Making Friends at Redwall

Characters: Harley, Clover, Cheshire, Bek, Castus, Matthew, Flicktail and Rayen

Location: Redwall - Cavern Hole

There's a pirate here! o.O An unusual pirate with striking, ringed eyes. Or at least, that's what she appears to be. The squirrel has her heavy seafaring boots set next to her, as she sits slumped in a big, almost badger-sized chair with her paws on a stool, close to the fire. A jug of some drink or other lays by her paw.

It is after lunch in Redwall Abbey. Beasts bustle about clearing dishes and wiping down tables. Clover ducks around an order beast on his way to cavern hole to avoid the noisy clean up crew. The rabbit whistles a few notes of a cheery tune as he looks over the smaller room. The song dies on the young rabbit's lips as he spies the squirrel. The young beast glances back the way he'd come but the way is blocked by a cart of dishes - no turning back now. Clover takes a seat a little ways away from the squirrel, as she doesn't strike him as a beast he would want to disturb.

Unfortunately Cheshire's sanity was always questionable at best...

The cat burst into cavern hole, his normally tuxedo like fur was completely blackened by soot, his tail still trailing a plume of smoke. "SUCCESS!" His voice rang out. "I Did it! Success!"

Harley's eyes slowly turn to the right, followed by her head, then shoulders toward the outburst, her movement almost like a security camera. Her expression is calm though. She swigs from the jug.

Clover jumped up at the shout. The rabbit stared wide-eyed at the cat then glanced over at the squirrel. He couldn't understand why she was so calm about a cat being in Redwall. None of the stories Clover had heard about Redwall mentioned cats living there. Though they did say that the Abbey beasts were friendly to all. Maybe the cat wasn't evil? The squirrel didn't seem alarmed, but the young rabbit wasn't sure if Harley's attitude was due to the cat not being a threat or her just not caring either way. Clover took a step back and tried to stay calm - reasoning that the Abbot wouldn't allow evil beasts to roam around the abbey at will.

The beast known simply as Cheshire was...hard to say exactly where he fit onto the scale of good and evil. One thing for sure though, the abbey beasts around him gave a collective sigh at his appearance. "Cheshire! What in the blazes have you done now!" Said a brown furred mouse. His robes marked him as a novice. One who was currently carrying empty dishes in one paw.

The cat announced triumphantly, "I did it! I have perfected a weapon of mass destruction! I have created the deadliest creation known to beast kind!" The cat ran back into, the kitchen? Really? Who let Cheshire into the kitchen?! And returned with a smouldering plate filled with charcoal. "I have created pie!"

The mouse raised an eyebrow staring at the soot covered cat, and his creation. "Pie...isn't very deadly."

"You haven't seen what it does to a beasts insides then..." Cheshire replied. Rubbing his eyes the mouse put aside the empty dishes. Reaching out slowly towards Cheshire he relieved the feline of his pie. "Ok, I think it's time to sit down Cheshire, ok?" He said while licking his paw and putting out the fire on the cats tail. He began to lead the feline towards the pirate squirrel and rabbit. "Dare I ask why you were trying to make a pie Mr. Cheshire?"

"What else AM I supposed to do?" The feline twitched an eye, "It's not my fault there is nothing to do in the surgeons room. We...we haven't seen a good battle or bandit attack in ages! What else am I supposed to do with my time!" The cat said this while gripping the novices robe and shaking him. The mouse slapped his paws away and promptly sat the cat down next to the squirrel.

"Why don't you sit here a while and rest up while I go get a rag...er...ok?"

Harley, in a 'previous life' so to speak, did a lot of jumping around ranting about why cats and stoats and rats and such shouldn't be in Redwall! Mostly while drunk. /Always/ while drunk. She looks toward the cat as he's drawn near, looking unruffled, unsurprised. "If you want to kill a beast with pie, load it with highly concentrated hemlock and wolfsbane. And maybe metal shavings to be sure." she suggests with a total lack of responsibility.

Clover sat back down in his chair. He was very quiet, not that he had much choice being mute. The cat was certainly nutty, but he didn't seem to be dangerous. As for the squirrel, she didn't seem very friendly. Clover wasn't sure what to do. Introducing himself to either beast seemed a bit foolhardy. The rabbit chose to wait and see what the cat would do next.

The cat for his part seem to nervously tap his paws together and talk to himself even after the mouse has left, "Hmmm, perhaps that was the reason why it exploded..." The cat sighed deeply. "It's...it's all their fault anyway. Blasted Redwallers and their blasted peaceful ways. No knife wounds, no arrow piercings, no poisonings, not even a decent beast being murdered by nefarious means...nothing to distract me from my work. I...I..." His green eyes grew wide and dilated, "Everything. I finished. EVERYTHING. What am I supposed to do now? Huh? huh?! Go crazy I will that's what! It sure beats baking!"

It was clear that the cat was talking more to himself than any one else. He leaned forward, leaning his head upon the table in front of him. "three months of...BAKING. It would be fun they said, learn something new they said. Three months at this horrible pass time and all I've accomplished is ruining my diet..."

Harley raises an eyebrow, a regular exercise of hers most likely. She smirks. "Heh. They thought it was bad when /I/ was around. They let you in the kitchen? Seriously? They banned me from it. For reasons." She looks to the rabbit. "I'd probably get closer to me than him if I were you."

Clover took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He had walked all the way from home to come to the abbey by himself and nothing bad had happened to him then. He really needed to get a grip and stay calm. After all Redwall was a place of peace, kindness and good food. If Clover was going to stay here for any length of time he'd have to learn to go with the flow and go along with the beasts that lived here. He really couldn't just sit there in silence all day like a bump on a log. It was only good manners to introduce one's self. He nodded when the squirrel addressed him and moved over to a seat closer to hers. He tried to introduce himself now by smiling at her and pointing to the paper pinned to his tunic which had the words 'I am Clover Mirdrop' written on it.

Cheshire said off offhandedly from where his face lay on the table, "They had to give me something to do after they took my paw glider away." The cat rested his chin on the table now, "Maybe if I were to erect some sort of...pie flinging device to the glider I could..." At that moment the mouse returned and dropped a wet rag upon the cat's nose. "No plotting nefarious devices." He said and walked away as Cheshire let out a hiss.

Grumbling to himself the feline began to wipe off the soot from his fur and clothing. The majority of his fur was just as black as the soot save for a spot on his chin and paws. His tunic was made from brown cloth and starting to get tight around his midriff. Again, a side effect from his poor baking skills.

While cleaning himself off Cheshire noticed, as if for the first time that he was speaking with some rather...odd characters. The squirrel dressed in pirate garb, the rabbit who had not said anything during this whole encounter. Now that was odd.

People always spoke about Cheshire, usually it was, "Cheshire, what have you done now?" "Gah! Get away from me you unholy beast!" or "Cheshire! Stop trying to take my spleen!"

Normal every day conversation. "I'm sorry...but...do I know you? Either of you?" The cat peered closer at the squirrel and rabbit.

Harley makes a casual, approving gesture to the rabbit. "Y'sure are." She says, though not in a bad way. A sort of gruff approval. She looks to Cheshire at his question, seeming totally unruffled by his behavior. "I think we'd remember each other if we'd met before."

Clover shook his head in reply to the cat's question. He pointed at his name tag as if that would prove that they had never met. Clover turned his attention back to the squirrel and hoped that the mouse brother would return and find something for the cat to do as the rabbit wasn't sure he wanted to find out what the feline would come up with on his own to occupy himself. Clover turned in his seat to face the squirrel and pointed at his name tag and then at himself. He points at Harley to try and prompt her to say who she is.

The cat peers intently toward the squirrel, rubbing his chin as he does, "I suppose you are right. I think I would have remembered beasts such as yourselves." The feline looks to the left and then the right, as if making sure no one was listening in. Then in a hushed whisper he says, "If you really are a pirate miss, feel free to rough up a few beasts. Yes? Please?" He then said in a pitiful whimper, "I haven't operated on a beast in months..." mostly because they took away his hack saw, but that was mere details.

A guard not too far away raises his ears to the conversation as he walks by, followed by an eyebrow. "I'm just kidding of course, all beasts here should follow the law and..." Cheshire watches the guard leave before saying to the pair of beasts here, "Seriously. Go wild. This peace is stifling."

With that the cat nodded to them both and stood up. He waves before moving his way towards the stairs...

Harley finally allows that brow to lower when the cat is herded away. She cracks the knuckles on one paw, then the other, before resuming the swigging. She doesn't smell of alcohol, though. Upon seeing Clover's gesture, "Harley."

The rabbit leans forward in a sort of seated bow and after straightening up holds out a paw toward Harely to be friendly. Clover glances at where the cat had been and shakes his head. The young beast makes a gesture by his head suggesting that the cat is not all there up stairs, as if there was any dispute on the matter. Clover crinkles up his face in puzzlement and points at Harley's jug.

Harley either doesn't notice or simply doesn't take the offered paw, but it doesn't seem to be in bad intention. She actually smirks at the head-gesture. "Well they must have a plan for him, or he wouldn't be there." then to the jug, "This? Cranberry and orange juice. With a spot of apple." Another smirk, "Not all seagoers cart jugs of grog everywhere."

Clover smiles and nodded as he draws his paw back. He scrunches his face up more at Harley's reply. He digs a roll of parchment from his satchel, a bottle of ink and quill. The rabbit moves from his chair to sit in front of it on the floor. He uses the chair seat to sit his ink bottle and paper. The young beast writes a reply and tears it off of the roll. The message reads: 'Is it any good? It sounds like it would be sour. Hope you can read this or I'll have wasted paper again.' Clover holds it up to Harley for her to see.

Harley simply grins. Her reply is a lot shorter than the time it takes to write the question. "It is sour. But I don't mind. Reminds me my taste buds still work after many seasons of trying to kill them with alcohol."

Clover looks up at the squirrel in puzzlement. 'Why kill them?' he writes as if the question wasn't already on his face. 'Cat said you pirate. Is that true?' He wrote next, leaving out words so he could reply faster to her. He pointed to her then at the ground and held his arms out as if in defeat or to include the whole abbey, it wasn't clear which.

Harley laughs a little at the gesture. "I'm not here to take over the abbey, if that's what you're saying. Actually, I'm on holiday, so to speak. From a long few seasons of slaver hunting. I'm a... nice pirate, I guess you could say." She winks, "As for the self destruction, well, that was a bad cycle the abbey helped with."

Clover opens his mouth as if to laugh but not sound comes out. She hadn't guessed his question correctly but even so she'd still given him an answer. The rabbit nodded slowly and tries to think of something else to 'say'. He points to himself then pauses a moment to think before pointing off to one side then at himself again. He mimes walking with his claws on his other paw and points to himself again then gestures to the room around him.

Harley grins. "I used to be good at charades. Let's have a go at this." She watches closely. "You... just walked here?"

Clover nodded then gestured with a hand as if throwing something over his shoulder. He mimed sleeping then pointed to himself then the floor. He lastly held up one claw to show he'd only been at the abbey for one night. Clover pointed to himself again and then up and mimed sewing. He pointed to himself then grabbed his stomach as if he were ill and laid down on the floor. He was up again a moment later pretending to treat his now invisible injured self. He pointed to himself again then at the floor and wait for Harley to come up with a explanation for his theatrics.

Harley blinks a bit. "Whoa. Super combo. Okay. Erm... A pinch of salt over the shoulder... nope. Hm. You... just got here to work as a tailor, but got ill? Or you had surgery?"

Clover shakes his head so hard his long droopy ears flop around hitting his arms. He exhales sharply in a loud huff of air. 'Got here yesterday.' he wrote down, 'Heard abbey heal sick. Want try do that. Maybe do that maybe not. Don't know yet. Good try at guessing.' He held up the paper to show Harely.

Harley ah's, and nods. Again, her reply is short. "Ah, that explains that. Good vocation. Glad you weren't injured." she grins, "Imagine how bad I'd be at reading your signs if this /was/ grog in this jug."

Clover nodded and silently laughs without sound again at Harley's comment. He points at the squirrel and then at the entry to Great Hall. The rabbit points up and holds his arms over his head in an arch. He stands like that a moment or two before lowering his arms and pointing at Harley and then mimes climbing.

Harley makes a 'resigned to my fate' sort of expression, and after a pause, decides on, "...Nope, there's no way I'm climbing to the top of the Abbey." she says it with a grin though, knowing she's wrong.

Clover smiles and hunches over pretending to walk with a cane. He straightens up and points to Harley and shakes his head. He pulls one of his long gray ears over across his face cover an eye and strikes a pose with one large footpaw on the edge of his chair. The young rabbit holds his free paw up in a first as if holding a sword.

Harley grins. "No, I'm not old. Ignore the grey. I did used to walk with a cane though. Still keep it with me from habit." She hefts it from the other side of her chair, a nobbled, weathered hardwood affair. She points as though realizing. "This a Matthias-and-Cluny thing? Wow, I'm hopeless at this. Heh."

Clover blinks and shakes his head. He decides it may be best to talk about something else. The rabbit eyes the staff and points at it then at Harley and gives her a puzzled look.

Harley nods. "That's easier. Well, how can I put it? If something bad happens to you, don't turn to ale. Or spirits. Or etc etera." Smirk.

Clover let go of the ear he'd been holding over his face and it fell back down to hang against his chest. The rabbit pushed his ear back over his shoulder with about as much grace as swatting a fly. He nodded at the squirrel's advice solemnly. He pointed at her staff and then at her jug and scratched his head not understanding how too much drink had made her need a cane. He pointed to her then at her feet and lastly at her cane to ask if she had needed the cane because he had been hurt in some way in addition to what she'd already mentioned.

Harley grins, but it's a wry one. That question had been obvious. "Too much drink makes one really, really stupid. Even if they don't realize it." she explains to a point. "And thus stupid actions are soon to follow."

Bek walks into the room, hooded cloak on and hood over his head, he glaces at the gathering of beasts and leans against the wall for now simply watching

Clover frowns and nodes again. He can hear the beasts in great hall readying for dinner and the peals of the twin bells ringing outside. His stomach growls and he points to the entry just as some beast comes in. Clover blinks at the cloaked beast. He's sure he's seen that otter before and he wasn't very friendly. Perhaps the young beast had caught him at a bad time that evening. Clover waves at Bek to be nice and give him the benefit of the doubt. Clover turns to Harley and rubs his stomach then points again to the entry, then he points to the squirrel to ask if she is hungry too.

Harley also gives Bek a look. A long look. As if he's wearing a big sign saying "HELLO, I AM A BAD GUY". She stays sat in the chair though, for now. She nods to the rabbit. "If you're offering, a salad sarnie wouldn't go amiss. Heh."

Bek just quietly watches the beasts and then slowly walks over to a chair, a bit away from them , and sits down.

Castus swings into the room.. well, not literally. But he very nearly swoops in, grabs the back of a chair to spin it around, and drops down with his elbows up on the headrest. He sits very much next to Harley. "You're going to eat without me? You remember the last time that happened, don't you?"

Clover smiles and nodded at the squirrel. He gathers up his roll of parchment and stick it back in his satchel then closes up his ink bottle so it wont spill before putting that also into his pack. The rabbit takes a step back as the new squirrel makes his entrance. The beasts around here sure are strange compared to the scrubby land where Clover is from. The new squirrel seems to be friends with Harley so the young rabbit assumes he's alright. Clover drops his satchel on the floor near Harley's things to insure that no beast will bother it before heading off to find some dinner for himself and Harley.

Harley doesn't seem surprised by Castus's arrival. She stretches, cracking a few joints. Mmm. "You're asking me if I remember something? Me? Really?"

Castus smirks. "You remembered *every single line* of that ridiculous bawdy song you learned off the merchants in South Barnaby, didn't you?" He gives a nod to Clover.

Bek decides to not pay much attention to the beasts here as he leans back in his chair watching beasts go in and out of the room.

Mathew sneaks in quietly holding a rather large fresh biscuit drizzled with honey, the little ermine almost as big as the biscuit, little round ears twitching as he heads for a comfy chair.

Harley grins and produces a pipe, which she lights by the fire. Honey, dried berries and mint leaf. Mmm. "This conversation is over." she smirks.

Bek looks over at Flicktail as he enters but says nothing, he has his hood up so he is not IDed well and sits in a chair away from the others.

Flicktail looks around, his ears perked, a bit confused as he is just arriving

Mathew manages to take a good leap into a chair spilling some honey from his biscuit, sitting in the middle of the chair he nibbles the tasty treat.

Clover took his time filling his plate with salad and crumble before making a plate for Harley. In doing so the rabbit missed quite a bit of the conversation that had continued without him in cavern hole. The rabbit finally returned with plates piled high at long last. Clover regarded Flicktail curiously as he passed by him but tried to remain calm. He'd seen first paw just recently that while some beasts in the abbey may be eccentric or worse they were harmless and most were good beasts at heart. The rabbit laid the plates he'd brought down at the table and pulled his chair, which was next to Harely, closer to the table.

Rayen yawns as she enters the room from the direction of the great hall, she gives a wave to those in the room as she goes to find a place to sit.

Castus pppts, and takes out a little dried fruit to chew on. "I don't remember it being so *quiet*," he almost whispers. "Far cry from the sound of a ship."

Flicktail's face brightens visibly "Rayen me luve ello there!

Bek stands and decides to walk on out quietly, on to the dirt road once clear of the abbey rooms.

Harley nods to Castus. "Creaking timbers and crashing waves. You were right, I did need water more than booze." muaha. She has a smoke of the pipe, which adds notes of camomile to the other scents. No wonder it's calming! She nods to Clover, "Lad." she says, apparently a compliment. Then to Flick, she gestures to Bek. "Hey Champ, there appears to be an assassin over there. Might wanna check it out." She seems relaxed though - more likely she's just testing Flick than having a go at Bek.

Rayen smiles at Flicktail and sits down beside him"Hello, how are you tonight still taking it easy?"

Mathew nibbles his biscuit, shifting so his head pokes over the armrest, eyeing that bunny carefully

Flicktail see's clover and thinks to have some good natured fun. "Aye love doin well after that evil rabbit outside the gates almost did me in" he winks mischievously to his mate to be

Clover looks curiously at the many beasts gathered in the room as he eats his salad. Being mute and more importantly hungry, he has very little to say. He frowns at Harley's suggestion to Flicktail. Bek had been rude and grumpy when Clover had met him but he hadn't seemed evil. The rabbit noticed the otter leave and wondered if Harley's remark had anything to do with it. Shrugging the thought off Clover tackles a beet crumble on his plate. As he chews he notices Matthew watching him. The rabbit raises an brow at the other young beast unsure if he should be alrmed by his interest or amused by it.

Rayen blinks at Flicktail "It was a polecat that you fought dear"

Flicktail says, "oh yes your right Dearest..I always confuse them two" he looks at Harley "Good eving Harley...who else do we ave ere..yount Mather I know...and Good eve good Castus."

Mathew suddenly leaps up onto the arm rest leaving his biscuit on the chair, half eaten, little black orbs locked onto that bunny, he suddenly starts going lower and lower.

Mathew gets into a pounce position.

Rayen hmmms and shrugs, "Well..."

Castus blinks at Flicktail. "Polecats and rabbits? Don't let a rabbit hear you say that," he says, popping another fruit in his mouth. "You know, I get dizzy now that the floor *isn't* moving," Castus says to Harley.

Harley nods. "Landsickness." It's not clear if she's serious or just joking. She cracks a few more joints and pushes her bandana a bit higher on her forehead.

Flicktail's ears perk and he tries to get to Mathew "Mathew! settle down lad....

Mathew skitters and leaps back in the chair grabbing his biscuit he dives for under the chair to escape the charging white fox, squeaking a bit, the little Ermine doing his best to become small

Rayen sighs a little as she watches this and shakes her head, "Maybe you should just both calm down"

Clover turns to look at Flicktail in confusion. What the fox said didn't sound right. Having turned away from Matthew, the rabbit missed that the little dibbun had moved. When Rayen corrects Flicky Clover shakes his head. How could the fox mistake a polecat for a rabbit. Clover wonders if all the beasts at Redwall are as odd as the ones he's met so far. The little ermine doesn't bother him as he figures the dibbun is too small to pose any real threat and if he were a threat he wouldn't be in the abbey to start with. Clover's long droopy ears tip up a bit when Flicktail calls the ermine by name. Then the ermine, is under a chair. Clearly, the dibbun is no threat to any beast. Clover continues to eat his dinner in peace as he listens to the older beasts talk. He keeps a ear tilted toward the floor, not hard to do when one's ears are pointed that way to being with, in case Matthew comes out of hiding.

Flicktail looks sad "awww I didn't mean to scare im.....

Mathew peeks out biscuit in his maw, looking all around, with big eyes.

Castus raises an eyebrow at Matthew, and turns his attention back to the squirrel at his side. "Wellll," he says. "How many picnics did we agree to go on before we went back, again?"

Harley grins, and puffs some more fragrant smoke. "Ghosts can't be fat." she counterpoints, "Or I ain't scaring any creature. But, yes, a few."

Clover glances down at Matthew and gives him a closed lipped smile as his mouth is full of green salad. The rabbit glances up at Flicktail and shrugs. Clover wouldn't mind Mathew wanting to play with him if he weren't eating. The rabbit is surprised the dibbun isn't tucking into a mountain of meadowcream himself or trying to steal someone else's food.

Castus chuckles. "Ghosts can be a little plump though, don't you think? One thing I *don't* miss is all the smoked fish and limes." He shudders. "So many limes."

Flicktail looks over to Rayen.

Harley grins. "I like limes. Like them a lot. And fish. I guess I really was made for the sea." Heh, "Granted though, a bit of cake wouldn't go amiss."

Flicktail Glances to Harley "Wot's a lime?

Rayen had fallen asleep in the soft chair and now wakes up again with a small yawn.

Castus starts casting his gaze around for some cake! "Cake! I can't remember the last time I had some..."

Clover inhales in short bursts and turns his head away from the table. The rabbit sneezes twice loudly. The sneezes are so powerful the youngster bumps his leg against the underside of the table. It may be the most noise he's made all day. Clover sniffles and dabs at his nose with his napkin while rubbing his sore leg with his other paw. Darn table. Clover's ears perks up again at the mention of cake. He doesn't see any cake. Well he may go look for some later. Maybe he'll let Mathew help, dibbuns make good distractions.

Flicktail says, "I wanna know wot a Lime is."

Clover does not know what a lime is though from what the squirrels have said it seems to be something you eat. He points at his mouth to try and convey this to the white fox. The rabbit's plate is quickly becoming empty of food. He may have to go back for seconds soon.

Flicktail looks at a Novice "Would you ask in the Kitchen if we could have some cake?" he smiles "I know it is a food but not wot time" he offers a Paw "I am Flicktail."

Harley turns to Flicktail. "So, owt been happening here while I've been legally dead? Any wars or natural disasters? Always seen to happen these days."

Castus shrugs as he returns with cake! From... somewhere. "From what I've seen it's been surprisingly quiet."

Flicktail nods to harley "aye several wars....big uns....oh look CAKE!

Bramblefur walks to the entry of the room and nods to a passing beast. He looks over at the fox as he hears him speak.

The spotted rabbit wipes his paws off on his napkin and picks up his plate then stands up from the table. He bows as he was taught to do when leaving table. He offers a paw to the white fox hesitatingly. After shaking Flicktail's paw he points to the paper pinned to his tunic which reads 'I am Clover Mirdrop'. As the lad is mute he can't tell beasts his name otherwise. The rabbit looks over at Harley when she speaks again curious then there is cake. The young rabbit points at the cake.

Flicktail says, "well Ello Mr Mirdrop" he spies BF "well hello fur o the branble"

Bramblefur shakes his head "You always have an odd way to say some names Flicktail, ya..only being here short while."

Flicktail says, "Well There Me good Bramblefur, I like to give every beast a personal touch.. I mean nuttin bad by it"

Bramblefur arches an eyebrow.."Wouldn't say good Flicktail..."

Flicktail asks, "ye wouldn't? why not?"

Castus looks protective of his cake. "Hey now. Wait until I slice it at least."

Bramblefur is silent and then answers, "You...know my line of work Flicktail, that is why..that is why" He allows a yawn to escape him, "I am only here to find my son and then head off back to my guild"

Flicktail asks, "Wot's your son't name?" he asks and he offers Castus a knife and several pewter plates"

Bramblefur says, "That I will not say, I am sorry"

Clover sits back down and waits for Castus to cut the cake. He moves his napkin and what's left on his plate on one side to have somewhere to put a slice of cake. The mute rabbit cocks his head to the side as he regarded the new cat. The only cat he'd met so far had been quite mad while since one at least seemed sane enough. He wonders how the cat expects any beast to find his son if he wont say who he is.

Flicktail says, "well I can't elp ya find im then...but that be ok"

Bramblefur nods, "My son is a bit....unsure of most, he likes to keep to himself for many reasons."

Harley promptly runs a fingertip through the icing of the cake and consumes the resulting big glob of icing. "Cake tax." she explains.

Flicktail says, "well if I see anyone liek that, i will say yer looking for im..fer my part I must go do m patrol...welcome there Mr Mirdrop....hope to see more of you, maybe you can teach me how ta sign..... G'night Harley."

Castus cuts the cake with a glare at Harley. He specifically cuts her the piece she took her tax from, too! "One for you," he says, "and the rest for me!"

Harley tuts. "Tax evasion, that is. Pure and simple."

Castus shakes his head. "Redwall is a tax shelter! Didn't you know that?" He takes an extra large slice for himself, sure to get him a tummy ache later.

Clover sighs and points at the cake then himself. Whatever the squirrels are doing should not get between the rabbit and having cake.

Harley hmph's. "Good luck stopping corsairs with that lot sloshing around inside ya." she mock-grumbles. Then she notices and indicates the rabbit. "Chap wants cake." Cake for everyone.

Castus slices out a moderately sized piece for Clover. "Then let him eat cake!" he says, sliding the plate over his way.

Clover takes the fork he'd used for his dinner and digs into the cake. He glances back and forth between the squirrels. Clover certainly wasn't going to keep the conversation going, not while he was eating anyway.

Harley munches, and makes conversation. "You know," munch, "I'd have thought that with me gone the number of unusual beasts would have gone /down/."

Castus shrugs. "This place was always a shelter for strange creatures. Not a big surprise we have so many still."

Harley says, "Heh. How I'd love to visit a more strict, devout abbey, though. Granted, I'd likely hate it after a few minutes, but, you know. Culture."

Clover pointed a forkful of cake pointedly at Castus and then at Harley. He looked at Harley expectantly to find out who Castus was and how he knew Harley, though it seemed that they were in the same line of work for what they'd said so far.

The conversation continued into the evening. Clover didn't learn much more about the squirrels, having left after finishing his cake to explore more of the abbey.

Groups:

• Order of Redwall