Looking for a little warmth (Cooper)

[Alana]

Alana pulled her cloak tight around herself as she trod through the snow, her covered basket in hand. It held some of the late harvest she'd helped out with at the Abbey, berries and fruits she'd claimed for her family. The snow was falling fast and thick, making it difficult to travel even the usually short distance to her home. She would have to detour to the old barn until the storm stopped.

She walked up to the door, dug out some room in front of it so she could open it, then slid inside out of the storm. Pulling her hood off, she shook as much of the snow out of her fur as she could. She lay the basket in a dry spot in the hay, then looked around the barn to see if she was alone.

"Hello? Anybeast here?"

[Cooper]

This is why Cooper couldn't be a MossGuard officer. Well, there were other reasons. There was a bigger reason. But this was a perfectly good excuse he could give to others. The woodland fighting force was deeply entrenched in their various secret bases much further south in Mossflower, but he was here, on his own. The hare had spent many seasons now taking care of himself and he was good at it. It was the dead of winter in Mossflower Wood. The world was white and frozen, quiet and unwelcoming. And still, Cooper preferred it to being stuck in the warm confines of the headquarters,

But this evening was particularly unforgiving. The snow was falling heavily as it had all day, but as the sun sunk behind the tree line, a punishing wind had picked up. It stung painfully at any exposed fur, making traveling not only foolish, but almost impossible. Cooper was extremely familiar with the woods though, and even with everything shrouded in a thick blanket of snow, was able to find the old abandoned barn north of Redwall.

Fumbling about a bit in the dark building, he found a lantern he knew to be stashed in a trunk in the corner. After a few attempts, he managed to light it, and he strung it up on a hook on the wall. It gave a very soft glow; not much light, but enough to see by. The orange cast it gave to the inside of the barn immediately made it seem warmer than it was.

Pulling down the hood of his green cloak, the sandy-furred hare went about trying to get a fire going in the middle of the floor. In the center of the room was a stone-encircled pit, charred bits of wood in it from fires others had made in the past. He still hadn’t managed to get a flame lit when he heard rustling outside before the door opened. Turning the dagger he was holding over, he took a tighter grip on it, just in case. It was not the first time he'd run into strangers in Mossflower… it wasn't even the first time he'd run into strangers in this barn. It didn't concern him much, but he would never be caught off his guard.

Bright blue eyes squinting in the darkness, he saw it was only a young squirrelmaid. "Aye, only a cold traveler," he called out disarmingly. "You're welcome in for some warmth. If I ever get a fire goin', that is," he said with a friendly chuckle.

[Alana]

Alana looked up as she heard a voice, noticing a Hare in the corner of the barn. She smiled as she heard the welcoming voice, and picked her basket up before walking over to him.

"Thank you, sir. The offer is much appreciated. I'm afraid this storm may last a while, yet. What I can see of the clouds show no sign of stopping. We may be here through the night."

She found another hook on the wall, hung the basket on it, then pulled her cloak off her shoulders. The hare mentioned a fire, and she smiled, nodding.

"Perhaps I could help you. I'm afraid I forgot my fire kit at home, though."

She crouched by the old fire spot, running her hand through the ashes to see what was already there for fuel. There wasn't much. The hay around them would have to suffice. Turning, she gathered a couple handfuls and put them on the spot.

[Cooper]

Loosening his grip on his dagger, Cooper turned it unthreateningly in his paw. He watched the squirrel until she shut the heavy door behind her, closing out the howling wind. At her lamentations concerning the weather, the hare only lifted a shoulder in an apathetic shrug. "I'm not concerned, I intended on stayin' the night anyhow. It's not so very warm in here, but at least there's no wind." A loud whistling wind rushed by, shuddering the door and walls as if to prove the hare's point.

Smiling a little, he looked down, going back to striking his dagger against a block of flint. "Oh, I've everything I need; it's just so… damp." Glancing up as the maid brought some hay to feed a hopeful fire, he gave her a brief nod of thanks. It was still several minutes before he had any success. Each spark he struck was met with a weak, puttering demise. But the hare's persistence and patience finally won the battle. As a spark caught a bit of hay, a little flame danced up. Quickly, Cooper fed some of the hay and a bit of dry wood to it, sighing a bit in relief as it took and steadily grew.

Confident now in his fledgling fire, he pulled over his sack, rustling idly through it. He didn't much care for conversation, but if he was going to be trapped all night inside with a stranger, he could be civil. At the very least, make sure the young maid was all right. "You haven't gotten lost, have you? You don't seem hurt… do you need anything to eat?"

[Alana]

As the Hare began to strike the flint, she began to gently blow on the hay, hoping to feed whatever sparks might catch the hay alight. The hay finally caught, and she sat back, smiling as he fed the flame. Before long, they were both beginning to warm up from the fire. She held her hands over the flames, warming her numb fingers. Then he began to ask her question after question, causing her to chuckle a little.

"I'm not lost. I live in the woods. I was on my way home from Redwall when I got caught in the storm. This barn has been shelter for me many times in situations like this. It's not very far off my usual path, so I wasn't hurt by the cold. My name is Alana."

She held her paw out for him to shake as she introduced herself, figuring she may as well know the name of her company while she was here.

[Tracy]

When the squirrel began chuckling at his questions, he immediately left her alone. Offending her was the last thing he wanted to do, and he certainly didn't want to insinuate that she was incapable of taking care of herself. Cooper ran into woodlanders who were on their own often enough, but not too frequently during this kind of weather. And even then, it was never a young maid.

The hare nodded as the squirrel assured him she wasn't lost or harmed. Standing, he slid off the hooded cloak that was tied around his neck. The snow that was still dusted over the garment had begun melting from the warmth of the fire. Drawing out his briquet, he stuck the blade into the ground next to his pack, then slung the cloak over the hilt, letting it dry out by the fire.

When the squirrelmaid introduced herself, the hare took the proffered paw and gave her a small smile. "Cooper," he replied.

Sitting back down, he withdrew a canteen from his pack. Unscrewing it, he went to take a drink, but withdrew it and held it upside-down; nothing came out. Frozen solid. Shaking his head, but not seeming all that upset, he simply sat the canteen, still open, down beside the fire. Returning to his pack, he took out a small bag and withdrew a hunk of bread, tearing it and chewing on a piece.

"If you're hungry, you're welcome to anythin' I have." He was friendly enough to offer his supplies, but didn't make any other attempts to make conversation.

[Alana]

She nodded to him as they shook paws, and she smiled as he introduced himself.

"A pleasure to meet you, Cooper."

She closed her eyes as she rested beside the warmth of the fire, ruffling her fur a little. She looked up at him as he offered her food, and smiled at the offer. Reaching up, she took the basket off the hook, pulling the cloth off the top to show him the fruits and berries inside.

"If you share yours, I'll share mine. Even fresh off the vine, these berries are wonderful on bread."

She took a small handful of berries and held them out to him.