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Involves:
- Pippin
- Zenobia


Pippin knocks from Holgrave House: Second Floor.

Pippin shouts ""Miss Jesmin? Miss Jesmin? You in there?"" from Holgrave House: Second Floor

Jesmin shouts "..What?"

Pippin shouts ""I gotta key. Can I come in?"" from Holgrave House: Second Floor

Jesmin shouts ".. Sure."

Pippin has arrived.

Jesmin withdraws from the door, tucking her splinted wing against her and beneath the folds of her well one.

Pippin carefully locks the door, turns around, and stares stupidly at Jesmin.

Jesmin stares back at the dormouse for a moment, watching him carefully as he locks the door. She idly keeps tabs on his key, though honestly doesn't appear too wary of it. When he doesn't speak, she turns away from him with a hint of displeasure as she seats herself on the cot. "What is it you want?"

Pippin stirs the floorboards with his footpaw. "I thought . . . maybe . . . we could be friends?"

Jesmin's head turns to give him a sharp stare. She was -not- pleased with the fact he had sounded the alarm on her assault, and she made that clear through a silent fixation on him.

Pippin frowns and stares at the floor. "You don't like me, do you?"

Jesmin disregards the question, changing to one of her own. "Why are you here? What is it you do for the ferret?"

Pippin glances around rapidly and shakes his head as though trying to clear it of something. "Why? Do? What do you mean? I don't do anything for Mister Fenton."

Jesmin's large ears tilt towards him, "Why is a dormouse like yourself living with a vile creature like that?"

Pippin says, "Don't call Mister Fenton that. He's not vile. He's kind to me. He took me in. I could have died.""

He stiffens and scowls at Jesmin.

Jesmin hisses sharply, then turns herself over to momentary silence. Her reflective eyes remain fixed on the little beast. "... I suppose you're right. Nothing makes a creature more noble than locking away otherbeasts and keeping them against their will." Her voice softens slightly, dropping low as if she wanted only the two of them to hear her. "You defend a.. a.. a monster. Monster."

Pippin stares open-mouthed. "No. You don't understand. He never locked me away. He's not a monster. He's not."

Pippin says, "I've never left because . . . because I don't want to. I like it here.""

Jesmin crinkles her nose, blinking hard as though trying to fight something. She turns her back to him, keeping seated upon the cot. "Yes. I'm.. sure. What a perfect.. little pet you make.."

Pippin cocks his head in confusion and stares at Jesmin silently.

You say, "What happened, then. He found you hurt, sick?.."

Pippin shakes his head. "Not, not 'xactly. I . . . a slaver had me. It was winter, and there was nothing to eat. So . . . Mister Fenton. . . . He paid some money, and now he takes care of me."

Jesmin idly runs a paw down the length of her left ear, releasing and allowing it to perk back up sharply. "Oh.. guess that makes sense.. Perfectly okay since he wasn't the one who relieved you of your freedom."

Pippin brightens. "Now you see. You'll like him when you get to know him. He's so kind. He always makes sure I have plenty to eat."

But as he says this, some of the animation seems to leave his expression and his eyes travel to the floor.

Jesmin's ears flatten down against her skull, hanging well past her nape. She glances back at him briefly. "Kind.. Yes, I thought that at first.. Kind.. It's a cruel facade." She looks back downward, at her paws and the splint upon her left wing. "Did you have a home before you were taken as a slave?"

Pippin scratches the back of his neck. "Oh, yes, I guess so. We lived all together in a hut by the bank. It wasn't as nice as here. . . ."

You say, "Nice or not.. It's not home."

Pippin shrugs. "It is for me. You just haven't been here long enough. You'll get to like it."

Jesmin heaves a battling sigh, blinking back an unwelcome emotion, "You are just too ignorant to understand. ..Too ignorant, understand."

Pippin tip-paws towards Jesmin. "Don't cry. Please. I'm so glad you're here. It's been kind of lonely ever since--"

Pippin catches his breath. His mouth snaps shut.

Jesmin draws her arms around herself, trying her complete best to keep composure. "I'm.. not.." She pauses at the sudden cut off, "..Since what?"

Pippin says, "Oh, nothing. Nothing."

Jesmin forgets her previous dwellings, ears rising once again with a dread interest, "No.. What? Tell me."

Pippin says, "Nothing. It's just . . . I used to have another friend here. That's why I'm glad you've come." He gives her a timid, flattering smile that, for some reason, doesn't seem quite right.

You ask, "What happened to your friend?.."

Pippin shrugs and stirs the floorboards. "He . . . sort of . . . I dunno."

Jesmin watches him closely, "He.. what?"

Pippin glares up at Jesmin. "He just left, I guess. Mister Fenton never kept us here."

Jesmin returns that glare as she turns fully around to face him, leaning forward to emphasize it. "Just.. /left/?"

Pippin stares at Jesmin's nose. "I guess so. I saw him and Zenobia go out the back door one night, and he was gone the next morning."

Jesmin's gut twists, and she pulls back with a bit of a puzzled look. ".. Did.. he like Fenton as much as you?"

Pippin says, "I s'pose so.""

Jesmin watches him closely. Her ears fall backwards after a moment, and again she turns away. "Suppose..."

Pippin says, "Oh, they never fought or anything. They got along just fine. Mister Fenton took care of him just like me."

Jesmin looks at him tentatively. "Were they gone long..? Fenton and Zenobia.." Pippin talks faster and faster. "Mister Fenton wasn't with them. He didn't know what happened. We just decided he left. That's what Zenobia said. I just saw her go out with him one night, and then I went to sleep. . . ."

You ask, "What sort of beast was your friend? A dormouse like you?"

Pippin says, "No. He was a big rabbit."

Jesmin considers that. She thought to ask another question.. But hesitated out of it, and instead sat staring at the dormouse silently.

Zenobia shouts ""Pippin! Pippin!"" from Holgrave House: Second Floor

Pippin starts and scurries to the door. "I gotta go. Sorry. I'll come back later." He smiles at Jesmin as he fumbles for the key.

Zenobia shouts ""Pippin! There's a whole bowl of porridge left here! You come and finish it up right now!"" from Holgrave House: Second Floor

Jesmin's ears perk up, watching him scurry to the door and get the key. She remains apathetic. "Oh.. Goodbye."

Jesmin's worries seem to weigh a bit heavier at Zenobia's shouting, biting her lip pensively.

Pippin slips out as quickly and quietly as he slipped in. The padding sound of his small footpaws and the sound of his labored panting recedes down the passage. "Coming, Ma'am!"

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:. Logs .:

- Log 1 - Capture

- Log 2 - Failed Escape

- Log 3 - Worries

- Log 4 - Confirmed Fears

- Log 5 - Escape to Redwall

- Log 6 - Legends and Songs at Redwall

- Log 7 - Recapture

- Log 8 - Spawn of Fenton