by Mousiouxie Meadowfly » Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:38 am
(Still some distance away and yet not as far as before....)
Nibbling at the sudden itch over his shoulder he realizes his thick lustrous fur is now course and much shorter than he remembered in winter months. He then wanders amidst low-lying branches, leaves, and over trunks of trees that had fallen days long before. The call of a nightbird resting atop a gnarled redwood tree covered with twisting vines draws the pup's attention back to a deeper awareness of his surroundings, the scent of summer woods rich with earth, a warm gentle breeze tickling the tiny hairs of Bear-Bait's auburn fur ears. He cocks his head in wonder.
"What's this? Something...familliar...here!" His nose twitches.
As he approaches a hollowed log for further investigation, a strange rattling echos from the rotting cavity.
"The log is alive?!" He thought. Puzzled, he cautiously moves in for a closer observation.
Bear-Bait could see could see a strange coiling, twisting branch moving inside the log. Suddenly the serpent springs it's head forward. Bear-bait pins his ears back in annoyance, his lips wrinkling back against exposed needle-like fangs. His nub of a tail lowers as his hind legs defensively creep slowly backward. Without warning, the wolfling feels an instant sharp pain searing deep into his left haunch like a burning rod.
"Ar!"
Confused, he turns around to see a small animal covered with an armor of finely barbed spines. It grunts and prances around almost as if it were taunting him. Quite irritated and unsure about which foe to attack Bear-Bait opts for a sideways retreat. Once a safe distance away, he keeps his eyes peeled while gnawing at the porcupine quill until he can remove it.
"Idiot." A voice hissed in the darkness.
Bear-Bait's ears perk up. He lifts his head toward the sky from whence the voice came. Pink reflected lights from a pair of eyes peer down menacingly upon him. A large rat-like animal with a pointed snout dangles from a lofty branch by a long bare tail.
"It's only a faker." The stranger continues matter-of-factly while nibbling on a piece of meat.
Bear-Bait just stares back blankly.
The rat-like creature sighs as if in exasperation,
"It rubs its scales together to make that offensive noise. Didn't your elders teach you anything about survival in the forest? "
Without any reply from the youngster wolf, the oppossum drops his decomposing meal to the ground.
"Ug! The pleasurable ambience of a lovely dinner has been spoiled!" He mutters under his breath.
Still hanging upside-down, the weather-worn oppossom rubs its head with a small, long and slender clawed hand. His eyes narrow, sinking into the darkly shaded hollows of grey fur. Looking down upon Bear-Bait, he curls his snout in disgust,
"Such stupidity! Even the very sight of you has made me lose my appitite."
Bear-Bait retorts sarcasticly, "Gee, thanks alot for the wealth of your precious advice," and with an indignant sniff, returns to carefully licking his wound.
As an after-thought, he adds, "My idiot elders and stupid me look forward to returning such a generous favor," but the oppossum had already dissappeared.
Will be joining in soon...
Every time someone says, "I don't believe in fairies," there's a fairy somewhere that falls down laughing. And yes, we really do wear VERY TINY boots. ~Mousie Meadowfly~