Who were Northstar and Cole and what Happen to them?-Part 2 (Zee tales)

Zee finishes his tale to Zinnia while Zork sleeps and Oz is doing Papa Oz duties…Leon spoofed the healer wolf, Lightfur, in the story.. Again the story part is sectioned off,enjoy

It was after breakfast and Zee was relaxing in a soft chair as he is in a guest room of the abbey.

Zinnia pokes her head in and smiles “Uncle Zee..could you finish the story please”

Zee looks up and nods “Sure lass, where were I…oh yeah..” He looks at Zork who is taking a nap and shrugs “Well he has heard it and Oz lived it course I am sure he won’t mind seeing as he is busy with the wee dibbuns..let us get back ta the story then lass..”

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Zee had taken his turn to check in on Oz as he walked over to the bedside and stared down at him as he spoke “Boy, ya need to eat something or you’re not gonna get better and if you don’t it I –WILL- force feed ya, are you even listening to me?”

Oz just stares at the wall, he has been mostly silent the past 2 days, he mutters something unheard and then is quiet again.

Lightfur knocks and goes ahead and enters, “Good day, how is Oz doing today..any better?” The young wolf stands nearby

Zee looks over at the healer, “If he would eat more than a bite of food in two days he be great.”

Oz speaks and glares “You didn’t lose a mate and child recently, so shut up!!”

Zee resist the urge to slap Oz as he takes a deep breath, he then speaks, “Not recently…no, but I have lost a mate and a child, I have a child I am unsure where they be only that they are alive as his sister gets letters from him off and on.”

Lightfur goes to check on Oz as he asks “You have other family sir?”

Zork comes in about now to check on his little brother.

Oz cries silently as he faces the wall, he lets the healer check his bandaged areas and his fever has gone down, he still has a long ways to go to fully recover but he slowly heals.

Zee nods “Yes I had a mate and 3 children, one die and my mate has since passed. Mason my oldest died, I still have Paige and Hyde, though Hyde I know not where he is as he rarely shows up, but he lives and my proof is letters he sends his sister. They are twins and very close.”

Lightfur nods and looks to them “Oz still has a long way to go and bones do take a while to heal when they are broken, it may take him a while to walk again but with help he should be fine, I need to report to Silverfangs good day” And he is off.

Zork walks over to Oz and lays a paw on his shoulder “Ozzy?”

Oz turns over to look at Zork, tears go down his face but he otherwise doesn’t speak to his older brother and hasn’t spoken to him in the past couple days or to any beast really.

Zee looks over at the two and sighs, “Get ya brother to eat something will you Zork as he may listen to you better than me. I will be back later”

Zork nods “Course Uncle Zee.” He looks back at Oz and offers a smile, “Want some soup? Water?”

Oz shakes his head, “Go away Zork, just leave me alone.” He closes his eyes.

Zork sighs, “Ozzy..listen ta me, ya haf to live ok, for me. I don’t wanna lose you too. I may not know and may never know how it is to lose a dibbun and a mate but I can tell it hurts and a lot too and Cole was my nephew and even if he was only ½ seasons old I was getting attached ta the little guy.”

Oz frowns as he opens his eyes and speaks “Fine, I will eat a little soup..for you and some tea.”

Zork gives him a gentle hug and gets the soup and tea “Also Northstar and Cole wouldn’t want you to be this way ya know Ozzy.” He will help him eat if needed.

Oz lets Zork spoon him all of the soup and hold the cup as he drinks the tea. He doesn’t speak the whole time and he lets Zork help him other days to eat some soup or tea and water, one time he ate some mashed veggies and after 4 weeks he is able to eat more foods and on his own as he can sit up. His broken bones are almost mended and he is healing nicely. Emotional healing is completely different as he hasn’t changed there, in fact it seems he has gotten worse but he doesn’t show it much to others as he has his fake smile here and there and the lie that yeah he is ok today.

Zork is happy to help his little brother, he spends 2-3 hours a day with him and the rest of the time he has for Blacksmith work or keeping up his warrior skills by sparing with some beasts in Send Valley.

Over the next 2-3 weeks Oz can walk again and the only thing still wrapped up is his chest where his ribs still need a little more time to heal, but he is still a little shaky on his footpaws as he heads to the doorway and outside the infirm for the first time in weeks.

Zork is outside and hurries over to Oz “Ozzy hey you’re walking! But ya got to be careful little bro ok, take ya time”

Oz nods and has a walking staff with him, ”Yeah..careful, whatever Zork.”

Zork grins “Want to see some things at the forge?”

Oz shrugs “Sure” He doesn’t sound thrilled but he will go just to keep Zork happy, he walks slowly as he follows his older brother and looks around the large forge area.

The forge has many tools, armor, weapons and even an area of hinges and nails and such, Zork shows him a dirk, “Tis for Sam, you know the hare from the long patrol. Neat huh a long patrol hare wanted me to make him a new dirk.” The dirk is very well made indeed and Zork seems proud of it.

Oz glances around and when Zork isn’t looking he picks up one of the daggers and slips it into his pocket, one surely won’t be missed as there is like 5 others here. “It’s all..interesting, you know I was never interested in forge work correct?” He keeps an eye on Zork as he speaks and as he hid that dagger in his pocket.

Zork doesn’t notice the missing dagger just yet as he does a backflip and couple cartwheels around the room.

Oz rolls his eyes , “You were always a show off…umm Zork I am going to take a walk, please don’t follow me ok, need some..well alone time”

Zork looks concern but nods “Ok Ozzy but if you’re not back by lunch I am coming to look for you.”

Oz nods “Fair enough” He waits till he is outside on a path to the creek to frown, he has no plans to be back and lunch is a couple hours away. That is plenty of time to do what he has wanted to do since he go to the infirm and by lunch it would be too late to do anything to help him as he slips out the dagger and looks at it as tears go down his face, he walks on quietly as it’s been maybe an hour, well if he is going to do this he needs to do it now as he lays down the staff, undoes his tunic buttons and takes the bandages off his chest, ok that hurt a little but its ok. He takes the dagger in both paws and closes his eyes as he starts to aim it for his heart, only he doesn’t get the blade to his chest just yet.

A voice is heard, a monotone flat voice “ Oh..what are you doing Oz? Are you trying to end your existence with a dagger? Why would you do that?” The voice belongs to a short badger in a hooded cloak , hood on back for now and he has feathers in his head fur and an eye patch on his right eye, and just has this. Emotionless look on his face, yet maybe that’s just his normal look for everything.

Oz opens his eyes and looks over, ”Hyde?..Yes I am now please leave I want to be with Northstar and Cole. Just go..go away.” And again he goes to stab himself with the dagger.

Well seems Oz will be stopped again as Hyde speaks, in that same monotone flat voice, ”Oh..why?” He looks over at some rising smoke, “Look..it’s a fire, isn’t that the small camp area of those wandering mice..yeah it is but what to do since your be in the dark forest here soon.”

There is a fire or whats left of one and the 4 tents and a small hut burn and it would seem the small band of 5 mice didn’t survive but whats that, it’s crying…a dibbun crying, someone is alive!

Oz looks over and sees the smoke, he walks a little closer and his eyes go wide as he sees fire and hears the crying and drops the dagger and rushes forwards. He kicks open the doorway and searches and finds a small season old mouse it a corner, he grabs the dibbun and holds him close and gets out of the hut just as it collapse into a pile of burning wood. He coughs as some smoke got in his lungs and it starts to rain a cold rain, he eeps as his sleeve is on fire but the rain puts it out and there is a good size burn on his arm. He holds the mouse and rushes back to the Send infirm.

Hyde bends down and picks up the dropped dagger and walks off to where ever he has been staying all this time, yeah he is a bit..strange.

At Send it is now lunch and Zork has yet to see Oz and of course he has on his Blade Of The Northwind Storms and is off looking for his little brother and he did notice the missing dagger, just an extra he made to maybe even sell but it and Oz is missing and that can’t be good.

Silverfangs looks down the path as he stands there staff in paw, “Something has happen…lost of life.” Being a seer he senses things and is in touch with all around him listening to the wind and even the rain.

Zork frowns and shakes his head, “No..ya lying.”

Oz comes up the path and rushes past them and into the infirm.

Silverfangs had his eyes closed and opens them “I did not say whom, just a life..lives were lost 4 and one lives.” He walks into the infirm to tend to the dibbun, “I will tend to the young dibbun Oz, lay him here” He points to a cot.

Zork comes in and looks at Oz, he hugs him tightly being glad he is ok “Where did you go little bro!” He looks at his tunic and notices bandages gone and sees the burn too so he gets aloe quickly “Your hurt..let me help.” He tends to the burn “You..you took the dagger, why? Where is it?..Ozzy?”

Silverfangs helps the dibbun mouse and once he has done what he can he walks over to his two sons, “He will live.” He studies Oz and remains quiet to see if he will say what happen.

Oz lets Zork apply aloe and bandage his arm where the burn is, tears go down his face but not from the burn pain, it’s another much deeper pain..” I wanted to be with..Northstar and Cole.” He stands there in a daze sort of, he doesn’t mention seeing Hyde, “I..guess dropped the dagger in the stream when smelled smoke and helped the dibbun…will he be ok?”

Silverfangs nods and lays a gentle paw on Oz, “Yes. Thanks to you..” He looks into Oz’s eyes and speaks, “Pain of this kind takes much time to heal and time you will take but also not holding in pain. To hold in pain causes darkness and more pain so it needs released. There will be other times and beasts to come and go and friends to help you through it. The dibbun needs you and you need him and you will heal one another and paths will be chosen.”

Zork just listens, to both of them and is glad the dibbun mouse is ok, “Poor kid has no family now..he’s alone.”

Oz listens as Silverfangs speaks and watches as he turns to head back to the infirm, he is silent and then suddenly goes to bury his face in Zork’s chest and just starts shivering and sobbing loudly. He has keep all this depression bottled up since that horrible horrible day Cole and Northstar died before his eyes. Feelings of lost and hopelessness and fear, of wanting to just join them. He hiccups and sobs and just lets the floodgates open.

Zork about falls backwards and then hugs his little brother tightly in his strong arms and just stays silent and remains there for him. He even cries a little himself.

Oz cries for he is unsure how long, a good while before he quiets and has fallen asleep.

Zork picks up Oz and carries him to the infirm to lay him on a cot and then sits down beside him to keep watch over his little brother and vows never to leave his side again.

A week passes and Oz is filling a small knapsack and then scoops up his adopted son, the small dibbun mouse he has named Maxtor.

Maxtor looks around and reaches for Oz..”P..P..Papa Oz..”

Oz manages a weak smile, weak but there still as he nods “Yes…Papa Oz..son” He says quietly and starts to go.

Silverfangs speaks, “You should of told others but this is your choice my son, I see many things..it is fate. You’re a protector of dibbuns and will always be that Oz”

Oz shakes his head “Just a protector of one dibbun, Maxtor here he needs me and..I need him but I can’t stay here, too many memories that are painful, I am going south there is a little hut hidden in the North woods and there is a river a couple days journey south of there, I will be fine. Tell Zork I love him and I am sorry I didn’t say goodbye as I know he would of stopped me.”

Silverfangs nods “Yes this is true. You will one day learn why you will always be a protector and guardian of dibbuns, not all things are relived or understood right away my son…may the great maker watch over you.”

Oz raises an eyebrow but nods as he heads off down the path and never did he want to return to Send, him and Maxtor stayed south and one day further south but that’s another story.

Zork appears by Silverfangs out of breath “I..can’t..find Ozzy..”

Silverfangs speaks “Your brother is fine.”

Zork blinks “Wot!..No I..I have to find him, he needs me I need to be there for him.”

Silverfangs stops him from rushing off, “You and Oz will see one another when it’s needed. When it’s needed you will be there for him but for now that is not the time my son your needed here, Oz will be ok..trust me and he knows you care and will know you care for him when the time comes .”

Zork is just confused “Time comes?. Time comes fer wot?”

Silverfangs just says “You will see…answers sometimes take a while, do not try to understand you will have a great headache my son. Come I require some of that tea you make.”

Zork frowns, he finally follows Silverfangs back into Send and does look for his brother for many seasons , but he always keep his hope alive and the words of Silverfangs he never forgot, when its needed you will be there for him, he stays being a blacksmith in Send. A skilled and seasoned warrior and he gets into wandering the lands a little more north, some east and west and finally..south.

Oz also learns a lot over the next 8-9 seasons as Maxtor grows up and Oz protects him, maybe at times a little over protective but he means well. Little did he know after those 8-9 seasons were over he end up at his future home. http://rwmuck.limitless.org/rwmuck/content/oz-finds-maxtor

A couple seasons have passed and after Oz has made Redwall his home and is the main dibbun caretaker he has a new home and friends and slowly gets out of being a hermit, sort of. But he is about to get a visitor he hasn't seen in a long time.

Zork comes to the Redwall gates and hands over his blade “Ya take good care of that lad” HE winks and chuckles as he walks in, he looks around and heads to the doorway leading into the great hall and shrugs and starts to head elsewhere when he hears a familiar voice and even though both him and a thought never seen again younger brother are older and slightly different that doesn’t change anything “Ozzy?” He whispers and forgets any other looking around in this place. http://rwmuck.limitless.org/rwmuck/content/he-has-brother

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Zee finishes and smiles, “That’s all for now lass, maybe another story another time?”

Zinnia nods “I am glad Papa and Uncle Oz found one another again, even if it did take basically 10 seasons, that’s a long long time I may of given up hope one was alive still.”

Zee speaks “Zork was never one ta give up on anything, he even had a falcon try to find Oz, one reason he started traveling after about 3 seasons, ta find Oz. He would go back to Send and see if Oz had come by or even Maxtor . Well Maxtor would at times, and there was one other time Zork and Oz saw one another for a very very short time off and on for maybe a day or two, but I can tell that tale later.We later found out Hyde let him stay in one of his hidden huts he had, I am glad they found one another too lass Zork almost lost hope I think but him and his brother was always so very close. He always watched out for Oz and would of laid down his life and still would for his little brother.”

Zinnia nods, "So Maxtor went to Send sometimes?"

Zee nods "Once he was old enough to travel alone yes, course later heard Oz got very upset with him but Zork also keep an eye on Maxtor."

The bell tower bells ring as he nods “We best get to lunch or that Friar will have a fit.”

Zinnia chuckles and goes to follow her great uncle on outside and then to Cavern Hole.

Zee takes his time getting to lunch but he gets there and it’s a very yummy lunch indeed!