On the Side
"He's here, mistress," the otter announced demurely. Motes of dust and strands of fur floated around her. Her sleek, rudder-tailed frame was silhouetted in a golden ray of light, the late-afternoon sun making its presence known through the palace's...
Love Before Breakfast
It was a cold, snowy afternoon, mid-February, and casual conversation spilled from the open-walled break room into the adjacent hall. Rico, a long-eared chipmunk, could hear it as soon as he got out of the elevator. "Who are they...
One of a Kind
The TV showed the Indianapolis skyline. Part of it, anyway. "It's quarter 'til eight, and, yes, this is a live look downtown from the roof of the station!" exclaimed 'Fib the Morning Mouse,' Channel 13's 'sunrise' meteorologist. "What view?" quipped a...
1.1 - Fancy Meeting You
The comm channel chirruped, gently piercing the darkness. No response. It sounded again. And again. Followed, finally, by an impatient voice. "Aria to Sheila. Are you there?" Sheila stirred, grumbling weakly. The sheets strewn. Clothes on the...
Across the Street
It was just after nine-o'clock on a Saturday night, and the once-crowded restaurant was starting to become sparse. The air was faintly spicy and warm, a contrast to the wintry conditions outside. Snow fell. Thick, fluffy flakes covered the remnants of...
The Green Hour
"This is a nice ship." "Well, she should be," said Field, defensively. "Did you expect otherwise?" "No," answered Wren, the squirrel. The captain of this new ship. The Luminous. He stepped gingerly onto the bridge, moving slowly (as if...
Just How it Works
Ross let out a shaky breath. Drew it in. Released it. Sniffed a bit. And closed his eyes as he felt a cotton ball dabbing the bare skin of his right arm. The ball soaked in alcohol. And creating a cool, sterilizing sensation. "Relax ... it won't...
Famous Last Words
"So, Ketch," Kody said, chomping on some French fries. The off-white rabbit twiddled his grey-tipped ears, leaning back in the cushioned booth. "You ever go by Ketch?" On the other side, the brown-and-white squirrel chewed a few more times before...
Best in Show
"Hey, there, big buck! Saayyyyy ... you look like a baller." Kody's tall, black-tipped ears flicked. He stopped amidst the strobing lights and bountiful bags of colorful cotton candy. The hunky Himalayan rabbit blinked and looked to the carnival...
Afterglow
“How much longer?” Adelaide wondered. Field, a few feet away, re-aimed his camera (secured atop a tripod) and snapped some shots of the now-crescent sun in the gradually dimming sky. Looking at the results, the harvest mouse ran a paw through his...
Three For the Road
The roar of the crowd was deafening, the air vibrating with caged, heated energy. It rattled the rafters. Raised the roof. And the game hadn't even started yet! The atmosphere was almost enough to make one forget it was the deep, dark doldrums of...
1.1 - The Green Hour
"It's a nice ship," was the approving whisper. Nose sniffing the air, tentatively. "Better than I expected." A hesitation. Before the mouse responded, in his detail-oriented way, "Didn't you see the specs and everything? I gave them to you ......