SPLASH! (Open)

[Abbot Vivian]

It had happened so unexpectedly. No one knew what had happened until the chill of its aftermath left them soaking, shivering, and trembling from shock. Someone or something had splashed heavily into the pond, causing an enormous wave of water to reach out in all directions and spray those closest to it. Was it caused by some sort of a missile fired by a new enemy? Was the abbey and its inhabitants under attack?

As the waters of the pond calmed, bubbles reached and broke at its surface. There were many of them at first, but their production progressively slowed until only one bubble popped at the water's surface and none followed. Seconds passed before a figure suddenly surfaced with another spray of water as dramatic as the diver's following intake of breath.

When he finally caught his breath, the abbot of Redwall grinned and stared toward a highly elevated window that looked down onto the pond. “You owe me a bag of candied chestnuts!” He victoriously shouted. “I told you I could survive diving from way up there!”

A few young faces peeked down from the window, all of them hardly more than infants and recent initiates of their order. They expressed a certain degree of disappointment at having lost a bet, but none of them could conceal their amazement at Vivian's success.

Meanwhile, the abbot had waded toward dry land where he stood up in his drenched summer habit. He had not even bothered to change into somewhat more appropriate attire for his foolish conduct!

[Prankster101]

Travioso Trueflight floated upon the surface of the Abbey Pond. His hat and belt were stashed away in a nearby tree as his green jerkin clung to his wet fur. The water gently lapped Travi's side and face while the sun beet down upon him. Travi sighed a grateful sigh. Today was SOOO hot! But being in the cool of the pond made it all worth while.

The other day Travi had been placed on Abbot's Report after he was caught locking all the dormitory doors from the inside-out. Right now he technically was supposed to be talking to the Abbot about his punishment, but it was way too hot!

Travi had picked the lock of the bedroom he was supposed to be in, snitched a bit of breakfast (which he was not supposed to have) and snuck out to the pond for a cooling swim.

And now, even the punishment he would get for sneaking out would be worth it. The water just felt sooo....goood.......

Travi would have floated forever like this if he hadn't hear something whistling through the air. Opening his eyes carefully as to not directly look into the sun, Travi saw something very large falling very fast toward the pond.

Turning over on to his belly, Travi dove into the water, just as the falling object slammed into the surface of the pool. Under the water, Travi was able to see perfectly who is was....Abbot Vivian!

Abbot Vivian, the respectable Abbot Vivian just dove into the pond! Travi almost swallowed pond water laughing. This was too good to miss! Swimming under the small dock, Travi surfaced to hear the Abbot call out.

“You owe me a bag of candied chestnuts!” He victoriously shouted. “I told you I could survive diving from way up there!”

So the Abbot dived from a window huh? Travi smiled. He had done that himself countless times! And he was going to get in trouble for locking the dorm doors? Oh this was going to be good!

Travi watched Abbot Vivian slowly waded out of the pond. As an evil grin lit Travi's face he quietly dove underwater and swam around the pond til he was right behind the Abbot. With no noise what so ever Travi lifted his paw out of the water, one jerk just one jerk and the Abbot would be back in the water.

Travi could almost feel the damp cloth of the Abbot's habit. This was perfect.....

[Shadow Flame]

Oliver walked through the grounds, the hot sun draining energy from the tired warrior. After a long training session before hand, the the large squirrel wandered off in the kitchens some time ago. Having good friends in the kitchens paid off.

He was served a nice meal and some of his favorite Strawberry Cordial. Helping him regain most of his energy and reducing his soreness after a hard training session behind his home. This was only about an hour ago. Oliver, now wandering in the grounds had nothing better to do, no one was around to talk to.

"Mmm, I could go fer a good cup of strawberry Cordial again.. Hee hee, only at Redwall it taste the best!" He felt like a dibbun drinking such a drink, it made him so happy. Maybe a good swim would do him a world of good. Oliver was close to the pond, seeing the splash. "Woaaah!" Oliver was startled then stepped back only to see the abbot sticking out of the water. "Did 'e, just do that?" he said in his thoughts. The big squirrel, now drenched with water, sat there baffled at the thought of the abbot jumping from such a height. He stood up slowly and shook water from his fur.

[Abbot Vivian]

A sudden jerking sensation was all the warning Vivian had before he suddenly found himself back within the pond. He let out surprised gasp just before some water invaded his mouth and slid down his throat. He went under for only an instant, but he resurfaced immediately upon instinct. He coughed and choked from literally inhaling some water, but the amount that entered his lungs was minor. He was able to recover within some odd seconds and soon resumed normal breathing.

He turned to face the culprit responsible for his sudden discomfort and scowled at the otter with a disapproving look. “If that was an attempt on my life,” He began slowly, “Then I'm afraid you are the most pathetic assassin I have ever met.” With that, he burst out laughing and swiped a paw across the water to splash his fellow swimmer playfully. Was the old mouse actually mad enough to begin a water fight with an otter? He certainly was.

He turned his attention, for a moment, to address one of his closer observers. “Well that's no good,” He told the squirrel spectator. “If you stay dry in this kind of heat, all of that fur of yours might catch fire as quickly as oil.” Of course, he had never known a squirrel to go up in flames from staying out in the sun, but he thought it made for a good jest. “I suppose you want to help the otter try and drown me. Come on in.” He invited.

“If I am to die, I would like to know the names of those who wish to claim my life,” He requested, refusing to let his moment of dark humor pass.

[Prankster101]

With one swift jerk of his habit, Travi launched Abbot Vivian backward into the pond once again. Travi burst out laughing as the Abbot surfaced, coughing up a bit of water that entered his lungs.

“If that was an attempt on my life,” He began slowly,"Then I'm afraid you are the most pathetic assassin I have ever met.”

Travi continued to laugh as he tried to respond. "Har har...Nah Father. If ah was a tryin' ta kill ye. Ye'd a'ready be dead! Har har. Nice dive matey,sir! But if ye spread yer arms a bit mur ye'll gets better lift!"

With that, he burst out laughing and swiped a paw across the water to splash his fellow swimmer playfully.

Travi dived under the water to avoid the splash, but it hit him just as he went under. With a quick flick of his rudder, Travi popped up behind the Abbot and splashed him. If this was the way the Abbot was going to play, Travi was more than willing to play as well.

“Well that's no good, [...] If you stay dry in this kind of heat, all of that fur of yours might catch fire as quickly as oil. [...] I suppose you want to help the otter try and drown me. Come on in. If I am to die, I would like to know the names of those who wish to claim my life."

The mischievous grin was immediately lost from Travi's face. He was on Abbot's report. If the Abbot hasn't looked at the report than if he kept quiet, he might get away with the doors. But he couldn't just not say anything....

Travi turned his face away from the Abbot and mumbled something that sounded like.."SirTravimateyFathersir." And with that he dived under the water and came up with another large splash.

[Shadow Flame]

((Sorry for the short paragraphs, todays not my day =P))

Oliver looked surprised, but regained his composure and laughed as the abbot invited him. "Well sir, I'm Oliver Swiftstream, and I would love to join you two!" he exclaimed, happily accepting the friendly invitation. The large squirrel ran and jumped, cannon-balling into the water, causing a great splash with his bulk. Oliver looked over to the Otter and tried to make out what he mumbled. "Traviwhowhatsit?" Oliver managed to say after swimming back up to the surface.

He dove under, bolting by the abbot with great speed. Oliver playfully shot upwards, under the abbot. He held him by his foot-paws, having the abbot sit on his shoulders. "'old on tight!"

[Abbot Vivian]

Travi? As in Travioso Trueflight? He should have known. The otter had built himself quite the reputation as a prankster, and the installment of an easygoing abbot certainly would not cause inspiration for a sudden change of heart.

Of course, Vivian had not received a report of the otter's latest practical joke. It had been sent to his office, of course, but that was one of the last places anyone would ever catch the wood mouse! As unfrequented as it was by its intended recipient, the abbot's office was, by now, cluttered with stacks and piles and barely organized scrolls of varying degrees of importance. Considering his unbelievable procrastination policy, the place was liable to go up in flames long before he pored over the papers.

He didn't need the report to know about the locked doors incident, however. It had been such an inconvenience for everyone including himself. How was he supposed to play an effective game of hide and seek if he could not even access some of the best hiding spots in the abbey? This was serious business indeed. If ever there was a suspect for such a punishable crime, it was the self-proclaimed prince of pranks himself.

Vivian's rare moment of concentration ended the instant Travi splashed him again. Before he could even react, their squirrel friend announced his name and decided to go from observer to participant with an effective cannonball dive of his own. The potbellied mouse was then lifted mostly out of the water by the energetic individual known as Oliver.

Vivian literally fell backward and back into the water in a fit of giggles. His unintended entry ceased his laughter soon enough. Water rushed into his nose and he came back up coughing and sneezing violently. When he was finally abe to, he spoke. “Sneaking up on me from below, eh? How downright dishonorable!” It wasn't much of a reprimand because he was grinning.

“Travi, eh?” He addressed the otter. “Was it you who locked all the dormitory doors?” As much as it pained him, Vivian couldn't simply let him get off with such misbehavior.

[Prankster101]

"Well sir, I'm Oliver Swiftstream, and I would love to join you two!"

Travioso prepared himself as Oliver charged the lake and jumped in with a cannonball. Positioning himself parallel to the waves, Travi rode the swells with little trouble.

"Traviwhowhatsit?"

Travi chose to ignore Oliver's comment as to not incriminate himself further, but had to restrain himself from laughing as Oliver swam over to the Abbot and picked him upon his back.

"'old on tight!"

The Abbot started laughing, and he laughed so much that he fell off Oliver's back and swallowed water. Travi maneuvered through the water like an eel over the Abbot, just to make sure he was still breathing. He was already in trouble now, he really didn't want to be in any more. Thankfully the Abbot coughed and sneezed all the water out of his system and reprimanded Oliver with a smile.

“Sneaking up on me from below, eh? How downright dishonorable!”

Travi turned around and was about to circle round for another splash attack, but the Abbot had turned to him and spoke.

“Travi, eh?” He addressed the otter. “Was it you who locked all the dormitory doors?”

Travioso sighed. There was no getting around it now. Flipping over on to his back, Travi floated calmly along the surface of the water like otter were famous for. Placing his paws behind his head like he was lying upon a bed, Travi looked straight into Abbot Vivian's eyes with a calm, bored stare; his voice very casual and revealing nothing.

"Aye Fat'er, W'ats about it?"

[Shadow Flame]

Oliver laughed as the Abbot giggled; nothing like a good time in the pond to ease the day. "I'm sorry sir, I 'ad to, there was no choice!" he smiled as he saw Vivian regain himself in the water with a grin. "I'm enjoyin' the company, thanks for lettin' me join you two. I felt like a lonely beast walkin' about."

Oliver looked to Travi and swam over sticking a paw out to shake. "I never got around to introducin' myself to you properly, I'm Oliver Swiftstream! Travi is it? I'm happy to meet you." He joyfully said, always happy to make a new friend.

Oliver saw that the Abbot was talking to Travi about making some trouble and backed off to let them talk it out. It wasn't apart of his business and he didn't want to be an interruption to their conversation. He dove back under the water to watch plenty of fish swim by. He swam behind them slowly pretending to be apart of their little group.

[Abbot Vivian]

Travi's tone was that of someone who has been caught red-pawed on multiple occasions in the strawberry patch. He was someone who was aware of the consequences of his actions and simply decided he had more to gain than to lose from any punishment that could ever be dealt within the abbey short of banishment itself. Vivian did not want to be remembered for however long the abbey records remained intact as one of few abbots who ever banished one of the abbey's residents. Neither did he think that Travi deserved such a severe punishment for a practical joke that had caused no one any harm. Unfortunately, there was the fact that this particular otter was a repeat offender and his current expression revealed he'd continue offending.

Vivian was not the kind of mouse who was skilled at scolding and he always did so in a sarcastic manner. Perhaps Travi thought he was too soft to make life inconvenient for him for a little while. There were those who wished Vivian would do away with his dibbun ways and assert himself as a responsible authoritative and no-nonsense figure. He could never do that. However much his body aged, his spirit remained adamantly young and the brilliantly positive qualities of his young spirit were the very ones that had landed him his current position.

He finally came to a solution that, as vermin were prone to put it, would kill two birds with one arrow. “Please, Travi, call me Vivian. I can hardly stand the formalities even during celebrations when I am almost forced. As for 'what's about it', I think I know how to deal with you.” He paused and looked as though he might cry for a second. “You will join me after dinner in my office every night for the next five nights starting tomorrow night. During this time, you will help me catch up on my work. It will give us time to discuss your future here in the abbey. There is a difference between having fun and simply being sadistic and I hope to teach you that difference.”

'Well, that takes care of that,' He silently thought to himself. 'I should get my work done in half the time or less .' Perhaps he was abusing his authority a little, but he would be attending what others considered 'important matters' and the paws of a notorious prankster would not become idle for at least one hour a night for the next few nights.

“Now, where'd our friend, Oliver get to?” Vivian suddenly asked; if anyone had not noticed it before, they would have realized he had not been smiling during the time he had served Travi his sentence because he was grinning again. No one really noticed or appreciated something valuable until it was lost; smiles and youth were among the best examples.

[Prankster101]

"I never got around to introducin' myself to you properly, I'm Oliver Swiftstream! Travi is it? I'm happy to meet you."

Travi shook Oliver's paw with a tight-griped vigor. "Well Oliver," Travi said. "Nice to meet ye, and let's see if yer name be true eh?" And with that he dove into the water, ready to come back for another splash attack.

___________________________________________________

Travi continued to stare blankly at the Abbot. What was he going to do that Travi had not already been through? Travi had been sentenced to practically every punishment the Abbey could dish out! He had been forced to Kitchen duty for an entire season, grounded from the Grounds for three week, and he had been locked in the Gatehouse with a guard at his door for two days! To name but a few.

Plus, Travi knew Abbot Vivian wasn't much of a punisher. He jumped from a window into the pond for goodness sakes! Sometimes it almost seemed like he was the adult and the Abbot was the young creature!

Whatever the punishment was, Travi didn't care. Nothing really fazed him anymore. When older creatures yelled at him or rebuked him, Travi just sat there letting the words go in one ear and out the other. There was no point, he would just end up doing something again later. And he didn't find the things that he did wrong. They were fun! No beast received more than maybe a bruise on their rump if they fell and a bruised pride. Even if the tricks were on other creatures! Many of Travi's "shenanigans" where him doing something that really didn't effect anybeast but himself.

So Travi almost relaxed as the Abbot started to speak, just waiting for it to be over......

“Please, Travi, call me Vivian. I can hardly stand the formalities even during celebrations when I am almost forced. As for 'what's about it', I think I know how to deal with you.”

Travi stayed silent and unmoving as Vivian paused. He wasn't going to reply to Vivian, for if he did, he would most likely be punished again for insubordination.

“You will join me after dinner in my office every night for the next five nights starting tomorrow night. During this time, you will help me catch up on my work. It will give us time to discuss your future here in the abbey. There is a difference between having fun and simply being sadistic and I hope to teach you that difference.”

Travi sighed and rolled his eyes. This was probably to make up for the many times he skipped out on Abbey School. Paper work? Plu-ease!! And "Talk time" with the Abbot! Oh Boy! He couldn't some up with something better than that? Rather than burst out at the Abbot, Travi continued to float on his back as he drifted gently upon the surface of the water.

"Naw sir. Ahma t'inkin' dat sadistic be a bit 'arsh o' a word. It would a be sadistic if me pranks 'ad knives on da ot'er end. W'ich dey don't."

“Now, where'd our friend, Oliver get to?”

Travi sighed again and flipped over in the water and dove in search of Oliver. As Travi looked around, Travi saw Oliver following a small school of fish. Zipping down in front of Oliver, Travi signaled to him as to alert Oliver of his presence. Travi also signaled to Oliver his sudden idea, they could both get Abbot Vivian with a nice splash if they both did it together.

Turning around a darting toward the surface where Abbot Vivian's paws could be seen, Travi's evil grin returned to his face...This was going to be good......

[Shadow Flame]

Oliver gave a squeeze of his own to match Travi's smiling. "Maybe it is true." He went under as well, following Travi.
____________________________________________________________

He saw Travi then watched the school of fish flock to the other side of the pond in fright. Oliver swam up slightly lifting a paw to show the Abbot where he was. The battle hardened burly squirrel put his mouth out of the water taking a big gasp of air before re-entering. He was submerged deep into the pond.
____________________________________________________________

Oliver looked at Travi from under the water and giggled, bubbles escaping his mouth. He bolted to the top next to Travi, happy with the idea. The idea of surprise on Abbot Vivian's face after the splash made Oliver giggle again.

[Abbot Vivian]

The prankster seemed not at all fazed by the sentence, but Vivian supposed it was his fault for being a softhearted beast. He shook his head to clear his mind, he had spent enough time dwelling on the subject. There was fun to be had and he'd have as much of it as he could before the following night when he had to keep his word and attend his duties and oversee a youngster's punishment.

His two present companions thought they could continue sneaking up on him by hiding beneath the surface of the water. However, the mouse's sharp ears quickly alerted him to their approach. Rather than being splashed again, he dived himself and smiled and waved at the two who appeared to have failed in their sneak attack.

Just then, a mouse maiden appeared before the shallows and was bending over to fill a bucket with fresh water. Vivian could hear a few dibbuns from some distance away screaming and running in terror. All things considered, it meant only one thing, it was bath time for the little ones. Vivian winked at both Travi and Oliver before he swam toward the mouse, hoping they'd join him in giving the water-collecting mouse a bath of her own.

He was the first to emerge and spray the soon frightened mouse with a decent amount of pond water. She let out a sudden scream of terror. He was so preoccupied with his own humor that he did not notice the wooden bucket sailing toward him until it struck true against his head. “Ow!” He exclaimed, his laughter ceasing in that moment.

“Oh, it's you, Father. I'm so terribly sorry.” The maiden said.

“Quite alright, I suppose I deserved that.” Vivian replied while rubbing a paw gently against his forehead. “You know, you'd have an easier time getting them to take their baths if you turned it into a game. If there's one thing dibbuns like more than attention, it's receiving attention for being the best at something.”

“Don't we all?” She returned.

[Prankster101]

((Ooc: Sorry if this post isn't up to my normal standard, not feeling 100% today.
And Abbot Vivian, if Travi is going to serve his punishment later, does that mean we get to make another thread? It might be interesting.....)))

Travioso's evil grin grew wider as Oliver agreed to his plan. However, Oliver kept giggling and Travi knew that , as a pair, they were making plenty of noise.

Dis ain't gonna work out. Travi thought to himself, and he was right. A split second later, the Abbot dived under the water and waved to them.

Travi scowled as the Abbot returned to the surface. With grace and power Travi swam to the surface, just in time to see the Abbot try and pull a prank of his own....

“Ow!”

“Oh, it's you, Father. I'm so terribly sorry.”

“Quite alright, I suppose I deserved that. [...]You know, you'd have an easier time getting them to take their baths if you turned it into a game. If there's one thing Dibbuns like more than attention, it's receiving attention for being the best at something.”

“Don't we all?”

Travi sighed behind the Abbot. Oh he thought he knew soo much! Then why didn't the Abbot understand understand him? He understood the Dibbuns alright! Then why couldn't he apply what he knew about the Dibbuns, to Travi! It wasn't too far from the truth you know!

Swimming over to the Dibbuns, they all crowed around Travi, as he was one of their favorite creatures. "Travi! Travi!" They cried. "Do a trivk!"

Travioso put his paws up in comical surrender." Alrig't, alrig't! But ye 'ave ta take a bat' after ah do!"

The Dibbuns groaned profusely, but they agreed. Then with a large salute and a resounding cheer, Travi fell backwards into the water with a splash. As the Dubbins stared down in the water, wondering where Travi could have gone, Travi sunk to the bottom of the pond. And with a powerful push off, Travi shot to the surface of the pond and lept into the air, back flipped twice and dove like a an arrow into the pond again.

The Dibbuns cheered loudly as Travi resurfaced again. "Ok now mateys! Bat' time!" A loud grown was heard, but the Dibbuns went willingly. Travi smiled and layed back to float on the water again, proud of his control of the Dibbuns.

[Shadow Flame]

He laughed heartily as the Abbot gave the Mousemaid a surprise of her own, "'Ey father, you went too fast! I never got the chance to join in." He said smiling brightly towards Vivian. He chuckled to himself as the bucket of water hit him in the head. "You 'ave to duck too sir, you might 'ave a bump after that, eh?" The burly squirrel patted Vivians back softly and swam off.

Oliver watched everyone, laughing from the joy of the dibbuns when they saw the tricks. It reminded him of the time he came to the Abbey three years ago; dibbuns climbing on, attacking, pestering and having fun with Oliver as a new comer. It made him feel welcomed.

The large warrior backstroked slowly in the pond looking up at the sky. Such a wonderful day, making his earlier training session that much more rewarding when swimming in the pond.

[Abbot Vivian]

For someone who had such a good sense of hearing, Vivian was not a very good listener. Otherwise, he might have noticed Travi's discontent. As it was, he was currently concerned with continuing to enjoy the remaining hours of the day. He applauded at the otter's display of acrobatic swimming. “Keep practicing your swimming and you just might win first prize in next season's talent contest.” He followed up his compliment with a bit of gloating. “Though, you'll have to do a bit more than one dive to outdo my self-defense demonstration. The little ones are always eager to see some Salamandastron-style boxing.”

With that, he left the pond and took with him the bucket that had recently been used to bruise him. To show he was more than talk, he tossed the empty bucket into the air with his right paw. While It ascended, he took a boxing stance he had developed from watching hares train countless seasons ago. Gravity reclaimed the bucket and dragged it down until it reached the aged mouse's striking range. Vivian may not have been agile or a fast runner, but he was able to throw a punch at blinding speeds and proved it in that instant. In the time it took one to blink, his left paw collided into the bucket and caused it to explode into hundreds of splinters.

Vivian left his stance, relaxed a little, and waded back into the shallows of the pond while splinters continued to litter the ground behind him. “What about you, Oliver? What sort of talents do you possess?” The abbot was afraid he had been neglecting the squirrel and thought to correct his error by directing a little more attention his way.

[Shadow Flame]

Oliver smiled as he was addressed by Vivian; he jumped out of the pond. Oliver explained himself, "Well Vivian, I was not born 'ere in Redwall." he continued to explain. "I was born in a small village a couple miles from Redwall, it was a peaceful village, but most of us are trained at about twelve years old, including me. I'm twenty three now." He stopped, and explained what he was good at. "I'm one of the tallest, and thickest squirrels 'round. So, I'd say my power is one of my biggest strengths." Oliver said smiling, speaking the truth. He really is one of the largest squirrels around. Being three to four inches taller than the average squirrel and weighing a lot more than most; he was burly and quite the muscular fellow.

"My place of origin is known for wrestlin' and 'and to 'and combat, oh I'll demonstrate with that bag full o' dirt." Oliver stood dangerously close behind the bag, he squeezed around the waist area of the dirt while slowly lifting it. He kicked up a foot-paw and arched backwards, slamming it at breakneck speed. WHAM! The top part of the bag exploded open with Oliver in a full arch, still gripping around it's waist area, to help him stay in the arch.

He flipped out of his arch. "My most powerful technique, I've beaten the best of them with it." The young squirrel felt good demonstrating his skills to the Abbot. "Most of my skills are lifting, tossing, and slamming. I also train in kickin' and boxin', like a Salamandastron 'are. And like most squirrels, I'm a great climber!"

"My 'ome behind these walls is where I train myself nowadays, to keep in tip top shape."

[Prankster101]

“Keep practicing your swimming and you just might win first prize in next season's talent contest.”

"Oh, trust de ott'r Fat'er!" Travi said with a mischievous grin." Ah've got more in my arsenal dan dat! Na need ta be a practicin'." As Travi spoke, he came out of the water, creating no large splashes, only small ripples that soon dissolved into the surface, leaving no trace that he was ever there.

As Travi shook the water off him like a wet dog and collected his things from the near by tree, the Abbot gloated abit about his own talents.

“Though, you'll have to do a bit more than one dive to outdo my self-defense demonstration. The little ones are always eager to see some Salamandastron-style boxing.”

Travi watched the Abbot's display of power with the water bucket with his paws crossed over his broad chest, and a smirk across his face.

After the Abbot was finished, Travi clapped twice with is paws then bowed, removing his favorite hat. "Aye Fat'er. Yer pretty good, but ah bet ah could be a toug' competitor for ye." He said with a wink as he straightened. "Plus," Travi continued. " 'Ow well are ye wit' a bow? 'Cuase ah'd bet ye can't da dis!"

And with saying that Travi, whipped out his bow, strung it with in seconds, and knocked an arrow to the ready. Travi then fired one arrow in an arc in the air and another straight at a metal shovel left in the gardens. As the second arrow ricocheted off the shovel head back toward Travi, Travi had already knocked another arrow and sent it toward the rebounding arrow, colliding the arrows in mid-flight, both arrows snapping down the center of their shafts. And as Travi snapped the two arrows, the first arrow had reached the peek of it's arc and began it's decent. Whipping out one last arrow, Travi released it's with so much power that it caught the other arrow dead through it's center and pinned it to a tree a good 30 paces away.

Travi nodded his satisfaction of his work and preceded to unstring his bow as fast as he had strung it and picked up what ever was left of the arrows.

After doing so, Travi turned to the Abbot, a dangerous look on his face. "Of course, sir Ah'm sure ye know dat dis preforman' stuff 'ere don't matter none. Da only "tricks" like dis only matter if ye can be a doin' dem against verimn w'o dan't care about a taken prisoners. And yer willin' ta spill deir guilty blood."

“What about you, Oliver? What sort of talents do you possess?”

"Well Vivian, I was not born 'ere in Redwall. [...] I was born in a small village a couple miles from Redwall, it was a peaceful village, but most of us are trained at about twelve years old, including me. I'm twenty three now. [...] I'm one of the tallest, and thickest squirrels 'round. So, I'd say my power is one of my biggest strengths. [...]My place of origin is known for wrestlin' and 'and to 'and combat, oh I'll demonstrate with that bag full o' dirt."

Travi watched as Oliver pounded away at the bag of dirt. He wasn't too bad, Travi thought to himself. If Travi fought Oliver, he might get a few good punches in on Oliver, only because he was light and swift, but other than that. Oliver was a rather formidable opponent!

"My most powerful technique, I've beaten the best of them with it. [...] Most of my skills are lifting, tossing, and slamming. I also train in kickin' and boxin', like a Salamandastron 'are. And like most squirrels, I'm a great climber![...]My 'ome behind these walls is where I train myself nowadays, to keep in tip top shape."

Travi applauded abit. "Well matey, yer trainin' apears ta 'ave done ye good. Mig't be fun fur ye and ah ta spar sometime!" Travi said with a wink.

[Abbot Vivian]

What need was there for a talent contest? The three of them were already trying to outdo one another or at least it appeared that way. Oliver obliterated a bag of dirt and Travi revealed his expertise with a bow. It was the otter's comment that followed that troubled Vivian. There was a reason why he knew how to fight; Salamandastron changes beasts for better or worse. “Do keep in mind that this is a place of peace. Despite its reputation, Redwall is not a fortress for war.” It was obvious from the way he spoke that he had never killed in his life and that was something he intended to refrain from doing for the rest of his life.

“Many think we're crazy for leaving our doors open and unlocked even at night, but I'll tell you why we do it just in case you didn't know. We welcome all comers to this place with open doors, warm beds, and delicious food. If you arrive here broken and injured, we do not ask why or immediately go to arms in case of an attack by those responsible. Instead, we lift you on our shoulders and carry you inside for caring treatment.” Vivian spoke with a passion that could not be deterred, his love for Redwall was absolute.

“Now, I don't know about you two, but all this swimming and exercise has certainly worked up an appetite. What do you two say about heading over to the kitchen for some afternoon tea and scones or muffins or whatever is prepared at the moment?” It sounded like a wonderful idea to the abbot who was determined to gather some refreshments for himself, accompanied or not.

[Shadow Flame]

Oliver smiled at Travi, "Aye, anytime matey, you look like a fine warrior yerself. I'm always up for a friendly match!" Oliver looked over the troubled abbot while frowning a bit. "Don't worry father, even if me and Travi ever sparred, it would be outside these walls and it is just to test each others strengths. Its not meant fer killin' or 'urting each other." He sat down, letting the hot sun dry off his body.

"I wouldn't want to kill no beast ever again, it leaves you stained fer life." He sighed remembering all the various battles he faught in side by side with an army against hordes of vermin, all those battles and wars brought death and misery. "Ah, I came to this abbey broken and injured.. after a major battle, losing my best friend in the process. They found me passed out in front of these 'ere walls about three and a 'alf years ago. I was a bloody mess; it took me at least a season to be able to train and move about, and a year to get over my loss.." His tone was deep and sad.

He soon shook the gloominess away and smiled at Vivian. "The idea of food sounds lovely, I could eat with the best of those Salamandastron 'ares." Speaking with a confident tone of voice." Oliver looked over to Travi. ""Ow bout it mate? Lets eat some good vittles!"