John has come to VIsit!!- redwall log

oz · 2022-10-22 07:12:49 PM

Who:

Oz- almost adult badger

Kage- wildcat guest

John- Friend of the anney and wanderer

Krisha- Badger Mother

LOG:

Since the summer feast John has not spent much time in the abbey itself, having spent the past season's length of months in the greater Mossflower area- and, save for one brief hour in which he returned to Redwall and heard the disaster which had befallen the village north, has not set foot in the walls for over a month.

However here he is today squeezing through the the cracked open gates. "Thanks," he mutters to the novice who'd open it. "Don't much like jumping up on the ramparts to get in."

Oz catches sight of John when he enters and smiles"Hello John!" A smile is shown "How are you?" The badger remembers how the squirrel helped him once a whiile back.

"Hello," John says, brows raised - he remembers the badger too, though not that the creature was so big. "Well enough, I suppose. And you holding up?" The squirrel starts to brush off dust from the road as he stands on the lawn, taking in the sights, sounds, smell of the autumn in Redwall. "Fear I've been away for a bit, haven't I? How's the abbey?"

Kage is close to the pond but wanders over and stands close by when the squirrel arrives, but he has yet to get closer just yet .

Oz replies "The abbey is ok, they are planning the authum feast. Some hares visited but then hey left,I don't know where toi though. Elbio was back...for a..short while"He frowns a little now,but then manages a smile again"All is pretty good. We have a new master healer,no prement gatekeeper though.Brother Rick helps some and Matilda does also sometimes, for now anyways."

"So Dorarose and her family /are/ gone, then." There's something somber to his tone as John murmurs, "I did not truly think they'd go, in the end. Hmm. Well," he smiles, briefly, "The hares I recall - the 67th, aye? And it's good to hear-" He cuts himself off.

Perhaps in earlier seasons John would better brush off the sight of a wildcat in the abbey grounds, but not now - especially considering the last time he was in both the presence of Oz and a wildcat. Fur going on edge and tail stiffening, the squirrel hesitates to hand over the last of his weapons to the novice who'd open the door, a dagger. He relents, sucking in a breath, but only after a long moment. He eyes Kage all the same, though. "Hail, friend." He manages.

Kage nods"Hello there, no need to worry about me I am just a visator that lives close to Ferravale or well suppose it's not Ferravale now prehaps, it's a bit of a ghost town now."He hear bits and pieces of the hares but doesn't seem concerned as he now walks closer.He glaces at the Badger.."Elbio...is he the hare they found in the woods, I heard some of it,but not much." He honestly has no clue . He just knows he was not involved it what ever happen
.
Oz is still a little unsure of the wildcat and does stay closer to John, he nods a yeah when the hare is mentioned.He looks back to John"Yeah Dorarose left and Angela..and Lilymoore and ..another mouse. Also Ciana left too but not the same place as the others went."

"Elbio was the hare from the Patrol, aye? I'm gathering something bad happened. It always does to hares who live here it seems..." It takes great effort for John to force himself to even appear at ease, and he doesn't quite manage it now that Oz seems wary too... "Even Lilymoore?" he asks, breaking his gaze way from Kage to focus on the badger. "I would have thought she'd have stayed, being part of the order and all that. Meaning no bell ringer, either. Hmm."

Oz nods"Elbio was found...dead in the woods but no one knows how or why" He shrugs at the bell ringer"There is a list to sign to ring the bells at didffernt times, so like novices and order beasts can ring it to help till we get a new bell ringer"

Kage steps back slightly as to not have the squirrel be too worried.Its unclear if the wildcat is a threat or not, but he has no weapons and does obey abbey rules while inside.He is smart to not act out of place.

"Dead, eh?" John glances briefly back to the wildcat as he moves. "Unfortunate..." The squirrel shakes his head. "There's been a lot of murdering lately, though mostly helpless farmers by robbers, usually. Not really any armed and trained beasts, save for what happened at Ferravale."
With a sigh he turns away from the both of them to look up at the sky above the main gate. "There were no bellringers before her time, or gatekeepers, really, so in an odd way I suppose the abbey's gone back to how it were in my youth, eh?" There's a slight smile as he glances over his shoulder. "Redwall may yet manage without official beasts to fill the role for a while yet, I'd wager."

Oz says, "The other hars found Elbio, I think..and they dont know what happen....." He also metion "The Defender base is..also gone""

Kage listens a bit to the talking as any info that seems important could be useful.He tilts his head"Who were these..Mossflower Defenders anyways? I know one former member thoought it be intresting to jion de wrong side, He choose unwisely and..well is no one's problem now to worry on"

"Knew that," John lets out a snort. "Though truth be told I'd figured the base were gone since that war some four winters ago, but no matter." Eyes narrowing as he regards the wildcat, his tone is cautious as he asks, "Were they now? Did the beast die, or is he still out there? As for the defenders themselves, I'll let the badger here tell you. I more than likely shan't be as kind as he to them."

Oz replies"My father was leader but any still around..kind of left after he died."

Kage shrugs."Intesteing and it seems the ferret or maybe was a weasel..got into some fight and died,poor chap."

"Nor did any lift a finger to help him in his need, or afterwards." John practically growls. "But they weren't founded by your father, were they? No, rather they were that vermin's pet first." With a sigh the squirrel adds, "But I'm harsh on them, no doubt. They always seem to get the short end of the stick- like that ferret." The squirrel wonders how the wildcat knows such details but doesn't press the issue. Instead he smiles again though it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Say, friend," he addresses Kage, "I did not get your name. My own's John MacGarran."

Oz frowns a little when John gets a little angery. He looks over at Kage still unsure of him,but he has had bad memories of wildcats.

Kage smirks "My name is not that imporant squirrel , now if your excuse me I need to get going now, prehaps we will meet again,who knows. Do have a lovely day."He slips off out of the gate,gets any weapons the guard had keep and then heads north on the dirt road,likely he will stay away a few days before he ventures back and might rethink being at the abbey too much, he will miss the food but thats fine
.
The squirrel merely raises a brow watching Kage leave. "Well I can't say I weren't rude myself, but that was bit strange for the wildcat." He remarks with a grunt of laughter, but the moment falls flat and John seems serious again. "Say Oz, you don't happen to know who that were, do you?" He hasn't taken his eyes off the gateway where the wildcat disappeared through.

Oz speaks "I..forgot his name. He was on the road once and there was this weasel that..tried to hurt me, or rob me or something and he stoped them and got me to the abbey.I had fathers blade but.."A frown again"I dont know how to use it,I can hold it but not swing it very good and I fell backwards with it."He goes on after a short while remembering how he got in trouble for even being out and then having the blade in the first place."I..still don't like the wildcat, he is slightly creepy . He hasnt done anything bad in the abbey though so...maybe he is ok..I..I don't know."

The squirrel turns his attention sharply back to the badger as the gates close, seeking to search Oz's face. "You mean that beast saved you?" The tension that John has held up to that point eases somewhat at that revelation, but he's still ill at ease. "Well, perhaps I'm being too harsh again. He's creepy, I'll give you that, but maybe that's all he is." Rubbing his temples, he adds. "And here I were half tempted to go out and follow him. No, he's not earned that yet. But that weasel..." It stirs something in his mind from earlier and he feels something sink in his stomach. "Do you recall anything that they said? Who they were, what they were doing?"

Oz tries to remember that morning" The weasel..suddenly fell over with a dagger in his back and tehn seen the wildcat. I think he killed the weasel, not for sure though.He also confirmed the Defender base was..burned down and gone and taht he should escort me to the abbey and he did,then he went off and came back a few days later, left again..was here a couple days and then left just now."

"I wonder if the weasel and that traitor ferret the wildcat mentioned were one and the same." John scowls. "And it seems like the wildcat did kill the vermin." Rolling his shoulders John starts to head inside. "All in all a poor look for the defenders. I saw the ruins myself when I went up there to search. I might need to again, today even."

Oz replies "I didn't get a chance to see it, father didn't talk of it very much. Maybe some Defenders are like in the woods,or maybe they all gone."He then smiles"Maybe my mom knows some stuff, she has like old papers of the Defender's that dad kept."

"Perhaps she does." John nods. "Might be worth looking into, if you want. I'm going north again ere sunset to the old village to see if I can't find anything myself. In truth I fear that company folk which have been moving in the area had a paw in all this, but that's my own speculation, it is."

The squirrel sighs yet again, tired. "This were not the first time the base were ruined. It were attacked seasons ago, perhaps even before you were born." He glances at Oz, a question in his eyes. "That were roughly sixteen seasons ago, back when the Redthorn's," despite his pleasantness he has to grit out the name, "Were still clinging to the earth and brining woe in their wake."

Oz shakes his head "I..don't remember them,were they bad? I just remember..slavers that took all de dibbuns in the abbey, and.."He whimpers slightly"That..wildcat...that..."He doesn't finish the sentence.But does change the subject now"But i'm not a dibbun no more...I've grow up..well almost anyways"

"Were a bit before that." John dips his head, "Back when old Oz were still around, actually- and back when I first really got to know your father. But don't you go worrying about that now- its over and done with. Perhaps someday your mother can tell you more. I might, even, when you're old enough to have a drink."

Oz listens and nods "Drink..like October ale?" He has yet to really taste any kind of drink like that.

John laughs again. "Aye, something like that." Standing on the middle of the steps to the Great Hall, he turns his face again to the sky to take in the fall air. After a moment or two, he says, "I were rather fond of your father despite our disagreements about the defenders back in the day, and I'm not sure if I've ever told you that much."

Oz nods "He..didn't have many friends I think."He sighs as he wishes he had been able to be around his father more.

"Yet he lived at Redwall." John dips his head. "He had more friends than I did, that's for sure, though he were a beast always thinking he had none. Just before you were born I had convinced him to stay at the abbey after a chance meeting, though I wonder if I hadn't..." Something sad enters his face but he shakes it off. "No matter. He needed to be here, I believed then as do I now."

Oz asks, "Why did he want to leave? Did he not like the abbey?""

"Something like that." John murmurs. "He never quite told me why, but I think it he thought ol' Benar had died, and he wanted out of Mossflower. Especially after papa Oz's passing."

Oz nods "Oh...well Benar is ok now, just really really busy, least the woods and road has been ok lately and thats always good. And Benar has some beasts fixing the abbey roof before winter hits."

"Yes, Im glad the abbot is doing well." John replies, "Though I'm not so sure about the woods or roads, myself. Mighty strange folk are moving through the land, and since Ferravale were mostly abandoned a lot of beasts have been struggling to prepare for the winter."

Oz nods "Yeah winter will be soon, it's authumn now."

Bowing his head, John says, "Aye, that it is. Well Oz, I'm going to go get a meal and stock up on provisions now, then hopefully head out within the hour. With that rat Patch dead the only way I'll get news is by looking myself."

Oz nods "Yeah...I think de tavern might be still there, but I don't know who runs it, maybe the two stoats that were tavern boucers?"

"Maybe so." John shrugs. "Been a while since I were up there- not since I first heard news of the tragedy. Didn't spend much time near the tavern, no."

Oz shrugs,he frowns when Brother Rick shows up and sighs,"I..had promised to help set tables for dinner so maybe talk later" He heads off with Brother Rick,Brother Rick seems slightly grumby..yeah Oz forgot he was to help,oh well the tables will get set, barely in time for dinner.
"Farewell, Oz," John waves goodbye. Then he sets off for the kitchen to find a meal and provisions - the squirrel was not looking forward to the coming days in Mossflower.

Few hours later

Krisha walks into the entry area, a little bit of a break from the dibbuns as Sister Anna watches them. She looks around and sits on the steps leading up to the rampets.

Having had a meal and food now safely packed for the next week, John comes out from the Great Hall with his bag slung over his shoulder. As he makes his way towards the gates he stops and waves to the badger mother. "Hello there, Krisha!"

Krisha nods a hello "Hello John, not seen you in a while,then things hacve been fairly busy around the abbey."She goes to stand and dusts off her aprron as she dust got on it."I hope all is well with you"

The squirrel bows. "So I've heard. I'm doing as well as I'm able, despite really only stopping in for a few hours. Had a chat with Oz earlier when I first got here, too."

Krisha hmms, "You know your welcome to stay more than a few hours at a time."A soft sigh as he mentions Oz "That is nice..."She shakes her head "He looks..looks so much like his father now, the only differnt thing is his eye color,other than that..so much the same, but he doesnt have that warrior sprite his father had,rather glad of that."

"I had hoped to," John replies with a rueful grin, "But I need to go looking through Ferravale's ruins. But as for Oz; indeed, that's good to hear." He dips his head. "I daresay the abbey needs peaceful young creatures. Though... Oz might ask you of the Mossflower Defenders. Which reminds me." The squirrel tilts his head to look up at the badger. "There were a wild cat here who would not give me a name. Your son mentioned he'd been in the abbey for a while, and that he'd saved him soon after Ferravale were abandoned, and he just left. Do you know who that were?"
.
Krisha is now less cheerfull "I seen the wildcat, he..."She shakes her head"I don't him,then maybe it's just cause the last one I seen.."She snoars now,takes a deep breath so she doesn't get angry right now.She finally speaks after mentally counting to ten "His name is Kage or least that's the name he used.The guards said he does give them his weapons, but no clue if he has hidden ones or not."

"Well, he left." John turns back to the gates, waving over one of the guards. "I'd like to retrieve my weapons ere setting out," he mutters, and the guard goes to the gate house. "For what it's worth," the squirrel says, turning back to the badger mother, "I did not much care for him myself. And that weren't just because of my history with wildcats, either, though it certainly's a part. I've not had good times with many of them... But it may be that he's just a 'creepy' beast, as Oz put it, and nothing more." Allowing himself a small chuckle, John shakes his head. "Kage brought up some thing which I would like to investigate myself, which is why I'm leaving so soon."

Krisha says, "I suppose, just be carefull out there and come back when you can.Your always welome at the abbey."A smile"And don't let anyone tell you your not welcome at the abbey"

John can't help but let a bark of laughter out at that last line. "Don't you be worrying about /that/, Mother Krisha! I've always been good at ignoring beasts who've said such to me, eh?" Still grinning somewhat, he adds, "And I intend to be careful. I mentioned this to Oz, but I think you ought to know - and might be better at telling the abbot than your son. There's been a lot of beasts moving throughout Mossflower in search of a place to settle in the wake of Ferravale burning down. Most are good beasts, yet there have been an increase of robberies and murders these past few months as many are getting desperate ere the winter comes. And you recall that company lot that were moving through the land? I think they might have a paw in all this, but I can't say for certain, which is why I want to go see Ferravale and the River Moss for myself."

Krisha listens closely to every word, a frown here and there as it seems to get worse what she is hearing "Well, what ever you do find, if anything, you can let us know. There has be some peace and hoping it stays." She then remembers" There was something maybe 4-5 weks ago..."A paulse "Lt. Elbio was found dead in the woods, not heard much of what happen but it was pretty odd.No signs of a fight either I don't think."She shakles her head "Poor cinana had come to visit and..well she is clearly upset. That Private Cole was gonna escort her, cinna that is, to some Aunt or Uncle she learned was alive somewhere close, a village south but still in Mossflower. Cole came back, at first I was worried but he sid she was fine and the two sea otters that brought her here made sure she would get there ok."

"Aye, I'd heard that grim news." John bows his head. "The hare seemed a good sort. Is he buried in the grounds?" The guard returns and slowly the squirrel starts preparing for his journey into Mossflower. "Come to think of it, that Kage were the first to mention Elbio's death... Another thing I'll need to look into"

Krisha nods "Likely a good idea and ..yes,he is. A letter was sent to the badger Lord so he would know of Elbio's death,they likely got it by now I would hope"

"Hmm." John ponders the earth for a moment. "It seems any Patrol hare who dwells here meets a sorry fate..."

Krisha frowns at thiss." Well, I wouldnt go scareing hares to not come here, but I do know...some dislike it."She looks inside as it's starting to get late now" I don't know what ta say about it..I don't. I am glad the Long Patrol has some hares in the area now though, think its one thing keeping the peace maybe.I should head inside, good luck on your serching and stay safe." She goes inside now to help make sure the dibbuns get to bed.

"Right then, I shan't go out of my way to scare them, don't you worry." John waves to the badger as he slings his pack over his shoulder. "Farewell! I'll be around, more than likely!"

Redwall MUCK Forum

Redwall MUCK is an interactive, multiplayer text game set in Brian Jacques' Redwall universe.

Visit RWMUCK.ORG for more info!

#1 2022-10-22 07:12:49 PM

John has come to VIsit!!- redwall log

Board footer