In the Infirmary
Characters: Amethyst, Desire, Madison and Crave
Setting: RW Infirmary
Amethyst wanders into the Abbey's infirmary. The rat had not been to Redwall since the days of Anba_Hor seasons ago. The ratwife is older now and dressed in a dirty yellow dress with a cloak over it heavily decorated with bits of bone and assorted bird feathers. After all this time she still carries the same healer's kit she was given when she was last at the Abbey. The blind rat's walking stick taps along the floor and moves from side to side to feel for anything that might be in the ratwife's way as she enters the room.
Desire sits by the bed that is farthest away from the door. The bed is occupied by an unconscious black and white cat who does not look to be in the best condition. Desire stares at his face, willing him to open his eyes. To be alive. She jerks her head around to look at the rat as she enters, a slight flicker of suspicion crossing her face, but she quickly bands it from her mind.
Amethyst could smell the sick and injured beasts in their beds before she'd came in. The rat's ears tilt toward the cats when the white one turns her head. "How full is it in here?" the asks aloud remembering when she'd last been in the infirm. "Aven't been ere in seasons. Oi don't suppose they still need extra elp up ere?" she asks wondering why she'd come in here in the first place since she wasn't a healer here anymore nor had she been for a long time.
Desire opens her mouth to reply to the rat than quickly closes it, mentally cursing the day her tongue got cut out. She takes out her paper and quill to write something in reply to Amethyst, but then realizes she is blind. This just does not seem to be her day.
Amethyst hears the cat rustling around with something but gets no answer to her question. The rat doesn't seem bothered by the lack of conversation so far and moves around the room to check on the wounded as if she was still working in the infirmary regularly once again.
Desire seems relived that the rat is not angry or something and she goes back to looking at the cat in the bed, who gives a soft groan. Desire seems overjoyed by the sound and watches him with more care, not wanting to miss it if he wakes up.
The rat had shed her cloak and lute before making the rounds and borrowed a clean habit to replace her soild dress. The ratwife makes her way around the room while the healer on duty watches her closely. Amy makes her way to the cats and slowly check the one in the bed over. The rat hasn't let her knowlege of healing fall out of practice it seems and she doesn't appear to be any worse than the other healers.
The blind, the mute and the crippled. It's quite poetic. See no evil, speak no evil... run after no evil? Either way, in stumps Madison, relying on her cane more than usual these days. Still wearing yesterday's clothes with messed-up headfur and ringed eyes, the really, honestly normally-sober-these-days Madison groans and stumps toward a cupboard.
Desire shoots Amethyst a slight glare, but she knows the rat is right. She keeps watch to make sure that Carve, the cat in the bed, does not get hurt. Her attention dragged away as she hears Madison enter. She stares at the squirrel with wide eyes.
One of the rat's ear drifts toward the squirrel for a moment when she enters. "Long night?" she asks the squirrel guessing silently what the squirrel may be looking for. "Ow goes things at th Abbey?" she inquires hoping to get some reply from the squirrel since the cats are being fairly quiet. One of Amy's paws brushes against Desire as the rat moves around the two cats. "Any idea 'ow long 'e's been out?" she asks the white cat.
Madison keeps on sorting through the cupboard. She likely shouldn't be sorting through it, especially in her current... vulnerable state. But she produces only chamomile, valerian and a couple of similar things, and closes the cupboard again. "Eurgh. Don't even remember it. Probably for the best." She sounds bitter, clearly disappointed in herself, though she doesn't share that of course. She moves toward mortar and pestle and drops the ingredients in.
Amethyst smiles to herself as the squirrel seems to confirm what the rat had supected. "Wake up anywhere interesting?" she asks amused at the squirrels bad luck. Amy turns her attention back to Carve as he groans again. She lightly nudges Desire back. "Give him some room. Don't smother him," she says casually while checking the male cat to make sure he doesn't start moving around too much.
Madison is in no mood for... well, anything. And she doesn't beat about the bush. "She's blind, doombrain." she announces to the cat flatly, as she grinds up the ingredients. Taking a pan from a fire - with an annoyed look from the healer who placed it there - the squirrel mixes up a tea. To Ame, "Dorm hallway. I think I got my quilt from my bed and slept there. For some reason."
Madison is in no mood for... well, anything. And she doesn't beat about the bush. "She's blind, doombrain." she announces to the cat flatly, as she grinds up the ingredients. Taking a pan from a fire - with an annoyed look from the healer who placed it there - the squirrel mixes up a tea. To Ame, "Dorm hallway. I think I got my quilt from my bed and slept there. For some reason."
Desire frowns as she is nudged away, but does as she is bidden. She is not exactly known for being gentle, but is not rough on purpose. She sends Madison a wilting glare that says /I know that/ than goes back to watching her brother. Carve's eyes open all the way as he tries to focus on the ceiling. His throat is dry as he croaks out wh...where am I? Where's..." He does not finish.
You ask, "Get stepped on much?" the rat asks the only other beast that seems able to talk at the present. The rat's attention stays mostly on Carve. "Easy there, matey. Yew been layin stiff in ere a while. Don't try t move yet," she says to him as he wakes. "Yer in th Abbey infirmary. Oi'll get yew some water. Liddle cat ere wid yew," the rat says assuming he's asking after Desire. "Keep an eye on im," Amy tells the white cat as she steps away from the bed to fetch something for Carve to drink."
Sending a wilting glare to Madison is a bit like trying to break a broadsword using a kitchen knife. She doesn't wilt things, she evaporates them! Still, for now she keeps herself to herself, drinking the tea despite the heat. "Couldn't tell you." She goes quiet when the cat pipes up.
Carve nods, accepting what the rat says as it registers in him brain. He lets his head fall to one side and he sees Desire with a light smile "Lark..." Is all he manages to get out. Desire almost starts weeping from a mix the emotions she is feeling, but she holds back and gives her brother a huge smile. She grabs his paw and gives it a light (in her mind it is light, but it is really a bit hard) squeeze.
Amethyst set a pitcher of water on the table by the cats and holds a half full glass in her paw. She sits down by Carve and lightly touches his face with her free paw. "Water ere for yew," she says, "When yew want et." She touches the other cat to see where she is and gently loosens the maid's grip on Carve's paw. "Be gentle wid 'im. 'E aint et full strength yet," she reminds the cat. "Yer awful quiet, Squirrel," Amy says to Madison, "Thet tea work?"
Madison simply replies, "Not really. But I'm trying to learn the ways of 'say nothing if it's not useful'."
Carve winces at his sisters grip and nods his thanks to Amethyst for the water and loosening Desire's paw. Desire on the other hand frowns at her grip being loosened considering that she thought she was hardly even putting any pressure on his paw. Carve reaches for the water and sips some, coughing as it goes down, he looks at Amethyst than at Madison "Who are you both?"
Amethyst frowns at the squirrel's words of wisdom and says, "Sounds like something my father-in-law would come up with were he still around." The rat shrugs at Carve's question. "Don't know about the squirrel, but I'm the beast what patched yew up. An Oi suspect this other cat belongs t yew somehow."
Madison shrugs, "I don't get it either. If I actually did so I'd only speak once a week." She finishes off the tea quick enough and moves for more water. Hydration! "I'm just somebeast who's stumbled in." she says to the cat.
Carve nods at the rat "I thank you for your help and yes. She does not belong to me, but she IS my sister. Her name is Desire and I am Carve." He decides to be a bit more specific "What is your name?" He earns a small punch in the shoulder from Desire as he tells her name, but she is likely being playful more than anything. He gives a slight wince at the punch "I know, I know." He mutters to Desire. He sighs at Madison's answer "Ah, yes thats all find and dandy, but would you mind telling me your name?"
"What do yew need know thet fer?" Amy asks. "Don't go attackin' yer brother, yew," she says nudging the younger cat back again, "'E's got enough trouble."
Madison hrm's, and eyes the speaking cat. "You're not one of the many, many beasts out for revenge, are you?"
Carve shrugs at Amethyst "I just want to know how to address you is all." Desire rolls her eyes at Amethyst as if to say /Attacking him? Bah/. Carve lets out a chuckle at Madison's words "I am out for revenge, but not on you."
"Revenge doesn't lead to good things in this place, Carve," Amethyst says, "'Aven't been at th Abbey in a while, but Oi supect they still don't care for beasts seeking revenge ere." The cat doesn't sound serious, but Amy would rather not take a chance. "Do you remember 'ow yew got hurt?" she asks Carve to try and figure out more about him.
"Revenge doesn't lead to good things in this place, Carve," Amethyst says, "'Aven't been at th Abbey in a while, but Oi suspect they still don't care for beasts seeking revenge ere." The cat doens't sound serious, but Amy would rather not take a chance. "Do you remember 'ow yew got hurt?" she asks Carve to try and figure out more about him.
Carve's eyes grow slightly hard as he answers Amethyst "Than I will go elsewhere." He then shakes his head and replies to the question Well..." his eyes lose their hard look and now look rather playful "Who is asking? I can't tell a complete stranger about my journeys, now can I?" He smiles at the squirrel "Good to meet you, Madison. Why do beasts want revenge on you?"
The look is lost on the blind rat. "Yew can't go anywhere way yew are right now," she says as she thinks over what name to give to get him to talk more. "Eh, yew kin call me Bluefin." It's a more rat sounding name than Amethyst at least.
Madison simply gives a shrug. "I was less... considerate than most when sorting my problems out."
Carve shrugs at the rat "I would manage. Bluefin eh? A pretty name." He nods understandingly at Madison "Ah, I see. What do you mean by problems?" Desire sits back in her chair. She seems to be rather lost in thought about something that makes her nervous for she keeps shifting about.
"Thanks," the rat says figuring the cat will tire himself out from talking before too long. "'Ow did yew get ere?" she asks again as she sits by Desire. The younger cat is being very quiet, but since the rat didn't hear her leave she assume the cat is still nearby.
Madison simply replies, "Don't worry about it." when she is quizzed by the bedridden cat. She continues drinking any and ll water available to her, and runs a paw through her messed up headfur.
Desire continues to fidget, glancing down at the cuff on her wrist. Before Carve answers the rat he looks over at Desire and frowns "Lark? You ok?" He then shrugs at 'Bluefin' "Not really sure. I was traveling on the flatlands with Desire, but..." He suddenly looks slightly confused and he does not finish. The confusion passes for a moment as he grins at Madison "Very well."
Amethyst hmms. "Some beast likely carried yew in," Amy sums up for the cat. "Yew kin try to talk more later. For now just rest a while," she instructs Carve.
Desire nods at her brother, but is clearly not ok. She stands and quickly leaves the room, throwing a glance over her shoulder. Carve looks rather disturbed by his sister's actions and he frowns. He nods at Amethyst "I will do that." He rolls over onto his side, trying not to worry about Desire and without really meaning to, he falls asleep.
Amethyst considers going after the younger cat but thinks better of it. The rat stays in the infirmary for a while before finally being relieved by one of the Sisters and escorted out.
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