The sun just barely shone through the trees but already there was hustle bustle at Crosstimber Abbey. In the kitchen the four cooks and their assistants hurried about under the watchful eye of brother Kurk. Beother Kurk was the head cook and he took great pride in his food. Today especially the cooks were in a frenzy because today Kiara, Darnon and Gander were coming home to the Abbey. Kiara the mousemaid and Darnon the squirell had left Crosstimber Abbey about six seasons ago and young Gander the hair, restless as he waas had decided to join them.
Now after many adventures the trio was returning. Only they were no longer a trio but a fivesome. The blue jay that had delivered the news about the returners had not stuck around long enough to see what kind of creatures the newcomers were but no mATTER WHAT THEY WERE WELCOME at the abbey. It seemed that every creature at the abbey had this thought on his or her mind. Even as they went about their dayly chores the thought stuck with them. The tods (which is what any creature under two seasons was called) helped decorate Celebration Hall, the great feasting room.
“Go gather flowers for decorations!!” Mother Bradford shooed the tods off. After being bamarded with please to help she had given in and given them the most fun job there was. And so all morning the work went on like this. Around noon it was time for lunch and Father and Mother Bradford had given up hope of the travelers arriving today.
When the tods came running yelling “there here! There here!” And sure enough two micemaids, a hare, a squirer, a hedgehog and amouse came in through the front gate. Immediately the fivesome were swept up in a crowd of Crosstimber folk and carriedinto the celebration hall which was all aglow with the decorations and heart put into the room. Without even as much a hello the creatures sat down at the table. Every creature did the same and all eyes turned toward them.
Kiara spoke up first, “it feels good to be home. As soon as we have some food in our bellies we will tell you our tale.”
“But do let us introduce ourselves first Kiara. My name is Star, daughter of Lily and Cartend the warriors,” the new mousemaid stood up AND TOOK a bow.
The mouse sttod up and introduced himself as Linard. Last came the hadgehog who said shyly that his name was Prickles. He laughed when he said this because he added that his parents were very practical creatures.
And so afternoon meal began. Food passed around the hall as smiles and laughter filled pu any empty space. The newcomers were told through bited of food some histiry on Crosstimber Abbey. There was apple cider and strawberry shakes made with frozen water from the ice cavern. There were apple, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, any kind of bery you could imagine the table had tarts with that berry. There were sandwhiches and soups which the mole folk couldn’t live without. The newcomers couldn’t remember a time when they had been so surrounded by nice creatures and friendly manner. Afterward ther was singing and some jokes wjile stomaches settled down.
After stomachs had settled down a bit Father Bradford stood up.
“I’m sure we would all like to hear their adventue,” he said.
“So will you travelers please tell us what happened and how you came apon such nice creatures?” Mother Bradford asked.
Star the new mousemaid stood up and spoke for the others, “We would love to tell you if we could we plead to tel our story outside. We have grown so accustomed to living outside that we do enjoy it so.”
“Aye. and talking to cheer the mood,” the hedgehog Prickles added with a sad looknont hsi face.
“Brother Hantim if you would please write this down. I have a feeling it will go down in history,” Mother Bradford addressed the secretary squirrel. Then Mother and Father Bradford led the group to a shady spot in the front meadow by the pond. The sight was a picturest one with badgers (which of course would be Mother and Father Bradford), squirrels, hedgehogs, moles, haresand even a shrew that had been taken care of when foudn sick at the back gate. The tods which surprisingly enough had wanted to listen sat in the laps of their elders or lay in the grass around the front. One named Leander accidentally fell nito the pond had had to be dried off before the stoyr could begin.
When finally everyone was seated and settled Darnon spoke up, “We each havea different view in parts of the stroy so this will be from all our views. Lets begin,”
And so the story began . . . . .
Written: Age 9/10
(AN: I was a big fan of Brian Jacques’ Redwall Series until he killed off a character I liked. I never read another of his books, haha. But so this is me writing a story inspired by that series, however I never got beyond this opening frame. Also, I wrote this on a type-writer, so the errors are tremendous but most can be blamed on the difficulty of typing on a typewriter.)
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