The Likeness of Spring (open)

[Ivyrose]

"Mmm! This is very good!"

Amber eyes lit up with pleasure as she nibbled the oatcake. Grinning, Ivy pulled out more food.


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

A faraway look entered Ivy's eyes. Redwall. "Redwall, Amber, is the most wonderful place in Mossflower. Full of friends, and laughter. And the food, the food... This whole spread," gesturing with a sweeping motion over the pasties and oatcakes, "This is a mere afternoon tea compared to the Abbey's proportions..."

"I saw some downstream a few days ago when I was coming this way,"

Amber's comment snapped Ivy back into reality, "Probably the Guosim she commented airily. If you'd like, if we started traveling now, we could make the Abbey by sundown..."

[Nagini]

"A shrew?"

"No, not a shrew," Kolfinna said curtly. "Shrews have tails and they don't look like mice."

"Here, have one."

The raven deftly caught the oatcake in her beak after Ivy threw it up, then set it down at her feet. "Imagine a fat mouse with no tail," Kolfinna said, trying to clarify which rodent she meant. She took a bite of her cake and after swallowing, continued, "That's what I'm talking about."

"If you'd like, if we started traveling now, we could make the Abbey by sundown..."

"I wonder how many times longer it would take you both to get there compared to me," the raven remarked and took another chunk out of her food.

[fuzzydragon]

"If you'd like, if we started traveling now, we could make the Abbey by sundown..."

"Oh, that would be great!" Amber was anxious to get to her destination before nightfall. Night was the most dangerous time to travel, as she had learned the hard way.

"I wonder how many times longer it would take you both to get there compared to me,"

Hm.. Amber smirked a bit. "Well we can always see, though I doubt you'll be able to get through that thick oak up ahead... you probably would have to fly a round it. That would give me enough time to pull ahead of you..." Amber trailed off. "I'll race you after I've found this Abbey place"

[Ivyrose]

"I'll race you after I've found this Abbey place."

Ivy had tuned out of the conversation between the Raven and Amber.
Would it be safe to bring Kolffina into the Abbey? All of Ivy's instincts screamed no, she would have to talk to Skipp. Hopefully he wouldn't be to busy with the Hullabaloo...

"No one is forcing you to come Kolfinna, but you still may. But we can travel to Redwall only on one condition; neither one of you can harm any beast in Redwall," her gaze flitted from Kolffina to Amber, "Alright?"

[Nagini]

"Well we can always see, though I doubt you'll be able to get through that thick oak up ahead... you probably would have to fly a round it. That would give me enough time to pull ahead of you..."

After finishing her oatcake, Kolfinna cackled at Amber. "You must be joking. I can fly at least twice as fast as either of you can run and I won't bother flying through the forest." Hadn't she any idea how ravens worked?

"Maybe I'll go upside-down," Kolfinna said. "That might make it a bit fairer. At the very least, it'll make it more interesting for me."

"No one is forcing you to come Kolfinna, but you still may. But we can travel to Redwall only on one condition; neither one of you can harm any beast in Redwall ... Alright?"

"And no one is forcing you to assume you're guiding me there, but there you go doing it," Kolfinna replied. "I've been observing that place for some time now and I'm not interested in attacking your little friends. That's a waste of time and energy.

"So--" she gave both squirrels parting glances, "--I'll see you when you get there," and took off.

[fuzzydragon]

"No one is forcing you to come Kolfinna, but you still may. But we can travel to Redwall only on one condition; neither one of you can harm any beast in Redwall,"

"Okay" Amber giggled a bit strangely. "Let's go before it gets dark or the ghosts will get us"

She straightened her dagger, then leaped up and looked around for other creatures who could possibly be watching them. Seeing none, she mumbled under her breath and turned to Ivy "Well? Are we going or not?"

[Ivyrose]

((Lol, Amber's a little looney...Er..... haha...))

"Okay. Let's go before it gets dark or the ghosts will get us."


Looking up from adjusting her bow and quiver, Ivy cocked an eyebrow. Ghosts? Did she really say ghosts? All of those seasons alone must have sent Amber a little off her rocker.

"Well? Are we going or not?"

Coughing to clear the tension, Ivy replied, "Yes, lets go." Jumping into the underbrush, Ivy made her way to Redwall, with Amber on her heels.

[fuzzydragon]

Amber took off. She ran on the balls of her feet, careful not to make any noise, and leaped over dry leaves. It never hurt to be careful.

The lengthy evening shadows stretched from the trees, and a spooky silence covered the forest. No birds sang. Night was falling upon Mossflower Wood.

As she ran, Amber reflected on her memories. This afternoon seemed just like that one, long ago, when... No. Best not to think of what happened to to her family. But she could not keep herself from it. Amber remembered it as if it happened yesterday. The woodland vermin, their weapons, their tattoos, and.. the bodies of her slain parents. The vermin's laughs still rang in her mind, as well as her mother's scream that she had heard when she was lost in the woods. The shadows reminded her all too well of that day.

The ghosts haunted her. She had learned it the hard way. The ghosts of all the vermin she had killed haunted her every night. That is why she had decided to hang up her spear and bow. That's why she wanted to come to the Abbey.

In her distractedness, Amber tripped over a stone and sprawled on the ground. A dagger slid out of her belt and cut her left paw. That was it. Amber snapped. She curled up and started to cry, silently. This was too much.

[Ivyrose]

Hearing a quiet thud, Ivy spun around. One glance at the young squirrel curled up and quivering the ground broke Ivy's heart. Rushing to the young one, Ivy cooed softly.

"Oh.. it's okay... you'll be okay." Softly, Ivy lifted Amber's head and placed it gently in her lap.Stroking her fur softly, Ivy spoke gently as if to a small dibbun. "Don't cry," she spoke, "Everything will turn out alright. We'll go to the Abbey and you can live there, safe and happy forever..." A tear leaked out of her own eye as she gazed at the pitiful young one. Inspecting Amber's wound, Ivy's heart went out to the young squirrel. So alone, like her. This one could find happiness at Redwall, with a gently hand she could blossom.

Still cradling Amber head, Ivy tore out part of her own tunic. Wrapping it around Amber's paw, Ivy spoke half to herself, "We must get to Redwall before dark Amber."

Then Ivy bent her head over Amber and wept.

((Ivy's having a little break down herself.... Amber, we're skipping Nagini until we get to the Abbey... So you can post again.))

[fuzzydragon]

"O..Okay"

Amber tucked her dagger back into her belt and wiped the tears from her eyes. This squirrel was right. It was too dangerous to stay out after dark.

Slowly, she got up from the ground, wincing when she put weight on her injured paw. Looking around, Amber wondered if there were vermin in these parts. If there were, she wouldn't be able to defend herself. Her left paw was her throwing paw, and her daggers were the only thing she had on her.

Cautiously, Amber started to follow Ivy towards the big abbey building. The sandstone walls shone crimson in the dusk's fading light.

[Ivyrose]

"O..Okay"

Gazing around at he surrounding woodlands, Ivy helped Amber slowly to her paws. Traveling might be difficult for Amber with her injured paw. They needed to get to Redwall soon. It wasn't far away, and soon they would be arriving at the front gates.

Gathering herself together, Ivy sprang into action. After gathering her fallen positions, she struck out into the woodland. Amber followed close behind as they made their was to the grand Abbey in the failing light.

((We'll probably move the post now...))