Redwall MUCK Forum

SCENE:  Redwall Abbey's East Walltop

LOG:
DoraRose has been troubled. For the past few weeks, she's been having strange dreams every night, and she doesn't like the implications of them. She's talked it over with Angela, but the Gatekeeper doesn't like the solution her grandmother suggested, either. The Warrior is now standing on the Eastern ramparts on this lovely early Summer day, staring out to the East, her face hinting at how troubled she is.   

In contrast to the gate keeper, John hasn't been much troubled as of late. A change, perhaps, from his worried state in the spring- a change reflected on the rather light way he leaps onto the ramparts from the closest tree branch. Balancing precariously for a moment on the red sandstone, the squirrel takes in the summer abbey grounds. Seeing the mouse, he hops down to the walkway, bowing his head.   
"Good day, Dorarose." He murmurs.   

DoraRose merely flicks an ear when she hears him hop from branch to rampart. She'll need to talk to Elmef and the squirrels about trimming back the trees so nobeast can do that anymore. "Hello, John," she replies, not looking at him. "I hope this day finds you well."
   
"It has, aye," John dips his head agin. "The summer's been mighty peaceful so far. It's good." The squirrel sits on the edge of the wall to dangle his legs over the abbey grounds. "How's the abbey?"   

Now DoraRose smiles. "Oh, the Abbey's well. The crops look like we'll have an overabundance, enough to share with Ferravale, certainly. Everything has been peaceful, the DAB hasn't caused too much chaos recently...although they did steal everyone's left shoes and scatter them around the grounds yesterday. That was a chore to gather them up. A family of geese arrived yesterday, one of their goslings injured from falling in the ditch. My grandmother is taking care of him, though." But despite the smile and this good news, the mouse can't hide her troubled state of mind. It's clear in her eyes.   

Xavier has just recently come back,of course with his shrews and has just this afternoon arrived at the abbey. Most likely heard them come and itt's possible the gatekeeper missed them sinse they came from the direction of Ferravale.With him is another shrew "Well..I don't know, if de bees sting ya know what..".."What?"..The Log-a-log grins"Stay away from em'"The shrew snorts and walks off muttering as Xavier shrugs and then finds his way to where Dorarose and John is."Ello, long time no see yeh?" He is taller now and more muscle than before, the past like 2-3 seasons he has grown up may as well say from his late teens to adulthood.   

John looks up at the mention of Ferravale, but doesn't interrupt. He's avoid the village for seasons at this point. The geese though... "That's a rare sight, so it is. Never seen a goose outside of that wee one here." He pauses never one for small talk and certainly doesn't miss the look in the mouse's eye. "Dora," he begins, quietly, but then the mass for shrews show up.   
The impression John had growing up of shrews wasn't the most positive, and the GUOSIM always made him want to run and hide. At least, that's how it was back in the day... now though. He smiles (a bit forced, true, but he smiles!). "Hello! I'm not sure if we've ever met, I'm not."   

DoraRose nods. "Aye, geese usually only stop by here in Spring and Fall, when they're migrating. Guess this family was living in a woodland pond nearby. I hope Gracie can make some friends. She's never been around other geese for an extended period of time...I don't think she even knows how to be a normal goose." She would acknowledge the squirrel's concern, but when the Log-a-Log shows up, she greets him, instead. "Hello, Xavier, how are you? Welcome back to Redwall."
   
Xavier smiles "I been alright..been exploreing and gettin' use ta being Log-a-log"   

"Yore Log-a-log, then?" John raises a brow, taking in the shrew. "Hmmm... Good luck in that endeavour, mate." He turns back to Dora cracking a slight grin. "I doubt rather much anybeast 'round here knows what a proper goose is like, eh? Though," he adds with a slight shrug, "One step to new friends may be for her to relax a bit more. Children donnae very much like someone who gets them in trouble, they don't. Unless she's grown past that stage, o'course."   

DoraRose nods. "Being a leader is something that takes a lot of getting used to. There are a lot of lessons to learn." She glances at the squirrel. "Gracie isn't really much of a Dibbun anymore. She and Dochas are both almost old enough to join the Order, if they wanted to. As is Oz. I think Gracie is growing into a fine young goose, she just has a clear idea of right and wrong. She's actually been helping my grandmother in the Infirmary. I think it's helped her understand how to interact with others better." She actually hasn't heard of Gracie tattling on the others in quite a while, but she doesn't want to comment on it and be wrong.   

Xavier nods "Yes I am Log-a-log.."He sighs "Yes getting use to being a leader is hard, fer sure when I became leader when I was...still a teen"A frown now,he has learned a lot since then "I most likely was not ready but...well I have learned and me shrews have helped me.I have gaiuned thier respect and that is good"   

"Is she now?" John blinks. He /had/ been away for some time, after all. "Suppose that's the passage of time then, eh? Last I paid attention both of them were still young. Dochas' still the ringleader?"   
He glances at the shrew. "Hard times, for sure. Can't imagine it's easy, no." There's another pause before he says, "I were once put in charge of the abbey's defence during a battle, I were, when I were a bit younger than you are now, I'd say I were. A brief stint, and I might've been knocked out for half the time, but still."   

DoraRose just listens, trying to focus on the present conversation even as her mind drifts back to her troubled thoughts. She looks back out to the East, frowning. "Which battle was that, John? We've been in so many, they sometimes blur together for me..."   

Xavier notices as the mouse looks east, he glaces that way "Hmm, what is it ya look at Dorarose? I see...ummm"After a brief quiet"Nothing, all is clear...de road, de sky..de woods..wait thar is a sparrow in de woods."   

"The first time a Redthorn took over the abbey," John says with a scowl, "And last time vermin held the abbey for such a long time, it were." With a sigh, the squirrel leans back on his paws to gaze up at the sky. "That were seasons and seasons ago at this point..."   
When Xavier gives a report he glances at him again, nodding. "Quiet, aye? That's what I'd say of the forest too, these past weeks."
   
DoraRose keeps staring. "Aye, Mossflower is quiet, but beyond that...." she pauses. "To the East, beyond the last tree of Mossflower, lies my old homeland, Tuscani. ...do you believe that dreams can be prophecy? That our dreams can sometimes open windows into other areas of our world for certain creatures? Because I do, and I sometimes don't know what to do about it."   

Xavier tilts his head and seems confused "Umm, maybe it is just bad dream?" He has not ever dealed with things like that "Maybe ask Benar?"   

"Sometimes dreams are simply that- dreams." John mutters, more to himself than anyone else - and somewhat agreeing with the shrew. "Or," he says louder, "They're simply the result of something a beast wants, and they're not willing to say that." He's rather aware he's a tad cynical when it comes to these things, but he did grow up with Order. "What's this prophecy about, then?"   

Those were the answers DoraRose had expected, but she felt disappointed, nonetheless. "There is war brewing in Tuscani, a rebellion led by the slaves. They need a leader of noble standing to help them defeat the tyranny and abolish slavery forever." She purses her lips. "You're right, though, I should talk to Benar....tell him I must leave and return to my homeland. Before the war spills over into Mossflower."   

John nods again, mulling over her words. "War here may already come, whether from Tuscani or elsewhere, it might." He stands looking the mouse in the eye. "Do you want to return thereabouts?"   
His countenance has shifted to something more quiet and curious, and the squirrel tilts his head as he waits for an answer.   

DoraRose nods. "Aye, but if I can prevent a war, I want to do everything in my power to do so." She pauses and thinks for a bit. "I do want to visit. See the graves of my parents and my sister. Show my daughter the land of her ancestors. And I feel I owe it to Emyuil to take us there....many seasons ago, he was having dreams that we needed to go back, but I ignored his distress. I can only hope it's not too late."   

Dipping his head, John replies, "Never been quite that far east, truth be told. But fear or not, simply prepare to go if you wish - you donnae have to stop a war to visit your birthand, I should think, eh? Might find things peaceful there, might not. Be wary, though," and here the squirrel's graveness comes out in full force, "Be wary of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy."   

DoraRose raises an eyebrow as she turns to return the squirrel's gaze. "Whatever do you mean?" But after a heartbeat, she continues. "Oh...yes, I could try to find fulfillment to my dreams when it doesn't need to exist. You're right. You're absolutely right." She looks back out to the East. "Mayhap all will be well, and I've just been having needless bad dreams, as Xavier said."   

"Needless? No, I'm no' too sure of that, I'm nor; they could simply be trying to get you going back there," John replies with another shrug. "Could simply be worries or whatnot, and seeing the land again might do much to assuage those worries, they might. Cannae know for certain, though. Can't know till you see it yourself, eh?"   

DoraRose smiles slightly. "You're right. Thank you, friend." She then sighs heavily. "I know Angela and Emyuil will want to go with me. But I'm not sure about LilyMoore. I'll of course let her decide for herself, but...she has so many friends here, yet she also wants to see where I grew up. I, too, almost wish to stay here...stay with my friends, and the grave of my husband." A sorrowful silence fills the pause in the conversation. The mouse family doesn't have an easy choice to make.   

"Leaving needn't be forever, I should think." John says, "Look at me, now- I've spent more than half my life away from the abbey, in bursts, of course, but I do manage to return from time to time, so I do. Lilymoore's a grown mouse, you donnae have to worry about her, neither. She'll figure something out, I bet."   

DoraRose sighs and rubs her eyes. "Thank you, John. I haven't been thinking through things as well as I would have liked. I needed somebeast to speak reason...and not my grandmother. I love her, but she is a pain at times." Doesn't everyone in the Abbey know it, too.
   
In light of having spent nearly the past 20 seasons avoiding the infirmary because of the grouchy old chief healer, John can only manage a slight grin at that. "That she is, no offense meant."   

DoraRose makes a sound that could be the beginnings of a chuckle. "None taken." The bells toll for tea time, and the mouse's stomach gives a rumble. "Mm...I didn't realize how hungry I'd gotten. Let's head in, shall we?" The Warrior smiles, gesturing to the grounds below.
   
The squirrel nods, slowly, begging for the stairs. "Right. It's been a while since I've had a meal here, with company. Probably would be best to catch up on things more, eh?" Joh says ruefully. "Rather bad at that, it seems."   

DoraRose smiles wryly as she hurries past him and down the steps. "Aye, y've become a proper old hermit in your old age. Bet y'can't even beat me to the Great Hall." With a twinkle in her blue eyes, the mouse darts across the grounds, finding satisfaction in the childlike joy of running in a silly race. Some Dibbuns even join her! And there's plenty of beasts to talk to one they arrive in Great Hall...the squirrel will have plenty of beasts to catch up with once he enters! 

~*To be continued in the next log...*~

Thanks for reading!

I'm working on leaving the MUCK, and I'd like to keep people from being able to use my characters' names.  However, I don't necessarily want to be logging them on once a month.  On the MUCK, there are a number of chars that haven't been logged on for literal years, even though chars that aren't logged on are supposed to be purged forever after like 40-60 days.  Have they not been purged due to a command?  Did they break the MUCK (or a rule on the MUCK)?  Is this a glitch in the system?  If it's alright to do, what's the command?