Username: Knickknacks
Tribe: Tribe of the RiversideMouse name: Cinders
Mouse gender: Female
Role: Watch Mouse
Prompt (How did they join your tribe?): 350 words or 1 art piece![Image](https://i.imgur.com/RebeqDZ.jpg)
ft poorly drawn landscapes, as well as Brindle and Chestnut. I'm not all that good at lighting but I had lots of fun playing around with it in this piece. I'm rather please with how it turned out, even if *squints* oh hey look anatomy issues. no wait don't look nothing abnormal to see here. just quality art with burning trees and sparks and mice. yep. And just fyi, "Cinders" looks more black than shown in her reference because she's covered in soot (:"
One Extra (Optional):“…So what’s your name?” Brindle inquired as she watched their unexpected guest wolf down a pawful of berries.
“Cinders,” the other mouse rasped between bites, her voice still a bit scratchy from breathing in smoke.
“That’s rather ironic, given where we found you,” Brindle said wryly. Cinders gave a snort of laughter, followed by a small cough. She was mostly recovered from the fire now, but was still a bit weakened from the smoke.
Brindle and Chestnut had been exploring the fields of their tribe’s territory when Brindle had spotted vast, billowing clouds of smoke to the west. Upon arriving at the edge of the fields, they saw the neighboring forest up in flames, trees darkening to black under lapping tongues of flame. It wouldn’t spread to their territory- the fire looked to be satisfied with the forest, and seemed to be dying down, but Brindle and Chestnut had sat watching in horror as the last of the trees were consumed.
It had been Chestnut who spotted Cinders, staggering weakly out of the trees, coughing and blackened with soot. It had been Chestnut who had run to her and all but carried her away from the flames, supporting her on his shoulder all the way back to their village. And it had been Chestnut who helped her to the stream to wash the soot from her fur.
Brindle had been surprised to see her energetic little-brother of a friend stepping up to care for her like that. Normally so carefree, something about seeing another mouse in actual physical danger had wrought something of a change in him. He was still his normal happy self, but was more inclined to calm down and be serious if needed. He cared for Cinders, Brindle came to realize.
~*~
One night, a few sunrises after they had found Cinders, the three of them were sitting comfortably in a burrow, laughing and trading stories. Cinders was telling them about her old home when Chestnut suddenly broke in, looking distressed.
“Are- are you planning to go back?” he asked sadly. Cinders looked a little taken aback, but then shook her head and replied.
“Of course not. I can’t go back. There’s nothing for me there anymore- the fire destroyed everything. You two have been kind to me, and friends are something I never really had, living on my own in that forest,” She said, smiling at the two of them. “I figure I’ll stay.”
Brindle had to bite back a fit of giggles at the radiantly happy, relieved expression on Chestnut’s face.
“We’ll be glad to have you,” she said.
(434 words)
~*~
oof I realized today that "OH HEY the deadline's tomorrow! SO I sat down and quick wrote this little piece. I'm surprised that I managed it in one sitting (:" I love the thought of my guy Chestnut having a small quiet crush on Cinders and taking on responsibility to help her.. but then actually maturing in the long term because of that experience of caring for her as well. <3
edit; HAH I’m an airhead I still have a week till the deadline (:” I’ll be doing some editing!
update; I’m good I’m done. Didn’t actually edit much but- the prompt is completed!