One Step Further ((open))

[Django]

"Um, well..." she tripped over her own words. " As I said, I come from teh North..." Her voice trailed. Giving herself a little shake, Selina tried again, making a bit more progress this time. " Well, yes, I come from teh North, from a well a-," she didn't want to sound barbaric by saying she came from somewhat of a tribe. "-where I lived with my family, S-Django."

Django smiled. He had a few friends from the North. And Selina was rather cute when she was blushing. Trying not to admire her prettiness to the point where he was gawking at her open-mouthed, he picked up on her last words.

"Oh, did ye have enny siblings?" he asked. He had always wanted siblings. Living with his father in Mossflower for most of his life, with no beast else, was not exactly the best example of a big family.

Noting her pained grimace, Django became immediately alert. He guessed one of her injuries was paining her. Probably her leg, which he remembered was the worst injury. "Anything I can do?" he asked gently, trying to keep calm. "Ye may wanna try t' keep still fer a bit. . ."

[Ivyrose]

((Even though this wasn't in her bio, I'm going to put it in there.))

"Oh, did ye have enny siblings?" he asked.

Selina closed her eyes for a brief moment. She had had siblings sat her home, but they were hard to talk about. Many assumed that they had died somehow, but that wasn't true. The truth was, the wort part about leaving her home, was leaving Trev, her little brother. This was her touchy subject, one that she didn't like to talk about.

"Well," Selina began tentatively. " I have a brother." She didn't even know if it was 'has' or 'had.' The thought made her feel terrible. Her eyes felt watery, but that was the last thing the mousemaid wanted--to cry in front of this mouse. Oh great, Selina thought as she blinked slightly, trying not to shed tears. Why must she be so emotional. Especially at time like these. The mousemaid felt like slapping herself, she should be able to control herself better.

Wanting to change the subject, Selina cleared her throat. But before she could speak, Django commented on her injury.

"Anything I can do?" he asked gently, trying to keep calm. "Ye may wanna try t' keep still fer a bit. . ."

"Thank ye Django, I think I'll be fine." Looking up, she smiled at him. "All I need is rest." She spoke quietly, like he was the wounded one, not her.

((-.- I'm low on muse. Sorry, not the best. >.>'))

[Django]

"Well," Selina began tentatively. " I have a brother."

Django brightened. He wanted to hear every little detail about growing up in a real family. What was it like to have a sibling? A million questions swarmed through his mind. But the look on Selina's face discouraged him. She seemed on the verge of tears, even though he couldn't see her down-turned face very well. He decided not to press the issue.

"Thank ye Django, I think I'll be fine." Looking up, she smiled at him. "All I need is rest."

Django returned the smile with gusto, glad to see she seemed in better spirits. "Oh, yeah, a'right, then," he replied. "But, uh, ye sure ye don't wan' somethin' t' eat first? Or maybe a bit more t' drink?" The thought of food and drink made his stomach rumble weakly, but he ignored it for the moment. He didn't want to leave just yet. He couldn't put his paw on it, but, despite his nervousness, he liked being in Selina's presence.

(('Nother short one. Sorry. ))

[Ivyrose]

Selina felt bad when she glimpsed Django's crestfallen face. "I'll tell ye more of me family later." she promised. Now was not the best time to talk of her family, especially because she had been caught off guard. Letting out a relieved sigh, she pushed all thoughts of her family to the back of her mind.

"Oh, yeah, a'right, then," he replied. "But, uh, ye sure ye don't wan' somethin' t' eat first? Or maybe a bit more t' drink?"

"Ahm not to 'ungry. But a wee bit 'o food wouldn't go amiss with me." Selina smiled politely. Now that most of the tension in the air had seemed to clear, the mousemaid felt much more at ease. It was as if a dark cloud that had been looming over her head, threatening to storm, had blown away. She liked this mouse. His presence was, almost comforting to Selina after her ordeal in the woods.

The mousemaid's ears twitched at the sound of Django's rumbling stomach. Nodding at the food, she spoke to Django, "Feel free to 'elp yerself. Ahm not going ta eat it all."

[Django]

"I'll tell ye more of me family later." she promised.

"Oh, no, no, it's fine," Django replied hastily. "Don't worry 'bout it." He really didn't want her to dwell on the subject. She had really gotten emotional at the mention of family. He would hate to have been the cause of her distress just for bringing up the topic.

"Ahm not to 'ungry. But a wee bit 'o food wouldn't go amiss with me." Selina smiled politely.

Django's own smile never wavered as he reached for the tray of food. She even had a bit of an accent! More and more the young mouse felt attracted to Selina. He really hoped they'd be able to spend more time together once her footpaw was healed. He pulled up the chair Tirael had used and sat by her bedside, offering the tray to her, adding, "Pick anythin' ye like."

Nodding at the food, she spoke to Django, "Feel free to 'elp yerself. Ahm not going ta eat it all."

"Oh, I--" he paused, grimacing as his stomach rumbled in agreement with Selina. "I'll be a'right. I might have a bite, but ye take as much as ye want. Tirael brought this for you, arter all." His smile returned with a comical flick of his ears.

[Ivyrose]

"Oh, I--" he paused, grimacing as his stomach rumbled in agreement with Selina. "I'll be a'right. I might have a bite, but ye take as much as ye want. Tirael brought this for you, arter all."

Hearing Django's stomach growl made her smile spread further across her pretty features. Not wanting to embarrass Django, the mousemaid switched her attention to the platter Django held in paw. It was stacked with delicious smelling food. Blinking, Selina tried to focus, for her vision seemed to spin. Shaking her head, the mousemaid concluded that the tempting small of food was an overwhelming thought to her stomach, so the two things must be connected.

There were many types of food, some of which Selina couldn't name. The scent of breads and other breakfast foods lingered in the air temptingly.

Pushing herself forward on her bed, Selina ignored the searing pain from her leg. The only indication that her brain registered pain was the fact that the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

((Meh. Sorry for the long wait and the tad short post. ))

[Django]

As Selina made her choice, Django held the tray patiently, moving it closer to the bed so she didn't have to shift position too much. How pretty her smile was! He'd never seen such a beautiful mouse. Her exotic markings set her apart from any other creature.

Flinching slightly, the young mouse dragged himself out of his thoughts. He didn't know he could be so easily distracted by a pretty face. Glancing back down at Selina again, he smiled nervously, his blush deepening. Should he say something? Probably not. She was getting breakfast, and he didn't want to interrupt her. But, he didn't want to let an awkward silence hang in the room.

"Uh, see anythin' ye like?" he asked casually.

[Ivyrose]

The silence hung in the air like thick fog. Glancing up, she noticed Django's face turning a deeper shade of red. Snapping her gaze back to the tray of food, she hoped her face wasn't doing the same. But her hopes were dashed when she felt her face go hot.

"Uh, see anythin' ye like?" he asked casually.

Thankful that the silence was broken, Selina nodded. The mousemaid then leaned forward to examine the spread. Tentatively, she reached her paw forward and picking up a piece of bread, she gave a nod of thanks to Django. It seemed odd, to be offered food by such a willing creature. Maybe the seasons of traveling had secluded Selina from the world so much that she wasn't yet used to hospitable creatures.

Withdrawing her paw, bread in hand, the mousemaid nodded indicating the food. "'elp yerself, Django. There's plenty 'o food 'ere." She was sure that her face was the color of a beet. Wanting to hide her face in her paws, the mousemaid felt extremely self-conscious. Why, of all times, must she feel so... so... embarrassed now? What was there to be so embarrassed about?

((Meh, short))

[Django]

"'elp yerself, Django. There's plenty 'o food 'ere."

"Oh, uh," Django's stomach growled louder, and he winced again. Glancing down at the spread, he could feel his mouth begin to water. Looking back up at the mousemaid, he smiled. "Thanks."

He picked up a tasty-looking tart and set the tray back on the bedside table, sitting down in the chair again. Trying to be polite, he refrained from wolfing down his pastry and forced himself to take modest bites. But he was hungry, and it wasn't long before the little tart was gone. It wasn't nearly enough to satisfy him, but it would tide him over for now.

Looking back at Selina, he noticed her face was as red as his. What could he do to make her feel less uncomfortable? Well, first of all, was there anything he was doing that was making her feel uncomfortable? It was probably his own nervousness. He bit his lip, dropping his ears back as he tried to think of something to say.

"I, um, I think ye'll like Redwall," he began lamely. "It's a nice big place, an' every beast here is real friendly." He sounded so pathetic. "They took me in when I was injured, too. I were, uh, scared a bit at-at first, but since every beast treated me so nice, I weren't scared no more." He clammed up, fearing he had just bored her with his rambling. Why had he said that?

((Sorry for lateness! Getting ready for school. Been uber-busy.))

[Ivyrose]

((No worries about the lateness, I was gone for a week anyways. I just got home late last night. :3))

"I, um, I think ye'll like Redwall," he began lamely. "It's a nice big place, an' every beast here is real friendly." He sounded so pathetic. "They took me in when I was injured, too. I were, uh, scared a bit at-at first, but since every beast treated me so nice, I weren't scared no more."

Selina blinked at Django. He was a nice creature, she felt as though she could trust him. If all the other creatures at this so called Redwall were like him, she was sure that she would like this place. She had heard bits and pieces about this place in her travels, but never had the mousemaid dreamed that she would end up here. Was it truly one of the greatest Abbeys that the country had heard of? Was it true that it could withstand almost any evil force? Questions swarmed in her head, pushing most other thoughts from it.

She could some most of the extra warmth slowly leave her face. Hopefully it won't come back, Selina thought to herself. Well, the redness on her face was receding and she felt more relaxed. That's a good thing, right? Selina thought.

"Well," she spoke. "I think I'm gonna liek this place." The mousemaid smiled up at Django. She was going to like this place indeed.

[Django]

((Good God, I am late on replying to this! I am so sorry, Ivy!))

"Well," she spoke. "I think I'm gonna liek this place."

Django returned the smile, his long tapping the floor happily. He flipped the chair around and leaned forward, resting his chin on his folded arms over the back of the seat. He rocked forward once, trying once more to think of a topic before an awkward silence ensued.

"So, what d'ye like ta do fer fun?" he asked. "I like practicin' wid me staff on the grounds, sometimes. Or I'll go fer a swim down inna pond." He jerked his thumb in the direction of the outside. "When Tirael says ye can go, I'll show ye 'round the grounds. They're real nice."

He forced himself to keep a relaxed demeanor. Selina looked like she had calmed down. Her face wasn't red anymore, and Django was glad to see her in better spirits. It must have been the food, he told himself. Food always calms a beast down.