Cozy Outfit - 292 Words
“But Charon, it’s not even that chilly out!” Faust complained. The angelic Beelzebaby looked at their hooves and stamped them on the floor in quiet protest.
“Now, now,” Charon chided gently. “If you caught a cold, your older sibling would be quite cross with me.” He said.
Faust frowned. “Sariel is a big... a big hippo-crite,” they complained. “I’ve seen. You know they don’t bring a cloak on purpose when it’s cold out so that you’ll lend them yours. They aren’t sneaky about it.”
Charon turned scarlet and busied himself in the racks of sweaters. “N-nevermind that,” he said, flustered. “How about this one?” He selected a bright yellow sweater with broad black stripes, like a bumblebee.
Faust stuck out their tongue. “It’s too bright. I’d attract even more bees.”
“Fair enough,” Charon said, putting it back. He rummaged more among the hangers. “This one?” He pulled out a pink sweater with hearts on it.
Faust considered it, then shook their head vigorously.
“Too pink?” Charon asked.
“No, that’s fine. It’s wool. Too itchy!” Faust huffed.
Charon tapped his chin. This would be harder than he thought. “Come here,” he said, finally, beckoning Faust over. He lifted the tiny Beelzebaby up with his skeletal forelegs so that Faust could pick a sweater for themself.
Faust mumbled to themself as they sifted through the sweaters. Finally, they selected the perfect one - a harvest orange, cotton, cable-knit turtleneck sweater. Charon set them down and they pulled it on, rolling up the slightly too-long arms. Charon handed them their favorite scarf as well, which was dark blue with a constellation pattern on it.
Now in their cozy outfit, Faust was ready to start the day! Together, Faust and Charon headed out towards their next adventure.
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Rainy Fall Day - 292 Words
Vincent sighed as she stared out at the stormy seascape. The ocean was grey and the waves looked choppy, and with each crest upon their shore, reached up the rocky beach with threatening, foamy features. A constant patter of drizzle was threatening at any moment to break into a full blown storm, as it had been storming on and off the past few days.
It was just the way she liked it!
She took a deep breath, breathing in the salt of the sea air tempered by the crisp chill of fall. The nearby forest was in the later stages of fall color, the tops of the tree branches already half-bare. Wet fallen leaves littered the beach, intermingling with the seaweed and rocks of the shore. On days like these, no one else was around, and she felt like her head was clearest. The Beelzebubby was looking forward to a quiet morning of beachcombing, seeing what treasures the ocean storm saw fit to deposit on the rocky sands for her. After that, she would warm back up in front of a crackling fire with a mug of strong coffee or hot chocolate.
Vincent walked slowly along the beach, her fur and braid slowly soaking from the drizzle. Along the way, she picked up various objects, some which would escape the notice of any other soul that happened to be there... a leaf, still with some color left... a sturdy pinecone... a particularly beautiful feather, if soaked by rain and covered in sand... an old coin.
In her mind, she was already assembling a beautiful fall display of all the objects she’d collected. Quietly, Vincent wished that fall would never end, though even when it started to snow, she wouldn’t abandon her beach.
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Mushroom Hunting - 298 Words
“How ‘bout this one?” Orville asked, holding up a lumpy white mushroom.
“Mmm, let me see. Ah, no. That one’s poisonous. Quite toxic, in fact,” Aisley said. Orville dropped the mushroom with a start and kicked it away with her hoof.
Aisley laughed, and Orville looked unamused. “That’s part of the fun though, I’d say!” Aisley said, carefully breaking off a cluster of yellow mushrooms from a rotting log and depositing them in a basket Orville had nobly volunteered to carry.
“If you say so, darlin’,” Orville said, giving her girlfriend an affectionate nuzzle in spite of her exasperation. “How many more do you reckon’ we need?”
Aisley considered this quietly. “Not too many more, I’d say,” she said. “It depends on whether we’d like to dry some out for later. But these will make for a fine meal with Vincent and Millay.” The couple was having a lunch get-together with their two friends the next morning.
“The thing about mushroom hunting is,” Aisley said, looking around. “It can’t be learned from a book, though written and drawn references are certainly invaluable.” She leaned down to inspect a cluster of button mushrooms, before gathering them as well.
“In order to become a mushroom hunter, you have to be taught. It’s essential.” Orville watched with interest as she picked over the damp and rotting leaves.
“You see this one... is perfectly edible. While this one...” Aisley gestured to two nearly identical white mushrooms. “... Even consuming a small piece can prove fatal.”
Orville nodded. They looked the same to her.
“Would you like me to teach you the differences?” Aisley asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Absolutely,” Orville said, and there in the forest, among a bounty of valuable or deadly mushrooms, the cowpoke Bubby only had eyes for her.