An ancient find leads to Spring Cleaning and spiders (This log is long. Sorry :P)
I came in after people started RPing, but this became kind of important looking, so I started the log from when I came in. Sorry. And sorry that there's no char list.
RW Abbey: Cavern Hole
This room is slightly smaller than Great Hall, but still of a size large enough to accomodate a great number of gathered beasts. A large fireplace is set into one of the walls, and there are a series of small tables and chairs near one end for beasts who are eating late, or simply prefer the smaller tables for their meals. Cushions and blankets have been set in one corner. A short flight of steps leads up to Great Hall, and along the walls of the stairs, going both ways, the word 'Redwall' has been carved into the stone.
DoraRose comes in from Great Hall, reading in a rather large book while she walks down the stairs and managing to not trip, fall, or bump into
Krystal smiles and nods "Yes and..still want to learn to read also.." She frowns again as the room gets a little full but stays where she is , well least for now.
Flicktail says, "I did not learn till I was quite older, and Benar elpped me too"
Benar places a paw on Flicktail's nose, "Leave that subject for now, no need to tell every beast in the room," he murmurs quietly then anything. She slowly crosses over to an alcove and sits down, completly absorbed in her book.
turns, "Dora Rose, anything interesting?"
Zork enters the room from way of the Great Hall, he looks at all the gathered beasts, he then moves over to Benar, but waits to get his attention.
Krystal frowns as when attention is no longer drawn to her she slowly slips from her chair and makes her way to the doorway...way too many beasts to her likeing and then a group of talking novices, about 3 enter the room and its decided, yeah thats enough and once she has a clear path for quickly makes for the stairs and disappears.
DoraRose takes about a full minute to realize somebeast had said her name. "Wah??" She suddenly says, looking up and blankly looking around. "I'm sorry, what?"
Flicktail blink blinks at the nose touch and smiles, thinking that's the first time the Squirrel did that "As you Say Benar...DORA ROSE..how areya lass...um...I got put on Kitchen duty fer fightin" he winks his eyes filled with mirth
Benar watches Krystal leave in concern then smiles softly at Flicktail, "Well it seemed fitting to me"
Lacota hmms. He'll find Krystal later. For now, instead, he finds a chair and seats himself.
Zork makes his way closer to Benar, carefully and stops beside him, "Ello..Benar I were..wantin' ta mention sumthing, ta..well was gonna talk ta Lorimis but he seems busy or..took de day off err sumthing, maybe I could tell ya instead?"
Benar turns to Zork and smiles, "Ah Zork you said you wanted to talk to me." he looks around, "Why don't we go out to the forge or up to my office and you can talk to me there."
DoraRose blinks a little, then closes her book and approaches the group. "Um, I'm sorry for you...?" she says, still kind of in the book she was reading, which is about 3 inches thick with a red cover.
Flicktail Shrugs "Me paws needed a good wash anyways, you seem in a Good mood Benar." "Hi there Zork....." he then turns to DoraRose "I said hello to you Dora Rose...I have not seen you and you know how your one o my favorite beasts
Zork nods, "Err,,maybe your office, it will take me a little while ta get thar but tis better than goin' out in de snow"
Benar asks, "Ok Zork, let's go," he turns and starts toward the stairs but peers at Dora's book, "Which one is that?""
DoraRose syas, "Oh, right" as she blushes, then holds out the book to the squirrel. "I found it in the gatehouse on top of a rafter. It's the histories of the Abbey champions and how they raised their children. I'm hoping it will help me with LilyMoore."
Benar says, "Ah well that sounds interesting," he grins gently, "Leave it on my desk when you are done, come along Zork""
Lacota says, "I should like to read that as well, DoraRose... Does it mention Matthias and Mattimeo?"
Flicktail cocks his head his eyes widening "Abbey CHAMPIONS?" really" his eyes grow wide
Zork nods and goes to follow.
DoraRose nods, grinning. "Yeah, really. It's actually quite interesting. And yes, Matthias is the first mentioned, and then Mattimeo is the second chapter. It's all quite fascinating."
Flicktail creeps closer "you think...think *I* might be in there one day?
DoraRose shrugs. "Well, probably not this particular one. It's completely full from the first page to the last. But you'll probably be in the second edition," She adds, not wanting him to feel sad.
Flicktail asks, "there is a second edition?" he smiles"
Lacota asks, "Is there any indication who may have written it? I would wager one of our long dead Recorders, eh? I believe there was a time, long ago, when the Recorder lived in the Gatehouse."
DoraRose answers the Abbey Champion first. "Um, not yet, but I'm sure that once the right beasts see this book, there will be, don't worry." She then looks in the front of the book, then shakes her head. "There's a name here, but I can't quite make it out. Give me a moment..."
Flicktail moves over to look at the name on the book
Lacota leans forward, his interest peaked.
Flicktail gasps
DoraRose peers more closely at the book. "Q...U...E...L...T....Quelt. Who's Recorder Quelt?" She looks up and around, abviously not understanding the importance of her find.
Flicktail says, "Don't look at me, i can barely read let alone knwo whoe every abbey beast was"
The gentle click, click of a walking stick on the stairs intrudes on the bubbling noise of the Cavern Hole as someone walks down the steps. "Recorder Quelt did you say?" the abbot says softly
Flicktail Gasps..."it's it's...The Abbot!
Leon walks into the room and goes to sit down after a quiet greeting"Hello all"
Lacota asks, "Old Quelt? I recall the name, barely. I've seen some of his records in the Library. Those are many seasons old, before even the Great Earthquake, 80 seasons back."
Lorimis says, "Quelt was the recorder a very long time back, when the otter Queen grew up in Redwall.""
Flicktail asks, "We has an OTTER QUEEN? wow"
Lorimis says, "No... we do not Flicktail." he moves over to a chair and slowly sits down gently in a chair and sighs, "There is an island out at sea that does. I am sure DoraRose can tell you more about it.""
Leon looks over curious and sees Lorimis, "Hello Abbot Lorimis, how are you today?"
Lacota crosses his arms. "Well, Mister Flicktail, I see you haven't read up on the history of this Abbey. I spend a great deal of time in the Library brushing up on history, when not busy with my duties. It's one way I like to relax.
Leon says, "Sister Zinnia could help with learning abbey History, she is in the library a lot, think more than her own room at times."
Flicktail says, "Yea but you didn't have ta learn ta read first"
DoraRose waves to her husband. "Leon, you've got to come see this. It's a book about the old Abbey Champions and how they raised their children. I found it in the gatehouse while I was cleaning this morning."
Lorimis smiles at Leon and waves his walking stick at him, "I am fine Leon, no fussing over me," he sniffs and his whiskers twitch before he settles down. He then listens to Lacota and Flicktail and laughs softly, "He has you there Lacota." he perks his ears, "Ooooh I thought we lost that book in the earthquake, however did it end up there."
Leon smiles at Dorarose "Hmms...thats odd, you know we still need to do some cleaning, I know Sister Zinnia has been cleaning the library some." He glances at Lorimis and frowns a little but says nothing for the time being, any other beast he be getting up to walk over to them.
Lacota says, "That is a good question. From my own observation, the Library is still in shambles from the Earthquake, and that was over 48 seasons ago... Well before most of us were even born. It's time to finally fix it up."
Flicktail gets up and collects the dishes "Well all I got pout on kitchen duty for fightin' and takin' a pie...so I 'ave to get back to washin' dishes"
Lorimis says, "Well we finished the bell towers, I guess the library should be our next big goal.""
DoraRose waves a paw and kisses her husband on the cheek. "It can wait until tomorrow. Maybe I can make Lily help me...she poured snow on a little molemaid during snacktime in Abbeyschool, and I've been trying to think of a good punishment. What do you think?" She closes the huge tome and hugs it to her chest.
Leon smiles "I know some repairs of books have been done, so some work has been done already.." He smiles to Dorarose "I am unsure dear, that's not too bad a thing to do really, least she didn't sneak out of class"
Lacota nods. "A stellar idea, Lorimis. I also thini it'd be a great idea to conduct a big spring cleaning of the entire abbey along with the Library. Top to bottom, air out the attics and upper floor, clear the crowded cellar, sweep out all the unused room, and clean the dusty rafters of Great Hall... What do you think?
Leon frowns at the idea of the rafters, he for SURE is not going up there, "Sparrows can clean up....ummm high"
Lorimis says, "It is certainly an idea, the abbey could do with a cleaning." he smiles softly and settles back happily in his chair and sighs"
Lacota says, "Agreed. The Great Hall especially feels rather musty of late. The whole Abbey, in fact. It'll be nice to banish the dust and cobwebs.""
DoraRose nods. "Well, yes, but she usually does sneak out of class..." She turns to the Abbot eagerly. "And we might find countless old books and fill up the library! I'll focus on the gatehouse and loft. I'm sure Caleb will help, and I can make Lily help, too."
Lorimis says, "I will sit down with you Lacota and the other Elders and we'll draw up a plan." he smiles warmly then perks up, "Oh that reminds me Lacota, Zork is retiring as full time blacksmith and I am appointing him as an Elder to join yourself, Leon, Oz and Benar on the Elder council."
Lacota nods again. "I am not surprised to hear he's retiring. I am glad to hear he's taking it easy now, though."
DoraRose is smiling with the idea of something useful to do that doesn't include fighting and war and defending the Abbey..well, maybe it is being defended. From being dirty! She looks down at the ancient tome in her paw and gently strokes its cover.
Lorimis smiles softly, "I am glad as well, I know it was a hard decision for him. He wouldn't come to me about it and only told Benar." he shuffles back deeper into his chair and sighs happily, "It will be nice to see the abbey cleaned properly."
Emyuil sits down next to DoraRose. "Watcha got there?" he asks her quietly, referring to the old book she's holding...although 'ancient tome' sounds much cooler than 'old book'.
Lacota taps his fingers on the arm of his chair. "That's what I thought, too. I decided to bring it up after nearly choking to death in the Attic... Of course, I exaggerate, but you get my point."
Lorimis says, "The attic... oh seasons I do not think I can remember the last time I went up there...."
DoraRose whispers to her brother, "A book about some of the old Abbey champions and how they raised their children. I found it on a rafter in the gatehouse. It's written by somebeast called Recorder Quelt. It's older than anybeast alive today." She then glances at the other 2 beasts. "Just....don't get bit by a spider...please. Okay?"
Emyuil nods. "I assume they were raised as warriors," he says. He offers a cursory glance to the others in the room then returns his attention to his sister. "So it was just lying around?"
Lorimis turns to look at DoraRose and smiles hapily, "Can I see the book?" he holds out his hands, "I'd like to see them"
Lacota says, "I dislike spiders, so I give them a wide berth, anyway."
DoraRose hesitates. "Well, it wasn't exactly laying around. "I found it on top of a rafter in the gatehouse. It had about 2 inches of dust on it. I was cleaning and found it this morning. It's incredibly interesting." She smiles and hands it to the Abbot. A dark pink ribbon marks where she stopped reading. She nods to the Friar. "I'm just hesitant to have anybeast go up there because...of what happened to...um...um, Leon." She seems still very uncomfortable talking about his brush with death, but she doesn't look very sad about it.
Lorimis says, "Yes... no going into the rafters, if you need to do so ask ForeMole, he can build proper ladders""
Emyuil pfffts. "Pah. Ladders are a sign of weakness," he says, totally deadpan, his eyes shining a little bit.
DoraRose straightens herself with mock superiority. "I used a ladder to clean the rafters in the gatehouse, and I'm probably stronger than you are. I've been doing pushups and chin-ups to keep up my strength." Turning to the Abbot, she adds, "I meant the attics. That's where the spiders are, most likely."
Lorimis says, "Oh... yes well those spiders are... I suggest no one goes up there until Benar says we can. He's the Groundskeeper so probably best suited to dealing with poisonous spiders""
Emyuil shrugs. "What's there to deal with? You just hit 'em with a hammer."
Lorimis says, "No... they are living creatures, we do not kill wantonly just because they are an inconvinience," he gives Emyuil a look over the rim of his glasses, "They are to be relocated someplace safe away from the abbey.""
"So they can poison some other beast somewhere else?" Emyuil growls, a flash of anger showing itself like a coin flashing by in the current of a river. "There's only one way to make sure that nobeast can ever be hurt again by something dangerous, and that's to destroy it."
DoraRose makes an exasperated gesture. "Why in the world would you try to squish a spider with a hammer, anyway? It's a BUG, and easily squishable with, y'know, YOUR FOOT!" She rolls her eyes, then covers them with a paw.
Lacota asks, "Master Emyuil, I would ask that you kindly not lose your temper in the Abbey, please?"
Lorimis stares into Emyuil's eyes, a dam of calm against the rage in his eyes, Lorimis just smiles softly, "That is not Redwall's philosophy and never shall be. They are living creatures, they deserve to go on living even if it is inconvinent. They will be taken someplace and cared for or contained where they can do no harm to abbey or any other." he spreads his arms, "They live, therefore we should care for them and make sure they are safe and that we are safe."
Emyuil gives Lacota a warning glower, before returning his attention to Lorimis, his black eyes practically sparking with fury. "So, by your logic, a murderer--unrepentant--with countless innocent beasts' blood on their paws, somebeast like STORMFEATHER," he snarls, "should be allowed to walk free and even taken in and cared for? No. For such as those, there is only death. Same for the spiders. They live only to kill and consume, knowing no pity for those lives they may end or disrupt." As an aside to DoraRose, he mutters, "What if they bite you, then?"
DoraRose sighs, shrugs, and stands. "Well, okay, you could at least use a box. But still. You could destroy stuff trying to kill a spider with a hammer. Our sister did that once. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get my daughter from Abbeyschool and see what innapropriate act she's done today. Gentlebeasts..." and she leaves, taking the ancient tome (which has become her new best paper friend) with her.
Thanks for reading!
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