A Dibbun Finds A New Home

Cosmo walks along the dirt road close to the Gull, he has a day off from work and is exploring the wooded area close to Ferravale when he sees the crowd and walks over. “Hello?"

Tangleweed is hurt, bad and on the road, she is holding a sleeping dibbun, she takes a deep breath and coughs, "Please..." she frowns as she sees the entry of Cosmo. She is also jumpy, "I..don’t hurt me..don't.."

Pike frowns, "Why would I..." he sees Cosmo and studies him, "The rat is hurt, said something bout some group she left, guess they didn’t like de idea and why she thinks someone will...kill her is beyond me matey"

Fleur is sleeping.

Tangleweed speaks with Pike, "Your...you’re a woodlander, I’m...a..vermin" she closes her eyes half way, " Don’t your kind hate us and kill us?"

Cosmo looks between them and decides to listen in to see what is going on before he says anything on the subject.

Pike blinks at the rat maid, "I am not goin' ta kill ya, I don't go lookin' fer vermin ta slay and neither do..well most woodlanders, look ya hurt and I can take ye ta Redwall, alright?"

Cosmo speaks now "Or Ferravale, it is a little closer"

Pike glares slightly at the stoat, "Ya are not bein' helpful"

Cosmo glares right back “Trying to tell me what to do or something otter?”

Tangleweed coughs again and frowns weakly "Please...don't, a healer won’t do any good." Her breathing is weaker now.

Pike kneels closer and looks over the wounds, he knows some but he can only slow the bleeding on one, he looks at her and then south and north, "I say we try..ok miss rat?"

Cosmo nods in agreement, "Yes, not give up"

Tangleweed shivers some, she looks at the otter who is closer, "I..you’re from the abbey, they..they help beasts , help me or rather...Fleur, promise me your take care of her, and...unlike me, raise her to be a good beast, not evil"

Pike errrs, he looks at the small rat and back to Tangleweed, "Aye..I promise." He says quickly, "Now let’s get you somewhere ta get aid."

Cosmo listens as the otter speaks and looks at him "You know, that’s an awful big promise you just made there, intent on keeping it?"

Fleur yawns as she stirs now.

Pike is still by the rat maid when he answers , "Of course I always keep a promise, I am studying ta be a Redwall Brother"

Tangleweed looks between and seems happy with the answer, her paw drops and her eyes close as she takes in her last breath.

Pike frowns and gently shakes her, "Miss?.." He checks for a pulse and frowns “OH no..she"

Cosmo frowns, he checks the rat over and sighs, "She has passed..."He looks at Pike, “And you have a promise ta keep Mr. I keep my promises. “, He picks up the dibbun and hands it to Pike.

Fleur wiggles some as she is picked up.

Pike stands slowly and looks down at the rat maid and then the dibbun as he is handed it, he looks at Cosmo and frowns "I..I don’t know anythin on dibbuns, wot am I supposed ta do?!"

Cosmo crosses his arms , "Ya problem...and I say find someone who does though you did make a promise to care for that dibbun"

Fleur moves slightly but stays asleep

Pike glares at Cosmo as he holds Fleur, he shakes his head, "Yes I know I know"

Cosmo rubs his chin, "You could find someone to help, but would be wrong to suddenly not keep a promise you said you keep"

Pike frowns "We should..do something with the rat maid, can't leave her here...on ta road"

Fleur starts to wake up and yawns.

Cosmo nods, "Yes true..could bury her, say a few words, think any family she had disowned her and care for the little dibbun"

Pike nods, "Aye..few words..."He looks at the awakening rat and mutters an ello.

Fleur eyes open and she blinks, she looks down at Tangleweed and wiggles "Mama"

Cosmo frowns, he offers a smile "Who are you little one?" He is unsure what to do with Tangleweed.

Kerr strides up the road.

Pike sighs, he mutters.."Been through this..ummm" He studies the dibbun "Umm...mama is, well" He frowns thinking of someone else and not the rat maid, "Is..." He mutters a "why me."

Fleur tilts her head and tries to wiggle from the otter’s arms.

Feisty wanders by, at the edge of the tree line. He pauses when he sees the gathered creatures.

Cosmo frowns, "Hey there little one, see...the otter promised your mama he..keep an eye on you,ok" He shrugs as he is unsure what to say, "I am..not good with dibbuns either.."

Kerr asks, "Hello all of you beasts, how are you?"

Feisty waves to him from the edge of the woods.

Pike shakes his head, he speaks to Cosmo.."Do something with her mother,I..I can't handle this right now not so soon after me best matey..." He looks at Kerr and Feisty in tears and frowns, he starts to sit the dibbun down and then remembers the promise he made and walks over to the edge of the woods and sits down with Fleur.

Cosmo nods, "Well not too good. The rat maid, she was hurt in some sort of fight think..she was dyeing and, she wanted one of us ta care for the wee dibbun the otter has...the mother has.." he lowers his voice "Died."

Fleur lets Pike carry her to the woods and looks back at the others and then him.."Mama sleep?"

Feisty walks over and looks at Fleur pityingly. "Aye. For a long time."

Kerr says, "Hello Pike...who’s mother?"

Pike looks up at Kerr and frowns, "Her mother was the rat maid laying on the road, didn’t catch her name just tried ta help her...failed, and promised to watch over her dibbun and I know nothing of carin' fer a dibbun,...just went through a friend dyeing and now this, not that I knew the rat maid but still...little depressing."

Fleur yawns and decides to fall asleep in the otter’s arms, she is tired.

Feisty sighs. "Dying on a road, with no friends or family in sight. Is nae a nice way tae go."

Cosmo nods, he looks at the ratmiad and clears his throat "I'll...take care of the rat maid, find a nice place in the woods."

Kerr sighs "well, I sure feel sorry for that dibbun...

Pike listens, "Think she was..tryin' ta..get out some..don't know" his voice is sad, "I will keep me promise and..care fer de dibbun..just, makes me miss me friend even more."

Kerr says, "well, you shod bring her back to Redwall..."

Feisty shrugs. "At least she'll grow up in a braw nice home...Cannae think o' anywhere better tae live in than Redwall."

Pike wipes his eyes, he looks at the sleeping dibbun and sighs, "I don’t like..seeing death, missed when...someone else died and should of been thar fer that, but he died in his sleep. guess"

Kerr says, "hm..."

Feisty looks at Pike and laughs grimly. "Well, when it's NAE in yer sleep, ye'd probably rather miss it...Ah've seen enough death firsthand, right in front o' me eyes...Believe me, ye wouldn't want tae be there."

Cosmo comes back from the woods, slightly dirty now, he dusts off his uniform and looks over at them, "who else died?"

Pike nods, he looks at Cosmo, "A friend of mine, died few days ago you probably didn’t know him...some of the others ere do."

Kerr says, "his name was Jake"

Cosmo listens, "Didn't know him, no...sorry to hear of your friend. If you’re going to go ahead and handle the dibbun I need to get back to Ferravale soon."

Pike sighs and nods slowly.

Cosmo watchs the three beasts head back to the abbey and then he himself heads back to Ferravale.