Author Archives: Dee

About Dee

I am a working wife, geek, and mother of two with opinions about just about everything which I plan to share here.

W is for Wolf

Sunday Scribbling prompt #225- letter.  This story brought to you by the letter W for Wolf

Some people were afraid of storms.  Jae loved them.  They made her feel like every cell in her body was alight. The sky had darkened to the west and the clouds crept closer all afternoon.  The air smelled like rain and Jae raised her face to the sky and breathed the taste of lightening in.  She could hear the rumble of thunder still in the distance.  She wondered where Aedan was, if he and the pack were up in the mountains hunting.

She wanted to hate Aedan.  She was still angry at him.  It was confusing to be mad at Aedan the wolf and then like Aedan the man.  She knew they were the same, just as she was the same inside, whether wolf or human.  But, that wasn’t quite true was it?  She needed to see her family.  She hadn’t seen them since the first change.  She knew Simon spoke with them, letting them know she was okay.  She just wanted to see for herself.  Could she change and slip up to their home with the storm covering her?  She had never changed at will before but she knew she could. It wasn’t pleasant, but not painful either.  There was no one around, but she still felt exposed.  She stripped off her clothing and laid it in a neat pile under the bench on the porch, out of the way of the weather.  Jae walked out toward the stream where she had sat and talked with Aedan and concentrated on the wolf inside.  She felt a stretching and bending inside herself that was uncomfortable but familiar. The weird perspective change made her feel slightly nauseous for a moment until she adjusted.  The ground seemed much closer, smells and sounds assaulted her, clear and pure.  She could separate and name each one individually.

The storm was much closer now.  Small animals were burrowed down and even the birds were silent and crouched on branches nearest the trunks of the trees.  The world around her breathed with anticipation for the coming wind and lightening.  Jae took off at an easy lope, heading for the tree line.  She stayed in the edge of the woods.  Finally her house was in sight.  This might have been a mistake.  No might about it.  This was definitely a mistake.  She stood at the edge of the woods listening.  There was movement in the house and she could hear a fiddle.  Her dad was playing.  It was raining now and she slipped closer to the house.  The darkness and noise from the rain would hide her.  The sound of the fiddle became clearer.  She could hear her mother singing.  She was probably dancing with her little brother.  They sounded happy.  They sounded like they didn’t miss her at all.  All the pain and anger welled up in her and she raised her muzzle and let go to the moon and the lightening and all the storm, a howl that came from her heart, from her gut, from the place where all the unfairness lived.

The fiddling stopped.  Jae looked around in a panic, but it was too late.  The front door opened and her father’s shape was silhouetted in the light spilling out from the house, fiddle still in his hand.  Jae bowed her head, but stood her ground.  Her dad slowly raised the fiddle and began to play a few notes.  Jae whined, he played a few more.  She stretched and began to howl again as the man she had known as her father played a sad song to the little white wolf at the edge of the woods. A bolt of lightening hit something in the woods and lit up the sky for a moment.  Jae and her dad looked at each other.  Jae would always remember that he lowered his eyes first.  She ran through the night and the rain and the wind, all the way back to Simon’s house.  She fell asleep dreaming of fiddles and thunder.

More wolf Moon Stories

Earnest T.

Three Word Wednesday CXCVIII: bait, jump, victim

Carefully shopping for each item on his list took time and research. People who were expert had to be approached carefully so they wouldn’t suspect what he was about. He had worked all week on his plans and was certain he was ready.  He donned all the special gear, he packed all his tools and slipped out in the pre-dawn darkness.  He could hear his own breathing in the silence.  He closed the car door with a quiet little snick and winced as the sound of the engine catching pierced the quiet.  He eased out of the driveway and went to what would be the site of his victim’s last appearance.  He was patiently waiting for the bait to be taken and when it finally happened he was so tense, sweating in the humid dawn, that he jumped and almost lost control of the situation.

At last the job was complete and he packed up, making sure he left no clue that he had disturbed the serenity of the solitary place.  One last glance around and savoring the feeling of triumph, he headed home.  He quietly eased back into the house and put everything away.  He started the coffee pot and when the aroma had filled the house, his wife stumbled to the kitchen in her robe and slippers.

“Hey there sleepy head.” He smiled and kissed her on the forehead handing her a cup.

“How did it go?” She asked after yawning.

“Look in the sink!” He pointed, his face saying everything.

There resting in all it’s glory, was a twelve pound bass.

July 21 Pack Light

Writer’s Book of Days prompt: Write about packing a suitcase

what would you take
forevermore
the box is small
so you must choose what
will you use to
make the cut
will pride go in
it chafes you know
better to just let it go
a grudge is sludge
that clogs the way
and bitterness
tastes like it sounds
so leave that on the shelf
and disappointment
bad for health
it rips off joy
stop looking back
your suitcase full
will break your back
or heart just
let the bad stuff go
and travel light
regret will leak
and ruin all
and resentment
seems to be too tall
to fit inside and why
you’ll never need
in fact the case is
dead weight too
just leave it all and
hit the road
stepping down
the white lines
the gold mines
the dark pines
into the distance
dream the dance
the chance to make
the words up
as you go the
chorus all the love
that follows

July 20 For The Days

July 20 Writer’s Book of Days prompt: Write about passing time

how far is home
I want to go
I bear the marks
a girl of ages
book of pages
written on a story
not of glory
just of living in
the days of years
of family choices
other voices
songs are sung
the pictures hung
with care each move
a home to prove
that I am here
and not a ghost
the most is best
the rest a test
it’s all perspective
eyes corrective
lens clad can see
beyond the trees
across the seas
the memories
the hopes are
forward not behind
the time has passed
and nothings ended
some pretending
act the part
and soon the heart
becomes the role
the chosen goal
the shore in sight
a warm clear night
we’ll sing a hymn
and dance the wind
will fill our sails
and all travails
will pass and land
we will our hands
to better work the morrow
no more sorrow
saved by grace we
face the sun forever

July 19 Wolves Take What They Want

Writer’s Book of days prompt: Write about a time you got what you wanted

Again – these prompts come from the book Writer’s Book of Days by Judy Reeves

BUY this book – seriously.  Great prompts, quotes, and encouraging articles.  Visit her website.  She is my new hero 🙂

Wolves Take What They Want

The shadows hid him, the dark gray of his fur blending into the darkness.  He watched them, barely breathing.  If Aedan had been in wolf form he would have smelled him.  His sense of smell in human form was enhanced but the wind was blowing his scent away from them as they sat there talking.

What could they be talking about?  It took self control to not charge and take him down now.  It would be easy while he was human and then he could play with the little wolf girl.  He remembered the taste.  She was his first, but not his last.  Aedan kicked him out of the pack.  He would be repaid for that.  But not yet.  He had to be patient and let this play out.  Let Aedan think he was getting everything he wanted and then he would take it from him.  His pack, her, his life.

He would have to be careful.  The old man was gone but he would return.  He protected them and he had power.  Liam had been watching him for some time, trying to figure out what his part was.  The girl stayed with him.  He would have to do something about him.  He turned and loped into the woods.  He had no pack, but he had his anger. He would get everything he wanted, Aedan be damned.

For more Wolf Moon Stories click here

July 18 Recurring Dreams

Writer’s Book of Days Prompt: Write about a recurring dream

where do they come from
these dreams of running
something cunning
is there a meaning
a missing something
throw the bones
read the runes
the calendar of days
of trees of magics
older than we are
older than the beetles
crawling in the graves
that wait for me
what saves me
is this one thing
that grace will give
another chance
a dance
for us no thought
for dreams and hopes
fear of what I wish
I knew I run and run
and feel the something
over my shoulder
on my heels the wheels
of my mind frustrate me
I know me not and fear
that if I did I would
find me boring
if I were more able
more social more stable
more willing to try
to buy into the ways
of you and yours
would you accept
I’ve kept it light
you never liked it
deep too sad
you said let’s drink
and laugh and time
will pass
but something stays
behind and buried
cannot breathe
this withered atmosphere
a shriveled tear
left on the table
traded for a smile


July 17 Jae and Aedan

Writer’s Book of Days prompt: in a state of disarray

Writers Island prompt#12: Reunion

Aedan looked at her standing there wrapped in a blanket, holding a knife, fierce and afraid but facing him down anyway.  He stood still with his arms at his sides.  He didn’t want to give her any more reason to fear him.  He knew he had handled things badly.

He sat down.  It was all he could think to do.

“Wait.  You remember?  You were there?” Her hand tightened on the knife.  “Was it you?  Did you bite me?”

Aedan frowned. “No it wasn’t me!  Think back.  Don’t you remember the wolves?”

Jae thought about that night.  She remembered a large gray wolf.  Aedan was a dark chestnut in his wolf form.  She felt some of the tension leave her muscles.  She thought again about the wolf.  She always thought her dad made him leave but she remembered there being more than one wolf.  Her da couldn’t have beaten them all off.  She was so scared and it hurt and everything seemed to happen so fast.  She remembered another wolf snarling and…”It was you!  You attacked the grey wolf! You made him stop biting me.”

“That was Liam.  He was a new wolf.  Very strong but not a lot of self control.  He moved too quickly for me to stop him completely.  I hoped you wouldn’t change, but I was too late.”

Jae shrugged. “So why didn’t I meet Liam when I was with the pack?”

Aedan looked towards the woods.  “Liam is gone.”

Jae watched him. “So why are you here?”

Aedan looked back at Jae. “I wanted to meet you in human form.  Simon sent a message telling me you were here.”

Jae sat down, still keeping her distance. “Simon.  I should have known.”

Aedan smiled. “He meant no harm.”

Jae was quiet for a moment.  “Your eyes are the same.”

Aedan stared at her. “So are yours.”

For More Wolf Moon Stories click here


Wolf Girl Blues Part Deux

Sometime in the night, Jae finally fell asleep. She awoke, cold and stiff, lying in the corner on the floor behind the bed. She had dragged the cover off and wrapped it around herself but there was no fire and the chill from the floor had worked it’s way into her bones.

There was a knock on the door and Jae jumped and shrank back, remembered terror from the night before washing over her.  She stayed silent.  Another knock, this time followed by a young man’s voice.  “Jae?  Are you in there?”

Jae frowned.  She didn’t recognize the voice and yet there was something familiar, tickling the back of her mind.  She stared at the door, hoping whoever it was would just go away and leave her alone.

“Jae, I know you can hear me.  I’m going away for now but I will be back.  We need to talk.”

The sound of footsteps leaving the porch and then nothing.  Jae breathed a sigh of relief.  She quietly got up and pulled the blanket tighter around her.  Quietly walking to the window, she peered through a crack in the shutter.  Nothing. The wolf inside sensed nothing, but she didn’t understand it enough to rely on it in her human form.  So much to learn, to figure out.

Jae walked around the the house where she had spent time healing. she had felt safe here then.  Now she wasn’t sure of anything.  She folded the blanket and looked around for something to eat.  There was a chunk of crusty bread wrapped on the table and a jug of water.  Simon always seemed to know what was needed.  The bread was tender on the inside and flavored with herbs that Simon grew.  She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she started eating.

Sleep, food, important things done.  She was feeling a little better.  Unfortunately she wasn’t smelling better.  Living with wolves left a lot to be desired in terms of human grooming.  Jae cleaned up the crumbs and looked out the window.  Still no one in sight.  “Time to go outside.  Stop being a baby!”  She told herself as she picked up a thin blanket and a knife.  Great. Now she was talking to herself.  She sighed and stepped outside.  She walked to the stream and stripping off her clothing, she rinsed out her garments and hung them on the bushes to dry in the sun.  Jae stepped into the cool water and splashed it on herself.  She slipped down into the deeper water and rinsed her hair. After soaking for a bit she walked back to the shallow edge. She looked down at her legs at the scars from the bites.  They had healed well, thanks to Simon.  They seemed like such a little thing.  They had changed everything.

“I remember when you got those.”

Jae whipped around in shock.  She hadn’t heard anyone come up.  She stepped out and grabbed the blanket, wrapping it around herself.  The wolf change had gotten rid of any self consciousness but she was alone and in human form she felt defenseless.  Almost.  She picked up the knife.

“Who are you and what do you want?”

“Jae, you know who I am.”

Jae felt her stomach tighten.  She could feel her wolf very near the surface.  He was familiar.  “Aeden?”

To read more of Wolf Moon click here

Simple

Word of the day: folderol

Poets United prompt: diamond

all the folderol and fluff
nothing but a bunch of stuff
not even diamonds in the rough

when troubles come and come they do
importance changes nothing new
and stuff’s the first to go it’s true

how intentional life would be if we
could keep that focused way to see
and furnish heart rooms simply

July 16 Broken Morning

Writers Book of Days prompt – an hour before sunrise

you’ve heard it said
that morning has broken
as though it were pieces
shattered and tattered
with some that are missing
the holes left are hissing
and starshine is leaking
the moon peaking out
through cerulean skies
is confusing enough
can you fix it it’s tough
to have night showing
through when dreaming is due
but she said that she could not
or would not I think but I
smiled as the sunset and sunrise
both pink blended into each other
and clouds hid the mistakes
til thunder could shake
and the lightening illuminate
all of the problems the rain
would erase and washed clean
we all sighed in relief
as that thief of a morning
stole over to afternoon
showers and golden eve
bowers shade all from the
harshness of summer sun
sinking what’s that you ask
thinking another strange way
to describe the sun travels
as daylight unravels and
sunlight gives way to the
lamps and the fireflies
and stars wink like ladies
in blue satin dresses
and moonlight flows down
like a lover’s caresses
It twists in my mind and
makes me quite tired
it’s work to use words
to describe this creation
so give me a pillow
and something to read
the simple things really
are all that I need