Chatterbox: Inkwell

Story Den

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This is a place -a subsection of the Inkwell, if you will- where CBers write, compare, contrast, compliment, and criticize short (there's no word limit, but if the stories were 500 words or less, that would be good) stories. Write of treachery, of fantasy, of mystery, of Fandom, of magic..... The possibilities are endless! Just one rule: Unless permission is given by their author, all stories are copyrighted.

I'll start.

Wings

The rain fell in torrents, drenching his fur..... Someone wailed, screaming, "Juni!!" A dense fog fell, shrouding the plain, hiding everything..... His mother cried for him again, but he couldn't see her, couldn't reach her- he was all alone now.....

Juniper woke up, gasping. The dream seemed so vivid, almost like that horrible scene was happening again. He blinked, his brilliant cyan eyes flashing. The rain was gone, had been gone for countless moons now. He stood up as much as he could in the cramped tree hollow, black pelt caked with dirt from the hollow's earthen floor. He cautiously stepped out, shaking earth from his fur and glancing around. The desert plain was quiet as the first rays of dawn crept up the terrain. The whole world seemed to be holding its breath as the sun rose, beautiful and brilliant, filling the sky with fire. An eagle's cry broke the silence and the plain came to life. The eagles soared high above, their wings spread wide, silhouetted against the dawn.

He sighed, thick tail swishing, and tore his eyes away from the eagles. How he longed to soar with them, effortlessly gliding over everything. He would give nearly anything to be a bird rather than the panther that he was. He closed his eyes, imagining the strong wings of an eagle growing from his back, then flapping them, and being carried into the sky...... He jerked himself out of his daydream. He wasn't going to get anything accomplished by standing around waiting for a miracle. 

Juniper padded away from the plain after a successful hunt. He could see the border between the plain and the forest now, and he loped eagerly toward it. He purred in the shade of the trees, welcoming and cool on his black fur. It was dark. Too dark. Almost as if..... Juniper shook the thought away. That wouldn't happen again. Never. 

And then came the rain. It started as a drizzle, dripping through the forest canopy, but eventually picked up force. Eyes wide, Juniper searched for an escape. He ran aimlessly, trying to find his way, but stumbled over something on the forest floor and collapsed.

 Juniper was in a land full of light. A soft voice beckoned to him, lulling him.... "Juni, come here, sweet cub. I have missed you." He stumbled toward the voice, but found he couldn't see. "Where are you?" he wailed. "Why am I always alone?" The voice purred, "It's alright. I'm here, always here. Come to me now, Juniper. I can give you anything you ever wanted." Juniper imagined wings again, and how glorious it would be.... But something wasn't right. The voice was... wrong, somehow. Juniper flattened his ears, refusing to take another step. He gritted his teeth, and yowled, "NEVER!!"

Juniper was in the dark forest and the rain had stopped. The voice's words echoed in his mind... "I can give you anything you ever wanted." But that chance was gone now. Juni knew he'd never fly, would never have wings.... But he was alive.

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Sorry. That story was awful. I can't really think of anything better right now, however. Oh well! Enjoy the thread.