The Squeearf Project
Characters: Aikuen, Riverdale, Kain, and Orph
Location: Great Hall - (Redwall Abbey)
Riverdale pads in from the kitchen, bearing a small sack of chestnuts in one paw and holding his cane in the other. He seems to be regaining his strength, though his eyes are red and ringed with circles that suggest either too much sleep or too little. He raises his cane-paw in a chipper salute to William and Aik.
Orph waves at the squirrel, but keeps his attention on Aikuen.
Riverdale takes a seat at the table--not by the fire, for once--and drops his walking stick to the ground. He sets the chestnuts before him and picks at them.
Aikuen says, "You know of Camp Willow, Of curse you do... Kip lives there... Well, Im not getting any younger... And i was talking with an otter from there once... They are lacking in weapon trainers... And i want to pass on my knowledge... So if you don't mind, Im going to Join The Camp Willow Otters. Course after the trip..." He nods a little, Then hears the familiar cane tap. He looks to the Ancient Squirrel, and gives a heavy nod.
Riverdale takes a crinkled square of parchment from inside his cloak and, moving the chestnuts to the side, sets it before him.
Kain trods in from outisde, closing the door behind him. He paces oddly over to a chair, circles it three times, then flops down in it. He seems rather oblivious to those around him.
Riverdale sets the sack on one of the corners to keep it pinned down, then takes out a quill.
Orph nods to himself, "So /we/ are goin t live at Camp Willow after we get back from our trip?" Shouldn't be a problem after all they usually don't spend much time at home anyway ... though once he's older he'll go back to Moledeep ... maybe.
Riverdale looks at Kain, then looks back down at the parchment. After a moment, he says quietly, "Squeearf." He presses the quill to the surface of the document, but of course it doesn't produce a mark. He sighs loudly, then looks up at Orph's mention of a trip. "Goin' somewhere, lad?" he asks Aikuen.
Riverdale persists in trying to use the quill, but succeeds only in creating grooves in the parchment.
Orph says, "That might work better with ink, sir."
Kain smiles to Riverdale and then looks curiously. "Hi, Old Riverdale! Squeearf!" He smiles and thinks a moment, then rocks back and forth in his chair, quietly watching and listening.
Riverdale looks at Orph blankly, then down at the quill. He bursts out into sudden laughter, hoarse but vigorous. "Ah... hahaha. Oh, hoo hooo." He wipes a tear from his eye. "You know, lad... I, ahaha, I think you're right!"
Aikuen looks to Riverdales parchment, Is that the... No it cant be...Could be? He looks to back To Will, "Dont really know... They may let me live at Moledeep, then come back to the camp to train... or for battles or something... The otter didn't say much about it... But i think it will be good for me..." He turns back to the Squirrel, "Aye, But i would ask the Navigator. I have no idea where we are going!. HeeHee." He spots Kain, and just tilts his head.
Riverdale looks over at Kain. "Old, eh? Well, then, ah... perhaps you wouldn't mind fetching this /old/ squirrel a bit of ink?" Riverdale turns back to Aik. "Who... Ah... Who's the Navigator, lad?" He gestures with the quill towards Orph. "Him?"
Kain smiles a little more, then tilts his head. "Ink? Err... What's ink, squeearf?" He thinks a moment and bites his lower lip as he rocks back and forth. "I don't think I've heard of an 'ink' before, squeearf."
Riverdale explains patiently. "Ink is the thing, ah... It's the thing you dip this in." He holds up the quill. "And then, ah, then you write." He traces an invisible line in the air. "Squeearf?"
Aikuen Nods to Riverdale... Oh what? Did Riverdale just Squearf? "Aye its Will, Whats wrong matey... You don't ussaly Squearf?"
Orph narrow his eye at Kain briefly. He remembers once again why he usually avoids the mouse with a imaginary wife who wore dresses ... and from the 'squeearfing' Riverdale's been hanging around the crazy mouse. The rat's ears lay back as he watches the mouse and squirrel, head ever swaying.
Kain watches a little and listens, then nods his head! "Squeearf!" With that, he springs to his feet and looks around. He spots a cold cup of coffee that was left out and grabs it. Looking it over, it looked just like what he thought ink was, but... something wasn't right. Either way, he trodded over to Riverdale and holding the cup out. "Uh, this ink, squeearf?"
Riverdale looks down at the coffee. "Mm." He coughs quietly. "Ah... Well, hrm." He dips the quill into it, and the coffee dribbles down the tip. Still, the old squirrel gives it the old college try. He draws a circle on the parchment. It stays there briefly before collecting into a single wet dot on the page. "Ah, well, lad... Not quite what I had in mind." Riverdale shoots a pleading look over at Aikuen.
Aikuen scratches his head, This is getting silly... He stands up and goes over to Kain and points to the cup, "Oi! looks like you Ink had gone cool, let me take it and warm it up..." He picks up the coffee, and heads over to the Library. After a few Seconds he comes back with the same cup, though he replaced it with actual Ink. He hands places it on the table, "All warmed up and ready to go!" He goes back to Will, and sits down. He grunts and places his paw into his head.
Kain blinks and blushes red, seeing what the coffee did. No, that was not ink. Not even close, or was it? He glances at Aikuen as he takes the cup and goes to 'warm it up'. "Oh... OH! Squeearf! How silly of me! I.. I'm sorry, I'll besure to warm up the ink the next time. Wouldn't want this to happen again. Uh, thank you er... squeearf?" He tilts his head sidways a little, looking at Aikuen.
"Ah... turns out you were right, Kain. Just needed some warming up, like Aikuen said." Riverdale offers Kain a chestnut. "Have one. For, ah, your troubles. They're still warm."
Aikuen nods to Kain, "Err... Right..." He looks over to Will, and smiles lightly.
Riverdale dips the quill into the ink, taps it on the side of the cup. "Oh, ah... You two are welcome to the chestnuts as well." He begins to scribble on the parchment, and soon it has absorbed nearly all of his attention.
Orph manages a half smile for Aikuen's benefit but shakes his head at the other two's behavior. "Kain's 'corrupting' Riverdale," he smirks. Annoying as it is, Riverdale could have picked a worse beast to take after.
Riverdale periodically re-wets the quill, and, but for this and the occasional cough, he is quiet.
Kain nibbles on the offered chestnut and smiles. He then watches Riverdale curiously and then turns back to Aikuen. He stares of course, not the most polite thing to do, as he swallows the chestnut. Curling up in the chair, he pulls his knees against his chest and wraps his arms around his legs, rocking back and forth.
Riverdale's ear twitches at the creaking sound that Kain's rocking elicits from the chair.
Aikuen creases his brow at Will, he whispers "Its not that bad... Not like Riverdale is seeing things..." He hopes. He look over to the parchment, "What yah written matey?"
Orph nods, "True. Or wearin dresses." He looks over t where Kain is sitting.
Kain glances at Orph, turning away from him. He wasn't the brightest, but by all means, he wasn't that stupid. He got up out of his chair just for one moment to turn it to where the back was facing Orph, then he circled it three times and sat back down in it, curling his legs up and rocking in the chair once more.
Riverdale's writing continues at a relentless pace, as if the squirrel were deaf to Aikuen's inquiry. Each dip of the quill becomes hastier, and with each dip, the threat of Riverdale's tipping the cup over seems to increase. Finally, the inevitable happens, and the cup tips over, dribbling a bit of black fluid onto the document.
Riverdale emits a little squeak and promptly rights the cup. He brushes off the ink with a few quicks strokes.
Riverdale says, "Ah... sorry, lad. What was that? You asked me something?"
Aikuen laughs to himself, "I was going to ask you what you were writing... Before the Flood of Ink... HeeHee"
Orph turns back around, tired. He leans back little in his chair and after giving the others a final glance he closes his eye to rest. And the otter is there so nothing bad will happen to Will.
Riverdale's face acquires a bright glow at the otter's question. "Ah! What I'm writing! Wrong question, lad. You mean, ah... what'm I drawing?" He grins, then holds up the sheet. On it is a drawing of what appears to be some kind of... contraption. It's vaguely boxy, with some circles at the base, and bits and pieces adorning its surface. It's incomplete--though it remains unclear what 'it' is--but it is surprisingly well executed.
Kain closes his eyes and continues to rock back and forth in the chair. He fidgets with his paws a bit, nervously glancing over his shoulder for a quick second before quickly turning back to his paws.
Aikuen tilts his head, "Is it some sort of Invention? Do you think it will work?" He scratches his noggin, before looking back to Will. He smiles and laughs to himself, "Oops drifted off! I got him...Be back" He picks up the Rattling, and heads up the stairs.
Aikuen comes back down the stairs, rubbing his paws together. He plops back down in his seat and looks back to Riverdale, "What i miss?"
Riverdale beams. "It just popped into my head, lad. Not sure what to call it, but, ah... I think it could carry beasts about in it." He puts the drawing back down as Aikuen carries William off to the dormitories. "Look, Kain," he calls softly, tapping the table.
Kain turns his head to look at where Riverdale was tapping, then he smiled softly and waved a paw. "H... how... how's it work, squeearf?" He says this shyly and rather softly, before rocking back and forth again.
Aikuen says, "is it Kinda like a cart? That can carry beasts if you wanted too."
Riverdale gets increasingly excited as he talks through it. "Well, ah ah, these parts turn a bit." He draws a circle over the wheels. "And... th-that moves the whole thing forward." He scratches his head. "Type of, ah, yeah. A cart, yeah." The wind goes out of his sails a little bit as he realizes that the thing he thought he had invented has a name already. But the energy quickly returns. "I was thinking, ah... you might help me... help me build it?"
Kain thinks a little, then smiles. Was he asking help? Was he actualy asking HIM, to HELP?!? Kain couldn't refuse or control himself! He bounced out of the chair with a big ol' grin on his face! "I-I'd like to help you, squeearf!"
Aikuen nods, "Sure matey... But i have to ask... Why?"
Riverdale looks strangely at Aikuen. "I... I'm not rightly sure, lad." He pauses and takes a chestnut, but does not eat it. Instead, he passes it back and forth between his paws as he speaks. "Since... my, ah, since my injury... I've had this drive, this /need/ to write these things down. My inventions. Most were, hehe, well, nonsense." He taps the table with a defiant finger. "This, though. This, I know can be built." He sighs, puts the chestnut back, and looks down at the drawing, as if there's something he's not saying.
Riverdale smiles with melancholy fondness at Kain's reaction. It was just a request for help.
Aikuen smiles, "Well if want it too be Built, Consider it done! But I have too warn you... Im not sure when Me and William will go... wherever we go. So i may have to leave soon. But if we hurry im sure it can be built in time!" He stands and begins to bring life back into his limbs.
Kain smiles and listens, then he hears that Aikuen and Orph are leaving. He thinks a moment and smiles softly, then he gets a bit of a chill. His enthuseasm fades away rather quickly and he circles his chair three times and sits down.
Riverdale nods slowly, as if he has not entirely parsed Aikuen's words. "Ah, I'm glad you're with me, then." He stops. "I think we'll call it, ah... The Squeearf." He lights up. "The Squeearf Project." He looks over at Kain. "How does that suit you?"
Kain smiles happily, nodding his head quickly. "Ooh, that sounds like a good idea, squeearf!!" He smiles and chuckles a little. "The squeearf project! Squeearf!
Aikuen laughs, "Well good Night Beasts. If you need me, Im either doing chores, on the wall... or in here..." He sighs then heads out the Entryway, for his shift on the wall.
After wishing a good night to Aik, Riverdale goes back to work on the drawing. He makes little improvements here and there and writes in large letters 'The Squeearf Project' at the top. He sits back, pride coloring his sleepy features.
Kain smiles at Aikuen as he leaves with a happy grin on his face. He then smiles a little and thinks to himself, then squeearfs merrily. "Uh..t... thank you... squeearf..." He blushes a little, but smiles even more.
Riverdale offers Kain the last remaining chestnut. "For your help, lad."
Kain smiles and takes the chestnut, holding it in his paw. "Your very welcome..." He smiles softly and then plops it into his mouth, sucking on it slowly.
A sudden yawn takes Riverdale, and he stretches out his limbs, which creak in protest at the motion. He watches Kain for a moment. "You, ah, you should really shell that first..." His eye sparkles.
Kain tilts his head a little, then blushes red. "Oh... you... you shell these things? What's that? I've.... always just ate them li..er..." He blushes and falls silent. "Hehe, yes, I should shell these.... squeearf."
Riverdale shrugs broadly. "Well, lad, if it hasn't hurt you yet, I suppose there's no harm in it."
Kain nods his head and smiles softly. "Hehe, I guess your right.. Hehe.." He smiles softly and closes his eyes. "Yup... your right. I knew you were wise." He chuckles a little.
Riverdale struggles to his feet, then pushes his chair in. He takes the parchment under his arm. "Well, ah. Kain. I have work to do. Brother Miles told me, ah, there's a library in the attic? He said there might be some... materials there that, ah, might avail me."
Kain nods his head and smiles, "oh, I see.. Hee, I-I hope I can be of good help to you, squeearf!" He smiles and nods his head. "I... I realy want to help."
Riverdale walks over to where Kain sits. He pats the mouse' head tenderly. "I know you do, young'n. And you will. After all, it is called the Squeearf. You sh-should know something about that, eh?"
Kain chuckles softly and blushes a little more, smiling at the pat. "Oh! I-I never thought of it that way, hehe.. I guess so! squeearf!" He then smiles and squeeks softly "So.. are... are you going to go now?"
"Yes." He begins his journey up to the attic, moving with energy despite the weary burden of his bones. "Good, ah... Good night, Kain."
Kain smiles softly and nods his head, "Do you need help up ther stairs?" He chuckles in a jokeing mannor, but then smiles sincearly. "Goodnight, Riverdale!"
Inside Joke of the Log: Dibbun-Sitting Company - Punting young dibbuns to bed since 1901.
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