Another instalment of my story. Thanks very much to Missie Mouse and
Acoustical ferret (did I spell that right? Sorry!) for reviewing the story,
and also to all my other reviewers. Please read on!
~
'Skipper, you old waterwalloper! Well I'm blowed!'
Rollon Stickle heaved himself out of a roadside ditch, a clump of burdock clasped in his left paw. Grinning widely, he hugged the brawny otter standing before him.'
'Rollon, me old matey! It's been, what, six seasons?'
'Nearer seven, Skip – you haven't come back to the abbey since the midsummer afore last! Well, come on, come on, our Abbot'll be wanting to see you!'
The big otter spread his paws, and several younger otters peeped out from behind.
'Matter o' fact, Rollon, I'm just passin' through. Taking the youngsters up to the fall for the autumn salmon. I like a good salmon.'
Rollon chortled so all of his five chins wobbled.
'I never knew an otter who didn't like his food. Why don't you come up to the abbey, stop for the night? My Bell's made some mushroom and leek pastries, and there's apple flans to follow.'
Skipper was tempted.
'The kind with rosehip custard and cream?'
Rollon winked.
'The very same!'
'Count me in, matey! Come on, you scamps.'
The party set of up the path, stirring dust in their wake. Five otters and a fat hedgehog cellarkeeper.
*****
'Might out what you're doing with those candles, Jeni!'
The young mousemaid ran lightly through the abbey, carrying six white candles in her paws. Other abbeybeasts dodged out of her way, holding her at arms length as she crashed on through the rooms towards the great hall.
'Oops! Scuse me! Sorry, Brother Aubrey! Mind out, Sister Rosemary, candles coming through!'
Sister Rosemary picked herself up off the floor and went to stand next to a chuckling Brother Aubrey. She sniffed disapprovingly.
'These youngsters. No respect for their elders. I make no claim to being better, but after many seasons loyal service...'
Brother Aubrey smiled at her cheerfully.
'Come, sister. She's related to Gonff. You know as well as I do that that family are attached to the clouds.'
Jeni raced into the Great Hall, still dodging the brothers and sisters of the abbey. Skidding over the shiny floor, she pulled up at the table, threw the candles down and gave a military style salute.
'All candles present and correct, ma'm!'
Badgermum Bella laughed lightly at the enthusiastic candle bringer. Reaching out her huge paw, she ruffled the youngster's ears gently, and Jeni giggled.
'Stop it, Miss Bella.'
The badger laughed harder.
'Stop it yourself, you rascal. Running through the abbey like that, you scared poor Sister Rosemary near out of her wits. Sit yourself down here, before you hurt someone.'
Jeni tucked in beside the huge badger, watching with awestruck eyes as she sorted berries and nuts into piles, her large paws working at a terrific speed.
'Great seasons, Miss Bella! It's a wonder we don't get almonds in the stew and raspberry omelette, the speed you do this sorting.'
Bella smiled, handing the young mousemaid a handful of blackberries to chew at.
'It's when you say things like that I'm reminded of your father, aye, and his father before him. You're more a mousethief than an abbeybeast, little Jeni, and I hope you stay that way. Your brother can be sensible. Don't let anything damp your spirit'
A gong echoed resoundingly through the abbey, ringing against the old stonework. Bella heaved herself up, dusting of her huge front.
'Creatures at the gates!'
*****
Rollon brought the otters in with the air of a commander marching his army back from battle. He winked cheerfully at the dibbuns playing by the pond, his rotund belly chortling as he meandered across the grass. Abbot Frances, the elderly master of Redwall abbey, smiled paternally at the happy cellarkeeper before stepping forward to embrace the brawny otter.
'Skipper, friend. It's been too long.'
The otter nodded, patting the abbot's back gently.
'Aye, matey, I shoulda come back years ago. Still, no time like the present. Can I introduce the little uns.'
The four small otters stepped quickly forwards, bowing neatly as the big otter called their names.
'T'littlest one's Taffy, my sister's girl, then there are the twins, Streamback and Backstream – don't ask. And this one...' he indicated the largest of the little otters, nearly a grown male, though still scrawny with youth. 'This'n's mine. Abbot Frances, may I introduce to my son Feren?'
The abbot bowed down to shake the otter's paw. 'Pleased to meet you, young Feren. You look exactly like your father.' Standing straight again, he rubbed his paws in appreciation.
'I take it you'll join us for the evening meal, Skipper? My brother's and sister's will look after the youngsters.'
Skipper nodded and smiled.
'I'd like that very much, Father.'
The older beasts set off towards the building, leaving the young otters standing on the lawn, surrounded by a circle of dibbuns and some of the younger abbeybeasts. Jeni watched the one Skipper had called his son with curiosity. There was something about him, a sort of air of self- confidence that she found intriguing, and she studied him, trying to work out what made him so calm. He was like a rock, standing in the middle of the lawn as the others shifted and swayed around him.
Suddenly his head swung round and he looked straight at her. With a deep blush she turned away, ducking her head and staring at the grass. A few moments passed, then she chanced a glance up. He was still watching her, even though the other three had been pulled away by one dibbun or other and were heading towards the abbey. Then, suddenly, he began to walk towards her.
'Alright?'
She smiled at him, flustered.
'Yes, thank you.'
There was an uncomfortable pause, then Jeni broke the silence.
'You...you want to go up to the abbey?'
He looked her up and down appraisingly, then grinned.
'Ok, matey.'
She gave him the smallest of pushes.
'Matey yourself, planktail!'
'Least I've got a good tail, littlenose.'
They stared at each other fiercely for a moment, then Feren began to laugh. Jeni joined him, until they were both shaking with hysterical laughter.
'C'mon,' Jeni grinned, brushing a tear from her whiskers. 'Mrs Stickle's making apple flans. You don't want to miss those.'
They headed up towards the abbey, until the lawn was empty of creatures. The afternoon was fading into the gently colours of evening and the bird's were drifting into nighttime slumber. But the sound of young beast's chatter echoed over the lawn as the four otters were given food and drink, and a strange feeling of well being drifted out over Redwall Abbey.
*****
Any good? Please let me know! I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible...
~
'Skipper, you old waterwalloper! Well I'm blowed!'
Rollon Stickle heaved himself out of a roadside ditch, a clump of burdock clasped in his left paw. Grinning widely, he hugged the brawny otter standing before him.'
'Rollon, me old matey! It's been, what, six seasons?'
'Nearer seven, Skip – you haven't come back to the abbey since the midsummer afore last! Well, come on, come on, our Abbot'll be wanting to see you!'
The big otter spread his paws, and several younger otters peeped out from behind.
'Matter o' fact, Rollon, I'm just passin' through. Taking the youngsters up to the fall for the autumn salmon. I like a good salmon.'
Rollon chortled so all of his five chins wobbled.
'I never knew an otter who didn't like his food. Why don't you come up to the abbey, stop for the night? My Bell's made some mushroom and leek pastries, and there's apple flans to follow.'
Skipper was tempted.
'The kind with rosehip custard and cream?'
Rollon winked.
'The very same!'
'Count me in, matey! Come on, you scamps.'
The party set of up the path, stirring dust in their wake. Five otters and a fat hedgehog cellarkeeper.
*****
'Might out what you're doing with those candles, Jeni!'
The young mousemaid ran lightly through the abbey, carrying six white candles in her paws. Other abbeybeasts dodged out of her way, holding her at arms length as she crashed on through the rooms towards the great hall.
'Oops! Scuse me! Sorry, Brother Aubrey! Mind out, Sister Rosemary, candles coming through!'
Sister Rosemary picked herself up off the floor and went to stand next to a chuckling Brother Aubrey. She sniffed disapprovingly.
'These youngsters. No respect for their elders. I make no claim to being better, but after many seasons loyal service...'
Brother Aubrey smiled at her cheerfully.
'Come, sister. She's related to Gonff. You know as well as I do that that family are attached to the clouds.'
Jeni raced into the Great Hall, still dodging the brothers and sisters of the abbey. Skidding over the shiny floor, she pulled up at the table, threw the candles down and gave a military style salute.
'All candles present and correct, ma'm!'
Badgermum Bella laughed lightly at the enthusiastic candle bringer. Reaching out her huge paw, she ruffled the youngster's ears gently, and Jeni giggled.
'Stop it, Miss Bella.'
The badger laughed harder.
'Stop it yourself, you rascal. Running through the abbey like that, you scared poor Sister Rosemary near out of her wits. Sit yourself down here, before you hurt someone.'
Jeni tucked in beside the huge badger, watching with awestruck eyes as she sorted berries and nuts into piles, her large paws working at a terrific speed.
'Great seasons, Miss Bella! It's a wonder we don't get almonds in the stew and raspberry omelette, the speed you do this sorting.'
Bella smiled, handing the young mousemaid a handful of blackberries to chew at.
'It's when you say things like that I'm reminded of your father, aye, and his father before him. You're more a mousethief than an abbeybeast, little Jeni, and I hope you stay that way. Your brother can be sensible. Don't let anything damp your spirit'
A gong echoed resoundingly through the abbey, ringing against the old stonework. Bella heaved herself up, dusting of her huge front.
'Creatures at the gates!'
*****
Rollon brought the otters in with the air of a commander marching his army back from battle. He winked cheerfully at the dibbuns playing by the pond, his rotund belly chortling as he meandered across the grass. Abbot Frances, the elderly master of Redwall abbey, smiled paternally at the happy cellarkeeper before stepping forward to embrace the brawny otter.
'Skipper, friend. It's been too long.'
The otter nodded, patting the abbot's back gently.
'Aye, matey, I shoulda come back years ago. Still, no time like the present. Can I introduce the little uns.'
The four small otters stepped quickly forwards, bowing neatly as the big otter called their names.
'T'littlest one's Taffy, my sister's girl, then there are the twins, Streamback and Backstream – don't ask. And this one...' he indicated the largest of the little otters, nearly a grown male, though still scrawny with youth. 'This'n's mine. Abbot Frances, may I introduce to my son Feren?'
The abbot bowed down to shake the otter's paw. 'Pleased to meet you, young Feren. You look exactly like your father.' Standing straight again, he rubbed his paws in appreciation.
'I take it you'll join us for the evening meal, Skipper? My brother's and sister's will look after the youngsters.'
Skipper nodded and smiled.
'I'd like that very much, Father.'
The older beasts set off towards the building, leaving the young otters standing on the lawn, surrounded by a circle of dibbuns and some of the younger abbeybeasts. Jeni watched the one Skipper had called his son with curiosity. There was something about him, a sort of air of self- confidence that she found intriguing, and she studied him, trying to work out what made him so calm. He was like a rock, standing in the middle of the lawn as the others shifted and swayed around him.
Suddenly his head swung round and he looked straight at her. With a deep blush she turned away, ducking her head and staring at the grass. A few moments passed, then she chanced a glance up. He was still watching her, even though the other three had been pulled away by one dibbun or other and were heading towards the abbey. Then, suddenly, he began to walk towards her.
'Alright?'
She smiled at him, flustered.
'Yes, thank you.'
There was an uncomfortable pause, then Jeni broke the silence.
'You...you want to go up to the abbey?'
He looked her up and down appraisingly, then grinned.
'Ok, matey.'
She gave him the smallest of pushes.
'Matey yourself, planktail!'
'Least I've got a good tail, littlenose.'
They stared at each other fiercely for a moment, then Feren began to laugh. Jeni joined him, until they were both shaking with hysterical laughter.
'C'mon,' Jeni grinned, brushing a tear from her whiskers. 'Mrs Stickle's making apple flans. You don't want to miss those.'
They headed up towards the abbey, until the lawn was empty of creatures. The afternoon was fading into the gently colours of evening and the bird's were drifting into nighttime slumber. But the sound of young beast's chatter echoed over the lawn as the four otters were given food and drink, and a strange feeling of well being drifted out over Redwall Abbey.
*****
Any good? Please let me know! I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible...
