Briefing Day
The mouse swallowed, blinking a bit. "W-what?" "May I nuzzle your nose?" the snow rabbit repeated, quite properly, his bobtail flicker-flicking. He was here to meet with Deering, to prep for their briefing with the Council's security committee....
The Art of Mingling
" ... lot o' furs here," Rhine breathed, over the rim of her cool, clear glass, which was half-full of alcohol, ice cubes clinking about. "All of 'em thinkin' 'bout the same thing." Her sturdy rudder-tail steered aimlessly behind her, brown-furred and...
Cheese Tariffs
" ... I'm gonna assume y'know what happened to your predecessor?" Rhine asked, diplomatically. The rural otter, standing near the doorway, was leaning back against the wall while she smoothed the wrinkles out of her blue, strapless dress. "I mean,...
Mouse Poems
Author's Note: Something a bit different, I guess. Some story-poems, as it were. Field/Adelaide poems, all of them. Which means, thematically, they're laced with lots of romance/love. But I thought I would share just a few (three) of them. Hope they're...
How to Forget About Peaches
SATURDAY "I'm not eating peaches ever," Field promised, with unintentional cuteness, "ever again." A squinty face. "Never." A squeak, and then a soft, little sigh, as he turned his neck to look out the side window. It was so blatantly blue,...
Apples of My Eye
" ... and your parents aren't home, and I don't wanna leave her with mine, and, uh ... Ketchy's waiting, and I kind of have to go," Adelaide blurted, suddenly handing their restless, squirming daughter over, putting her in the mouse's arms. "Uh,...
Fruitful
The black-dotted, bright-red of Indiana strawberries, refreshing, resplendent, mixed with the smooth, mellow melon of cool cantaloupe. It smelled so softly sweet, like swept-back curtains, like summer's relief. And the juice dribbled from their lips,...
Firework Show
It was dark, after ten. Little, blooming blossoms, vanishing mere seconds after they appeared. That's what they were like. That's how the eyes read them, saw them. The fireworks, from afar, popped into view, purposeful, brief explosions. Some...
The Local Weather
" ... there y'are," was the sighing, little whisper. A sound of relief. The scrappy, brown-furred rat coming out of the shadows, into the half-light in front of the teardrop-shaped window. Here in one of the upper docking pylons, which jutted out...
Not Even the Lightning Bugs
It was warm, a summer's evening. Early July, still in the season of fireflies (or, as Field preferred to call them: lightning bugs). They dizzied and dazzled, blinked on and off, neon yellow-green with phosphorescence, bobbing like little, electric...
Nocturne
The sky was a massive, melting mixture of warm, bold colors. Mauve, melon. With some emerald mixed in. As well as that dark, deep sea-blue above, getting richer and richer, dye-diffusing into black. The zenith turning into one of those big, velvety...
Your Appetite, Darling
A pot was boiling on medium-high heat. The air was a bit steamy, smelling of melted butter, scattered flour, and sliced, green vegetables (broccoli, mostly; but a bit of celery, too). A bottle of amber-colored virgin olive oil was lying sideways, with...