Midwinter
Characters: Aikuen, Ella, William
Location: Moledeep
Moledeep: Mole Hall
Aikuen is sitting at the table. Its lunch time. At least, it is for him. A bit late in the afternoon it seems. But lunch is when you have it. Not when someone tells you. Is there little otters with him? Yes. Ella is sitting on of the chairs, playing with her dolls. Being very quiet, under the watchful eye of her father. He slowly eats his soup, with Hardtack. And of course drinks his new passion for tea.
William does not care for tea at all but he's in the minority on that position as it seems everybeast besides him loves the stuff and they all have their own preferences. He joins the otters at the table with a mug of water and bowl of pudding which he hopes Garent wont miss too soon.
Ella's ears tilt toward the new sound, tilting her head soon after. She blinks at Will before going back to her dolls. Aikuen nods at Will, "Lo' Will!" his eyes drift toward the pudding, "Having a head start on dessert I see." he chuckles.
"Why not," Will says with a nod.
Aikuen snorts and shrugs, "No reason. Just, thought i point it out!" he grins before going back to his own soup, "Though i think Garnet will be a little confused, when a bowlful of it... goes missing..." he winks.
"Eh don't think she'll mind too much," Will replies confidently, "This sure beats last winter doesn't it?"
Aikuen nods a bit, "Nah. As long as we don't run out of pudd tonight. I think you are off, scot free." he grins and then snorts, "Last winter? Well aye! though living at the abbey was alright for me. Slept through the day. And worked at night..." he then leans back in his chair, "Now look where we are!"
Will shrugs, "Ok so you mighta had it alright then but this is a great improvement for me. Much better than being outside with no fire or food." The rat nods, "Finding this place almost made up for falling in th river. Might not have found it if i hadn't. Sure it's not th abbey but that not a bad thing." Smiling he returns to his pudding as he hasn't quite finished it yet. Best to finish it and return the bowl to the kitchens before Garnet gets too suspicious.
Aikuen nods a bit more, "Aye. Things just fall in the place. And it just makes things. Perfect... And you will never have to worry about living outside again. We have this place. And if something happens to it. Cave-in or flood and the like. One of the things i'm going to teach yah. Is how to survive outside. And i mean, survive! Almost better than living indoors!" he laughs, taking his time with his soup.
William hrms a little, "I kinda know how t survive some already. I'd 'of had to t have lived this long. But you know a lot of stuff I don't. Finding this place was about as much dumb luck as fate or whatever else you want t call it." He looks down a the last of his pudding and passes it over to Ella trying to be sneaky about it as it's not empty and some beasts would object to spoiling the little otter's appetite.
Aikuen says, "Aye. You know the basics. Which is too. Not to die. Which is good! But i'm taking like. Make your own good stable shelter. Collecting from good reliable sources of food... That kinda stuff..." he nods a bit before he hears some light slurping. Ella had taken the bowl, and laps some up with her claw. Then going to lick it off. He blinks and stands looking over at his daughter, "Oi Will? I think Ella just stole your pudd!" he chuckles.
William says, "Define stole. I was done with it anyway."
Aikuen laughs and goes to sit back done in his chair, "You gave it too her then? Hehheh! She will not be taken the blame if Garnet comes in here!" he says. Meaning. He doesn't mind that she might have spoiled her appetite this one time. Aikuen is not THAT strict. Side, its just pudding! Aik breaks off a bit of hardtack and nibbles on it. Soup being done and gone with.
William says, "Maybe she found it. I didn't leave that much in it so she should still be hungry when supper comes around."
Ella has gotten as much as she can with her claw, and now resorts to licking the bowl itself. Getting some of it on her head.
Aik smirks, "Sure sure. And I don't mind. Just don't tell Garnet, and I can keep a secret!" he taps his nose a few times, before chuckling. He stands up once more to look at his daughter, and he laughs loudly.
Ella decided to wear the bowl as a hat, now that she is finished.
William chuckles at Ella, "Is there a reason you think you need a helmet in here?"
Ella looks up at Will, "I was dones with it... And didn't know where to puts it!" she chuckles, "I is all covereds in puddings..." she hrms to herself, still licking her paws. Aik chuckles at her going to pick her up, taking the bowl of her head, "Here Will. you take the bowl to the kitchen. And i will take Ella to clean her up!" he laughs, and wipes a bit from her face, "And remember. Our secret!" he grins before heading off into the sleeping hall, and a pitcher of water.
William grins nodding as he takes the bowl to drop it off in the kitchens. Not seeing any beast about he scrubs the bowl clean and replaces it in the cupboard just to mess with the stoatwife's head even more.
After replacing the bowl Will looks around the walls of Moledeep where he has been living for the last few seasons with out end. He sighs and goes off to get his travelling pack and cloak, making sure to stock up from the kitchens and leave a quick note, and word with Amy, before heading out into the snow. He doesn't expect to get any farther then the abbey before heading back again but even so he's let himself get used to staying in one place for too long.
William knocks the snow off the sign out front by the entrance and double checks his supplies and weapons as he slowly trudges through the snow, leaving his home far behind him.
William walks slowly through the woods taking in the sights and sounds of the winter afternoon. Snow sparkles off trees and grass as far as his eye can see in every direction hiding all sorts of dangers under a soft blanket of quiet white.
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