Because cookies must be made and tears must be cried! (RW log)

BlisaMarshmellow · 2017-12-28 05:07:16 PM

SCENE: Redwall Abbey's kitchens

CHARACTERS: Lacota, a male squirrel. DoraRose, a female mouse.

LOG:
The ovens may be cooling, but that doesn't mean Lacota is not still busy. Currently the squirrel is working on several batches of cookies, due in no small part to the demands of certain vocal dibbuns. Not that he'd ever admit that...

DoraRose comes down from the Great Hall and peeks into the kitchens. "Lacota, I....I got your note. Um..." she looks away, then adds, " I heard you're making a large batch of cookies. do you need any help?" She's wearing her green dress and blue apron.

Lacota looks up from his work, squeezing icing onto the top of a sugar cookie. "I am. I find myself always in demand for sweet treats when winter rolls around," he replies, setting aside the icing. "Note? Oh, yes, I remember." His voice softens. "I could use some help here... If you want to talk..."

DoraRose nods and heads over to the sink. Washing her paws, she keeps her gaze focused on her task at, well, hand. "Thank you....I'm not even sure what to talk about, I just....want to do something useful that doesn't involve...weapons and warfare, y'know?" Drying her paws, she turns and looks at him. "Even a Warrior can get tired of it all," she adds with a forced laugh, but the mirth doesn't make it to her eyes. Sighing, she sets the towel down and asks quietly, "What do need help with the most right now?"

Lacota nods quietly. "Being useful can help, in a time...like..." He trails off, then forces a smile. "Yes, ah... Well, these sugar cookies here... Ah, need a swirl of icing upon each... And I know I've got a bowl of batter here somewhere... To make some cinnamon cookies... Eh, I should probably heat one of the ovens... Usually Brad would do that for me, but the blamed fool is off... Who knows where..." The squirrel drones on for a few minutes more...

DoraRose smiles. "Shall I get the oven heated, then? And I can make the cinnamon cookies when I'm done." She picks up some wood and looks at the Friar for his OK. She smiles slightly, and it creeps up to the corners of her eyes.

Lacota hmms? His complaints about his wayward assistant forgotten. "If you would, that'd be great, thank you..." He hmms thoughtfully. "I had no idea you liked to bake, though. You should have told me seasons ago."

DoraRose is busily feeding the fire of the closest oven, but she still manages to wave a paw airily at the Friar. "Oh, pfft, I've snuck in here numerous times and made cookies and bread, and I've made pizza for many a feast, if you'll remember. I find it....theraputic." She shoves the logs deeper into the fire with a poker. "And I....didn't see any reason to....mention it. Sorry." The last word is spoken very softly, and even though her back is to him, her body language suggests her (understandably) deep sorrow.

"I don't mind it," Lacota answers simply. "No need to apologize." He frowns now. "But you know I understand..." The squirrel sighs.

DoraRose stays where she is, staring into the flames as the fire grows. "Oh, aye, I know." She stands and puts the poker back where it goes. "I feel like I failed him, y'know? I couldn't find him in time, I couldn't defend him, I didn't even have....have enough time to....get him back to the Abbey alive." The tears are creeping up, threatening to overtake her. "I'm the...the Warrior. I'm supposed to be able to take care of my family, to protect them." She can't go on, and instead turns and starts looking for the bowl of cinnamon cookie batter as a tear courses down her scarred cheek.

Lacota nods again, and points toward a table near the door. "It's over there..." He is silent for a bit, before venturing to reply, "I felt exactly the same, after Krystal.... And I'm not a warrior. I'm just a glorified cook... But still... I should have been there... Not that it would have done any good..."

DoraRose gets the bowl and checks it. "What does this need still?" She then listens to the squirrel's words, leaning on the table's edge, resting her paws on the wooden top. Hanging her head, she feels a few more tears trickle down her cheeks. "Aye, and that's the worst part, isn't it? Knowing that y'couldn't have done anything had you been there. Grr..." She slams a fist into the table top, making the things on it jump and rattle as if in fear.

Lacota appears unfazed by it. "It is." No use mincing words. "A pinch more cinnamon, I think... Otherwise, it ought to be ready for the baking pan." He resumes squeezing out icing onto the sugar cookies. "Don't beat yourself up, though. I did that... And then I had a nervous breakdown. And after that, I lost my grip on reality."

DoraRose brushes a shaking paw over her forehead and left ear. Grabbing the cinnamon, the mouse adds a pinch, then grabs a spoon and the bowl. Walking towards the Friar, she stirs the mixture and sighs. "I...I try not to. I tried to find him, I did all I could, everybeast did. It's all that stupid raven's fault..." she clenches her jaws as her anger rises up again, but she keeps a firm grip on her actions and continues to stir the cookie batter carefully and slowly. "We were pretty worried about you there for a while," she adds in a murmur.

Lacota nods, sighing quietly. "I... I know. That was... That was a dark time for me." He pauses. "Just... I don't want to see you go there... Remember your family... I neglected my own daughter for nearly three months at my lowest point. You're my friend, DoraRose, and I care about you..."

DoraRose sets the bowl down and goes to rest a paw on the Friar's arm. There is a fire burning deep within her, clear to see. There is still harsh pain and sorrow in her, but there are also the embers flickering to flames of determination. "Thank you, Lacota. It means a lot. I....I made a promise to Leon before....before he breathed his last that I would live for him, and for our children. I...intend to keep that promise." After a few minutes, she looks down at the cookies. "What's next with our sugary friends here?"

Lacota smiles at last. "Ah, well, these ones here still need the icing. The dibbuns... The dibbuns want them to look 'pretty,' so I'm trying to decorate them like snowflakes... What do you think?" After a moment, the squirrel adds, "That...that is the best way to honor Leon. He'd agree..."

DoraRose looks at the cookies and nods. "I think they look good. Better than I could do; I'm better at music than I am at painting or whatever this is." She starts making up the cinnamon cookies onto a cookie sheet. "And it was Leon's idea."

Lacota nods. "Then that truly is the best way to honor his memory," the squirrel agrees. He continues decorating the sugar cookies as Dorarose prepares the cinnamon cookies. "Thanks for the help, by the way... And also... Don't hesitate to come talk if you want to again..." Outside the window, snow softly falls as the evening wears on...

~*END*~

Thanks for reading!

Last edited by BlisaMarshmellow (2017-12-30 01:17:01 PM)

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#1 2017-12-28 05:07:16 PM

Because cookies must be made and tears must be cried! (RW log)

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