Sugar Cream Pie
It was very early morning, a Saturday. Last weekend of July. The peak of summer. The rising sun, a perfect blood orange just above the horizon, became paler and whiter as it ascended into the clear, blue sky. This caused the long, lingering shadows to...
The Books Won't Tell
"So, uh, I'm looking for a book on 'squirrel physiology'." "Whatever." A smile, looking up. Eyes darting, with just a hint of gentle mischief. Her bushy, rich-brown tail flagging behind her, gently whooshing the slightly-stagnant air. "Where's...
Personal Forecast
"I don't think I caught your name?" the patient said as he was checking out. It was the week before Thanksgiving, 3 PM on a Friday, typically a slow time for appointments. Nobody wanted dental work right before the weekend. And with a holiday upcoming,...
4.6 - Point of Entrance
Aurora was alone in the runabout’s ‘mini’ cabin. The medium-range vessel had been designed for efficiency over creature comforts. Bunk beds, the lower of which she occupied, were against one wall. A desk opposite, with a tucked-in chair. Not much...
Love Vibrations
"Hello!" Charlie said, holding a cell phone to her head. Brimming with energy (despite the stifling humidity), the silver/bronze fox squirrel casually leaned against the trunk of a tall,...
Rabbit Racket
Thwack! The tennis ball cleared the net. Bounced. A neon-green and yellow sphere. The rabbit reached for it, swung for it with the racket. Bonk! The ball went back, and the other rabbit ... "Missed! You missed!" the first...
Roadside Attraction
"Is it in reverse?" "Yes," he replied, tensely, whiskers a-twitch. "Maybe you're not giving it enough gas?" "Our truck doesn't run on gas." The mouse's voice was getting higher-pitched, even more than normal. He was tense, frustrated. They'd been...
Butterscotch
"And, with a last look at the weather, let's go back to Fib," said the co-anchor, a gregarious Jersey cow. She looked off-camera and batted her doe-like eyes. "Thanks, Opal," the male harvest mouse said. The view switched to him. He flashed a winning,...
Blended
Solstice, at warp, was still tailing the human ship. Had been doing so for nearly seven hours now. Tailing (and trailing). But the human ship was, indeed, faster, and had a head start ... ... but as the prey on Solstice knew (from instinct and...
Pink Noise
Brizz scooped an oversized helping of crispy, seasoned crickets into his muzzle, crunching on them loudly. "Mmf. Mmh! Wan' some?" the pale white-and-pink bat asked, his Australian accent quite strong. He nudged the bowl across the table. "Um ... no,...
Cover Boy
“Huh. It's you," Petra said evenly, answering her phone while rummaging through the kitchen. “Almost didn't pick up." The voice on the other end said something. “Try four years," the brown rat replied. “Uh, _yeah_." She squinted at the food...
3.1 - New Positions
The mouse's ears, silhouetted in the darkness of the room, rose like moons. Eclipsing her view. "What was that?" "Huh?" was her slow, hazy reply. "That shaking," he whispered. "Prolly me," the rat slurred, sultrily, with a bona fide bedroom voice....