{"sf1_id":2080267,"sf2_id":"Oe5xwvM1","title":"A Dragon's Advice","author":"The_Caged_Menagerie","words":622,"posted_at":"2023-12-08T19:43:00.000Z","tags":["Character Development","Dragon","Mouse","Poem"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2080267-a-dragon-s-advice","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/Oe5xwvM1","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/c2/43/c24321a0-5331-4f2b-b5a8-fd92aaddad1b","description":"Written by the mouse here at the Menagerie. This is supposed to be something to warm the heartstrings.","content":"a dragon's advice\n\nwriting this as I calm down. . .\u0026nbsp;\n\nquiet music all around.\u0026nbsp;\n\nfox has woken, holding tight.\u0026nbsp;\n\nsmiles down, her eyes so bright.\n\nran in fear, on that hot date.\u0026nbsp;\n\nmousey. . . m-made her small mistake.\u0026nbsp;\n\nfirst impressions. . . fight or flight. . .\u0026nbsp;\n\nmouse ran off into the night.\n\nsearching desperate for her friend.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"why do preys meet such an end?\"\u0026nbsp;\n\ndragon sighs. he knows this talk.\u0026nbsp;\n\nholds me in his paw, we walk.\n\n\"Light comes down high from the star.\u0026nbsp;\n\nReaching out and reaching far.\u0026nbsp;\n\nPlants, they drink this light with need.\u0026nbsp;\n\nUsing this, they grow fruits and seeds.\"\n\n\"fruits and seeds? they feed this mouse!\"\u0026nbsp;\n\nthey enter into dragon's house.\u0026nbsp;\n\nnodding, he replies to me,\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And what does little mousey feed?\"\n\n\". . . foxes, cats and birds of prey. . .\u0026nbsp;\n\nmuch can end a mouse's day.\u0026nbsp;\n\nthis is a scary place to be,\u0026nbsp;\n\nfor such a tiny mouse like me.\"\n\nThe dragon looks outside the door.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe moon is bright, the light is pure.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What happens next, not often seen. . .\u0026nbsp;\n\nFor foxes feed the plants so green.\"\n\n\"Tired out, and long-lived preds,\u0026nbsp;\n\nthey lay down soft their weary heads.\u0026nbsp;\n\nResting deep, a final night,\u0026nbsp;\n\nReturning what they held in life.\"\n\ni ponder that, my fur so pale.\u0026nbsp;\n\na few tears fall onto his scales.\u0026nbsp;\n\nhe turns to me, to ask me why,\u0026nbsp;\n\na mouse should think and start to cry.\n\n\"...foxes hunt so they may live.\u0026nbsp;\n\nother creatures, take, and give.\u0026nbsp;\n\nall we have is what is here,\u0026nbsp;\n\nenergy is raw and pure.\u0026nbsp;\n\nin the end, it's an exchange.\u0026nbsp;\n\nfood to feed our paws and brains.\u0026nbsp;\n\nyou cannot create new energy -\u0026nbsp;\n\nonly exchange it, now I see.\u0026nbsp;\n\npredators have little say,\u0026nbsp;\n\nin what happens to their day.\u0026nbsp;\n\neven they could meet their end,\u0026nbsp;\n\nbecoming soil once again.\"\n\nThe dragon bears a small, sad smile,\u0026nbsp;\n\ntaking mouse to rest awhile.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThis was not his first explanation,\u0026nbsp;\n\nlife had a way of making complications.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"foxes hunger not for hate or spite.\u0026nbsp;\n\nthey must survive another night.\u0026nbsp;\n\nthey feel the ebb and flow of time.\u0026nbsp;\n\njust like myself. . . they're trying to survive.\"\n\n\"why then, must we mice feel fear?\"\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Inside of fox, you'd disappear.\u0026nbsp;\n\nEven though you feed the flow,\u0026nbsp;\n\nyour mind does not want to let go.\"\n\ni ponder this as time goes by,\u0026nbsp;\n\nlooking up into his eyes. . .\u0026nbsp;\n\nhe looks back down, and seems to get,\u0026nbsp;\n\nthat mouse has got the general gist.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"how to procceed? mouse made mistakes.\u0026nbsp;\n\nshe hurt a friend, her heart, it. . . aches.\"\n\n\"Mistakes are only part of life.\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou'll learn from them.. But hear my advice.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe world will never meet its end,\u0026nbsp;\n\nat the stumbling of good friends.\u0026nbsp;\n\nIf love is true, they'll understand.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThey'll hold you close, and take your hand.\"\n\n\"You can always speak your voice.\u0026nbsp;\n\nEverybody has a choice.\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou will learn to live, and thrive -\u0026nbsp;\n\nmore than simply just survive.\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe may stumble, slip, or fall.\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe're only living, after all.\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou have time to wait and see.\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou're all you ever need to be.\"\n\na gentle tear rolls down my cheek. . .\u0026nbsp;\n\nhe wipes it off, and smiles so sweet.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Tomorrow, sit down and talk to your friend.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThis is a beginning, not an end.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe world will spin, the sun shines down.\u0026nbsp;\n\nLook inside, and all around.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThis world we share is here for us -\u0026nbsp;\n\nyou just simply have to trust.\"\n\nhis words echo my dear friend's speech.\u0026nbsp;\n\nso much other creatures teach.\u0026nbsp;\n\ni smile softly, sleeping tight. . .\u0026nbsp;\n\ntomorrow brings the morning light.\u0026nbsp;\n\nhe will always hear me out. . .\n\nnone of us have any doubts.\n\n  \n  \n\n"}