Of Mice and Maps 1

Riverdale, Ekho, Nicodemus, Starlenia, Kain, Aikuen, Ryker. And a map.

The afternoon sun, dripping in through the stained glass windows, finds Riverdale once again in the Great Hall, though not in his accustomed armchair by the fire. The old squirrel sits rather at the dining table, leaned forward, his form shadowing a wide parchment that he has spread out before him.

Ekho comes down the stairs, pulling Wallie behind her. The squirrel at the table gets a big smile and a wave as she goes over. "Hi there Mister Riv-dale!" she goes over and smiles up at the squirrel.

Riverdale's spectacles are perched a professorial distance down his nose as he inspects the faded document, and they teeter a bit as his head pivots in greeting to his little dibbun friend. In an uncharacteristically elevated tone and a bright expression, he says, "Hey there, Ekho! Ah,"--addressing the teddy-badger--"Wallie!"

Ekho smiles some and crawls up into a chair next to Riverdale. "Watch'ya doin?" she asks, peering on the table.

Nicodemus enters the hall and nods to the tapestry before heading to the hearth.

Riverdale rubs a paw over the corners of the parchment, patting softly to flatten the wrinkled edges as he does. "Ahh..." he says, his mouth lingering open for a moment as his gaze is drawn to the figure of the abbot entering the room. "I'm, ah, lookin' at a map." He nods to Nicodemus, then looks back down at Ekho, "You know what a map is?"

Ekho Ums and nods. "I think...big thing with pictures of places?" she asks. Then the mouse looks over to Nicodemus and makes her teddy-badger wave some. "Hi-Hi"

Nicodemus plunks into a chair and then turns to the others. "Merry meet again, Riverdale. Lass."

"That's right, Ekho." Riverdale looks intently at the barely decipherable markings that dart and weave across the map's surface. "Any road, I, ah, I /think/ it's a map." He dips his head in close to the surface, transfixed by some detail. Again, his spectacles seem in danger of falling off, and they focus a darting little spot of light on the soil-stained page.

Ekho smiles some and nods. "Right...Wallie knows what it is too" she smiles some, holding her teddy-badger closer, but her eyes watch the Abbot.

Riverdale slides his paws off the map and lets them fall to his sides, and the parchment furls itself into a semblance of a cylinder. Cleaning his pince-nez, he heaves an uneasy sigh. "I... I'm sorry. I..." He pauses to settle the glasses once again upon his nose and claps the table loudly. "This... this map has taken over my thoughts." Riverdale looks over at the abbot settled by the hearth but says nothing.

Nicodemus watches the squirrel. "You study it like the plans for a building. What's intrigued you so?"

Ekho looks back to the map and looks over it curiously.

Riverdale toys with the rolled document, pulling it open a bit and letting it curl up again, while he says, "Ahh... I can't help but feel that it's meant to be something important, Abbot." He stops playing with it and opens it fully for a moment. He scans it up and down. "That--and, I can't make head nor tail of it."

Nicodemus chuckles. "So, it's the mystery that's really tugging your tail, eh?"

Riverdale nods slowly.

Ekho's ear twitches at Nicodemus's words. "Does it Hurt?" she looks up to Nico then to Riverdale

"This abbey has many beasts who are well-travelled," Nic says, "If you show the map, perhaps somebeast will know one of the points on it. That should help."

Riverdale laughs suddenly at Ekho's misunderstanding, breaching the sober stillness of the room. "No, no, Ekho... He meant... ah... He meant that it's, ah... Making me interested!"

Ekho oohs and smiles with a nod. "Oh...okie" she replies with a smile before looking back at the map.

Nicodemus sets his staff down and slides his foot-paws from the sandals, then the stockings, and pokes his feet towards the fire.

Riverdale tears himself from the map again and leans into the stiff-backed chair. "I'm rather well traveled myself, abbot, and, ah... it makes no sense to me." His chuckle contains more than the whisper of a sigh as he adds, "But then, my eyes are not young anymore."

Riverdale shakes his head, "But then... perhaps it's not a problem of, ah... acuity so much as perception."

Ekho hms and watches Riverdale for a second before adjusting in her seat to watch Nicodemus for a few moments.

Nicodemus laughs! "Or, the map is simply wrong."

Nicodemus rubs his chin. "Or it's a map inside of someplace instead of the land."

Riverdale frowns, "Wrong?" He stares at the map. "Wrong... yes... Ah..." Grabbing the parchment, he rotates it on the table. "Wrong... or sideways." Hmm... No.

Nicodemus adds his hand-paws to the limbs pointed at the fire.

Starlenia creeps into Great Hall from Cavern Hole, with a broom firmly clutched in her paws. She's just finished sweeping, and - "Atch-!" She sneezes, and scurries away to lock the broom away in the kitchens. Hmph.

Nicodemus says, "Or backwards, such as seen through a mirror."

Ekho looks over to the Sneeze and gives The novice a wave before she vanishes. "Hm..." the dibbun shrugs a bit before returning her glance to Riverdale and Nicodemus.

Nicodemus turns to the mouse dibbun. "She's quick, but she'll be back."

Riverdale looks up as the young squirrel passes through the hall. So many faces around here, his puzzled look seems to say, it's tough to keep track. "Backwards?" He mulls the possibility.

Nicodemus looks up at the plate glass.

Ekho nods and smiles. "Okay..." she replies before looking back to the kitchens...Then Nic gets another odd look. "Why are you dressed funny?" She tilts her head. The Mouse has never seen someone in a brown habit before.

Nicodemus the stained glass reflects the fire's glow in colors.

Kain trods down from the stairs, actualy... he trips and stumbles down the stairs and ends up on his tummy, but no body saw that, hopefuly!! He gets on his feet quickly and squeearfs! He then sneeks off into a chair...

Nicodemus looks at himself. "I wish I knew sometimes."

Starlenia slips quietly through the kitchen door again, and snuffles, feeling that there's something else she ought to do - but she can't think of what it is. Hmph!

Ekho tilts her head. "You don't know why you're dressed like that?" She asks before looking to Starlenia. She gives a smile and a wave.

Riverdale's peripheral vision is lacking, so he indeed did not see Kain's little tumble, nor Starlenia's reappearance. In fact, rolling and unrolling the map, looking alternately at strange runes and into space, he seems attendant only to the thoughts running through his mind. He mumbles, "It could be... correct... but... ahh... not... accurate."

Nicodemus chuckles. "Or the land could have changed over time since it was drawn. Floods, river-course changes, storms and dead trees, all make their marks over time."

Kain sits in the chair, looking around and smiles. He waves a paw just because he saw a paw wave from someone... He wasn't realy paying attention... but... slowly... hey! He waves his paw a little more, staring at it.. Soon, he makes it talk like you would a sock puppet. He brings his other paw up and they have a nice conversation about cheeses, "OH yes... cheddar is quite nice Mrs. Trefoil. Oh, hehe, you can call me Helen... I don't mind." He squeearfs again!

Starlenia distantly returns Ekho's wave, still thinking, and starts to rather idly walk closer. She's not paying any attention to where she's going, and - oof. Bumps into a chair. 'm sorry, chair!

Ekho watches Star bump into a chair before slowly standing from her own chair and going over. "You okay?"

Starlenia sort of stumbles away, quietly apologising to the chair. Err.. She hasn't heard Ekho 'tall yet.

Kain glances at Riverdale and the map.. slowly putting his paws down and staring though he may not have meant to...

Aikuen quietly comes in, and finds his favorite seat at the table.

Kain gets up from his chair and glances at Riverdale more... padding over... He squeearfs, "Oh..h..hello.... What's that?"

Riverdale is forcibly pulled from his reverie by the irritating sound of somebeast's periodic squeearfing. "Ahh... hallo? When did it get so busy round here?" he says irritably. His aspect softens as he nods and shoots a smile at Starlenia. "Ah... another young novice, I suppose?"

Riverdale glances over at the strange mouse. "Ah... It's a map. I found it in my tent." He looks down. "I don't... I don't remember where I got it, nor when."

Riverdale shoots Aikuen a hurried greeting across the table.

Kain nods and glances at the map, his tongue poking out of his maw, "I see... squeearf! Wh... what's it to? Treasure or.. or a party or.. or.. maybe a beach! OH yes, a lovly beach that's fit for a queen.. er... or a king! Hehe.. What are you trying to do with it?" He tilts his head and sticks his tongue out of his maw again.

Starlenia sits down near to Riverdale, pricking up her ears and being as quiet as she can - she's all interested now though, and the chair will take care of itself.

Ekho slowly wanders over to Riverdale before attempting to climb into his lap.

Nicodemus slides his newly warmed footpaws back into the socks ... then the sandals.

Riverdale leans forward over the map, his elbow tamping down one corner while he places his head gently in his paw. He runs the other paw over the parchment again, fidgeting with its fraying edges. "It's a good question..." he says to Kain. He looks down at Ekho and assists her into the space beside him on the chair. "There. Can you see now, young 'un? Does Wallie want to see?"

Kain nods and looks over the map a little, his eyes seeming to cross a bit as he gazes at it... "Oooh..."

Ekho places Wallie on her lap, nodding some. "Yep! thankie" She smiles before looking to Starlenia and waving again with a smile.

Nicodemus raises to his paws, grasping the staff and hoisting himself up.

Riverdale looks strangely at Kain, then says with a chuckle, "Ah... yes. 'Ooh'."

Nicodemus says, "I shall leave you brave and well-travelled beasts to the mystery. It's beyond my knowledge of craft."

Riverdale inquires, "Leaving already, Abbot?"

Nicodemus nods. "Along with the fancy title comes an ample supply of grind work."

Nicodemus exclaims, "Merry part, everybeast! Don't let Riverdale's eyes melt on the map."

Ekho waves to Nico. "bye bye!"

Kain wobbles a bit, then uncrosses his eyes, "Oh.... uh... mystery?" He glances back at the map and stares... eyes going cross-eyed again...

Aikuen gets up from his favorite chair, and goes over to the map, "What'cha got here?"

Kain glances at he map and bites his tongue. He then takes one step back, then turns to his left.. "Hrmm... w... west is.. uh... southern, right?"

Ekho looks at the map some more. "Are you going somewhere Riv-dale?" she asks.

Riverdale coughs and adjusts in his chair, a little nervous from all the attention. "Ahh... It's, it's a map. I think." He rubs his head. "I can't recall, ah, when I got it or who gave it to me." He pushes his spectacles back on his nose. "I've had it... for a long time." He nods. "A long time..." To the mad mouse: "West? Southern?"

Aikuen glances to Kain, "Do you mean South-West?"

Pedat walks in from the entryway, his blue eyes twinkling as he sees the crowd of beasts in great hall. He gives a small bow and a grin, "Good evening all." He walks over to the fireplace and begins taking off the leather jack, which is sporting several new scars, warming himself meanwhile.

Kain nods his head and smiles at Riverdale, "Why of course! Thank you!" He then paces backwards, falling over a chair!! "Squeearf!!!"

Riverdale looks down at Ekho, "Ah, what was it you asked, dear?"

Ekho looks up at Riverdale with a small smile. "Are you goin' somewhere?"

Aikuen goes over toward Kain, and hands him a helpful paw, "You Alright, Matey?"

Kain take Aikuen's paw and gets up to his feet, then glances at the map again, eyes crossing yet again! He then points a paw and hrmms, bitting his tonuge, "Where is it... little arrow... oh arrow.. squeearf!!! Where is it!?! I just saw it..."

Aikuen looks intently at the map excitedly, "Arrow, What arrow? I dont see any arrow?"

Riverdale moves his head to the side to allow the otter and the mouse a clearer view of the parchment.

Kain glances up from the map to smile at Aikuen, his eyes slowly uncrossing, "Oh! Well... the one on the map... it was.." He glances at the map and focuses harder... eyes crossing... then... he squeearfs!! "Right there!!! The arrow!" He smiles and squeearfs happily.

Riverdale squints, "Ah... Arrow? I, ah... All I see is a little, ah... What /is/ that?" He moves in closer. "Looks like a... spider to me."

Aikuen Doens't get it. His noes is now almost touching the parchment. "Where?!?!, I dont see it!, Can you point to it!!"

Ekho frowns some at Riverdale. 'Are you...going somewhere?" she asks again slowly.

Riverdale keeps forgetting about the little dibbun on his chair! He jerks backward, almost bumping into Aikuen, then looks over at Ekho. "Ah... I, I don't know yet, little 'un."

Kain points his paw on the map, "Right there!" His eyes are still crossed, then slowly he uncrosses his eyes... and blinks, "Uh..it... it's... dissapearing!!! Uh dear, no!!! I'm sorry!!!! Squeearf!!!"

Ekho smiles some and nods to Riverdale. "Okay...if you go...can I go Too?"

Aikuen Looks to where Kain had pointed, "That? It looks likes an L?" He scratches his rudder for minute. "This is Puzzling..."

Riverdale rubs Ekho's back tenderly, "We'll see, Ekho. We might, ah, need to bring Wallie along for protection.". Addressing his attention once again to Aikuen: "Who is that fellow? What's this business about, ah, arrows and squeearf and... what was it..."

Riverdale notices Starlenia sitting nearby. "You're awfully quiet there, miss. What, ah... What do you make of this?"

Ryker looks up from by the fire, and not wanting to disturb them in....Whatever they are doing, takes a seat by the fireplace, enjoying the heat as he as been outside for hours

Kain rubs his eyes and.. crosses them yet again.. then... he squeeks, "Tehahah! There it is!" His paw hasn't moved an inch from where it was last though... "Heha! It's an arrow all right! Eearf!"

Ekho smiles some and gives Riverdale a hug. "Okie" she smiles before yawning and slowly crawling down. "M'gonna go find someone to play with" She says before going off to the stairs.

Starlenia starts - she didn't think she'd been noticed! But she stands up, slowly, and creeps toward Riverdale to look at the map curiously.

Aikuen Notices the Squirrel maid. He gives Starlenia, a small salute. "Sorry, miss but we've never been introduced, I am Aikuen of the West Islands."

Riverdale looks up testily at Kain to dismiss the strange suggestion--no one else is seeing this elusive arrow--, but stops himself. "Your, ah..." He waves the paw freed by Ekho's precipitate departure towards the mouse's face. "Your eyes..."

Ekho goes down the stairs with a wave to everyone

Kain glances at Riverdale, his eyes slowly uncrossing, "Oh... yes? My eyes? Did I drop one again?!?! Oh dear!!!" He ducks on teh ground and searches... for... what might be his eyes....

Riverdale asks Aikuen, apropos of Kain, "Is he, ahh... okay?" The squirrel points to his own head suggestively.

Starlenia takes a pace back, bewildered, and starts to go back to her seat, where there are fewer dibbuns.

Kain gets back up, "Oh.. nope.. eyes are still in my head... Now.. uh.. wh.. what were we doing, um... I forget.."

Aikuen chuckles at the mad-mouse, "You know, he might be on to something. He keeps thinking that this is an arrow" He points to what looks like an 'L'.

Caitlyn makes her way into the hall brushing herself off. She takes a look around "Good evening" She says as she makes her way towards the fire.

Kain ohs and smiles, bouncing about! "I know! The arrow!" He glances at the 'L' and crosses his eyes agian... "Aww.. there it is... What's it to though..."

Ryker isn't overly fond of lots of people but at the same time is social and was heading over to the table when he seen Starlenia head back to her seat. He swiftly changes direction and walks up to her, giving a small bow. "Good evening, Miss." He says with a smile.

Riverdale grunts, "He only thinks it's an arrow because his eyes are crossed." He shakes his head dismissively. "Looks like a little, ah... bug to me."

Starlenia fairly starts again, dropping into her seat with a flumph. "U-um," she stammers, blinking at Ryker. "H'l-lo.."

Aikuen looks at he Parchement, at the 'L' His brow truns into anger, and his eyes begin to squint. After a bit he looks up completly dazed "Ow, I cant do that"

Ryker glances over his shoulder at the others and gives a small scowl, for no good reason, then turns back with another small smile. "I'm Ryker." He introduces himself to the maiden, positioning himself however that the others aren't at his back; it makes him nervous when he can't see others.

Kain stares into the map, mummbling to himself, "Hrmm... squeearf.... wh.. where did you get this!?! I want one! It... it's like a drawing with in a drwaing! I look at it one way... and it's completely diffrent when I look at it another! Tehehhahah!!! Squeearf!"

Starlenia nods, edging more comfortably into the chair and watching Ryker carefully. She keeps rather quiet, still, only answering with 'nother fairly silent "'l-lo."

Aikuen shakes his head, "Nah, How is that possible, mabey the 'L' is just a smuge left by the drawer"

The male squirrel smiles a little at her shyness but waves a paw to another chair setting nearby, "Do you mind if I sit, Miss?" He asks, having politly remained standing so far.

Riverdale peers at Aikuen strangely, "Ah... Tryin' to cross your eyes? I had a grandfather whose eyes..." He stops and returns to the map. "Hmm."

Starlenia shakes her head hurriedly - mustn't be rude. "N-.. not at all," she answers.

Kain's eyes remain crossed as he looks at the map... He then uncrosses his eyes... then.. crosses his eyes, and uncrosses his eyes again and again! "There it is! There it isn't... There it is!!! There it isn't... tehahahah, squeeearf! I've never seen anything like this!"

Ryker nods a little and sits down gracefully,"Thank you." Looking once more toward the other party then back at the squirrelmaid, not smiling but his brown eye friendly he asks her "Do you know what they are doing?"

Aikuen flops down into a chair, "Well see if can see where it goes, my eyes feel like they have falling out." He takes a draft from his flask, and sighs gratefully.

Starlenia glances to the beasts poring over the map, and shakes her head at Ryker. No clue 'tall. -.-

Riverdale's bearing suggests that he's had it up to here with the rambling, squeearfing Kain, but he clenches his jaw and takes off his glasses. "I may feel a mite foolish," he says, "But... if it helps me find what... ah... what I'm meant to find..." With deliberation, he crosses his eyes.

Ryker chuckles slightly and leans back in his chair with an easy smile as he crosses his arms over his chest. "Well, could you tell me what you name is then, Miss?" He asks cheerfully but slowly.

Aikuen tries not laugh at riverdale's eyes,and he quickly covers it up with a caugh "Hr...Hrph....hmm...Excuse me"

Starlenia nods again, looks away - 'tisn't polite to stare - and quietly answers, "Um, 's S-ss-starlenia." She has a word quota! Mustn't use too many.

Kain points at the map still with his eyes crossed, "See? It's right there! Can't you see it? Don't... don't tell me this is just like...h...Helen... I.. I know what I'm seeing! Helen.. uh... squeearf..."

The male squirrel smiles a little more and carefully repeats the name, locking it in memory. He is silent for a moment and just looks into the fire then darts a quick look at her. "So are you new here, Miss Starlenia?"

Aikuen Looks questioningly at Kain, "Helen, Who's Helen?"

Don't panic! He's prob'ly harmless. Starlenia shakes her head, and slowly begins to retreat into her chair. There's no reply from her this time either.

Riverdale produces a single high-pitched chuckle of delight. "Ah! There it is! An arrow!" He beams up at Aikuen, eyes still crossed, "It's there! The arrow!"

Sensing that the maiden is getting nervous, Ryker just nods a little and looks back to the fire, either waiting for her to say something or....He doesn't know.

Riverdale's delight relaxes into a frown, "Ah... not that that gets us anywhere."

"A-are.." Starlenia says - and pauses, and thinks. "A-are you? If, if-if you don't mind sa-saying.." She doesn't want to make him feel bad, or awkward. -.-

Kain squeeks softly, "She... well... she's my wife that... well... no one seeems to be able to see.. and.... you found it!?!" He squeeafs and bounces up and down! "Heheha! I knew I saw it, eearf!!" He then glances at the frown and... continues to bounce and laugh! He's not completly insane... just 3/4s!

His brown eyes flicker from the fire back to the maid as she starts to speak, and he smiles ever so slightly. "Please don't be shy." He says softly, "I'd take you being nervous as a personal insult." He finishes with a disarming grin.

Aikuen looks at the map, then tries to cover each eye one at a time. "Grrrrrrr. I still cant see it." He looks toward riverdale, "Can you see anything surronding the arrow?"

Starlenia starts to protest, but shuts up rather quickly. Um. Now she feels very awkward. "Amn't sh-sh-shy," she says, after a moment. Not one bit, honest!

Kain seems pretty distracted now, bouncing around and squeearfing! He trips over a chair and lands on another, ending up in a small pile of chair... "Squeearf... ouch... uh... I'm.. ok!"

Ryker mentally slaps himself but smiles on the outside instead. "Of course not." He chuckles gently, "Were you going to ask me something though?" He asks, looking away from her thinking maybe it would help her...Ease up, a little.

"Ahh... let's see..." Riverdale's tongue peeks out from the corner of his mouth as he pores with grave attention over the faded map. "Hmm..." He tries to trace a line on the map, but his crossed eyes disorient him and he withdraws the paw. "I, ah... I think there's a stream... or a river here."

Starlenia shakes her head, and looks straight ahead. Nuh-uh! She wasn't going to ask him anything at all.

Riverdale relaxes his eyes for a moment and, removing his glasses, shakes off the early pangs of a headache. "Whooh," he utters softly.

Ryker nods and keeps staring at the fire, he wasn't used to beasts like this, usually his outgoing manner knocked everyones guard down right away but this maiden was either seriously shy or seriously stubborn. He desided to just let her warm up by herself.

Kain gets up and sets the chair.. uh... ontop of eachother, ballencing them up and making a small tower. He then goes back to the map and giggles, "It's.. it's a pretty arrow, isn't it, eearf!!"

Starlenia clasps her paws in her lap and watches the fire too, 'casionally looking at Riverdale and his map - curiouser and curiouser! But the maid keeps very much to herself, with nobeast familiar in sight.

Aikuen looks to Riverdale, and idea spriging up in his head "Do you remeber which way the arrow was pointing?"

"Pardon me for a second, Miss." Ryker says then goes off into the kitchen, returning a second later with a platter of bakery goods, bottle, and two cups which he balances gingerly. He sets them down and pours some of the drink into a cup, offering it to the maiden. "Would you like some, Miss?"

Riverdale puts his glasses back on. "Ahh... yes, of course... Ah, er, sorry, what's your name?"

"N-nno, um.. th-thank you," Starlenia replies, gently - so he won't think he's only offended her. Which he hasn't! Honest. "Um, 'm f-f-fine."

Aikuen gives the grandest salute he could ever possibly imagine, and then while standing at attention, barks out "Sir, I am Aikuen of The West Islands, Sir!"

Ryker nods and sits down, taking a small drink from the cup himself, he pushes the platter across the small table between them gently. "Something to eat then?" He is trying desperatly to break the ice, he hates it when he knows people are ill at ease around him.

Kain blinks and seems to go back into a trance, staring at the arrow, "Hrmm... so erm... southrns... right?" He takes two steps back again and hrmms... turning to his left... He bites his lip a little.. "Ughn... western... southern.. left? Uh.. no... squeearf..." He holds his arms out beside him and giggles, "Heha! I'm an arrow! HEHahahah!"

Starlenia looks at Ryker's platter for a moment and shakes her head - she's not hungry. "I-I've.." she starts to say, again, and pauses half-way to think. "I've ch-chores, I think."

Starlenia starts up and turns for a moment, to wave apologetically to Ryker, and scampers away.

Riverdale's face creases, then seems almost to expand in recognition, "Ahh... yes. I thought we might have met. By the gates, I believe. I'm called Riverdale." Kain has become rather distracting at this point. "Should... should we do something about, ah, that mad fellow?"

Aikuen cant help chuckling at the 'arrow', "He Aint hurting nobeast, if he wants to be an arrow i say let him!". Then serious to riverdale, "When you see this arrow, is there any other arrows surronding it?"

Kain remains still... not moving an inch... but he does squeearf.

Riverdale heaves a great breath and tries to clear his head, to disengage for a moment. He watches Starlenia and Ryker, seeming not to notice Aikuen's inquiry. Then, abruptly, he turns back to the otter. "Ah, hmm? No, no." His head twitches. "It's, ah... just the one. And it's, ah..." Cocking his head slightly to look at the site of the mark, he notes, "It's sideways."

Aikuen just has one more question, "Is it the middle of the page, or is the lone arrow sort of off to the side?"

Riverdale taps a finger in the upper left quadrant of the map. "Here," he says.

Aikuen rubs his hand together, a big ole grin is slapped on his face, "Har, har, That my freind is a Compas Rose, It points toward the north!"

Kain smiles softly and wobbles a bit.. he still tries to remain still though. He eeearfs and then sighs, giving up.. He finds a seat and rubs his head... "wow.. It's hard being a arrow, earf..."

Aikuen tosses kain, his flask, "Here drink this matey you will feel better.... But do it slowly! Tis stong struff"

Riverdale rotates the map clockwise so that the arrow, now in the upper right quadrant, is pointing away from him. "You could be right, Aikuen."

Kain catches the flask. He sniffles it curiously, then shrugs. He slowly tilts it back and opens his maw... then eearfs! He shakes it a little... "Sqeeaaarrorooo.... It's broken!" He doesn't seem to notice the lid on it.... He continues to shake it over his muzzle.

Riverdale reaches down beside him and retrieves his long-neglected walking stick from the floor beside his chair. Tap, tap, tap. The sound of an old squirrel's mind churning. Again.

Aikuen looks surprised, "Really? Broken?, Here let me see"

Kain hands the flask back and whines softly.. "Nothing came out of it... sqeeueea...."

Aikuen notices the lid on the flask, he hides it behind him and removes the stopper. "Here yah go, try it now" He hands the now open flask toward kain. "Now remeber slowly"

Riverdale gives it another go. He sets his spectacles aside, crosses his eyes, and bows his frame over the parchment, while the dimming light from outside works hard to thwart his efforts.

Kain slowly tilts his head back with the flask, then blushes once he finds that something did pour out of the flask! He takes a small sip and licks his lips, making a bit of an odd face, "Hrmm.w.... wh... what's.. this stuff?" He then glances at Riverdale and smiles softly... He can't help but giggle softly to himself. Squeearf!

Aikuen totally forgot about the map, he goes over toward the parchemnt, on the other side of where riverdale stands, "Now, ye say you saw a river, can you trace it with your paw". He looks over toward kain drinking the flask, He eyes bulge, then laughs, "Wow, Nobeast has ever stood the taste of my Rum and Hotroot Drink before"

"It's... a little difficult..." comes the muffled response. Riverdale's head glides towards the bottom half of the map. "Hmm. Here we are. Ah... Lower part of the map..." He looks up, "A little below the, ahh, middle."

Riverdale closes his eyes for a minute, then reopens them, uncrossed.

Riverdale draws a line in the air above the map: as he described it, a short distance below the center horizontal fold.

Kain continues to make a funny face, but.. he tries to drink it anyways. He wants to be polite after all. So.. quick and easy he thinks! He tilts his head back and opens wide!! He swallows a big gulp, then coughs!! He covers his muzzle with his other paw! His ears light up red along with his blush.. "Sqeeeooof!!"

Aikuen throws back his head, and laughs uproarasly, "Har, Har They said it shoudl be used for medecinal purposes only, said to numb everything it touches, But i like the taste!", He pushes another flask of greensap milk toward him, "Here drink this, itll stop the burning, but im afraid youll be numb for quite a bit!"

Kain blushes red and takes the next flask, drinking it down more and more... He slowly wobbles and slides into a seat.. "Sqewwarrf... w.... what... what was... t... ughn.. f... I's.. i_I feel... funny..." @.@

Aikuen takes his flask, and polishes it off, smacking his lips "Ahhhhhhh, That'll put a twinkle in your eye" His eyes roll up in his head, and has a small seizer. He ragains his composer, "Ahhhh thats the stuff, Noting like Rum and Hotroot!"

Aikuen going back to the map, he looks to where Riverdale had pointed toward the might be river, "Does it go North to south or East to west?

"Ah, east to west, I guess. Or, ahh, vice versa."

Aikuen scratches his chin whiskers, "hmmm, lets see.....left to right eh....could be.... nah.... well?... it might....hmmm."

Kain's head wobbles a bit, "Ughn... squee... squeearf..." He doesn't know how he feels right now! He's never felt anything like this though, that's for sure!

Riverdale runs a paw across his face. "I... I think I know who might have made this... And, ah, if-if I'm right... This is probably somewhere... in the south."

Aikuen looks at the squirrel, with one borw raised, "South, Like south Mossflower?"

Riverdale's chair creaks as he shifts to take his cane back into his paw. "Ahh, lad... No, no, I'm from much further south." He pushes the chair away from the table and begins to stand up. His limbs creak in protest. "How long have I been sitting?" he asks no one in particular.

Riverdale angles the cane towards Kain. "Ah, might want to get him back to the, ah, infirmary. Least, he could use some rest."

Kain finaly, for once, squeeks like a normal mouse and moans. His eyes are pretty dialated and he seems to be far off on some other planet... not that he wasn't on another planet to start. "Ugh... ugnga...I.. I sfeels... mrurgl..."

Aikuen pulls out a journal from his sack, and starts flipping to a particual page, He then nods, "Aye, after swiging that drink, im suprised his still consincious"

"As for me..." Riverdale says with a yawn and a paw reaching forth to retrieve the map from the table. "I... think I shall sleep on it. My... dreams, if you can call them that, have a way of, ah... clearing things up."

Kain moans a little more, his dilated eyes open and focused on some point far out there. He doesn't seem to be consincious though, seeming that the contents of the flask have knocked him out.

Aikuen after a bit of searching, finds the page he was looking for, Then trying to read his own writing, gives up. "Aye you sleep on it,lets do hope your dreams do clear it up. Im gonna stay up and see if i can make head or tails of it." Then to kain, "i hopes you feel better matey, sorry 'bout that"

Riverdale nods, "I'll leave the map here, then." He pauses. "Do take care of it... I may, ahh, I may need it yet." He offers a paw to Aikuen, "I am grateful for your help. And his, of course," he bobs his head at Kain.

Riverdale hesitates a moment. "And, I'm afraid, I may have to ask for further help... soon..."

Aikuen aiken gladly accepts the paw of the squirrel "It was my pleasure, to help in anyway i can, And whenever you need help, ill be by your side in a flash."

Kain mummbles something ver softly under his breath, "Ugh..g..gh....h..H-H...Heln'.. dn...dn....sl'ly..." A soft smile appears on his face.. At least he's having a nice dream, though he won't want to wake in the morning!

Aikuen smiles at the knocked out mouse, "Do you need me to carry him to the infirmiry?"

Riverdale's gaze sweeps over the vast hall, now lit only by the blaze from the hearth. "It will be a, a shame to have to leave this abbey..." he says cryptically, and with more than a hint of sadness flowing behind his words. "It has been... too short a sojourn." He turns to go. "But we'll leave farewells for the proper time. Now... Now is time for sleep." Joints stiff, he walks towards the exit, and in gradual diminuendo, the squirrel's cane pronounces his departure in cold taps upon the floor.

Aikuen looks surprised. "Leave where, I don't understand." But the squirrel is already gone.