The black feather- Crow's challenge

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The black feather- Crow's challenge

Postby TheSongOfTheStars » Sun Feb 11, 2018 9:58 am

Make. Me. Stop.
Challenge credit

50 challenges wrote:1. "oh, trust me. this is only the beginning."
2. "you're leaving again, aren't you?"
3. "ooh! i wanna come, too!"
4. "you've got to be kidding me..."
5. "good news! all of my bones are still intact!"
6."we're going to get through this."
7. "the boss is coming!"
8. "say another word and i'll snap your neck."
9. "promise you'll stay by my side."
10. "um... you sure that thing's dead?"
11. "don't you dare take another step."
12. "everybody get down!"
13. "you're an idiot. i'm an idiot. we're all idiots."
14. "i've been framed, i swear!"
15. "you don't look half bad in that dress."
16. "i'm coming with you, and you can't stop me."
17. "you really thought i loved you?"
18. "hey, buddy! look at me when i'm talking to you!"
19. "who stole my cookie?"
20. "fine. then we'll duel for it."
21. "my task is complete- i have no reason to stay."
22. "it's not worth losing sleep over."
23. "that doesn't look very safe."
24. "you sure we're not being watched?"
25. "something's wrong."
26. "you moron! look what you've done!"
27. "i promise i'll make it up to you."
28. "could... could you teach me how?"
29. "i have no weaknesses."
30. "this is your last warning."
31. "oh my god, just shut up already."
32. "please tell me what i'm doing wrong..."
33. "will you marry me?"
34."the past is what keeps me going forward."
35. "it's just business."
36. "you're the most stubborn woman i've ever met."
37. "it's too late. your friend is dead."
38. "i'd rather be trampled by elephants."
39. "hey, you distracted me on purpose! that's not fair!"
40. "if you think you've got what it takes, show me."
41. "just one more minute, please!"
42. "i have to say, i'm thoroughly impressed."
43. "nobody panic!" ... "never mind, everybody panic!"
44. "put that thing back where it came from or so help me."
45. "don't take it to heart. he's old and cranky."
46."hey, don't be scared. i'm right here."
47. "what do you say, guys- one last group hug?"
48. "i could not possibly be more disgusted."
49. "you did this all for me?"
50. "it's going to be a long day."
50 more challenges wrote:51. "i didn't give you permission to do that."
52. "donuts are the only things keeping me sane."
53. "talk to me after my coffee and we'll see."
54. "oh, you're bleeding!"
55. "i think you just broke my arm."
56. "um, nope. i am not doing that."
57. "is... is she talking to the plant? like a person?"
58. "that man could stare down a lion if he felt like it."
59. "hey, buddy? you need some help."
60. "i feel sick... really sick..."
61. "don't open your eyes until i say so."
62. "why did you kill him?"
63. "this is our final stand, everyone."
64. "i'm the queen of caffeine!"
65. "are you afraid? because you should be."
66. "the next one to call me adorable is headed to the hospital."
67. "i must go. my people need me."
68. "that bloodstain on the wall wasn't there before, was it?"
69. "you'd better not be thinking of another man when i'm here."
70. "i'm not a girl!"
71. "don't worry, i'm used to it."
72. "what'd you do this time, klutz?"
73. "hey, i'm curious. how did you get that scar right there?"
74. "i just need to be alone for a bit, alright?"
75. "stay away from me! i'm dangerous!"
76. "i don't know, sometimes i just wish you'd open up more."
77. "you just saved my life."
78. "oh you just got roasted!"
79. "it's so fluffy!"
80. "that sounded expensive."
81. "i'm actually really surprised that you haven't died yet."
82. "of all the questions you could ask me, that's your first?"
83. "you're going to be a dad!"
84. "you're messing with the wrong kinds of people, dear."
85. "alright! i admit it! i did kill him!"
86. "i still visit his grave every year..."
87. "there are things down there to fuel my nightmares."
88. "woah, you're telling me boss actually was a child once?"
89. "happy birthday, dork!"
90. "i'm sorry, but there's nothing i can do anymore."
91. "one day, you're all going to regret making enemies of me."
92. "when i grow up, i'm going to be just like you, brave warrior!"
93. "everybody told me i couldn't do it... but here i am."
94. "no, don't take them away! those are my friends!"
95. "it was all i had left of her, and now it's gone."
96. "you know what? how about we sing a song?"
97. "i can't believe you'd be so selfish."
98. "you don't like to be called a child? then stop acting like one."
99. "we're close. i can feel it."
100. "we finally did it, guys."
Last edited by TheSongOfTheStars on Mon Mar 04, 2019 3:18 pm, edited 8 times in total.

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46

Postby TheSongOfTheStars » Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:19 am

. "hey, don't be scared. i'm right here."
words: 347
minutes : 26
The thunder rumbled, sending the timbers of the large old house trembling and the knife clattering from Viper's paw. Though she'd been bracing herself all day for the storm, she began to melt as the rain began to patter.

She hurried out of the kitchen, breathing hard as she fought to keep herself calm, at least until she made it to the nearest sitting room.
Townly was away at the horrid prison mine, Wesley was at the music school, Callie was out to sea, and Doctor Rolland wouldn't be back from the hospital until dinner.
Aside from Timothy, who was supposed to be sleeping, she was alone.

She made it to an armchair just as another thunderclap burst overhead and she dissolved into a shivering mess, but not hysteric.
A few years ago she would've collapsed at the first rumble. She supposed that the Doctor would call her ability to keep herself calm enough to sit down an improvement.
It didn't feel much like one as the panic came like a hissing snake, attacking her very ability to think.
It wound around her lungs, squeezing off her air and contracting her chest, causing her to desend deeper into terror.

"Mum?"
The tiny word peeled away the serpent's coils, giving back her breath and she looked up into Timothy's small face.
He smiled as her eyes met his and his little fingers wrapped in the fabric of her sleeve.
"It's okay, Mum," he said, pulling himself up beside her "Don't be scared, I'm here."
She tried to smile as he wrapped his arms as far as they could go around her middle, finding a steadiness in her son's confident attempt to soothe her.
"Thank you Tim," she said in an unsteady voice, slipping her own arm around him "Thank you very much."
He beamed up at her "I just don't want you to be scared of the storm, Mum. Are you better now?"
"Yes," she leaned back in the chair and pulled him closer "Much better."
"Good," he snuggled against her "I don't want you to be scared."

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Re: The black feather- Crow's challenge

Postby Ranger of the North » Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:05 pm

How are your characters always so dang cute?
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Re: The black feather- Crow's challenge

Postby TheSongOfTheStars » Wed Feb 14, 2018 11:49 pm

Idk?

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34

Postby TheSongOfTheStars » Thu Feb 15, 2018 3:12 pm

"the past is what keeps me going forward."

Words 542
Minutes: approximately 40


Vrell leaned against the window, a smile painted dreamily across his face as he watched Jade and Yia tumbling aroud on the grass below him. A warmth spread over him like a thick blanket wrapping around all his limbs.

"You smile brightly," a cold voice interrupted his moment of silence "How nice."

He turned, heart heavy inside him "Orchid Jewel, I didn't hear you enter."

"Oh, sorry, I was just passing by," the white tigress folded her paws into her sleeves "I didn't disturb you, did I?"
"No," he sighed, stepping away from the window "It's a nice day today, isn't it?"
"Mm," she agreed, watching him begin to leave "I don't believe I could smile like that."
He paused midstep, his shoulders tensing slightly "What?"
"Oh," Orchid settled down onto a sedan chair, her robes pooling around her "Well, I simply meant that if I was you I would find it extremely difficult to smile."
"And why would I find it difficult to smile?" He asked with a tight voice, turning slowly to face her.

She raised her eyebrows "Well, I thought your conscience would weigh quite heavily on you."
His fingers curled up into tight balls as he recognized another of her attempts to rile him.
"That's much to assume, Your Highness, " he said through gritted teeth.
"Well, it's simply because of your past," she tucked her mouth into a thin pleased line.

He should've left right there.
Instead he leaned back on his heels, uncurling his fists and fold them behind his back.
"My...past."
He was inviting trouble and he knew it.
But he was tired of the endless verbal sparring and the silver-tongued insinuating.

"Well yes, certainly it bothers you, does it not?"
"Why would it?"

"You've so done many..." She paused, as if it was hard for her to come up with the right words "Despicable things, you don't ever feel held back by them?"
He had to swallow hard before answering, because, even though the Princess was being incendiary, she was right.
He indeed had a 'heavy' past.
"No," he replied, causing her pleased little smirk turn to a look of covered surprise "My past does not hold me back, Princess Orchid Jewel, in fact, it drives me forwards."

"W-what?" She managed, eyes widening "How could you possibly-"
"It's quite simple," he snapped briskly "I know full-well the extent of my wrongdoings and rather than dwelling on them, I attempt to atone for them. Now it may never be enough, for myself or anyone else, but, it is the best I possibly can do. Now, if you'd happen to have anything helpful to suggest, I'd certainly be interested in hearing it."

She stared at him, stuttering out a few jumbled words.
"Well, if that's all, I'm going to join my wife and daughter on the lawn," he turned, a slight spring in his step "I do hope you'll join us...for Jade's sake."

And he walked away, letting the double-meaning suggestion dangle behind him.
He was more than willing to call a truce, not simply because the fighting tired him, but because Jade shouldn't need to continue choosing sides between them.
Orchid Jewel should cease lingering on the past, he had. Couldn't they move forwards together?

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Re: The black feather- Crow's challenge

Postby Ranger of the North » Thu Feb 15, 2018 9:07 pm

That was /tense 0.0
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24

Postby TheSongOfTheStars » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:27 pm

"you sure we're not being watched?"

Minutes: 71
Words: 1,151

"Are you sure you don't want me to help row, Mama? I know how to, Rusty and Martin taught me."
"No, I'm fine," Darkmoon eyed her daughter, dripping wet and shivering at the other end of the small skiff "Are you sure you're warm enough?"
Shyshie nodded and smiled through chattering teeth "I'm all good. Hey," she turned and peered through the mist "do you think we should light the lantern so no one runs into us?"

"Uh, no. The last thing we want is to be seen."
"What, why?"

"Can you imagine if the dock guards stopped us? How would you explain the presence of a young girl and her mother out, alone, at this time of night, in the harbor?"
Shyshie shrugged "Night fishing?"
"With no nets?"
"We could tell them that we dropped the nets in the water and lost them."

Darkmoon shook her head "You're almost as bad as I am. In any case, I'd like to avoid any unpleasant situations altogether and get to bed."

"Okay," Shyshie twisted around in her seat and peered into the dark water "You known, you don't have to come out with me to the cove. I can swim between here and there pretty easily."
"Oh, like I'm going to let you go off alone, at night, in the bay, with the sharks and the fishing nets, while I just sit at home and have a cup of tea?"

Darkmoon shivered, and not from the chill breeze, "Not on your life."
"But then we don't have to worry about someone seeing us."
"No, all I have to worry about is you getting lost, or eaten, or drowned, or kidnapped or-"
"What about when I'm older?"
"Maybe," Darkmoon said shortly, her focus pulled from her daughter to the dock as the long large shape loomed ahead of them out of the mist "But let's just worry about tonight first."

"Well, I don't see anything," Starwalk whispered as they ducked through the shadows that crossed the dock "Nothing to worry about."
Darkmoon shook her head at her daughter's premature optimism "Just because you can't see anything doesn't mean that no one's out here."
"Well, do you want to spend the rest of the night sitting on this crate, or should we risk it?"
Darkmoon's eyes swept the area, her ears swiveling "Wait."

Shyshie tilted her head, her own ears trying to catch whatever her mother had heard.

A few moments later a small group of sailors clad in blue passed by their hiding place, one of them wearing a distinctive hat.
Shyshie gasped quietly and almost stepped out of the shadows "It's Martin! He's back, so is Coe!"

"Yes," Darkmoon snagged Shyshie's arm "And wouldn't they just have so many questions about why their cousins and neighbors are out in the middle of the night?"

"Oh."

"Come on," Darkmoon tugged on Shyshie's hood "They're gone now."

Though she thought that she'd seen Coe head off towards his home, Darkmoon couldn't stop imagining flickers of blue in the shadows around them.
But that would've been completely out of character for her stiff necked cousin. If he'd seen them hiding he would've stopped and called them out right there.

She paused as, without a shadow of a doubt, she heard a thump.

"Something wrong?"
Darkmoon held up a warning hand, straining to hear anything else.

A soft grunt echoed out of the alley.

"What was-?"

Shyshie didn't have time to finish her sentence as her mother seized her arm and pulled her down the street at a sprint.

As they ran, they both heard footsteps pounding after them and heavy ragged breathing at their heels.

They turned the corner onto their own street and as they came to a breathless stop at the gate to their own house, a shadowy figure turned to face them.

Instantly Darkmoon's sword was drawn and raised.

"No need for that Vale," Coe said as he stepped closer, breathing evenly and perfectly composed.

"What...on the sweet seas...are you doing here?" Darkmoon panted, lowering her sword fractionally.

"Well, I wanted to ask you why you where hiding in the shadow of that crate back on the docks."

"So you did see us, you octopus, why didn't you say something right there?"

Stepstone folded his hands behind his back and straightened his shoulders "Because, Vale, quite often your nocturnal activities are... less than socially acceptable. I didn't want to bring any attention that could potentially put Starwalk at risk."
"Oh how kind of you," Darkmoon snapped, glancing over her shoulder "So instead you chase us down the streets at mignight."

"Chase you?" Coe tilted his head questioningly "Vale, I believe I was ahead of you the entire time."

Darkmoon sensed Shyshie shudder and touched her shoulder lightly "Well then, if that's all, then you must excuse us."
Coe stepped in front of her, blocking them from entering the house.
"You haven't explained why you and Shyshie where out at tge docks."

"Now look here, stuffed shirt, I don't owe you any sort of exp-"

"Night fishing," Shyshie broke in "We where night fishing."
"What?" Coe's eyebrows shot up, his voice breaking its usual flat tone "Why where you night fishing?"

Shyshie shrugged "Read about it in a book, sounded exciting."
"Night fishing? Exciting?"

"Yes Coe, night fishing," Darkmoon pushed past her cousin and onto the path that led up to the house "Come on Shy. Time for bed."
"But..." Coe seemed to struggle to regain his composure "Where are the nets?"
"Lost em overboard," Shyshie replied promptly "That's why I'm wet, fell in trying to get them back."
"Yes, and I need to dry her off before she catches cold," Darkmoon pulled out her key and inserted it "Goodnight, stuffed shirt!"

Stepstone stared at the door for several minutes after his cousins had disappeared. Then shook his head and started walking, muttering quietly under his breath.
"Night fishing!?"

Darkmoon had just finished pulling her nightgown over her head when she noticed a faint movement outside her window.
Squinting suspiciously and feeling as though there where eyes on her, she glided closer, trying to see whether or not the movement was a figment of her imagination or not.

"You are so paranoid."

Darkmoon jumped and spun around to find Starwalk staring her from the covers of the large bed.
Frowning and planting her paws on her hips Darkmoon stepped closer to tower over her daughter.
"And just what do you think you're doing?"

Shyshie snuggled deeper in the blankets "My room's too cold."
"And you want to sleep with me?"

"Mmhmm."
"Okay, fine with me," Darkmoon said lightly, joined Shyshie beneath the blankets. She reached out to pull the girl tight against her and Shyshie complied, snuggling in her arms.
"Goodnight Shyshie."
"Goodnight Mama."

Darkmoon laid awake long after her daughter had slipped away, unable to shake the uncomfortable feeling of being watched.

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Re: The black feather- Crow's challenge

Postby Ranger of the North » Mon Feb 19, 2018 8:24 pm

crows. wrote:
    your characters are adorable, mY HEART
Seconded and agreed with :D
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Re: The black feather- Crow's challenge

Postby TheSongOfTheStars » Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:30 pm

Ranger of the North wrote:
crows. wrote:
    your characters are adorable, mY HEART
Seconded and agreed with :D

Thanks guys! Appreciate it! ^-^

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Postby TheSongOfTheStars » Sat May 05, 2018 5:35 am

"we're going to get through this."

Words: 881
Time: unknown

Hollow lungs took in shallow breaths. Blank eyes stared forwards.
The fire danced and twisted, reaching towards the roof, eating at the log.
And it threw off no light and it gave off no warmth.

The huge thick quilt wrapped around the thin frame gave no warmth either, no matter how tightly she pulled the edges or how many folds she wrapped around herself, she was still cold.

"Starwalk."
A shudder pulled at her lips, but her eyes never left the fire.
Coe knelt in front of her, obscuring her view of the flame and her eyelids flickered.
"Starwalk....It's time to go."
She stared right through him.
"Shyshie..." his voice cracked slightly and he had to start over, blinking hard "Shyshie. I know you don't want to go, but... it's time."
She didn't seem to hear him at first, then without making any indication that she saw him, she stood up, the quilt trailing away from her shoulders.
Coe stared at her, his throat tightening as he tried to swallow "Starwalk....where's your coat?"

She looked down at her body, dressed in the drab black dress.
"I lost it," she said in a faint flat voice "When the ship went down."
Coe made no reply, but didn't move as he struggled through thr wave of guilt. How had he not noticed? How had he been so blind that he hadn't seen her shaking and shivering, half of her soul torn away?
She dropped her gaze and moved forwards stiffly, her eyes set dead ahead, locked on nothing.

Coe followed her, shoulders slack, head bowed. Together they joined the rest of their family in the entry way.

"Well... are we all ready then?"
Coe flinched at the cold dull tone his father presented the question with.
No. He was not ready.
Nonetheless, as one the family nodded and began filing out the door.
Cold stiff fingers slipped into Coe's mangled hand and he glanced down at Shyshie, but her head was bowed and she didn't look up.

Like a heavy blanket autumn sky hung low over them as they shuffled down the street.
The whole world seemed plunged deep into a huge pit and Shyshie could feel the vertigo of falling.
Falling.
Falling in the dark.

She closed her eyes and listened to the crunch and click of shoes around her, let it consume her.
Coe's sea boots dragging, barely leaving the ground, Aunt Beth's heels skimping in tiny steps, her grandmother's shoes shuffling, dragging up pebbles.

Then they all stopped, all the sounds, all the shoes.
Coe squeezed her hand gently and she looked up.

Rows and rows of cut stone shot up out of the ground, trees cut down to a stump, lives ended.
Some of them had roots, some of them had coffins, some of them were just names on a rock.

One of those names on one of those rocks was fresh, the wear of time and rain had not yet touched it.
It was in front of this stone they gathered.
Shyshie looked down again.
She didn't want to read that name, underscored by numbers that told the span of years that the life stretched over.
Cut short by steel.

For several seconds nobody spoke. Then her grandfather cleared his throat roughly and stepped forwards, uncrumpling a piece of paper from his pocket.
He turned to face the small group, taking several unsteady breaths. He began to speak, but the first syllable out of his mouth was intterupted by the crunching of many feet entering the graveyard.

Shyshie didn't have enough energy to turn to look at the newcomers, but their voices, soft and sympathetic, swam around her in familiar tones.
Something warm brushed against her shoulder, startling her into looking up.
Seashadow's coat was just barely touching her, but it radiated heat, and she fought the urge to yank it off of the selkie's shoulders and wrap herself in it.
But she forced her eyes to meet her friend's gaze and found the blue eyes overflowing with pain. Pain that echoed faintly within herself, but she felt like she was disconnected from the entire scene.
The eulogy her grandfather spoke never reached her ears, but she could hear the sniffles and muffled sobs.
Her grandfather finished and stepped away and Aberdeena took his place.
The queen was dressed in black and the fur around her eyes was clumped, tangled together by the salty tears that had been hastily dried away.

"Darkmoon was many things to many creatures. To me, she was a friend...."
Shyshie tried to listen, but the words faded and the world blurred.
This didn't feel real. She didn't want this to be happening. Everyone dressed in black and mourning. It felt like giving up.
It felt like a nightmare.
Go back to bed, she wanted to scream, go back to bed and when we all wake up, it'll be okay. She'll be back.
She didn't realize she'd begun crying until Coe knelt in front of her, one warm hand on her shoulder, the other reaching up to brush away her tears.
She leaned against his touch, just barely stifling the sobs that silently racked her body.
His arms wrapped all the way around her, pulling her close, supporting her as she sagged against him.

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