Suprise
Characters: Kentar, Robin, Syla, Christopher, William, Terian, Amethyst, Clenal, Lorimis
Location: Mossflower
Moledeep
After a LONG trip home, healed bones, and big, BIG surprise, the stoats, rats, badger, ferret, and otters are all home. "Here we are...finally!" Kentar smiles and looks around. "Nothing's changed...too much." he chuckles a little bit.
And Robin helps Syla along. They found out she was pregnant about a week ago...and Rob's been overly helpful. "Here we are...great place...you'll love it! We'll have to get a room of our own though. I don't want to share with Christopher." he chuckles.
And Chris heys, shoving him. "Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to share with you two either..."
William follows the others inside. After a little while he comes out to edit the rules sign to remove the old 'No Drinking' rule from the sign. Still tired from the trip he merily crosses it out rather than painting them all out and rewriting them anew.
The stoats and co. make it into the hall, making sure the room is nicely lit. There's a layer of dust on pretty much -everything- but not very many care. Chris leads Sebastian off to find a room, the otters head into theirs, Terian wanders off to explore, Kentar and Garnet go to their room, and then Syla and Robin sit down near the fire place. "Here we are! I'll give you a tour later, love." Rob smiles.
William comes back inside from fixing the rules sign. The stoats get a nod as the rat looks over the room. They have a lot of cleaning ahead of them it looks like.
Slowly, Robin smiles a bit towards Will. "Hey...nice to be home, isn't it?" he asks, tilting his head. "Be nice to swim in a real pond again." he chuckles a little.
The two chuckle before nodding. "Yeah. I suppose. But after the winter, it will be." Robin smiles. And Syla just stands up. She kisses Rob once before heading into the sleeping hall to find something to nap on. Robin just watches her go before leaning back into the chair.
William smiles at Robin, "You want t start scrubing things down or are we going to live in a dusty tunnel for a while. Larder likely needs a good cleaning out. Doubt we could hire a hare for that. Doubt it would be worth it if we did."
Rob ahs and hms a little bit, looking around. "I was thinking, actually. Since we're back, we should go get Amy." He suggests. "Dad and mum and everyone else wouldn't mind cleaning." he nods.
Terian has been away for some time, probably exploring the area, but when she returns, she looks amazed. "Wow," she whispers gently to herself, finding her way to a chair and sitting down slowly. Then she looks to Robin. "There's an Abbey up the road," she says gently.
William nods, "Yeah we /should/ head over to th Abbey before long. I hope your mum can sort out th kitchen without me. I don't think we'll all need t go just t get Amy, unless anyone else wants t skip kitchen duties with me," Will says.
Terian looks over to William, her mouth open slightly, as if considering something. Then she glances to the floor, as if having trouble trying to say something, but then says it. "The eagle who tried to eat me lives nearby," she says gently looking back to the stoat and rat.
"We'll be with you," Will afirms, "and th dirt road is mostly safe. You don't have t go if you don't want to though."
Terian suddenly chuckles, as if what they're saying is funny somehow, even if it concerns an eagle. "No," she says, "not at all, I asked her about Redwall, and I.... well, she asked if I needed a lift there. It's a long ways up the road but she can fly there in no time."
William blinks a few times. "Uh really? I must have missed you're being friends with an eagle somehow," he says.
Terian chuckles as she nods, looking to the door. "Me too," she says. "Apparently she's sorry about her almost eating me, and wants to make amends. The eagle isn't bad, and she says she doesn't eat goodbeasts. I suppose originally she thought I was in a horde."
William chews on his lower lip a bit before saying anything more. "It's not really all /that/ far to th Abbey. An Kentar is a bit scared of birds. Don't know if he'd want t come anyway." Terian smiles slowly before nodding, saying, "Who isn't? I didn't take her up on the offer, but she told me she could if we needed it. There's a weasel there she knows, who was her leader at one point." Now the ferret looks confused. "Said this weasel was a former Champion of Redwall. It's um, very hard to imagine that, a weasel Champion."
William says, "They have a fox Champion now, I think the one before him was a mouse or squirrel or something. Never met him just th current Champion. He's sorta my uncle. Th Champion they have now. He's an OtterFox."
Redwall Abbey: Garden of the Late Rose
Amethyst is sitting out in the Abbey's rose garden. The blind rat is bundled up in a cloak and shawl to keep herself warm. The sky is just begining to darken and the rat can feel the sun is getting lower and lower as it is getting colder and colder. She plucks at her lute while she sits among the headless roses.
Clenal makes his way to the sound of the insturment, rubbing an eye sleepily as he walks over to the rat, leaning against her sleepily, yawning. "Momma?" he asks, looking up at her. "Why're you out inna cold?"
Amethyst stops playing and sets her lute aside. "I wanted t see th sunset. Daddy an me use t watch it together all th time," she says, "An th sunrise. Do yew ave a cloak on? Yewse needa bundle up or yer git cold out ere."
Clenal looks up at her as she talks about his soon-to-meet dad, smiling at the idea as he snuggles up next to her. "Cold doesn't bother me, nu-uh!" he says, as if proud at that. "Momma," he says after a moment, "when's daddy gonna come home?"
Clenal blinks but doesn't struggle at all when he's pulled closer to his mom. "What about all the friends you got here momma?" he asks, looking up at her. "We can come back and visit, right?"
Amethyst nods, "We'll come back and visit th Abbey now an then. When it's warmer. Momma doesn't like th cold."
Clenal smiles and nods. "Is it warmer at home momma?" he asks, curiously, wondering how far away it is from here.
Clenal smiles still at the lute, his eyes blinking in wonder and perhaps thought as she mentions his own room, and learning new things. "Yeah," he says with a smile. "I just wanna be with you and daddy. I also wanna learn how to playa lute like you momma!"
"Do yew? Well hold it then," she stops playing to pass her lute to the dibbun. The lute can be replaced if broken but it would cost a pretty coin to do so. "Now hold it like this," she positions her son's paws on the lute with her own holding his and moves his paws along the strings slowly to pick out a tune. "There yew are. Soon yer be playin near as good as me an course yer Daddy'll be teachin yew ow t make things with a kiln. Pots an things. Thet's wot ee does an yew'll do it too in time. An be right good at it too."
Clenal looks amazed as he holds the lute in his paws, being careful not to break it as his mum helps him pluck at the strings. "Wow," he whispers as he looks at it, smiling but doing exactly as his mum shows him. "This is neat momma," he says. "I think it'll be fun, learning to do this and to make pots, and that sort of thing. Thanks momma!"
Redwall: Great Hall (the following day)
A one-eyed rat with torn up ears enters Redwall's Great Hall. He scans the large room with his good eye, greeting old friends as they catch his notice. "Th Abbey hasn't changed much," he comments to the his companions.
Robin is right behind him, looking around with a quiet hum. "I've only been here once. Wouldn't know if it changed at all." he nods as he looks around. "Its big."
William continues to look around the room. "Wonder where Ame is?" he says.
The stoat shrugs a little bit and then follows the rat. "Maybe in the infirmary. That's where healers stay." Rob nods. "So. Lets look there I guess."
Redwall Abbey: Infirmary
Amethyst is in the infirmary working. A fluffy tailed squirrel dibbun sits in a chair near the infirmary door out of the way of the healer. The blind rat is tending to a sick mouse at the other end of the room.
Rob comes into the room behind William and grins to himself. He slowly creeps up behind Amy and pokes her on the shoulder. "Oi, rat...you got a husband called William?" he asks, the stoat keeping his voice deeper and rougher to keep Amy from recognizing it.
Clenal shrinks down in his chair by the door trying to go unoticed by the stoat. When the stoat goes over to Ame he get up off his chair and starts to walk toward him.
Ame stiffens at the poke but tries to act normal. "Iffen ee's ere ee could say so imself," she says continuing what she's doing.
Rob smirks to himself a little bit and motions William over. "An' what if he can't say so himself, hm?" he asks. "What if he has to...show you!" he laughs. "Hey Amy! Weee're back."
William smirks as the stoat anounces him and frown a little at the squirrel. He motions for the squirrel to sit back down as there's nothing wrong. "I am here," Will says walk over to where his wife and nephew are. "Ready t be rescued from the Abbey?" He moves the stoat aside so he can be closer to Amy.
Clenal pauses when the rat with the other waves at him to go back. The little squirrel is suprised the stoat is being nice. He's never met a nice stoat before. He walks over to where the rats and stoat are standing and tries to get and close to Ame as he can, the stoat might just be pretending to be nice. "Are they who we're waiting for?" he asks Ame.
Robin should count himself lucky Amy doesn't have a walking stick with her right now. She's hasn't used one much since last season really but she might request one be made for her anyway once they get home again. "Took yew long enough t git back," she says confirming that these are member of her family. She puts a paw out to feel Will's face before kissing him.
Will's trouser leg. "Hi, Daddy," he says softly. His momma had said his daddy would like him he hopes she was right. She was right about the rest of the family being back before it snowed so maybe she's right about this too.
Robin hums a little bit and then stares down at Clenal. He hums a bit and tilt his head before stepping back. "Did you just call him, daddy?" he asks, tilting his head to the other side now. "Amy...what aren't you telling us?"
Lorimis enters with a set of jingle bells round his neck, his green robes trimmed in red
Rob blinks and then shrugs a little bit to himself again before turning to give the rats, and mini-squirrel, some time alone. Before stopping as he sees the mouse. "Evening."
Lorimis smiles to Rob "hello there young beast.”
Amethyst has since stopped tending the sick. The order's healers can take over with the healing. "This is Clenal," Ame says petting the squirrel's head, "Ee was orphaned and run away to th Abbey and then ran int me. Fox hadn't got t im yet an ee was already latched ont me so .... Surprise? We have a new Tazan." She puts a paw on each of Will's shoulders as she starts to talk to him now and not the stoat who's gone off to talk with the Abbot. "ee needed me an figured better than lettin th fox ave im. Said yew'd like im an already decided we're keepin im so yew can't say we aren't. ave t tell Aik ee a granpa now. Think ee'll like thet."
William blinks as he takes in this information, "What?"
Lorimis nods to Ame causing the jungle bells to jingle round his shoulders "Yes I believe Flicktail told me of him Ame, he seems a handsome young beast, smart and agile" he smiles "I am sure the 2 of you will make a wonderful family.
Clenal is standing next to his momma and being very quiet now. His new Daddy doesn't look very happy to have met him.
Robin turns away from the mouse and steps back towards Amy and Will. He hums a little bit and smiles slightly at Clenal, trying not to seem to threatening.
Amethyst sighs. "Billy, yew adopted a father, brother an a pair of uncles for yerself. I adopted a son of us and I don't hear a 'thank you'."
Lorimis says, "Ame..." Lormis says gently "I believe the lad is overwhelmed, and frightened."
Clenal doesn't seem to be threatened at all by Robin, or any other beast, except for William. The little squirrel now tries to scoot closer to Amethyst, staring up at William with eyes that look as if he's about to burst into tears, depending on the rat's reaction.
William clumsily walks over to the door and sits down in a nearby chair. He needs to think about this a little more.
"Which one?" Ame asks the abbot hearing Will walk away from her and their son.
Clenal pulls away from Amethyst and quickly walks up to William, looking up at him, almost pleadingly. "Mista?" he asks gently. "M'sorry, I didn't mean to make you sad. But if it's ok, I wanna daddy, and I wanna daddy to be you. I wanna learn pottery, like you, and grow up to be like you. Please?" Then the tiny squirrel holds both of his arms up to William, as if waiting for the rat to pick him up.
Lorimis says, "Um..it appears Both."
Rob can't help but to chuckle at Clenal. "Come on Will. You can't possibly say no to such a cute face." he smiles, nodding slowly.
William sighs and closes his eye. "I'm not ready for this. I don't know you. ....." he brushes his head fur back with a paw as he chews on his lower lip. " ... Aik probably wasn't ready either. ... More ready than I am, but .... This is Kip's fault."
Amethyst shakes her head, "Fine. I'll go get our things an we'll be ready t go. I'll be needin a new stick. Hactor broke my last one when his hoard took th place over." With that Amy ducks out into the hall to go get her and Clenal's things packed up for the trip back to Moledeep.
Rob blinks. "Wait...what!?" and Robin goes after her. "Who took over? Did this happen when we were gone!? Are you okay?!" and off goes the stoat, after Amy, of course.
Clenal very gently puts his paws on William's, looking to be more mature than he should be. "It's ok daddy," he says gently. "I dunno you eitha....yet, but we can get to know each otha. I'll be patient for you, ok daddy?"
William opens his eye and looks down at the squirrel. He smiles a little than laughs softly, "You do that, uh Fennel?"
Clenal laughs then leaps up, hugging William. "Clenal!" he says with a smile, not caring if this is sudden or surprising. "We don't gotta be daddy and dibbun in a day, daddy. But I wanna have you as my daddy and learn things and getta know you. Ok?" William is a little suprised to find a squirrel in his lap but that's lack of deep preception for you.
"Yeah. Clenal. This'll take some getting used to.” Will says, “ .... Always did want a son though. ... Didn't know he'd be a squirrel." He ruffles the dibbuns' head fur roughly. "We'd better go find Am-er uh your mother. She can't go home by herself. It doesn't work very well when she does that." The one-eyed rat stands up lifting the little squirrel up with him. "You're grandad'll like you. He's a giant kind of otter. Very brave an strong. Not too bright though. He an your granmum'll teach ya t swim next spring when the pond's useable. Used t have a swan in our pond but she might have left with th weather gettin colder now." Will heads off to find Amy.
Redwall Abbey: Great Hall
Clenal looks up at his mum after William brings him in. "We're gonna come back and visit right mum?" he asks.
Amethyst cuddles the squirrel and nods, "Yes we will. But I wont be back ere til Spring. If yew want t come ere when it's still cold out an snowin yer need yer Daddy t take yew. ee don't mind th cold. ee's strange like thet."
Clenal smiles as he cuddles back, looking overall happy with having his parents with him. "Ok mommy," he says.
Dirt Road
The rats, squirrel and stoat leave the Abbey and travel down the dirt road before cutting through the woods on their way to Moledeep.
Mossflower Woods: Willow Grove
They pass through a willow grove. The long thin branches hang down to the ground in place. They're bare and broken in when other beasts have wander through the woods. Amy rubs her son's back to keep him warm. "See thet big big tree? Thet's where yer Daddy an I got married," she tells him as they pass the giant willow.
Moledeep: Foremole's Study
At last the group arrive at Moledeep. Amethyst lays the squirrel dibbun down on a chair in the study before going off to help clean up the tunnel. Aik had already started a fire and the hall and the tunnel is quickly getting nice and warm. Amy is sure the little squirrel will be fine in the study while she helps the others.
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