The kitchens of Salamandastron are the center of much activity, charged with feeding all the inhabitants of the mountain. Countless cooks in white apronsscurry about, brushing hurriedly past the obviously uninvited non-culinary hares. Food is everywhere! Some tables, covered in flour, fruit juice, and cutting boards, are apparently used for food preparation, while on others sit cooling cakes, well-tossed salads, and other finished products. Though the numerous ovens occupy the side of the room farthest from the door, their combined heat is enough to substantially warm the whole room and all its occupants. And with the heat come the scents, as the aromas of various foods, spices, and seasonings waft around the room, enough to tempt even the most stoic beast. ------------------------------------- Visible Exits: [D]ining [C]hamber [S]tore [R]oom [Out] With: [DYN] Seven [DYN] A old male otter wearing a cooks apron (Skipai) THIS ROOM IS BROADCASTING

The kitchen is one of the busiest places in the mountain, wit h the otter moving about, ducking his head to sniff at that pot or the other whi le rubbing his webbed paws on a small cloth. "Now, just make sure y' don't put in t' much salt." Snapping his head around, Skipai churrs. "Good, good. Bit m ore gravy in those pasties...." Yes, very busy room indeed....

Gynyvieve bounces in, smelling good food for the first time since her stay at Re dwall. She sees the otter, and stops. "Er...hello."

Not noticing Gynyvieve in the beginning, Skipai's nose is checking the custard s immering nicely in a pan, stirring it slightly with a ladle, he looks up and bli nks as noticing her for the first time. "Oh hello."

Gynyvieve smiles a little. "That smells very good. I haven't actually had time t o sit and eat your meals yet..."

Skipai blinks as if shocked that a hare would say that but recomposes himself. "Ah, so y' just arrived then, I take it?"

Seven seems to be drawn by the smell of food cooking as well. The young runner s teps into the kitchen not long after Gynyvieve emerges and the buck looks very i nterested, ears waggling a few times, before he even actually glances at the coo k. A small grin forms. "Aye..good morning." Oh yeah, he wants something.

Gynyvieve blinks at the buck next to her. Even though she doesn't know him, she does know when someone's sucking up to another.

Skipai blinks and see's Seven before giving one of his warning glances. "Y' a b it early for lunch, Seven." Waving his ladle now warningly. "So come on, spit it out. I ain't getting any younger y' know?"

:scrathes an ear. "If yer not wanting to serve now, I'll wait I suppose." Gynyvieve scrathes an ear. "If yer not wanting to serve now, I'll wait I suppose ."

Seven lowers his ears back and half sighs. "Well..Can't some'un just say hi to another, Skip? An' get a little snack out of it.." He adds as an after thought at the look he is given. Another smile. He seems to just now notice Gynyvieve as well, ears turning back up.

Skipai shakes his head. "I know y' kind. Work a poor old otter t' his grave wi th y' huge stomachs." Thinking for a moment. "Go over there. Should be some p asties still fresh from yesterday. What with the large patrol gone, there's bee n a bit t' much food anyways."

Gynyvieve does a strange small curtsie. "Thank you, sah."

Skipai just waves his ladle and nods, before running off to tell a hare off for letting something burn.

Gynyvieve walks softly over to the pasties, and looks at one questionably, havin g not seen a pasty since her dibbun years

Seven grins and half bows. "Very much appreciated, sir." Then he moves towards t he pasties. One is picked up, like he has found treasure, and the buck murmurs t owards the otter. "I'd hug ya Skip, if I didn't think I'd get a whack on the hea d wit' that ladle."

Skipai snerks slightly toothily. "Ah, glad that the ladle is well known." The otter moving about now again. "Some think I am t' old t' move fast." He laughs as he checks the bread in the oven. "But they soon learn, especially the young ones..."

Gynyvieve scrathes at the edge of the pasty, trying to found out exactly what's going on...

Seven has already downed his, rather quickly. His whiskers twitch as he observes the doe and the pasty, then he wipes crumbs off his face and looks back to the otter. "Aye.." Is all he states. Best to keep on the cook's good side. He doesn' t want to test his runner speed against a flying ladle.

Skipai nods to another hare as they both go to prep are in taking out the new loaves that are just finished being made. "Well, if I was younger I would've gone off with the others t' fight. Bit fed up on that n ow though. One war is quite enough for me..." Pulling open the door with a tow el, the hare and otter pull out the large tray with two large sticks before movi ng to placing it on a large table....

Gynyvieve finally decides the pasty is safe and it dissapears. She walks over and hands Skippai a small bag. "Ah know it's not much, but Ah don' like to freeload. Please take these herbal cookies; A h made 'em myself, and they're very good for ya, wot."

Seven leans backward against one of the counters as he observes the otter and ha res. The young buck slowly nods his head, ears lowering back slowly as if he is hypnotized. "Yeah..I think I may be called out for the next battle...ya know." T he hare turns his attention on the doe as she moves towards the otter to give hi m the cookies. Skipai blinks and looks at Gynyvieve. "I don't know where y' came from miss?" He blinks then waves his ladle about but it never seems to touch her nose. "No payment is needed. If y' don't eat it, I can lose count on the many food bags t hat try and sneak in between meals...."

Gynyvieve blinks. "Ah come from Mossflower, a rather int'resting past that it is . But I always repay kindness. Like Ah said, they are good for ya too. Ah'll be honest, and Ah'm dearly sorry sah, but Ah'm not afraid of yer ladle. Ah've beare d much worse, believe me."

Seven rubs the bridge of his nose as if thinking back on something as he listens to the conversation. Hmm...courageous one, this. /He's/ certainly afraid of the ladle. The buck can still remembering the first time he was hit with it.

Skipai lowers his ladle and nods slightly. "Aye, I can imagine..." Taking the bag, he nods slowly. "I don't actually hit anyone with this though." Looking d own at it. "Not that anyone knows that, they just think they're t' fast and all . But anyways...."

Gynyvieve chuckles a little.

Skipai shrugs slightly. "And those I do hit, well." He leans forwards. "More of an accident really. But I got hit enough when I was young. Slave down in th e south lands I was. Had t' cook then as well. But I fought with the others, w on and then eventually ended up in this mountain full of food bags." Giving Sev en one of those looks.

Gynyvieve nods. "I completely understand. My one week as slave to the rat that k illed me parents was as aweful as several years to normal rats. He kept babbling on about something special and would point at me eye when others were 'round. " Skipai blinks. "What's so special about it then?"

Gynyvieve shrugs. "Not a clue, wot? I 'scaped b'fore he had a chance to use this 'special eye. Only special thing about it I ever noticed was it's color."

Seven squints a little at the otter, brows furrowing. Oh..an accident was it? Th e buck snorts indignantly and stands up straight, as well as his ears. "/I/ am n ot a food bag.." Well, that's the end of that though. They're on a different con versation. The runner raises a brow.

Skipai blinks and turns to face Seven with a frown. "Oh no? And who was it tha t was down here in the middle of the morning, eating a whole cake all t' himself ? I am surprised y' can still walk, nevermind run." Turning back to Gynyvieve again, he nods. "Aye, some like t' bully and use others when it suits them not t' do it. I suppose they had their reasons though for it."

Gynyvieve nods. "Ah don't really care what th' reason was, though. That rat is l ong dead now."

Skipai smiles. "Good."

Seven sighs a little and gives up this one. "Fine...whatevah.." The buck slumps back against the counter, scowling at the floor. Darn otter..

Gynyvieve blinks and starts, having completely forgotten he was there. "Ah'm sor ry...um...were you saying you were going to the war?"

Seven perks his ears up as he listens to Gyn, then raises his eyes to look towar ds the doe. "Hmm? Oh..maybe.." The buck looks a little curious of her. "Are ya a recruit, then?" The runner straightens all the way.

Skipai snorts. "Aye, a lot left a while back. Not heard yet on those that went . Gone t' get control back from a local village that went under vermin control. I think Major Jarril took some recruits with him on that one. Only ones that were I think..." Scratching his chin. "Nearly passed the mark t' join properly ."

Gynyvieve nods. "Yes, Ah be only a recruit, in training for healah. Honestly, I' m glad I'm not in the war...before it would'nt have mattered, but now I have two creatures waiting for me to see them again at Redwall."

Seven smiles a little, nodding. He says nothing more, leaning back against the c ounter again and paws resting behind him to help hold him there. The buck is jus t content to listen once more..for now.

Gynyvieve nudges Skippai a little. "Go on, try one of my cookies, please?"

Gynyvieve nudges Skippai a little. "Go on, try one of my cookies, please?"

Skipai nods and smirks slightly. "Sure y' not trying t' get my job." Winking. "I'd give it, stop me running ragged all the time." Opening the bag as he peek s inside before pulling one out.

Gynyvieve laughs. "Ah know how you feel. A little while Ah had no home, so Ah wa sa wandering healah, charged only a suppah and a bed for the night."

Skipai gives the cookie a munch and nods his head in approval. "Aye, glad there were some good beasts out there. Mind y' I learnt t' sleep with one eye open s ometimes out in the open."