Scene

Here’s a scene I’ve been working on. It’s between two of my characters Siri, who’s a young warrior girl (probably around ten at this stage of the story) and Xack, who’s a couple years older and her best friend. He’s part of a race of tall four armed farmers who have patagium between their arms (similar to a flying squirrel which allows them to glide).

—–

“I don’t know about this,” Xack says nervously, staring down at the water far below as it laps against the rocky base of the cliff.
“Come on don’t be a wuss. If it doesn’t work you’ll just land in the water.”
“That water is cold!” he exclaims.
I shrug. “Better learn it now before they throw you out of a tree.”
Xack frowns and takes a step closer to the edge, starting at the open space before his feet.
He takes a deep breath.
I wait expectantly.
Nothing happens.
Impatiently I roll my eyes and take a step forward. “Lets go already.”
“Wait! What are you do-”
I shove him and he screams and falls off the cliff.
“Spread your arms!” I shout.
He flails his arms widely.
I grimace as he nears the water. “That’s not going to feel nice.”
Suddenly the wind catches in the patagium-the thin layer between his two sets of arms and body-and he shoots fifteen feet up, then begins to glide on the sea breeze.
“Alright!” I shout, jumping up and punching the air.
Xack glides sporadically through the air, veering one way and then the other. He seems to be trying to make his way toward the beach before he looses too much altitude. Suddenly the wind buffets Xack. A moment later I hear a faint cry, carried by the breeze. Then Xack is hurtling at a forty five degree angle toward the water. He hits with a splash and I wince.
“Ouch!”
A moment later I see his head surface and he starts swimming for the shore. I run along the bluff until I find a trail down to the beach. I reach the shore a moment before he beaches.
“That could have been worse,” I comment lightly.
Dragging himself from the water he glares darkly at me. “It might have been better if I’d actually been ready.”
“That would have taken all day.”
Xack crosses his sets of arms.
I quickly distract him. “Hey you did it! You glided.”
This disrupts his anger with me.
“How did it feel?”
He things back and his mouth twitches. “Terrifying,” he growled.
I smile slyly. “How did it really feel?”
Xack rolls his eyes and his shoulders relax in defeat. “Amazing!” he admits with a grin.

Still Here!

I am actually still alive and writing. I’ve just been horrible about writing blog posts 😉
Washington is amazing this time of year. With the rain and warming weather everything is budding and growing and oh so green! It’s my favorite time of year. And with the nice weather I’m remembering one of my great loves, walking on the tide flats on our quite beach. The bluff is covered with the greenery of the big leafed maples and it’s breath taking. There’s a place past all the houses where the trees come right down to the beach and there are dead trees that have uprooted from the bluff lying along the sand. It’s quite and peaceful and the perfect place to sit and enjoy the the sun for awhile. Really it’s a little piece of paradise.
And not only is it gorgeous, but my creative mind starts working when I’m moving. I’ve worked out a lot of things while walking that beach.
Which is good because I’m in the process of creating a whole world for a new story. It’s quite a challenge and I need all the help I can.
I haven’t quite kept with my goal to write every day this year, but I am writing several times a week, which is a large improvement. So I feel I’m doing pretty good.
Anyway I will try to start updating my blog again. Enjoy!