To the River Moss!

[BrookSkimmer]

(I placed some characters in this post. If you don't like it just let me know and I'll change it. Feel free to post about what your characters are up to and we will get the group moving after a few posts to establish characters and their relationships.)

It was a balmy autumn morning. Sorrelpaw, or Sorrel as his friends called him, yawned and scratched his head. It was a good morning to be alive! It was the day a group of Redwallers would accompany the Moss River otter tribe members back to their home at the river edge. There was always a jubilee in this season. It welcomed in the turn of the season and gave every beast a few last days of outside celebration before winter made them all stay indoors.

"Wonder where ol' Jinto an' Loria 'ave got themselves?" He spoke to himself. "I hope they aren't eatin' all the prime vittles before I get there." With that the otter moved quickly off towards the Abbey kitchens for breakfast.

Sorrel sat on a bench across from Jinto who had been at breakfast early.

"Mornin' matey!" Sorrel smiled at this friend and dug a spoon into a bowl of honeyed oatmeal. "Today's the day!" He grinned, his whiskery cheeks making his eyes squint.
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Turnip swung his wooden sword about. "Take that an' that!" The young mouse growled as his blade knocked a potato off a stool and onto the ground. He turned his head, wondering if the pretty mousemaid Hyssop might have noticed his dashing display.

"Turnip!" A stern mouse mother glared at him. "Get to peelin' those potatoes you young rip!"

The mouse grumbled and sheathed the wooden weapon at his side. "Why don't you make Bartus work in 'er too?"

The mouse busied herself spreading honey over some biscuits. "Because Bartus is getting ready to go with the traveling group to the River Moss."

"Why can't I go?" The mouse complained.

"Because you're too young and not to be trusted." She said the words to thin air. Turnip had slipped out the side door. He hoped Hyssop would follow him.

[Faiyloe]

Lately Hyssop had been helping in the kitchen. It was nice to be able to use a real oven once in a while. Most of the time she was on the road with the rest of the the Travailing Noonvail Players. They had been visiting the Abbey for the past few days and had agreed, or more like Bouledor had insisted, to go with some of the Abbey dwellers and the otters to the end of the summer Jubilee feast.

She saw Turnip showing off with a toy sword she she should probably get Bouledor to teach him how to use a real one but the abbey had a thing with being a peaceful place and a safe haven and they would probably not allow it. She popped a Candied chestnut in her mouth from a bowl and stuffed another paw full in her kitchen apron pocket and fallowed Turnip out of the kitchen.           

[Norham Waterpaw]

Argus was sitting in the Great Hall, getting a fairly early breakfast. He almost always sat alone. He was shy, until you got to know him. He sat, reading a thick, dusty tome. It was titled The Unspeakable Beasts of Our World. What a great name, right? Argus loved creepy stories, and the one he was reading now, was about wearets.

He jumped a little when Turnip was called down by the mouse. He turned his head to see what was going on. "Moi, oh moi! What bee's Ternip gettin' 'imself into naow?" He mumbled to himself. (Bear with me here, I don't usually write in mole, so it might be a little rough.   )

[Tiria Wildlough]

Loria rushed into the kitchen, trying to look unflustered. Nice way to start a big day, sleeping in! she scolded herself. Catching sight of Jinto and Sorrel, she went over to sit next to them. 'Hey, mates,' she said. 'Nice day, isn't it?'

[Faiyloe]

OOC @ Shadowed One: You are already at Redwall you are going back with the Redwallers to meet up with the rest of otters.

BIC: Hyssop saw Turnip over by a big tree  and wen't over to him. "To bad you can't come with us to the Jubilee feast. I don't think they're being very fair I'm only a season older then you and I'm going. Want a chestnut?" She said holding out a paw full of candied chestnuts.   

[BrookSkimmer]

OOC: I know I'm making an OOC post here but this is to let you all know... keep your OOC questions and such in the OOC thread for this topic.

BIC:

To bad you can't come with us to the Jubilee feast

Turnip swallowed hard at the sound of Hyssop's voice. He had been hoping she was follow him out but didn't think she really would! He turned from where he had been picking some bark off the big tree. The mouse nodded and scratched his ear lightly.

"I know it's not fair." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "The older beasts here are so strict with me. Just because I made Brother Redd singe his whiskers off in the fire place." The young mouse smiled deviously. "Maybe that will teach him to not fall asleep during the day down in Cavern Hole."

He tried to act relax though inside his heart was pounding. She made him nervous. And to add to it, she was an actress!

"Do you think I could convince them to let me go somehow?"
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Nice day, isn't it

"Loria!" Sorrel's eyes lite up as the ottermaid came nearer. It was always good to see his friend.

"Aye, nice day indeed." He scooted back the bench he was seated on. "Here, have a seat. Would you like some oatmeal?" He nodded to the serving bowl in front of them. "And there's honey." A honey pot stood ready next to the oatmeal.

"Are you as excited to get home as I am?"

[Faiyloe]

"I don't think you can convince them but I have a better idea. We are going to put on one last show right before we leave for the feast to say good by to you all. It will be the perfect distraction. I can get Boulie to call on you when he asks for an assistant then afterwards you can sneak off and hide in our cart. We will be heading out right after the show so nobody will notice you're gone till it's to late. Oh it would be so dramatic just like a play!"   She said clapping her paws together in anticipation she paused and looked at Turnip "It's really up to you though if you don't want to do it I understand," Then she sang a song

Ooooh A travelers life is my life
And it can be yours too.
You can stay in your home or come with me
And travail your sessions through.

Oh you can stay an I can go
Or we can go together,
We can trek up and down the country side
Through every kind of weather.     


"So what do you say?"   

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Bouledor was helping load up the cart with provisions, or more like supervising it. Because they wouldn't be coming back to the abbey after the feast, this would be there last day at the abbey and there last chance to get some of the famous abbey food. Two burly otters loaded a barrel on to the cart and a mole rolled up a big cheese. Boulie was going back and forth between the cart the kitchen and the pantry giving useless advice and sampling the food whenever he go the chance.

"Not bad eh wot, wot," He said munching a scone he had snatched off a counter and dipped it in a pot of honey as it passed by. "Don't drop that there, watch your step" He grabbed a paw full of candied chestnuts from a sack and sampled some icing off a cake while the old mouse cooks back was turned. " March smartly there  laddie buck wot, wot. Pick your paws up, that's the ticket. Don't forget the berry's there marm, Hmm... juicy." He said liking the mixture of honey and berry juice off his paw "Not bad wot,"     

[Shadowed One]

Jinto Swiftcurrent looked on in amusement as the players sang. He couldn't wait for everyone to leave, as today was the day he would be reunited with his kin from the River Moss.

[BrookSkimmer]

Turnip's eyes lit up at the thought.  What an exciting adventure it would be to sneak off of the trip to the river. He would get to be with the players to boot! That meant more time to be with Hyssop. All around the plan sounded excellent.

"That's a perfect plan Hyssop! You sure are good at thinking up ideas!" He smiled at his friend. "Should I help with the set up for the show?"
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A few hours passed and the show was in full swing. Turnip loved watching the performers. It was an excellent troupe, each having many talents to amaze the crowd.

The group was now singing one of their last songs in the acts. Turnip waited expectantly for the next act to begin and for the hare to choose him to assist.

[Norham Waterpaw]

Argus was watching in awe as they performed. He shuffled over to Turnip. "Whot yew bee's doin' ?" He asked. He had good sense, amd could see by Turnip's eyes that he was up to something.

[Faiyloe]

The song had ended and the players set up the second to last act. Two barrels form the cellar were placed on a bored one a bit larger then the other. Then two big otters came out and with much flare and sowing off they lifted the bored barrels and all on to there shoulders. The music cued and Hyssop climbed out of the larger barrel and did a little curtsy. She reached back in the barrel, puled out a bundle, and set it on top of the other barrel while the two otters proceeded to do stunts while still balancing the bored with Hyssop balancing atop it. Hyssop replaced the lid to the barrel and took a table cloth from the bundle and spreed it on top she set out two places complete with napkins plates and a tankard each. Then she set a plate of chess and some bread on the barrel. She then took the two tankards and filled them from a spigot in the smaller barrel. She sat atop the barrel. The two otters lowered the bored right down in front of the crowd. Hyssop handed Father abbot one of the tankards and gave him a wink taking a sip from hers.

The crowd cheered and clapped. When the noise had died down music started playing and the otters took the barrels away. Bouledor came out in a big cape and said " I am Marcuse the magnificent! Prepare your fine selves for a dashing display of the best magic in all Mossflower. Observe," He said pulling a cloth off a fine wooden box. " Now I will need an assistant, You there sah, Yes you come on up," Hyssop danced over and lead Turnip over to Boulie. " Now me good sah tell me does this lock here look solid?" Hyssop picked up the box and held it up for Turnip to inspect. The lid was shiny, polished smooth, some what ornate,  and there was a padlock on it.        
       

[Blaggut]

Meanwhile, deep in Mossflower, a sly rat made his way through the weedy forest. He did not make sound, but he heard music, knowing that there would be a crowd, he knew it would be dangerous, but he was running low on rations. He needed to spy first though, being from the chaotic west. He began walking toward the sound. He poked his head out of the forest, and saw the performance.
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He snuck toward the cart, and reached in, feeling lots of  he poked his head and saw little food, maybe the abbey nearby would supply it, he looked around more and saw a nice whistle, he pocketed it and crawled through the shadows around the crowd.

[Redwaller]

OOC: Sorry I never posted before.

BIC:

Bartus sat on a tree limb, watching the Noonvale Companions perform perilous acts and funny stunts. His mind was not on the performers, but more on the travel they were about to make. Would they all be safe? Would they have enough food to last them? Bartus had made sure to not forget his best walking stick, which he had sharpened at one end, making it a dangerous weapon. Next to him on the branch, a bulging haversack leaned against the trunk, and he had checked it a dozen times to make sure everything was there. He had prepared a long length of rope, in case anything should happen, and he had a grappling hook stowed in his belt.

Suddenly a roar of applauses came to him, startling him from his thoughts. In his surprise, he slipped down the branch, falling down to the ground. Somebeast had noticed him slip and screamed. A noisy Pumff! issued out as Bartus hit the ground. Bartus had lost consciousness, for he did not move from where he fell.

[Faiyloe]

Hyssop herd the scream and she turned to see Bartus hit the ground. She shoved the box in to Turnips paws and ran over to where Bartus lay. Everyone crowded around trying to see what had happened.

[Redwaller]

A soft grunt issued from the proned form on the ground. Bartus slowly opened his eyes, "Why is everybeast around me?" He got up on his elbows and suddenly felt wet: Under him his haversack lay squished, with the former food oozing out in a mess. He looked up, "Oops!"