Krystal gets some news and Lacota chats with LilyMoore (A Redwall log)
Redwall Abbey Infirmary
Mice: Angela, female. LilyMoore, female.
Squirrels: Krystal, female. Lacota, male.
Badgers: Oz, male.
A random spoofed vole Dibbun.
A spoofed mole Novice.
Krystal steps into the infirm, she was feeling ill yesterday and tried, but it passed and now she started feeling ill again and still getting worn out faster than she should. She sits down on one of the cots after entering
LilyMoore is sitting in a corner, sewing. Angela comes into the room, sees the squirrel and hobbles over to her, smiling. "Ah, Miss Krystal, 'ello, dearie. 'Ow may I 'elp you? 'Ow's yer wrist doin'?" She remembers that the other week the squirrel had a sprained wrist. Lily just keeps sewing; she's found it peculiarly soothing.
Krystal manages a smile "The wrist is feeling better, still a little sore but a lot better. I just been feeling a little ill off and on the past couple days and a little tried, maybe some late winter cold?"
"Well, let's check ye out, then. 'Ave ye 'ad any chills?" Angela goes to check the squirrel for a fever. Lily just keeps sewing, sewing, sewing, rocking back and forth in the rocking chair.
Krystal shakes her head, she has no fever "Not been cold, just the normal cold from outside is all"
Angela smiles. "Tell me, when do you feel nauseated, hmm? After you eat? Right when ye wake up? And ye say ye've been feelin' tired. 'Ow else 'ave ye been feelin'?"
Krystal tries her best to answer the questions "In the mornings, then passes. Some foods do get to me when they didn't before and I am unsure why. Like hotroot make me ill, just the smell so I left the kitchens"
Angela goes to rest a paw on the squirrel's shoulder. "Well, my dear, it sounds to me like you're going to be 'avin' a little squirrelbabe of yer own 'ere soon, probably around October. Sometime 'round in there." Lily peeks over her shoulder at them. She can't quite hear what they're saying. Shrugging, she goes back to sewing and rocking in her chair.
Krystal blinks "I..I am with dibbun?"
Angela nods and sits beside the squirrel. "Aye, it seems that ye are. We won't know positively for a month or so, but yes, it seems that ye are." Lily takes a break from sewing to get a drink, but she keeps her head bowed and doesn't say anything, avoiding all eye contact with the squirrel. "Do ye 'ave any questions, love?" the old mouse asks kindly.
Krystal is not too concern with the younger mouse, she is more concern with being with dibbun, "I..am unsure, I can't think of any...Wait, can I still do my bee keeper duties?"
Nodding, Angela smiles as she answers. "As long as ye don't strain yerself, yes. As ye get farther along, ye'll be able to lift less weight, but you should still be able to do most of yer duties, if not all of them."
Krystal nods "I don't do much lifting and I could always get some help. In the fall I do get the honey from the hives, but the bees are my friends and will not harm me"
LilyMoore goes back to her seat and returns to sewing. Angela nods. "Well, if yer sure they won't sting ye, then I don't see why ye would 'ave to stop yer duties." She stands. "Would ye like somethin' to ease yer stomach when the mornin' sickness bugs ye?"
Krystal nods "That would be good, thank you....oh I should tell Lacota, he would want to know but...what will he think, maybe he doesn't want any small dibbuns around"
"If 'e didn't want small Dibbuns around, 'e shouldn't've gotten married. Dibbuns kind of come with the territory," Angela grumbles as she hobbles over to the herb cabinets. After putting some herbs in a jar, she comes back over to the squirrel. "'Ere. This is mint and wintergreen. Make a tea out o' it and mix in lots of 'oney. It should 'elp diminish yer sickness. I don't 'ave anythin' that will make it go away completely, but this should 'elp some."
Krystal nods as she takes the mint and wintergreen, "Thanks...maybe I should wait to tell him, just a little while but then again he will worry won't he?"
Angela nods. "'E most likely would, yes. I think ye should tell 'im as soon as possible. 'E 'as the right to know that 'e is gonna be a father of a baby soon. Don't wait to tell 'im."
Krystal nods and smiles, though she may be a little worried as she has never been a mother before, "O...ok"
Angela goes to rest a paw on the squirrel's shoulder. "I'm sure ye'll be a wonderful mother. Don't worry too much. I'll be 'ere to 'elp ye, and so will all the other mothers 'ere in the Abbey. Ye won't be alone raisin' this little Dibbun."
Krystal smiles as she feels a little better "I will keep that in mind, I do know some mothers here and...well maybe the dibbun caretaker has advice on how to care for little ones as well"
Angela chuckles a little. "Aye, I'm sure Oz would 'ave some advice. And once my DoraRose gets back, she can 'elp ye, too." Lily looks back at her great-grandmother, then decides to wait to ask her question and returns to her mending.
Krystal says, "I heard they are back in the spring or sometime during it"
Nodding, Angela sits down again and sighs. "I 'ope they get back 'ere safely. I do not wish to lose any more of my family," she adds in almost a whisper. Lily stands and comes over to them, head bowed. Standing before her great-grandmother, she says quietly, "I've finished all the sewing, Nana. Now what should I do?" The Healer thinks for a moment, then gestures towards a closet. "Ye can sweep the floor, please." The young mouse nods and turns to go do that.
Krystal watches Lilymoore and sighs, she is not sure what to say to her as she was not there when something happen she only heard about it from a novice. She nods to Angela "Yeah me as well."
LilyMoore starts to sweep the floor farthest away from the adults. Angela glances at her, then murmurs to the squirrel, "'Ow 'as Cynthia been, by the way? I 'aven't seen 'er for a few weeks." But then again, that might just be because the mouse has been shut up here in the Infirmary most of the time.
Krystal sighs "She doesn't like leaving her room, she is...scared I think. She went out yesterday but that was the only time"
Angela sighs. "I was afraid o' that. I 'ave suggested to Lily that she apologize, but she seems hesitant to do so; I'm not sure why." LilyMoore, having finished all her mending chores for the day, is now sweeping the floor on the opposite side of the room from the adults.
Krystal nods "Well...who knows" She still holds some herbs she was given by the healer mouse and is sitting on one of the cots
There is a sharp rapping at the door, and then Lacota enters, casting his glance about the room. "Ah... Lilymoore... Just the mouse I have been seeking for four days. And Angela, yes..." He crosses his arms, then nods at Krystal. "My dear, still feeling poorly?"
LilyMoore jumps and suddenly looks both ashamed and afraid. "Y-yes, sir?" She says quietly, clutching the broom handle tightly. Angela stands and nods to the Friar. "Lacota. Yer wife 'as some news for ye." She then hobbles over to her great-granddaughter and says something to her, to which the young mouse gulps, nods, and stands a little straighter.
Krystal nods "A...little, she gave me something to help ease it some." She wonders news now or news later.
Lacota pauses, and looks at his wife. "News? What kind of news? It isn't serious, is it? Terminal? It's not Dryditch Fever, is it?" He quickly looks over at Lily again, and points. "You, me... Discussion. I already got permission from Benar," the Friar turns to Angela, now, " I only need permission from you, in lieu of her mother, DoraRose, but I would very much appreciate being able to bring an amicable understanding to this situation... After I see how my wife is, of course." He approaches Krystal. "Tell me, truly, are you sick? Is it something long term?"
LilyMoore hides behind her great-grandmother, who shrugs. "So long as ye talk to 'er in the corner over there," she points to where there are 2 rocking chairs sitting beside each-other, "ye may 'ave yer discussion." She rolls her eyes. "No, it's not Dryditch Fever, ye ninny. If it was, I'd 'ave 'er in isolation by now. For the love....what do ye think I am??" She continues grumbling as she hobbles over to the herb cabinets, obviously more than just a little offended.
Krystal blinks, well... "It is...well sort of long term, but hopefully I won't be feeling down all the time. I can still do my bee keeper duties...it seems I am...with dibbun"
Lacota looks at Angela again. "Corner? Fine... And one can never be too careful with Dryditch Fever..." He then looks at Lily once more, before looking down at his wife. "Long term? Pneumonia, I wager....But I don't see why that should interfere with your... WHAT?" He blinks. Then blinks again, his mouth agape. Lacota is dead silent for several moments, as his jaw sort of flaps as if he's attempting speech, but no sound is coming forth. Eventually, he comes back with, "Are...Are you sure?? Like, 100%, my dear? I mean... A dibbun!? Oh... Oh..."
Krystal nods "There is a good chance love, and I will be careful and not do too much..." She looks at him "A...are you ok love? I mean it wouldn't come 'til late fall."
"Aye, we're as sure as we can be this early in the pregnancy! Please stop insultin' my 'Ealer's skills," come's Angela's grumpy grumble from the other side of the room. Lily just watches, stifling a giggle at the sight of the Friar literally speechless.
Lacota eventually recovers his composure, and rests a paw on Krystal's shoulder. "Aye, well... I'm happy. Very happy indeed. We'll have to think of a name... And heavens, we'll need to make room in our quarters for the dibbun and Cynthia both... Unless she wants to be in the Novice Dorm... Though she isn't formally a novice yet... But, we have time to plan, fortunately..."
Krystal nods "We do, we do...you go ahead and have your little talk" Or long lecture as she has no clue "I am gonna take a nap" She kisses his cheek and then lays down for a nap.
LilyMoore goes back to sweeping, hoping that maybe the Friar has forgotten what he had ot say......but then Krystal reminds him. rats. Angela shakes a finger at the male squirrel. "Stop yer worryin', and stop questionin' my 'Ealin' skills! I know a beast who is with Dibbun when I meet one, and I know Dryditch Fever when I see it, and I /don't/ appreciate ye second-guessin' me!" She has her grumpy behave-or-else voice on right now.
Lacota nods, kissing his wife, then turns to face Lilymoore. Indeed, he had not forgotten. He has an excellent memory. "My apologies, Angela. You are a fine healer, in every way..." And with that, he's approaching the younger mousemaid. "Lilymoore, we need to talk. I am not angry, nor am I here to scold, but there are things that must be understood..."
LilyMoore gulps and clutches the broom handle again. "Y-yes, sir....I'm sorry...." she says. That's a good way to start a conversation, right? Angela scowls a little and starts rearranging the herbs that have gotten jumbled up because /some Novices/ don't know how to respect alphabetical order.
Lacota crosses his arms. "You attacked and bit Cynthia recently. As you may know by now, I have adopted Cynthia as my daughter." He sighs. "Listen, I understand that you dislike her because of her running away and endangering herself and your brother, Caleb... But she is *my* daughter now. She lives here, with me, her father. I'm not saying that you two need to like each other, or be friends... But you *must*, for the good of this Abbey, learn to get along. Understand?"
LilyMoore nods, her eyes wide with a fear that actually has nothing to do with what the Friar has just said. "Yes, sir, sorry, Friar, sir..." she gulps and hugs the broom closer. Angela continues on with her task.
Lacota sighs again, idly adjusting his glasses. "Listen, all I want to say is just try not to get into anymore fights. Cynthia is extremely apologetic regarding Caleb, but she's too frightened to tell you herself..."
LilyMoore gulps again and starts nodding. "I'll try really, really hard not to, I promise!" She doesn't add that she's afraid that the Friar will say something bad about her to the Abbot and she'll get banished! Angela looks at them, thinking to herself silently...
Lacota nods. "I can tell you are truly apologetic, Lilymoore. Neither I, nor Cynthia, hold anything against you. As far as I am concerned, you have my forgiveness." He certainly sounds sincere. Being a father and husband must have softened him. "I understand your grandmother has you on restrictions for quite a long time. You don't have to worry that I'll tack on more after you're done with all that. I'm not that cruel..."
LilyMoore nods shakily. "Th...thank y...you...." Does he know about the Abbot not allowing her to ring the bells anymore? She's certainly not planning on telling him! And she's certainly not going to tell him about her almost being banished. She hasn't told anyone that. Angela looks at the Friar and says, "Are ye sure ye don't want to add dishwashin' duty to her at the end o' this month? My mother always said that chores build character." Lily scowls. She obviously does not like character building exercises.
Lacota frowns briefly, then looks at Angela. "Perhaps... One week. But no more. I..." The squirrel sighs, his tail flicking in agitation. "I don't wish to be a tyrant, Angela. But it has come to my attention that a lot of the younger beasts that don't know me as well as Caleb, for instance, are calling me 'Lacota the Terrible'. Honestly..."
Oz enters the infirm from the open ground, he is limping a little but not due to an injury, its due to a dibbun vole that has wrapped its arms around his leg and wont let go, he stays by the doorway as he speaks "I am sure Ted did not mean to make a worm go in you nose almost"..."Yeah he did"..."I am sure he did not"...And..."Yes he did, he did he did...why are we in here?" He decides the dibbun will just latch back on so the vole stays on his leg "My knee hurts a little"
Scowling, the old Healer says, "Well, ye do yell alot and threaten them....what 'ave we 'ere?" Angela hobbles over to the badger and vole. "I can see why yer knee would be 'urtin' a little..." Lily cringes and says in a very quiet voice, "The naughtier ones call you some really bad names that Nana told me to not ever say again when I asked her what they mean...."
Oz starts to say something when the vole lets go and has those sad eyes, oh no the sad eyes, "It was hurting before that...darn winter needs to hurry up and go away" He did stay off his footpaws the days she mentioned, he did listen and then was right back to his dibbun duties.
Lacota blinks. He frowns. "I'll admit that my patience wears thin on occasion... At least I'm aware enough to see that fault in myself, and with Krystal's help, I've been working on it." He shakes his head. "Honestly, though, youngbeasts don't respect their elders anymore, if they're using... vulgarities that I shan't dare to mention... Where do they learn this stuff? Certainly not from the teachers..."
Angela goes to pick up the Dibbun. "Ye did stay off of it and rest like I ordered, yes?" Lily shrugs and starts sweeping again. "Some of the vermin we have to help use bad language......other than that, I don't know. They're weird." That's one of the bad things she basically never does, so she's not too afraid of getting into trouble for that.
Oz nods as the dibbun tries to flatten its self to the floor and somehow try to weigh more when picked up. Oz hmmms "We do not have many...vermin species here really. Unless one is here to...stay a night or two and is behaving and yes I stayed off my footpaw for 3 days almost I can't stay off them all winter and I have been more careful when there is ice around, the dibbuns will help me if ice is near to walk around it as sadly ice makes no noise to tell you where it is"
Lacota hmms, then says aloud, "Well, at least the spring thaw is just around the corner, aye? It'll be a gorgeous spring. After an overly long and cold winter..."
LilyMoore continues sweeping industriously. Angela oofs as the Dibbun becaomse a dead weight. "Come 'ere, you," she grumbles, going to rest the vole on her hip. "We do on very rare occasions get vermin who need 'ealin'. They rarely stay after I patch 'em up, though." She goes to take the Dibbun over to the examination table, if she can. "Now, young 'un, what was this I 'eard about a worm? See, worms are a sign o' Spring a-comin'."
Oz listens as the vole is finally picked up, they are fine, maybe a small cut on the paw "Ted made worm go in my nose and then I sneezed it out on him and he screamed really really loud and ran away...and maked me go boom on ground see" Her paw has a small cut, maybe from a wall like in the entry, like the bottom part or a step maybe. And of course let's worry about the worm "He proba'lly made the worm scared for life.....how long life worms have? Will the worm get sicks now since was all gross now? I think it fell off his tunic and went to the ground...why worms live in the ground?" Oz chuckles...the joys of dibbuns.
Lacota hmms again. "Worms? Really now, in the nose?"
LilyMoore giggles at the Dibbun as Angela says, "They live in the dirt 'cause that's their 'ome. The worm will be fine. I'll fix up yer paw, and then ye can 'ave a nice little drink o' my strawberry tonic. It's not nasty, I promise." A mole Novice comes over with the tonic (which actually tastes pretty good) and some bandages and a nice smelling salve.
Thanks for reading!
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