Home is where you feel welcome and loved (Abbot's processional RP)
This happens ICly on the way to the Quarry :)
North Path: Old Stone Bridge
/[][]================== Mossflower - Old Stone Bridge ===================[][]\
You stand upon a stone bridge that was made long ago at the hands of beasts long dead. Though the bridge still stands well, a testament to their enduring effort and hard work, it does appear a bit worn. The bridge stretches a long way over the waters of the River Moss and appears to be about ten paces wide to allow for a cart to pass as easily as a beast on foot. On either side of the bridge are thick stone 'railings' about five hands in height, often used by the weary or curious to lean on and gaze at the ever flowing waters of the peaceful River Moss. In the shade the willows on the shore give, you can see that going north would eventually lead you to the Northlands and Send, and going south would lead you to Southsward, Redwall Abbey, and Collinsel.
[It's summer!]
\[][]====================================================================[][]/
Exits: [N]orth off of bridge, [S]outh off of bridge
Silverstorm the sea otter. LilyMoore the mouse and Blisa the cat.
Silverstorm has walked with the group about half of the way and then quietly slipped to where she was in the very back of the group, she has been quiet the whole time she has woken up this morning and avoided most yesterday.
LilyMoore is having the time of her life! She's exploring the great outside-of-Redwall-Abbey with permission, and learning all sorts of things. She had been watching the sea otter, but then she got distracted. It now dawns on her that the otter is missing, and so she drops back until she finds her. She makes her way over to the blacksmith. Blisa sees her move back in the crowd and gives her guards the slip, not wanting Lily to be by herself in Mossflower. The 2 young females come to either side of the sad looking sea otter.
Silverstorm jumps slightly and then relaxes "Oh hey guys, didn't see you there." She sounds tried and a little down right now.She looks around "Nice weather...huh?"
Lily goes to hold the strong ottermaid's paw. "Yeah, kinda. Are you okay? You seem sad." Blisa goes to hold the otter's other paw. It's not really her thing, but she's following her friend's lead and trying to be kind.
Silverstorm frowns and shakes her head, "I...had a bad night and wanted to so leave before ever beast else but decided I didn't want to worry anyone so...I stayed till was time to leave." Tears go down her face, maybe she doesn't mean it at the time as it's one of those for now feelings "I hated that place, never want to go back again. They...they just stared at me oddly and, and the one..A..Aibne doesn't even seem to care. I don't fit in with otters and I -NEVER- will"
Blisa's brows knit together with concern. LilyMoore looks at the ground and murmurs, "I'm so sorry." After a few minutes, she seems to change the subject, saying, "Would you like to hear a story I've made up?" The cat gives her friend an odd look, but she trusts her and so waits to hear what the mouse is up to.
Silverstorm shrugs and frowns, she looks at her paws and frowns more "I shouldn't even be able to hold paws so well, but gee I have no webbing." She can even hold forge tools a lot better than her species but she seems lost on knowing this. Or the fact her strength is above most otter maids, she finally says "Stories are good..."
LilyMoore continues to look at the ground under their feet as she speaks. "There once was an otter who looked different from everybeast else. She had a short rudder, and her paws were different, too. But she was super strong. She was a blacksmith, and she was very kind to her teacher, the great Badger Blacksmith."
"One day, some beasts were mean to her and told that she was weird and should go away. This made the poor otter sad. All she wanted was to be liked and accepted. So she ran away and hid, and was gone for a long, long time. But some beasts missed her allot, and they went looking for her. The great Badger Blacksmith was with them. They were going through a part of the woods that was dark and scary, and something terrible happened! The great Badger Blacksmith fell into a pit trap, and got stuck."
"The otter heard the cries of her friends and ran over to help. They were all afraid that the Badger was gonna die. But the otter had a plan. She invented something that helped them get the Badger out of the hole, and everything was alright. And when they got back to their home, she was called the great Otter Blacksmith, and everybeast was happy that she had come back."
Blisa smiles. It wasn't the best story, but it was well meant.
Silverstorm listens to the story and frowns a little, but she listens to all that is said and the words "Up till...the end it sounded like me, but I might do something like that I am very good with blacksmith work" She lets go of their paws to look at her own paws and spreads out her fingers which would be impossible for any other otter. "My paws are so...strange to other otters, they gasp or ask oh no what happen ta ya" She sighs "I almost drowned the other day, and I get stared at for hating hot root..so show me a book that says Hello your an otter so like hot root or else!" She seems still upset but she is also in deep think mode.
LilyMoore looks up at the otter's face now. "You're not weird. Everybody's special, and it's okay to be different. It's not the differences between beasts that separate them, but what does separate beasts is when they refuse to accept, cherish and celebrate those differences." Blisa nods. "It's not your fault. I think everybeast is born for some purpose, and we're given gifts and life experiences to shape us for that purpose. So, yeah, you might not be like other otters. So what? If anyone thinks you're strange or whatever, they're the ones with a problem, not you."
Silverstorm smiles now, its a true smile as if she has suddenly realized something, "I am...ok, I am a good and maybe better blacksmith than any other otter could ever hope to be. And I have friends so...that's good, its super good and I am glad. And I have a caring teacher, who I also think of as a father figure. I have not really told Brother Zork that but he is a good father figure. He listens and has taught me so much and I am a better beast 'cause of it. I...don't have a father, he died from an illness the healer at my holt didn't want to help him and they kicked me out, but maybe its fate and I was meant to go elsewhere. I have been much happier at the abbey also than ever was in my life and never want to leave it, it's my home."
Silverstorm goes to hug the two friends, if allowed of course and smiles more.
Not only is the hug allowed, but on Lily's part, it is encouraged. The 2 friends go to hug the ottermaid back, smiling. "I hope you never leave!" The mouse exclaims, and Blisa adds, "I think home is where you feel welcome and loved."
Silverstorm smiles and laughs, "It is, it truly is!"
Thanks for reading!
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