Shadowydreamer’s Scribbles
A Place where a Dreamer throws up stories.
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Shadow story.
Shadow is a Star Trek character created for a writing group. She’s based on Janet Kagan’s “Uhura’s Song” novel and used under her ‘just don’t make money!’ clause. She’s a felenoid, a bipedal cat.
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This was bouncing around my brain while I was hiking the Chilliwack River Trail.. It doesn’t really fit into current timeline, so, y’know..
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Shadow ducked behind the tree and scrambled up as the pounding of feet came down the trail. She scurried past the welcome homes that were now raising a ruckus.
She shouldn’t be surprised at the reception she’d received after failing her third walk. She supposed she should expect to be handed gifts of knives to take the other trail, harassment, bullying and jokes that weren’t very funny. The latest round of assailants were a pack of youth almost ready to Walk. She’d been picking berries for her kits when they’d came up on her, slapping the berries out of her hands and out of the carrysack. She’d reacted in typical child fashion of leaping at the eldest and leader and dragging him to the ground in a typical pounce-tackle. They’d rolled on the ground as she applied claws and teeth until he squawked.
That should have been the end of it, but with no elders within hearing, one of the females had reached around her and yanked her tail. Hissing Shadow had turned to pounce on the newest antagonist when someone else had yanked her tail. She wasn’t very familiar with this camp, she had been thinking of moving but her mate wanted to stay for the season; he liked the hunters. Unfortunately, with him out on the hunt she didn’t even have his shadow to hide in. Seeing herself outnumbered and a group of aggressors spoiling to get her out of camp she’d done the sensible thing and run.
The downside was that while she was taller and longer of limbs, she didn’t know the trees as intimately as the children of the camp. She might have some speed in the trees, but they knew which branches met where. She had to jump down several meters and catch herself on a branch more than once. An ominous crack as she caught herself told her she’d have to come up with a new plan soon. Her retreat had taken her down towards the river. It wasn’t a deep river, but it was fast and rocky.
With a glance over her shoulder where she could see Stormclaw catching up, she took a deep breath and dived into the waters. Chances were and even those children that were able to swim wouldn’t want to follow into the cold depths. The water was a slap of glacier temperatures and had her push against the bottom to come up for air. The current was already trying to drag her down the way. Digging her back claws against the rocks she managed to stay in place, eyes narrowed at the bank. The children were picking up rocks to throw. Growling in frustration as a better answer to mewling in despair, she bounce-swam her way to the far shore. They’d have a long run to get to the bridge to come find her. On the bank of the river she wiggled past the bushes and shook off as much of the water as she could from her fur. Climbing up into the Y of a nearby tree gave her a safe vantage point to groom the water off.
It seemed hours before she was dry and walking her way back to the bridge. She knew it wouldn’t take much intelligence for them to realize she’d rather take the bridge back than swim a second time. She could only hope that they’d become bored with their games and gone home to mooch dinner from their kith and kin. She wanted to be buy a nice warm campfire herself at the moment, but at least the kits were safe in SoftSong’s tent. She took some satisfaction in scooping some fish out of the waters even if it had gotten her feet and calves wet a second time. She’d walked shaking off feet for several minutes.
The bridge was empty in the growing dusk of the night, though Shadow didn’t let her up guard until she was back in the camp. Stormclaw hissed to his best friend, “Looks Hides in Shadows should get a new name of Hides with the Fish.”
She flicked her tail in his direction but didn’t bother looking in his direction. As far as the adults were concerned if she took offense she should challenge him, but any challenges she made were apparently going to be repaid in numbers when he found her alone. Easier to just ignore and have him not need to bandage his ego at the first opportunity.
SoftSong was sitting beside her tent with the kits. Both were sleeping when Shadow arrived, but they quickly woke at the scent of their mother. She sat down to licking and cuddling them. How could anyone think she would be so selfish as to take the Long Walk when she had kits to care for? Perhaps when they were old enough to chew food it would be different, but for now, she was needed and that was almost enough.