Time In The Library At The Badger Mountain

From Redwall MUCK Wiki


Zinnia shows up near the end, but my hare Celina is in the log for a little while, I logged more of when Xander and Quinten were talking as Xander wanted it logged and it also ended up being important later on it the log =====

Salamandastron: Library

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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.

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                 Visible Exits:

[R]ecords [R]oom [C]orner of Library

[Back] to Second Level Intersection

Celina is in the library looking over books on herbs and different plants, after looking around she has found one she laid out is placed back on the shelf and out of reach, to which she grumbles and looks for the step ladder in order to reach it.

Xander comes into the library, not looking for a book but for someone else who is clearly not here. He watches the hare as she grumbles and grows curious as he goes over to one of the chairs and sits on it, "What ya doing?" Well he may as well start trying to make friends or least get to know beasts while he is here.

Celina jumps a little and looks to see Xander, "I was...just a book is a little high is all and I can easily get a ladder" The book is just out of reach in fact and this annoys her to no end, curse being short.

The door to the library opens and Quinten walks in, the older hare moving toward his office, rifling through the papers he is carrying. He looks up and nods to the badger and other hare, "Good afternoon you two."

Xander looks at the shelf, “Not need ladder..I can climb shelf and get book" He looks over as another hare enters the room and mutters a hello.

Celina starts to reply when she sees Quinten "Hallo sur...and" She shakes her head at Xander "No climbing to get books..that could make books fall or something"

Quinten frowns at Xander, "As Celina says, no climbing the bookshelves please young badger, if you need a book use a ladder. If you bring my bookcases down you'll find yourself unwelcome in here." H

He walked over and smiled, crouching down to look into the young badger's eyes, "Or you can ask, what book would you like?"

Xander frowns and seems to pout a little. He looks around and looks a little bored and that could be dangerous seeing as he is still a dibbun, not too young of one but still of dibbun age, he then notices the hare talking to him and looks surprised at this, "I can look at a book?" He smiles "I read...little bit, learned on boat and learned in house when was by the water."

Celina gets a ladder and gets the herb book she had wanted and smiles "I was looking for the herb books and found a good one. He has mentioned getting it for me, trying to learn as much as I can on different healing herbs and maybe even on plants to avoid also as that could be helpful one day"

Quinten nods to Celina and flicks his ears up then peers at the book she is holding, "That's not a bad one but may I also suggest Graiel's Herborium and Spice Atlas?" He points to another shelf, "It is very good," He then looks around the bookcases and back to the young badger, "How about we read it together little one? What's your name? I don't think we've met."

Xander at first seems unsure, that strange danger stuff he has lately but then he smiles "I am Xander, I exploring some in tunnels and rooms while someone sleeps."

Celina nods "I could try that one also, thanks. I am studying to be a healer and so far have learned a good deal about healing herbs and some basic first aid too"

Quinten says, "Well-being a healer is top rate stuff wot, I do approve of healers." He smiled at Celina and offered the badger a paw, "Well I am Quinten, Recorder and Librarian, now what say we pick a good story book for dibbuns and read it together?"

Xander smiles "My friend. She may ad..adop..."He frowns but gets it right "Adopt me and she also is recorder but somewhere else and she real real nice" He smiles "Any books on..badgers or ocean?????"

Celina smiles as she listens "I think he means the ambassador, or least I think so. I heard she and the other two are here till spring?"

Quinten says, "Yes I heard the same, though that makes sense, crossing Mossflower in the snow is not easy. It's usually about eight feet under in snow drifts and not good for travelling through." he walked over to another corner of the library and perused the shelves and selected a smaller book before sitting down on a large rug, "Come join me Xander, this is a favorite it is about the badger lord who was a sailor."

Xander smiles as he walks over to join the hare, he has decided to trust the Recorder and sits on the rug with him, he blinks "Lot of snow, not much snow here or not seen much"

Celina smiles and then her ears droop as she seems to remember something “OH no...I am in so much trouble I am late for class!!" She hurries off and somehow doesn’t trip on the way out.

Quinten watches Celina leave and shakes his head then opens the book in his lap and shares it with Xander, "There isn't normally much snow here on the coast, now then shall I read or you?"

Xander looks at the book, some words he can read and others he can't yet, he smiles "You can read.." He seems to remember one lesson he was taught "Please..." Yes always good to add please.

Quinten smiles at Xander and begins to read, slowly, tracing a hand along the lines of text to let Xander follow along. It's written for dibbuns and tells the story of a badger and his hare crew fighting sea pirates.

Xander looks at the words and if there is a picture, a picture also "This..book is neat"

There are pictures, nicely drawn charcoal sketches and the odd colored illustration. The text is big and large and Quinten reads it with voices which are fun. "I am glad you like it Xander, I have lots of books like this to help the little ones learn to read."

Xander smiles "Other dibbuns are here?" He asks "And I not sure how long..long be heres, may get see other places"

Quinten says, "There are some leverets yes, mostly hares though, they are a bit boisterous wot, and if you do join Ambassador Zinnia in Redwall you could not ask for a nicer home."

And here comes the questions, "Why it called Redwall? And why so far..she say it far walk and I be going too and I wanna go" The young badger smiles "I think other badgers there too..."

Quinten says, "Stay here," He stands up and walks over to the book case and comes back with a larger book. Sitting back down he opens it and shows a picture of the Abbey, "It has Redstone walls this is why it is Redwall and yes it has many badgers living there."

Xander looks at the picture and smiles "seem..familiar, not knows why and think couple live there and..and Zinnia" He smiles again, still not sure how he knows this. He nods "I think it looks nice and I will like it when go there"

Quinten says, "I am sure you will young badger, it is a very nice place for all beasts to live in peace. Their Abbot is wise and their guardians strong."

Xander smiles again "I am strong and wanna be real tall like the badger seen in hall..he was like taller than the mountain" Ok maybe he is not that tall but to Xander he seems that tall." Maybe I will get real talls too one day"

Quinten chuckles softly, "You know never, you might be able to grow that strong and tall Xander, I am sure if you learn your lessons well you can do so."

Xander nods "I will learn and..and grow. Learn lessons here and at..at Redwall too right?"

Quinten says, "Of course you can join us in lessons here, I teach them here in the library every morning after breakfast."

Xander nods as he looks at the book , "I go to them then....and learn lots and lots"

Quinten says, "Well it will be a delight to teach you and to help you learn Xander, I always like to have another beast in my class to take in some knowledge from me." he turns a page of the book and resumes reading it to the younger badger."

Xander listens as he reads and shows the pictures. He seems like one who is very willing to learn all he can.

Quinten smiles, it is rare to have a dibbun willing to learn so he takes him through that first book then moves onto another designed to help him with his reading skills.

Xander is very willing to learn and pays close attention to the book and even reads some of the words as he learns to recognize other longer words.

Quinten finishes the lesson after about an hour and stands up, "Well Xander, you are reading better already, I am impressed. So shall we go and get some lunch now?"

Xander smiles and nods "Yeah and eats lots of food too." Yes he has an appetite like a hare. He stands up and looks to the door "Maybe they have cake today"

Quinten exclaims, "Oh I should think they have cake every day wot, you just need to know how to lure it out of the kitchens or snaffle it!"

Xander giggles, "We gets the really tall badger make them get cake outta kitchens or...or" Hmmms what would the badger Lord do and this is from a dibbuns view point "He will makes them sit in corner of room"

Quinten laughs quietly and smiles, "I would love to see Lord Ciocan make someone sit in the corner, but I had a sneakier plan to get hold of the cake. I will just ask nicely."

Xander smiles "Ok" He then goes to follow the hare out, maybe asking nicely will help and maybe they can be the first ones to get a slice of it. Yeah that thought makes him want to get there faster!

A couple hours later -------

Quinten has just returned from lunch, the hare strolling through the library tidying up after his impromptu reading lesson earlier with Xander.

Zinnia enters the library, one place she feels is good to think in and sits in one of the large chairs on the far side of the room writing in her journal that she still keeps, she has one for herself and one where she writes a little on what happens here, or least a small bit of it. She doesn't see or hear the hare.

Quinten looks around as the door opens, "Ah Ambassador Zinnia, good day to you, how are you doing? I trust our hospitality is still pleasant to you? I know the mountain can seem sear and drab after a while."

Zinnia looks over her journal as she lays it down on a table for now and stays by the table, "Beasts here are friendly and I have gotten along with them very well. And this place is a good place, like the library it's..Calming and a good place to think sometimes and also writing helps too." She smiles, something she does a lot more since she has been here.

Quinten inclines his head and smiled back at her, "Well I am glad you like the mountain and the library. Though you must be getting home sick by now, hoping to get back to the abbey with the first thaw I bet?"

Zinnia chuckles some "I..do miss the abbey, I will head back when it’s time with Leon and Dorarose of course.." She pauses and adds "And maybe one other, but I don't know yet it is still...I don't know. I even thought of asking someone advice but he is most likely busy..." He looks at the recorder again" I have adopted someone, a badger dibbun I helped on the beach a few weeks ago or least I told him I would adopt him, but it’s still...new to me and he even called me..mama once, I don’t know how well I would or will do with a dibbun. I have worked with older ones but that’s different"

Quinten smiles gently and reaches out to take one of Zinnia's paws, "You will be a magnificent mother, I met Xander earlier, I was helping him with his reading. He has talent and the eagerness of youth I think you will do just fine with him”

Zinnia smiles "You really think so?" She keeps the smile and lets the hare hold one of her paws " I..do care about him, he seems a little unsure of those he doesn’t know but I think he knows the beasts here are friends"

Quinten says, "Yes I think so, he thinks highly of you, you have impressed on him a lot of good things already. He's really looking forward to the abbey as well."

Zinnia says, "This is good news and I hope others will understand and help him feel welcome when he comes back with me. It’s not really a good way to let anyone know it will sort of be a surprise to those at the abbey when we have an extra beast with us"

Quinten shakes his head, "You know the abbey will welcome you with open arms Zinnia, it is hardly a surprise when travelers bring back new friends to Redwall Abbey."

Zinnia says, "I guess not. I hope all is going well with the abbey"

Quinten says, "Knowing the abbey they are eating too much good food and enjoying themselves."

Zinnia chuckles at this and smiles, "The abbey food is good, there is some things here that are better and even some things they don't have at the abbey that I will miss. The abbey doesn't have as much of the sea food."

Quinten smiles "Well take some back with you, we can prepare some salted and smoked that will survive the journey. I am sure your Friar would love that." he glanced at the clock and stood up, "For now though I have to get to my next class."

Zinnia nods "I will let you tend to your class then, thanks for the talk." She meanwhile will find a place to finish writing that’s not in the way of any class.

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