Mirrors of Mirrors [Skipper]

[Shor]

((*shrugs* Sorry. Best I could do with as much time as I've had. ))

---

Lachlan opened his eyes. He breathed deeply, taking in the pleasantly crisp air. Heat escaped from the windows, but Lachlan was a creature of the cold -- he gratefully welcomed the soothing coolness of autumn.

Sitting up, he glanced around at the other beds. They were all empty, and the floor did not bear the sunlit shapes of the windows. How long had he slept? The sea otter stretched his big frame, yawned, and rubbed his eyes vigorously. He couldn't help but feel a little relieved that he had actually slept! After weeks of insomnia, he felt impossibly grateful for the rest.

He rose to his footpaws, noting the temperature of the floor. He dressed himself in cleaner clothing than that which he'd slept in -- he had worn the same navy-blue shirt for two days, which was a long time by a richbeast's standards. After pulling on his faded black trousers, he donned a light-blue shirt. The left sleeve felt a bit tighter than it should have; he blamed his reliance on his cane for that much. On the other paw, it could very well be that he had grown more than it had seemed. Whatever the cause, he wondered if he should visit a healer about his leg -- the thought of being able to swim again sparked an energy in him that propelled him toward the hallway.

Of course, just as he entered the corridor, he collided with another beast. Never the lightweight, Lachlan anticipated the other would fall, and he reached out to catch the otter with whom he'd collided.

---

Lachina Stromness was ambling through the gardens. She didn't really know why she was there. The only identifiable cause was the general lack of something to do in the abbey, and that was mainly due to her unfamiliarity with anybeast here. Of course, she was unfamiliar with anybeast anywhere.

But this was all irrelevant, for, in her daydreamy state, she managed to not see another beast who was probably wandering through the gardens for similar reasons. Whoever it was, Lachina was much lighter, for with a surprised "Oh!", she began to topple.

[Treble Tiderunner]

Tam had returned from Camp Willow, she was in charge of the otters who had moved back into their ancestral home there, as Skipper could not of yet leave Redwall. She was walking towards the stairs after a quick visit to Fern in the library. In her paw she held tightly an unfolded parchment, wrinkled from the clutch of her paw.

She hadn’t told the younger otter that she couldn’t possibly read the note, and therefore couldn’t possibly retrieve the items on it. She smoothed the parchment out, bringing it to her nose and squinting, as though that would provide any help in decoding the strange lines stark against the creamy paper.

Pausing a moment, she concentrated on two lines coming together at right angles. What sort of letter was that? Scowling, she crumpled the paper once again, striking out with a more determined stride-- whumph! She collided with a taller, heavier beast. She dropped the paw with the paper down to her side, almost hiding it. And then she saw who the creature was and knew hiding anything was futile.

“Oh look. My knight in shining armour.” She quickly extracted herself from his grip. Although the months practically acting as the second skipper had mellowed her some, it had done nothing to curb her sarcastic tongue.

“And what brings ye back to Mossflower?: She queried.

[Shor]

It just so happened that the beast with whom he had collided was none other than Tampa Tiderunner. Years of slavery showed on her face, particularly in her fierce eyes. The rest of her face, however, Lachlan found rather pleasant. Really, she was a fairly attractive ottermaid, but it wasn't her appearance that truly attracted the big sea otter to her.

“Oh look. My knight in shining armour.”

He chuckled. There was that familiar sarcasm. But it wasn't so much the sarcasm as it was the familiarity behind it that interested Lachie. It was as though he'd known Tam for seasons, though she was merely an acquaintance. The fact was, he understood the sarcastic remark and her reasons behind it -- it was uncanny. "Nice tae meet ye too," Lachlan replied. He paused, searching her expression. She was hiding something.

“And what brings ye back to Mossflower?"

He glanced at the paper in her paw. Crumpled. New-ish. It didn't look terribly important. If only he could read emotions like his sister. . . "Mah sister, ackshully," he answered, "Ah found 'er on Terramort. 's all rather fishy, really, but until Ah know she's safe, Ah'm stayin' 'ere with 'er.-- How're you?" He changed the subject abruptly. On one paw, he felt uncomfortable talking about the situation with his sister, and on the other, he really wanted to get to know Tam and he couldn't very well accomplish that talking about himself -- for once, his paws agreed. "Er, that is, how hae things gone since I last saw ye?"

[Grath]

"Oh!"

“Ach!” Alec grabbed the shorter ottermaid by her shoulders, helping her regain her balance before he released her. The huge otter bowed politely towards the ottermaid. She was rather pretty-- was she Fern’s age? He wasn’t sure, age-guessing was not a strong suit of his. “Mah apologies, miss. Ah wasna looking where I was goin’.”

He reached out and picked one of the stubborn flowers remaining throughout the cool weather. Presenting the flower to the maid, he winked at her. “Ah ‘ope ye weren’t ‘urt.”

[Treble Tiderunner]

Tam cocked an eyebrow as she stared up at the big otter. Surely he hadn’t been that tall last spring? Her paw tightened around the parchment, balling it into a tighter ball. Her ears went back slightly as he laughed, but only for a few seconds before sweeping forward again. She even smiled slightly.

"Nice tae meet ye too,"

“I’m not goin’ to tell you.” She told him, interpreting his look, for she’d been expecting it. None of his business.

"Mah sister, ackshully," he answered, "Ah found 'er on Terramort. 's all rather fishy, really, but until Ah know she's safe, Ah'm stayin' 'ere with 'er.-- How're you?" "Er, that is, how hae things gone since I last saw ye?"

“What’s Terramort?” Tam countered with another question. How was she? She didn’t know. “I’m fine.” She said shortly, looking over his shoulder. “Look, are you looking for something or what?”

[Shor]

Lachina, standing solidly once more on her footpaws, looked up at the one who had caught her. It was a mountain of an otter dressed in a blue vest and a kilt. He resembled her twin both in height and build, and he even bore the same ruddy-brown hue of fur as Lachlan -- although, his face was noticeably different, and his eyes were green whereas Lachlan's were strikingly blue. Of course, there were earrings, and Lachlan had "sworn" to never wear any sort of jewelry. Nevertheless, it was quite obvious to even an amnesiac that this was a seabeast. . . A really big seabeast.

After a very polite bow, at which Lachina blushed, he spoke (with what Lachina thought a rather pleasant voice). “Mah apologies, miss. Ah wasna looking where I was goin’.”

Wow. He even had a similar accent. His likeness to Lachie was simply uncan-- Wait, wait. He's picking a flower. No, he's nothing like Lachie. Accepting the flower, she felt her face turn a deeper shade of red as the stalwart otter winked.

"Ah 'ope ye weren't 'urt."

She laughed politely, twirling the plant in her paw nervously. "I'm fine, thank ye," she replied. Meanwhile, she considered his expression. Though she wasn't sure why, she had a feeling that the look in his eyes communicated curiosity; he seemed to be trying to decide something about her. Of course, what else should she expect, meeting a stranger?

"I certainly 'ope you are too," she teased, "Elsewise, I don't think Ah could carry ye t'the infirmary." She offered her paw with what felt like a pleasant smile. That was what beasts did to greet each other, wasn't it?

[Shor]

“I’m fine.” She said shortly, looking over his shoulder. “Look, are you looking for something or what?”

Lachie's brow furrowed. "Well, no -- Oh, are you busy? 'Cos Ah can go
if'n. . ." His eyes searched Tam's, revealing that he actually cared, which was. . . unusual. Although, it was equally possible that he simply did not want to have to deal with the recent murder case just yet -- he really felt like spending some time with Tampa. Odie could wait.

It wasn't so much that he was attracted to her, but she was just so strangely familiar to Lachlan, and that meant a lot. He had no one left. Even his twin had been replaced by an ottermaid with amnesia and a knack for discerning emotions. Associating with Tam was the closest he could come to having a family again. Even if it meant irritating her just a bit. "Um. . . D'ye mind if'n Ah come with ye?"

He shuffled a bit, shifting his weight to the cane. He offered a half-smile. "Ah promise Ah won't bite." He winked.

((Sorry it's no good. Brain's tired from SAT. ))

[Treble Tiderunner]

Lachie's brow furrowed. "Well, no -- Oh, are you busy? 'Cos Ah can go
if'n. . ."

“Well, I--” Tampa hesitated, held by his gaze. She didn’t understand the signals she was getting, Tampa had no experience in this area whatsoever. Anything not dealing with war or the day-to-day running of a camp left her high and dry. She shifted the paper in her paw again. How was she to get those things Fern needed?

She looked away, to the side. The view was clearer that way, without a hulking giant of an otter in the way. She’d never admitted to anyone that she couldn’t read. She doubted even Tirael knew. Skipp knew, but he couldn’t read either. It hadn’t been a priority.

"Um. . . D'ye mind if'n Ah come with ye?” He shuffled a bit, shifting his weight to the cane. He offered a half-smile. "Ah promise Ah won't bite."

She looked down at the paper in her paw, then offered it to him. “Fine. We need to get these for Fern.” Fern had finally found a niche, restoring and rebuilding Redwall’s famed library. Unfortunately, there was much lost. Tam moved to step around the sea otter.

She was a few steps down the hall when she turned to the other otter. “Well, are you coming or not?” She asked, only a touch less shortly than earlier.

[Grath]

He noticed her return inspection, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “An’ do Ah meet approval, miss?” He inquired, increasingly curious about this young maid. Where had she come from? Alec was certain he knew all the otters in the Abbey, so she must be new. New was fine by him.

"I'm fine, thank ye," she replied. "I certainly 'ope you are too," she teased, "Elsewise, I don't think Ah could carry ye t'the infirmary."

Alecsander threw his head back and laughed whole-heartedly. He had to stop rather quickly, holding his side, but it felt good. The pain was inconsequential, anyways. “Ach, that’s a good one lass. Ah would prolly be quite ‘ard to get to th’ infirmary.”

She extended a paw and he took it gallantly, shaking it heartily, as he was wont to do in all things. “Alecsander.” He introduced himself. “And may Ah ken yore name, miss-- ?”

[Shor]

“Fine. We need to get these for Fern.”

He accepted the paper and proceeded to unfold it with an amused smile. Glancing at the paper, he took a mental picture of the words scrawled on its surface. He looked up and thought to himself for a moment. Where on earth were they to get--

“Well, are you coming or not?”

Lachie turned and saw that she had already started down the hall, and it occurred to him that he should really work on his attention span. "Er, right, sorry," he apologized, jogging to where Tampa stood.

"Wait," he said only a second after he'd come to a halt. "Where, exactly, are we goin' tae get wood, paper, an' all this stuff?" Lachie assumed Tam knew more about this errand-running than he did. ". . . Oh, and who's Fern?" he added. His last visit to Mossflower had lasted only a few days, after all, and he was still rather unfamiliar with the beasts around.

--

Lachina honestly hadn't expected him to laugh so. . . heartily, but it was nice. “Ach, that’s a good one lass. Ah would prolly be quite ‘ard to get to th’ infirmary.” She smiled a bit nervously, unsure of all this. That isn't to say, of course, that she didn't like this new acquaintance. On the contrary-- Oh, he was shaking her paw. Well, at least she had gotten that much right about Mossflower custom.

“Alecsander.” He introduced himself. “And may Ah ken yore name, miss-- ?”

The ottermaid smiled sweetly, inwardly berating herself for forgetting to introduce herself. Then again, it wasn't as if a week had passed. A few seconds, maybe. "Lachina Stromness," she replied. Come to think of it, she didn't much like her name. It just sounded funny. Like a poor copy of her brother's name. She thought hard for a moment, racking her memory for something nicer-sounding. "But you can call me. . ." Oh, what was the name of that old hogwife who fed them pasties last month?

"Leah," she decided, "if'n ye like." As she spoke, she decapitated the flower in her paws, having worn its stem down with excessive nervous twirling.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Wait," he said only a second after he'd come to a halt. "Where, exactly, are we goin' tae get wood, paper, an' all this stuff?"

“Well, an’ how should I know?” Tampa retorted, trotting down the stairs two-at-a-time. “Doesn’t it say,” she jabbed a finger at the wrinkled and creased paper with the fine handwriting, “there?”

". . . Oh, and who's Fern?"

“Librarian.” Tam explained, taking the second floor landing with a few strides and continuing down the stairs. “Your age, I think.” She reached the main floor and turned to face the taller otter. “If it doesn’t say there, I suppose we could ask Renny. He’s supply clerk.”

---

He noticed she was nervous--she was strangling that poor flower like the end of the world was coming. Poor flower, it had made it through the cool fall days but one little encounter with an ottermaid was to be its undoing.

"Lachina Stromness," […] "But you can call me. . . Leah," she decided, "if'n ye like."

“Leah.” He decided, rescuing the head of the flower. He held it in his enormous paw, which he motioned with down the path. “Care to continue your walk in the garden, Miss Leah?”

[Shor]

“Well, an’ how should I know?” Tampa retorted, trotting down the stairs two-at-a-time. “Doesn’t it say,” she jabbed a finger at the wrinkled and creased paper with the fine handwriting, “there?”

Lachie shook his head. "It's just a list. . ." Hadn't she read it? Of course, the big otter didn't really have time to think much about the fact that she'd pointed to the word "please," for he was trying to concentrate as he took the stairs one by one. Falling down a stairwell would do nothing to help matters.

“Librarian.” Tam explained, taking the second floor landing with a few strides and continuing down the stairs. “Your age, I think.”

Lachlan nodded. Good to know. At least now he knew that whatever they were running about the abbey for was library-related. Judging by the items on the list, he figured there was something to be built or mended.

She reached the main floor and turned to face the taller otter. “If it doesn’t say there, I suppose we could ask Renny. He’s supply clerk.”

"All right," replied Lachie as he tried to hobble as quickly as Tam traveled through the building. The walls were all still unfamiliar to him, and he was beginning to lose track of where he was. Perhaps a little more sleep wouldn't have hurt. "Where's this 'Renny'?" he felt like asking. Instead, he paused to think, and responded. "Then let's go meet this 'Renny' creature." He took a wild guess and began to hobble toward the exit on his left.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Leah.” He decided, rescuing the head of the flower. He held it in his enormous paw, which he motioned with down the path.

She accepted the flower a second time, blushing at her own clumsiness. Lachina -- or Leah, rather -- wondered what Lachie would think of her changing her name like that. Surely he wouldn't mind? . . .

“Care to continue your walk in the garden, Miss Leah?”

She smiled warmly. "Of course." And so she did.

[Treble Tiderunner]

Lachie shook his head. "It's just a list. . ."

“Is it?” Tam said vaguely, stopping to wait for the sea otter. “I hadn’t… looked yet.” She fidgeted with her paws, watching him as he hobbled closer. “Uh.. I’m sorry, I should have adjusted my pace.” She grimaced and started walking more slowly as he came even with her.

"All right, then let's go meet this 'Renny' creature." He took a wild guess and began to hobble toward the exit on his left.

She paralleling him as they entered a narrow corridor that led downwards. The supply clerk held office in a small storeroom, he was a nearly blind mole who preferred the dark to a room upstairs with windows. But one couldn’t slip anything past him, he knew his storerooms and what was in them by heart.

“Renny?” Tam knocked on the doorless frame. She peered inside, relieved to see the mole directing as a thin older mouse shuffled through papers.

[Shor]

The mole turned and began to speak in a tongue entirely foreign to Lachlan. The big otter lifted a paw to the back of his head and squinted, as though it would make the words any clearer. To be quite honest, Lachie's attention span quickly faded as he tried to comprehend the mole's curious speech, and he therefore found himself studying the state of the small storeroom.

The room was surprisingly untidy for that of a supply clerk, but Lachie understood completely. He refused to organize anything but his thoughts and even then, only in the spring.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"So. . ." Leah attempted to recover the conversation from the few moments of awkward silence as the two strolled through the garden.
". . . H--Yore from the north, Ah take it?"

She knew it was a silly question -- Alec's dialect alone answered it -- but this would make an excellent segue into inquiring more about his past. That was the plan, anyway.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Whether it was a noise or the feeling that he was being looked at, Lachlan snapped back into reality. "Er, what?" Whatever had been said between Renny and Tam he had missed. "Right, I'm, uh. . . Sorry, wot was that?" Focus simply was not his thing.

[Treble Tiderunner]

Tampa leaned her long frame against the doorway, striking up a conversation with the clerk. The mole was serious, studious in his actions and words, but with a sharp wit that let little escape his knowledge. They spoke for a few moments of the weather, of what was going on in the Abbey, before she got down to business.

“Fern sent us to get some supplies, Lachie here has the list.” There was a long pause as both parties turned to stare at the big otter.

"Er, what?" Whatever had been said between Renny and Tam he had missed. "Right, I'm, uh. . . Sorry, wot was that?" Focus simply was not his thing.

“Lachlan has the list.” Tampa repeated slowly, tugging at the paper, but unable to get it release from the sea otter’s grip.


". . . H--Yore from the north, Ah take it?"

“Aye,” Alec replied easily, he hadn’t found the pause awkward at all. “As are ye, miss.” He chuckled slightly, enjoying the quiet ramble through the garden. It was preparing to sleep for the winter, so there wasn’t much to see.

But the view was not all he was interested in. The companionship of his new friend was more than enough to make the walk enjoyable. “Where are ye from, then?” He inquired, curious now.