User blog:Tree Climber/Loamhedge, the final days


 * If you liked this, also see A Greeneyes Christmas.




 * "Abbess! Abbess! Abbess Germaine!" A young squirrel screamed from the top of the infirmary stairs. "Please hurry, your sister is dying!"
 * "What! No, Quint! Please help me up the stairs, quickly!" a frail old mouse yelled from the bottom of the infirmary steps. The young squirrel dashed down the stairs and picked up the old Abbess in on quick movment. He rushed her into the infirmary and to her sisters side.
 * "There marm, I have done all that I can. I am very sorry," the young squirrel replied sollely, placing her gently next to her sister.
 * "NOOOO! Please Mary, hang in there!" Abbess Germaine wailed as Mary's hand slipped from her paws. "Pour ole Mary, she was always so kind!" the Abbess sobbed.
 * "Grandma, please. It is alright. She is in a better place and out of her suffering. Please, be brave. You don't want to scare the other patients," the young squirrel said, a tear rolling down his cheek, but still keeping a brave face.
 * "I am sorry, please take me to my room Quint." the Abbess replied, trying to be strong. "also, can you bring me a cup of tea? Please, ask Brother Mell to bury her under the apple tree, she always loved apples," the Abbess said bursting back into tears.
 * "I shall grandma, we shall all miss my dear aunty Mary, I know it is hard but we shall get through it," Quint replied, leading the Abbess down the stairs to her chamber.
 * "We will not all make it if so many of us keep dyin' like we are do to this horrible plague" the Abbess wisely stated. "Please, leave me Quint. I need my rest, ask Columbine to bring me my tea please, I must talk with her." the door closed and Quint could hear his dear grandma pitifully crying. He knew she was only being brave for him and the abbey.
 * On his way down the stairs he met a pretty mousemaid named Columbine. "Columbine, the Abbess wants you to bring her some tea. She also said she needed to talk with you," he said, leading her to the kitchens.
 * "Did she say why?" Columbine asked pouring a cup of raspberry tea.
 * "No, she is very upset though. Mary just passed away," Quint replied, his eyes beginning to water.
 * At this statement Columbine dropped the tray of tea and the ancient fine china hit the floor with a crash. "What? No, not dear old Mary! Abbess Germaine's sister and your great aunt!" Columbine exclaimed, bending over to pick up the shattered bits of china.
 * "Yes, I am very worried about the abbey, so many people are getting this horrible sickness," Quint replied leaning over to help Columbine pick up the shattered tea set.
 * "Oh, poor Abbess, she must be upset, she loved her sister dearly," Columbine said sadly, standing up and setting the tray full of broken bits on a counter.
 * "Yes, she is very much so," Quint replied, heading for the door, "I shall be out in the orchard picking some fruits that the sick might want,"
 * "Very well, I shall help you when I have spoken with the Abbess," Columbine answered pouring more tea into a wooden tea cup, making sure, just in case there were more surprises.
 * Quint had made his way to the orchard, he was sitting up in his favorite apple tree, gazing up at the beautiful, limestone abbey. He began to think back to his childhood, of how he came to Loamhedge. *&%^$#@ I thought back to my earliest memory of my mother, lady Amber. I remembered Christmas, snow, trees, and sitting on my mums lap. She sat and told me that she would be leaving soon, but she had just gotten there. She stayed for about a season. I remember every winter waiting at the abbey gate, scanning the horizon, hoping to see a beautiful squirrel queen come strolling up. Then one year she didn't come. The Abbess, who I call Grandma, told me that the reason I was brought to Loamhedge in the first place was because of the war waging in my homeland of Mossflower. She also told I how while my mother was pregnant with me the mighty Verdauga Greeneyes became sick and many choices considering the woodlanders were made by his evil daughter Tsarmaina. Also, that I was brought to Loamhedge so I could live in peace and harmony, and not under the rule of the Greeneyes Dynasty. I never knew why she never returned for the last two winters, why war was more important then living peacefully with me.!@#$%^&*
 * He snapped suddenly back into reality, twas the screams from the infirmary, another had died. Columbine came bustling over the lawn toward him.
 * "Quint, Sister Ethnilla has passed away!" Columbine yelled as she arrived at the apple tree.
 * "Poor Ethnilla. How are her parents? Also what did the Abbess want?" Quint asked, gazing off into the distance.
 * "They don't know yet, they are both asleep in their beds, I'm afraid they will be next. She said that she wanted to make an announcement and the I should ring the bell to let the abbey gather in the Great Hall," Columbine replied, heading toward the bell tower.
 * BONG!BONG!BONG!
 * Soon after Columbine had rang the abbey bell, all the able bodied abbey beasts proceeded to the lawn. They stood in the cool, autumn air, awaiting the arrival of their Abbess.
 * A few minutes later the abbey doors burst open and out came the Abbess, guided by Sister Linfa. The crowd turned and faced them. All was quiet, the abbey members shuffled about nervously, anxiously awaiting the announcement from their abbess.
 * "Hello my dear friends. As we all well know, a great plague has caused many losses amoung the lifes of our fellow abbey members. I have decided, as your Abbess, that at the end of this season, all those who still are well will be leaving the abbey and heaading nothwest. This is a land ruled by my dear friend, we should be safe there," at this announcment the abbey beasts a began to argue and panic.
 * "Please! Please! Order! Listen to what your Abbess says! I DEMAND ORDER!" Brother Strittum yelled, from the abbey steps, where he had joined the Abbess and Sister Linfa. After all had calmed down the Abbess began to speak once more.
 * "Thank you brother," the Abbess said. "Now, the end of this season is still a few weeks away, so we have much time to prepare. Those very few who are immune to this great sickness, will be the only ones to tend to those who are ill. Now, only, myself, my grandson and brother Strittun are immune. Please understand this is only because we have traveled around and a old wandering healer gave us the vaccination while in the woods one day. Now I will have Sister Linfa answer any question you have. I shall be in the infirmary if you need me, but mind you only wait at the door,"
 * "I am now ready to answer your questions," a small, middle aged mouse said stepping forward. "Yes, you sister Amyl." She said, pointing to a young little mouse in a wheel chair.
 * "Um, sister Linfa. If I don't get this great sickness, then how will I travel with you?" the young sister asked.
 * Well, um. I don't know that you will,um, be able to, dear," Sister Linfa replied apologetically.
 * "You, Sister Amyl, come with me. I might have something that will help you," Brother Strittum said, going to her and pushing her into the abbey building.
 * "Any other questions," the sister continued.
 * "How shall we make it if we travel all winter," a quiet, large mouse mum pipped up.
 * "Well, if we wait till spring there will be none of us left," Sister Linfa replied. "Any more questions? No, alright, well please continue with your evening chores,"
 * As the abbey members shuffled away Quint quietly slipped away to the graveyard. He had seen Brother Strittum and Sister Amyl slip out there through the side door not a moment before. "So, what are you looking for?" Quint asked, looking down at the brother who lay crouched on his knees, feeling of a particualar grave.
 * "Weel, I am looking for something, like a clue or hint to a way to become momble if thow is wheel chair bound. I read a tome that said it would be here," he replied.
 * "Ah, well you won't find it here, when the west wall was destroyed in the earthquake a few seasons back, it crushed the headstone and now there is a new one." Quint replied, leading the young sister back to the abbey building.
 * "Then what is the secret?" Amyl asked.
 * "I don't know, but wheel chair bound or not, you are going and I will carry you if I have to," Quint replied, very determined.
 * "Well, we'll figure something out, please take me to the kitchens, it is my turn on kitchen duty," she answered, always having a positive attitude.
 * Very well," Quint replied.
 * After dinner, the abbey beasts all went their separate ways. Quint and Columbine proceeded to the Abbess's chamber with her food, for she had not come down for dinner.
 * As they approached the Abbess's chamber they could hear slight murmuring behind the closed door. "Abbess dear, we brought you some foooood!" Columbine called sing-songly through the solid oak door.
 * "Oh, one minute please," the Abbess called back. There was more murmuring and then there where a few clings and clanking a metal as the Abbess undid the lock, the door swung open. "Aw, sorry to keep you waiting," the Abbess replied, from behind the door. As the two entered a small, stone walled room they saw that the abbess and Sister Amyl were both seatted behind the door at a small round ash table. "Please, sit down," the Abbess offered, gestering to two empty seats.
 * "We have brought you some food, Abbess. Friar Bummble fixed some lovely blueberry crumble cake just for you," Columbine said, gingerly seating herself next to Amyl, and setting a large silver platter down on the table.
 * "Thank you, but Amyl brought me some food a few minutes ago," the Abbess replied kindly.
 * "Why weren't you at supper, Abbess?" Quint casually asked, sipping from a small china cup.
 * "Well, me and sister Amyl were discussing how we shall take her with us, and I have found the answer," the Abbess stated in a level tone. All eyes on her, the three young ones watched as the Abbess pulled a small bit of parchment from her habit sleeve. "This is the answer, listen," the Abbess began to read aloud:
 * For calling on me upon my rest, thy must be searching a quest,
 * For thy to touch the ground is no choice, if chosen you shall be graced,
 * If worthy I shall call upon you to fill I deed much needed,
 * Till then thy will wait, until I give you the bait,
 * I shall whisper to you, then you will see that using your feet is not a want but a need.
 * Three blank and confused faces looked over at the old, frail mouse, smilying gleefully back at them.
 * "Um, Abbess, I'm sorry, but what does that mean?" Columbine asked hesitantly.
 * "As it says, you must wait untill you are given the bait. Abbess Sylvaticus will reveal it all in time," the abbess answered. "Now, go to bed young ones. I am tired and you must be to from this busy and stressful day. I shall see you in the morning." the abbess slowly walked over to her bed and laid down. The three friend departed from the small, cozy, stone chamber, bidding goodnight to there very old and wise abbess.
 * They proceeded to carry Amyl between them down the spriral, stone staircase. When they reached the bottom of the stairs they bid her goodnight as she proceeded to her speacal room on the first floor. They continued back up the stair and each went to their personal chambers.
 * All was still, quiet and calm at Loamhedge Abbey. The kindly mice and squirrel slept peacefully, without worry or doubt. Little did they know what troubles they would arise to.
 * Amyl lay peacefully alseep in her bed, a knidly looking mouse maid apeared infront of her."I am Abbess Sylvaticus, it is time," she said. Amyl suddenly snapped awake. The walls were swaying and the ground was shaking violenty. Amy didn't know what was happening, but she instictively rolled out of bed into her wheel chair. She hurriedly push herself out the door and into the great hall. Screaming mice rans down the dormotory stairs, all heading for the main door. Abbess Germain stood in the doorway, directing all the abbey beast to wait on the grounds. Amyl quickly made her way to the door. With on big crunch the part of the roof over the abbess crumbled and began to fall earthward. Amyl sprand from her chair and grabbed the abbess. Both the mice tumbled to the ground, right outside the main door. Then, suddenly the earth stopped shaking.
 * "Abbess, what was that? Are you alright?" Amyl began, standing up. Not relizeing her new way of moblity.
 * "I'm fine,that was an earthquake. You have heard the elders talk about them, the worst one i've experenced in my life. Now, look at you, your walking!" the abbess exclaimed.
 * "Wow, I guess I am. The poem is right. It was not a want for me to leave my chair at that moment, but you needed me to," Amyl said, happly dancing around, showing off her newly restored moblity.
 * "Now, is everyone alright?" the abbess questioned.
 * "All are accountted for, except young Milly, Quint and all those in the infermary," Sister linfa reported sadly.
 * At that very moment Quint sprang from a dormatory window. He landed soundly in a pear tree far bellow. He scrabbled down it and delevered Milly, who he had been carrying on his shoulders to her mother.
 * "Quint! Your alright!"the abbess shouted, hobbleing over to her Grandson.
 * "I'm fine Grandma," Quint replied, imbracing the abbess in a huge hug."Abbess, I have seen the damage of the abbey. The only severly damaged part is the infermary. The walls ,floor, and ceiling all collapled."
 * "It seems that we can no longer stay at this abbey, the earth is telling us we must go, for it has made it's own tomb for those who were bound for death. Quint, please take all the abled bodied men and gather the needed supplies from the abbey. I know we are leaving much earlier than expecteted, but it is nessasary. Woman, when the men bring out the supplies load it into the carts and prepared the children and elders for the trip," the abbess directed.
 * Quint had gathered up the few abled bodied men and taken then into the damaged abbey. They strode through the dust filled corrdors and picked up blankets, lanters, pillows, ect. When this was done the headed down to the kitchen. When they reached the bottom of the steps the found that any food that wasn't covered had been barried in dust, so it was uneatable. There was very little in the closed cuboards, so, wile coughing and spluttering they gathered any food not coated in a thick layer of dust. When they were done, they quickly headed out of the dustfilled kitchen and on to the abbey grounds.
 * "Did you get inuff supies, mister Quint? Mum said for me to bring um to her," A young mousebabe, named Gupple asked.
 * "Well, I hope we do young'un. Here, i'll bring them over, you just make sure I don't drop nu'un, can you handle that?" Quint asked, begining to walk across the leaf filled grounds.
 * "Corse I can, i'll tan your tail if'n you drop a sing," Gupple replied, Marching swiftly up behind him.
 * The knidly pair soon reached a group of mousemums and delevered the supplies to them, so they could fill the carts.
 * "Quint, May I ask a favor of you?" the abbess called from across the lawn.
 * "Of course Grandma, anything," Quint replied, heading over to a group of elders, the abbess in the middle of the group.
 * "Can you please scout a head, see if we need to avoid anything, and were to make camp?" the abbess called.
 * "Quint, May I ask a favor of you?" the abbess called from across the lawn.
 * "Of course Grandma, anything," Quint replied, heading over to a group of elders, the abbess in the middle of the group.
 * "Can you please scout a head, see if we need to avoid anything, and were to make camp?" the abbess called.

"Okay grandma, I shall be back befor sun set!" Quint replied, bounding up and over the abbey wall. He hurridley surried dowm the other side and bounded off across the plains. He had scouted for about an hour and had seen no sign of trouble or danger, but hadn't yet found a camping spot. Discouraged, he headed home, not knowing what to tell the abbess. He knew it was getting late as he surried across the destert plain, knowing he was still quite far from the abbey by the land scape. After another hour of travel he reached the great white stone wall. It looked so magnificent, and misterious. He bound up the wall and onto the ramparts. He then looked upon the abbey building. It was half detroyed, half the great hall's ceiling was caved in and there was a big, gapping hole were the infermary had been. He then relized the danger they were in. He bpounced off the ramparts and onto the lawn.
 * "Everyone please, get the suplies in the cart and get out the gate. We are in danger if we stay in the abbey walls, please don't panic, just get out of the abbey gates as soon as possible." Quint yelled, bounding over to the abbess he explained."The abbey bulding is going to colasps, it is no longer supported be the third floor, it will fall and the dust will detory the supplies and sufficate the mice."
 * "I see what you mean, we are all ready, we have been waitting on you," the abbess calmly replied. Making her way to the abbey gate. By the time the reached it everyone was outside. With one big groan the abbey building began to fall. Both Grandma and Grandson dashed out the gate and closed it.
 * "Please, everyone stay calm, let us walk untill a campsite is found, we must get out of this area, the dust might get over the walls," the abbess ordered, as they all began to walk torward the haunting destert land.
 * As the abbess walked away, she turn to look for the last time, upon the once great abbey of Loamhedge, now a pile of white, limestone ruble. She alowed herself only one tear to to fall. She turned back to the horizon and continued to walk, knowing one day a greatier abbey would be built, but it would never succeed Loamhedge in her heart.
 * THE END