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oz

Member

Registered: 2016-11-20

Posts: 1,659

Advise For The Future-Redwall Log

Redwall Log
Oz-Papa Oz and Dibbun caretaker of Redwall Abbey
Krisha-Badger Mother in Training

RW Abbey: Library
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The library has never looked better in seasons as shelves have been
repaired and so have tables and chairs. The once empty sleeves now
have more books in them and not only that the books are in an ABC
order and arranged by subject  to better find what one is looking for.
The beautifully crafted windows are well cleaned.
   
This gives the library plenty of light during the daylight hours. The
room has a high vaulted ceiling. The flagstones of the floor are cool
and smooth, and echoes are sometimes heard when beasts walk. Brass
lamps containing short, fat little white candles provide enough light
for reading. Some books are still being mended but being working on
getting on the shelves. The backroom is even very clean and organized
as well. Books were found in the attic and some from Ferravale were
added that the Ferravale beast had maybe two copies of something so
gave Redwall one of the copies for the Redwall library, all in all a
lot of hard work has done wonders for the library.
   
On an Oakwood desk is the charter laying inside a clear glass case for
all to see. The glass case keeps it safe and clean. Some other chairs
large and small, wooden and soft, have been placed in varies places
in the library and a pile of covers and blankets sit in one corner
with a few pillows as well.
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Oz sits in a soft chair in front of a table. Sitting on the table is a thick book that looks old, there is a couple others that are older and thicker, well used looks like.   

Krisha walks into the library and upon seeing Oz walks over curious of the books as she speaks quietly "Hello...Oz" She sits down in another chair that is here.   

Oz smiles, "Krisha...I am glad you’re here, I had Brother Gorvenalus find a couple books, ones you may find useful one day, even now you can read through them if you would like, you do know how to read and write correct?"   

Krisha nods and then remembered he can't see, "Yes...father taught me" She clears her throat, it’s not nearly as sore to use it now as it was."What..are they?"   

Oz says, "Journals of former badger mothers, each wrote..once, maybe a lot or just a couple times. I was shown this by Abbot Lorimis, he was the abbot before Benar. I wrote in it myself, the place is marked by the green bookmark."

Krisha nods as she opens it up "So...not always blind?" She then frowns, maybe that was wrong to ask him as she looks at the floor"Sorry Oz..." She is mainly curious but it’s not something she really needs to know.   

Oz tilts his head “It is fine Krisha, no I was not always blind. A fox named Stormfeather is the cause. He had me as a slave...chained up for over a season. Injuries to my eyes and near them caused my blindness to slowly come, at first it healed and then...well my sight left me forever after a season . I took the time to learn my way around, remember how many paw steps from where ever in the abbey and around the outside wall, I even can at times go to a clearing a little ways away from the abbey but I rarely go anywhere outside the abbey, I have a couple times with a fellow abbey brother or sister. There was another badger mother whom was blind, her name was Roseeyes and hearing of her helped me know I would do fine and I have" He smiled. “I do have help with some tasks such as making sure the dibbuns read and write correctly and Sister Ginny helps with that. I have cut out shapes to help teach shapes and each has a color to teach colors. The dibbuns count seeds into my paw for counting and I know how many are in my paw at any one time when seeds or beads are added or taken away"   

Krisha listens "Alright, she sounds....interesting." She then smiles at an idea "I can still teach reading and writing to dibbuns, I can maybe soon?"   

Oz says, "Yes you can even start today and help with that if you would like." He chuckles "Dibbuns will need to get use to you, though they seemed to flock to me when I got here, I could not avoid them and gave up, and now I am glad I did and became the dibbun caretaker. I was unsure at first of the job...please read my couple entries."
   
There is two entries in the book...both old but written a season, maybe season and a half between them:
…………………………………………………………………………………..
Entry Of Oz Winters,
Write in the book they say, so I am after reading through entries of former badger mothers, and there is the first issue, a badger mother is usually female and I am male, most likely the first to accept this job, or have I really accepted it. Dibbun caretaker is another good term or maybe Badger Father since the dibbuns call me Papa Oz and have even before I became their caretaker, teacher, guardian, and parent figure. I am still not sure why a room full of dibbuns doesn’t bother me, they don’t but a room with more than a couple other beasts , then I am leaving the room. It could be the fact I been a hermit for the past almost 9 seasons, with just my adopted son Maxtor, whom is a mouse. I am to teach the dibbuns abbey ways and history..well guess we will learn that together this next season but the good Sister May is here to help, a hedgehog many seasons older than me. I have also had my first, and most likely not last, lecture with the dibbuns that one does not paint a room polka dotted with green beans, this after a food fight at breakfast, still uncertain if I am staying or not, most likely in the Spring I will leave.   
Entry of Oz Winters
.It’s been a season and a half. I have decided to stay as the dibbun caretaker, badger mother and wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else. I love the dibbuns with all my heart, they also love me in return. The dibbuns have helped me greatly as I smile again, I laugh and even play games like hide and seek and tag with the dibbuns. They listen very well and respect me, yes there are still times when a punishment is sent out as dibbuns do get into mischief still. I would protect them with my very life if need be someday. I still find their company more relaxing than others, I suppose it will take a while to get over my hermitness, in the meantime know this, a dibbun can even teach you, a dibbun has their own way of cheering beasts, and they are truly the future of this abbey.   
…………………………………………………………….

Krisha reads them at first to herself and then slowly out loud as she takes time to rest her voice. This is a lot of talking and she excuses herself to get some water before finishing the entries and very carefully closing the book once more and looking to Oz"w..what if wanted...add more to it?"   

Oz answers "Then I would ask Brother Gorvenalus to write down what I want to say into the journal, and I would let readers know it is my words and another’s pawwritting as I am blind. I DO plan to have something else said in here, but not yet." He smiles at the badger maid" you can read other entries to yourself but as you seen when I first started I was not ready, but unlike you I didn’t have a mentor or badger before me to help me. She had died some seasons before I arrived. There was something called an earthquake and she died protecting the dibbuns, she saved a good deal of them that day...sadly 3-4 died but many more would of it had not been for her. Her name was Heartwood"   

Krisha says, "Must been brave"   

Oz says, "Yes, bravery is one important thing to have....sometimes it’s hard but there are times to not show fear even if it’s a simple thunderstorm or your worried for a missing or hurt friend. Dibbuns sense when you’re afraid and it can cause them to be more afraid if the badger mother is afraid as well. You keep them calm, and yourself best you can..it’s important"
   
Krisha nods "Hard to, be brave sometimes...I wasn't couple times..when Drake had his beasts take me captive....and not brave when...when.." The past, some of it locked in some wanting to forget area of her mind a couple seasons ago. She sniffs as she holds back tears, maybe she is a poor idea for a future replacement.   

Oz stands and goes over to hug her “I know not your past Krisha, even when Martin told me you would one day take my place as dibbun mother some season from now, he didn’t mention the past just how your voice was gone and how you lost your family, and till recently not seen a fellow badger. A broken past is not something that makes you less fitting of a job...my past is not the best either, I lost my parents when I was 2 seasons, very bad winter but I still had my brother and uncles..I lost my mate and child and was a hermit for 8 seasons before came here, one day my brother came and my uncle also."   

Krisha lets him hug her and just lets herself feel safe. She finally speaks" Father...Ferro's...tribe trapped me half season then father find me and..slayed all but leader, the leader badly hurt and father too..." She closes her eyes and is quiet before speaking "I killed leader with chain...own chain that was on paws....then got father to healer." That’s the summary of the tale there is no need for details...details could be scary as she somehow got the chain free and remembered going behind the leader and next thing she knew he was dead and she thought her father Ferro dead as well till she heard a heartbeat and rushed to a healer. She went mute that day and was for over two seasons.
   
Oz listens and speaks " You were protecting your father...and as for fear.....I felt it when I was enslaved by Stormfeather I just tried to not show it. He had a dibbun there and Leon at the time...I remember wanting to slay the fox when he tried to harm them. I was protecting them from the insane fox and I didn’t care if I died doing so as long as they were safe. I Almost died and most likely would of had Leon, who was a novice then, was not there...he had great healer skills even then, he became Master Healer once we were all free and home."
   
Krisha blinks and just leans into his tunic and listens. "I..would protect and help....dibbuns...even if need be save Xander cause love him"   

Oz nods "One very good skill to have, it shows you care for life and friends a good skill for a badger mother. The office of Badger Mother started at the time of the Abbey's construction, Bella of Brockhall being the first. The post is for life, but time and time again it was left empty with the lack of a badger to fill it.Badger Mothers are loved by the inhabitants of Redwall, for their great strength but gentle touch, fierce temper but positive personality, and for all that they contributed. Though usually takes a bit to get me upset.....though some things are quick to gain anger such as any beast who dares harm a dibbun and I find out, or worse am there..it’s best for said beast to run quickly"   

Krisha says, "Yes..from me too. No beast harm a dibbun.” She is serious too, a dibbun is safe with her nearby.

Oz smiles. “You will do well as Badger Mother when the time comes, trust me.”

Krisha nods again as she stands.” Can…badger mothers have mate?”

Oz answers “Yes, I am sure Northstar would of loved it here had things been different, then again had she and Cole lived I most likely would of never came here. I never found any other beast, never wanted to. When Zork came to stay and live, he never found a mate either, even in the snowy north” He smiles “But yes you can have a mate, no rule against it, Xander dos get along with the dibbuns well”

Krisha is glad he is blind as she blushes some, she is quiet..”That’s…good.” She smiles as she thinks of Xander, she loves him but is unsure of telling him…”Advise?”

Oz tilts his head “I can give you advise and you can learn over time as no one learns to be a badger mother overnight”

Krisha takes this to heart, “Advise on….something else right now”

Oz stands ready to listen “On what Krisha?”

“On…..feelings, I care bout..about Xander. Love him…want to be with him always.” She stops and then “But maybe he…not..he maybe just a friend” Krisha states

Oz steps forwards “Xander cares about you as well, I may be blind and not be able to see…looks given but I tell in his voice when he speaks of you or to you. He was very  worried when you was captive by Drake’s henchmen”

Krisha frowns, she disliked worrying any beast, “I..need find Xander”

Oz nods “Then go do so, but be careful”

“I will be careful” And then Krisha heads down the steps and on to the entry and dirt road, she knows Xander headed to Ferravale so that’s where she goes.

Oz listens as she heads off and then goes to check on the dibbuns.

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I play:
Oz-  Badger-young adult-Wanderer