Disclaimer:
Duke Red and Rock (who WILL be in the story soon) are property of Tezuka
Productions. The woman, Stagsleap, the friesian horse, Stradivarius; the
chickens and the rooster are copyright to me.
~~~~
Stagsleap awoke the soft clucking of a patient hen grooming itself by her side. Stagsleap opened her eyes slightly to watch the little brown bird delicately preen each and every feather, often wiping its beak on the oil gland by the tail. The bird caught sight of its Guardian's open eyes, and paused its morning toilet to emit a low cluck. As Stagsleap extended a thin hand to stoke the soft plumage, she felt a trembling feeling in her lungs. Before she knew it, she was in a full blown coughing fit, phlegm growling loudly in the dainty woman's tired lungs. The chickens had already ran under the small desk, the rooster standing in front to protect his harem from whatever angry animal resided in their Guardian's frail body.
The amber haired woman fell to the ground exhausted from the coughing fit. The phegm still lived in her lungs; the colanies of mucus were not ready to leave their soft home. Stagsleap stared out the window where her horse, Stradivarius, stood peering in, for he had also heard the roaring of the angry animal from under his shelter. He was wet, and his braided forlock was jeweled with beads of morning dew. The rain had stopped - for now. Hauling her body off the floor, Stagsleap scampered over to front door and slushed outside, the chickens following her to search for worms.
The woman pulled the blankets off her friesian and hung them on a nearby rail, hoping they would dry off. Stagsleap knew she could not go to work today. She worked at a rich family's mansion, where she basically cleaned, nothing more. She had taken the job only because her horse could graze in the pasture behind the house and play with the other horses that labored for the spoiled family.
The mansion was on the far edge of the town in the valley, and Stagsleap had to ride there everyday. On this clouded morning, she would have to ride down to town to use the payphone to call the mansion to alert them of her absence.
Meanwhile, one of the hens and found a dry spot under a shurb to expel the hard mass that formed inside her body every other day. The rooster stood guard a couple feet away to ensure the safety of his lady during her labor. While Stagsleap groomed the stallion, the hen pushed and groaned until she was free of the egg. She sat up and clucked happily, for she felt much lighter than before. Glancing over and catching sight of the glowing white gem under the dark green leaves, she walked over and gently picked it up and set in her pocket for later. With a smile she stroked her hen and whispered:
"Thank you my dear. Thank you for going through that pain to produce life for me."
The hen looked up quickly, by her attention was broken by the sight of a juicy worm wriggling in a mud puddle. The worm did not live long. When the friesian was gleaming and the chickens happy and fed, Stagsleap made her back to the house with the birds running behind her. Stradi nickered sadly, for he could not fit inside the tiny cottage. He put is fine head down to graze of the wet grass.
Inside, the chickens formed a ring around the little iron stove in the corner as their beloved Guardian picked up some logs and bracken from a corner and pushed it inside the pot-bellied stove. The hens squirmed excitedly as Stagsleap lit a match and set the flame to the dry bracken. The rooster, who was the self-appointed "Man of the House", scooted closer to the mini-inferno that was performing inside the black stove.
Stagsleap's small nose was stuffed up, and her lungs heaved to pump oxygen for her body. Taking the solid white gem from inside her pocket, she cracked it in a cast iron pan and set it on the stove to fry. The hen did not mind that her fetus was sizzling above her, for she had discovered her skirt feathers were caked with mud and she was determined to clean herself to her husband's approval.
I know this chapter ends rather abruptly. My apologies. I know this does not seem to have anything to do with Metropolis, but in will starting the 4th or 5th chapter. Reviews are greatly appreciated.
Stagsleap awoke the soft clucking of a patient hen grooming itself by her side. Stagsleap opened her eyes slightly to watch the little brown bird delicately preen each and every feather, often wiping its beak on the oil gland by the tail. The bird caught sight of its Guardian's open eyes, and paused its morning toilet to emit a low cluck. As Stagsleap extended a thin hand to stoke the soft plumage, she felt a trembling feeling in her lungs. Before she knew it, she was in a full blown coughing fit, phlegm growling loudly in the dainty woman's tired lungs. The chickens had already ran under the small desk, the rooster standing in front to protect his harem from whatever angry animal resided in their Guardian's frail body.
The amber haired woman fell to the ground exhausted from the coughing fit. The phegm still lived in her lungs; the colanies of mucus were not ready to leave their soft home. Stagsleap stared out the window where her horse, Stradivarius, stood peering in, for he had also heard the roaring of the angry animal from under his shelter. He was wet, and his braided forlock was jeweled with beads of morning dew. The rain had stopped - for now. Hauling her body off the floor, Stagsleap scampered over to front door and slushed outside, the chickens following her to search for worms.
The woman pulled the blankets off her friesian and hung them on a nearby rail, hoping they would dry off. Stagsleap knew she could not go to work today. She worked at a rich family's mansion, where she basically cleaned, nothing more. She had taken the job only because her horse could graze in the pasture behind the house and play with the other horses that labored for the spoiled family.
The mansion was on the far edge of the town in the valley, and Stagsleap had to ride there everyday. On this clouded morning, she would have to ride down to town to use the payphone to call the mansion to alert them of her absence.
Meanwhile, one of the hens and found a dry spot under a shurb to expel the hard mass that formed inside her body every other day. The rooster stood guard a couple feet away to ensure the safety of his lady during her labor. While Stagsleap groomed the stallion, the hen pushed and groaned until she was free of the egg. She sat up and clucked happily, for she felt much lighter than before. Glancing over and catching sight of the glowing white gem under the dark green leaves, she walked over and gently picked it up and set in her pocket for later. With a smile she stroked her hen and whispered:
"Thank you my dear. Thank you for going through that pain to produce life for me."
The hen looked up quickly, by her attention was broken by the sight of a juicy worm wriggling in a mud puddle. The worm did not live long. When the friesian was gleaming and the chickens happy and fed, Stagsleap made her back to the house with the birds running behind her. Stradi nickered sadly, for he could not fit inside the tiny cottage. He put is fine head down to graze of the wet grass.
Inside, the chickens formed a ring around the little iron stove in the corner as their beloved Guardian picked up some logs and bracken from a corner and pushed it inside the pot-bellied stove. The hens squirmed excitedly as Stagsleap lit a match and set the flame to the dry bracken. The rooster, who was the self-appointed "Man of the House", scooted closer to the mini-inferno that was performing inside the black stove.
Stagsleap's small nose was stuffed up, and her lungs heaved to pump oxygen for her body. Taking the solid white gem from inside her pocket, she cracked it in a cast iron pan and set it on the stove to fry. The hen did not mind that her fetus was sizzling above her, for she had discovered her skirt feathers were caked with mud and she was determined to clean herself to her husband's approval.
I know this chapter ends rather abruptly. My apologies. I know this does not seem to have anything to do with Metropolis, but in will starting the 4th or 5th chapter. Reviews are greatly appreciated.
