A Cool Autumn Day (Open)

[Abbess Dahlia]

The abbess was getting on in seasons, and as any old creature finds they do, she often needed to rest her bones. So on this particular autumn day, she moved through the abbey grounds toward the orchard, her cherry wood walking stick clasped lightly in her fragile looking old hands. The aging mouse found a particularly sunny spot, where she could feel the cool breeze ruffling her fur, and, groaning slightly, she eased herself to the ground.

She chuckled to herself, closing her eyes and breathing in the crisp scent of fading leaves. It occurred to her, as it did almost on a daily basis, the delicate balance of life. Things must die in order to live, even the trees shed their lucious greenery, dying in the autumn chill, only to rise again in the spring with a verdant robe.

With a soft sigh she slowly began to drift from conciousness, her seasons catching up to her. It was a pleasant enough day for a nap in the orchard, and the sweet call of sleep beckoned her forth. Soon she was unaware of the orchard around her.

[Rema]

Biting into a ripe apple that she had found just moments earlier, Rema the Vixen gazed at the resting mouse. Looking away from it to the wall that seemed like a large fortress meant to protect something, she couldn't help but think that this might be the abbey she had been looking for for so long. Reminder of her long travels were the pain in her feet, which had endured rough terrain and distances just to arrive here. Throwing the apple aside after she bit into the hard core, she walked out of the bushes and went on to approach the mouse.

Seeing that it was old, and almost delicate looking, Rema made sure to be quiet. Seeing the mouse was asleep, she didn't want to disturb it, not after she saw how peaceful it looked. Looking up at the Abbey walls, she stared in awe at the size. And placing a gentle paw on the wall, she could feel how strong it must have been. No wonder this strong hold is a sanctuary to these woodlanders, she thought. A flash of envy could be seen in her eyes as she thought of how lucky they were to live peaceful lives, but i came at a price of course, even Rema knew that. Many had tried to steal this place away, because of the safety it gave, and the bounty surrounding it.

"Your a real beauty aren't ya?" Rema said patting the wall before turning back to the mouse. Walking up to her while making sure to give light and almost inaudible foot steps, she loomed over the mouse blinking down with curiosity. And only wondering who it might be.

[Abbess Dahlia]

The abbess slept on, unaware of the vermin's presense, her small, delicate frame slouched over as she slumbered sitting up. Soft snores excaped from her as she dozed, the breeze stirring through her fur, her cane laying at her side. She mumbled something in her sleep, relating to a dream of little importance. Often times she had hoped to dream something significant, even as a dibbun she would wish for Martin to appear to her and deliver some important message. But these were peaceful times, and there was little need for such dreams.

The old field mouse stirred as a shadow loomed over her, cutting off the dappled rays of the sun that cut through the changing leaves. Her dark, gentle eyes fluttered gently, then opened, and she looked up. There stood a vixen, staring down at her. Immediately the aging rodent regretted putting herself in such a situation. She lifted her cherry wood cane, brandishing the stick as best she could to defend herself. Her eyes widened behind the spectacles that perched upon her nose, and she knew she could not climb to her feet and hope to defend herself. She was so feeble in her age that the vixen, much larger in comparison, could easily over power her as it was.

"What do you want?" She inquired, still holding the cane like a blade before her. She knew that she ought be more trusting, but the tales she had heard from dibbun years on warned of vermin coming to attack the people of Redwall. Dark eyes darted about, looking for the horde that surely the vixen was traveling with, but seeing no such group. That didn't mean, however, that the beast was on her own.

Dahlia clasped the cane tightly in her trembling paws, her gaze snapping back to the fox before her. Surely this would be the end of the old mouse, unless another resident of the abbey or surrounding lands came to her rescue.

[Rema]

Wincing it pain as the cane smack her on the nose, Rema took a wary step back. It didn't hurt, it just surprised her how fast the old mouse could react. Rubbing her snout for a moment as she looked at the woodlander, she gave a small smirk

"Didn't know mouses could surprise even me," she said, shaking her head for a moment to get it clear. "Especially a old looking ones. No wait, your don't look old, you are old!" Rema said, laughing to the somewhat offensive humor. Noticing she dropped her side bag, she dropped to her knees to quickly retrieve it, only when she got a firm hold to it did she continue to talk to the mouse.

"I don't want anything really. I just never seen Redwall before, just curious," the young vixen said, hoping that was reason enough. Giving a sniff of the air, she licked her lips. "Ah, do I smell something?" Turning away, she looked up at the walls seeing a trace of smoke exiting out. She concluded the wonderful scent was coming from the kitchen of the place. Only realizing she was even more hungry then she was, she turned to the mouse.

"What you got cooking up there anyway, mouse... just curious," she said with a casual shrug.

[Abbess Dahlia]

Dahlia warrily watched the vixen as she backed away. The old mouse hadn't meant to whack her, it probably wasn't a wise thing to do, possibly angering the creature and incuring her wrath. Her feeble old paws trembled with the effort of holding up the walking stick. A nervous smile spread over her features as the fox spoke, "Aye, well...underestimating Redwallers has been the downfall of bolder vermin than you..." Her word were more confident than she felt. Dark eyes darted to the gate, trying to judge the distance, but knowing all the while that the young vixen could outmatch her own hobbling pace should she make a dash for it.

She paid little attention to the rude jooke about her age. She hardly expected vermin to have manners, from what she had heard. She was mildly curious, however, as this was the first creature she had met that qualified as vermin. Her gentle old eyes peered through her spectacles at the beast, "So now you've seen our abbey...What will you do now?"

There was a chance this vixen was not as sly and clever as she looked. If she was with a vermin horde, then perhaps she would make the mistake of divulging their plans. She was young, after all. And young creatures often made mistakes. As the scent of dinner reached the young fox's nose, it danced to the senses of Dahlia as well, oh if only she might live to once more taste the delicious food of the abbey! Was their hope?

"I suppose that is up to the abbey cook." She replied to the vixen's question of what was cooking. The old mouse lowered her cane, her feeble old paws too weak to brandish it any longer, at least to hold it steady, though she might manage a swing in her own defense if necessary, "From the smell of it, though, I would guess apple pies...and nut breads."

Her gaze shifted to the tendrils of smoke drifting over the wall, wondering how long she had been napping that supper was alreaady being prepared. She did not linger long on that thought, however, turning her attention back to the vixen.

[Rema]

Sniffing the air again, she looked back at the old mouse and tilted her head. "Apple pies? Nut breads? I never ate that before." She said, giving a confused look as she placed a paw under her chin. It smelled nice, so it must taste nice too. The thought of her stuffing down delicious meals made her start to drool a bit. Wiping the corner of her mouth, she started to talk again after her little daydream.

"It sounds nice... wow, you woodlanders really live the good life, not like vermin like me. You usually see them in those hordes and such." Rema suppressed a small whimper of longing that was lodged in her throat, she didn't want to look to needy. Taking one more deep breath, she gave a sigh. "My mum never made anything like this. But she did make some good meals. Like fish.. I like fish." Rema said with a small nod. Thoughts of her days with her mother and father flashed threw her mind, vivid images seeming to make her feel a little better after long days without seeing them.

Remembering the question the mouse just asked her, she quickly answered. "Well, for what I will do after, that's easy to tell." Rema pulled away the flap of her bag, and revealed a small book she held up in her paws. "I'm a healer fox, well not completely. I'm making my own remedies to help others, even woodlanders such as yourself. Being a fox, it's hard to make a good living. She pasued for the slightest moment, wincing as she looked down at the mouse. "And by the way you looked at me, you can see why."

Then Rema gave another shrug, adding a chuckle to lighten to mood. "But it's only expected. My mum wouldn't be to proud to see me talking to you, but now that I'm traveling and out and about on my own, I think I'm free to make my own choices. Oh, sorry if I bored you with my talking, I always seem to chatter on and on.. don't know why really."

[Abbess Dahlia]

The Abbess looked up at the vermin from where she sat, her fore paws folded upon her lap on top of the cherry wood cane that now rested there, "You mean to say you've never had home made pies or nut breads before?" Somehow the mouse, who had never given much thought to what life must be like for a vermin, had just assumed these were the sort of things that everybeast would have eaten at least once in their lives. She felt a pang of sympathy for the fox, wondering if she had ever had a decent meal. When the vixen brought up finding vermin in hordes, Dahlia began to wonder if she had been mistaken about the creature. Perhaps she was not part of some large horde bent on taking over the abbey.

This new notion was reinforced by the statement that the fox was a healer of sorts, using her skills even to aid the woodlanders, "I see..." She paused to think this over, listening as the other beast continued to speak. Of course, she felt mildly guilty when the vixen spoke about her own reaction to seeing a vermin so close, "Please, accept my apologies. You must understand that all I've heard from dibbunhood was tales of vermin hordes attempting to fell my home."

She sighed softly, knowing that the other abbey dwellers would gasp in horror to find their Abbess talking so candidly to a member of such a loathsome race, "Come, sit with me...but know that if you do intend to harm me, my fellow Redwallers would not take kindly to it." She was not about to admit her own importance, still warry of the vixen despite her attempts to be civil. If this fox was a part of some vallianous horde, the leader of Redwall Abbey would be a boon to capture.