Kai, Beech, and Pear were lead through the armory of Arcrin, lead by Thistle, in search of suitable weapons for their journey. Thistle unstrapped a sling from a knob jetting out from the wall, and picked up a bag of pebbles from a shelf. He rolled the bag over in his claw, feeling the contents inside. He nodded in approval, then testing the strength of the sling by pulling suddenly on the cloth. It stayed strong, with a thwup!' as it tightened.
Good, good... The hedgehog murmured. He handed over the sling and pebbles to Beech.
Ye say ye want a sling, do ye? Well, that there's the best one in all o' Arcrin, bet me spikes on it, Beech! He reassured the squirrel. Beech looked it over, instantly agreeing with the armory keeper. Yes sir, this is a wonnerful sling, He mused. The hedgehog grinned modestly, then turned to Kai. So, what kind of weapon do ye be wantin, missy? He asked the squirrelmaid. Her response was instant;
A bow, a bow! I would like a bow and some arrows, please! She pleaded. The armory hog took a slight step backwards. No need to beg, missy! Bow n arrow ye want, eh? Well, lessee here... His keen eyes scanned the wall, looking over bows of elm, redwood, and many other kinds of sturdy wood. Hrm... Nothing I see here suits ye well enough, Kai... Ahah! Here tis, the perfect one fer ye!
He reached forward, pulling an elegant yew bow from a hook on the wall. It was a large size, about a little more than half the size of the squirrel. It was carved on either side of the pawhold into wing shapes, giving it a swift and sleek look to it. Kai took it from the hedgehog, and held it in her paws. It was light, and easy to wield, yet it felt firm and strong in her paws. She pulled the string, then let it fall back, with a satisfying plink. The string was strong, and waxed perfectly. Thistle nodded proudly. Aye, me ole' granpa made that un. His prized creation, it was, the best of all the bows and arrows he created. He really knew wot e was doing when he made that bow. Kai nodded in agreement with the fact. It's true, it's... it's great. She said in a somewhat hushed tone. May I see the quiver and arrows, please? The hedgehog handed her the quiver, which was carved with the same wing theme as the bow. Sturdy ribbons were attached to it, in order to tie it to its wielder's back. Many wonderfully crafted arrows were in the quiver. They were obviously painstakingly made, each shaft perfectly straight. Creamy white feathers tipped the end of each one; feathers of a swan, a true mark of bravado. Even the iron tips followed the wing theme, a small swirl carved in where the metal met the wood. Kai slung the quiver over her back, tying the ribbon across her chest. She automatically felt brave and confident, having such a fine weapon to protect her. She grinned at Thistle. Brother Thistle, how can I ever thank you? It's perfect! She was short for words at its wonder. The modest hedgehog bowed, his spikes rattling. Nothing, aside from you three coming home safe and sound. He was quite fond of the white squirrelmaid, having raised her from less than a Dibbun. He watched as Kai ran off to her friends who were at the doorway, ready to go with Pear to the infirmary to stock up on medical supplies.
Now, Pear, I'm packing you plenty of herbs, a mortar and pestle, some fresh water, a few rolls of bandages, some padding, and cloth if you're in need of a sling. Oh, and I can't let you go without flint and tinder, what if you need to start a fire? Well, along those lines, I should also pack you a pot... will this brass one do? And you'll need something to carry this all in... Ah-hah! My old haversack! Twill do ye well, very sturdy and plenty of room in it... Oh, and you'll need some splints, and more bandages, and... and... Sister Dew, the young mouse that was the Infirmary keeper, raced around the room, packing everything useful she could think of into a large sack. When she could think of no more, she handed it to Pear with a pat on the head.
Now, you make sure those two don't get into any trouble, all right Pear?
The little squirrel nodded happily. Don' worry, vermints will run away wid der tails between their legs wif me here! She swung the heavy sack menacingly to prove her point. Dew smiled at her little friend and steadied the little Dibbun, who was spinning uncontrollably, propelled by the bulging sack. Oh, I'm sure they will! She agreed. She walked Pear downstairs to the library, where Beech was packing scrolls, volumes, and parchment containing maps that would help them, along with a blank book and many blank pieces of parchment. He loaded charcoal sticks and quills into a small box, and dropped several bottles of ink into another box. He jammed all this into a haversack, which he slung over his shoulder. Kai watched in awe that he was able to navigate through that mess he called a desk. Pear entered, holding up the large sack for Kai to relieve her of. Kai took it, but couldn't help commenting at it.
Cheeze, Pear, did you pack the whole abbey in this sack?! She questioned, sarcasm tinging her voice. Pear rolled her eyes, and shook her head. No, jus' the whole infirmary! The two joked around with each other until Beech came to intrude. Well, we should head to bed now... Abbess Lily said we're setting out at dawn. Kai nodded, and Pear responded with a yawn. The three headed up to to their dormitories, eager to begin the next day's quest.