| Subject: The Lord (or Lady) of the Spoon: the Fellowship of the Spoon: Part 4 |
Author:
Marie Blue-eyes
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Date Posted: 01:56:09 08/18/06 Fri
Name: Marie Blue-eyes
Dorm: DD
Writing:
The Companionship of the Spoon stood on the orchard floor below Dibbundell, waving and shouting goodbyes to the squirrels of the oak tree and Tangle, who returned them with equal fervor. “Goodbye, Kuunvarjo! And thanks again!”
“Of course! I was just doing what any other Dibbun would have done!”
“Farewell, Trillium Moonstripe. May the seasons be with you.”
“And with you, Lady Laurelina.”
“Bye Tangle, keep yerself ‘ealthy, the noo!”
“Aye, don‘t go gettin’ yerself into trouble!”
“And you young rips keep Tumbletail safe now, y‘hear?”
With much shouting and cheering, and some tears, the Companionship departed, setting out on their long journey to the Abbey Wall… and wherever else their paths might take them.
~-~-~
At the edge of the orchards, the Companionship halted for the first time. Trillium and Bulrush were holding a conversation to find a plan of action, for they had not yet decided how to cross the Abbey to get to the Southern Wall, their destination.
“Perhaps we should just go around the Main Building.”
“No, we don‘t have time.” Bulrush shook his head and peered across the Abbey Lawns. “There is another option, though.”
Trillium cocked her head and gazed intently at the otter, knowing of what he spoke. “I would fain go that route, and you know it. The founders of the Abbey dug too deep in the Cellars and awakened something… You know of what I speak.”
“Yes. But you have been there before?” It was more of a statement than a question.
“Aye, a long time ago, and I have no desire to return.”
“Neither do I, but it is our only chance.”
Trillium sighed and turned away, her face creased in thought. After a few minutes, she nodded in resignation. “You are right, Bulrush. We must go that way.”
“Yes. But let us pray the seasons keep us safe, for I have no more desire than you to meet...that which they awakened.”
The badger and the otter hurried the others along, and they started off towards the main Abbey building, where they could perhaps find a safe passage through the Abbey Cellars…
~-~-~
The Companionship of the Spoon stood at the door to the Abbey Cellars, staring up at the huge wooden slab blocking their path. Trillium stood at the head with Bulrush on one side and Legolas at the other. Risk and Rosie, the fox and the shrew, stood to one side; the four original questors stood to the other. Marie summed up all of their thoughts with her simple comment.
“That‘s really big.”
Trillium sighed at Marie’s comment and tapped the end of her makeshift staff on the door. “Aye, and we have to get past it to continue. Legend has it that there‘s a secret entrance on the other side that will lead us through the Abbey building.”
“So, what do we do?” Legolas had crossed her arms over her chest and was staring in defiance at the obstruction in her path. “There must be a way to get past it.”
“Well, there may be a password.” Trillium scratched her chin thoughtfully.
“Really?” Marie perked up and began shouting random things at the door. “Chocolate pie! Demon chickens! Purple-polka-dots!”
“Sit down!” Trillium barked the order at the mouse babe and glanced fearfully back down the hallway they had entered through. Noises could be heard growing closer. The badger’s voice came out as a hiss as she whispered. “Quick! Hide!”
The eight Dibbuns scattered, finding convenient shadows or barrels to hide in. Down the passageway came a mouse and a mole, who were chatting amiably. “So, what did you do next, Gurt?”
“Hurr hurr, oi toald ‘ee little rarscal to buzzum off loike ‘ee bee, afore ‘ee bees caught boi ‘ee coider moanster.”
“Hah! The Cider Monster. That‘s a good one.”
“Hurr hurr, that it was, moister!”
The two entered the Cellars, leaving the door open behind them. Trilli jumped out of the shadows and pointed her stick thingie at the door. “Quick! Inside! Before they return!”
All eight Dibbuns scrambled form their hiding places and through the door, into the deep dark of the Abbey Cellars… dun-dun-dun-dunnnn…
~-~-~
Tumbletail felt along the wall until her paw came in contact with a tunic. She whispered, unwilling to break the silence. “Star?”
“It‘s me, Shadowrisk.” The fox whispered her response, placing a paw on Tumbletail’s spikes.
“Oh, right. Where are the others?”
“Over here, y‘all!” Rosie’s high-pitched voice echoed in the cavern, causing the shrew to be shushed by Trillium.
“Quiet! Keep your voice down, shrew, there may be unfriendly ears in this place. Okay, headcount. Say ‘aye‘ if you‘re missing.”
Cricket noises.
“Alright, say your name if you‘re here.”
“Tumbletail.” “Treestar.” “Bulrush.” “Shadowrisk.” “Thorntail Swiftax.” “Rosie Hazelnutt.” “Legolas Greenleaf.” “The boogie man.”
Tumbletail groaned and placed a paw over her eyes, guessing who had said the last name. Trillium ignored it and went on speaking. “Right, that‘s all of us. Link your paws; we‘ll make a chain. Everyone good? Great. Let‘s go. Follow me.” The badger took off, holding Star’s paw in one hand and her staff in the other, using the wooden implement as a walking stick to find her way.
The Companionship traveled for what seemed like ages in the dark, following their badger leader. Several times, when Tumbletail glanced behind her, she thought she could see two gleaming red eyes in the darkness, but she was never quite sure. However, Trillium finally called a halt, the hogbabe decided to mention it.
“Trillium, I think there‘s something following us. I keep seeing two red eyes. Look, there they are now!”
Trillium followed Tumble’s paw, and watched the two orbs bounce along, keeping a safe distance behind them but remaining near enough to follow. “You‘re right. It‘s the creature J-squiggle. You remember her?”
“Yeah… I thought she was captured by Mellus.”
“She was.”
“So she escaped? Maybe she could help us get into the Abbey Wall.”
Trilli snorted and set about polishing her crystal. “Highly doubtful. More likely she was let go.” Tumbletail glanced at Trillium curiously, but as it dawned on her what the badger was talking about, she glanced pityingly at the orbs.
“You mean they were using her?”
“What? No, I meant she was probably much too annoying for Mellus to keep track of for long.”
“Oh…” The hog babe grew quiet, brooding over the implications of such immense annoyance.
Trillium heaved a sigh and stood up, striding apart from the main group. She sat with her back against a wall and closed her eyes. Marie was about to go poke her to see if she was still alive when the badger jumped up and whispered urgently. “We must move! Someone is coming; I can feel it in the floor.” Marie paused where she stood and glanced at the floor beneath her feet nervously; now she could feel it, too. “Come on! This way.”
The Companionship hurriedly gathered their packs and started off after their leader, nearly running through the darkened cellar. Behind them, they could hear approaching footsteps, and soon a glow as from a torch came into view.
Trillium didn’t even bother glancing behind her; she knew who it was. “Move! Don‘t look!”
The Dibbuns obeyed and picked up the pace, flying down the corridor with giant barrels on either side of them. The sound behind grew louder and clearer, and they could make out some beast humming a tune to himself in a gruff voice. With a gasp, Trillium screeched to a halt as she ran into a wide wall. She whirled around to face the newcomer, horror on her features. “No! We‘re trapped!”
Suddenly, the humming ceased, leaving the Dibbuns breathless in the silence. After a few seconds, Marie released her breath and took a step backwards. “Phew! That was too cloooooossee!!! AHHH!!!” The mouse Dibbun had leaned against the wall for support, when it had caved in and sent her tumbling backwards into a hidden tunnel.
Trillium whirled around, hissing angrily. “Marie! I‘m going to kill you!” The noise of some beast approaching began again, growing louder, almost deafening.
Tumbletail had lent Marie a paw to climb out of the hidden tunnel, when she realized what it was. “Trilli! It‘s the secret passage!”
Trillium hurried over and felt the entrance carefully. “You‘re right! Hurry, everybeast inside!”
Risk went first, clambering inside easily. She helped Bulrush move the rest through, sending them on into the passage. “Come on, this way. Watch your step.”
Marie and Thorntail were first, followed by Star, Tumbletail, and Legolas. Rosie clambered into the hole after the otter and the hedgehog, growling at Risk’s offer of help.
“I can walk myself, y‘know!” The fox rolled her eyes and followed after the shrew. Bulrush hesitated at the entrance to the tunnel, gazing at Trillium.
“Mate, come on!”
“No. I‘m staying here. Go on without me.”
“But Trillium, you can‘t fight him and expect to win! Come with us!”
“No!” The badger whirled around, her gaze piercing. “I must stay and lead him away. It‘s the only chance you have. Now go! And protect the Spoon-bearer!” Trilli pushed Bulrush into the hole and ran forward, into the path of the Cellarhog, who had been following them.
She stood her ground defiantly and addressed the hedgehog. “Oi, you! Look at me! I‘m staying down here an‘ not goin‘ to bed an‘ not gettin‘ baffed, so ha!”
The hedgehog cellar keeper frowned and took a pace forward. “Hey! Shouldn‘t you be outside with the others?”
“Nnnh!” Trillium stuck her tongue out impudently and ran off, teasing the cellar hog. “Haha! You‘re so fat it makes the sun look wimpy!”
The hedgehog took the bait, rumbling after her. “Come back here, you little imp!”
Bulrush closed his eyes and sighed sadly, mourning momentarily for the loss of his badger friend. Then, with one more sigh, he turned and started down the tunnel after his Companions.
~-~-~
Tumbletail emerged blinking into the sunlight after Marie, then tumbled out of the tunnel onto the floor of the Abbey Kitchens. At the moment they were deserted, and the Dibbuns were alone. Tumble and Marie helped their companions climb out of the tunnel, one by one, until they came to Bulrush. The otter refused their help and climbed out on his own, wiping a paw across his snout and sniffing.
Star glanced back into the hole. “Where‘s Trillium?”
“She won‘t be coming with us anymore.” The otter went on to explain what had happened with Trillium and the Cellarhog, and by the time he was done there was not a dry eye in the group.
“She went as she wanted. Nobeast can say she died the death of a coward.” Shadowrisk turned and walked away after her words of memory, her paws clasped behind her back.
Rosie coughed somewhat gruffly and stood, wiping her eyes on the corner of her tunic. “Well, ol‘ Trilli wouldn‘t want us just sitting about here watering the floor, now would she? C‘mon, let‘s keep moving. Does anybeast know where we are?”
“The Abbey Kitchens.” Legolas gazed sedately at their surroundings, then turned to Bulrush. “Well, you are our leader now. Trillium would have wanted it that way. Which way do we go?”
Bulrush thought for a moment before pointing with his wooden sword. “That way. If I‘m correct, DAB has an outpost here, do they not?” He turned his gaze on Tumbletail, who was huddled against the wall, staring blankly at the floor. “Yes. In the cupboards.”
“Right. Let‘s go.”
The Companionship set off across the Kitchens, keeping mostly out-of-sight, just in case. Without much event, they reached the entrance to the cupboards and Bulrush knocked lightly. After a few minutes, the door creaked open and a snout and whiskers appeared, speaking one word.
“Password?”
Bulrush was about to respond when Tumbletail spoke up from her spot at the rear of the group. “Sugar-n-spice. That‘s the password.”
The snout nodded and the door creaked open the rest of the way to reveal a young wildcat crouched in the entrance, dressed in a green smock. “Come in, come in, friends. And welcome to Cupboardien, the realm of good Lady Belle.”
The Companionship entered, and gazed about in awe. Cupboardien was a secret DAB base, where all kitchen raids were based. The wildcat stood up after taking a few paces back, where the roof was higher. She spread her paws wide to indicate the hidden base. “This is my home. I am Midnight. Who are you?”
“I am Bulrush Aragorn Strongrudder, Ranger; this is Legolas Greenleaf, heir of Alagador; Shadowrisk Nightshade; Rosemary Hazelnutt; Tumbletail Spikedog, the leader of DAB; Marie Blue-eyes; and Treestar Bushytail. We are traveling together on business of our own, and we would be grateful for any help we might find here.”
“Ah, yes. As long as you bring no evil, you are welcome to rest here and make use of any resources we may provide.”
“Thank you.”
Midnight nodded gracefully and strode off, followed by the Companionship. She led them to a corner of the long cupboard, where she left them after bidding good day. The seven Dibbuns settled down for a quick rest, and after a few minutes they were approached by a snow-white hare.
“Please, my friends, there is no need for you to rise. I am Lady Belle of flippin’ Cupboardien, and I wish to know how I and my people may help you. To know this, I must bally well ask you some questions, wot wot. There were eight of you when you left on your journey, right? How is it that you are only seven now? Where is Trillium Moonstripe?”
The Companions glanced at each other anxiously, and Shadowrisk spoke for them all. “Trillium fell in the Cellars. She went bravely, to save us.”
Lady Belle grew grave and nodded. “May the seasons rest her memory, wot. I say, why don‘t you take a bally break with us here? You are safe while you remain behind the walls of the Cupboard; no Elders may come here.”
Bulrush shook his head and answered. “Nay, Lady, our Quest is such that we have not time to tarry here, as much as we would like to. We must move as soon as possible.”
“I see… Well, I pledge to speed you on your way as well as I can then. Rest here for a short time while I prepare some scoff and refresh your supplies, wot wot.” The strange hare left the Companions to rest in the relative safety of Cupboardien, while she saw to other things.
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