"Really Bryony, I think you should stay here for the night at the very least."
Abbess Meriam placed her paw upon the mousemaid's own to emphasize her point. The two old friends sat together underneath the trees in the orchard, shaded from the late afternoon sun that dipped slowly but surely down to the western sandstone walls surrounding Redwall Abbey. Bryony smiled at the gentle abbess but remained firm, placing her paw atop Meriam's.
"I appreciate your kind thoughts, Abbess Meriam, but I need to return to Veil with our supplies from the kitchen. We're nearly finished with the cabin now, and Veil will be needing my help."
"Yes, you mentioned that earlier, dear," Meriam replied wearily, sighing lightly before she continued. "You don't want to hear this, but I have to say it: you shouldn't be bothering yourself anymore with that creature."
Bryony retracted her paw and looked up at the abbess with furrowed brow.
"Abbess Meriam, I—"
"Let me finish, Bryony!" Meriam interjected with her paws held up. "It's terrible to tell this to somebeast that has raised another like their own kin, but you're only hurting yourself without reason. He's no good, Bryony. He tried to poison one of our own! There's no need to torture yourself over a lost cause like him anymore, child. Please, come back to your home!"
Bryony set her jaw and stared at her abbess with a steely gaze.
"I can't begrudge you and all of the others for caring so deeply for me," she started in a firm tone. "But I'm not coming back to the abbey, not without my Veil. It was my home for all my life, but from now on, my home is wherever Veil might be. I know what he's done, but none of you have seen what I've seen in him. He can change! He already has! But I can't imagine any of you will let yourselves see that in him."
"Oh, Bella was right," Meriam said with a shake of her head, a saddened look creeping over her elegant features. "She told me it would be no use to persuade you, that you had already given your heart and soul to the outcast."
"I have since the day I first held him in my paws."
Meriam smiled weakly at the younger mouse.
"Of course. You always loved him so dearly. I was foolish to ask this of you. Please understand that I only did so because I only want what's best for you, Bryony, as we all do here."
The injured look dissipated from Bryony's face, allowing her to return Meriam's smile.
"I know, Abbess Meriam, and I'm forever grateful."
With that, the pair joined in a hug, both relieved the moment of tension had passed. After they broke their embrace, Bryony stood up and shouldered a large sack filled to the brim with various foodstuffs donated from the Redwall cooks.
"I'm off then," she said, holding out her paw for the abbess to grab as she stood up as well. "Give everyone my good wishes!"
"I will, Bryony!" Abbess Meriam called out to the mousemaid as she walked to the main gate. "Be safe now!"
Bryony waved back to her old friend before she passed out of the gate and turned north along the beaten path. The abbess stood and watched where she last was for a while, thinking about what had been said and what might yet come to be.
"I hope Bryony can find her way through this . . ." she spoke quietly to herself in the hazy orange light of the setting sun.
Northwest of Redwall, in Mossflower country, Veil was working on his last cedar tree of the day, the last they would need to finish the roof on their cabin. It had taken him and Bryony a few weeks to get there, but now that it was in sight, the ferret gave it his all. Sweat beaded down his fur and flew off with each powerful chop at the heartwood. Stroke after stroke, he never slowed down, the pile of wood pulp building at the cedar's roots. Veil had quickly got the hang of felling trees, and the hours of hard, strenuous labor had granted him new strength and endurance the ferret had never expected. Perhaps as beneficial as anything else however, was his age-old anger and frustration with the Redwallers.
I bet they're still tryin' to get her to stay, Veil brooded between swings of the axe, gritting his teeth. Tellin' her I'm no good, that I'm just gonna hurt her or somethin' stupid like that!
He gripped the handle extra tight for another powerful swing, knocking off a large chunk of wood with the blow. Veil had found early on that chopping down trees provided him a good long time alone with his thoughts. Having been alone with his thoughts when he was off on his own and when he had been locked in the cellar, he had worried that he might slip back into his earlier foul behavior, but the experience was quite the opposite. Remembering the way he had been treated brought up his anger against the other abbey dwellers, and remembering his own dreadful actions revived his anger at himself, and both fueled his axe swinging, making the task much easier than it would otherwise be. It was always an satisfying pleasure to watch the tree tip over almost languidly and crash to the forest floor, his rage fading away just the same. Then he'd return to Bryony in a happy mood, and it made him all the happier to see her pleased at his own improved demeanor. Before he knew it, all of the negativity in his heart had simply vanished, healed by Bryony's patient tenderness, catharsis, and simple time. He could still bring forth his annoyance with the Redwallers to bear against his targets, but he didn't have the same black hatred that once ate away at him from the inside. It was a good feeling.
With a final curt shout, Veil slammed the axe deep into the notched cedar and removed it in a flash. He watched the very tip of the tree start to sway to one side and give, falling down, down, down to the ground ahead of the ferret. Veil grinned, breathing lightly.
Perfect, he thought while he attached the rope to the felled tree. I'll get it to the cabin and have it prepared before Bryony comes back. With some luck, I might even be able to finish the roof and the whole cabin altogether!
Relishing the latter thought, Veil shouldered the rope and hurried to the cabin, hoping there would still be enough daylight once he got there.
Bryony too had found utilizing her frustrations to be a good source of motivation when she prepared logs, constructed the tall stone fireplace for the cabin, or did any other miscellaneous task. Unfortunately, she had not much to do with her upset on her walk home. Instead, she talked huffily to herself.
"Of all the creatures in the world, one would think that either Abbess Meriam or Mother Bella would be reasonable!" she complained to no one in particular on her stroll along the dusty path. "They can't bear to think I'm being truthful about Veil's recovery."
At a rightward bend in the path, Bryony struck off to the left, continuing her conversation.
"I bet not one of the others at the abbey have thought of visiting Veil and I!" she exclaimed, waving her paw through the air. "They must be afraid. Hmph, as if he would ever hurt them. Veil's a changed beast, not that they'd ever let themselves know it."
"Well, Veil did do something truly terrible," Bryony admitted as she lowered her eyes and her voice. "I know it will take a long time for that wound to truly heal. It may never, really."
Bryony took a deep breath and turned her head up again, a resolute look across her face.
"But I know that Veil has become the goodbeast I always wanted him to be, that he always could've been. They'll see in time, they'll—"
The mousemaid stopped in her tracks and stared across the grassy clearing at the newly finalized cabin. She hadn't dreamed to think that Veil could finish while she had been away at Redwall, even considering she had left in the morning. The roof was only about halfway done when she had departed, but now it was completely covered with finished logs, packed tight with dried mud, and blanketed with a thick moss covering. Already, a faint trail of smoke could be seen billowing out of the stone chimney at the back of the cabin. Gathering herself together, Bryony rushed to the cabin door, grinning from ear to ear. She opened the door and saw Veil attending to the fire with a stick before tossing it in and turning to face her, grinning right back.
"Well, there you are!" he exclaimed with a laugh. "I was gettin' ready to go find you. You didn't get lost on the way back, hm?"
Bryony pretended to scowl angrily at him, placing down her supplies to put her paws on her hips.
"I could find my way back here with my eyes blindfolded, thank you very much, Veil!"
"If you say so," Veil replied, smirking. Dropping the act, he stood up and gestured to the rest of the cabin with a wave of the paw. "How does it look?"
Their new home was sparsely furnished, consisting of a table, some stools, a small cupboard, rush carpeting, the fireplace and just a single bed and mattress. There wasn't even a window to let in any light. Bryony took her time giving the whole abode a thorough examination, and then turned back to Veil with another cheerful grin.
"It's just wonderful! It isn't much, of course, but it's all we need, you and I. It's really quite comfy, I'd say, just the perfect amount of space for the two of us."
"I think so too," Veil said with a nod, taking a seat on one of the stools at the table. "I'll probably add a window some time later, but it's good, all in all."
Bryony went ahead and began to prepare supper. Veil started to get up and help, but Bryony stayed him with a paw on his shoulder.
"I'll take care of supper tonight, Veil, no need to get up," she told him while she rummaged through the sack of items she had brought with her and the assorted foodstuff in the cupboard. "You've done plenty today."
"Thanks, Bryony." he said gratefully. "So, how was your visit to Redwall?
"It went well, as usual," Bryony replied, chopping up carrots, onions, potatoes, mushrooms and more vegetables for a stew. "I spent most of the day just talking with Abbess Meriam."
"Ah, of course. Did the good abbess have any kind words to say about me?" the ferret asked, raising an eyebrow at her with a small, sarcastic smile.
Bryony tossed the assorted vegetables into a pot of water hanging over the fire. She was careful to choose her words in response; Veil had certainly lightened up towards the Abbey and its residents, but she made sure not to press the issue with him as much as she could.
"Well, she said what she always does—what they all do . . . they're still hurting."
"Right."
She didn't need to look behind to picture the downcast look on his face.
"They'll come around, Veil. Maybe not today, maybe not for many seasons, but they will one day."
The vegetable stew was finished in short order. Bryony fixed Veil and herself a bowl each and sat them upon the table, taking her seat right beside him.
"And, if they never do, I'll always be here for you!"
Veil smiled at her and nodded, laying his paw atop hers.
"Of course. Now, let's dig in already!"
The stew was very savory, a hardy meal befitting Veil's day of hard work and Bryony's return travel. Bryony certainly wasn't as good a cook as Friar Bunfold, but she could do well enough for just the two of them. Their meals were quite satisfying all around, save for a lack of any special beverage beyond the fresh stream water they gathered from nearby. With that in mind, Bryony always managed to bring a few bottles of some drink from the abbey home with her. She decided to take some fizzy strawberry cordial on her latest visit, knowing it was Veil's favorite. She giggled at the way his eyes lit up when she poured some into a beaker for him.
"Ooh, you shoulda told me you had some o' the good stuff!" he said, taking the beaker into his paws with a grateful nod and gulping away at the sweet drink. "Mmm, that's good."
"Don't drink it too fast, you gluttonous Dibbun!" laughed Bryony, sipping away at her own beaker of the stuff. "Neither of us will be able to sleep with you hiccupping all night."
They ate, drank, and laughed until late into the evening, the fire burned low by then. A candle sat on the table when they wished to stay up, but they were both tired and ready for sleep. Without further ado, they settled into their one bed, Veil sleeping close to the wall and Bryony tucking in next to him.
"Ahh, good night, Veil," the sleepy mousemaid said with a yawn, smiling one last time at the larger ferret before closing her eyes.
"G'night," he replied, smiling right back and following her to sleep.
The following months of summer were the best in either of their lives. Their home might never be the abbey they both grew up in, but they found plenty of ways to entertain themselves and pass the time. Gardening, foraging, woodworking, swimming, climbing, hiking, everything they could think of. It was as if a brand new world had opened up to them. Neither had spent very much time in Mossflower Woods before beyond short excursions; now, they could experience it in all its beauty, listening to the endless symphony of songbirds from dawn to dusk, watching the golden evening sunlight flitter through the leaves of oaks, cedars, aspens, elms and many kinds of trees they couldn't name, feeling the ice-cold water from hidden springs only they've ever known. To explore the world and live their lives together, just the two of them, was more wonderful than either had ever thought possible.
And, while they certainly spent their time alone together, they weren't always as alone as they expected either. Some of the woodlanders began to befriend them after a time, very cautiously though. Bryony was very easy for the goodbeasts to warm up to, but they had all heard tell of what had occurred at Redwall, heard that Veil was made outcast. At first, those who would talk to the mousemaid would take their leave at the sight of the ferret, or sometimes would say such things that Bryony instead would depart with Veil in a huff; Bryony understood where the others were coming from, but she wouldn't stand to hear them berate him without getting to see how he had changed. It was a bothersome trouble for a time, but after a while and some repeated encounters, a few woodlanders began to open up to Veil. Even then, they were suspicious of his calm, welcoming demeanor, his reputation as a liar and trickster known even outside the abbey walls, but they would find that there was no trick to be had and that the outcast had indeed changed. It took many weeks, but Veil had finally made friends with a small number of the more courageous or open-minded woodland folks. The hedgehog family that had helped them out in the beginning were some of the first to treat Bryony and Veil warmly, and they even had them over for a picnic one day, which went very well, much to Bryony's elation. It seemed they were on the road to becoming a welcome part of the community again, another step back in the right direction towards Redwall again, not that Bryony mentioned that idea to Veil anymore.
It was another average, sunny day in Mossflower, the pair relaxing in an open meadow a little north of the cabin. With nothing else in particular to do for the day, they lazed around, eating a light lunch of blueberry scones followed with rosehip tea. Bryony sighed happily and lay back on the soft, cool grass to watch the clouds go floating by overhead. Veil sat beside her, fiddling around with some nearby flowers.
"Ah, it's another lovely day isn't it, Veil?" Bryony said to him, her eyes following a fish-shaped cloud going along its merry way.
"It sure is," he replied without looking up from his work.
Bryony leaned her head over and looked at him with an inquisitive glance, his back turned to her.
"What are you up to? Nothing mischievous I hope!"
"No need to worry," he said, smirking at her over his shoulder. "I'm just about finished, so you'll see right soon, heh heh."
Bryony hauled herself upright messily, her habit covered in grass and twigs. She tensed up, ready to spring up and run away from whatever practical joke he had planned for her. She should've known he would be planning something after she got him with a faceful of meadowcream a few days prior. A grin spread across her face, the mousemaid unable to hide her giddy excitement.
"Alright, here you go!" shouted Veil as he whipped around.
Bryony was already on her footpaws when she actually noticed what the surprise was: in his paws, Veil held a small crown made from intertwined cornflowers and kingcups. He thrust it closer to her, laughing.
"There's nothing to be 'fraid of, Bryony, just some flowers, haha!"
Feeling silly, Bryony kneeled back down and carefully took a hold of the flower crown, inspecting it all over.
"Oh, thank you, Veil! It's so beautiful."
Veil looked to the side, waving his paw dismissively.
"Aw, it's nothing. Just thought it'd look nice on you."
Bryony slipped the crown over her ears and let it rest upon her head. It was sized just right.
"How does it look, then?"
Veil looked back and smiled warmly at her.
"It looks wonderful, Bryony."
Right at that moment, Veil brought a pawful of fluffy dandelions to his mouth and blew it right into her face, the flurry of seeds tickling her nose and making her sneeze rapidly.
"Hm, I wouldn't say that makes up for the meadowcream," Veil said with a chuckle. "But it's a start."
Bryony could barely respond between her sneezing.
"Achoo! That was a—achoo!—very naughty thing to—achoo!—do!"
"Don't take it too hard," Veil said, smirking at her. "You get to keep the crown."
After a full minute of sneezing and sniffling, Bryony had wiped all of the fluffy airborne seeds from her nose, her eyes still watering.
"Whew, I'm glad that's over with!" she exclaimed with a sigh of relief. "I didn't think I could take much more of the way it tickled my nose."
Veil's smile grew as he got an idea.
"Well, in that case, let's see how much more you could take!"
His paws were upon her before the mousemaid could even blink. She broke into uncontrollable laughter as his paws dug into her sides, going up and down and all around.
"Haha, s—stop it, Veil, hahahaha!"
"You're gonna have to speak more clearly than that, Bryony!" Veil told her over her guffawing. "Can't rightly make out what you're sayin'!"
Veil moved his scrambling paws over her stomach and across her back, making her twist and turn while he went along. She suddenly flopped over onto her side in the midst of her chortling, pulling him down with her. To keep her from rolling out of arms' reach, he pulled her in close to his body, wrapping his arms tight around her, tickling nonstop all the while. The smaller mouse spasmed with laughter, helplessly pushing deeper into his hold, burying her face into his chest. Her littler body was warm against his, in a way that was strangely comforting, like a thick, heavy blanket on a cold night even though it was a hot summer afternoon. Veil grunted and, without really thinking, he rolled over onto his back and pulled her on top of himself, still tickling her. Going slower now, he guided his paws down her sides and brought them back up along her spine to the nape of her neck, her laughter giving way to a shaky squeak and a shudder at the end. He tickled her a bit more after that, but then stopped without warning, simply letting her rest atop him, both of them breathing hard. Veil watched the clouds float along overhead, his mind a blank. Finally, with all of her laughing done, Bryony looked up at Veil and smiled, the flower crown someone staying on her head undamaged throughout their tussle.
"Ha . . ha . . . I guess that was all you could take . . . ha . . . ha . . . I win!"
Bryony rolled off of him and struggled onto her footpaws, looking down at him with a smirk of her own.
"WHew, don't tell me you're going to stay down for the count, eh?"
Veil looked over at her and had to swallow a few times to manage to speak out of his bone dry mouth.
"I—I'm just g—gonna lay here for a bit," he managed to spurt out. "Watch the clouds some, y—y'know, heh."
"Right, of course," said Bryony, nodding with a cheeky grin. "You just want to enjoy the scenery and are certainly not exhausted, yep!"
Veil just laughed weakly, coughing once or twice.
"Well, I'll leave you to it," she said as she started back for the cabin with their picnic basket. "Hurry on back before too long, I'll have some more scones ready!"
With Bryony out of sight, the ferret let out a long held sigh, laid his head back onto the grass, and closed his eyes. A powerful foreign sensation had overwhelmed him during their tickle fight, something he had never felt before. His heart beat like a drum in his chest still, his head swam, butterflies flittered in his stomach. More than anything else, he could still feel the weight and the warmth of her little body where she had touched him, so vividly so it was as if she was still there. He ran his paw over his long belly, wishing she were still embracing him more than he had ever wished for anything before. Veil lay there stunned for much longer than he would've thought and hadn't moved a muscle until Bryony called out for him after some time.
"Veil, are you done out there? These scones aren't going to eat themselves, and I'm not sure if I can trust myself to leave you any!"
"C—coming!" he said, shooting up and hurrying back, shaking his head roughly as he went to try and dislodge the weird feeling that had overcame him.
But the feeling never seemed to fade. In fact, it was only stronger when he sat beside her for their supper. He could hardly eat his food for staring at the mousemaid. It was as if he was looking upon her for the first time in his all in his life, completely absorbed in her pretty features. He forced himself to tear his eyes off of her with some effort and ate, though his mind was ever on her.
The worst of it was to come that night as they lay down to sleep. For the first time since they had slept in the cabin, Veil felt awkward for lying in the bed beside her. All at once, he felt utterly embarrassed and uncomfortable and at the same time felt an almost unbearable urge to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight like they had done just that day. He tossed and turned for what felt like hours, only managing to stop once Bryony asked if he were sick.
The days that followed were no different. From morning to night, he was plagued by the strange yearnings, the pressure in his chest when she came close, the burning on his face when she smiled at him, the way he couldn't even seem to speak normally to her anymore and instead stammered away. For some reason, he was relieved that Bryony seemed not to notice the change in him so far, but he knew something had to give.
A few weeks after their encounter, Veil was out in the forest, chopping up some small fallen limbs with the old, trusty axe. Ostensibly, he was getting firewood, but he had started gathering kindling more and more often since the incident. Getting away from Bryony was the only thing he could do at that point to weaken his urges, though she was always there in his head, of course. It gave him ample time to mull over his problem at least, though he wasn't sure if it was making it any better, or worse even.
What am I going to do? he brooded, chopping a recently fallen limb neatly into sizeable pieces. I can't keep this up. I'm at my wit's end! Feel's like I'm gonna explode or somethin' . . .
The branch finished, he stuck the axe in the ground and piled the wood into a neat cord in the crook of the same tree the branch had dropped from during a storm a while back. It was one of many Veil had already stacked around the forest. Dusting his paws off, the ferret picked the axe back up and set to work on a aged fallen log.
Feels like the only thing I could do would be to tell Bryony.
But tell her what?
I don't even know what this all is!
Veil growled and shoved the axehead into the log, too exasperated to even pretend to be doing something productive. He sat down on the log and put his head in his paws. The warm summer sunlight made him sleepy before he could realize it, making him nod off into a light sleep. It wasn't until a paw slipped and his head fell that he jerked upright and shook the sleepiness from his head, blinking hard.
Ugh, can't believe I feel asleep like that, he grumbled internally, shouldering the axe and making for home. I hope Bryony isn't worryin' too much.
There were no trails throughout much of Mossflower, though the pair had already made a few footpaths from regular use around their abode. Veil had traveled further south then they normally did on that day, however, and no such paths were to be found. Instead, he just roughed his way through bushes and bracken, hopping over the intermittent stumps, boulders, and streamlets he chanced upon. He headed home almost without thinking, the location now so fixed in his memory. It made his shock all the greater when he vaulted over a rocky outcropping and found hogwife Myrtle looking right at him.
They stared at each other silently for a moment, both of them frozen in place. Veil was the first to speak up.
"Oh! Uh, Myrtle, I didn't expect to see you out here," he stammered, trying to come up with something to say. "What, um, are you doin' this far from the abbey?"
The hedgehog swallowed, visibly shaking as she looked back at him.
"I—I came here to pick s—strawberries . . ."
Indeed, she had a basket of the berries in her paw, the bushes littered throughout the small open space.
"Ah, okay," Veil replied, nodding. He noticed the hogwife staring at the ax on his shoulder and quickly put it down beside himself. "Oh, sorry about that, heh."
Myrtle's fright didn't appear to lessen any. She made a few cautious backwards steps, eyes trained on him.
"Well, I ought t—to be going now," she said quietly.
Without another word, she turned and started to walk away in a hurry, almost at a run. Veil watched her reach the edge of the clearing and then did something that surprised even himself.
"Myrtle, wait!" he called out, raising a paw at her.
He was even more surprised to see her actually stop. A long moment passed, and Myrtle looked back over her shoulder, fear across her face. Veil took a second to gather his thoughts, fiddling with his paws.
"C—could I ask you a question before you leave?"
She simply nodded, turning to face him. Veil breathed deeply, working up his nerve.
"Alright. I wanted to know, ahem, what does, er, love feel like."
For the first time, the look of fear had left her face, replaced with shock and followed by confusion.
"Love?"
"Y—yeah," he said, trying to ignore the burning embarrassment on his face.
"Hmph," Myrtle snorted, crossing her arms and lowering her guard a bit. "It's a bit hard to describe such a thing, I guess, but I would say it's just a sort of warm, contented feeling. You know, how it feels to have a good time with good friends."
"Ah, that's not exactly what I meant, I think," Veil elaborated, shaking his head. "I mean, what does feel like to be in love, like when you first fell in love with your husband."
"Oh," Myrtle said, and then she thought for a moment before continuing. "It's similar, but it's stronger too, and it feels good to simply be there with whoever you love and to live your lives together. It can be a bit much when your young, too, I must say! Anyway, that's the best way I can put it."
Veil was quiet after she finished, mulling her words. Finally, he nodded to her.
"Thank you, Myrtle. That was all I wanted to ask of you."
"Alright then," she replied, making to leave again in a much more tempered fashion.
"Oh, Myrtle?" called out Veil suddenly before she left.
The hedgehog turned back once more, an eyebrow raised.
"I . . . I'm sorry for hurting you, and for trying to hurt Friar Bunfold. I wish I had never done such a thing. I know it doesn't mean much coming from me, but I wanted you to know that at least."
Myrtle looked quite shocked again, but she regained her composure and dipped her head slightly to him.
"Well, thank you for the apology, Veil. Like you said, it isn't much . . . but I appreciate it all the same. Take care now."
With that, Myrtle left the clearing and slipped away into the vastness of Mossflower to return to the abbey. Veil stayed in the clearing for a while, still thinking over everything. It wasn't until aureate dusk sunlight slipped over his eyes that he realized he needed to be headed back, so he picked up the axe and headed for the cabin quickly. The ferret set his jaw as he dashed home, a determined light in his eyes.
Bryony was fidgeting with some utensils, waiting for Veil to get back. He took his time getting home some evenings, but it was uncommon for him to be out so late. Their dinner, a light summer salad and a loaf of wheatbread, had begun to grow cold in his absence, and Bryony wouldn't eat before him, though she often warned him otherwise. She sat down at the table and rapped her paws upon it, biting her lip.
"Oh, where is h—"
Just then, Veil opened the door and stepped inside, quickly putting the axe in it's place on the mantle, smiling innocently at the stunned mouse.
"I didn't miss supper, did I? he asked. "I hope you haven't gobbled it all up yet."
"Well, you're certainly lucky," she answered, crossing her arms and putting on a stern look of disapproval. "I was just about to do so. Now sit down and eat if you want any!"
Chuckling, he sat down beside her and ate as she bade him do, watching her smile out of the corner of his eye. The bread had cooled a bit, but it was still fine, and the salad of lettuce, carrots, celery, leek, and other vegetables was superb, very refreshing after a warm afternoon. They finished their meal quickly, both rather hungry at that hour. Veil leaned back and sighed, patting his stomach.
"Mhm, that was delicious, Bryony."
"Thank you, Veil!" she replied, then let out a little yawn. "Whew, that made me a little sleepy. I guess it is about time to settle in, hm?"
"Right, right," Veil said quietly, shaking his head yes.
They put up their plates, slid their stools under the table, and hopped in bed, Veil taking his usual spot near to the wall, Bryony shuffling in beside him. Veil watched as she snuggled into the blanket and downy pillow, her body turned away from him. She glanced back at him over her shoulder.
"Good night, Veil," she quietly said with a smile.
"G'night," he said in return, keeping his voice low in return.
Bryony placed her head onto the pillow and let out a sigh, closing her eyes and beginning to rest. She was completely unaware that Veil continued to watch her intently, readying his nerve for his next move. He shuffled a bit every now and again, nothing very noticeable, but he slowly began to scoot closer to the smaller female. Gradual as it was, Bryony barely noticed him pressing into her back. They lay there simply touching each other, their breathing almost instantly falling in sync, one chest rising and falling perfectly with the other. Veil's heart fluttered as he heard, and felt, the smaller creature sigh contentedly. Feeling emboldened, he laid one arm over her side and slipped another underneath her, placing both paws upon her belly. Bryony certainly noticed that, chuckling slightly and cracking open an eye to look up at him.
"Hm, I thought we were going to sleep. Is now the best time to start another tickle fight, Veil?"
"Maybe so!" he said with a little laugh, rubbing his paws over her habit easily, making her giggle. It sounded like music to his ears, and he wanted nothing more in that moment than to hear it again.
Veil continued to tickle her gently over her garments, traveling up and down along her body from her shoulders to her legs, careful to not tickle her as much as he did that day in the meadow and overexcite her. Bryony twisted a little, laughing and giggling softly, not even bothering with words of protest and instead enjoying the pleasant sensation. Without really thinking, Veil, growing more adventurous by the second, nuzzled into her neck while he tickled, bringing his nose underneath her chin. Bryony pushed back against his touch, appreciating it as well. Veil nuzzled from her neck to her cheek, lingering there a moment before he quickly nibbled her ear ever-so-gently. The mousemaid's laughter gave way to a short, soft moan, and a weak shudder that passed over her frame. Veil's breath grew heavy, a shiver of his own overtaking him for a moment; he couldn't hold back any longer. Still tickling, the ferret returned to nuzzle into her face, making her return to laughing and giggling once more. He rubbed his cheek against hers further and further, craning his long neck out. Soon, his face was perfectly parallel to hers, rubbing into it all the while. Bryony closed her eyes and nuzzled back as she continued to chortle. After taking a few deep breaths, Veil seized the opportunity, raising his head up to face her and turning her body to him slightly. The mousemaid had just enough time to open her eyes and give him a confused look right as he leaned down to kiss her.
Veil had no idea how a kiss was supposed to go and winged it entirely, simply pressing his lips into hers and turning his head to one side slightly, attempting nothing fancy yet. He had stopped tickling her during the kiss, instead rubbing her body tenderly, trying to comfort her. His mind raced nearly as fast his heart, wondering if she was hating every second of the kiss. At least, she hadn't pushed him away and merely lay stock still as if in shock. After a length of time he felt appropriate had passed, Veil lifted his head and looked down at her, searching her face for any indication of her feelings. Bryony blinked hard a few times and then turned her face aside slightly, looking sidelong at Veil, seeming very much in shock indeed. Her voice faltered heavily as she started to speak once more.
"T—t—that's not h—how you tickle s—someone, Veil . . ." she whispered to him, fidgeting with her paws pulled up to her chest.
"I know," he returned, not knowing what he was going to say. "I—I don't just want to tickle you, Bryony. I w—want to do . . . more."
He could feel her trembling underneath his paws. She looked directly at him again, her eyes wide open.
"Oh! O—oh, Veil, we can't! I'm just a mouse, and you're a ferret. I—I'm like your mother to you!"
"B—but I love you, Bryony!" he pleaded, starting to tremble himself. "I love you more than anything else in this world. Let me show you!"
Bryony bit her lip, her mind reeling at his words. She had waited so very, very long to hear Veil say that he loved her truthfully, but she had never expected it to happen in such a way and mean what it meant coming from him then. All the same, her heart soared to know he truly loved her. All of their efforts hadn't been for naught; Veil had become the goodbeast she always knew he could be. Bryony could feel her reservations melting away then and there, happy tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I love you too, Veil." she said as she brought her paws up to his face just to hold him. "I . . . I want you to show me."
Veil couldn't hold back his own tears of joy. He went in and kissed her again, and Bryony returned it, both of them pressing their lips into the other's own. Just knowing that she was kissing him back was enough to drive Veil wild, his breathing starting to rise as he pushed deeper into the kiss. Without thinking, he started to snake his tongue into her mouth, moaning as he pushed her own tongue around and explored her maw, moving his face back and forth to get a better angle. Bryony moaned in return and lay her head back onto their downy pillow, submitting to his strange yet exciting way of kissing. Something about the way she let him do as he please made Veil's heart pound in his chest, his whole body heating up like he was on fire; he had to explore her body some more.
His paws shook when he brought them down to the cord holding her habit tight. Pausing for just a moment of suspense, he took ahold of the short length, ripped it off, and tossed it onto the floor without another thought. He broke off from the kiss and quickly lifted his head to look down at her body, gazing intently where just a tad of her fuzzy belly could be seen from the crack of her habit. Bryony, still a bit groggy from how fast he slipped out of her kiss, gasped aloud when snatched off her habit nearly as rapidly as he had done with the rope, leaving her body completely out in the open. Veil took his time taking it all in, his eyes scanning all along her diminutive frame from her small tan-furred breasts down her plump soft belly to the faintly visible slit between her legs. Bryony could see a captivated, almost greedy look in Veil's wide eyes and the way his mouth parted as he panted quietly, clearly excited. It reminded her of the naughty little Dibbun he once was, always thieving snacks from the abbey kitchen, and even a bit of the crazed manner he had after being imprisoned in the abbey cellar. A shudder passed through her body, partly from a tinge of exciting fear at his strange expression, but mostly from knowing that he wanted her so badly. Veil, still lying alongside the smaller female, lowered his head to hers again and nuzzled into her while he started to run his paw over her stomach, digging his claws through her downy fur and massaging her abdomen.
"Does that feel good, Bryony?" he asked in a deep slow whisper, sending a chill down her spine.
"Mmm, y—yes it does," she replied between slow, heavy breaths.
Veil nodded and then chuckled as he gently squeezed her chubby belly and jiggled it a bit in his paw.
"Heh, I hadn't realized just how pudgy you've gotten," Veil said, kissing her cheek as he went along. "Someone's been doing a good bit of snackin' at Redwall on her trips I think."
"I—I haven't been eating that much!" protested Bryony weakly, still enamored by the way his paw rubbed, teased, and squeezed her stomach. "I'm not that f—fat . . ."
"Oh, of course you're not fat," Veil said quickly, dropping the seductive tone for a moment. "I was only teasin' you. You're just on the plump side, is all—and I like that!"
Veil accentuated his last point by taking a big pawful of her belly and kissing her deeply once again, moaning freely as he pushed his tongue back into her mouth and played with her supple body. Bryony likewise moaned into the kiss, instead lying her head back, closing her eyes, and letting Veil take control once more. She was starting to like his assertive side very much, and how good it felt to give in to him and his desires. Veil played with her tummy for good while, getting his fill of her delightfully soft body, but the mousemaid could just feel that he was ready to explore more of her body. He broke the kiss and put his head alongside hers again, both of them watching together as his paw snaked its way up her torso, running his digits through her thick, short fur. A loud squeak came from Bryony as he latched onto one of her petit breasts; Veil sniggered to feel her tremble when he squeezed it testily in his grasp.
"I know that has to feel good!" he said, moving her pliable mound around his big paw.
"Ohh, yes, yes it does feel good, Veil!" Bryony spoke energetically, nuzzling hard into Veil's larger cheek, kissing him there too. "Umf, it's wonderful!"
Veil took the paw he had tucked under her and latched onto a breast, moving his free paw to the other so he could have them both in his hold. They were rather small, especially in the larger ferret's paws, but that didn't douse Veil's excitement even a bit. He cupped them, moved them around this way and that, squished them flat, squished them together, everything he could think of. They both watched as he toyed with her mammaries, panting in their mutual arousal, rubbing their faces alongside each others, kissing again and again. Veil stopped his grabbing and began instead to trace his claws through her fluffy, tan fur on her breasts, carefully swirling closer and closer to her small pink teats. Bryony bit her lip, unable to contain her shivering as he come slowly but surely to her sensitive nipple, gasping as his sharp claws flicked across both at the same time. Once there, Veil circled her hard, sensitive nubs, loving every needy whimper she let out from his ministrations. It wasn't enough for him, however, now he wanted to hear every sweet, tender sound of pleasure his love could make, and he knew how to make it so. Kissing her one last time on the cheek, he quickly shot his neck down, brought his face to one of breasts, and latched onto her teat, all in one seamless move. Bryony didn't realize he had moved until she felt the warm touch of his lips on her nipple, the simple sensation shooting a bolt out of the blue from her head to her tail. Her eyes closed tight shut as kiss followed kiss, shivering like she was freezing, moaning and squeaking unabatedly at the enrapturing feeling. Even better than the kissing, however, was what followed.
Satisfied with his introductions, Veil parted his lips and let her stiff teat into his mouth, instinctively licking and sucking away without a care in the world. The mousemaid's eyes flew open and threatened to roll back into her head at the new pressure on her sensitive nipple, the sensation somehow even more exhilarating than the kisses he had just planted. Just as he had been drawn in by instinct, Bryony too was compelled to cradle his head in her paws, holding him tight and pushing him slightly deeper into her cushiony breast. Veil complied perfectly in sync, nuzzling her mammary as he suckled away, moaning, even whimpering himself from time to time. Bryony couldn't help but recall when she had first raised him as a little one and wondered then how it would feel to nurse the ferret babe like his mother, though he had long been past needing to nurse and already then had needle-sharp teeth he was more than willing to use. It certainly wasn't how she might have imagined it, but the moment they shared was magnificent all the same, deeply arousing yet genuinely touching at once. Bryony rubbed her paws over Veil's head, mussing the fur between his ears, humming pleasurably to herself; she felt as if she could just lay back and enjoy his suckling forever. Veil felt the same way, enraptured by strange sense of fulfillment from his efforts. He lapped at her nipple again and again, kneading her small mound with his nose and breathing in her familiar, calming scent. He'd never felt so close to the mouse he loved in his whole life, and he was loathe to pull away when he did so.
Bryony blinked her eyes, forcing them to refocus after the euphoria of his play-nursing had made her vision hazy, and gazed up at Veil, clearly confused why he stopped.
"W—what's the matter?" she stammered, shaking her head to clear the fog in her mind. "I—is something wrong?"
Veil groaned and shuffled where he lay touching her, releasing his hold on her breast.
"No, nothing's wrong, Bryony," he told her, panting softly. "But I don't think I can hold back much longer."
Without elaborating, Veil sat upright and removed his tunic swiftly, tossing it onto one of the stools. Bryony didn't need an explanation to realize what he meant; she could smell it before she could see it, a sudden aroma seemingly filling the room the moment his garments flew through the air. It was unlike anything she had ever smelled, musky and strong, almost overwhelmingly so. She would've found it unpleasant if it wasn't so instinctively appetizing, downright enthralling even. Every breath brought his male odor straight to her brain, leaving her almost drunk with the heady smell. Her vision began to go a little blurry again. Fortunately, it didn't hinder her ability to watch as Veil lay back down beside and lock her eyes upon his upright malehood. Bryony could feel her face burning as she stared at his sizeable girth, unable to look away no matter how modest she was. Veil growled lowly as he noticed her staring, nuzzling her cheek as he leaned over and let his length dangle ominously over her slit, throbbing in wait.
"Oh, Bryony, I'm ready to take you right now," he whispered hoarsely into her ear, his breath hot and heavy. "Let me make love to you. Let me make you my wife."
Bryony's heart burned as hot as her face to her him say those words. She pushed her face into his, kissing him lightly on the cheek and running her paws over his muscled chest.
"Take me, please!" she pleaded. "Make me yours, Veil!"
That was all Veil needed. In a flash, he shot his arms around her once more and pulled her back to his chest, placing his member between her legs and sliding it along her lower lips as they lay on their sides. Bryony was left sputtering and shivering at his warm touch upon her twitching entrance. He slid it back and forth a few times, letting her feel just how big and hot it really was. Still trembling in anticipation, she glanced at him over her shoulder, feeling suddenly a bit apprehensive.
"Make sure to be g—gentle, Veil. You're a lot bigger than I am, after all."
Veil smiled back at her and planted a kiss on the top of her head, rubbing her belly soothingly.
"You've nothin' to worry about, my love. I'll go nice and easy. Just say the word and I'll stop."
Reassured, Bryony nodded and waited for his next move. She didn't have to wait long until Veil pulled himself back and brought his tip right to her entryway, planting it their firmly, simply enjoying the way it too shuddered in readiness. With his shaft already slickened by his earlier excitement, Veil had it a little easier as he finally pushed it between her nether lips. Veil shook and groaned, Bryony seized and squeaked. The pressure upon them as their bodies embraced one another was indescribable, paralyzingly so. It took a minute or so for the both of them to recover enough for Veil to begin again. He crept his member deeper inside of her very slowly, letting her body become used to his foreign presence. Bryony's breathing was fast and shallow, and it took all she had to slow down and keep from going faint from the ecstatic sensation. She never could've imagined how amazing it felt to be filled up in such a way; an innocent, modest abbey dweller as she was, she had never put much mind to the pleasures of the bedroom, and thus it was all the more astounding. She could feel every inch, every twisting, bulging vein of his member as it slipped through her tight passage, spreading her wide. It was for sure a tight fit, and it could've been terribly painful and too much for her body. Veil, however, was true to his word, of course, and he went as slow as possible, holding her tight as he did so, kissing her head, her cheek, the nape of her neck and all over, and that made it even more wonderful. It reminded her of the fulfilling sensation she felt when Veil had suckled at her breast, a kind of satisfaction that rose above mere stimulation. At the pace Veil was moving along, it felt like hours until he made it in as far as he could, but it was pleasurable enough for them both along the way. Veil paused once he was all the way in, letting Bryony and himself relax and breathe easily as their bodies got used to one another.
After a few minutes, Veil started to remove his member from inside of her, going almost as slowly as he did going in. Bryony murmured and shivered, the stimulation just as strong as well, though it lacked the wonderful sensation of fullness which she quickly began to miss. Once he had withdrawn to her very entrance, he started back into her depths, only a smidgen faster than before. A soft moan escaped the mousemaid's lips, the fullness coming back to her in force. Back and forth Veil went, taking his malehood to her lower lips and to her deepest crevice repeatedly, speeding up slowly but surely. Bryony breathed lightly, the slipping and sliding making her tingle all over. Not only that, Veil's paws also began to explore her little body once more, rubbing her belly, massaging her breasts, and everything in-between. The larger ferret could feel her shudder from head to tail, under his touch and around his bulging shaft, earning a prideful growl from him. He pumped into her faster, relishing the little gasp she made as he did so; he could tell she was ready for him now.
Bryony could feel his arms tighten around her, warning her only a moment before he began to thrust into her rapidly. She let out a wavering groan as he pushed into her much quicker than he had already. Her passage twitched around him again and again, eager to reward his exciting presence. Veil grit his teeth, already finding it tough to resist the way her little body embraced him, each loving squeeze sending sparks through his mind. He powered on, doing his hardest to speed up his thrusts, pushing his member as deep as could go. It took the same amount of effort from Bryony to keep her head straight, each mighty thrust, each reverberating throb from his phallus etched perfectly into her mind, leaving her a shuddering mess already. Veil's paws certainly didn't help her do so as they too increased their efforts, grabbing big pawfuls of any part of her plump frame they could find. He teased her breasts, smooshing them this way and that and pinching her taut nipples, and he squished her tummy all over, even circling her bellybutton lightly with a claw in a way she never would've imagined was a titillating as it was. Veil did so all the while he continued to pump his shaft inside of her, never slowing down or losing focus, intent on ravishing hear from any and all sides. Their cabin home began to fill with the sounds of lovemaking, Veil's hips clapping against her thick bottom relentlessly. With a smirk, Veil released one of his paws from her belly and gave her rump a smack even as he thrust, making the smaller mousemaid squeak and shiver.
"Ha . . . ha . . . you like that, don't you?" he asked in a hoarse voice, breathing hard.
"Ah, ohhh . . . y—yes, I d—do . . . mmm . . ." was all Bryony could manage in reply, looking up at him with half-lidded eyes.
"H—how about 'nother?" Veil returned with a toothy grin, slapping her bottom once more, another loud plap sounding out.
Bryony squeaked again and even whimpered quietly, closing her eyes tight. Veil instantly slowed his thrusting and gently rubbed where he had smacked her, kissing and nuzzling her cheek in apology.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Bryony," he cooed, squeezing her bottom lightly. "I didn't mean to do it so hard."
Bryony's eyes remained closed for short respite, and then she opened them again, looking at him and nodding slightly.
"Alright," he said with a smile. "Tell me when you're ready again."
Bryony closed her eyes and huffed lightly for a few seconds, seemingly making up her mind, or so Veil thought. Instead of telling him anything, the mouse bit her lip and pushed back weakly into his light thrusts, her passageway squeezing him with renewed vigor. Veil's chest rose and fell quickly, his breath coming fast. Seeing, feeling the way she wanted him was pushing him over the edge. He took his paw away from her behind and grabbed her belly again, wrapping his arms tight around her once more to thrust fast and hard. He reached his old speed in a flash, Bryony's efforts making their meeting all the greater. Bryony moaned as the electric tingling built up within her once more, a shiver going up and down her spine as he delved deep within her folds again. Her twitching likewise excited Veil, pinching and squishing his girth from every angle, making him shudder and throb like a volcano ready to burst. The ferret felt just like such a thing as he pushed into her. He rubbed his face against hers, groaning and purring in equal turn while he kissed her cheek, under her chin, atop her head, and the nape of her neck. He lingered at the latter area, a rumbling growl echoing in his chest as he kissed her there again and again. Some primal instinct was rearing deep inside him, compelling him to act, and he let go.
Bryony heard him let out a low, snarling growl, felt his arms tighten like a vice around her, and suddenly found herself underneath the bigger ferret, all in a blink of an eye. She had no time to question him as his weight settled onto her back, the greater part of it still held by him so as not to crush her. He paused from his thrusting for a moment, just long enough for Bryony to start to wonder what he was doing right as he set his teeth to her neck and pushed her face into the downy pillow. Bryony squeaked aloud, the sound muffled by the pillow around her head. His sharp, needlepoint teeth held her by the scruff of her neck, holding firm but gentle. The shock of it had stunned her at first, but straightaway her body reacted, a basal instinct taking hold of her as well: the smaller mouse reflexively arched her back and spread her legs wide, letting Veil's shaft penetrate deeper than ever before. Bryony shuddered and moaned through clenched teeth at the new depths he had reached within her, his entire malehood filling her from her entrance to her very core, and yet the sheer realization that her body had submitted so fully to him as her mind and soul already had was just as arousing, perhaps even more so. Anymore thinking on her part was interrupted when Veil began to thrust again, going from a standstill to an absolute breakneck pace in an instant. His hips came crashing against her plump behind like a triphammer, as powerful as it was fast, clap after resounding clap filling the cabin. Her diminutive frame was pushed far into the bed and the pillow under his blows, making the world outside disappear as sight and sound were hushed by the soft embrace of their bed. Only the barest muffled noises of their lovemaking could reach Bryony now, her own incessant lusty squeaks a distant echo to her. Her entire world was reduced to the radiant bliss emanating from where her love bred her.
Veil growled through his teeth as he somehow managed to speed up his thrusts even further, smashing his crotch into her cushy behind with even greater force, each slap nearly as rough as that particularly hard spank he had given her. The pleasure was far greater than any pain she might've felt in that moment however, each thrust sending his girth deep down into her, brushing aside her squeezing walls to send jolts of pleasure all up and down her body, kissing her innermost point with his tip to shoot a even stronger pulse of pure ecstasy straight up her spine to her brain and force a needy squeak past her lips. The stimulation was becoming too overwhelming, her whole body shaking uncontrollably as the ferret ravished her body without end. A strange pressure had begun to build within her lower belly, each wave of euphoria making it swell and swell, threatening to let loose. She wasn't sure what to make of it in her addled state, but, like many time before, her body knew what to do; her passage began to spasm erratically, clasping Veil's member without remorse, doing anything it could to keep his malehood trapped within her and bring it to sweet release. Veil shuddered from the impressive grip on his shaft, her small tunnel pinching him from all side, making his member throb and bulge in return, a pressure of his own building deep in his loins at a rapid pace. He knew the time was come, and he flung himself into Bryony with everything he had, wanting nothing more than to make the little mouse he loved so much release as he did. His arms wrapped around her tight, his paws gripped and squished her breasts madly, his teeth held fast into the fur on her neck, his hips bashed into her rear like waves on the shore. All this Bryony felt in perfect detail, all of that and the way Veil's malehood began to swell even further inside her, jerking and leaking in preparation. She could even fell his heavy sac smack against her rump as he shot deep within her, each weighty plap coming harder than the last as it too began to grow. At last, she even came to perceive his odor in new strength, so powerful, so pervasive that his musk reached her face buried deep into the pillow, seemingly replacing every bit of the very air with his addictive, wonderfully male scent. Something about everything all together proved the tipping point, and a cascade of euphoria all at once overcame Bryony, filling her whole body with a blaze of indescribable pleasure and making her squeak, whine, moan and everything else in-between as her femininity embraced Veil with everything it had. The ferret growled loud and deep for a short moment, a last few rapid thrusts, and then he yelled through his closed mouth as he too finally let go.
They held each other tight, both of them convulsing in the throes of pure ecstasy. Veil gripped Bryony with both arms and teeth as if his life depended on it, thrusting hard and slow as he lay atop her. Bryony moaned weakly underneath his weight and the force of his humps, just barely able to keep her head in the fog of absolute bliss. Their enjoined bodies worked in perfect sync, Bryony's walls collapsing just as Veil sank his member deep all the way down to bury it against her cervix and release a massive glob of his hot seed with a titanic throb. Bryony could hardly believe how magical it felt when he first released, his malehood slipping inside her fully, swelling to a mindboggling size, and shooting out thick ropes of his essence. It was like a fire was lit in her belly, a special, heavy warmth that spread throughout her entire body, all of it for her and her alone. Bryony simply lay still and let Veil give her every last drop of his burning love, relishing every thrust and the way he played with her tender breasts all the while he continued to hold her fast with his bite. Her body kept on plying his turgid member with all it could manage, leaking much of female lubricant and successfully milking him of his seed. It had only taken just a few thrusts for Veil to dump more than enough of his essence to fill her to the brim, each resounding throb making it spill forth from her entrance and leak out onto them both and bed below, but neither of them could bring themselves to care in that beautiful moment. They lay in embrace for what felt like an eternity, racked with a greater sensation of bliss and love than either of them could have ever dreamed of.
It was a long while before they came down. Bryony's own electric shuddering pleasure would've faded to nil after just a little while had it not been for Veil's seemingly endless stamina. He kept on thrusting, smacking his hips and his jerking sac into her butt relentlessly, firing more and more of his viscous male fluid into her even as it pooled onto the blankets. Bryony's slit wasn't about to pass up on his efforts, still twitching, gripping, and leaking as he pushed her climax to greater lengths. She was nearly about to pass out from exhaustion and the overwhelming ecstasy of it all when Veil finally began to slow down, his thrusts growing slow and his throbbing becoming weak. Soon, his streaming seed became just a trickle, and his malehood finally was still. The ferret shuddered and let loose his grip on her neck with a ragged gasp, falling over onto his side and pulling her over along with him, his engorged rod still tucked safely within her confines. Veil breathed deep for a short while and then he shook his head hard and started kissing and lapping at the spot on Bryony's neck where he had bit her.
"O—oh, Bryony, I didn't hurt you with the biting, did I?" he asked in a quiet, apologetic tone between kisses. "It just came over me when I did it. I'm sorry."
Bryony looked over her shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile, her eyes open just a crack.
"Don't worry, you didn't hurt me. It felt amazing . . . I love you, Veil."
"I love you too, Bryony," he replied, craning his head around to kiss her on the lips, holding it for a moment.
Without another word, they broke off the kiss and settled into the bed for sleep, heedless of the huge mess they had made or that Veil's member remained nested in her tunnel. Veil pulled her tight to him and placed a paw on her belly, rubbing it gently. Bryony heaved a contented sigh, the warmth of her love's body at her back, the warmth of his liquid love pooled within her very core. They quickly drifted into sleep more easily than ever before in their lives.
Veil awoke to an aroma of warm breakfast, or so he thought. Sitting up with a groan and a yawn, he looked over to see not just a simple breakfast but more alike to a feast. Numerous dishes covered every inch of their small table. There were pastries, tarts, scones of all kinds, lathered in meadowcream and dotted with plums, raspberries, and other various fruits and berries. Warm, fragrant loaves of ryebread, oatbread, nutbread, barleybread and even more sat alongside fresh summer salads covered in fine white and yellow cheeses. Beakers of mint tea, dandelion and burdock, and sweet strawberry cordial lined the table, ready to be sipped and savored. Dominating the array of food was a large apple pie, perfectly latticed and finished with a bed of honey and a dollop of rosecream. Veil's stomach was already growling at the sight and smell of the delicious-looking meal. Bryony laughed brightly from where she sat at the table, washing her paws and her face.
"It's nice to see you've finally awoken! I was starting to think you'd never get up."
Veil slipped his legs over the side of the bed and stretched his arms overhead before donning his tunic and taking a seat at the table. He gave the little feast another one over, licking his lips at the up close look.
"Where'd all this come from?" he questioned her, opening his paws wide at the buffet. "There's no way you made it all in one morning!"
"Well, I had been storing aside some things for a special occasion," Bryony replied. "And I went on a quick trip to the abbey to get what I didn't have."
"It looks amazing, Bryony!" Veil told her, then closed his eyes to take a big whiff. "And it smells even better."
"Aw, thank you, Veil," she said smiling, waving a paw dismissively. "It really isn't much, just what I could throw together."
"Don't you try actin' modest, ha ha! No need to fish for compliments, you'n I both know you did wonderful job!" Veil cut in, laughing as he grabbed her belly playfully and tickled. "I'm sure you'll eat good'n plenty."
Bryony chuckled and squirmed, pushing his paw away without much effort.
"Haha, stop it, Veil! It's too early for that. Here, let's go ahead and eat this food before it gets cold, okay?"
Veil didn't need to be told twice, and they both set in on the food. It was, of course, absolutely delicious by all counts. They spent their time eating their fill, sharing this and that and laughing all the while. Bryony had made more than enough for the both of them, but that didn't stop them from trying to finish it all. When neither of them could eat another bite, it was almost noon. Veil washed his paws clean in a bowl of water at the table and rubbed his full belly, watching as Bryony did much the same.
"Whew, that was great," he said, stifling a burp. "We're gonna need to walk all this food off for sure!"
Bryony stood up and stretched to and fro, smiling up at him.
"I think you're right. We'll have to finish this lot later today."
She glanced over at the bed and then turned back at Veil, a sheepish look on her face.
". . . And we should clean the blankets too, while we're out."
"Oh, yeah," Veil added with a nod. "We sure made a mess last night, huh?"
"Ahem!" Bryony cleared her throat, unable to keep from blushing. "Yes, we did . . . though it was mostly you that made the mess I might add."
"Maybe so," Veil replied with a chuckle. He suddenly leaned over and gave a her pat on the bottom, squeezing it too. Bryony squeaked with a start, blushing hard yet smiling all the same. "But you and that nice little rump of yours certainly helped me do that, heh heh!"
"Alright, enough of that!" Bryony told him, though she made no move to take his paw away. "Go on, grab the blankets and let's get down to the river."
Taking up a basket, Veil rounded up all of their washables and headed out the door after Bryony. The sun was shining through the trees, a cool breeze came blowing from the north, the sound of birdsong filled the air on all sides. Veil stopped and looked around, taking in all of Mossflower. It was the same forest, the same sunlight and sky overhead, but it was more beautiful than ever before, a whole new wonderous world. He stood there a while, mesmerized with everything, simply looking and listening and breathing.
"Hey!" Bryony called out to him from the down along the trail headed to the river. "Are you coming or what?"
Veil shook his head and headed down the worn footpath to her, calling out to her as he went.
"I'm comin', I'm comin'!" he shouted back, hurrying. "No need to rush."
He met up with her in a few seconds and grinned down at her. Bryony cocked an eye up at him.
"Me, rushing? Hmph, you're the one lagging behind! I would think a strapping young ferret such as yourself could carry on much better with just a load of laundry."
"Oh, I'll carry on just fine," he replied, shifting the basket under an arm.
He took his free paw and brought it close to her; Bryony braced for another smack on the rear, but instead she felt his large, warm paw take hold of hers and grip it tightly. She smiled up at him and squeezed his paw back. Paw-in-paw, they went on their way, just the two of them all alone in Mossflower, and they wouldn't have had it any other way.