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Post by Celebes on Dec 2, 2018 23:07:50 GMT -5
Y-you're a squirrel, Dewy! You were born to do this.
**Despite herself, Dewbelle's lips registered the ghost of a smile at Lily's encouragement. While her mind's voice had tirelessly been repeating an internal pep talk since she had committed to the climb, it had begun to grow ingenuine and stale. She grasped at Lily's words as she grasped at the chain, letting her companion’s fresh words replay in her head. She was born to do this.
Dewbelle grabbed the chain above her, paws staggered slightly, and for the first time since her time on the lifeline, she took on her own weight. The strain filled her paws and arm, but it was a warm, steady throb, not a hot jolt of pain. The squirrelmaid pulled herself upright, getting her haunches properly oriented beneath her before squeezing the chain between her footpaws. It was all up from here.
The first few measures were difficult. It seemed like she was getting heavier with every pull, and the chain only remained taunt from her body weight up by her arms. Dewbelle’s footpaws had to seek purchase on what amounted to a wriggling snake as the chain slackened beneath her. She had to play Lily's reassurance over again in her mind to block out the fear that frosted the edges of her consciousness. Dewy couldn't shake the feeling that what she was doing was akin to trying to stay afloat by clinging to a sinking boat. She couldn't know when the gutter would fail, only that it would. She had to climb steady. Not the easiest task when muscles we starting to twitch.
Paw over paw, Dewbelle continued. She didn't speak. She didn't grunt. It was a silent, strenuous climb. The fur between her pads was moist with exertion, and she had to rely more and more on her claws jammed between the links. The chalk that had once coated her paws had long worn off, but reaching for the lump that hung in the bandana wrapped at her waist so that she could reapply the dry powder didn't seem worth the risk. At one point, Dewy looked across to the wall in an attempt to borrow more confidence from the steadier Lily.
But to her surprise, Lily wasn't there. Lily was on the wall far below her.
Dewbelle had climbed more lengths than she could have believed. A heady confidence mixed with another shot of adrenaline surged through Dewy. She was a squirrel, doing what she was born to do. She ascended again, eating up chain now. Every new grip that got her closer to her goal seemed easier to make. Her body began to feel lighter as she looked up to see the gable near once more. She was there now, paw for the first time grabbing something that wasn't chain. Her paws curled firmly around the ledge, and she practically shot up onto the shingles. She could have screamed for joy.
But unlike her pause for jubilation on the first ascent, Dewbelle immediately got to her paws. Lily was still down there. Her friend needed help. Having just climbed it, she knew that her half of the chain was more than enough to crest the apex of the gable as originally planned. She raced on fours over the A-frame, tether going taunt halfway down the reverse slope. She stood up and leaned back into the chain, hoping that her own weight would offset Lily's with a little to spare to help the mousemaid rise. Dewbelle didn't know how much climb Lily had left in her, but Dewy would do all that she could to get her to safety.**
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Post by Isaiah on Dec 9, 2018 5:00:42 GMT -5
**The words were faint, and Lily wasn't sure they were the right words, but the sincerity behind them was enough. Lily watched with wide eyes as Dewbelle's expression changed into something vaguely hopeful, confident even. It was like looking in the mirror and seeing every moment she had ever needed encouragement to accomplish simple tasks like getting out of bed or asking an Elder for help. She was not used to seeing this weakness in other creatures, often too involved in her own insecurities to look outwards. Seeing it now was unsettling, though not quite so unsettling that she was distracted from the precarious situation she currently hung in.
Paw by paw, Lily watched as Dewy seemed to phase out the world around her, focusing only on the metal chain suspending her in the air. It was a mesmerizing sight. The encouragement Lily had given seemed to come true before her eyes, Dewy stretching forward and her paws seeming to naturally cling to the chain above. It just looked right for her to be climbing, in stark contrast to the painful awkwardness Lily felt clinging to the wall.
An indeterminately long silence past—at last Dewy made it. Lily strained her head to look up, focused on what was her only hope for escaping the situation. Had Dewy escaped the catatonic panic attack she'd been stuck in for good? Or was the squirrel collapsed on the rooftop and leaving Lily to her treacherous fate?
There was movement, and Lily gasped as she felt the chain wrapped around her waist tighten and grow taut. The pain in her paws was almost unbearable now, it was do or fall now. Taking a deep breath, Lily stretched upwards, allowing the chain to give her enough momentum to reach the next pawhold. Despite the numbness in her bones, the mouse began inching her way up the wall, inspired by Dewbelle's newfound determination.**
I-I'm... I'm doing it, Dewy!
**With one last great stretch, Lily grasped the edge of the roof, this time sure of her stable pawhold on the gable. The second paw found purchase. She was so close. However, as she clung to the edge of the roof with her legs swinging freely, Lily found her strength had left her. She had barely enough to hang on.**
D-dewbelle! I'm a-almost... I need...
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Post by Celebes on Dec 13, 2018 11:51:37 GMT -5
**Dewy forced her body into her end of the chain, too fatigued by this point to contribute any more force than dead weight. She was gratified by the occasional step forward, signifying that Lily was getting closer. Whether that was due to Dewbelle's tugging or Lily's own climbing, the squirrelmaid was unsure, but she was inclined to think it was a mix of both. Dewy was weary, and she still hadn't managed to catch her breath from her rapid ascent. It seemed even boundless dibbun energy had its limits.
Dewbelle heard Lily shout something, but the acoustics of the situation were all wrong. She couldn't hear through gable and wind. Unsure of whether she should go check on her companion, her mind was made up when she heard the voice again. This time, closer and clearer.**
D-dewbelle! I'm a-almost... I need...
**Dewbelle was at the gutter on the far side of the gable, having already wrapped the chain around herself a could of times to cinch it up. Hearing Lily, she turned to scurry up the shingles and down the other side. If Lily was as close as she sounded, she needed a paw not a tether. Dewy spied the snowy fur of Lily as she was peeking over the edge of the roof.**
Yous so close, Lilz! Don't yous let go, yeah?
**Dewy moved as quick as she safely could, reaching Lily as she spoke. It took a moment of inner debate of whether to try and grab both Lily's paws with each of her own, or just to grab one with both of hers. Grabbing on to Lily's right paw, the decision was made for her, as she realized she needed to keep both paws clamped around Lily's one just to maintain her grip. Dewy heaved with all her might, trying to pull up rather than in.**
C'mon!
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Post by Isaiah on Dec 17, 2018 19:09:28 GMT -5
Yous so close, Lilz! Don't yous let go, yeah?
**Through the sound of blood rushing in her ears, Lily could barely make out the words of what Dewbelle was saying. It was taking all her concentration not to let go, and Lily could feel her arms screaming in pain as they strained to carry her body weight. A figure loomed over her. Dewbelle. Why wasn't she helping her? For a very brief moment, Lily saw the image of Dewbelle cackling maniacally, letting her fall in vengeance for their spat that morning. The next moment, Lily felt Dewbelle clamp about her right arm and heave upwards.**
C'mon!
**Lily clung to her savior's arms with a vice-like grip, allowing Dewy to move her upwards while Lily's other three paws scrambled to aid in the endeavor. In a horrifying moment, Lily thought she was slipping downwards—Dewy wasn't strong enough to pull her up. Then, Lily felt solid ground beneath her footpaws, the roof. She gasped and lunged forward, eager to put distance between her and edge. As soon as she found a stable position on the roof, she turned to Dewbelle, paw still clutching her like a security blanket. Breathing heavily, Lily's words were barely more than a whisper.**
Thank you. **Then, slowly, a high pitched giggle began to erupt from the mouse.**
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Post by Celebes on Dec 18, 2018 22:22:56 GMT -5
**After a monumental effort, it was over. Dewbelle almost fell backwards when Lily suddenly took on her own weight, but the paw bracing her arm kept her from doing any more than stumbling.**
Thank you.
**Dewbelle grinned. She smiled harder as Lily started to laugh, and Dewy found herself embracing her former opponent, a move made somewhat awkward by the mousemaid's continued grip of her forearm. They had done it. Dewbelle could hardly believe it. Well, she had more than believed it when they were sitting snug in the attic, but when they had actually gone to task Dewbelle had begun to lose faith. But now they were here, and the window was down there. Dewbelle fought to make her own voice audible over a spout of her own giggles accompanying Lily's.**
We, we did it Lilz!! Wes Redwalls best climbas!
**She pushed away lightly, still grabbing Lily's shoulders. There was more time to drink in sweet life when they were on the proper roof far away from the edge. She past over Lily at the comparatively gentle slope of the roof that covered the main building, continuing several lengths upward like the rise of a shingled knoll. An easy romp to victory. No more scares, no more pain. Dewy's abdomen ached, reminding her of the chain that still wrapped around her waist, but she didn't care. It had saved her life and gotten her up here. It was worth the bruise.**
C'mon! Let's go'in get the view wes cames for, yeah?
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Post by Isaiah on Jan 28, 2019 23:09:55 GMT -5
We, we did it Lilz!! Wes Redwalls best climbas!
**Lily was having trouble catching her breath amongst the laughter that seemed to bubble from inside her endlessly. She still clung to the edge of the rooftop, but that edge felt like stabler ground than she'd ever stood on before. If she'd made it up here, certainly anything was possible? And she had made it up there! All at once, the ridiculous reality of the situation settled upon her, and Lily could not stop herself chuckling at the idea of two dibbuns climbing up onto the Abbey roof... and succeeding. Eventually, Lily had to forcibly quell her laughter as she gulped desperately for air. Her lungs ached, as did her ribs and waist and arms. It all hurt. Lily couldn't seem to bring herself to care.**
C'mon! Let's go'in get the view wes cames for, yeah?
**Nodding, Lily used Dewbelle as leverage to get up. The chain dug tightly into her skin, and Lily made a point of stopping to tear the whole thing off, letting it clang against the stone tiles. It was a weight lifted, quite literally. Despite her aches, Lily had a spring in her step as she climbed the slope of the rooftop, staying just behind Dewbelle and reaching for the squirrel's paw for stability. Cresting the highest point of the roof top, Lily's breath was taken away.
The sun had begun it's downward trajectory, casting the west side of the Abbey in a brilliant golden hue. Brushstrokes of yellow and green made up the shifting canopy of Mossflower forest, extending as far as the eye could see. Beyond—further westwards—the sea lapped against sandy beaches, Lily knew. Somewhere out there Salamandastron stood as a stalwart protector and mysterious landmark, somewhere just beyond the sun, where Lily's sight faded. She wanted to go there.**
I want to go out there, Dewbelle. *Punctuating this wistfulness with a dramatic gesture, Lily pointed into the distance at nothing in particular. The view was spectacular. Everywhere the mouse turned she was greeted by a perfect painting. She wanted a closer look.*
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Post by Celebes on Feb 3, 2019 14:11:35 GMT -5
**Climbing the last bit of roof to the apex was an appropriately difficult end to such a harrowing journey, but with boundless determination and Lily's steadying paw, Dewbelle at least reached the peak of the steep slope. The view was everything that she had dreamed it would be.
She could see forever. A boundless landscape of green life, unobscured by either window frame or tree branch. It was a view that only a bird could have, and doubtlessly not enjoy for it would be counted normal. Footpaws planted in place, Dewbelle willed her body upwards, to see deep into the leafy treetops of Mossflower, its flora and fauna, its adventure and life. The woodlands carpeted the great beyond, with green as perfectly mottled as the shades would see on the skin of an apple. The sky played gold along the edge of the horizon, gently changing as it went upwards to the royal hue of a ripe grape.
The wondrous scene proved fertile ground for her imagination. Woodlanders would be going about their last bits of their day, foraging, farming, frolicking. They would be looking forward to going home, an evening of leisure waiting for them. Wistful fish stocking the waterways would be darting through streams, the current flowing along scales that shown with a silver sheen. Her mother was out there, somewhere, doubtless looking for dad, but still thinking of her. Dewbelle could see all of it in her mind's eye.**
I want to go out there, Dewbelle.
**Dewbelle's gaze, hitherto undirected and sweeping in scope, focused in on where Lily pointed. The lowering sun, beyond the plains and woods to the west. Dewy only responded with a sincere nod, as if speaking too soon would break some sort of spell. She gently lowering herself into a sitting position on the slope of the roof. Her limbs had all but given out, even as her mind swirled with life. The only troubling part was that this experience had to be locked behind such a difficult ordeal. Dewbelle wanted to keep this sight as a treasure, one that could be put in a box to save for later. Whenever things went wrong, she would be able to pull it out and see it all again, to last a whole life long. But who could buy such a wonderful evening?**
Is this where books can take yous, Lily? Is that way yous read so much?
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Post by Isaiah on Feb 3, 2019 18:14:41 GMT -5
**Lily slumped down opposite Dewbelle, leaning against the apex of the roof as her gaze lingered on the horizon. Every now and then, a gust of wind would breeze over the Mossflower canopy, rippling through the chartreuse leaves in a rustling cacophony that drowned out even Lily's thoughts. The edge of the sky tinted a burnt auburn as the sun threatened to drop from sight. Now that Lily's lungs had recovered from their icy desperation for oxygen, the mouse could take appreciative breaths of the crisp afternoon air. It seemed different on the roof—cleaner, a little colder maybe. These were the moments that Lily wished she could freeze and live in forever. The view was nice, but Lily lost herself in imagining herself flying over the landscape, finally landing on those golden shores she'd only ever imagined. She was unsure how long she spent on that rooftop. An eternity?**
Is this where books can take yous, Lily? Is that way yous read so much?
**Lily's face scrunched up as she pondered the question. It was true that books often took her to fantastical places, places she'd only ever been able to dream about, before now. Nothing—even in all the wonderful books she'd read—had prepared her for this experience. Sitting atop Redwall Abbey, with all of Mossflower below... Lily had a hard time imagining that any book could ever truly capture what she felt now.**
They can take you... part of the way. I-it's sort of like being there but not quite, nothing like this. **Lily brought a paw to her brow as the sun lowered enough to start blinding her with its golden rays.** I'm going to see the ocean one day.
For real.
**Lily paused. She was embarrassed at how over dramatic that had sounded.**
S-say... D-dewbelle? How do we get down?
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