No Laughing Matter

I had been running for what seemed like forever trying to keep up with that Bunny till I lost him once again.   I was frustrated, out of breathe, and in need of a dress.  What kind of dress I wasn't sure, but with what I have seen so far I am sure I would know when the time was right.   I wasn't cold, but I started to feel a chill creep up on me.   A small clearing opened up through the dense trees, just big enough to be able to see the sky.   It was dark, and a soft snow was still falling.  The moon pushed through the grey clouds to just filter enough light to show the way.   I couldn't see any stars, which was disappointing.   

 

I was about to continue on following tracks, that were barely visible and quickly being covered over with a new snow, when I felt a snowball explode off my back and silliest of laughs.    It was a breathie laugh.   I quickly turned, but I didn't see anything or anyone.  A smile crossed my face, could this be where I was suppose to go.   Is he here?   Whack.  Snowball to the face, and more laughter, harder and much more silly.  

 

"Magician?"   I wanted to see him, talk to him, could this be him.  

 

"No."  A female voice, more disappointment.  Whack snowball to the chest from the trees ahead of me.  Soft blue eyes, wolf eyes, stared at me through the soft shadows.  I should have been frightened, but the laughter was much to silly to have any fear.  The wolf came walking out giggling at me.   She was such a big wolf and so beautiful.    Her fur was a perfect black with a shine like the greatest of silks.  Her eyes were the most beautiful brightest of blues.   Her mouth was shaped in as smile as her head bobbed up and down with the silliest of laughs.  She stopped right in front of me.  I reached to pet the fur on her head, but she quickly nipped at me.   I pulled my hand back quickly, crinkled my face up and took a step back.

 

"Well how rude! Are you here to eat me?"  Again the wolf broke out into laughter.   She sat on her hind legs, collected snow in her front paws by pulling in some snow from the ground toward her, made it into a perfect sphere.  She tossed it up in the air with her left pall and caught it in her right.   She juggled it between the two until she fired it at me.   There I was with snow dripping off my face.  

 

"Should I?   Are you tasty?"   Laughter.  She had the biggest smile I think I ever did see and her tongue would fall out the right side of her mouth.   She walked up on me and began to lick the snow off my face.  I thought I was going to be eatten till I realized I might drown in the slobber.   She finally stopped and I started to spit the taste of wolf drool from my lips.   She started to sniff my butt.

 

"Hey!"   I didn't swat at her in fear she may bite but she started laughing hysterically to the point where she fell over and started rolling.  "It's quite rude to smell someone's butt.  Especially without asking."

 

"I....(laughter)...do apologize."   More laughter with her rolling in the snow. "It's custom one another's smell.  I am really sorry, I forget sometimes not all animals introduce themselves in such a way." 

 

"You are quite mad you know.  What if I had gas?  You wouldn't be very happy taking a wiff then now would you?"  I finished brushing myself off and used my hat to help dry my face.   The cool air brushed along the skin of my scalp sending yet another chill down my spine.  Then I remembered the tracks that were quickly being covered over.  They were gone.   "Now which way to go?"

 

She stopped laughing and was laying in the snow looking at me.   She must have felt my disappointment as she looked a bit distraught.   As distraught as a wolf could look I guess.   "What do they call you?"

 

"Alexis"

"Well, then hello Alexis, I am Tina.  Where are you going if you don't mind my curiosity?"

 

"I am not sure.  I am not sure of anything, I am not even sure where I am or where I have even been.   I was chasing rabbits."  I plopped back down in the snow, feeling lost, and alone.  What was I doing?  Running away?  Going somewhere?  But where, where was I going?  I don't even know,  but I did know I had to keep faith, and believe.  "I was following his tracks but the new snow has covered them over.   I guess I am lost."  I started to shiver as the cold snow made my clothes moist and the wind had picked up a bit.  The snow started to get heavier and I could barely see.   Almost as if the world around me had started to fade.

 

"Let's get you warm first, then we will find your way.   Come, hop on my back, I will take you to the town.   I am sure someone there will know where you want to go."  She hopped up on all fours, and I slowly approached.   I wouldn't have been able to see her if it wasn't for the glow of her eyes.  I started to feel tired, and drifty.   My body was feeling weak, and just wanted to sleep.   "Unless your really tasty, then I might just sautee you with a side of lima beans."   She started laughing hysterically and I felt the sudden burst of giggles come over me.   It was that laugh.  Something so silly could not be ignored, or forgotten.  She stopped laughing then go a serious wolf look on her face.  "Are you okay?"  She nuzzled me with the tip of her nose and licked my face.

 

"Yeah, I think so.   Did you say town earlier?'  She smiled, her tongue hanging from the side of her mouth.

 

"Yes, I did.   It's not too far from here.  So come on already!" 

 

I pulled myself up with a little help from my companion.   Quickly we dashed through the woods.  I stayed close to her holding on as tightly as I could.    It was amazing at how fast we were moving, the trees were a blur.

 

"Yeah, it isn't much further.   You were heading in this direction originally, and I would suppose this would be the place to get too.   They can offer you warm clothes, and a meal."   I snuggled in close to he to keep warm.   It wasn't long before the blur turned into a larger clearing and the wolf came to a trot.

 

The village was covered with a blanket of white, smoke seemed to pour from each of the homes and soft glows came from their windows.   It looked like a simple.   All hand built from wood and stone.  Mountains rested behind the buildings and the clouds formed a mist toward the short peaks.   Tina gracefully made way toward one of the larger buildings as we entered the outskirts of the town, passing a few of the smaller buildings.

 

I was looking behind us at the buildings we were passing seeing shadows come to the windows.   I managed to make out one of the shadows as a young child peeking out toward us.   I waved seeing as he was waving to me.   I turned back toward the front and screamed in horror.   A young girl sat on Tina infront of me.   She had blonde hair up in pigtails,  most of her facial skin was pale except for diamonds around each eye, her left was black, the right purple.   Her lips were also black and the skin extending to either cheek was black but thinned to a point on either side.  At first I was so startled that I thought she was wearing makeup, but upon closer inspection it was infact her skins color.    I realized I was still screaming.  

 

My scream, made the girl scream, which made Tina scream and I found myself on my back, in the snow, with the girl sitting cross-legged on my chest    Before I knew, the girl back flipped off me and ran off.   She looked smaller than me.  She wore a jumpsuit made up of diamonds alternating between black and purple.  She looked to be no older than nine or ten.   She disappeared into one of the smaller buildings and Tina started laughing.    I pulled myself back up and was once again brushing snow off me.

 

"What was that?"  I asked still slightly startled.    Tina and I started toward the house when an older woman walked to the open door with the young girl behind her.   The older woman looked to be my mother's age.  Which means she was only  thirty seven although my mother has celebrated her 29th birthday eight times so far.  This woman was wearing  a ball gown that was absolutely amazing.  The dress was a crystal blue in silk or satan.   The bodice shaped to her thin frame and elegantly showed off the curves of her body.   It was in a heart style the breaks off into a flowing wrap  around her legs like flowing water.  She wore a sapphire necklace that dropped to the top of the dress.   Her hair, like the gown flowed off the top of her head and circle around to hang down her right shoulder.   It had a blue tint reflection in the light, but looked black.   She smiled at us as we approached.

 

"Hello Mary, it has been a long time."  Tina greated the woman with a small nod of her head.   

 

"Tina, it's good to see you.   How have you been?"  The woman spoke beautifully but I was much more interested in the little girl.   I tried to peek around a little more but she was gone till I felt someone touching my hat.  Little fingers were sliding underneath to my bald head.   I turned quickly to catch the little girl toying with my hat but she wasn't there.   I looked all around me but I didn't see her.

 

"I have been well my old friend, I don't get down here enough to see you."  Tina and the older woman were continuing their conversation as I was looking in every which direction.   She was gone.  A small giggle echoed in my left ear and that's when the realization occured to me that she was on my back.   She was as light as a feather, I never felt her.  It made me quite curious.

 

"Thank you for chasing Kylie back home.   I have been trying to get her dressed for what seems like an eternity."  She flipped off my back doing a handstand on my shoulders.  I looked up at her, her hair hitting me in the face, and she stuck her tongue out at me.  She wrapped herself around me again but facing me this time.   A curious look settled on her face.  I found myself bringing my fingers up to her eyes.  I think we were both very curious about each other.  I felt quite awkward, but her skin was such a curiosity by itself, but she was so light, so non existent.   As I touched the skin under her eye, she slid my hat off and was rubbing my head.  

 

"Don't think me, think Alexis here..."  The wolf and the woman finally noticed us and both started to giggle.  

 

"Kylie!  Inside and get dressed now."  She placed my hat back on sideways and I couldn't see.    I fixed my hat with a smile only to find Mary and Tina staring at me.  

 

"She has the Morning Star, and talked of a dress.  I brought her to you Mary."  The Wolf talked low and about me.   The older woman smiled brightly, and moved from the door entrance.  

 

"She is a guest and is expected."  Mary had started rubbing Tina's head.  The wolf's tongue fell from the side of her mouth once again.       

 

"In all my time, I have never seen one so...fragile."  Tina quickly said, as she composed herself.  "And where are her wings..."

 

Mary quickly interrupted 

 

"Alexis is what they call you..yes?"  

 

"Yes Ma'am.   Morning Star?  Dress....Oh wait, yes.   I need a dress.   Jimi invited me to an event. Wings?"

 

"You found the right place for the dress."  Tina smiled and giggled.   "Alright my new friend, I must be off.   I need to return to my pack.   You are in good hands here.   Oh and sorry...bought..the bunny..."  She burped and ran off giggling hysterically.   I frowned softly.    

 

"She was joking.   Please come in.   We have to get ready.   You are late."

 

"Okay ma'am..."

 

"Please.   Call me Mary."   I walked into the small cottage slowly, it looked small from the outside, but inside looked huge and modern.  I was so confused.    

 

"Please make yourself at home Alexis.   I have a dress almost ready for you, I just need to do a little fitting.    Nothing that will take long."

 

"How did you know to have a dress ready for me?  And where am I?   I am afraid I don't have the least bit of a clue what is going on."

 

She only smiled. 

Author's Note

rough still