Hello again! I'm

Chatterbox: Inkwell

Hello again! I'm

Hello again! I'm writing an animal-personification novel. Please comment!

Coral

 

Chapter 1

The waves lapped against the tawny sand of Bowsprit Bay, licking the minute grains gently before drawing away, exhausted from the effort. Then they summoned their strength and strained again, the ice-cold water hissing against the sun-warmed beach. Occasionally, a pelican, or puffin, or laughing gull would soar across the cloud-speckled summer sky before wheeling about hastily and flapping madly away. Sun-light reflected off the tin roofs of Bowsprit Bay’s cluttered townhouses. The buildings were jumbled together in a cluttered, cheery mess, like some massive colossus had picked up a village and crumpled it together with his fist before lobbing it back to earth. Holtgaurds patrolled the narrow streets, mingling with the other otters, hedgehogs, ferrets, and rabbits that called Bowsprit Bay home.

Foam closed his eyes, soaking in the sun’s heat. He wiggled in the sand, burrowing his body deeper . He let loose a sigh of ecstasy as the sand’s warmth oozed into his skin, warming him from the tip of his rudder to his small, furry ears. He lay in silence for a little while longer. The salty sea air mingled with the sweet wood smoke from the cooking fires that dotted the sand. It was too dangerous to cook among the sun-dried, cramped timbers of the Bay residences, so all hot meals were prepared by the sea. It was really quite pleasant, boiling porridge as the sun rose and stabbed the heavens with thousands of rays of colored light, or roasting sea bass or even marlins with friends as night fell and the stars dusted above. Foam’s mother, Seasprit, spent more time here than any other Coralian. She shared Foam’s love of the shore, and came whenever she could.

The beach chatter was cut off by a scream. Foam sat up abruptly, sand spraying everywhere. The source of the shriek was a young ferretbabe, a few yards away from Foam, accompanied by her mother and father. She pointed towards the gargantuan cliffs that enclosed the bay on either side and screamed again. Her father swept her up in his arms and gazed in the direction of her distress. Then his eyes widened.

“Birds!” But his cry came too late. The beachgoers scattered as a mass of seabirds launched off their perches at the top of the left cliff launched themselves towards the unready Coralians. Their harsh calls split the air as they hit the panicking Coralians from above. Pelicans, gulls, albatrosses, puffins, and ospreys dived in and out of the crowd. It was chaos. A pelican scooped a leveret up in its beak pouch and flew high before flipping onto its back. The babe cannoned into the sand, limbs bent at odd angles. A huge albatross broke an otter’s neck with a single sweep of its huge wing, the sharp CRACK! ringing over the beach.

Foam was already moving when the wave of birds lifted into the air. He grasped the only weapon he had brought, a dogwood staff, and readied himself. Not a moment too soon. An osprey, bedraggled and coated with sea salt, flew towards him, hooked beak open, ready to snap down on his flesh. But the young otter turned and battered its head twice with his heavy rudder as it shot past. The bird hit the beach and bounced before coming to a limp stop.

With a shout, a nearby patrol of Holtguards threw themselves into the fray. The otter guards numbered only three, but they wielded their axes with skill, sending more than ten birds to earth after only a few moments. Foam recognized one as Limpet, his father’s deputy, before they were lost in a whirling, swirling melee of flashing beaks and beating wings.

Then, as quickly as the fight began, it stopped. The ragged remains of the raiding party lifted into the air, flapping exhaustedly over the cliff. The Holtguards hurriedly strung their bows and fired into their midst, but most shafts fell short, only two seabirds spiraling to earth.

Foam panted, supporting himself with his staff. All around him lay the ravaged corpses of birds and Coralians alike. Limpet unstrung his bow and placed it in the oversized quiver slung to his back, grimacing angrily. “Blast. Timp! Run to the palace and warn the Praetors immediately. Don’t stop for anyone!” One of the Holtguards nodded and took off into the townhouses. Limpet waved at the Coralians who had began to cautiously poke their heads out of their home windows.

“Everyone, back inside! Don’t leave your homes!” The window shutters closed with sharp clacking sounds. Then the hefty otter saw Foam. He waved him over.

“Well done, kit,” he said, clapping a heavy, scarred paw on his shoulder. “Are you hurt?”

Foam shook his head. “’m fine.”

“Good lad.” He kicked at a dead cormorant angrily. “Blasted rats-on-wings. Only good bir is a dead one, remember that, Foam. Now I have another job for you.” He pointed his axe towards the Coralians, who were slowly rising, bewildered, dazed looks on their faces. “Help them. Get the living up and on their way, and…leave the dead. Let the tide carry them away.”

Foam drew himself up with pride, puffing out his chest and swinging his rudder from side to side. “You can count on me.”

The otter lieutenant grinned crookedly and ruffled his headfur. “I know I can. Now get to it.”

Foam and the other Holtguard, a rugged male named Grotto, moved through the crowd, helping Coralians to their feet, organzing parties to take the wounded to Laurel Grove, the medical university, and, in some instances, separating the dead and their grieving friends and family. Foam swept up a leveret who was pawing at her mother’s still form and sobbing and passed her to a nearby hedgehog. The dull beast dutifully waddled away, patting the babe gingerly on the head as she screamed and sobbed. After tearing a hogwife from her totally mutilated husband, he felt his stomach grow queasy and sat down on the blood-stained sand, rubbing his forehead.

Some time later, he felt a heavy paw on his shoulder. He looked up at Limpet, who smiled sadly. “Up you go, kit. Let’s get you home.”

High above them, a lone cormorant squawked in triumph.

submitted by Nick/Muse
(January 23, 2012 - 7:27 pm)