Beings of the Lovely Hills Option A: Make Something Up
Welcome to almost Friday. We’re on the back half of the week and so today presents the second part of our adventure.
If you missed Tuesday, feel free to check out the post under recent posts.
Otherwise, read on and vote at the end for how you’d like to proceed, but choose wisely, for the Lovely Hills has some strange creatures.
Beings of the Lovely Hills Option A: Make Something Up
The cat purrs as it waits for you to answer. The soft rumbling carries to your ears as you consider a response to the riddle.
“Phoenix?” you guess. It’s got wings and is ash when it’s reborn. You’re not sure about the feared thing but it’s worth a guess.
The cat chuckles. “Creative, but we haven’t had a phoenix in the Lovely Hills for some time. Try again?”
You get up for a glass of water while you think. The cat didn’t act like a phoenix was an odd answer, so going with mythical creatures might be on the right track.
As you sip from your water glass, it hits you.
“Dragon!” you say.
The cat purrs and starts kneading the coverlet. “I knew you were a sma-”
Something darts into the cabin through the open window. “He’s found us! Hurry out the back!” And whoever it is keeps running for the rear of the cabin.
The cat on the bed shrieks, jumps straight into the air, and takes off after the newcomer. “Come on,” he shouts over his shoulder, “you don’t want to be here when Nightwalk arrives!”
“Nightwalk?” You’re awake enough now to grab your bag as you follow. Past the kitchen you find the bathroom and after that is a rear door to the cabin.
At the door sits the cat from the bed and beside him is a cat with white splotches. They’re both looking at you to open the door. Pulling it open, you follow the two felines through.
As you pull the door closed, you hear a crash against the front of the cabin. There’s splintering of wood and a frustrated roar.
“This way,” whispers the white spotted feline.
You hurry after her into the trees behind the cabin. The cats stop only after passing cabin five and running down into a little valley behind the resort.
“Think we’ve lost him for now, Norman,” the white spotted one says. In the light from the moon, you can now see this cat’s smaller than Norman, who has a decided pouch to his stomach.
Norman just flops onto his side.
“A dragon? What’ve you gotten me into?” you ask.
“Lily, how’d he find us so fast?” Norman asks the white splotched cat.
Lily glares at him. “You, dumby. I went back to the nest and found where you’d rubbed against the entrance. You may as well have shouted to him who took the eggs. That’s why I came to help you tonight.”
Norman’s ears go back and he sinks his belly to the ground. “Oops” is all he says.
“What have you gotten me into?” you ask again.
Lily sits on her haunches. “We made a promise to take care of Lady Silverscale’s eggs while she’s building a new nest. She’s had some trouble with Master Nightwalk eating her hatchlings.”
“So why do you need me?”
“We can’t move the eggs and obviously, Master Nightwalk’s onto where we hid them.”
Norman sidles up to your leg and leans in. “Please, help move them.” He gives you that unblinking stare. At least it’s not vapid like the lady in the lobby.
“Why didn’t you just ask the lady in the lobby to help you?”
Both cats hiss. “She’s not all there, if you hadn’t noticed.”
“Right. All right,” you agree.
Both cats give a rumble of delight at your response. You follow them farther into a valley where a small creek’s running.
The cats freeze in front of you. Just ahead, at a spot where the creek pools, a large shape’s ruffling in the underbrush.
“No, no, no,” Norman whispers over and over again. “He’s already found the eggs.”
As you watch, you make out wings like a gigantic kite and a head with jaws that could eat you in one bite.
“What do we do now?” Norman asks.
Lily hisses at him and looks to you, “payment for a room was to move the eggs. It’s a little more complicated now. I promise you’ll get a good night’s sleep if you stay. Heck, we’ll even pay you now if you help us.”
She stares at you, waiting for a response.
Do you…
Aa. Agree to help?
or
Ab. Walk away?
Blessings,
Jennifer
(Please post a comment with your choice. One vote per post please but comment as much as you like=) This makes counting votes easier. Voting will end at 8pm Mountain Time Monday. I’ll post whichever option gets the most votes Tuesday and we’ll see how the adventure continues!)
