The Turning of the Leaves (Ody; Open)

[Rakko]

The sun had hardly rissen when the bustling had started. Quickly, the young she-mole rose from her bed and shuffled about her room in a panic. She was late!

She doned her clothing and grabbed the basket that sat by the door and scurried down the Abbey stair. Her eyes where wide with panic and when she got halfway down the stairs, her left footpaw cought something. The poor mole-maid tumbled down the stairs. After a second, her head cleared and she looked back to see what had tripped her up.

The tiny scared eyes of Shuver, the little weasle-babe where popped up at her from behind his paws. "Ah'm sorry marm! I tqoid to duckr'neeth ah!"

The mole stood, smiling at the young one-she had been that age once. She walked a few stairs up and held out one of her digging claws to the young thing. "Burr, it bees m'kay likkle un. Oi'm nort hurt zo allz guhd! Doos yeh wanner coom to ze h'orchard wiv me and pick out zome noice large red leavers?"

The little dibbun, who was quite facinated by things like leaves and feathers and pepples hopped up and flung himself at her. The mole-maid cought him in her arm, picked up her basket and headed out the door much slower and clamer then she had started out.


As they walked outside, the littel dibbun gasped and jumped from her arms. The ground was littered with large red and orange leaves that had fallen from the huge orchard trees. The weasle ran forward and tried stuffing some down his pants. After realizing that was crumbling some of them, he ran back, snatched the basket fromt he mole's paws, and carefully laid the good leaves flat inside it.

Smiling, she was about to go about her morning tasks and see how many late falling fruits they had when she heard something from around the Abbey corner. Leaving the dibbun to his task of leafe collecting, she quietly followed the noise. it wasn't until she turned and had a clear view of the southern wall that she saw the young ferret propped up against the wall, his chair sitting next to him.

She stepped forward and quietly approached him.

[greek101]

We're sorry Keith...

The muscle just isn't strong enough...

We don't know why...

You'll probably never be able to walk again....

The young ferret flew by everybeast, just pushing his wheelchair faster and faster till he was out on the Abbey Lawn. Tears streamed from his emerald eyes as he pushed his chair to the least busiest place that he could find. Deep within the Abbey Orchard. It was rough pushing through the grass and in between the trees, but Keith didn't care. He just wanted to be alone.

Why was the young ferret so upset?

It all started yesterday when Keith first arrived at Redwall Abbey with the helpful otters. They were very nice and they even helped him up to the Infirmary where some nice creatures tended to his scrapes and bruises from crashing his chair. When he was there he asked them to look at his legs, in hopes that they might know a cure to his paralysis. However, they didn't.

Keith was crestfallen. He had been given a room to sleep in on the main floor to stay in for as long as he wished. The room was perfect. It was as if the previous owner had been in wheelchair like himself. However, at the moment, Keith Splinterclaw didn't care. He was too depressed to care. He would never be able to walk again.

So this morning, Keith didn't want to be bothered so he rolled into the Orchard in hopes of finding a place where no one would look or find him so he could cry alone.

What was he going to tell Elwood? He told Elwood that he would be walking back to the drey! Now that would never happen! Never ever!

Keith had been pushing his wheels so hard that he almost run right into the large red wall. Keith applied his brakes and stopped just short of the wall. Putting his masked face in his black paws, Keith started to cry. He would be stuck with these stupid braces for the rest of his miserable life.

No! No he wouldn't!

Keith wiped his tears away the best he could and gripped his armrests hard. He was not useless!

Putting his braced feet down on the ground, Keith tried to lifted himself and tried to stand between his chair and the wall. Could he? Could he? Yes! Keith almost stood!

Almost...

Keith swayed back and forth wobbling until he collapsed against the red wall and fell to the ground beside his chair. Rubbing his sore legs from the effort, tears streaked down his checks again. He was useless..

Hearing noises, Keith looked up. A molemaid, about the same age as him maybe a bit younger, was standing before him. Trying to wipe his tears from his face, Keith looked away. "Oh what to you want?" He asked, trying not to look at the molemaid.

[Rakko]

The she mole had watched silently as the ferret had attempted to stand. Her heart went out to the poor thing and she stepped forward, attempting to close the gap between them. She reached her claw out to him.

"Oh what to you want?"

She retracted her paw, realizing that they had never really met before. She had heard that a crippled ferret had come to the Abbey with the otter crew yesterday but she had been busy in the orchards when the party arrived and she had turned in early that night.

She decided to introdice herself. Putting on her best and most charming she-mole smile, she spoke int he warm fuzzy voice that all moles have. "Moi? Oh oi'm on'y want to help ye zur. Dooz ye wahnt elp back in ee chur?" She extended her claw again, offering it to him in a gesture of friendship.

"Oi'm Brinkenya boi ze wahy. But 'vry'un callz me Brink." She tugged her nose in an embarassed mole-like fashion. "Moi ruhl noims too lung...Hoo beez yeh zur?"

[greek101]

((Sorry if I didn't make this clear, but the helpful otters were Shor's otters and there were only 2 of them. My bad. I take the blame.))

"Moi? Oh oi'm on'y want to help ye zur. Dooz ye wahnt elp back in ee chur?" She extended her claw again, offering it to him in a gesture of friendship.

Keith looked up at the molemaid, a tear getting caught on his whiskers. She looked like a fairly average mole, same size and fur color, but she had a funny eye. Looking over to his chair, Keith gave it a shove with one of his heavily calloused paws. "No. Later maybe, but not now. I don't want to be stuck in that thing any longer than I have to."

Wiping at his sniffling nose with his arm, Keith accepted the claw with his own paw. Why he did? He didn't know. He wanted to be alone, but he didn't want to be rude, or thought of as mean. He could at least be polite, even if he was upset.

"Oi'm Brinkenya boi ze wahy. But 'vry'un callz me Brink." She tugged her nose in an embarassed mole-like fashion. "Moi ruhl noims too lung...Hoo beez yeh zur?"

Keith rubbed his moist fur that was beginning to become stiff with his dried tears. "Nice to meet you Brink. I'm Keith Nimblepaw, but I normally go by Keith. So uhh...." Keith tried to keep the conversation moving, and away from his inability to walk. He really didn't want to think about it right now. "..What were you doing here in the Orchard this early?.." Keith said as he leaned against the cool wall, his tail twitching slowly beside him.

[Rakko]

**Oh ok, no big, really **

"No. Later maybe, but not now. I don't want to be stuck in that thing any longer than I have to."

Brink smiled her little mole smile at him, her dark eyes twinkling in the rising sunlight. "Burr, Oi zhur do unnerstan' that zur! Oi wuddn' wanna be in a chur loik dat vury long eader." The creature accepted her claw and she shook his in return. He introduced himself as Keith and she nodded politely to him.

She slid her back down the red stone parallel to him so she could sit and chat with him. She could sence that he didn't want to talk about the chair or his disability. Unfortunately, she was not able to sence the fact that he didn't want to be talking to her at all.

"..What were you doing here in the Orchard this early?.."

"oh, moi? Burr, Oi beez ze h'Orshard Keepur an' gardner, zur. Diz bee..What were you doing here in the Orchard this early?.." moi favurt place in ee 'ole H'bby. Oim hur 'vry mornin' ickin' ee h'apple..What were you doing here in the Orchard this early?.." an' frootz." She looked at him questioningly. "Woi bees ye oot hur zo urlee, zur?"

[greek101]

"Burr, Oi zhur do unnerstan' that zur! Oi wuddn' wanna be in a chur loik dat vury long eader." Brink replied as she shook paw and claw with Keith.

Keith's ears twitched sadly. "A lot of creatures say they understand Brink, but they never really do till they can never walk agian..."

The mole walked over and sat down beside Keith. Great, Keith thought to himself. He just wanted to be alone. This Brink was nice and all, but Keith wasn't really in the mood. But...he couldn't be rude. Brink might even be able to cheer him up some how...

"oh, moi? Burr, Oi beez ze h'Orshard Keepur an' gardner, zur. Diz bee..What were you doing here in the Orchard this early?.." moi favurt place in ee 'ole H'bby. Oim hur 'vry mornin' ickin' ee h'apple..What were you doing here in the Orchard this early?.." an' frootz." She looked at him questioningly. "Woi bees ye oot hur zo urlee, zur?"

After trying to decipher what Brink had said, Keith figured it out. She was out here because she was the Orchard Keeper and Gardener. She had a fair reason to be out this early. Keith on the other paw, did not...What was he going to tell her? He didn't want to lie. So Keith had no other choice but to tell Brink the truth.

"Well Brink....You see...I didn't sleep well last night...and I really didn't want anyone checking up on me...I just wanted to be alone...And outside was the best place it seemed...."

[Rakko]

"A lot of creatures say they understand Brink, but they never really do till they can never walk agian..."

Brink looked at the ground and started to draw little circle in the ground, now thourghly emarased by what she had said. Of course she didn't really know how he felt...

She looked up at him after finnishing her credentials and job description. He didn't seem to impressed or enthused. Then he told her his morning's story.

"Well Brink....You see...I didn't sleep well last night...and I really didn't want anyone checking up on me...I just wanted to be alone...And outside was the best place it seemed...."

"Oh..." She tugged at her snout again and began to appologise. "Oi shur am sorrehy zur! Oi'll jus bes gonin naw thun..." She began to stand and brush of any dirt from her rump.

[greek101]

"Oh..." She tugged at her snout again and began to appologise. "Oi shur am sorrehy zur! Oi'll jus bes gonin naw thun..."

Keith looked up with his sad eyes to see Brink dust herself off like she was going to leave. NO! Keith didn't want her to leave! Yes, he wanted to be alone, but the more he sat here, the more he realized that he was alone. And the more he isolated himself, the worse he felt.

Keith really did want some company, just not to much. And not someone who would keep expounding on the fact that he couldn't walk. And Brink was sort of helping. Keith didn't want her to leave...

"No, Brink..." Keith put his paw up to try and stop her from leaving, but slowly brought it down. "I meant I wanted to be alone...just from alot of creatures...you can stay though...if you want.."

[Rakko]

Brink turned to look back at him as he spoke.

"No, Brink... I meant I wanted to be alone...just from alot of creatures...you can stay though...if you want.."

She smiled largeley at him as she wiggled her but and slumped back to the ground, a cloud of dust erupting from her rump. "Whul Oi'm glad Oi'm nort alotta creturz den" The mole grinned and patted him gently on the top of his head. "Oi zhur do loikz yoo, zur Keeth" She turned her head and had a sudden idea.

Jumping up, she scampered off around the corner. After a few second she came back, her little butt wagging like crazy; her paws where clamped tight around something. She was grinning as she sat again, closser to him this time. slowly, she opened her paws and revealed a little flower with bright white petals. "Eet remoindered mees of yoo."

[greek101]

"Whul Oi'm glad Oi'm nort alotta creturz den" The mole grinned and patted him gently on the top of his head. "Oi zhur do loikz yoo, zur Keeth"

Keith grinned a bit as Brink patted his head. There was at least one creature here that didn't hate him or think he was helpless and try to help him to everything. Her kindly mole attitude was cheering Keith up a bit. His tears had stopped and he was smiling abit.

But all of a sudden Brink stood up and scampered off around the corner. Keith tried to see where she went. Looking forward up the path he saw her return, he paws cupped around something.

She was grinning as she sat again, closser to him this time. slowly, she opened her paws and revealed a little flower with bright white petals. "Eet remoindered mees of yoo."

Keith took the fragile flower in his callused paws, trying to be as delicate as possible. He's checks flushed as he gently handed it back. "He...Well, I'm not so sure about that. Most creatures don't see me as a flower." Keith rapped his knuckles on his braces. "They see more of a tree."

It was Keith's turn to smile a bit like he had just thought of something. Looking back at Brink, he grinned. "If you could help me back into my chair, I can show you what reminds me of you..."

[Rakko]

Brink smiled kindly at him. The ferret was taller then she but because they where both sitting, that wasn't really a factor and she was able to look directly at him.

"He...Well, I'm not so sure about that. Most creatures don't see me as a flower...They see more of a tree."

In responce, Brink shook her velvety head furiously. "No! Them uther chreturz jus notrt lookin' in ee roit plasez to zee yur flooer!"

"If you could help me back into my chair, I can show you what reminds me of you..."

Brink stood quickly and manovered the chair so it would be easiest for him to sit again. She extended her claw to him and locked her elbow so she wouldn't waver when he put his ful weight on her.

[Rakko]

Brink smiled at him. The pair where pretty eavenly highted when they where both sitting so she didn't have to look up or down at him.

"He...Well, I'm not so sure about that. Most creatures don't see me as a flower...They see more of a tree."

When he spoke, she shook her velvety head at him. "They'm jus nort lookin' inee roit placez, zhur"

"If you could help me back into my chair, I can show you what reminds me of you..."

She stood with out question and manouvered the chair so it would be easiest for him to sit again and held out her claw. She locked her elbow so when he put his full weight on her, she wouldn't faulter or cause him to fall.

[greek101]

Brink smiled warmly at Keith, making him realize he may have found a new friend here at Redwall.

"They'm jus nort lookin' inee roit placez, zhur"

Keith blushed even harder. He wasn't a flower, or at least, he never thought he was one. He was a wood worker. He carved every piece of wood he could lay his paws on, but a flower? They are gentle and soft. Was he really gentle and soft?

Brink stood up quickly and maneuvered his chair so he could get in easier. Then she held out a claw which Keith grasped with both paws. Levering himself on the heals of his braces and putting all of his weight on Brink's arm. Hopefully she is strong enough to hold me...

Keith rotated slowly, depending only on Brink's arm and lowered himself into his chair, groaning. Once he was seated, Keith let go of Brink and lifted his braced legs into place.

"Sorry about that..." Keith murmured as he rubbed his legs that were now sore from the effort of standing. "..I hate to have to ask someone to help me move....anyways.." Keith quickly changed the subject. He really hated feeling interdependent. He wanted to be able to do things on his own! But....Alas, that wasn't going to be possible anymore...

Reaching over into the pack that was still attached to the back off his chair, Keith pulled out a very beautifully crafted violin. Blushing profusely, Keith pulled out the matching bow and strummed the strings.

He winced and apologized again. "Sorry, a little out of tune.." Keith quickly went about twisting the strings and plucking them until he felt satisfied.

Then, with one swift movement, Keith brought the violin up to his chin, pinching it with is shoulder and began to play a swift peppy melody. And although Keith didn't really think of himself as a singer, he added his voice to the jig.

Down in the meadow
Where the little flowers grow
There's a dancin' maid
All pretty and aglow

She spins and spins
Oh round and round
Never fallin' on the ground
Yes, she spins and spins
Oh round and round
Never fallin' down

The sun is a shinin'
The bees are a buzzin'
And the bird are a singin'
But they'll never stop her spinin'

She spins and spins
Oh round and round
Never fallin' on the ground
Yes, she spins and spins
Oh round and round
Never fallin' down

Oh yes she spins and spins
Oh round and round
Never fallin' on the ground
Yes, she spins and spins
Oh round and round
Never fallin' down

O', never fallin' down

Keith's paws flew across his strings as he played, never missing a note. At the end, he slowly brought down his violin and set it gently on his lap.

[Rakko]

Brink smiled as he settled back into the chair.

"Sorry about that...I hate to have to ask someone to help me move....anyways.."

She shook her head vierously. "Naw, don' bee zurry, Keetherz! I'm dun moind 'eelpin ee frond."

Keith had turned to the back of his chair and pulled out a fiddle.

"Sorry, a little out of tune."He proceded to pluck a few notes and tune up the strings before he was satisfied. Without warning, he started to play a quick and lively song.

After the first verse, Brink found her footpaws unaple to stand still. They started out just tapping the time and by the third verse she was dancing with the thrill of the music. When he stopped, so did she. A huge smile beamed across her face as he lowered the beautiful instrument from his playing position.

"Burr, aye zuhr! Thar beez a moity gurd ployer!"

[Maxodis]

No one ever told Redin Outmir that sleeping outside in cold weather without a shirt was a bad idea. This is mostlikely fortunate, as the irritable weasel would have likely spoken his disagreement with his fist. It had been a long time since he'd gotten into a fight with anyone... much less had the opportunity to punch anything more threatening than an uncomfortable pillow(All pillows are uncomfortable when you spend some 25 years not using them). In fact, that was half of the reason that he found himself shivering and half-conscious on an improvised bed of leaves after a long night of troubled sleep. The other half was harder to define... because he found it more difficult to simply say he was losing his sanity, as he now believed to have long since lost that. Suffice it to say the other reason was to keep himself from shattering.

These thoughts were going on in his half-conscious mind as he slowly roused from sleep, as if he were explaining them to another within his head. There was another in his head, it seemed, but that was a redundant point. What was important was that he was talking to himself again and he should stop.

Instead, he let his tired mind focus on what brought him back into awareness once more. It had to have been noises. What sounded like.... some sort of instrument? Whatever it was, it sounded like no more than high-pitched noise. This was accompanied by some odd sort of shuffling... the likes of which sounded markedly closer.

The heavily-scarred weasel groggily pushed himself up to a sitting position, his paws clasped tightly over the massive pounding of his skull, a sensation that had become all too familiar in the past few months. He closed his eyes tightly, but not for the pain(pain was welcome, pain reminded him he was still alive, pain was the only link the gloriously violent life he was beginning to try to break free from). The migraines came and went, with pain debilitating to easily send any lesser creature into a coma, but what really unnerved Redin was the fact that when they hit there were times that they took his vision too. Better to keep his eyes closed and not know, ignorance was bliss, after all.

He was a long time in opening them, the act of sitting up kicking the throbbing pain into high gear. He almost failed to hear the rustle of leaves grow louder above the high-pitched ringing in his ears. He was greeted by the sight of another unsettlingly crimson day, the wide display of fallen leaves shifting and changing as a gentle breeze pushed them along. And in one spot at the corner of his vision, another pile of leaves sporadically heaving and shifting as if alive. The disoriented weasel peered disbelievingly at the lurching pile of leaves, blinking once when a tiny head burst out of it in a shower of autumnal colors.

"Wot the..."