"Cwouds? Why cwouds? Why wain? Why pot? Pwetty pot. Me wanna pot." or "Oh! Bird is chasing foxie! Why bird chase foxie?"
Sorry about the length...these things get really long really fast. :P
RW Abbey: Kitchen Yard
Boasting a decent view of the Abbey's orchards and gardens, this
space is mostly a work area, displaying well trampled grass and the
occasonal bare spot. An especaily worn spot is the path that leads
between the kitchen gardens and the vineyards.
From one end of the kitchen yard to the other, the space is nearly
filled by the tremendous gnarled trunk of an ancient apple tree,
roots and branches and boughs trimmed off and piled alongside for
later use. A deep groove of mud-churned sod and torn grass leads
back to the orchard, from where the fallen tree must have come.
There are also a variety of workshops around the edge of the yard,
the wood-shop, the cooper for making barrels. The small smithy
where the abbey's tools are made, the potters kiln and the brewery.
Exits: [Vine]yards, [K]itchen [G]arden
Zork the badger. Benar the squirrel. LilyMoore and Caleb and DoraRose, mice. Sunwing the Sparra. Bandit the fox. Lee the otter. Flicktail the fox. Melody the wildcat.
There is some smoke here, only a little from wood being turned to charcoal, beside the charcoal maker is another part of the forge where the anvil is getting some small minor ajustsments and finishing touches done. And course Zork is here, where he has been since right before the sun rose, dressed in an old tunic so he can work. So far he has done alot of work with the forge.
Benar is in the kiln which is opposite the forge, a big open sided shed with work benches, clay stores, the kiln itself and the pottery wheel. Benar is working away shaping the clay with his paws and claws, dressed not in his habit but big billowing white trousers and a simple white vest, his habit hanging up on a peg nearby.
LilyMoore comes toddling out of the orchards, looking around curiously. She pauses, then goes over to the squirrel and waves. "Hi, B'nar. What doin'?" LilyMoore looks up at the cloudy, overcast sky and adds, "It dark. Why dark?"
Zork looks up from his work to make sure the dibbun is not near where the charcoal is being made as it's very hot, then its hot to go to close to also, he looks at a couple tools for the forge and puts them down again as he grins at the anvil, "Perfect, tis be done..well that part be done, still need to...errr, fix couple other things."
Benar looks down at Lilymoore, his foot still moving on the pedal to keep the wheel spinning, "I am making a pot for the kitchen out of clay. And it is dark because there are clouds, it will probably rain later today."
LilyMoore frowns. "Cwouds? Why cwouds? Why wain? Why pot? Pwetty pot. Me wanna pot." Caleb suddenly toddles out of the trees, and spots the badger, and walks over to the forge. "Hi! I Caleb. You badger. What doin'?"
Zork looks up and sees the other small dibbun, he quickly makes sure to make sure he is away from that charcoal fire and leads him a short distance from the forge, "Fixing de forge, and once it be fixed, ya never go near it or de other small thing, tis very very hot..ouchie" He grins, he looks around for Dorarose or even Oz and frowns. he looks back to Caleb and smiles. The charcoal still has prob'ally a couple hours or more before its ready to be put away somewhere.
Benar carries on working, depressing the inside of the pot, forming the hollow interior now he has the outer shape. "It is for keeping honey in, or it will be once it is finished and glazed. As for the clouds no one knows, Mother nature sends them to water the land."
LilyMoore smiles and points to pot, now focused on her desire. "Me wanna pot. Pwease pot. Me wanna." Caleb frown seriously. "Owie. Me stay here. Here bug." he holds out a ladybug, who is crawling around, looking for aphids. She's a large ladybird, much bigger than most. The mouse holding her is very careful and very proud. "Pretty bug. Red bug. What bug? Good bug."
Zork chuckles, "Thats a ladybug, they be goin' elsewhere soon, tis be cold and bugs don't like de cold"
Benar smiles at Lily and shakes his head, "Not this one Lilymoore, it is much too big," he stand sup, carrying the pot to the kiln and placing it on a tray outside of it. Well outside her reach, he then sits down and picks up a paw ful of green clay, "I'll make you one."
LilyMoore pouts a little. "Me wanna pot!" the offer of a new one all to herself cheers her up, and she stands on tippy-toe to watch. "Green? I' dat green?" Caleb frowns and looks at his ladybug. "It go bye-bye? Why?"
Benar says, "Yes it is green, it is green because there are small amounts of copper in the clay," he says to her, kneading the clay into a broad, shallow pot, something small though and easily carried by tiny paws.
Zork smiles "Go by bye to be warmer, or maybe de bug will go inside de abbey building, one never knows see soon it' gonna snow"
LilyMoore smiles and laughs. "Pwetty pot! Pwetty pot my pot? Me wanna pot! Gween pot! Big pot. Me touch pot?" Caleb looks up and squints. "Bug go night-night bye-bye?" Seems he's worried the bug will die.
Benar says, "Yes Lily, your pot" he shakes his head though, "Not yet no, it isn't ready." he picks up the pot and puts it on the tray with the other one. "See how it is all squishy?" he prods it with a finger to show her, "It will break, but let me do this." he motions her back and pulls open the kiln and slides the two pieces of clay inside the hot dry oven.
Zork tilts his head, "Ummm...oh no..if he find warm spot fer new home will be just fine, yeah..be a Redwaller bug" He laughs at this idea and smiles.
Caleb smiles happily and cradles the ladybug in his paw, close to his chest. "Bug my friend. Me keep him warm." LilyMoore pouts a little, then holds out her paws and wails, "Me wanna pot! No! Pot..." she starts crying, very, very loudly, not understanding that her pot isn't ready to play with yet. Caleb gasps and looks at her, then covers his mouth and whispers to the badger, "Oh! Lily crying! Why Lily cry?"
Benar folds his arms and looks at Lilymoore looking nonplushed at the tantrum, "You can cry all you like Lily but it is not ready, you have to wait." he shakes his head, "It will be ready soon you'll see."
Zork looks over and hmmms, "Maybe she is sad?"
Caleb frowns. "Why Lily sad?" he wonders aloud. LilyMoore sits down hard on her bottom, crying so hard she starts to hiccup. She flops onto her back and wails all the more loudly, with painful-sounding hiccups interspersed within.
Zork looks over at the dibbun and frowns, he looks back to Caleb, "Maybe she need ta be cheered up?"
Benar sighs and walks over toward Lily and leans down to pick her up after cleaning his hands, he supports her and pats her back, resting her head on his shoulder "It will be ready soon Lily, now calm down and stop this"
LilyMoore kicks her feet and screams, then hiccups so badly she chokes slightly, then leans on the squirrels' shoulder as she coughs. Caleb looks at his feet, then at his ladybug. "Me put bug in cup and show Lily. That cheer her?"
Zork nods "Maybe lad..hmms how do Ozzy do it?" He wonders out loud and walks over to Benar with Caleb, and he makes sure Caleb stays beside him.
Benar continues to pat Lily lightly on the back, sitting down and rocking her gently, "Now calm down Lily, see all that screaming and shouting has got you all upset"
LilyMoore is hiccuping and crying in the squirrels' lap in the kiln. Caleb tugs on the badgers' sleeve as they head over there. "You got cup for bug?" he holds out his current pride and joy, an unusualy large ladybug, who has decided to sit still for a while in the relative safety of the mouse's paw.
Sunwing circles once and twice and lands nearby and tilts her head looking at the beasts, "Why little mouseworm so mad? Hearie all ways up in lofthome..allie threw wormhome."
Benar rocks Lily back and forth, "Come on little one, calm down dear... you cannot have the pot until it is done." he glances at Sunwing and inclines his head toward her, "She is crying because she wants something she cannot have." he bounces her and shakes his head, "Some little mouseworms are thinkum crying will helpa them get whata thems want."
Zork smiles , he then stops as he sees the sparrow, he blinks and "Umm...Benar?..What is the bird saying bout worms?" He says as he walks the rest of the way over to them, he doesnt have a jar for the ladybug sadly though, and now Benar is talking odd, "Errr?"
LilyMoore is hiccupping and coughing and crying still, refusing to be comforted. Caleb frowns and holds his little ladybeetle close, then peers up at the Sparra. "Hi! You pretty bird. I Caleb. Lily sad. I got bug! Pretty bug. Red bug. My bug." He holds up the insect, then gently cradles it in his paw close to his chest again.
Sunwing listens and seems pleased the elder understands her, "Cryums?..Cryums not getta much, not much for little wormmouse eggchick" She tilts her head at Zork and the other small mouse, "Greetums all abbeyworms."She looks at the bug, not wise to show her a bug but she leaves it be and backs up from the over happy dibbun.
Benar says, "Greetums to you too SparraQueen Sunwing," he tilts his head looking down at Lily and shakes his head, "Well then." he sets Lily down on her rump nearby and turns around to look at the Sparra Queen, time for a page out of Dora's book. Ignore the tantrum, "How are you to be being findum SparraLoftum?" he then glances toward Zork and grins, "Worms is the sparra language term for everyone who lives on the ground."
Zork says, "Oh well if ya say so Benar"
Sunwing looks at Zork, "Silly badgerworm." She nods to Benar, "Sparraloftum be goodin, niceum and big for all sparra warriors and other sparra too..niceum dry too for when cold snowum comeum to red worm house..sometimes seeum Owlworm but he seemun stay inna his worm place below lofthome."
Benar says, "Am glad to be hearingum that sparaloftum is niceum before the cold snowum comes. Great Redwormhouse bells will singum again soonum too. Would Sparraqueen Sunwing and Sparra helpum abbeyworms raisum wood tower so redworm bell song tower cannum rise?""
Zork goes to check on the charcoal, useing a long poker to sort the wood and move it around, then closes the lid again and walks back over to the beasts again.
Bandit eventually makes an appearence in the kitchen yard, hands in his pockets and whistling a merry tune. Despite his best attempts at exercising and losing weight the fox still has a fleshy and fluffy look to him. He pauses when he sees the beasts out here and wonders what is going on. "Howdy." he says as he approaches.
LilyMoore isn't throwing a tantrum anymore. She's hiccupping and coughing so much and so hard she's crying from pain, and she can't stop it. Caleb sits beside her and hugs her, not knowing what to do. "Lily! Caleb!" a feminine voice calls, and the little male mouse leaps up and runs to the mouse that has just appeared, calling, "Moma! Lily crying! Me got red bug!" DoraRose picks up her son and enters the kiln, kneeling beside her daughter and picking her up as she stares at the squirrel. "What happened? Why is Lily having a panic attack?" She holds the female dibbun down against her chest and breathes deeply, trying to calm down the little one's lungs.
Sunwing puffs out when she sees Bandit, she has seen Flicktail so she knows he is a good fox, she seems unsure of Bandit, "Whoum foxworm!?Foxworm wormfriend or bad worm?" She flies up and looks at Bandit and circles him once before going to Benar again, puffing out, she will answer the bell tower question as soon as her question is answered,"No likeum foxworm if harmum friends, iffa harm worm friends will killie killie."
Benar reaches out to touch Lily's head as Dora arrives and picks her up and he sighs, "Sorry DoraRose, I wouldn't let her have the pottery going into the kiln and she threw a tantrum. I tried everything to calm her down but she just wouldn't have it." he frowns at the sparraqueen and calls out, "No SparraQueenum, foxworm good friend of Redwormhouse."
Zork decides to go get something to eat, well if they let him as he did miss lunch. He can trust the others to keep the dibbuns from the forge and charcoal maker.
Bandit only blinks in surprise by the display shown by the sparrow. With a grin he says to the others and gestures to the sparrow, "And y'all wonder why foxes eat birds?" He then adds, "looks like I came at a busy time, what is going on?"
DoraRose hugs LilyMoore close as the Dibbun slowly starts to breath normally. "That doesn't surprise me. Did you set her down before or after she started coughing? 'Cause if it was after, she's gonna think you hate her now." Caleb hides behind his mother for some reason, and just looks at his ladybird, temporarily content.
Sunwing is now peeved at the fox, "Eatum bird!!" She flies straight up, yeah Benar's answer will have to wait now, she then precedes to make a loud noise and dives towards Bandit, ummm he better duck or move fast!
Lee is strolling the abbey grounds, and he waves to the others
Benar says, "It was before she started coughing, I was about to pick her back up when you arrived. She was only crying before." he glances at the kiln and makes a move toward the door then stops dead as Sunwing goes up and he stares, "Sunwingum Sparraqueen stoppum! Redwormhouse rules no violence am sure foxum was just making poortaste jokum!"
Bandit's eyes go wide as the bird decends at him. "Bleeding heck..." for such a heavy fox he does move quickly when the need arises. He rolls under the bird as it goes flying by and makes a mad dash for cover. He sees Lee and darts for the otter while yelping loudly and yelling, "Call her off! Call her off!"
DoraRose sighs and rubs her daughters' back. "Sshshsh, Lily. It's okay." The Dibbun hiccupps and sobs a little, but her coughing almost all gone now. Caleb gasps and peeks around his mothers' back. "Oh! Bird is chasing foxie! Why bird chase foxie?" Forget the fact that he doesn't quite get the difference between an attack and a chase just now.
Sunwing puffs as she misses and looks ready to do some pecking but she listens to Benar and puffs out some more, she mutters something in sparra langage quickly, and starts to get her feathers smoothed out, she looks at Benar, "Not likeum foxworm, notta good joke with Queen Sunwing, nottum..me and other sparra warrior helpum abbeyworms fixum wormtower for bells, helpum it go up yesum will for abbey wormfriends to have nice wormhome"
Lee watches the commotion with some interest as he approaches. "Wot be goin' on over 'ere, eh? Seems ev'rybeast be outside taday."
Benar relaxes a bit as Sunwing flies back and nods his head, "Thankin you QueenSparra! Benarelderwurm much grateful, all Abbeywurms grateful for Sparra helpum with belltower." he then moves to open the kiln and remove two pots. One quite large and brown and the other much smaller and a beautiful green glazed colour. He sets them aside to let them cool, "That will teach you Bandit."
Sunwing puffs out, she maks a chirping noise at the fox and nods to Benar, "Benarworm good wormfriend..Queen Sunwing goum talka other sparra" She flies off now to her home.
Bandit hides behind lee in a most unheroicly fashion, using him as an otter meat sheild, if he lets him. "Crazy bird!" he shouts
Lee steps away from the fox. "Wot are ye doin?"
During all this drama, DoraRose has finally gotten LilyMoore breathing quietly and normally, and now the adult has both of her Dibbun son her lap while she sits on the chair in the kiln. Caleb shows his mother his ladybug, who pulls out a small glass cup to put the insect in. The dibbun does so, then smiles happily as he shows his sister the bug.
Lee walks over to the kiln, nodding to Benar. "Good day ta ye, sir."
Benar picks up the small green pot after it has cooled enough and walks over to Dora and the children, "Good day Lee," he kneels down and offers the pot to Lily, "See Lily dear, if you had just waited you'd have seen it was ready. Now we have to ask your mama if you are still allowed the nice pot."
Bandit chuckles, "Well, I didn't want to get mauled by a bird." He shakes his head, "Sparrows...why did it have to be sparrows." He looks to the other beasts, "As I said before, what seems to be up?"
DoraRose smiles and nods, then gently jiggles the little female Dibbun mouse. "What do ya say?" LilyMoore smiles and holds out her paws. "Pwease. Ftank you." Caleb smiles brightly and touches the pot very gently with one finger. "Pretty green. What green t'ing?" His ladybug is wandering around in her very small glass cup. She is a delicate red with tiny red spots, and is larger than most ladybirds.
Flicktail comes strolling along, stopping here and there to examine a colored leaf or to regard a tree shedding it's leaves. He moves almost serenely, his white fur glowing in the waning light, seeing the group of beasts he moves toward them smiling
Lee waves to the other fox. "That be a pretty green pot ye have there."
Benar smiles at LillyMoore and nods his head, "You are welcome little one, next time no tantrum ok?" he then glances at Lee and Bandit, "I was discussing the Belltower with the Queen before you interrupted, she seems inclined to help us."
Bandit nods hello to the other fox. With death on swift wings no longer coming for him he feels much safer now. "Afternoon Flick."
LilyMoore hugs her little green pot close and settles down on her mother's lap. Caleb watches the ladybeetle crawl around on the bottom of her cup. DoraRose smiles. "Thank you, Benar." she is in the kiln and can't see the white fox, but upon hearing Lee and Bandit's greetings, she settles down and watches for a glimpse of him, deciding to wait until she can actually see him before greeting him.
Flicktail moves over, he seems to be trying to walk more softly, as if trying to practice his stalking as a proper Fox. He joins them speaking equally softly "Good day, and you as well Bandit our large hero..... I see we have occasion for some glad gathering"
Lee stifles a yawn.
Benar nods his head to Flicktail, "Flicktail good day, how are you doing?" he moves over to start shutting down the Kiln now he is done with his work, "How are you doing? Enjoying the autumn I hope?"
LilyMoore yawns and snuggles down on her mother's lap, her eyes slowly blinking closed as she falls asleep. DoraRose stands up and carries her daughter, holding Caleb's paw as they exit the kiln. Good evening, Sir Flick."
Melody skips along as she is exploring the abbey some, she sees a group of beasts and slows, she seems unsure of going near them so she stays by the path leading into the area.
Flicktail says, "Good Eve DoraRose..... and Caleb... " He smiles to Benar "Autumn my favorite time... the scents the harvest, th' colors...it makes me heart happy"
Bandit looks around the area, getting kind of crowded. "Well it's nice to see everyone. You know, minus random bird attack."
Lee says, "Bird wouldnt 'ave attacked if ye hadn't said ye'd eat 'er, y' know."
Benar says, "Indeed Bandit, that was a rather silly thing to say. You brought it upon yourself." he shakes his head and takes off his apron and takes his habit down off a peg. "Autumn is a beautiful time of year I agree with you there Flicktail but it is always over too soon." he pulls his habit over his head and settles it into place, "Now Lillymoore you take care of that special pot ok?" He pauses as he spots that she is falling asleep and smiles and shakes his head, "She is such a sweetie when sleeping, you'd never know she was having a right old tantrum earlier."
Bandit chuckles, "Not my fault the bird couldn't take a joke. Though I will admit the thought of roasted bird has made me a bit hungry." Realizing what he said he smiles. Maybe he was serious, maybe he wasn't. The fox waves goodbye as he heads off to find a snack in the kitchens.
LilyMoore can't answer the Abbey Elder because she is really, truly asleep, her tantrum and panic attack leaving her exhausted. DoraRose smiles. "I'll make sure the pot lasts, Benar. Thank you for making it for her." Caleb smiles shyly and ducks behind his mother, peeking at the white fox.
Melody looks at the varies beasts and frowns, someone had come with her, she walks closer and looks at the beasts, she frowns more now as she looks panicked, "Where?" She sniffs and whimpers a little, ok bad idea to walk away from speaking adults "Dada!"
Flicktail moves over to warm his paws near the kiln "Aye Benar, the snows will soon come, and my fur will blend me in like I were invisible" he chuckles. He smiles to Melody "Friend Melody I have not seen you in far too long, do you remember me?. I wonder what i ever did to be able to have a life wi all of ye..."
Lee glances over at Melody. "Well, look who's 'ere. Where did she come from?"
Benar finishes closing down the Kiln and turns to regard Melody, he leaves her to Lee and Flicktail as they seem to have it all in hand. "True enough Flicktail, soon the snows shall come. But for now I am going back inside, I will see you all later." he nods and heads towards the abbey building.
DoraRose smiles and leads Caleb over to a little ways away from the wildcat cub, smiling gently. "Hello, there. I'm DoraRose Strongheart. These are my Dibbuns, Caleb, and LilyMoore's the sleeping one. It's okay, don't be scared. Are you alright?"
Melody sniffs, she moves quickly away from Flicktail, she doesnt know him and hide behind a toolshade and watches them, "Daddy...lost daddy." She frowns, "Not beside no more"
Flicktail doesn't persue "well Yer daddy has ta be round ere somewhere...he's not leave such apretty gel...
Lee nods. "Indeed, me dear, yer daddy is still 'ere somewhere."
DoraRose smiles and kneels down, still holding the sleeping LilyMoore. "Hey, it's okay. Your Daddy didn't forget you. He'll come looking for you, don't worry. It's alright. What does he look like?" Caleb peeks at the wildcat and smiles softly, waving. He and his twin sister are about one season old.
Melody blink "Like Daddy" Well he would also prob'ally be the only wildcat in the abbey right now.
Flicktail sits down on teh floor so he doesn't tower and smiles batting his eyes at Melody in such a funny way.
Lee nods. "An' when did ye last see yer daddy me dear?"
Melody says, "Gates..was talking to guards bouts ground..umm ground sugars"
Flicktail says, "ohh I LIEK sugar..so sweet"
DoraRose smiles softly. "Well, sure, of course he looks like him. Can you tell me what colour fur he's got?" Caleb comes out from behind his mother and toddles over to the wildcat. "Hi! I Caleb. Who you?"
Lee asks, "Ground sugar? Y' think she means 'brown sugar'?"
DoraRose 'hmms', but keeps a smile on her face. Caleb smiles brightly, trying to be friends...as best as a one-season-old can.
Melody smiles, she has started to relax a little now and sits on the grass now
Flicktail says, "Hello lee.. I just know I like Sugar, no matter wot kind"
Lee nods.
DoraRose sighs and rubs her eyes with her free paw. Caleb holds out the tiny glass cup that holds the ladybug he's claimed as his pet so Melody can see it. "This me bug. Pretty bug. Red bug."
Lee watches the two Dibbuns
Flicktail watches lee, smiling "How are ya Son?
Melody blinks and yawns, she lays down and curls into a fuzz ball, her tail over her nose.
Caleb yawns and runs back to mommy, who picks him up and stands as he snuggles down beside his sister. DoraRose smiles as she mentaly hopes that the ladybug doesn't go down her neck....that would feel very tickly and itchy. "I should probably get these two to bed..." she murmers.
Lee smiles. "I be pretty well."
Flicktail says, "I will being by some new beds I am makin fer yer dibbuns Dora rose..with sides on them so they do not fall out"
DoraRose smiles. "Thank you, sir Flick. They've outgrown the beds we have in the loft." Caleb is asleep now, a contented smile on his face.
Lee asks, "Ye can make beds, dad?"
Flicktail says, "I am a carpenter, o course, I make good beds with soft places ta sleep"
DoraRose nods and turns her smile upon the malebeasts. "I need to get these two abed. Good evening." and with that, she's gone to the gatehouse, to put the twins to bed.
And RL stole me away yet again. Thanks for reading....an especially big thanks if this log is as long as I fear it is... :)
