other info wrote:reygankiwi
abigail
other
blew all my extras on the
story; 997 words. oh, well.
i hope you enjoy!
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Imagine a life of grey.
Everything around you, grey.
The emotions you feel? Grey.
There is no extreme, no black or white. There is only what is. What's comfortable. What's safe.
It's grey. Colorless. Lackluster.
The woods are filled with natural beauty. Songbirds flitter about, filling the leaves with their calls and chirps and whistles. Wind carries through the trees, tickling their branches as they dance to their own little song.
Underfoot, the soil curls and crunches beneath you. Little insects rock about, getting to where they're going with determination that won't stop them for anything.
The forest, in theory, should be a source of life, color, and happiness for any who walk through.
Abby had lived in the forest her whole life, and she felt nothing of it.
Dirt was dirt. Birds were birds. And wind was just wind. There are only so many shades of green in this world and she'd seen them all, right alongside the billions of shades of brown. It was all the same. Brown was just, well, that. BROWN. It wasn't anything special. And certainly nothing to admire.
Her parents chose to live here a long time ago, settling into a meager life where one lived entirely off the land. There were few pleasures, either; it was eat, sleep, and work. A life of menial tasks, one that was taught as 'the only way' one could live.
One day, Abby was sent to fetch more water for the irrigation trenches. It was a standard trip. It was a small reprieve from her day to day life and she was grateful for it. Upon getting to the river, Abby noticed movement underneath the water. Instantly, she was defensive, keeping her eyes narrowed at the surface of the river. More flickers of movement darted beneath.
Cautiously, Abby approached, and was startled when the movement in the water burst onto the surface, splattering her and drenching her instantly. In front of her stood another komo, with fur that was dark and a silly grin plastered on it's features.
"Howdy!"
The earthly komo blinked, shocked for a few moments, before she realized that they had actually greeted her.
"H...hello..." She said, albeit a bit apprehensively.
"What's the frown for?" They inquired, giving her a prod against her chest. She narrowed her eyes at them, taking a step back.
"I'm not frowning." Abby argued, flicking her ears backward.
"You are now for sure! Who doesn't enjoy a good bit of water on a hot day?"
Abby glanced around, noticing, for the first time, the sunlight filtering through the trees, the warmth pressing against her back, offset by the cool water now dripping from her fur. It was quite warm today, wasn't it? The stuffiness of the forest was normal to her; she hardly noticed the difference.
"Come on! Let's go swimming and escape the heat!" The other komo urged.
"I shouldn't. I have to get water for my farm." Abby argued almost immediately. Though, the sound of going in the water was nice....
"Come on! Just a little swim?" They urged.
After some more hesitation, Abby relented, giving him a nod and padding into the water. It was ice cold to the touch. However, getting used to it happened in seconds, and she had to duck as the dark komo jumped back into the water, splashing her again.
"Doesn't it feel great?!" The komo cheered. Abby felt a small smile play on her lips.
"Yeah, it does feel kind of good." She admitted, paddling around in the water.
Before the two of them could get too comfortable, the current picked up suddenly, and what once was a calm stream turned into a raging river, sending the both of them downriver. Panic welled up in her chest, and Abby began paddling furiously to fight it. However, the Komo next to her was ecstatic with happiness.
"Yes! I love it when this happens!" They cheered.
"Are you crazy? We're going to get swept away!" She panicked. "I got to get to my family!"
"Don't worry about it! We'll get you there in no time!" The komo swam over to her, surprisingly strong against the current. The komo put their paw on her chest. "I promise, it'll be okay."
While the moment would have been touching, Abby's eyes widened in fear as she saw them rapidly approaching a 'cutoff'.
"We're going to fall!" She pushed him away, trying to get to the edge. A rather strong wave pushed her away from safety, and, when she tried to fight, she felt nothing underneath her paws.
She was falling, plummeting towards.....
Abby opened her eyes for a moment, and had a time to see clear water beneath her. She crashed into it, sending water careening out into the air. Underwater, she opened her eyes, looking around at her surroundings. Colorful fish were scattered about, startled by the sudden komo in the water. Shiny pebbles lined the bottom of the lagoon, all different colors. Little shells were here and there; she hadn't ever seen so many.
Abby rose to the surface to get some air, letting out a gasp. Looking around, her ears perked up, and for the first time of her life, life sparkled in her eyes.
The clearing she found herself in was teeming with life; beautiful flowers of dozens of colors were in bloom, filling the air with a sweet scent. The trees were clear here, and she could see the big, beautiful blue sky above her. A breeze was making petals dance through the air.
For once in her life, the world was...colorful. She could finally appreciate the world in all it's beauty, and all it's amazing colors. Birds weren't just birds; they were the songstresses of the forest. There wasn't just dirt; it was the resting ground for the plants that gave life to the world. The trees helped give a crown to the sky.
For the first time in her life, the world wasn't just grey.
