I'M NOOOOT OKAY!
Username: LOLLI qAq
Prompt Response:
15. You feed the Stump your greatest regret.
Totem approached the stump, not really knowing what was going on. She could tell something felt ... off. The air felt cold and spiky, but not in a winter way. Almost the way the path between obelisks felt, but that wasn't right either. Totem felt like something integral to her being had been detached-- And then she heard it.
"I'm so hungryyyy-"
Best Friend let out a deep, terrifying, warning growl. Totem felt the hair along the back of her neck raise on end and her spine went to ice.
"Wha- What do I feed you?"
She knew that was probably the stupidest thing she could say to an unidentified
something next to her, but something about the voice had been so familiar. Like what she heard when she was the one speaking.
Wait.
Was she talking to herself??
"Feed me our regret?
Please???"
Our.
Whatever this was WAS Totem. She instinctively pulled away from the voice but she had a feeling that she'd never be left alone if she didn't give it what it wanted.
Totem faced Thunder with determination and rage shaking her tiny frame. Her throat hurt from hours of pleading and crying- She didn't even want that much. She just wanted to go to the Festival of Plenty! She'd heard the rest of the troupe talking about it and it sounded like so much fun, but Thunder wasn't going to go and had given Totem a definitive "absolutely not" to the young acha going on her own.
Thunder feared that Totem was too young, and had no way of moving around safely without another kin to give her directions and urge her along the correct path. Totem was convinced that she'd never know what she was capable of doing without trying. She screamed and raged about the 'too young' the most. She was practically an adult!! She was fully grown. Her mother was just being unfair and controlling.
Thunder sadly shook her head and said it again- "I'm sorry, my love. The answer is no. One day you'll understand why this is a bad idea."
The older kimeti took a step around Totem, moving to press her forehead to Totem's.
The kid moved away and in the coldest voice she could summon Totem said softly, so that only Thunder could hear it- "I hate you so much. I wish you weren't my mother."
Totem took a staggering breath in as the memory hit her. She knew Thunder had caved, taking her daughter to the festival, but Totem also knew that when they'd gotten back home Thunder had cried herself to sleep.
Looking back on it now with everything she'd been through, especially recently, she could see that Thunder had been right. Totem would not have been safe going off on her own that night.
"Is that what you wanted?"
"Yesss, thank you. So good."
Totem shook her head and cried softly. Was it? Was it good?
Was anything?
She felt even more now like something vital had been taken from her ... She needed to go find her mom.
Oh oh oh! Sunny wondered what would come out of the stump! She was prancing in excitement and this only doubled when an acorn popped out. She gave a happy little dance, bent down to pick it up when it rolled over to reveal a face...
A stump that gives prizes? Maybe. It wasn't like strange things didn't happen in the swamp with regular frequency. It hadn't been that long since the light had disappeared, and the last market was a blend of both summer and winter days.
Their booth with Death was doing well and Born couldn't be more thrilled about it. In fact, they'd scarcely stepped away from it, and after a little gentle insistence from Death, Born had stepped away with Haven to get themself a bite to eat and a drink, and to pay a couple of the other booths a little visit. They'd promised they wouldn't be long and that they'd avoid any mazes, they didn't want the buck to worry over them, but they so loved a festival and they couldn't not take a look around.
