StoryPaws: A Mystical Story: Toxics Episode 18
Story Paws: Stories to help you pause, and relax. Felicity is swept into a Mystical Old World where plants and beasts are equal, and all is heard. There she meets Reuben, whom she must help, to save his beloved Old World from the threat of the Toxics... if she wants to return home. Use this story to help you unwind, rest, and take a mindful pause. You may like to listen to the first 17 installments of this story first, or simply jump in and use my voice as a tool for rest! Blessings, Maite
Transcript
CHAPTER XVIII.
RIVER DAY UNDER THE CEILING OF STARLIGHT SIB SPOKE.
It was the aquatics who had told him to leave,
He said,
And the opportunity had arisen by chance the night they travelled west.
Felicity didn't care.
She tried to sleep,
But the sound of his wheedling voice made her cheeks burn.
Why had he not sent a message,
Then?
Why did no one challenge him?
She took some deep breaths to calm her anger.
Surely Ruben would not accept Sib's pathetic story.
Sib turned his head in the moonlight and his beady eyes peered directly at Felicity.
She felt sick.
She couldn't see his expression,
Of course.
She knew he had heard a tale of her angry thoughts.
She blocked her mind and continued to listen.
I travelled far,
Far west,
As instructed by the aquatics.
My mission was to shadow the toxics gathering in that area.
The aquatics and oceanids knew they were collecting en masse,
And they wanted me to seek information for them before they left the Western Isle for the great gathering in the shadowed south.
They knew I had an understanding of the toxics' new language.
Felicity tried to remember if Sib had revealed this when they first heard the ugly language in Thornton.
She didn't think he had.
So I lived stealthily,
Staying on their edges and listening to their ideas and plans.
They had become great in numbers,
And it was hard not to be seen,
But I managed.
Felicity made a small noise and Ruben turned to look at her.
She quickly closed her eyes as if asleep.
Their main aim was to try to gather recruits from all toxics,
Even those opposed to change,
She said,
But the oceanids told the aquatics that they had heard worse.
The strata had begun to suspect,
Watching from the skies,
That the toxics were actually trying to recruit other Old World species to join their cause.
A changed world might benefit others in some cases,
And it was this that worried the aquatics and oceanids greatly.
At these words Little Green moved towards Sib.
His eyes glinted in Little Green's glow as she gently approached.
She was also taller,
Felicity noticed.
A phosphorescence surrounded the small circle of Little Green herself,
Sib and Ruben.
Sib took a small step back.
You grow fast,
Little Green,
He said,
Bowing slightly in respect.
Your story concerns me,
Siblin 16000th,
Replied Little Green in her dulcet tones.
To whom else would it benefit my world for the old ways to be lost and destroyed?
Sib's eyelids flicked down and up before he replied.
The Siblin live in the hostile deserts that lie within the central lands.
Ahtewa is not fruitful like those of the Western Isle or the South East.
It's not green like those of the temperate North.
Our enharmonics are not a good match for our kind.
His speech rose to a whine as he answered Little Green.
Ruben said nothing.
He felt Little Green's growing strength.
It was good.
He needed her help with Sib.
He was pleased with the way the troop were developing.
With his guidance this quest would succeed.
It must succeed.
The moon was dipping.
It would soon be dawn.
He stepped forward and interrupted.
Forgive me,
Little Green.
I welcome you to continue this discussion,
But we must sleep first.
Dawn is close.
Tomorrow we descend to the prairies that border the lands of my people.
He touched her arm gently and felt her respond.
She entered his mind privately.
Be careful,
Ruben.
I feel disruption in Sib.
Yes,
Thank you,
Little Green.
I feel it too.
We will discover more in the morning.
Rest,
My dear friend.
We need you strong.
Ruben went and lay by Felicity,
Who had genuinely fallen asleep and was softly snoring.
Orcadia was silent.
Ruben lay on his back,
His hand reaching out to gently hold Felicity's.
Little Green rested quietly as Sib lay down.
She ensured he slept before joining Scrat's side.
Gus touched her arm and she felt lightened.
In him,
Perhaps,
Was the hope for the Toxics.
The first rays of the sun touched the sleeping face of Felicity.
She opened her eyes and was astonished.
The little river she'd spotted in the moonlight was actually a broad blue expanse of water flowing through the valley's centre.
Ruben wanted to move on.
But as they descended the route-bound track,
He looked back.
There were many large boulders piled up in a crevice,
Which he presumed must have been the main fall of the avalanche.
He could see the tops of the craggy mountains,
But they were so jagged in appearance it was hard to tell where the landslide had begun.
It had not,
In the end,
Impeded their way,
And he was glad of that small mercy.
A sense of urgency pushed on his thoughts.
He must get home now.
It was all he could think of.
He needed to clear Little Green,
To bond with Orcadia and to receive his father's instructions.
He was tired of the trail,
Tired of leading them all when the picture was not clear to him.
The reliability of his beautiful world was shifting.
He understood what the aquatics meant now.
He needed every ounce of old-world strength.
He needed to become a mature Orion male.
His eyes were on Felicity,
But he was not even aware of it.
Orcadia spoke silently to him.
She is strong,
Ruben,
But not of our world.
Can it be possible?
That which you seek with her?
There's more to our world than we know,
Orcadia.
Felicity was sent here for a reason.
I was made different from my kind.
Why could these things not balance?
Orcadia sighed,
A stream of floral-scented air that wafted past Ruben.
We'll see,
Dearest Ruben.
Let the elders discuss these things at the banyan whilst we come to our intended maturity.
As Orcadia was speaking,
Felicity had her eyes fixed on a plume of smoke that was travelling towards them far ahead on the valley floor.
Gus,
Scrat and Little Green saw it too.
Wolfgang and Pippi cantered down the path ahead of the others.
Their four legs were a definite advantage on this treacherously narrow track.
Sib's technique was to scale the rock-side.
He was able to cling on in some way.
Like a giant newt,
Thought Felicity.
The trail of smoky dust was clearly coming their way.
The hairs on her arms rose.
She hoped Utoxic could not move so fast.
She looked at Ruben.
He was smiling.
The dust cloud enveloped the Lupata as they galloped into it way below.
George!
Said Gus and Ruben together.
Oh!
Said Felicity.
Oh,
Thank goodness.
The troupe were finally reunited about an hour later,
The bellows of George being audible for the last thirty minutes.
Sib was grumbling.
Enough noise to make another avalanche.
Ruben looked at him.
But everyone was glad to be together again.
George regaled them with his recent adventures.
I look forward to introducing my lovely Torel.
The cutest little black lady on our plains,
He was saying.
Her size is larger than most Torels.
She was not yet mated.
She is the perfect size for me.
And she loves my great maturity,
He finished,
Tossing his head as he pranced back and forth.
George,
Where is she?
Asked Felicity,
Adoring his ridiculous pomposity.
She will not travel with us.
She will join us later,
George said,
And would not explain further.
We welcome your return,
Said Ruben.
The sparkling river drew them on fast.
George had taken the lead for a change,
So Wolfgang and Pippi brought up the rear without discussion.
The sun rose and with it came the heat and the flies.
Felicity had hoped they might not be present in this world,
But she was disappointed.
The fat insects,
More like a bumblebee,
Buzzed around their sticky,
Dusty faces.
George's tail swished in front,
A hypnotic pendulum that only seemed to bat the bugs from side to side.
They hovered about Gus,
Who seemed oblivious to them,
And pestered the Lupata without pause.
The cool water offered relief,
And Felicity could hear other minds chanting tiredly,
Water,
Cool drink,
Diving,
Stipple greens beware.
Felicity stopped walking with a jolt.
Who had said that?
She watched each of them.
Some were walking,
Some brushing away the bugs.
She tried to listen again,
But it was clear whoever had said it was now blocking her.
Her forehead prickled.
They knew she'd heard.
Fear clawed inside her stomach.
Perhaps they thought she'd heard more.
What had they meant anyway?
She chewed her bottom lip.
She must look calm.
Perhaps they didn't know who'd tap their thoughts.
Her thudding heart slowed down.
Perhaps she could listen in again later,
Maybe of more use to Reuben.
Felicity the Diviner.
She fell flat on her face as a plant root caught her shoe.
Felicity the Blind.
She cursed herself softly.
Sib dittered.
She looked at him with dislike.
His eyes went white.
She shuddered.
He had dropped his second lid to conceal his pupils.
His opaque,
Milky white inner lids concealed all.
He is really beginning to give me the creeps,
She thought.
Why is he here?
Little Green came and lightly touched her arm.
We all have our places in this story,
Felicity,
She said quietly.
Do not be so quick to judge.
We learn more by remaining open.
Felicity was still frowning,
So Little Green said,
When we reach Reuben's homeland,
There will be many creatures of our world there.
All the plants and beasts favour Orion Country,
For it's a land of great bounty and joy.
There you should seek the colour-changers,
For they're the enharmonics of the sibling,
And maybe they can help you find the tolerance you need.
Felicity said nothing.
She knew Little Green meant well.
There was always someone to help,
She realised.
First Reuben,
Currently consumed with Orcadia.
Tiny Gus seemed more withdrawn since the toxic attack on the beach,
And Wolfgang and Pippy were mainly busy with each other these days,
When not on duty.
George had been full of Tyrell thoughts,
And Scrat just kept busy growing.
Little Green was a consistent friend.
Looking at the tall plant in front of her,
Felicity could not imagine the young green she had been when she first joined them.
A large splash made her look ahead.
George had reached the water,
And plunged in without hesitation.
His huge displacement caused a succession of small waves.
They all ran laughing towards the inviting river and jumped in.
The plants floated on their backs,
Trailing arms and tendrils.
George had his own stretch,
And they stayed clear of his thrashing legs and horns.
Sib paddled at the edge,
His long tongue lapping the water.
Wolfgang and Pippy swam hard and fast up and down,
Channel swimmers focused on their muscular strength.
Their large noses pointed out of the water,
Nostrils flared to breathe with their aqua exertions.
Felicity was reminded of her own darling dog,
Pippy.
She admired the Lupatra again.
Wherever Pippy now is,
May it have rivers like this,
She thought.
She sat elegantly on a fallen branch,
Trailing her hands back and forth in the water.
Where was Ruben?
Felicity trod water and spun around.
She couldn't see him.
She dipped her hot head into the icy water,
And opening her mouth,
Let it fill up.
She'd seen the others drinking it,
So she swallowed a little.
It was delicious.
It tasted like aniseed,
And even when cupped in her hands,
Kept its turquoise colour.
She swam a leisurely backstroke,
Looking up at the blue sky.
The sun was high,
And the wisps of clouds stretched out,
Forgotten ribbons of moisture,
Abandoned by the wind.
She closed her eyes.
She could hear the lapping of water in her ears.
She lifted her head a little,
A bird was calling in a distant place,
And there were flurries of wind that dappled the river's surface where she swam.
Suddenly she was underwater,
Gasping for air,
As her nose and throat filled with bubbles.
She fought with the enemy and thrashed the surface,
Choking.
Ruben bobbed up,
Looking pleased with himself.
Caught you,
Felicity Isabel Penfold,
He said,
Laughing.
Then he cried out as her hands swung with all the force she could muster and slapped his cheek.
How dare you!
She said,
And then began to cry.
She swam to the bank and hauled herself out.
As she lay steaming with her face buried in the grass,
She heard him climb out and lie beside her.
Ruben wasn't quite sure what to do.
She wouldn't let him mindshare.
She hiccupped as the tantrum left her and looked at him.
How could he understand all the feelings that were raging through her?
He wasn't even a human.
At that thought she began to wail again.
Ruben or Cadia glanced at the disturbance from the opposite bank.
The others swam up and Felicity felt embarrassed.
I'm so hungry after that swim,
She said,
Hoping no one would mention the tantrum.
They didn't.
Their minds shared fast.
A strange behaviour of her world,
They all agreed.
Georges surged forwards in the river,
And they all scaled the slimy banks as fast as they could.
He heaved his mammoth bulk out of the frothing water with great difficulty.
Looking around the group,
Felicity saw them struggling to contain their mirth.
Scrat held his lips pursed tightly together.
Ruben was biting the inside of his cheeks.
Even Orcadia was trying to concentrate on the ground beneath her.
Georges stood,
Sides heaving on the soggy ground,
And announced.
You saw,
I hope,
My streamlined physique cut through the water like a young oceanid.
My Tourelle Titania is a lucky woman.
At these words the whole gang exploded in snorting,
Gasping laughter.
Georges was outraged.
He galloped across the prairie,
Roaring.
Ill-mannered whippet generations,
Ignorant young pups of unknown age,
Rude,
Ungraceful limpets of the world.
His bellows caused basking birds to rise,
And scattered the small deer-creatures grazing in the afternoon sun.
It took the diplomacy of their combined strengths to tempt him back,
With Wolfgang and Pippi as emissaries carrying profuse apologies.
The troop settled down to eat the fat,
Chive-flavoured river reeds that grew in abundance at the waterline.
Then,
Refreshed and invigorated by their day,
They set off for Rubens' land.
Flisty looked back at the sparkling water as they cut a trail away towards the hills in the distance.
She felt a need to memorise the images of this adventure.
To tell Al and Mum.
Then,
Shoulders lifted,
She looked ahead.
