Exploring Without Leaving Home

Characters: Kentar, Will, Aikuen

Location: Moledeep

Moledeep: Mole Hall

Kentar hasn't really gone outside much, the stoat seems to be staying inside all the time for some weird reason. But today, its because of Chris! His son is playing with those toys he made, and his father is sitting at a table, watching, reading a book, and chuckling every so often. Chris can talk about as good as Kluna used to be able to when Kentar and him got home. And he even seems to figure out how to make sound effects when he plays. Although, someone probably taught him how to do that.

Will walks into moledeep, he'd been at the Abbey since the evening Flicktail had come to visit the otters. The rat drops down into one of the armchairs clearly tried though he's had more than enough sleep and took his time walking back home. He doesn't say anything when he comes in though the stoats do get a glance as the rat sinks into the chair and closes his eye.

Kentar looks up to see Will, smiling and nodding. "Hey Will. Have a good trip?" He asks, the stoat setting his book aside, looking towards Chris but then back towards Will. Chris, says nothing. Nothing to the rat at least.

Will half opens his eye and looks over at the stoat. "It was good. I talked t Benar and invited him t th wedding. Told him what's been going on here and he told me what's happened at th Abbey. They got that vermin fox locked up in th bell tower. Can't keep him there though. Th elders in th order'll figure out what t do with him. They may send him t th shrews, Camp Willow or th hares at Salamandastron. I voted th hares and Benar said they'd write th mountian and t see if they'll take him or not. If not they'll see if th otters at Camp Willow want him or th GUSOM. ...."

Kentar nods. "Great...I can't..." he pauses. "Wait...Did you say they have him...captured? And they're NOT killing him?" he asks. The stoat shouted the word not. "They're idiots. Big idiots. All of them." he nods. "Glad I don't live at the abbey anymore." The stoat mutters quietly.

Will sighs, "It's th Abbey. They don't understand that feeding him and stuff isn't stuff you /have/ t do. That's why they can't keep him and are gonna send him somewhere else. Th hares at th mountian would be happy t kill him for th Abbey I'm sure as would th otters down river or th shrews. Lot of beasts would like t kill him, just not th ones in charge of Redwall."

Kentar frowns. "Heck, give him to me, I'd love to kill him. For what he's done to me." his paw feels over his eye patch before he shakes his head. "Redwallers are just way...too...peaceful. They should just kill him and be done with it." There goes his good mood.

Will frowns a bit at the stoat, "He's locked up and can't get t us anymore. ... If they had sense they'd let him starve at the least even if they do turn him over to some other beasts t kill in th end."

Kentar opens up his book again and growls slightly. "As soon as they unchain him to hand him over to whoever they do, he'll kill the guards and get away." Chris, hears what his father is saying and, of course, being a kid, gets scared. He puts his paws over his eyes and drops his toys. They don't break though

Will shrugs, "Who says they'll unchain him. I wouldn't. Anyway he's locked up for now and not loose in th woods like before and that's something at least."

Kentar shrugs. "Still." he says with a small sigh. "They should have killed him as soon as they captured him." he doesn't notice Chris's trembling and hiding behind his paws.

Will opens his eye more and sits up straighter, "Anyway he's locked up and the Abbey's dealing with it, in their own way, but they are dealing with it." He notices Chris is trying to hide himself, "It's ok Chris. The bad fox is locked up at th Abbey and can't hurt us now. It's ok." He turns back to Kentar, "He also said he saw Zen at th Abbey a few weeks ago. ..."

Kentar sighs. "Yeah, I guess." he looks towards Chris, who didn't seem to listen to Will. The stoat sighs and sets his book aside, standing and picking up Chris, who quickly hides in his father's shoulder. "Its okay, Chris. The big meanie isn't going to hurt anyone else ever again." he smiles a little as he sits back down. He blinks as he looks towards Will. "What? Really?" he smiles. "Great!"

Will nods a little tiredly, "Yeah it is." He sighs and leans back in his chair again, "... I thought that fox had got him. And now seasons later turns out he's alive and just fine. Probably didn't get caught but I still think he shouldn't have gone and should have stayed at th Abbey. He wanted to go find his uncle who we'd just seen and we told him he was on his way t th Abbey .... he's a stupid mouse."

Kentar nods a little bit and sighs. "Stupid. Yeah. Very. For a while, I sort of felt guilty for getting him killed." he says quietly before smiling slightly. "Just glad he's okay." slowly he sits back into his chair and hugs his son tightly.

Will nods, "I didn't see him at th Abbey when I was there but Benar said he'd been there a few weeks ago. .... He was probably there when we were at th eastern shore. Th only place other than th Abbey I know he might be would be his old house in th grasslands if I can remember how t get there. He may not be there though. It's been a long time. Nearly two seasons I last saw him. .... Good t know he's ok. ...." The rat closes his eye to rest a while in the armchair.

Kentar nods slowly. "Yeah. Probably." he replies quietly before closing his eye. He doesn't say much for a few moments until he looks up at Will. "Seem tired. Maybe you should go lay down for a while or something." he chuckles quietly

Will shakes his head, "I'm fine." He smiles a little, "I thought he was dead, but I was wrong. He's not dead."

Kentar smiles a little and nods. "Yeah. I'm glad. He might be stupid. But I like him. Got a good heart, even if he doesn't use it right." he chuckles.

Will blinks a bit, "Uh ok. I guess so. .... Yeah, he does. He doesn't like being called stupid. He's gotten mad at me for calling him that before. ..... I don't know why but he's my best friend, even though we didn't get along most of th time."

Kentar chuckles a little bit. "Friends sometimes don't get along. Jasper and I before I left the village just after it burned to the ground, never got along. But we were best friends. Wouldn't have wanted it different." he chuckles a little. "Not getting along sometimes just means you care a little more." he shrugs. "Always thought it did anyways."

Will nods some, "I don't know if he likes me as much as I like him but we are friends. He might not cause I've always won when we got in fights .... except one time but neither of us won that time. Of course I am bigger than him but I couldn't let him win cause he fights too well. ..... Wonder if his fur ever grew back after his arm caught fire."

Kentar nods a little bit and chuckles. "Well. Just make sure he's still your friend." he then tilts his head a little. "Arm caught fire?" he asks. "Doesn't sound...uh...very good."

"No... No it doesn't!" GASP! Who could it be? Kluner? Robin?... Chris? NO! Its Aikuen! Oh, then don't bother getting up for him. Aikuen chuckles and enters from the sleeping hall.

Will blinks not having meant to say that out loud, "It was an accident and happened seasons ago. I'm sure it's healed by now." The rat turns his head toward the sleeping hall at Aikuen's voice, "His arm was still wrapped up in bandages last I saw him. Pa was there when he .... got hurt. That wasn't a good day."

Kentar looks to Aik. "No, it doesn't." he replies with a quiet chuckle. Chris had fallen asleep against his shoulder and isn't seeming to be disturbed by the talking. "Well. Least he's fine." he nods.

Aikuen goes and plops down in his favorite chair, "Hello everybeast..." he nods to each and chuckles at Chris. He puts his footpaws on the table and yawns, "Wait a minute... Fire... Arm..." he taps his head, "...Zen?" obvious that he didn't hear it all.

Will nods, "Fox didn't get him after all. Benar saw him at th Abbey a few weeks ago. We were still at th eastern shore then. I haven't seen him since he left t go find Mayuel when we'd got back from our other trip east."

The stoat nods a little bit at Aik's -Zen?- thing although he says nothing. Slowly, Kentar stands and sets Chris down in a chair of his own so he can nap away. The stoat returns to his seat and opens up his book once more, chuckling a little.

Aikuen watches Kentar place the little one in a chair, as he answers back, "Really? So he is still alive then... I haven't seen him since that day as well..." he smiles, "Well good! Its never good, when good beasts die..." he chuckles.

Will shrugs, "Benar said he was at th Abbey a few weeks ago. He wasn't there when I was that I could tell though."

Kentar settles back into his chair with his book, yawning. He doesn't say anything more as he starts to doze off, the book still in his paws. But when he falls asleep fully, the book falls to the floor.

Aikuen nods at Will, "Well... You can go and check up on the abbey every once in awhile just to get an update... As long as you tell one of us before you go... go as many times as you like... As much as you need too... I see no problem... at least not to my knowledge..." he scratches his head, "Though it may be best to go with somebeast if you do... You know... just in case..."

Will bobs his head a little, "Ok. I did leave a note though."

Aikuen nods, "I know. I saw. I'm talking about in the future. Now that you know that Zen is still alive. You will be probably going to the abbey a lot more often... So just keep leaving notes. But i would prefer if you told me. But i still take the notes, if you cant find me... or I'm busy... something like that..." he smiles and nods

Will nods, "Oh, ok. You were busy when I left last time but if you aren't next time I'll tell you first."

Aikuen laughs, "I was busy... And I'm still busy!" he stretches and pops his back, pushing against the table, causing his chair to lean dangerously backwards. He grins, "Thanks Will. Its better if told me. Since i would know that you would be going, now. But notes are fine too..." he nods, "I think Kentar might have died..." he laughs.

Will cocks his head at the otter, "You're busy? You're just sitting there, how you be busy?" he chuckles.

Aikuen points downward, "See Will... That's the joke...." he snorts and laughs, "But i was busy when you left... Fira was being Erksome that day. But she is better..." he hmmms, and nods.

"Well since you aren't busy after all would you mind moving something into th cellar for me?" Will asks.

Aikuen scratches his head, "Yah... I guess i can take a break..." he lets his footpaws off the table and the legs of the chair fall softly, as Aik slowed it down, "But what do you need to be moved?"

"One of th beds from th sleeping hall. There aren't any beds in th cellar and th floor isn't that great t sleep on," Will says.

Aikuen stands up and blinks at Will, "What?" he scratches his head, "Why?... I mean... That's the whole point of the sleeping hall... To sleep in..." he then ohs to himself, and gets why. He frowns slightly, "She does realize that the cellar gets really cold during the winter mouths... she does know that right..."

Will shrugs, "She like it down there. She should know it'll get colder down there soon, it's supposed to, but maybe she doesn't. I know I've told her that before. She doesn't like th cold but she likes being down there for some reason."

Aikuen shrugs, "Well okay then... Just remind her. If she truly doesn't like the cold... that is the worst place to be during the winter... Gets cold as almost as the outside... Like it should... Except its not windy..." he nods, "That reminds me... I need to open the valves of the distillery before it gets colder... they might break..." he chuckles and goes over to Chris, and hefts him in his big ottery arms, "Lets put this little nut away... then see about a bed..." he shrugs.

Will nods, "You don't have t put on down there but once she realizes just how cold it gets down there she'll need somewhere else t sleep. Th study doesn't have a bed in it either but I don't think one would fit in there with all th stuff it does have in it. ..... I think you an Kentar took th best rooms around here."

Aikuen heads off for the sleeping hall, "She could always sleep in the sleeping hall. I don't see why she doesn't like it... Its perfectly fine..." probably some sort of Amy-isum that no other beast gets. He hmms aloud, "Well yes... Yes we did... Me and Fira took the Male/Elders guest room. Cause I'm the oldest... And Kentar and Garnet took the female/Dibbuns guest room. Cause they had a little one first... That, and it was the only room left..." he chuckles, and heads off for the female side, to get to the guest room in the back.

Will frowns a little as he follows after the otter, "You sure there aren't /any/ rooms left? There more doors in th hall and they don't /all/ lead t th infirm."

Moledeep: Sleeping Hall

Aikuen says, "Well yah... The dorms. The left and right... Separating the beasts into their collective genre... female and dibbuns then male and the elders... At least that's all I've seen... I'm sure they are others, but none have i seen usable in the hall..." he enters the left dorm quietly, just in case of sleeping beasts. You never know. He whispers, "I'm sure they are other rooms..." he nods.

Will chews on his lip a bit thinking this over, "Sooo it would be good t find out if there are and ...." He falls silent thinking again. If the otter were to look closely at his son he may notice the old familiar look in his eye at the idea of exploring. Exploring while even having to leave home or more importantly leave a note.

Aikuen shrugs, "I guess... I mean... no hurry right?" he chuckles lightly and enters the left guest room. The stoats room is completely empty. Seems like Garnet is off somewhere. Aik hmms a little bit and nods, "Ill just put the little tyke here then..." and he carefully places him on the stoats bed, not his crib. He covers him up before saying softly, "Hopefully he wont wake and get to far..." he nods, and heads out the door. He does not notice the eye. He is either forgetful, or didn't see it.

Aikuen was about the head out the door of the dorm when he looks back, "Coming Will?

The rat is still off in his own little world and weather he can hear the otter or not he doesn't answer.

Aikuen waits for a little bit before sighing, "Okay Will... You can stay here... Just remember to close the door on the way out... so Chris doesn't escape... Alright?" he waits, before leaving the dorm, and closing the door. He heads back into Molehall, trying to figure out what he was doing there in the first place. He is getting forgetful

Will stands there thinking a while longer. He blinks a looks around, seeing no otter he closes the open door to the stoat's room and goes off to see if any of the mystery doors will open and if any are not closets or storage rooms.

Moledeep: Foremole's Chambers

Will finds one door that leads to what lookes very much like a wide closet, not too unlike the two the other doors had lead to. The rat would turn back but he knows there are other rooms in Moledeep somewhere so he starts to slowly move the half rotted junk out of his way as best he can. After an hour he's cleared a small opening for himself. He has to duck but he squeezes through it and into a damaged room. The room isn't in too bad of shape but the things in it are. It seems to be another study not too dissimilar to the main one off Mole Hall but much smaller. Will inspects the room and seeing nothing useful in it he looks around for a door that may lead on to other rooms.

The rat does find another door and another room much larger than the first one. In the center is a grand bed more then large enough for two beasts to fit in comfortably. To the right of the bed is a large open area with a desk and large armchair at one end, a large stone fireplace in the middle, set into the wall with a pair of chairs flanking it and a rocking chair facing the hearth. At the other end a small rectangular table sits with a few chairs around it. To the left of the bed is a tall ornatally carved wardrobe. The faded paintings on it would have made it quite a fine piece of furniture when it was new. In the corner, between the wardrobe and the bed, is a door which appears to be stuck half open. Will nods to himself before slipping through the new door and out into a dark hallway.

The brittle hinges refuse to move but the rat will not be stopped so easily and he pushes with all his might leaning into the door with his good arm. The hinges can't take it and snap causing door and rat to land loudly onto the floor of the sleeping hall.

Moledeep: Mole Hall

Aikuen blinks and starts to pace around the hall. It was... Something... But for the life of him. He cant remember... This is bugging him to no end. He sighs and goes over to the sleeping stoat, "Eh Kentar?" no reply. He shrugs and strokes his chin fur. He counts off his claws, the chores that he has done today. Maybe that was it.

After having a nice nap, the stoat finally starts to wake up. Kentar opens his eye lazily before stretching and yawning before scratching his chest and looking around for the book he had. When he spies it on the floor, he lazily bends over to pick it up before finding his page. He didn't notice Aik in the room so he didn't bother to say anything.

Aikuen groans and gives up for now. He rubs his eyes and blinks as there is more sound than he is creating. He looks from in between claws over at the stoat, "Had a nice nap Kentar?" he chuckles lightly.

Kentar huhs and looks up, nodding. "Hey Aik. Yeah, I did." he smiles with a little bit of a chuckle. "Nice and restful." he nods a little bit before looking towards his book. "Where's Chris? And Will?"

Aikuen rest his paws against the table, "Soon after you went to sleep. I took Chris to your room. I closed the door, so he cant get out. But he should still be able to get around... a little bit anyway... as for Will..." he looks around and shrugs, "I have no idea. After i put Chris to sleep. He had gotten really quiet... Haven't seen him since... Probably with Amy or something..." he shrugs again.

Kentar ahs and nods, looking back up with a smile. "Thanks Aik. I think Garnet would have slapped me for falling asleep while watching Chris." He nods with a quiet chuckle.

Aikuen chuckles and nods, "Yah she would... Least i would!" he laughs, "Anyway, he is all snugged up in your room. Glad to do it..." he grins.

Kentar laughs and nods slowly. "Yeah. Thanks Aik." he smiles as he sets his book aside. "So. Anything interesting happen while I was napping?"

Aikuen winks, "Your welcome mate!" he chuckles and shrugs, "Not really... After i got back... i... was trying to remover something... why i was here in the first place... but... i seem to have forgotten..." he hmms, "Other then that... you didn't miss much...

Kentar ahs and nods slowly, grinning a little bit. "Ah! So the usual then." he laughs as he settles into his chair even more. "How's Fira? And you?" he asks, tilting his head.

Aikuen frowns a little bit, "What does that supposed to mean?" he eyes him before shrugging, "She is okay. She spends most of her time in bed now. Sleeps a good part of the day away... I guess that's good for her..." he sighs and scratches his head, "I'm okay. Cant really describe it any other way... I'm still worrying like hell... But..." he shrugs, "How about you guys?"

Kentar sighs slightly. "Aik, stop worrying. She'll be fine, okay?" he smiles a little then shrugs. "Garnet and I are fine I guess." he shrugs a little bit. "I've sort of been avoiding her the last few days." he says quietly, hoping Aik wouldn't hear him.

Aikuen says, "I'm going to worry until... I know everything is all right... Until then... i will worry... She worries... i worry..." he nods, "Good for you guys!" he grins and then tilts his head, "Er... why?" seems he did hear. Its pretty quiet today, so it wasn't that hard.

Kentar args a little in his mind as Aik speaks. "Because. She wanted to go out on a walk the other day with me. You know. Just to get a little fresh air. In the gardens. Well. I sort of said I wasn't feeling well. Because I'm still scared of going outside. I don't want to tell her." he frowns.

Aikuen tilts his head and nods slowly, "Oh yeah... you told me that... Listen you have to tell her... She will understand... That's what wives are for..." he remembers him telling his this already. Probably not, "... They are there to be there... in good... and the bad... Just like you are there for the good and the bad... If Garnet had the same problem... do you think she would tell you?"

Kentar shrugs a little. "She might." he says. "Point is, I still don't want to tell her." He nods once, sighing, sitting back and thinking. "Maybe I should."

Aikuen shrugs, "I think you should tell her... but its up to you. As it is your problem... But i cant make you..." he stands, "Why don't you want to tell her? Like the reason..."

Kentar shrugs a little bit and frowns. "Cause I don't want her to think I'm a wimp." he says bluntly. "A stoat, scared of going outside. Haha."

Aikuen goes over and puts his paws on his shoulders, to give him a little shake, "You? A Wimp? Please! Besides... even if you did tell her. i don't think she will think that... Happens to the best of us... Now!" he bounces a little bit over to the entrance, "I'm going to go outside. As i can! I still think you should tell her. I mean i tell Fira that i worry. Me! Someone who isn't scared of anything! Scared!" he laughs and bounces out the door.

Kentar sighs and sinks into his seat, feeling lower after Aik made fun of him. "Great way to cheer me up AIk." he sighs before blinking, hearing a crash. "Not good." he stands up and heads into the sleeping hall. "Every beast alright in here?"

Moledeep: Sleeping Hall

Will blinks and after a few seconds he gets up and checks himself over for any new injuries he may have gotten from the fall. He's just standing there by the broken down door dusting himself off when the stoat comes in. "I'm ok. Th door'll need t be fixed though. He nods toward the door and the unused hallway it had been attached to.

Kentar looks at Will and then to the door, tilting his head. "I see that." he goes over slowly. "Are you alright? Hurt or anything?" the stoat asks in a slightly worried tone.

"I'm fine," the rat says. "I found more rooms. And down this hall are a lot of doors probably rooms and at the end is a big room maybe what used t be th foremole's room. I don't know but it's really big. And off that is another study but smaller than th one off th hall. There's a small door to th study over there, he points at a door between the broken one and the infirmary. There are a few other doors between infirmary and the broken door so it would have been hard to know which one the rat meant if he hadn't left it open all this time.

Kentar oohs at the bit about the foremole's room. "Really big?" he asks, tilting his head a little bit and nodding as he looks down that hall, pausing for a moment. "I call that room!" he laughs as he carefully takes off down the new hall, looking around

Will blinks then growls a little, "Hey! You have a room already! This one's mine!" He duck back through the smaller door to the study and the foremole's chamber planning to beat the stoat there.

Moledeep: Foremole's Chambers

Will shakes his head, "I found it. It's mine not yours. You have a room. This is mine. This whole tunnel is mine. I am th finder of Moledeep so I get this room. My tunnel. My big room. You go sleep in your little room." The rat had closed both of the studies' doors so the stoat may have to take the long way to get out again.

Kentar shakes his head once and frowns. "Hey! I have a family! You don't! I should get this room!" he frowns before laughing again. His room, really, is big enough for the three of them. With a little room to spare.

Will smirks,"That's too bad. Maybe you can see if one of th other doors in th hall you came down has another room you can use. This one is mine. Not for stoats or otters."

Kentar frowns again. "But your smaller then me. I should pick you up and take this room for my lovely Garnet and Chris!" he grins before laughing again.

Will rolls his eye, "Aw, come on. It'll get cold this winter you really gonna let your little brother sleep down in teh cold cold cellar all winter long with no bed? This room is belonging to me and Amy who would very happily throw you out if she knew about it."

Kentar laughs a little bit and nods. "Yeah, I am!" he points out to the door. "Get out of my nice new room, William!" he laughs again before thinking. "Nah, you can have this room. Mine is better."

"No it's not. ... Well, only because it's clean. Once this room is cleaned up and stuff it'll really nice. Besides you could get in trouble if you tried to deprive a blind girl of her own fireplace this close t winter," Will teases.

Kentar laughs a little. "No I couldn't! I'm me!" he laughs. "Besides, what's she going to do? Hit me with her staff? Oooooh so scary." he chuckles.

"She doesn't use it as much since she's in that chair. .... Guess she might try an run you over or tell Garnet on you. I don't know. It wouldn't be good I know that much," Will says.

Kentar laughs and nods. "Yeah." He smiles before looking around. "No, I think you two deserve a room for once. Rather then sleeping in the cellars." he laughs.

Will shrugs, "It was nice down there in th summer but with th weather getting cold again it just wouldn't work. Sides we never got around t getting a bed in there and while she's in her chair he kinda needs one more than she used to. It's just easier to move her onto a bed from her chair then from her chair to th ground. She wouldn't like it down there once it gets really cold anyway."

Kentar nods slowly. "Yeah." He thinks for a moment. "I'll help decorate in here." he chuckles. "Anyways. How long will it be before Amy can start learning how to walk again?" he asks.

Will nods, "Good. We can go over t th Abbey and get some fabric t make new bed curtains and stuff for th bed in here. These are probably not very useable anymore. Sides they're green," he makes a face, "Like th habit th orderbeasts wear. Th only green that should be in my room should th kind that you eat." He looks back over at the stoat, "I'm not sure. A few more weeks I'd guess. I'll have t ask."

Kentar laughs a little bit and nods before smiling a little. "Good. Tell her, if you see her before I do, that I really hope she gets out of the chair soon." he chuckles. "And that if she wants anything, let me know!" he nods before heading out, down the hall. "I'll see you tomorrow Will. I'm off to bed." and off he goes.