Victory for the Romantic Muse
"I believe we have met before ... " Aria extended a paw. The meadow mouse looked up, a bit shyly. "Oh. Yes," he said. "Aria?" He took her paw. Fingers with his. "Yes," was her kind whisper. Her dress loose, a shimmering blue (like the...
Tongue-Tied Lightning
... six years earlier ... "It's easy, Wilco." "I don't know ... " The flying squirrel hesitated. Looking out. And looking down. At the blinking pre-dusk of the town in the valley. It was getting to be, with the minutes, later in the...
Homemade, My Sweet
"Classic toffee," Field read, his blue-grey eyes carefully darting over the crinkled, off-white recipe, printed on a page he'd torn from today's newspaper, from the 'Hoosier Living' section in the Indianapolis Star, "is a mixture of, uh ......
Chiaroscuro
"I wonder where they went ... I mean, what happened to them?" Ross whispered aloud, his voice carrying ... even though soft. Carrying, still, through the halls of this dilapidated, stone structure. The tall, etched columns with cracks in them. The...
Dark Science
His throat was raw and sore, and his brown eyes were redder than they should've been. And his nose was so, so itchy! Like it was being tickled with a feather-duster. And his whiskers were lax with weariness. "Poor thing," the cinnamon-furred...
With Open Arms
They were in the 'repli-mat,' the open eating area on the Promenade, which had tables, chairs. Food processing kiosks. From where they were sitting, they could see the infirmary doors, as well as the lift that led to the science lab. The simulation...
None and Much the Richer
"You're not an officer." "No." "Never seen you ... " A wide, gaping yawn, showing all his teeth. " ... before." He cleared his throat, shaking his rusty-red man. The rest of his fur being a tawny gold. "Mm. An otter, huh? What's it they say...
Half Acre
"I met a mouse the other day." "Yeah?" "Well, I'd met him before, I guess, but ... those times, we never really talked," Akira said. Belly on bed. Wearing a pink tank-top shirt and some pajama bottoms. Her night attire. It was evening. She...
All Aflame
"This is Commander Peregrine of the Federation Space Station Redwing. Please identify yourselves." He let out a breath, waiting. Waiting. Still waiting. Continuing, "According to our sensors, your ship has been this way before. The last time...
Moments of Transition
"Options?" Wren asked. "We got rid of the wasps, didn't we?" Pyro asked. "So, now, it's ... safe to fire the devices from orbit. Destroy that building, and ... that portal. Whatever that thing is ... " "If there's even ONE wasp we didn't...
Hometown Rabbit
"Did you secure the pod doors?" "I ... I did," Ross chattered, shivering up and down, squinting hard. Nod-nod. "Over there," was Aria's indication, given with a head-nod. "It is not a far walk." "G-good ... mm ... " She eye-smiled...
Exit Strategy
"You wanted to see me?" The casually-dressed otter strode into the captain's ready room. A moist, muggy place. The environmental controls were stifling in here. "Yez, I did," wisped the yellow-spotted salamander. His skin smooth, slightly-wet, a...