Old book, ancient tome (A Long Patrol and Salamandastron log)
My second log of 2016! :D
Salamandastron: Library
- -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Salamandastron *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Here lies the collective efforts of a few good, intellectual hares of the mountain. Over the seasons, this room, which was once little more than a storage room, has been converted into a quite functional library, filled with books of all sorts. The room is staggered with bookshelves, all crafted within the mountain, which reach very nearly to the ceiling, with only a foot or two of space above them, in most instances. And, surprisingly, the shelves are basically all full. Apparently, over the seasons, hares have donated books, and books that were previously stored elsewhere have been brought here.
Some books are older than any of the hares alive in the mountain, and, even more, some are nearly as old as the mountain, itself. These sort are usually journals and records - histories of the mountain. In fact, there is an entire section of this, in a corner of the room, which one can only get to by making their way through the maze of bookshelves to that corner, which is quite like a room in and of itself, closed in by walls on two sides and bookshelves on the two others. However, in the center of the main room, there are two tables set, and upon these books like, some open and some closed, despite the efforts of the librarian hare to keep them on the shelves.
- -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Visible Exits:
[R]ecords [R]oom [C]orner of Library
[Back] to Second Level Intersection
Hares: Felicity 'Lissie', female. Quinten, male. Kate, female.
Felicity is in the library!! She just got off from patrolling the kitchens for hungry leverets (mostly her baby sister) and is now browsing the books, looking for the next good story to read to Julia at night. The wind outside can be heard, howling and whistling like some sad creature, but inside the Mountain it is super warm and cosy.
Quinten sticks his head out of his office at the noise and frowns, "Oh Felicity it is you, sorry I heard noise and thought it might be some hare from my last class snuck back to cause mischief." he walks out all the way, adjusting his jacket, "What brings you in here today?"
The patroller should have been on guard for full grown hares in the kitchen. Especially those as full grown as Kate. To be fair, it wasn't entirely Kate's fault that she swelled up like a balloon over the winter. A lot of it really was just her winter coat. Unfortunately the rest of her fluffy appearance was the product of sitting on a chair for too long.
Again, not entirely her fault, although the bag of chocolate covered almonds swiped from the kitchens earlier today didn't help. The obese hare is not aware of the beasts beyond the book shelf in front of her. Standing on a tall ladder Kate tries to find a place for a book on the shelf, only to realize that it belongs on the shelf behind her...joy.
Felicity turns and smiles at the Recorder. "I'm lookin' for the next book that I should read to Julia. We just finished the book about Lord Sunflash, but Jules is askin' for one about a Badger Lady." she lovingly touches the spine of a book in front of her, even though it's just about jellyfish. "I then got distracted. I love it in 'ere. I think I'll work in 'ere if I evah have to quit patrollin'." She is not using her cane right now; she left it leaning up against the desk when she returned the book about Sunflash. She seems to be walking quite well.
Quinten flicks his ears, "Will you know Felicity, I'll be the judge of who works in here, it takes a particular type of hare to get my approval for library work." he reaches out and takes down a thick tome, "Here, this is the biography of Lord Russano's wife, it should prove interesting reading." he then looks around a bookcase and up at Kate, "Just what are you doing up there Kate? You really do not have to put things away."
The special kind of hare who works here becomes startled at the sound of another beast, which comes as she is stretching from her ladder to put the book away. Losing her balance she crashes into the bookshelf she is leaning against, it tilts slowly forward before coming down with a tremendous CRASH equaled only in volume by Kate's mighty yell for HEEEEEeEEeEEeLP!
Special hare indeed...
"Kate!" Lissie darts around the bookcase just in time to see the other shelveing unit fall over. "Oh my goodness, are you alright? Seriously, you've got to stop doin' that, love! /Are/ you alright, wot?" She is still assessing the damage done to the bookshelf as she goes to help her friend stand up, if she's ready. Yeah, Kate is special, alright. If you want to put it nicely...
Quinten folds his hands, he doesn't rush forward and lets Felicity see to the fallen hare, he is tapping a foot however, "I think we may need to revisit your usefulness in the library Kate..." he looks pointedly at the mess, "You seem to have lack safety standards wot."
The hare lays covered in books, a leg paw twitching as it hangs in the air. Slowly she pulls her way out of the mess she created rubbing her sore head, "Ah well shhhhhhhoot." The hare says when she sees Quinten and Felicity. "So sorry! I, I lost my balance! And...and..." She stands up, glancing at the shelf, "I didn't squash anyone, did I?"
Felicity refrains from laughing at her friend's question. "No, you didn't. I'd be causing a bigger ruckus if you 'ad, wot!" She looks concerned, having seen the twitching foot, but says nothing about it for now. She opens her mouth to speak, but then the Major-and-Recorder speaks, and she purses her lips shut, her blue eyes wide.
Quinten says, "Yes, you lost your balance seemingly trying to reach tha other shelf wot, most discourteous of you Kate. You have caused quite a bit of damage to tha books." he moves closer and kneels, reaching out to lift her foot, "And yourself no doubt wot, you must be more careful dearie, I can't be having you lame on me."
The hare chuckles nervously, tapping her paws together and casting her gaze away from them both. "Sorry." She says quietly. Her bubbly demeanor returns shortly there after. "Don't worry, I'll get this mess cleaned up. You lot don't worry about it. I have experience with this sorta thang. Easy as pie really...not...not that it happens a lot mind you! Cause that would be...heh heh, careless and and and...know wot? I'm just going to get some muscle to help lift the book shelf back up. Yeah..." The hare turns, cheeks beet red in embarrassment to head off to her duties.
Felicity watches her friend head off, a kind of sad look on her face. "She didn't mean to....." she mumbles lamely, then looks at the overturned bookcase. "I don't think I can help pick that up.....even though my ankle's almost all bettah....." she starts very very carefully gathering up the poor books and stacking them in nice gentle piles.
Quinten waves a paw and pushes Felicity gently out of the way, "Done is done, they are after all just books. I will see to clearing them up when Kate gets back with someone to help. Now you wanted Badger Ladies you said?"
Felicity looks sadly at the books, but follows the Recorder's lead and stands up. "Aye, or female 'ares. My sistah's not too picky, but I'm wantin' 'er to learn more about our Mountain's 'istory. You 'ad mentioned a biography about Lord Russano's wife?"
Quinten says, "Yes it is here," he walks over and unlocks a cabinet and lifts out a very ancient looking book, "It is quite a special tome, she documents a lot. There isn't much about warriors and fighting however but it is filled with lore about the mountain."
Felicity's eyes widen as he lifts out the old book. "Oh, my...." is about all she can say for a few seconds, then she manages to gather her thoughts enough to say, "Are....are....um, I....I was wantin' one that I could check out, y'know.....that looks quite special.....a bit too special for me to take outta 'ere, wot...." Could she maybe bring Julia in here to read to her every few days from it? She wasn't even sure if she wanted her sister that close to such an old book. What if she sneezes on it? Or something equally nasty?
Quinten presses the book into Felicity's hands, "It will be checked out in your name. if it comes back damaged you and your sister will be sitting in the bindery fixing it." he smiles at her, ears twitching, "So I can assume you will take good care of it wot, don't take it out of the mountain."
Felicity takes the book and stares at it in shock. "Uh...um...yeah! Oh, yes, I'll take the best care of it! And I won't let Julia even /touch/ it!" There is no WAY she would ever drag that thing out of the mountain. Like, ever. "I'll keep it as safe as I possibly can, I promise!" She hugs it close to her chest, cradling it almost like it was a baby.
Quinten says, "Very well Felicity dear, I knew I could trust you," he shuts the cabinet and locks it, "I am sure it shall prove to be most educational and you should be able to teach her alot about the mountain from it."
"I don't doubt it," Lissie breathes as she picks up an old, beat-up looking and very much patched haversack from where she had stashed it behind the desk. Carefully setting the ancient tome down, she starts unpacking the haversack, revealing her sketchbook and art supplies, a journal, an apple and some cheese (she's a young adult hare, don't judge), and some shells. Setting these aside, she very gently puts the old book inside the haversack so she can carry it more easily....and safely.
Quinten says, "Well then I am glad I could give you a good book to read to your sister, if you need any further help just let me know." he smiles softly and sweeps his long ears back, "I shall enjoy hearing how your sister likes it."
Felicity grins as she starts very cautiously repacking everything into the haversack. "I appreciate it evah so much, Sah. Thank you. I'll be sure to 'ave 'er tell you personally. I feel so honoured that you're letting me take such a special book out of 'ere." It turns out there's now not enough room for all of her stuff, so she keeps her sketchbook out. After closing the haversack, she opens to a page in her sketchbook and shows it to the Recorder. "This is Julia's drawing of what she think Lord Sunflash looked like." It looks like a tree with legs. It has a distinct yellow stripe going down the middle and big brown eyes. "I 'ave 'er draw sometimes when I read ot 'er; it sometimes 'elps 'er remember the story bettah."
Quinten looks at the sketch and then opens a cabinet and draws out a huge folio, he leafs through it right to the beginning and lines the sketch up alongside a larger portrait of a badger lord, "It is quite close, she should be congratulated."
Felicity laughs lightly. "Oh, I told 'er that she did a good job. She did a lot bettah than she used to." She turns to another page. A huge blue and orange dot is in the middle. It looks like a couple jars of paint threw up on it. "She did this quite a few months ago. It's supposed to be a fish...." Lissie could stay in here talking to the Recorder forever. Maybe it's because he reminds her a little of her brother....
Quinten smiles and returns the sketch and then closes the book and slides it back into the cupboard and locks it, "Well Felicity dear I need to get on with my work I shall speak to you soon, enjoy the book."
Because all good things must come to an end. Lissie will take such good care of the book, you would not believe! Thanks for reading!
Groups:
