A Story In The Great Hall, And A Chat

--This Happen in the Great Hall---

Zork has left the infirm, then this could be good or bad but right now it’s fine. Maybe they thought he be a little more stressed in the infirm too long so he is slowly wheeling into the great hall from way of the entry.

Pearl is sitting in one of the chairs near the fire eating some candied chestnuts. She sees Zork enter and her face lights up. "Hello there," She says getting up, " Do you need some help with that?"

Zork looks up and smiles "I am fine, been in de chair long enough and I did make it me self." He wheels the rest of the way into the room, "They thought I should be away from de infirm little while"

"The fresh air is good for you, and worrying too much can only hurt," Pearl said "Want some?" She added offering him some chestnuts. "I have not had candied chestnuts since I was a little."

Zork shakes his head, "Naa, I usually don't eat those. And I know, can cause stress which I don't need, sides the trouble that was goin' on been taken care of from wot I heard, so less stress now"

"I understand, my grandmother didn't really like them either, she said they hurt her teeth," Pearl says and then after a moment’s hesitation she asks "What happened between you and... and the vermin that hurt your daughter?"

Zork frowns, "Ya mean Longfang? Not so much with him, but he were thar at de time. Deals more with de one he calls Master, or this fox named Bora."

Pearl nods politely probing for more with an interested look on her face.

Zork sighs, "Tis was..seasons ago when I lived in de northlands, before I came here ta live with me brother, whom maybe ya meet..but he has left a season before this, thar were this group of vermin who attacked me friends up thar, they were led by the fox Argo at the time"

Pearl asks, "How did they find you down here?"

Zork frowns "I don't know..maybe will ask me Uncle Zee, maybe it just took this long fer revenge. Longfang I think be Bora's like 2nd in command now, Bora took over sometime after his father Argo died in battle, but Bora was like 2-3 seasons at de time."

Pearl nods and takes a moment to think then she says "But If Longfang is locked up doesn’t that mean that Bora is still out there?"

Flicktail walks in with his summer cloak and hands it to a novice to hang up "Hello every beast”

Pearl's eyes widen and she is a bit startled to see a fox walk through the door, but Zork does not seem to surprised so she collects herself and says "Hi to you too,"

Zork nods "Somewhere, hopefully still north. That fox hates me family and seems to have vowed revenge on something seasons ago." Yeah he still remembers, " Me and his father were fighting and we ended up on this overhang, but de overhang was made of ice found out later..too late later. We were both injured and the fighting weakens de ice, it cracked and..well crumbled, I barely got to a safe area. Argo fell ta his death...so Bora blames me fer his father's death."

Flicktail blinks "well I have come in on happier conversations....um..who is this nice mouse? “

"I'm Pearl," She says with a little curtsy

Zork says, "Longfang took Bora in, ran off with him and thought it were de end of it, no ever heard a word from them, well till now..." He looks up at Flicky, "Hey ya Flicky, and not ta worry Pearl..unlike Bora, Flicky be good."

Flicktail says, "Aye I be good, but whT is this about a missing beast? Is my help needed?"

Zork says, "No one be missing Flicktail, not ta worry"

Pearl asks, "How about something a bit happier, anyone up for a bit to eat? I can bring something up from the kitchen."

Flicktail says, "Well me meeting this LOVELY Mouse maiden is happier and I am a bit peckish Zork"

Zork grins, "Well depends on if thar is any snacks ready or not."

Pearl giggles at the compliment.

Flicktail smiles and offers his paw to Pearl

Pearl takes it and smiles, this fox really is one of the good ones.

Zork says, "Flicktail is the champion of Redwall Abbey by de way"

Flicktail's paw is silken soft and warm "well I sure hope so .Just like Zork is a good beast , he be me best friend”

Zork says, "Well one of ya best friends anyways"

Pearl laughs again and says "well, Nice to meet you, oh and I was just down in the kitchen I saw a tray of scones cooling if you like those,"

Flicktail asks, "Did someone say SCONES?"

Zork smiles "Sounds good, just make sure de friar is ok with it first"

"Alright I'll be right back," She said turning and scurrying down to the kitchen.

Flicktail says, "so Pearl, that’s a very appropriate name. A precious pretty object"

Zork watches the mouse maid head off and leans back in his chair, moving it so it leans back some and smiles as he relaxes.

Pearl returned a moment later with a tray full of scones a jar of honey and some damson and blackberry jam. she places the tray on a table and sits down in an adjacent chair.

Flicktail asks, "what a wonderful gel Zork, where did ya find her?"

Zork says, "She been here past couple days." He is quiet and then goes on "She helped when Zinnia was hurt."

Flicktail takes a scone and offers it to Pearl "Thank you for helping m friend when she were hurt “

Pearl takes the scone and covers it with honey "Thanks, it was no problem at all,"

Zork smiles as he gets a scone, "I think ya helped her stay calm and Leon couldn't do everything by himself in de infirm at de time, he needed ya help"

Flicktail takes a scone "I must go check on Rayen. Zork please tell Pearl that my mate is a good fox too" He heads to his cottage

"I can help out more if it is needed, I know a thing or two about medicine," The then waves goodbye to Flicktail as he leaves.

Zork chuckles "I think ya just told her Rayen is good too." He nods to Pearl " I am sure Leon will like de help, hope Rayen be doing ok"

Pearl asks, ""is there a reason she shouldn’t be doing ok?""

Zork says, "Flicktail is..worried fer his mate is with dibbun and tis to be born soon, so he most likely over worried and it be their first child as well"

"Ahhh, I see," Pearl said nodding, "I am happy for them, I have a handful of younger brothers and sisters back home so I know what it's like"

Zork nods "Raising a dibbun be hard at times, even adopted ones. I adopted Zinnia when she was 4 seasons old."

"4 seasons, try watching 4 little ones at once, one only a season and the others no older than 3 1/2 seasons," She says laughing "But then I did have help... sometimes,"

Zork grins, "Ya need ta need Ozzy,...try like 20 or more dibbuns ages 1-4 seasons, and a couple 5 season old ones, and think thar be a couple less than a season as well."

Zork says, "Ozzy is de dibbun care taker of de abbey"

Pearl laughs and covers her mouth with a sticky paw. "Well looks like I'll be helping out up there as well as in the infirmary,"

Zork shrugs "Maybe...Ozzy does a good job, some have called him crazy and brave fer it."

Pearl says, "Well I'll need to stop by and introduce myself to him, I like crazy"

Zork chuckles "I remember when Ozzy was in de infirm, Brother Leon were a novice then...he wouldn't let the dibbuns in, so they tied him up in a bed sheet and poured syrup and feathers all over him, it was funny" He chuckles loudly and then starts coughing and takes a couple deep breaths, "I..should go rest in me room, talk later Pearl"