Season of Love 2019 - Drabble on No Love (gaia transfer)
Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2019 12:32 pm
[imgright]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgright]
A DRABBLE ON THE THEME OF NO LOVE!
Kin Name: Don't Make a Sound
Drabble:
It's the Festival of Love. Most kin are out and about, celebrating, taking in the new growth of spring, the blossoming of flowers, and walking side-by-side with their loved ones. Yet, Hush is alone. Her children are grown, and have left the nest, though both came by in the morning to say hello. They'd brought breakfast, and that had been nice, but Hush is..... lonely. Her heart aches for a mate to call her own, yet there's a part of her that believes that will never happen. Not with how withdrawn and quiet she is. Who would want a mate that finds it difficult, most days, to even leave their den?
She sighs softly to herself, and gazes up from the cover of her burrow at the dabbled sunlight filtering through the trees, the fresh green leaves. A breeze drifts by, rich with the scent of new growth, and the flowers that always bloom near her home. It's a small comfort. Briefly, she considers getting up and going out, but like most times before, the more she thinks about it and works herself up, the more her anxiety grows as well. In the end, she tells herself, "maybe tomorrow," and turns around to take a nap.
When she wakes up, the light has changed, and she can tell it's late in the afternoon. She's slept the day away. Again. She just imagine what her children might say to her right now. I Promise would be sympathetic, and Lean on Me would tell her something encouraging to help her feel like she might be able to go out. She wishes they were here now, but they're out - gone to the festival.
Her caveworms chitter nearby, curled into colorful lumps, and the sight of them makes her smile faintly. They're carefree creatures, attending their basic needs. If she had even a bit of that freedom, she would probably be a lot happier.
Of course, her anxiety and fears are unfounded. She knows, logically, there's little to fear in the swamp as long as one is even a little bit careful. She knows better than to poke around where caimen's rest, for instance. Yet when it comes to how to interact with other kin.... the thought alone makes her feel tongue-tied and sends her heart a-flutter.
Yet.... maybe, maybe if she waits until just before night-time? Surely, then, there won't be so many wandering about, and it will be easier to go out. Besides, she hasn't eaten since breakfast, and her food-stores are running quite low. Unless she wants to go hungry, she'll need to go out regardless.
Screwing up her courage, the zikwa doe takes a few deep breaths, and stands. Sensing her movement, Prim chitters a bit excitedly, and crawls over to her. With her largest worm beside her, Hush slowly ventures toward the exit of her den. With great caution, she peeks out, into the fading light of the day, and, spotting no-one, tentatively exits the warmth and safety of her burrow. She's barely ten paces away when a shout nearly gives her a heart attack.
"Surprise!" Comes the yell, from her right, and she jumps, startled. But then she realizes who it is -- her daughter, and her son, right behind. Lean on Me is laughing, and I Promise looks a little sheepish at having scared their mother half to death.
"I told you this wasn't a great idea," he says, always so soft spoken.
"Were you trying to kill me?" Hush finally gasps.
"Of course not. But you didn't think we'd go to the festival without the kin we love most in the swamp, did you?" Lean says, and Promise nods along. Touched, Hush feels her breath falter for an entirely different reason, and suddenly her throat feels tight.
"You two...." She sniffs, before clearing her throat. With one on either side, and Prim trailing behind, Hush makes it to the festival after all, and it turns out she no longer feels quite so lonely after all.
670 words
A DRABBLE ON THE THEME OF NO LOVE!
Kin Name: Don't Make a Sound
Drabble:
It's the Festival of Love. Most kin are out and about, celebrating, taking in the new growth of spring, the blossoming of flowers, and walking side-by-side with their loved ones. Yet, Hush is alone. Her children are grown, and have left the nest, though both came by in the morning to say hello. They'd brought breakfast, and that had been nice, but Hush is..... lonely. Her heart aches for a mate to call her own, yet there's a part of her that believes that will never happen. Not with how withdrawn and quiet she is. Who would want a mate that finds it difficult, most days, to even leave their den?
She sighs softly to herself, and gazes up from the cover of her burrow at the dabbled sunlight filtering through the trees, the fresh green leaves. A breeze drifts by, rich with the scent of new growth, and the flowers that always bloom near her home. It's a small comfort. Briefly, she considers getting up and going out, but like most times before, the more she thinks about it and works herself up, the more her anxiety grows as well. In the end, she tells herself, "maybe tomorrow," and turns around to take a nap.
When she wakes up, the light has changed, and she can tell it's late in the afternoon. She's slept the day away. Again. She just imagine what her children might say to her right now. I Promise would be sympathetic, and Lean on Me would tell her something encouraging to help her feel like she might be able to go out. She wishes they were here now, but they're out - gone to the festival.
Her caveworms chitter nearby, curled into colorful lumps, and the sight of them makes her smile faintly. They're carefree creatures, attending their basic needs. If she had even a bit of that freedom, she would probably be a lot happier.
Of course, her anxiety and fears are unfounded. She knows, logically, there's little to fear in the swamp as long as one is even a little bit careful. She knows better than to poke around where caimen's rest, for instance. Yet when it comes to how to interact with other kin.... the thought alone makes her feel tongue-tied and sends her heart a-flutter.
Yet.... maybe, maybe if she waits until just before night-time? Surely, then, there won't be so many wandering about, and it will be easier to go out. Besides, she hasn't eaten since breakfast, and her food-stores are running quite low. Unless she wants to go hungry, she'll need to go out regardless.
Screwing up her courage, the zikwa doe takes a few deep breaths, and stands. Sensing her movement, Prim chitters a bit excitedly, and crawls over to her. With her largest worm beside her, Hush slowly ventures toward the exit of her den. With great caution, she peeks out, into the fading light of the day, and, spotting no-one, tentatively exits the warmth and safety of her burrow. She's barely ten paces away when a shout nearly gives her a heart attack.
"Surprise!" Comes the yell, from her right, and she jumps, startled. But then she realizes who it is -- her daughter, and her son, right behind. Lean on Me is laughing, and I Promise looks a little sheepish at having scared their mother half to death.
"I told you this wasn't a great idea," he says, always so soft spoken.
"Were you trying to kill me?" Hush finally gasps.
"Of course not. But you didn't think we'd go to the festival without the kin we love most in the swamp, did you?" Lean says, and Promise nods along. Touched, Hush feels her breath falter for an entirely different reason, and suddenly her throat feels tight.
"You two...." She sniffs, before clearing her throat. With one on either side, and Prim trailing behind, Hush makes it to the festival after all, and it turns out she no longer feels quite so lonely after all.
670 words