Rain Dance

A Story by Laura M

An ordinary mushroom hunt turns into a day of enchantment for a hobbit lass.

She walked in the forest at mid afternoon. The chores were done, and her thoughts turned towards supper.

Of course, being a hobbit, her thoughts were always on some meal
She had a family of hobbits to feed and six meals a day to prepare.

Tonight she fancied a mushroom stew. Only the finest mushrooms would
do for this and she knew exactly where to find them.

She had previously donned her cape and taken up the basket she had in the corner especially
for such goodies.

As she went out the door she smiled at the beauty of the day.

The sun was shining brightly, although dark rain clouds were looming in the distance.
She shrugged and laughed happily. Rain never bothered Diamond. She loved it.

It made everything fresh and clean and the smell after a rain was intoxicating.

The forest was alive with the sounds of birds, and nature.
Squirrels fussed at anyone approaching their nests.

The wind rustled through the tops of the pines, whispering their secrets one
to another.

It was a perfect afternoon. Warm and soft.

Diamond took off her cape and draped it over her arm, then headed for her favorite mushroom hiding place.

Walking into the clearing, she soon spotted a large rock. Her rock.

She smiled happily,quickening her steps.

Diamond gave a little skip, then fell to her knees. She began to dig under
the stone to find the hidden delights.

She smiled as the fresh musky scent of earth wafted up
into her nostrils, then laughed in excitement.

Her digging had unearthed the most beautiful
golden mushrooms yet.

Diamond clapped her hands together in delight, uncaring that her hands
were were now covered with dirt, or that mud was caked beneath her
nails.
She loaded her basket, then turned to dig deeper when a flash
of lightning shot across the sky!

She ducked and looked up with over large eyes.

She began to count.
One mushroom, Two mushroom, Three mushroom.. "BOOM"..
the sound of thunder rumbled through the trees!

The forest had gone silent and still, an ominous grey light now filled the air.

The storm was less than three miles away. Perhaps she should hurry home.

She was just putting the last handful of mushrooms in the basket
when the rains started.

The soft plop plop on the leafy ground in the clearing could
be heard as she donned her cape quickly and grabbed her basket of goodies.

Standing to her feet she dusted off her skirt and hands
and looked up at the heavy clouds overhead, ducking by reflex as another streak of
lightning lit the darkened sky.

The once softly sunlit glen was now dark and spooky.
No bird song could be heard, only the pattering of raindrops on the leaves and trees.
She smiled with amusement as she listened to the lovely rhythm.

Unable to stop herself she laid down her basket and walked
out into the middle of the clearing.

Swaying to the music of the raindrops she lifted her arms over
her head and began to dance.

The thunder sounded loud as she closed her eyes and turned
her face up to the rain.
It fell now in sheets as she danced round and round.

The ground beneath her feet began to form a muddy little
puddle splashing up onto her skirt and legs.

Still she danced.

A red fox taking shelter under a nearby tree glanced up in
curiosity at the foolish creature who performed the strange rain
ritual in the downpour.

There was no other sound, nothing but the sound of rain falling all around.

Faster and faster she spun, the lightening flashed,
she leaped in a graceful pirouette.

Laughing softly she came back down on her toes, spinning with her hands over her head.

She was soaked now. Her hair hung in damp tendrils around her face,her clothes were soaked

and hanging heavily upon her.

Still she danced.

She spun happily, head back, Eyes shut tightly, feeling a freedom that can only come in dance and rainstorms.

The raindrops began lighten, the air, now damp and cool began to change slightly.

The heavy plopping of rain moved off farther into the woods, the sound fading as it moved away.

The wet leaves around her feet jumped a bit as little plinks of raindrops struck them.

She opened her eyes, letting out a disappointed sigh. "Over so soon?" she pouted.

Diamond lowered her hands slowly as the last little drops of light rain kissed her goodbye,

moving away down the hill.

Yellow shafts of watercolor sunlight began to break into the clearing once
again.

The wet red fox scurried off to her den gratefully.
Birds began to sing once more, as the forest shook off the refreshing shower.

Sighing, she looked down at herself and laughed.
She was a soggy muddy mess, but it had been worth it.

Moving to pick up her basket, she laughed again as she emptied out the water.

"Well at least you are clean now." she chuckled.

Pulling her wet hood over her sodden hair, she turned reluctantly towards home.

As she left the clearing a clap of thunder sounded in the distance.

Turning around to face the clearing, she smiled brightly, curtsied, and bowed low with a graceful sweep of her hand.

Chuckling to herself, she gave a little skip and headed towards home.