Ummm...Welcome To Redwall Abbey?

RW Abbey: Cavern Hole
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This room is slightly smaller than Great Hall, but still of a size large enough to accommodate a great number of gathered beasts. A large fireplace is set into one of the walls, and there are a series of small tables and chairs near one end for beasts who are eating late, or simply prefer the smaller tables for their meals. Cushions and blankets have been set in one corner. A short flight of steps leads up to Great Hall, and along the walls of the stairs, going both ways, the word 'Redwall' has been carved into the stone.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Exits/Entrances:
                  [G]reat [H]all
                  [Ki]tchen
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Zinnia has been home maybe an hour or two and is sitting down to eat some lunch. A simple bowl of veggie soup, bread and a glass or cordial and is writing in a journal.

Veggie soup. Oh how lovely. The doors to the abbey are always welcome to all who wish it peace. Sometimes those beasts are simple travelers who find themselves in need for a place to stay the night, like the fox who suddenly finds himself very, very out of place in the cavern hole. A wool coat hanging from one shoulder the red vulpine casts a look of disgust over this healthy woodlander diet.

The problem is, a meat eating vermin as himself can starve on a healthy woodlander diet. He paces the cavern hole, not quite sure where to sit himself, and trying to not look like he is out of place, which only makes him look more so.

Zinnia catches sight of the fox and watches him closely, she then clears her throat "Hi." She says simply, "Who are you and do you need some help?" Well it seems important to talk right now and she is curious of whom this is.

The fox cranes his neck and then turns towards the badger. A friendly smile is on his snout, "Oh! Hello there lass. I suppose I do." He rubs the back of his neck, "The beasts here said food was free, an alien concept as it is, and they pointed me here but, I'm...not quite sure what I do next. I mean, I don't want to be THAT guy, you know the one. The beast who waltzes in and just takes all the food." The fox taps his chin while casting his gaze about the room, "Or is there a menu we place an order from..."

Zinnia frowns, "You get whatever is for lunch and then sit down and eat it." Her tone is flat as she eats her own soup and nibbles some bread quietly, for now paying attention to her journal again.

"You...you actually eat THAT." He points a claw at the soup laden with veggies and green things that one cannot imagine filling a fox's gullet. "Or maybe that's the first course, and something with more...with more sustenance is coming along?"

Zinnia frowns “There may be fish later..I don't know." She shakes her head as she goes back to writing "I am 3-4 days behind in my work so please...."

"Oh, yes of course. I don't want to hold you up in your," Duty? Studies? Work? The fox finally settles on, "Whatever it is that you are doing. I will just mozy on over there to the other side of the room, find my meal and eat quietly." The fox heads out to do just that.

A moment passes and Zinnia is greeted by the fox's muzzle staring at her from the other side of the table, "Where /exactly/ did you say we got the food?"

Zinnia screams as the fox is suddenly in front of her and falls backwards in her chair as it crashes to the floor, she looks up and frowns at him, she then sighs "Kitchens, a novice will give you some soup, bread and a drink, for lunch, maybe a slice of pie"

"Gah! I am so sorry! Are you ok?" The young fox casts a wary glance around the room. Beasts are staring. Staring at him. The fox, and at the badger who fell over. "Here, do you need a paw there miss. Here let me help." The fox moves across the table, trying to help the badger to her feet...or at least give a good show to the woodlanders here of helping the badger to her feet. One thing he does NOT want is to have people mistakenly believe he attacked the beast!

Zinnia lets him help her up and dusts off her robes and frowns, "I am..fine, been through...worse this week." She says quietly, and sits the chair upright," Not my best week, trust me"

"I see...either way I do apologize for my lack of manors. I had no intention to scare you." The fox casts his gaze quickly about the room to see beasts slowly turning back to their disgusting by strangely pleasant smelling meals. "Please, call me Rascal." The fox says to put the badger on ease, because what is more reassuring than being greeted by a person with the name of 'Rascal'. "Do you want me to bring you another bowl of soup? Maybe some pie. Well, maybe not pie in your case..."

Zinnia shakes her head "No.." She says flatly, "Its fine I am going back to the library soon..I am Sister Zinnia Recorder of Redwall abbey." She keeps it simple, no simple just basic info is given and no offer to shake a paw either, in fact she hasn’t smiled once since he has meet her.

Rascal chalks that up to being a badger. In his experience, grumpy and angry IS their natural state of being. Especially when being pestered by a fluffy red fox. "Oh! You work in the library. Ah, yes, certainly no pie for you. I mean, er, you might be rather self-conscious about your diet if you lead a secular lifestyle is all, not that you are in need of a diet of course. You look certainly healthy...ish." The fox ceases his rambling, but only for a moment, "So I just...walk into the kitchens and order food..."

Zinnia narrows her eyes at the fox and looks like she is getting annoyed, "You...I ..TOLD you that...just get the tray they give you for crying out loud" A couple beasts blink at her and she folds her arms over her chest "What?" They shrug and go back to eating as she sits down.

Holding his paws up defensively the fox begins to back away, "Ok, ok. No need to get your tail in a bunch. I'll just go and grab some vitals and leave you to your work. No harm, no fowl. Thank you for your help and all that."

The fox leaves again, and for a moment it appears like he really left.

For a moment.

"About this pie, It's not one of those frilly woodlander carrot veggie type pies is it? I have an allergy to carrot cake..." The fox says again as he returns.

Zinnia takes a deep breath, and then exhales as to not scream loudly at this fox, she then speaks through calmly as she can" I do not know..I didn’t get pie, I don't WANT pie and will not eat the pie right now. And not all woodlanders eat veggies..you..you...." She closes her eyes.

"You're not eating pie?" This concept seems foreign to the fox, as is the idea that the badger might actually be angry with his antics. After all who can TRUELY be angry with such a charismatic fluffy fox? "That is certainly a bold step to getting thin, I guess. So does that mean you are eating the actual, actual lunch or did they make you some kind of veggie soup...delay...to go along with your diet and help you lose some belly fat." The fox narrows his eyes, "Or are you one of those luddites who believes pie is a cardinal sin or some such and are on some kind of spiritual fast, keeping yourself clean of enjoyable food. Because that makes more sense as well of course..."

Zinnia blinks and then just screams loudly, yes...yes now everyone is staring at them both as she takes calming breaths, gee they are not helping her. She then looks near tears "Look...leave me alone!!! I just want left alone, I don't want bothered by any beast I just lost my father and I don’t want to talk to ..to anyone!!!"

The fox leans backward in his chair, ears flat against his head and eyes wide. A long, long moment passes as the fox seems to just stare at the badger. Finally the fox stands from his chair, turning to make haste from the table, "I think I will grab you a slice of pie...maybe two..."

Zinnia stands there, tears go down her face, "I don't want pie, that won't bring him back!!!!" She then storms out of the room and to the library, beasts watch her go and then slowly turn to the fox, all quiet as one could hear a spoon drop and ,,,oh they do, but they pay attention to just the fox. Just the fox. All of them look at him.

Very self-conscious of the looks around him the fox gulps, smiling nervously as he slinks off towards the kitchens. He picks up his meal and sits down in a huff, trying to avoid eye contact with the other beasts. All he had to do was pick up his food from the kitchen, now why couldn't /someone/ just tell him that?

Zinnia after leaving the cavern hole goes to the book binding room and locks it and sits down in a corner of the room by her pillows and blankets and sighs as she lies down and soon is asleep.