Part 3- The Shrew Camp
Matthias stood at the abbey gates, waiting for Cornflower so he could help her with her things. He was also hoping he would be able to sit with her. When she came down, he took her satchel and put it in the corner for her. They then took their seats, right next to each other, as Matthias had hoped.
After another few minutes, they finally got going, with Constance pushing the cart. Cornflower noticed that many beasts had brought blankets with them that they wrapped up in. She understood why when night fell. It got very chilly as they went along, and she was soon shivering. Matthias took notice of this and felt very bad. He had forgotten to tell her.
"Cornflower, I'm so sorry. I forgot to tell you it gets very cold and to bring a blanket. Here, take mine," he said, holding it out to her.
"No, I'll be fine. It's not bad out here."
"I would never forgive myself if you got sick. I won't take no for an answer. Besides, you're shivering." With this, he held took off his blanket and wrapped it around her. He was aware of the chances of him getting sick, but in his opinion as long as Cornflower was okay, so was he.
Not much later, Cornflower was asleep, leaning on Matthias' shoulder. His friends, Danny and Timto, found it highly amusing that Matthias had sacrificed his only source of warmth for her, and was letting her sleep against him.
"Sooooo, Matthias, got a little soft spot for Cornflower, do ya," teased Danny.
"Invite me to the wedding," added Timto.
"Very funny, but no. Nothing of the sort."
"Well, I must say matey, you've got great taste. She's one of the prettiest maids I've ever seen," remarked Danny.
"But it's not just that. She's funny, sweet, compassionate, and a billion other great things. She's a great dancer, she can sing, she can cook, she's just brilliant," Matthias said, a dreamy look on his face.
"This from the mouse who can be quoted as to saying 'Very funny, but no. Nothing of the sort'. Riiiiiiiight. You're not in love with her Matthias. How come we couldn't tell?"
"You're tip over tail in love, matey. Don't try and deny it." Any further conversation was cut off by Log-a-log, the shrew chieftain.
"They're here! Lets give them a big welcome!!!!!!!!!" His shout was greeted with a hundred or so shrews yelling LOGALOGALOGALOGALOGALOG!!!!!!!!
Matthias went as if to get Cornflower, but instead he turned to Danny and Timto and asked them not to repeat anything they he said. Then he turned back to Cornflower's sleeping form and lifted her into his arms and carried her in. He could hear Danny and Timto behind him, snickering. He acted like he hadn't heard, but then suddenly stopped, causing them to fall. This sudden movement woke Cornflower.
"Mmmmmhhhhhh.... Where are we," she asked drowsily.
"We just arrived at the shrew camp, and I didn't want to wake you up," he replied, setting her upright gently.
Once she ad her feet on the ground, it was like she became awake all at once. "Oooh, it's so nice here! What's that wonderful smell? How far north are we? How long do we stay?"
Matthias couldn't do anything but laugh at her curiosity and innocence. "I'd answer your questions, but I can't remember any of them!"
*******
They had all been introduced, and had put their things in the designated area. He assigned Cornflower next to Matthias and Sister Sage.
The evening was spent eating, singing, dancing, and many other games and activities. Cornflower had befriended many of the shrews and they sat near the fire with Matthias, Danny and Timto.
When it came time for bed, Matthias gave Cornflower an extra blanket in case she got cold. She thanked him and went to bed.
*******
The next morning, Sister Sage woke Cornflower up. After she dragged herself out of bed, she got dressed and went to be instructed in the ways of Guosim cooking. Shrews cooked over small, open fires, with 2-4 at each. She and Matthias sat at a fire with a young shrew named Dippler. He told them what to do, and they each made their breakfast of blueberry flatcakes with meadow cream.
After they ate, Log-a-log announced that they would be showing the Redwall guests their territory. They started up Mt. Airy, listening to Log-a-log and looking at the sights he pointed out. Mt. Airy was a very steep mountain covered in wet leaves and slippery rocks. The shrews amused themselves by telling various mountain legends.
Matthias noticed that Cornflower was very quiet, and she didn't look right. He went up behind her, intending on asking what was wrong, but just then she slipped on some of the leaves. Matthias caught her and helped her up.
"Are you alright?"
She looked into his for a moment before answering. "Yes, thank you for helping me."
Just then Log-a-log called to Matthias, and he had to excuse himself. When he was done, he went back over to her, intent on getting the answer out of her.
"Hello," he started.
"Hi."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm just worried about Retto," she confessed. "I wish I had stayed with him at the abbey."
"Oh."
"Why?"
"It's not normal for you to be this sad and depressed. I don't like to see you like this."
"Well don't look and you won't see," she joked.
"Ok, now she's back!" With this, they began a more pleasant and animated conversation.
*******
Unfortunately for the Redwall guests, the last night they were there it rained. The shrews built a makeshift shelter and they spent the night having various dancing, singing, and weaponry contests. Cornflower sat in the midst of mostly the same shrews she had befriended the night before. By the end of they night, they all had a bad case of the giggles. When it finally came time to turn in, everybeast was so tired that sleep came easily.
*******
The Redwallers left around midday the next morning. Cornflower sat with Matthias again, and they talked of the great time they had, the friends they made, and everything else. Cornflower was having fun asking him about his non-existent dancing skills. She eventually dozed off, using his shoulder as a pillow. Matthias couldn't help but notice that she was the perfect height on him, and was the perfect fit in his arms.
Matthias stood at the abbey gates, waiting for Cornflower so he could help her with her things. He was also hoping he would be able to sit with her. When she came down, he took her satchel and put it in the corner for her. They then took their seats, right next to each other, as Matthias had hoped.
After another few minutes, they finally got going, with Constance pushing the cart. Cornflower noticed that many beasts had brought blankets with them that they wrapped up in. She understood why when night fell. It got very chilly as they went along, and she was soon shivering. Matthias took notice of this and felt very bad. He had forgotten to tell her.
"Cornflower, I'm so sorry. I forgot to tell you it gets very cold and to bring a blanket. Here, take mine," he said, holding it out to her.
"No, I'll be fine. It's not bad out here."
"I would never forgive myself if you got sick. I won't take no for an answer. Besides, you're shivering." With this, he held took off his blanket and wrapped it around her. He was aware of the chances of him getting sick, but in his opinion as long as Cornflower was okay, so was he.
Not much later, Cornflower was asleep, leaning on Matthias' shoulder. His friends, Danny and Timto, found it highly amusing that Matthias had sacrificed his only source of warmth for her, and was letting her sleep against him.
"Sooooo, Matthias, got a little soft spot for Cornflower, do ya," teased Danny.
"Invite me to the wedding," added Timto.
"Very funny, but no. Nothing of the sort."
"Well, I must say matey, you've got great taste. She's one of the prettiest maids I've ever seen," remarked Danny.
"But it's not just that. She's funny, sweet, compassionate, and a billion other great things. She's a great dancer, she can sing, she can cook, she's just brilliant," Matthias said, a dreamy look on his face.
"This from the mouse who can be quoted as to saying 'Very funny, but no. Nothing of the sort'. Riiiiiiiight. You're not in love with her Matthias. How come we couldn't tell?"
"You're tip over tail in love, matey. Don't try and deny it." Any further conversation was cut off by Log-a-log, the shrew chieftain.
"They're here! Lets give them a big welcome!!!!!!!!!" His shout was greeted with a hundred or so shrews yelling LOGALOGALOGALOGALOGALOG!!!!!!!!
Matthias went as if to get Cornflower, but instead he turned to Danny and Timto and asked them not to repeat anything they he said. Then he turned back to Cornflower's sleeping form and lifted her into his arms and carried her in. He could hear Danny and Timto behind him, snickering. He acted like he hadn't heard, but then suddenly stopped, causing them to fall. This sudden movement woke Cornflower.
"Mmmmmhhhhhh.... Where are we," she asked drowsily.
"We just arrived at the shrew camp, and I didn't want to wake you up," he replied, setting her upright gently.
Once she ad her feet on the ground, it was like she became awake all at once. "Oooh, it's so nice here! What's that wonderful smell? How far north are we? How long do we stay?"
Matthias couldn't do anything but laugh at her curiosity and innocence. "I'd answer your questions, but I can't remember any of them!"
*******
They had all been introduced, and had put their things in the designated area. He assigned Cornflower next to Matthias and Sister Sage.
The evening was spent eating, singing, dancing, and many other games and activities. Cornflower had befriended many of the shrews and they sat near the fire with Matthias, Danny and Timto.
When it came time for bed, Matthias gave Cornflower an extra blanket in case she got cold. She thanked him and went to bed.
*******
The next morning, Sister Sage woke Cornflower up. After she dragged herself out of bed, she got dressed and went to be instructed in the ways of Guosim cooking. Shrews cooked over small, open fires, with 2-4 at each. She and Matthias sat at a fire with a young shrew named Dippler. He told them what to do, and they each made their breakfast of blueberry flatcakes with meadow cream.
After they ate, Log-a-log announced that they would be showing the Redwall guests their territory. They started up Mt. Airy, listening to Log-a-log and looking at the sights he pointed out. Mt. Airy was a very steep mountain covered in wet leaves and slippery rocks. The shrews amused themselves by telling various mountain legends.
Matthias noticed that Cornflower was very quiet, and she didn't look right. He went up behind her, intending on asking what was wrong, but just then she slipped on some of the leaves. Matthias caught her and helped her up.
"Are you alright?"
She looked into his for a moment before answering. "Yes, thank you for helping me."
Just then Log-a-log called to Matthias, and he had to excuse himself. When he was done, he went back over to her, intent on getting the answer out of her.
"Hello," he started.
"Hi."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm just worried about Retto," she confessed. "I wish I had stayed with him at the abbey."
"Oh."
"Why?"
"It's not normal for you to be this sad and depressed. I don't like to see you like this."
"Well don't look and you won't see," she joked.
"Ok, now she's back!" With this, they began a more pleasant and animated conversation.
*******
Unfortunately for the Redwall guests, the last night they were there it rained. The shrews built a makeshift shelter and they spent the night having various dancing, singing, and weaponry contests. Cornflower sat in the midst of mostly the same shrews she had befriended the night before. By the end of they night, they all had a bad case of the giggles. When it finally came time to turn in, everybeast was so tired that sleep came easily.
*******
The Redwallers left around midday the next morning. Cornflower sat with Matthias again, and they talked of the great time they had, the friends they made, and everything else. Cornflower was having fun asking him about his non-existent dancing skills. She eventually dozed off, using his shoulder as a pillow. Matthias couldn't help but notice that she was the perfect height on him, and was the perfect fit in his arms.