A Surprise Filled Afternoon
- This happen Wedesday early afternoon, I had to edit it some and then repost it as the other post got messed up, anyways enjoy :) ***
RW Abbey: Firepit
This is a small strip of land between the pond and the orchards which is bordered on one side by a portion of the Abbey's southern wall. This particular section, while well built and sturdy, is obviously much, much newer than the sections to either side of it. The ground is clear of almost all grass and weeds, and is somewhat uneven, still bearing deep ruts and impressions that have not yet been worn away by the rain. The center of this area contains a large firepit lined with flagstones and encircled with log benches.
Exits: [H]idden [G]ap under Wall, [O]rchards, [P]ath to Abbey Pond
Leon is trying to get some time alone to simply look over some notes on supplies, he did take a couple weeks off and the next week he didn’t do too much so now he catches up, checking off items they have and maybe are low on.
Thorn has wandered over to the fire pit and sits down beside Leon and watches him write quietly.
Ryker walks along the ground, he has been following the rat dibbun since breakfast, not making it clear he is of course but from a small distance and since no one else but that healer mouse is a round he walks over slowly, having yet to speak.
Leon looks up and sighs, but offers a smile "Hello Thorn how are you today, doing well? I was checking supplies the infirm is very well stocked on all items, we are low on nothing and that’s good."
Thorn smiles "That is good." She has yet to notice Ryker.
Ryker rolls his eyes "Yes all is so good when well stocked lass" He walks closer to the two, "So all the others inside the building or maybe getting ready for...” He hears the bell ring and chuckles "I see its lunch time, perfect timing"
Thorn frowns, now she notices Ryker and looks at him, she sits closer to Leon, "Brother Leon can we please head to lunch now?" She doesn't take her eyes off Ryker the whole time she talks.
Ryker keeps an eye on the two beasts and looks at Thorn "Whatever is the matter lass, you seem so worried about me"
Thorn frowns, after listening to the voice some more she seems a little worried now, "Wait..I HAVE heard that voice but they were always in a hooded cloak, but you don’t have a cloak"
Leon lays a paw on Thorn's shoulder as he gets a better look at the ferret, "Wait, you were at that camp with my father, the one in the woods but you didn’t talk much and I only saw you a couple times but I recognize your voice, you work for Ebony don't you and if you do then why are you in the abbey?"
Thorn frowns, it would seem her slight fear of the ferret has become more so now as she stays even closer to Leon.
Ryker looks around, good no beast around as he smirks "What of it? And as for a reason I am here that will soon be known. Your guards are not so great are they, course I was not in my cloak or even the same outfit and I willingly gave up my weapons, course some I keep at my little campsite not too far from the abbey and I am not foolish enough to dare bring any others with me, that would be foolish of me now wouldn’t it." He chuckles dryly "Just a little kindness and smiling, oh and saying I don’t mean anyone harm, that was correct for the most part"
Leon stands and motions Thorn to stand as well as they both go to back up towards the wall, " Beasts won’t be in lunch too long and it’s not like you can do much in the abbey and if you do manage you won’t get too far afterwards, it’s a fair distance to the main gate seeing as others are usually keep locked and only certain beasts have the keys to the other gates, so that means the main gate is your only way back out right now"
Thorn stands slowly when she is told to and frowns, seems only her and Leon are outside right now every other beast has gone inside for lunch and that’s just barely started, "Go away" She says softly, she is not usually one to be brave a lot, rare times she is and this is not going to be one of those rare times.
Ryker chuckles as he watches them "I don't need much time, besides this place won’t do anything if one has a hostage, life is so valuable to these abbey beasts, it’s sickening in a way but a help at the same time you see and you don’t need a blade or such to kill, one's own paws can also do the same thing..trust me" He steps closer to the two " So do we take a little walk Thorn dear, your friend can come along as well, not sure he will travel all that far with us but we shall see"
Leon clears his throat "I do not think anyone will go anywhere, but you sir ferret. It would be wise to leave and not decide to do whatever it is you had planned, trust me it wouldn’t end well for you, even if it took a few days to not end well."
Thorn manages a small glare at Ryker, "I am not going back to my mother, all she wants to do is make me join your stupid group and I don’t want to join your stupid group. I am an abbey beast and I am proud to be an abbey beast now. so yeah...leave Ryker before someone notices us not at the lunch"
Ryker shakes his head "Well see, there has been a change of plans for all that dear one. Ebony could care less about you now and has even said I could dispose of you, but I am not about to in this abbey, outside different story now in order for me to not harm friends or anyone. I need you to simply say we are going on a short walk, it’s just what you won’t tell them is you won’t be back"
Leon looks up, great no one on the wall top yet and he sighs, he backs up and edges along the wall a little at a time, making sure to keep a paw on Thorns shoulder and guild her along as well, slowly till they can get a better chance to move faster weather its towards the pond or the orchards, either would be good right now.
Ryker narrows his eyes as he watches them going along the wall, "If your trying to find a way to bolt, that would be unwise and may end up a bad idea or a painful idea, I do still have some of my darts, they are small and fit in a hidden pocket in my vest." He grins "Clever huh? See I am far from being a fool and it’s how I have g got bye for so long, they look for weapons and such, not hidden pockets and all that"
Thorn frowns again but stays close to Leon, "Why doesn’t she just leave me alone" She frowns at an idea "If I go with you will you leave all my friends alone ?"
Leon blinks "Thorn, you’re not going with the ferret, his kind tend to lie on whatever he is about to say, least most of the time they tend to lie"
Ryker just smirks "He has a point, I am not one to keep most promises, but I was told to only harm those that got in my way, so that’s the key then don’t get in my way and you won’t be harmed." He looks at Leon and back to Thorn, "Maybe we can talk your mother into letting you stay alive to join us after all, you have spunk and I happen to like spunk, it leads to great things if tended to the right way
Thorn frowns, she looks to Leon "Maybe I should just go with him, then he maybe won’t harm anyone"
Leon frowns and places a paw around Thorn pulling her closer as he and she press closer to the wall "That’s a bad idea."
Ryker watches them "What’s a bad idea is I time is getting less and less" He knows beasts won’t be at lunch too much longer he has to act now, "Enough of this." He goes to lunge forwards to grab Thorn.
Thorn frowns and panics a little, in this panic she finds what appears to be a very muddy area by the wall, turns out its more than a muddy sinked in area..talk about placing ones footpaw in just the right spot, this causes more panic as she grabs ahold of the closest thing to her, Leon as she falls backwards.
Unfortunately for the ferret, not every beast is indoors. A lone squirrel with a walking staff just so happened to be taking a little stroll to unwind. His attention is immediately captured by voices nearby. "Hello there!" He raises a paw. ” I didn't think I'd find anybeast out here, especially on a chilly day such as this..." He pulls his cloak tighter around himself. Sadly, he can't exactly see what is going on.
Leon is not one for fighting but can move Thorn out of the way and hopefully the ferret slams his head into the wall, He urrks as Thorn grabs him and pulls him downwards, wait downwards? Luckly whatever it is , is not too far down, or so it seems it isn’t too far down, but the opening probably isn’t big enough for the ferret, or least he hopes it isn’t as he coughs some.
Ryker now growls , he barely misses hitting the wall and the gap, he spins around as he hears Lacota, "Oh lovely the stupid squirrel" He cusses loudly.
Thorn dusts off dirt and looks around, small or seems small and dark and close in she whimpers and starts crying.
Leon groans, he blinks and looks up at the small bit of sunlight coming in and stands, he holds his wrist and mutters something, "What is this place....owww my wrist hurts"
Lacota may be half blind, but he is most certainly not deaf. He hears the ferret's words quite fine. "STUPID SQUIRREL? STUPID SQUIRREL? HOW DARE YOU INSULT ME, YOU IMBECILE. I've half a mind to have you thrown out of Redwall THIS INSTANT." He comes closer, staff raised, ready to beat the offending ferret over the head. "Too bad for you I can hear right where you are, idiot. And you watch your tongue! There'll be no cursing in this Abbey if I have anything to say about it!"
Ryker growls low, he looks where the small gap is and kicks dirt over it and smirks, "Leave the abbey? I can handle a half blind beast should be easy" He steps away from the partway covered gap now, "May not be as easy as dealing with your friends."
Thorn is in the hidden, tower sort of thing and can sort of make out voices as she whimpers more and curls up into a ball sort of form and starts shaking, "I don’t like it here I don’t like it here" She starts to try and move a little as she gets a little more tense and bout falls down some old stairs and screams and quickly backs up probably bumping into Leon as she shivers badly now, and dirt falling on her head and the fact it’s a little darker is far from helping her.
Leon oofs as he is bumped and frowns "Thorn calm down, it’s going to be alright just try to relax till we find out what this is." He tries to look upwards at some light still judging it to maybe be a little under 20-50 feet maybe they went down. He isn’t sure it could be a lot more and he hates heights or does this count. "Can't climb out don’t think and my wrist was hurt in the fall down here, where ever here is."
Lacota shakes his head. "Will vermin never learn? You're going to attack me, hmm? With what weapons? If you got this far into Redwall, you are quite disarmed at the moment." He frowns. "There were two other beasts here a moment ago... Where are they?" The squirrel keeps his heavy staff raised. "I also don't suggest you make the mistake of underestimating me. I *can* defend myself if necessary."
Ryker chuckles as he walks closer, "As I told the other two, one don’t need weapons to harm a beast" He sees this as an easy task, take care of the squirrel and quickly leave, he could care less what happen to the mouse and dibbun.
Thorn is far from calming down and shivers as she closes her eyes pretending she is elsewhere and not here.
Leon sits down beside Thorn and sighs, "Someone will notice we missed lunch, or least by dinner time as think we may miss that as well"
Lacota doesn't move. Instead, he listens intently. "You don't need weapons, hmm? Is that so?" The squirrel certainly looks to be easy to subdue alright. But looks can be deceiving. "I don't suggest you take another step closer, sir. I know what you're thinking. Blind squirrel, easy kill. But you forget, just because I can't see doesn't mean I'm deaf. I know where you're standing."
Ryker remains calm. he assumes the squirrel is just trying to make a bluff "Oh..how interesting" He gets right beside Lacota and goes to reach for something hidden in his vest, a hidden pocket inside the vest.
Thorn presses closer to Leon and shivers still a little, she is still very afraid being down here and gulps a little, she keeps her eyes closed for now.
Leon sighs, he tries to calm Thorn by patting her on the shoulder and looks up again, he tries to make out any tree roots or anything, or just make out what’s under here as his eyes adjust to the dark a little now.
"You made a mistake, sir." Lacota immediately turns and brings the hard knob at the top of his staff crashing into whatever part of Ryker's body is within reach, hoping it to be his skull. "I could hear your breathing next to me. When one cannot see, the other senses become much more acute..."
Ryker is not hit in the head, he is hit very hard in the shoulder blade as he lets out a scream of pain and stumbles backwards letting out a couple choice words that would make dibbuns cry. He holds his shoulder and narrows his eyes at the squirrel"How..DARE you!"
Thorn ears go back as she heard part of the scream and buries her face in Leon's tunic now and shivers more, and just when she was calming down some.
Leon frowns as he looks up again, and looks back to Thorn "Its ok, if it’s the ferret he can't get down here" Least he doesn't think he can anyways.
Lacota keeps his staff raised. "Shall I demonstrate further? I am not a helpless old fool. Sure I can't see, but I can hear you, I can tell where you are. You can't slip up on me unaware, I can hear your breathing. I'm as spry as a youth, and I can keep whacking you all day if you so desire."
Ryker growls low and glares at the squirrel, "Your pay for that, one way or another woodlander."
Thorn has gotten quiet, seems she has fallen asleep beside Leon, where ever they are it seems safe enough as long as you know where some old stairs are.
Leon tries to hear and at the same time look around, he glances at Thorn and checks her to make sure she is ok . He can see the stairs faintly in the dark and looks around for any sign of a way to get some light down here, he checks his pants pocket hoping some flint is still there and smiles when it is, now he just needs something to make a torch out of or just something that will stay lit but not like burn totally.
Lacota sighs. "Yes, yes, I've heard that a thousand times... Now begone from the Abbey. Now! Leave peaceably, or I'll have several armed guards escort you out." He waves his staff threateningly. "I warn you to watch out around here..."
Ryker looks ready to kick the squirrel but decides to not, "I will leave, but mark my words I will be back. They let me in once and will again as long as I don’t have any visible weapons and long as I..act sickenly sweet and kind and smile..fools." He starts to head towards the gate slowly, but keeps an eye on the squirrel as if trying to trick him.
Thorn whimpers a little but stays asleep still.
Leon stays seated as he doesn’t want to wake Thorn yet, its better if she sleeps for now and he is a little unsure on yelling too loudly or if it would even help much.
Lacota remains where he stands, frowning. "I think not... I'll see to it personally you are never allowed in again." He then starts to call out, "HELLO? OTHER BEASTS! I'M AFRAID I DIDN'T SEE WHO YOU ARE, BUT CAN YOU HEAR ME? ARE YOU NEARBY?"
Ryker chuckles as it it’s funny "You can't ID me..fool!" He holds his shoulder, its out of place and the shoulder blade cracked most likely as moving caused a jolt of pain and a couple more cuss words.
Thorn opens her eyes a little and closes them again.
Leon gently moves Thorn just a little "Lacota?" He says as he looks around for a way up and there is none and the hole was half covered by the ferret, sort of a muddy sinked in area, most likely caused by a lot of rain the night before.
Lacota sighs, shaking his head. He yells for a guard or two to remove the ferret. "Perhaps not, sir... But I heard your voice." He then yells again, "CAN THE TWO BEASTS WHO WERE NEARBY HEAR ME? HELLO? WHERE ARE YOU?" He can barely hear a voice... somewhere. It's quite faint.
Ryker goes to suddenly rush the squirrel and then starts kicking and screaming as the two strong guards take him away "Release me! Release me your pay..YOUR PAY!" The guards take him to the entry and force him to go outside as he glares at the two guards and storms off down the road, he will be back and that’s a fact.
Thorn opens her eyes and frowns "What’s going on?"
Leon frowns, "Just stay calm and don’t move too far, there is some stairs down here" He stands and rubs his wrist examining it and going to move it and tenses up some, "Great" he mutters and glances up “We need some help but careful help"
Lacota keeps wandering closer to the wall, yelling loudly, "IF YOU BEASTS ARE STILL NEAR, MAKE SOME NOISE... I KNOW YOU CANNOT HAVE GOTTEN FAR!"
Thorn frowns, she stands and decides to speak "Friar Lacota don't go too close to the wall!" He voice can be loud when she needs it to be.
Leon looks up and then around for anything to throw upwards or just something to show where they are. he finds nothing that would work well, least it’s his left wrist and not his right that’s injured.
Lacota stops short. "THORN? IS THAT YOU? WHERE ARE YOU? CAN YOU TELL ME?" The Friar gets down on the ground, feeling around carefully. "ARE YOU IN A HOLE?"
Thorn frowns"I don't know! The ground was real muddy and we fell..somewhere!"
Leon walks around curious of the area, old stairs and a couple are missing and the area looks like some old brick, "Odd." He says not going to far from Thorn "It’s pretty big area down here"
Lacota frowns, still feeling the ground. He yells for a guard to help. Yelling down, he replies, "Thorn, who is with you? Also, be careful! I think I know where you are. It is very dangerous."
Thorn whimpers at the word dangerous, this causes the panic to start again.
Leon frowns "Calm yourself just sit down and stay where you are." He calls up "Lacota!" He frowns he can tell somewhat of the danger down here wandering just how old this is.
Lacota and the guard feel along the wall base. "Leon! Can you guess how far down you are? I know where you are, I read about it in the Library... It's an old castle... Can you see any openings in the wall?"
Thorn sits close by and just lets them talk, too afraid to move too much.
Leon looks around "Just the one that’s slightly covered up again! He hmmms "20 feet maybe..more. don’t know and no way to climb out either!"
Lacota frowns. "I'll send somebeast to get some rope, just sit tight!"
Thorn frowns as she dislikes it here, she is still awake just quiet and lying down again.
Leon nods "Alright!" He looks over at Thorn "I think we will be out soon, someone will just have to fill this hole in, guess the moles can and mention it to Lorimis and Benar"
A mole eventually arrives with some rope, as Lacota and the guard dig frantically in the mud and dirt, trying to find the hole. "Lorimis and Benar already know, Leon," he calls down, "It is usually a guarded secret."
Thorn looks up, she tries to stay calm as panicking twice she has worn herself out.
Leon exclaims, "I guess where the wall was being fixed and all the rain last night caused a small hole, needs filled in after this!" He looks around, still curious but right now wanting to just get out of here. He is also glad he and Thorn were not hurt badly."
Lacota and the guard are assisted by the mole, and soon the hole is visible again, shining light down into the dank pit. "Can you see the hole?"
Thorn blinks at the light and stays close to Leon, "Yeah!" She calls up.
Leon answers, "Yes" He walks over so he is more under the hole, sort of " We stayed fairly close to where we fell in, wasn’t sure what is here or not here"
Lacota pokes his head over the edge. "Hang on, then. We're lowering the rope now." He moves out of sight, and moments later a rope is dropped into the hole.
Thorn watches as the rope is now down and walks over, she looks at Leon as if unsure who should go up first.
Leon offers a smile "You go first Thorn" He will wait on her to go as he tests the rope a couple feet and grumbles at his wrist, he nods to Thorn to go ahead and climb out first.
Thorn nods and goes to climb up the rope, at first rather quickly and then a little slower till she is up and out.
The guard, an otter, reaches down to help pull Thorn out as she reaches the top. The rope itself has been tied around a tree trunk.
Leon takes a deep breath and goes to climb out best he can, he slides a little down but manages to climb up. It’s clear his left wrist hurts a lot and most likely a lot more now and he is mainly holding on with his right paw best he can, he has only looked up as down may be unwise for him, even if it’s only ..well so many feet cause he has been A LOT higher than that.
Thorn smiles as she is helped out and looks very glad to be out of where ever they were.
Lacota is nearby still, trying to observe, but he can only see vague shapes and shadows. "Thorn, are you alright lass? Is Leon climbing out?"
Leon walks over after he is helped up and holds his left wrist "I am here Lacota." Some slight pain in his voice as he speaks, "The moles should fill that in some, or well cover it with something as may not be possible to fill in really but if done right can be carefully filled in"
Thorn says, "I am ok now that I am outta..t..there, I didn’t like it was too close in and dark""
Lacota nods, and hugs Thorn gently. "I'm glad you're ok, Lass." He frowns at Leon. "You're hurt, I can tell. When you're feeling better, I have something I need to discuss with you."
Leon nods as he speaks "My left wrist, think I broke it, least it’s not my right wrist and it could of easily been worse than just a broken wrist, we landed on some dirt or something down there or just lucky."
Thorn says, "I am just bruised a little on my knee, but I can walk ok"
Lacota sighs. "You are very fortunate. That tower is at least 50 to 100 feet deep, based on what I read. You aren't the first beasts to fall in by mistake."
Leon frowns at the distance mentioned, "Yeah...clearly need to cover the hole somehow, wonder how it’s not caused a lot of problems?"
Thorn frowns also "You mean we could of.." She decides not to finish that statement.
Lacota shrugs. "It has caused this wall here to collapse at least once, long ago. The account I read I read in the Library was written by Abbess Tansy, who explored the ruins below our feet around the time the wall collapsed."
Leon says, "Not so sure anyone should explore down there really, some stairs were down there but a few stairs looked missing, course since then it could of became much more unsafe than then"
Thorn says, "Why would anyone want to look down there, its spooky and it echoes sounds"
Lacota says, "Quite possibly. Though who knows what else could be down there... When Abbess Tansy was down there with her friends, they discovered a very valuable treasure of gold and jewels, hidden there long before during Martin's lifetime.""
Leon nods "Sounds interesting, I think I will go to the infirm and get my wrist tended to, will be a bit hard to tend to it myself." He heads off to the infirm holding his wrist.
Lacota nods. "Of course. Be careful, Leon."
Leon nods as he then heads to the infirm.
