Disclaimer: I own nothing.
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Although the great feast was somewhat slackening, loud cheers and noisy entertainment were heard still from Cavern Hole. Song smiled a little to herself, a sad smile as she made her way up to the Great Hall, somehow managing to make it by without being heartily congratulated and led back to the feast, or stopped and been forced to engage in a long conversation. She had had enough of both already for one day.
Song wasn't really paying attention to where she was going; she was just trying to get away from all the commotion. As the new Abbess of Redwall, her absense would not go unnoticed for long, and she knew that it wouldn't be long before a large party of mainly drunken Redwallers would lead her back to the festivities.
The young squirrelmaid sighed and rested for a moment in the Infirmary, leaning her arms against a window. "Redwallers," she thought aloud, with a tiny scoff in her voice. "They're a nice enough lot, but too laid-back. Once we returned from the quest, I was just going to go off and explore. Now that I'm the Abbess, I guess that won't be happening." Song looked out of the window; the orchard was filled with trees that were in perfect bloom, and fruit hung off of its branchs threatening to drop. Despite the idyllic sight, Song's demeanor was that of gloom. "Do I really want to be Abbess of this abbey?" she whispered softly to herself.
She turned and saw a figure standing in the doorway. Dannflor, the newly- appointed Champion of Redwall, walked in, his face set in an expression oddly similar to the one Song was wearing now. The sword of Martin the Warrior was slung on his back, only there for the purpose of looking the part as the Champion. He reached the window and stood next to her, facing the orchard. "Well, great Mother Abbess Songbreeze, why aren't you down at the feast? Your people have noticed your absense."
Song snorted impatiently. "Shut up with the 'great Mother Abbess', you know perfectly well that I didn't want this job in the first place. They've already started looking for me?" She swore rather loudly and stamped her foot petulantly. "I'd hoped for a little more time by myself. I doubt I'll be getting much in the months to come. And why are you grinning like a dolt?" she snapped, as she turned a furious glare at Dann, who indeed had a small smile peeking out of the corners of his mouth.
"Well, if you don't want to be found, come on," he said, already turning for the door.
"Where are we going?" Song asked, already following him.
"The bell tower," Dann replied. "No one will think to look for you there for a while at least, and when they figure it out, it'll still take them a while to climb the stairs."
The new Abbess shrugged. "I suppose it's as good a hiding place as any."
They reached the tower and began to climb up its walls. As squirrels they were able to get to the top of the tower without having to use the long stairway, though it did require a bit of nerve. After several minutes of exertion, Dann reached the top first, looking to make sure that no Redwallers were currently there, though why they would be he didn't know. He reached back down to mockingly offer a hand to Song, who was directly below him. The latter snorted again. "I can climb this wall as well as you without assistence," Song said as she pulled herself up.
Dann grinned. "Just being courteous to my Abbess."
"Oh, be quiet," Song replied, though she could not hide a smile forming on her features. She jumped from the railing to a sitting position on the floor. Dann followed suit. The two made themselves comfortable on the cold stone.
"So are you happy about being the Abbey's new champion?" Song asked quietly as she stroked her bushy tail absentmindedly.
Dann shrugged. "I was just plannning on leaving the Abbey as soon as we came back; go exploring, find trouble." A small, wry smile swept his features. "But I suppose being Champion won't be all that bad. I'll still be able to fight plenty."
A sigh escaped Song, her long eyelashes fluttering when she blinked.. "If only I could too. Now that I'm Abbess, no one's going to want me to be involved in any trouble like that. I won't be able to do anything fun." She pouted.
The Champion pulled himself upright. Song looked at him. Dann had changed much since he had first arrived at Redwall. No longer a young, carefree barely-out-of-Dibbunhood type of creature, he had grown broader and taller. A stern, kindly look had begun as common practice on his face, though at the moment it was filled with mischief. "I," he announced, "have an idea."
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Thanks to jeffo and Skippy for reviewing Chapter 2.
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Although the great feast was somewhat slackening, loud cheers and noisy entertainment were heard still from Cavern Hole. Song smiled a little to herself, a sad smile as she made her way up to the Great Hall, somehow managing to make it by without being heartily congratulated and led back to the feast, or stopped and been forced to engage in a long conversation. She had had enough of both already for one day.
Song wasn't really paying attention to where she was going; she was just trying to get away from all the commotion. As the new Abbess of Redwall, her absense would not go unnoticed for long, and she knew that it wouldn't be long before a large party of mainly drunken Redwallers would lead her back to the festivities.
The young squirrelmaid sighed and rested for a moment in the Infirmary, leaning her arms against a window. "Redwallers," she thought aloud, with a tiny scoff in her voice. "They're a nice enough lot, but too laid-back. Once we returned from the quest, I was just going to go off and explore. Now that I'm the Abbess, I guess that won't be happening." Song looked out of the window; the orchard was filled with trees that were in perfect bloom, and fruit hung off of its branchs threatening to drop. Despite the idyllic sight, Song's demeanor was that of gloom. "Do I really want to be Abbess of this abbey?" she whispered softly to herself.
She turned and saw a figure standing in the doorway. Dannflor, the newly- appointed Champion of Redwall, walked in, his face set in an expression oddly similar to the one Song was wearing now. The sword of Martin the Warrior was slung on his back, only there for the purpose of looking the part as the Champion. He reached the window and stood next to her, facing the orchard. "Well, great Mother Abbess Songbreeze, why aren't you down at the feast? Your people have noticed your absense."
Song snorted impatiently. "Shut up with the 'great Mother Abbess', you know perfectly well that I didn't want this job in the first place. They've already started looking for me?" She swore rather loudly and stamped her foot petulantly. "I'd hoped for a little more time by myself. I doubt I'll be getting much in the months to come. And why are you grinning like a dolt?" she snapped, as she turned a furious glare at Dann, who indeed had a small smile peeking out of the corners of his mouth.
"Well, if you don't want to be found, come on," he said, already turning for the door.
"Where are we going?" Song asked, already following him.
"The bell tower," Dann replied. "No one will think to look for you there for a while at least, and when they figure it out, it'll still take them a while to climb the stairs."
The new Abbess shrugged. "I suppose it's as good a hiding place as any."
They reached the tower and began to climb up its walls. As squirrels they were able to get to the top of the tower without having to use the long stairway, though it did require a bit of nerve. After several minutes of exertion, Dann reached the top first, looking to make sure that no Redwallers were currently there, though why they would be he didn't know. He reached back down to mockingly offer a hand to Song, who was directly below him. The latter snorted again. "I can climb this wall as well as you without assistence," Song said as she pulled herself up.
Dann grinned. "Just being courteous to my Abbess."
"Oh, be quiet," Song replied, though she could not hide a smile forming on her features. She jumped from the railing to a sitting position on the floor. Dann followed suit. The two made themselves comfortable on the cold stone.
"So are you happy about being the Abbey's new champion?" Song asked quietly as she stroked her bushy tail absentmindedly.
Dann shrugged. "I was just plannning on leaving the Abbey as soon as we came back; go exploring, find trouble." A small, wry smile swept his features. "But I suppose being Champion won't be all that bad. I'll still be able to fight plenty."
A sigh escaped Song, her long eyelashes fluttering when she blinked.. "If only I could too. Now that I'm Abbess, no one's going to want me to be involved in any trouble like that. I won't be able to do anything fun." She pouted.
The Champion pulled himself upright. Song looked at him. Dann had changed much since he had first arrived at Redwall. No longer a young, carefree barely-out-of-Dibbunhood type of creature, he had grown broader and taller. A stern, kindly look had begun as common practice on his face, though at the moment it was filled with mischief. "I," he announced, "have an idea."
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Thanks to jeffo and Skippy for reviewing Chapter 2.