck/content/fun-time-redwall-orchardshapp...
- The part at the end is something Zork only sees *****
RW Abbey: Second Orchard
You stand in a sort of verdant sanctuary where the sun is filtered through leaves and thus comes out to be a much softer light, one that's a little more manageable. At least, more manageable than the comparatively harsh light of the more open entryway and a pond area almost completely devoid of large, shade-giving plants that this orchard has in careless abundance. A soft covering of moss and grass finds itself beneath the trees, only serving to add to the quiet comfort of the whole scene.
The stately flora has come alive with youthful blossoms. Flowers of all shades of pastel line the trees, bushes, and ground. Poking around the pink and yellow petals, some fruit has begun to form, peppering the orchard with green apricots and plums and unripe pears and peaches. The air is full of pollen that tickles the nose and dirties clean habits. After a rain, rivulets of water trickle around tree trunks, irrigating the flore before draining into the pond.
Exits: [F]irst [O]rchard, [P]ath by [G]reat [H]all, [Ki]tchen [P]ath
Zork had decided to go mediate in the orchards. It was quiet here this time of the day and most was elsewhere. His wheelchair was a little ways off so it wouldn’t get in the way of any beast. He got some help to the shady tree and sat down as he liked to sit on the soft grass to mediate, his legs in the criss cross fashion and his paws on his knees. He has been feeling tried and for a mere second a sharp pain in his chest as he opens his eyes as the pain leaves just as suddenly as it comes and he frowns, he shakes his head as there is no more pain and he decides it’s just from hotroot he had added to his oatmeal at breakfast maybe .
Caleb is out in the orchards, not too far from Zork and is collecting a few apples, just about 10 and decides that’s all he needs as he looks over at Zork “Hello Elder Zork, what are ya doing?” He walks over curious.
Zork opens his eyes “Meditating young Caleb, errr trying ta anyways me arm hurts, fell outta bed this morning and tis been hurting off and on since”
Caleb frowns “You need me to find dad or grandma for you, I need to get these apples to Lacota first and then I can go do that, won’t take too long”
Zork frowns, and then shrugs “I am ok, just bumped it tis nothing to worry over” He doesn’t mention the sharp pain he had in his chest earlier, mainly cause it lasted only a second and was gone again. He reaches for his staff so he can slowly stand up.
Caleb nods and looks at him “You need help up?” Yeah like he could help him.
Zork shakes his head as he uses the staff and the tree trunk to get up very slowly and he leans on his staff, “No..I..I be up now.” He grins slowly and takes a couple deep breaths, that was a little harder than it usually was but he has managed to get up, now he needs to go to his chair.
Caleb frowns, “Are you sure Elder Zork, I could get someone..”
Zork smiles as he leans on the staff, “I be fine, trust me. I were just this morning helping with plums, apples and all that and speaking of apples…don’t ya have apples ta get ta Friar Lacota.”
Caleb frowns, “Oh yeah, well…just stay there for now and don’t go anywhere I can still get someone to help you inside for lunch” And then starts he hurries off.
Zork smiles “Think lunch be..in de orchards lad…ok?” His voice sounds really really tried now, as he takes another deep breath and then exhales slowly. He stares off into the distance for a few seconds and then slowly shakes his head, “Sides…need to get back to…helping on de other side of orchards..Told em’ be back in little while..” He says softly as he rubs his forehead and sort of stares off again as he mutters, ”Martin?....”
Caleb blinks and gets a worried look, “Martin isn’t…..”He then hurries off, “Getting dad! Stay put!”
Zork watches as Caleb hurries off, he leans still heavily on his staff and chuckles a little “Not like I would..would go far.” He says softly and goes to take a couple slow steps towards the wheelchair when he has another sharp pain and stops, the pain is in his chest and arm and lasts maybe few seconds and then it goes away. He shivers a little and frowns again as he takes another step to the chair and reaches out a paw to lay it on the wheelchair arm and his paw brushes the just out of reach arm when he feels dizzy and his vision seems to spin and he falls forwards. Luckily the grass is soft and he barely manages to get so he is not face down and more sort of sideways. He is on the grass in front of the chair on his side.
Caleb is too far to see that Zork has fallen down, by now though he is most likely on his way to the kitchens or the infirm.
Zork meanwhile reaches a paw towards his staff, which fell just out of reach as well, and then goes to try to reach up and use the chair seat to sit up, this only causes it to roll a little further away from the badger. He moves slightly and manages to get a hold of his staff and his paw wraps weakly around it, but he doesn’t seem to have the energy to try and sit up again . He has no pain he just feels a little numb and tried, and sort of oddly peaceful, and comfortable, even safe as he lays there, his wheelchair now a few feet from him and then his eyes flutter shut and the weak grip on the walking staff loosens……………………..
- THE REST OF THIS ONLY ZORK SEES AND HEARS!!!! ***********
A gentle paw rests on Zork’s shoulder and a voice that’s familiar to him or least it better be familiar to him. “Get up boy, Tis no time to lie down!” If Zork opens his eyes he is greeted with an out stretched paw to help him stand up.
Zork opens his eyes and they widen, he allows the help up and oddly he has very little problem standing, and tears go down his face as the one in front of him is tightly hugged “Uncle Soot!”
Soot returns the hug and chuckles “Good to see you my boy, but enough yapping and all that, I only planed on coming along, getting you, and leaving, come on”
Zork looks confused, “I..can’t really, go where.” It has yet to dawn on him he is having no problem standing and then walking a good few feet, he then stops and blinks, “I’m..walking, and me legs are not hurting, how?” He then gets another thought “Wait How in DE SEASONS ARE YOU HERE!!”
Soot rolls his eyes, it’s a good thing no one can hear the badger yell, he keeps it simple “Turn around boy.”
Zork does as he is told, he slowly turns around and his jaw drops as he sees himself..on the ground…eyes closed and the wheelchair a couple to maybe three feet away from him. ”Wot….that’s me..tis a dream?”
Soot face palms, “Your dead boy, how else ya speaking to me? Now you going to stand there with ya jaw wide open or are you going to come with me, I don’t have all day…well I do I have a lot of time but I rather just go.” He then sighs and places a paw on Zork’s shoulder, “Sorry I didn’t mean to sound so....well I don’t know, but it’s time to go” The last few words spoken softly.
Zork shakes his head, “Dead?!...But wot bout Zinnia..Ozzy..Uncle Zee?”
“They’re not dead” Soot says simplyly. “You’re dead.”
Zork blinks “But….Wot about..”
“They will be fine Elder Zork.” The new voice, or maybe it’s familiar to the badger as well, belongs to an armored mouse standing not too far off.
Zork turns to the newer voice, “Martin…” He says
Martin smiles, “It is time to go..Abbot Benar, as well as other abbey beasts will make sure Zinnia, Oz, Zee and your friends are ok…come.” He turns and heads to a set of gates.
Zork follows Soot and Martin now walking beside them as the orchards seems to turn into thick trees. He stops and looks around, yeah he seen this place before but from the other side of a gate and now he is inside whats know to most as the dark forest.
Soot watches him, “Wot now Zork?”
Zork speaks after a little while of just standing there “I..was just thinking on the last time I saw Uncle Zee, I wasn’t feeling well that day but I didn’t want ta worry him and he asked me ta repeat wot I said and look him in de eyes, so I did..well sort of. I told him I was ok and did feel tried but no pain and I didn’t have any pain at de time I was just real tried and were disliking me wheelchair. I disliked de fact I couldn’t walk or stand, me strength was mostly gone, yeah another said ta not dwell on it much but tis hard ya know and I am not one that likes ta worry loved ones and it was just one of my not so good days, had a lot of fairly good days and then the past week a couple not so great days.” He goes on “Uncle Zee said goodbye that day and hugged me and left. He didn’t come back ta de abbey, that that I were concern, he didn’t seem ta like de abbey much and only came ta a feast cause Zinnia asked him ta, he wasn’t saying a goodbye see you when I can he was saying a final goodbye ta me, he knew I was dying.”
Soot nods and listens.
Martin stands nearby for a little while.
Zork speaks again” Uncle Zee..knew..” He smiles “But you know I also had good days de past week, even some fun with the dibbuns, even if was limited some, it were fun!”
Soot nods “Ya Uncle Zee can tell things such as that boy, he’s been around long enough. Longer seasons that I had. Also ya forgetting something boy, you’re walking and you don’t have your chair here, by de way that chair is awesome.” He then grins “There is one great fishing place here ya want to check it out?”
Martin decides to let the badgers catch up on lost time and disappears down a path and elsewhere in the Dark Forest.
Zork chuckles a little and grins wide. He then does a two pawed cartwheel and then a one pawed cartwheel and lets out a loud chuckle that would echo for miles and then starts to run quickly like he use to when he was in his younger seasons and it feels good to run again and do cartwheels…yeah he finally stops and then smiles, “Sure Uncle Soot, fishing sounds good, let’s go”
Soot folds his arms over his chest “I am the one that says let’s go boy not you and you have no clue where things are around here yet, and you can do cartwheels later or whatever they are called, ya have like..forever now boy.” He then goes to led the way and lets out a good chuckle himself, “I am glad ya never changed boy, ya stayed yourself all these seasons. Your silly immature dibbun at heart self.”
Zork grins and follows his Uncle Soot “Your still de same too Uncle Soot”
