Wait..The Snow Badger Isn't Coming!!!
RW Abbey: Cavern Hole
This room is slightly smaller than Great Hall, but still of a size large enough to accomodate a great number of gathered beasts. A large fireplace is set into one of the walls, and there are a series of small tables and chairs near one end for beasts who are eating late, or simply prefer the smaller tables for their meals. Cushions and blankets have been set in one corner. A short flight of steps leads up to Great Hall, and along the walls of the stairs, going both ways, the word 'Redwall' has been carved into the stone.
Exits/Entrances:
[G]reat [H]all
[Ki]tchen
Cynthia has spent most of the time in a room the abbey beasts set up for her. Thoughts of still just slipping out somehow is on her mind. She would of been in class today but she skipped, then it's not like she lives here..right? She is still not certain on staying just yet either so why go to abbey school as she feels she doesn't need it.
Oz walks into the room and listens to who may or may not be here, Sister Jenny is with him and whispers something to which the badger just holds up a paw, "No need Sister Jenny, go ahead and take the dibbuns to the open ground for a little play time before lunch. " The hedgehog just shakes her head but heads off.
Cynthia watches the badger closely and tries to stay quiet as she knows he is blind , so maybe she can pretend to not be in here. She scoots back into the chair making a faint bit of noise , but hopefully not too much noise.
Oz walks slowly over to the chair and stops close to it as he clears his throat, "I have a very good idea whom is here. You were not at the abbey school today, but that’s fine as based on last night I can let in slip for today." Also the hedgehog most likely told on the mouse maid. "How are you feeling today?"
Cynthia frowns, but she speaks, "Ok..I guess. I didn't want to go to any dumb school and before ya ask...yes I ate breakfast"
Oz tilts his head as he replies "Well, I am glad you ate breakfast and abbey schools helps one learn to read and write, to learn counting and colors as well as history."
Cynthia chuckles dryly, "And how do YOU teach that, any of it.....your blind." She says, almost rudely as she still needs to learn a bit about manners.
Oz smiles" I do have a couple others do the reading and writing, other than that history can be spoken. Counting can be done with small items such as rocks or maybe beads, so many counted into a paw or taken from a paw and I tend to remember how many are in my paw at all times and yes dibbuns have tried to trick me but have not be able to. I also have cut out shapes I can feel and each of those shapes is a certain color and yes I do know which shape has which color. And as for being blind I am still able to get around this abbey no problem, I know the number of paw steps to a room and number of steps to a floor and even know the distance to and from a clearing in the woods. I can, but rarely, go to Ferravale up the road north as it’s close to the river so I listen for the river and head west shortly after that...then it’s just the scents and sounds of the town to tell me where the gates are"
Cynthia blinks and seems impressed, "Sooo..." She mutters after a while. She has no real clue what Ferravale is really.
Oz keeps his smile "I was just explaining is all"
Silverstorm walks into the room and fiddles with a little silver round bell she has, seeing others and Oz she grins "Hey Oz ya never gonna guess wot I found in the attic almost forgot of it and then remembered and it is close to the winter solstice and all."
Oz hmmmms and arches an eyebrow, "And what would that be Silverstorm?"
Cynthia looks over at the otter maid and folds her arms as she leans back in her chair, "Looks and sounds boring to me and sooooo...winter is no fun!"
Silverstorm grins, even if not every beast can see it, she also has a headband with what look like hare ears, "Jingle hare! Remember...they helped de snow badger" Yes she said she never ever where it again, but maybe she has had a chance of heart.
Oz frowns now, "Ahh yes...I do remember...that" He sounds a bit depressed and not so excited as Silverstorm seems to be about it, "Just...put it away" His voice is quiet now.
Cynthia is curious "Whats the snow badger? I never heard of him or this jingle hare beast." She gives both her full attention now.
Silverstorm frowns "Away?" She then grins at the mouse maid "He gives gifts to good dibbuns and sometimes others on the winter solstice and that’s very very soon! The jingle hare is well..." Ok the former black smith sort of made that up of the hare, but she smiles "His helper....and see the snow badger also sends out his snow hares to bring the snow and ice and he himself will frost up the windows and there is presents and cookies and cider and fun!"
Oz shakes his head, he remembers very well helping last year but only cause Zork asked him too, but other times Zork would play the part of snow badger...but that was the past. He listens to the over excited otter maid tell all about it, all the while he seems to have gone fairly quiet.
Cynthia smiles a little " Gifts..and cookies?" She has her curiousness rise at this "Do you...have to live here or...?"
Silverstorm shakes her head "Nope! But he does make a special visit here, as said soon and I bet his helper will be there also"
Oz takes a deep breath and exhales, "Silverstorm...please put the...whatever away and back in the attic. I..." He frowns.."He may not make a visit this year so don't get too excited or any dibbuns excited" Good thing the dibbuns are elsewhere right now.
Cynthia blinks and glances at Oz..."Why not? Sounds like he does all the time. I want to see..is he made of snow? Is he just snow colored or what about the hares?...Ohhhh is he like a badger lord or something, that be neat!"
Silverstorm takes the headband ears off and quiets "Geee...why would ya say that, course he be here...and he is the color of snow and so is the hares and...hmmms maybe he is the lord of winter..yeah!" She giggles at this idea and jungles the bell she has. She also has the robe but it’s in her room for now. She walks over to Oz and speaks quietly "I say...calm down, I found the...outfit not to worry, Zork had me put it away and I found it and we just need Lacota to make cookies and maybe shaped like snowflakes and make that cider and I got get some candy chestnuts and we could even make it more fun than last year since it won’t be on a ...hey next day basis...we wot a week or so? “She looks over at the mouse maid and smiles. "And yep..neat!"
Oz rarely gets upset and this is more memories and sadness getting to him now "ENOUGH!!"He frowns as he echoes and most likely is heard from a few rooms away, he shakes his head he doesn’t bother hiding any tears, "There is NO snow badger this year....." He shakes his head, he is seriously taking the rest of the day off..."Or any other year!"
Cynthia frowns a little now herself and looks at the otter maid and back to the badger.
Silverstorm backs off "Whoa Oz..calm down tis ok...we can talk later." She speaks so he can only hear her now "Sides...I am sure Zork wouldn’t want the snow badger to stop coming, he would want you to..ya know...still do it and beasts always look forward to it and.....welll. I will help not to worry"
Oz shakes his head and gently pushes the otter away as he speaks quietly "My brother is dead....and the only reason I did it last winter solstice was for him, but...he's gone and.....look leave me be..it’s not going to happen" He walks away before any arguments start, but he adds "I have the rest of the day off, do inform Sister Jenny and I don’t want bothered over this...just..." He walks on out of the room without a word. Seems maybe in his view the snow badger died with Zork and seems he is sticking with this idea for now.
Cynthia watches the badger walk off and looks at Silverstorm..."Whats wrong with him and...whats this have to do with his brother?" She asks quietly.
Silverstorm frowns as she wipes away a tear and looks finally at the young mouse "Umm....well he sort of.." How to explain this, she just sighs" He died this past harvest and he misses him and he loved winter and the snow, and the snow badger and...well ya know." She sits down “His name was Zork and when he died it upset a lot of beast and guess some are still sad over it, Like Oz who is his younger brother...and Zorks daughter took it hard as well, I am unsure how she is feeling but I hope better than she was. She went to be an ambassador for the abbey and won’t be back till springtime"
Cynthia frowns" So...he has no or not much family now" She looks at the floor "I have no family at all...mom died shortly after I was born and dad and my younger brother died in the summer when this fox we helped tricked us, I got away but...thy didn’t, its why I don’t trust foxes...they trick you."
Silverstorm nods slowly "Yeah...most do" She stands and seems to debate on checking on Oz or not, she then goes to head up the steps "I am...gonna go talk to the abbot...you have a nice day or guess try to." Then she is off and up the stairs.
Cynthia sighs and stays in the chair and just stares at the floor, well today will be a long day.
Oz has meanwhile headed to his room where he spends the rest of the day, he has lunch and dinner in his room and will only answer the door if it’s the abbot…all other beasts are told a loud go away.
