The Likeness of Spring (open)

[fuzzydragon]

"Greetings, other squirrel,"
Amber could tell that the Raven had no wish to hold up the conversation from its crisp manner. She, instead, turned her attention to the squirrel. It was best to avoid the Raven anyway.

"May I ask what you are doing here, alone in Mossflower young'n?"

Young'n yourself, though Amber, seething inwardly. She had more experience in the woods than this Redwaller could possibly dream of! Amber did a quick somersault and landed on two paws at the base of the tree. Her spear was buried in the ground all the way up to the cross-tree that held the spear tip, so that no metal was showing and it did not appear as a weapon.

Speaking of weapons.... Amber recalled the Redwall squirrel's quick hand movement. So the squirrel had another weapon as well. She guessed in was probably ranged, since it could fit in her cloak. Dagger or sling, it didn't matter. Amber was the best in Mossflower when it came to throwing daggers. She could make quick work of her if the squirrel decided to move with hostility.

"I came to Redwall Abbey. I have heard a few tales about the abbey, so I have decided to travel there."

[Ivyrose]

"I came to Redwall Abbey. I have heard a few tales about the abbey, so I have decided to travel there."


Noting another flash of silver, Ivy could tell that Amber's partially buried walking stick was truly a spear. Yet another thing to worry about, she thought to herself.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as Ivy studied the young squirrel, still keeping an eye in the raven. Eyes hardening, Ivy saw herself in Amber. She had the same spunk, at least outwardly. One as young as her wouldn't be wandering alone in Mossflower. She mustn't have any family. There were no signs of other animal activity. Alone, as she once was.

Seeing that she had offended the young one, Ivy spoke, "No one is experienced enough to be in Mossflower alone in these days. Trust me, I know," She pulled back her tunic to reveal the long, deep scar that trailed down her back. "I've been in this forest for longer than you young'n, and don't be offended by the title, you are lucky to be young. I have lived in the forest since I was born, and I am still here after 18 years. Don't think I don't know what I'm doing. I'm still here, aren't I?

[Nagini]

"No one is experienced enough to be in Mossflower alone in these days. Trust me, I know."

While Kolfinna let Ivy finish saying everything she had after she revealed the scar on her back, the raven couldn't help but laugh.

"You are a silly thing, aren't you?" she said. "Perhaps you've been in hiding too long to notice, but it's not as dangerous as it used to be. That army's long gone, for one thing, and there are beasts living out here alone just fine. I've seen them. If you're not a moron, these woods are nice."

[fuzzydragon]

Don't think I don't know what I'm doing. I'm still here, aren't I?

Sighing, Amber pulled her spear out of the ground, standing it point up beside her.
No point in hiding weapons now. She could overpower them both anyway, experience or not. She saw the squirrel searching the bushes for other animals.

"If you are wondering, I am alone. I have lived and traveled alone for five years, fighting all sorts of vermin for survival. Some say I have grown up too fast. Now, if I were you, I wouldn't attack such a 'young'n' as I am." she said this with her eyes as cold as steel. This was getting too close to her personal story for her liking.


"If you're not a moron, these woods are nice."

Ah, so the Raven wasn't as bad as she though. Well, one less thing to worry about.

[Ivyrose]

(( Fuzzydragon, Ivy actually wasn't searching the bushes, she is just always observant when she walks through the woodlands. And the only reason that she calls Amber young'n is because Amber is younger than her ))


"If you are wondering, I am alone. I have lived and traveled alone for five years, fighting all sorts of vermin for survival. Some say I have grown up too fast. Now, if I were you, I wouldn't attack such a 'young'n' as I am."

"If you're not a moron, these woods are nice."

Ivy could tell that she was making Amber even more unhappy. Ignoring the raven, Ivy spoke.

"Now why would I attack a squirrel that is doing no beast any harm?" She sighed, "I wish to do no beast any harm here, except for those who wish to bring it." Ivy's paw traced the scar trailing down her back. Remembering the terrible night her parents were murdered before her eyes. She shiverd slightly, they went down for her, and Ivy would go down for the ones she loved any day.

"So Mam, would you like an escort to our Abbey on this fine day?"

[fuzzydragon]

(Okay, got that. I'm just making Amber kind of annoyed for fun )

"So Mam, would you like an escort to our Abbey on this fine day?"

Hmph. Well. This squirrel was really annoying her now.

"No thank you. I can get there by myself."

With a small bow, Amber turned on the spot and kicked up dust with her spearbutt. Under the cover of dust, Amber squeezed herself into the shadow of the tree. She leaned her spear by the tree. It was best to travel light, anyway. She would come back for it when she found the Abbey. Silently, Amber crawled up the trunk of the tree and narrowly passed the Raven. She perched on a higher branch to observe the squirrel's next move.

[Nagini]

"So Mam, would you like an escort to our Abbey on this fine day?"

"No thank you. I can get there by myself."

Kolfinna gave a short, quiet laugh. She liked this squirrel.

"I can't see how you couldn't," she said in agreement with Amber. "You can see the place from here."

When Amber kicked up dust with her spear and then darted up the tree, Kolfinna felt perplexed, as she often did around these rodents. Such weird things they were. Perhaps it was because they couldn't fly that they acted so strangely.

Kolfinna craned her neck to see where Amber had gone and then lifted off from her branch. The raven flew up into another tree to get more or less on eye-level with the newly elevated squirrel.

"I do hope you're just up there to see where the abbey is and not trying to hide," Kolfinna said. If it was the latter, she was not doing well, although in Kolfinna's opinion, it wasn't an easy feat to hide from a raven. They had such good senses, after all.

[Ivyrose]

((Gaaaah! Why do you hate me so much peoples!?))


Seeing that both the squirrel and the raven were concealed in the brush, Ivy started to walk. Ivy's walk sped into a jog, and then into a run. Well if these creatures didn't want her help, they couldn't have it. Even if the followed her tracks, she would be leading them the wrong way.

She spun on her heel, "The only reason I would want escort you would be that I might want to get to know you better." knowing that the raven would come up with some sarcastic remark about what she had said, Ivy continued walking through the dense woodland. The faint, golden streaks on her underbelly shimmered slightly in the failing night. These creatures had become predictable to Ivy. If she said anything to Kolfinna, the remark would be most likely followed by a sarcastic comment. Amber would would be offended by anything she said, was she ever like that? Her track appeared the right way to Redwall, but it would be the long, pestering way around.

[fuzzydragon]

"I do hope you're just up there to see where the abbey is and not trying to hide,"

Amber smirked.
"Well, I'm sure it would be useless to hide. I've announced my presence to every creature around here. I just wanted a better view to the Abbey. Hmm, it's not that far off."
She turned to the Raven.
"Do you live around these parts?"

"The only reason I would want escort you would be that I might want to get to know you better."

Amber saw that the squirrel was going in the direction of Redwall. It might be a trick, but it never hurt to follow for a little while. Besides, she might learn more about this squirrel. Carefully, she leaped to a neighboring branch and slowly began to follow from the treetops.

[Nagini]

"The only reason I would want escort you would be that I might want to get to know you better."

Kolfinna snickered at Ivy's frustration and thought, Someone's angry.

"Just because she doesn't want an escort doesn't mean you two might not travel together," the raven said point-blankly and felt like she was stating the obvious.

"Do you live around these parts?"

"I live all over the forest," Kolfinna told Amber. "At the moment though, I suppose I do live around this specific part of it." With that, she flew back up into the air. Kolfinna was tired of being in trees for now. She felt like hovering, so she did, up above the trees.

"Ivy, why do you wear a red feather in your hat?" she cawed to the squirrel as she watched and followed her from the sky. "It makes you stand out."

[Ivyrose]

Ivy could hear cawing coming from above the tree line. She knew that Kolfinna was following her progress. Not bothering to halt her ever growing pace, Ivy took note that the young squirrel was following her too.

Suddenly remembering the small pack of Redwall food concealed under her cloak, Ivy halted. Rummaging within her cloak, Ivy gathered sticks for a fire. Nothing like good Redwall food to lift ones spirits.

Settling under a rock overhang, she struck flint to steel and started a small fire. The rock overhang prevented any beast from seeing Ivy from above. Ivy began warming oatcakes over the small fire, their scent spreading though the surrounding woodlands. Spreading one of the oatcakes with honey, Ivy scanned the woodlands. The sun's last rays filtered gently through the woodland canopy.

Sighing with pleasure, Ivy commented to herself, "What a beautiful sunset this is."

[fuzzydragon]

"I live all over the forest,"

"So do I" Amber answered, and kept moving.
So there were others who wandered the woods. She admired the raven's silent wing strokes and it flew above. It did not surprise Amber that this raven traveled, too. It would probably grow restless being in one area with such wonderful flying skills.


"What a beautiful sunset this is."

"It is, though I have seen many." Amber was perched on a small stone to the right of the overhang. "What's that?" she asked, indicating the oatcakes that were roasting over the fire.

[Nagini]

"What a beautiful sunset this is."

I've seen better, Kolfinna thought as she circled the tiny campsite and watched what Ivy was doing before landing. She felt like landing close enough to extinguish the fire with her wing strokes, but decided against it and landed atop the overhang.

"What's that?"

"I forget what those things are called, but they're quite good," she said before preening some of her chest feathers. "I had one recently when I came across a..." Kolfinna paused. What were those things called?

"One of those little tail-less mousey things," she said, ignoring her failure to come up with its name. "I'll remember what it's called later, but I found one and he happened to have those."

[Ivyrose]

"It is, though I have seen many."


Ivy sighed, "So have I Amber. O have seen countless sunsets coming and going, though each seems so new and wonderful." Plucking the steaming oatcakes from the fire, Ivy scanned the sky for Kolfinna. The raven landed in a gush of breeze.

"What's that?"

Amber gestured toward the oatcakes.

"I forget what those things are called, but they're quite good. I had one recently when I came across a... One of those little tail-less mousey things. I'll remember what it's called later, but I found one and he happened to have those.""

"A shrew?" Ivy asked with a tinge of disgust in her voice. "Here, have one." She spread the two oatcakes with honey and threw one up to the Raven. Ivy walked toward Amber and placed the honeyed oatcake in her paws. "Try it," she encouraged taking a bite out of her own.


(( Note: Nagini, Ivy didn't throw the oatcake at Kolfinna, she was giving one to her:3 lol))

[fuzzydragon]

"Try it,"

Amber cautiously nibbled on the side of the oatcake. Her eyes lit up. "Mmm! This is very good!" she was dying to just eat the whole oatcake in one bite, but Amber knew that it was not the way of the woodlands, she would have to eat it slowly, one bite at a time.

"So, about this place called Redwall.. What's it like there?"

"One of those little tail-less mousey things,"

"A shrew?"

Speaking of shrews. "I saw some downstream a few days ago when I was coming this way," she commented as she chewed her oatcake. She looked back to the west to watch the sun sink below the horizon.