I wanna hug, too!
Camp Willow, Residential Clearing.
Characters: Hale, Rorgan, Callie, Lee.
Welcome to Camp Willow. A small woodland village and home to otters and a small collection to other beasts. Very rarely a vermin beast will grace the camp with its pressence but, only rarely. The camp is busy today and bustling with activity as beasts look forward to a warm spring day and a break from the winter weather. Otters of all shapes and sizes mill about. Poor, wealthy, skinny, well fed, guards, merchants, workers. The road under paw is muddy and while the sky is clear the air is still a little chilled.
Callie is still wandering around the camp generally avoiding most of the otters though of course they all know she's there anyway. Her paws squelch in the mud as she hunts for Hale, looking to make a nuisance of herself again. She knocks timidly on Hale's door. "Er, ahaha, Mz Hale, 'r you there...?"
Down through the area, a black furred otter looking as though he was dressed for battle comes along, watching the familiar otter dibbun. "Hullo miss...er...Callie, is it?" He asks, hoping he had gotten the name from last time correct.
Hale's door has yet to be fixed, and is rather lopsided from when she tried to fix it with her old battleaxe. It swings open crookedly as Hale pokes her head out, headfur tousled and eyes looking tired. "Hrm, wha..?" She looks down, sees Callie, and sighs. "Still kickin' 'round, aye? Whassup?" She blinks hard in the bright sun, and withdraws her head from the doorway. "Come in...s'too bright out." A loud crashing noise, followed by an equally loud swear, floats out of teh house as Hale trips on something.
It is not long before the sounds of somebeast approaching can be heard. It comes closer and closer, and then it's... Lee? What is he doing here? A good question, and if asked, he may tell. Of course, being an otter, *and* the headguard of Redwall Abbey, he had no trouble at all being allowed into Camp Willow. He looks tired, though. Perhaps he has been up to something he'd rather the Abbey not know about? Either way, he's making a bee-line for his little home away from home here at Camp Willow.
Callie squeaks in confusion! So many things happening! "Ahh...um, S'me, Yeah, Callie..." She says to the approaching Rorgan, and then looks back into Hale's house. "Jus' wanted ta... Oh, I fergot. C'n I play witcha t'day, Mz Hale? She sticks her head in the doorway, plugging her ears at the swears. "Tch, Mz Hale, s'not nice ta talk like that." She backs up a few paces, nose wrinkled. "Aren'tcha gonna come out, Mz Hale? S'nice out t'day, innit?" She asks Rorgan for a confirmation. "Wait, whatcher name, agin...?"
Rorgan chuckles, giving a small bow. "Me name's Rorgan miss. Pleasure t' see you again." Looking around however, he spots a rather familiar otter, and his eyes widen and he breaks into a wide grin. "Lee!" He shouts, completely disregarding the conversation between him and Callie as he breaks into a sprint, heading straight for Lee.
Hale comes out huddled in a cloak and wearing a loose tunic. (It's, like, the equivalent of today's pajama's.) She's squinting in the light and muttering. She halts a few paces from her door, glaring at Rorgan. "What's /he/ got to be so 'appy 'bout, t'day..." In her grumbles, she doesn't see Callie, and therefore nearly walks right into the little otter kit.
Lee looks up at the sound of his name being called, and he offers a small smile. "Why Rorgan, fancy catchin' ye 'ere. I thought ye were down south, or somesuch. It be very good ta see ye again, mate." He walks over, offering a wave to the two unfamiliar otters. "'Ow are ye, Rorgan? Been on any adventures lately?"
Rorgan gives no response as his full on sprint carries him straight into Lee, and his arms wrap around his friend in a huge hug that picks Lee straight up off the ground. Clearly he's happy to see Lee again, though considering how long it's been, who could blame him?
Callie flops backwards onto her rudder with a squeak, splashing mud everywhere. "Hey!" She glares accusingly at Hale, before getting distracted by Lee and Rorgan. She gasps. "I wanna hug, too!" She jumps up, all muddy and gross, and dashes over as fast as she can.
"Oh, gosh, sorry..." Hale's apology to the little kit drifts off as Callie runs off, demanding hugs. "Sheesh. I may as well go an'...Crud!" She smacks her forhead and sighs heavily, stomping back into her house.
Callie flops backwards onto her rudder with a squeak, splashing mud everywhere. "Hey!" She glares accusingly at Hale, before getting distracted by Lee and Rorgan. She gasps. "I wanna hug, too!" She jumps up, all muddy and gross, and dashes over as fast as she can.
"Oh, gosh, sorry..." Hale's apology to the little kit drifts off as Callie runs off, demanding hugs. "Sheesh. I may as well go an'...Crud!" She smacks her forhead and sighs heavily, stomping back into her house.
Lee is picked up in the hug with an "oof!". He chuckles, though, returning the hug warmly. "It 'as been far too long, mate! I be very 'appy ta see ye! Come, we must catch up!"
Rorgan finally lets Lee down, nodding in agreement, though Callie's shout draws his attention, and his head turns with a grin. Without a second thught, he goes to one knee and holds out his arms. "Right, lets get you a hug liddle lass!" He says encouragingly.
Callie grins and runs to Rorgan's open arms, hugging him. "Yay!" He probably won't get that muddy, but still. You never know.
Hale stomps out of her house, minus her PJ's. She's got her swords and is fully dressed now. "See ya, e'rybody! Bye Cal! I'll play with ye later, fergot I got guard duty this morning." She calls as she joggs off.
Rorgan finally lets Lee down, nodding in agreement, though Callie's shout draws his attention, and his head turns with a grin. Without a second thught, he goes to one knee and holds out his arms. "Right, lets get you a hug liddle lass!" He says encouragingly.
Callie grins and runs to Rorgan's open arms, hugging him. "Yay!" He probably won't get that muddy, but still. You never know.
Hale stomps out of her house, minus her PJ's. She's got her swords and is fully dressed now. "See ya, e'rybody! Bye Cal! I'll play with ye later, fergot I got guard duty this morning." She calls as she joggs off.
Lee smiles down at Callie. "Why 'ello there, little 'un. Ye remind me of me little Starlight back at the Abbey. 'Ow are ye, little lady?"
Rorgan gives the little otter a rather strong hug, but not to strong, before releasing her. Of course, he doesn't say or ask anything, not wanting to have the dibbun answer more than one thing at a time.
Callie looks up at Lee and scowls as Rorgan releases her. "Hi Mister, but I'm not a likkle lady /or/ a likkle Starlight, I'm a Callie!" She sticks her tounge out at him.
Lee chuckles a little. "An' a pleasure ta meet ye, Callie. I'm afraid ye misunderstood me, though, lass. Starlight be the name o' me own daughter."
Rorgan nods in agreement. "Aye, that's her name alright." Noticing the dibbun's scowl as he released her, he holds his arms out again, thinking she wanted another hug.
Callie oh's at Lee and notices Rorgan's open arms again. "D'ya want anuther hug, Mista Rorg'n?" She hugs him again without waiting for an answer. "Starlight's yer daughta?" Callie asks Lee. "Where is she? I dunno no Starlight here..."
Lee smiles. "Starlight be back at Redwall Abbey, but ye know wot? Someday soon I'll bring 'er along wi' me ta Camp Willow an' let ye meet each other.
Rorgan chuckles as the muddy dibbun hugs him, and he keeps her close as he stands up. "I'm sure she'd like that, wouldn't you?" He asks Callie.
"Yay!" Callie smiles at Lee. "I would like that." She squeaks as Rorgan picks her up and laughs. Some of the mud falls off her tunic. "Is she nice? Will I like her? What's she look like? Does she like to play?" Callie spouts out her questions rather quickly.
Lee laughs cheerfully. "Ah, me dear, she does like ta play, yes. She be very nice, I think ye'd both like each other, a lot. She 'as blue eyes, an' brown fur. She be pretty, just like ye are."
Rorgan laughs. "I would agree with that one lass. You look like as beautiful a lass as any I've ever seen!" He gives a grin at this, his mood lightened considerably by being with the dibbun.
Callie covers her face with her paws and squeaks uncomfortably, embarrased. "Thanks..." Her voice is muffled by her paws. "But, anyway, when's she coming?" Callie asks, to change the subject.
Lee laughs. "Soon, lass, soon, I promise ye, but I don't yet know when."
Rorgan chuckles softly at the reaction of the dibbun's antics. "Do you have parents Callie?" He asks out of sudden curiosity, though not quite sure why he thought of it.
"Okies!" Callie chirps at Lee, before shrugging and leaning her head against Rorgan. "Nope!" She's not sobbing about it, but she certainly seems a little deflated now.
Lee frowns gently. "Oh...I sorry ta hear that, lass. I lost me own parents when I were but a wee lad meself."
This seems to ignite a spark of an idea for Rorgan, and he tentatively asks, "Well have you thought of askin' anyone t' be yer parent?" He feels sympathy for the dibbun, as he's in the same boat as her and Lee both, so it's easy for him to understand.
Callie shrugs again. "Naw, why would I do that?" She's quiet for a second. "How would that work, anyway? Do I jus' ask ya t' be my daddy, and yer my daddy?" She looks up at Rorgan, puzzled.
to be continued!
Groups:
