Hi guys! I'm back! Actually, I'm not. I'm still at camp... But I've compiled a chapter, at long last!
Hmmm... nothing else to say, 'sept I think I'm gonna post a Fairy Tale-ish story soon, so please R&R if ye like Fairy Tales!
Ah yes; today we have some special guests here to do the Disclaimer: the voices in my head!
Disclaimer: Hello, all you delightful readers! It is I, Larry, here to announce the lovely--
--shoves brother roughly aside-- What are you doing? Are you trying to bore them to death?
I was merely trying to--
Be quiet, let me handle this! Anyway, I'm Harry and this is the disclaimer, which basically says: Neither PH, nor Billios own Mossflower, Salamandastron, Bryony (thank you, Lord) or anything else you recognize from the books. I would, however, like to point out that the name Aspen was my idea so--
No way! Aspen was my invention!
Nuh uh!
Yes!
No!
YES!
And here I interupt to say that my voices are... a little ill mannered sometimes, and I apologize.
--turns to voices and whispers-- Guys! You're making me look stupid!
--muttering-- That doesn't take much...
Ow! --nurses elbowed rib--
You're never doing the disclaimer again, boys!
--they both whine--
It was a happy time for Rapp the otter. His tribe was doing well: plenty of food around, everyone was joyful, and he had his wife and his eight season old son. At current, there was a great time of celebration, for the skipper and his mate announced the birth of their new daughter, Dillee, who was her parent's pride and joy. There was food all around –plenty of hotroot in everything in sight– and an evening full of games was planned and set out. Twenty or so otters joined around the table in the room, drooling in anticipation of the feast. When the blessing was said and done, everybeast crowded in to take their share of the food.
"Pass the Raspberry Flans this way."
"Gimme' da me'ow'ceem p'eas."
Mothers gently scolding their young while stuffing their own faces and big brawny otters crowding around the pots and dishes to fill their own plate, made a very comical sight indeed.
When the hustle and bustle of getting the biggest piece was over, jokes ruled the dinner floor.
"What do you call a giant wolf with no mouth?" one pretty maid asked.
"Hungry."
Giggles and chortles and laughs rang out through the room. A creature other than an otter would have most likely stood there and scratched his head, wondering what they saw in the joke, but not a streamdog, no sir. If it sounds dumb, it's a hit.
After the jabbering at the table was finished and no one could eat another bite, they went outside to attempt to play games. They were going to do some in the water first, but the mothers were firmly against such nonsense and exclaimed that on land events should take place first.
Several otters started things off by going in front of the others and juggling several balls, passing them around constantly. These amazed the little ones who hadn't seen it before, causing them to go up and try to catch the balls or distract the jugglers to make them mess up. In the end one went up and tickled one of the throwers, making her collapse laughing and getting hit by the balls that were supposed to go to her.
Later on they had contests to see who could hold their breath the longest and who could eat the most Hotroot soup at a time. The festivities lasted long through the night, and when they were done, no one had a problem with getting the young ones to bed.
Aspen raised her head and looked around.
"Finally awake?" asked a voice with a laugh.
She turned over and saw Saloo sitting at the edge of her bed.
"It's about time, too. I was about to go grey waiting for you to wake up, wot!"
Aspen looked at him in severity.
"You weren't either, you dreadful fibber!"
"Well, jolly near enough, anyways. Here, let me help you out of there," he said, offering his paw. "Those beds are bally hard as blinkin' rocks, eh, wot?"
Aspen laughed and took his paw, helping herself unsteadily to her feet.
"Why did they bring me here?" she asked Saloo. "I'm fine! Look at me!"
She threw her paws up in the air and almost fell over backwards. Saloo caught her deftly and righted her.
"Well, don't try any more of that for a while unless you want to come back, wot!"
Saloo's eyes darted around furtively and he lowered his voice to a whisper.
"Come on, old chap, we better get out of here double quick. I think those nurses are coming back!"
They ran out of the sickbay, giggling like a pair of naughty leverets escaping bathtime. Saloo helped Aspen into the kitchen where they were greeted by Onear, the head chef missing one ear.
"I should have known you would show up, Saloo, you bounder!" he said, waggling his finger at both of them. "If you don't come to the bally dinner table, you don't get any vittles!"
Aspen stepped forward, fluttering her eyelashes and adopting a flattering tone.
"Oh, but you are such a blinkin' good chef! I was lying in the sickbay, too weak to move, dreaming of your delectable tucker and--"
"Stop your bloomin' flattery, m'gel," he said sternly, but with a twinkle in his eye, "Here's a rough sandwich of fresh cheese and spring lettuce for you both."
He handed them each an enormous sandwich which they gratefully devoured.
After eating, Saloo escorted Aspen to Lord Sunstripe's chamber to make her belated report. With one last reassuring look from Saloo, Aspen knocked on the door.
Sunstripe opened his chamber door, looking grim, and ushered Aspen inside.
"So, Aspen," Sunstripe said, sitting down, "make your report."
Aspen snapped to attention, pausing briefly to wipe some cheese from her whiskers, before beginning.
"Circled west around the mountain, sah, and came upon a camp of vermin. Vile lot, the vermin are. Vile vermin, heehee, oh, sorry, anyway; three ships anchored on the shore and about fourscore vermin spotted. They saw me and gave chase. I ran as fast as I could toward the jolly old mountain 'til they caught up to me. I gave 'em blood and vinegar 'til Saloo came and carried me off and, well, you saw the rest. End of report, sah!"
She saluted and Sunstripe dismissed her, frowning.
Baylor the otter was a brawny beast. He was easily taller than the rest of his otter crew. Even though he looked a tough animal, he had a soft spot for anything small, and dibbuns were some of his favorites, which was why he had gone to check on them for Abbess Bryony.
As he looked over the mingled group of mice, hedgehogs, otters, squirrels, moles and voles, he couldn't help but smile at them. They were so young and carefree; to them everything was fun and games.
As he was about to leave, he heard a rustling, two young otters and their mice friend were getting up and about, causing a chain reaction amongst the rest of the young ones. Baylor laughed softly at their clumsy waking, stumbling over one another to hobble to the big otter. He stooped down as a hedgehog pulled on his tail.
"Can ee make sure them leaves vittles out fer ussn's?"
"I don't know matey, depends on how fast yore pals can get to the table!"
This was followed by a mad dash of hungry dibbuns, who were all yelling the Redwall war cry.
"REDWAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!"
Of course this sent every creature in sight scattering for safety behind the trees and warriors or strong looking beasts. That is, until they saw the army of babes rushing towards the giant oak table in the Great Hall, then they all fell about laughing at the silly antics of the young ones as they were raced by a crew of otters who regained their second wind.
Bryony was among those who were laughing; she was chuckling softly in her seat until she noticed that something was wrong. Where was Daisy? The little mousemaid followed her everywhere, and did everything she did. The Abbess looked around, frantically trying to spot her little charge, but to no avail She was nowhere in sight. She quietly went over to where Baylor was scoffing food along with the dibbuns and other otters and asked him in his ear.
"Baylor, did you happen to see Daisy, the little mouse?"
The otter looked back at her, confused, and scanned the crowd around him.
"I'm sorry marm, but I don't recall seein' 'er. Should we raise the alarm?"
"No, that's alright, she might've gone and hid somewhere when playing with other babes. We'll wait and see if she comes up anywhere."
The Abbess, however, wasn't as confident as her voice let on; inside she was trembling with the fear that something bad had happened to Daisy.
Alright! This might be our longest chapter yet! Woohoo! Pleaaase review, and I promise there will be more soon!
yessss... and, I would like to hear what you guys think of Bryony, cause personally, I REALLY don't like her(no offense, she just rubs me wrong) so if anyone would like to comment on how I portrayed her it would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU! and even though I'll be gone, Billios is going to be trying to get some stuff together, though it won't be such a big gap as last time, we have several chapters ahead, just not put together. please review! and in the next chappy you get to meet Riley and Hailey... (prepare yourselves)