Late fruit (Open)

[Alana]

Alana walked silently through the Orchard, a basket in hand. Winter had begun, snow falling everywhere. Many beasts would abandon any fruit in their orchards for lost at this point, but Alana knew better, and she'd shown the beasts of the Abbey what to look for once the snow had fallen and the frost had started to freeze the fruit.

So she had dropped by the Abbey today just to help out, smiling at the other beasts in the orchard as she picked healthy fruits from the trees and bushes, humming a song as she went. With the last of the fruit from one tree filling her basket, she turned, and started back to the kitchen, nodding to the beasts she passed.

However, as she nodded to one beast, she yelped as she was knocked to the ground by another running into her, fruits and berries scattering all over the floor. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, looking to see who had knocked her over.

"Are you alright?"

[nikki]

Pipkin was strolling sedately through the orchards, fluffy tail held clear of the snow as he meandered through the trees. Winter had always been nearly a vacation for the dormouse, and had always been time spent away from his family while he visited Noonvale; much as he loved the Quickharvest clan it had been something to look forward to.

Redwall, he had decided, was just as charming in its way.

An errant snowflake fell onto his nose and the dormouse sneezed, twitching his whiskers. The sudden chill brought an uncharacterisic exhiliration to the often-lazy creature, and he gave a sudden whoop before dashing off toward the kitchens, enjoying the rush of air through his ears, the snow crunching underpaw....

...the sudden collision?

He was knocked back at the impact and sat a moment blinking. Then, with a sheepish grin, he hopped up, bowing to his victim.

"Yer pardon, missie - was lookin' where I was goin' but not lookin' too well."

The plump dormouse scurried about to gather the fruits and berries, tail still held high.

"Are you alright?"

He chuckled at the question, nodding as he dropped a few berries into the basket and then offered her a paw up.

"Oh yes, got a hard head an' lots a' paddin'. An' who might I have th'pleasure a' runnin' into? Sorry missy, haven't yet learned all these names. Er, mine's Pipkin."

[Alana]

It took her a moment to notice the dormouse scurrying about to gather the spilled harvest. She smiled as she listened to his apology and nodded to him. He offered his paw, and she took it, standing beside him. A light shake of her tail freed it of dust and snow from the fall.

"My name is Alana. It is a pleasure to meet you, Pipkin. Don't worry for not knowing my name. I don't live in the Abbey. I come every year to help save what's still good from the harvest."

She knelt, starting to gather the rest of the spilled fruit. It wasn't anything to worry about, all it needed was a good rinse with water. She looked to Pipkin and smiled as they continued gathering.

"What brings you to the Abbey, Pipkin? Just a visit?"

[Eastpaw]

A shiny winter apple was reclaimed from the snow by a thin, bony hand, the claws bitten and uneven. The owner of the hand was a scruffy creature, covered in feathers and beads of all sorts, tall and rail-thin. His back was stooped as he cradled the apple protectively to his chest. A bright green eye focused on the squirrel and the dormouse while the other eye, a mismatched brown, wandered slightly upwards.

"Mine." It was a simple word, and the beast seemed to be very simple in mind. His short tail twitched as he watched Pipkin and Alana for any sign of them coming after his apple. He rubbed a paw over the large fruit, burnishing its red-green skin to a gleaming shine.

[nikki]

"My name is Alana. It is a pleasure to meet you, Pipkin. Don't worry for not knowing my name. I don't live in the Abbey. I come every year to help save what's still good from the harvest."

"Pleasure's all mine!" He bobbed his head, his own fluffy tail curving up behind him as he grinned. "An' that's a fair noble cause, Miss Alana. I'm certain all're grateful for it." Lost fruit, after all, was no small matter!

"What brings you to the Abbey, Pipkin? Just a visit?"

He nodded cheerfully, depositing a few more berries into the basket.

"Oh yes. Wandered down from th'north, see. Not sure where I'm headed, but this's as good a stopover as any, hey?"

Pipkin started toward the last apple, pausing in brief surprise as it was claimed by another stranger. The dormouse blinked at the speaker, head tilting slightly, until the other spoke.

"Mine."

He hesistated a moment and then smiled, bowing smartly.

"Not going to argue that point friend. Not with you takin' such good care of it an' all," he added, noting the shine the strange creature had given the fruit. Fellow looked like he could use a few apples.

[Alana]

Alana smiled as Pipkin returned the greeting, continuing to pick up some of the smaller berries around their feet before they were stepped on. As they gathered the fruit, Pipkin answered her question, and she smiled, nodding a little as he commented on the comfort of the Abbey.

"The Abbey is a lovely place to rest on a journey. The Abbey beasts care greatly for their visitors."

Their conversation was interrupted by a third voice speaking up, claiming an apple for itself. She looked over, blinking in surprise as she saw the beast in the shadows. Whatever it was, it didn't look or sound very healthy. She looked over as Pipkin responded to its claim, and nodded as well, looking back at it.

"By all means, kind beast, take the apple if you like. I will not take food from a hungry beast."

She smiled kindly to the beast, then picked up the last of the apples on the floor. After a moment of hesitation, she held it out to the beast in the shadows.

"Would you like another?"