Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Magnolia and any alterations to the original storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe.
Magnolia Dolittle Chapter 1
For the majority of her eighteen years, Magnolia has gotten very used to being an early riser following the normal routine schedule that passes in the Dolittle household of both animals and humans alike. In fact, these days she's normally one of the first ones up getting things ready for the day and preparing to drag her father out of bed.
But lately, in the last couple of weeks, matters like this are getting ridiculous.
Magnolia has been disturbed a lot in an irregular pattern on random intervals by what she can only describe as an alluring voice. What alarms her the most is that it sounds so similar to how her mother used to sing on the wind. In the beginning, Magnolia assumed that it was just simply a little trick of nature. That's the impression she got. Magnolia quickly threw that notion away after it kept continuing on and on.
There was no other explanation for it and worst of all she couldn't go to her father about it because just mere mention of her mother would drive him down into deep sorrow. So she decided to keep her mouth shut and not even speak of this to any of the animals.
While Magnolia is dumbfounded about how or where these are coming from she's pretty sure she knows the how and why despite her personal efforts to deny it.
Magnolia loves her father dearly and being trained under him since she was a little tyke has been the privilege of her life, but in secret, she's wanted more.
Like to actually be recognized in the outside world similar to him as an animal doctor. This won't happen unless she leaves him and not just the small village surrounding it in the countryside outside of London.
Magnolia possesses an extensive education. Her father saw to that. He may want to prevent the outside world from getting into his domain, but that never meant he intended her to be an illiterate fop.
Magnolia has always wanted to study at the University of Oxford but has no doubt her father would never permit it. Humanity is dangerous in his eyes. Always has been since his wife's and her mother's untimely death. Really it's a miracle he even allows her to go to the market in the village for supplies. It's that serious. There have been times when she's even contemplated bringing up the probability of visiting her maternal grandfather Rassouli, King of the Pirates.
That last one Dr. Dolittle shot down for fear of his life. King Rassouli would welcome his granddaughter with open arms, but immediately execute the man on the spot. There's a lot of bad blood here between the two men and she doesn't want to be the cause of an altercation.
So Magnolia is left resigned to spending her days in the sanctuary with her father and the animals for company.
Anyway Magnolia believes she hears her mother's voice calling her name and trying to lead her out of the grounds. It gets more difficult to deflect them each and every time.
In bed, Magnolia plants a pillow over her head to block the noise to no avail.
Eventually, she gets up out of bed and does so quietly in order not to rudely awaken any of the other sleeping residents in the manor.
Magnolia prefers to face whatever this is without making an unnecessary and unseemly stir. Magnolia swears that sometimes she thinks he can hear her mother's voice calling her on the wind, despite never once hearing it before. And if she did as a baby Magnolia is unable to recall it.
Somehow the trails lead her throughout the house. After all of this Magnolia has unintentionally ended up on the roof through the attic. She'd been following the voice so closely that she hadn't really paid much attention to it. Her body must've just been stuck on autopilot.
Carried on the wind Magnolia can hear her mother's voice becoming smaller and smaller as it fades on the breeze towards the early morning sun over the manor walls.
Magnolia reaches out a hand desperate to keep it with her. Unfortunately, in spite of her wishes, it never sticks around for very long, leaving her filled with melancholy and very solemnly forlorn.
Magnolia slumps on the roof with her knees curled against her chest and her chin pressed on her knees.
A light woof from beside Magnolia makes her tilt her head sideways downward to find her favorite and personal friend in the entire menagerie that is their family, Wolfie sitting there with his tail twitching behind him.
Funny thing is Wolfie is actually a calico cat that behaves like a dog.
Wolfie had came to their doors as a kitten when Magnolia was around eleven. The poor thing was lost and baffled everyone with his affinity to having more doggish qualities instead of an actual feline's. From what was interpreted from Wolfie he'd gotten separated from his family and had gotten stuck living with dogs for a while which is why their personality traits left a lasting impression on him. He was learning how to act like a cat way too late.
The resident macaw Polynesia was the one who found him. He'd climbed over one of the walls on vines and had sprained his paw on the landing on the other side.
Seeing an opportunity not only did Dr. Dolittle welcome this tiny cat into their family, but he also gave Magnolia the explicit role to nurse Wolfie back to health. Good practice for one day when Magnolia would be required to take over his work.
A deep, warm, and strong bond was formed between the two leaving them inseparable ever since. Which is the reason why Wolfie had followed her out and around the house to the roof where they are now. Wolfie is the only one who is aware of these strange episodes but keeps his silence.
Magnolia appreciates this.
Smiling Magnolia gently picks up Wolfie cradling him on her lap. Together the two sit there watching the sun slowly rise higher in the sky. The one cat quality Wolfie has pertained is purring. Purrs rumble in Wolfie's throat as Magnolia repeatedly strokes a hand over his spine.
The shared moment is broken when a bang is heard from below in the manor as the others in the family slowly awaken to the new day.
With one final glance in the direction of the shining sun, Magnolia and Wolfie skedaddle off the roof and back into the manor along with the path of their normal everyday lives.
Authors Note:
Hope you all like this one! I certainly did while writing it for your vast enjoyment! ;D