Thank you Poetigress.
I am guilty of the sin of silently watching from the sidelines but not participating in the game I am so eager to join. The Thursday Prompts are just one of the many things that I desire to be a part of but because of self doubts (that everyone possesses), I have been content to read the fruits of others without sharing my own. I have participated in the prompts before, but only when I could finish a complete work (I’ve only done three, so I know how rare it is for that idea to become a fully finished work)- for some reason I felt that writing anything incomplete would be an inconvenience to those reading the prompts and a disservice to them as well as to myself. I’m glad Poetigress reminded me how stupid those thoughts are. Playing in the game of life, no matter how poor the attempt may be compared to others, is ALWAYS better than sitting there watching. Sometimes it takes a kick in the pants (and sometimes it takes multiple) for one to realize this and I thank her for that boot in the posterior.

Here is my prompt for this week, it’s what popped into my head when I read the prompt and it involves a few characters that have been trapped in my head for a while, but I finally decided to let out. Feedback is always good.

Regina was wandering around the farmhouse looking for her charge. It’s not like anyone made her the little ringtail’s guardian, she just felt right in taking that unofficial position herself.
“Rory! Where are you? It’s getting dark and we’re having dinner in a few minutes”, the thylacine called out.
“Over here Regina!” the answering cry came from a small patch of earth near the small tool shed behind the large farmhouse.
Relieved at spotting the small figure in the darkening scenery, Regina went over to retrieve the girl.
“There you are Rory, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Momma Owl gave us the fifteen minute warning a while ago and you know what happens when you’re late to meals.”
“Sorry Regina, I just needed to do this before it got too late,” the eight year old ringtail said as she got up from the patch of dirt she had been previously working on.
“What was so important that you’re risking your food to those vultures in their?” Regina asked as she nodded her head toward the house.
“Well…..”
“Come on Ror, you know you can tell me anything.”
“Well, it’s a surprise…for you…and…and I don’t want to ruin it.”
“Okay honey, that’s fine, just go inside the house and wash up for dinner. If you hurry, I’m sure you’ll get there before those stupid otter boys try to eat all the biscuits. I’ll be there in a minute,” Regina answered as she smiled at the girl.
“Okay,” Rory answered with a smile of her own, as she rushed to the house, thoughts of warm biscuits taking over those of her previous occupation.
As she saw the girl head back to the house, Regina bent down to see what had been so important to the small girl. As she moved some the previously dug earth, Regina saw one of Rory’s shoes buried in the ground. Puzzle she covered the shoe back up and went inside. Before she could get to the dining room, she was confronted by the twin axolotl girls.
“Hey Regina, you need to tell your shadow to stop listening in other people’s conversations,” Ariane told her.
“Either that or to do a better job of sneaking around,” her sister Ariel added, “though I don’t know what we said that got her so excited.”
“Yeah, I mean we were just talking about getting some new shoe tress the next time we’re in town to help stretch out our new heels and we heard the ringtail gasp and run away as she was passing by our door,” Ariane finished.
Regina responded only by shaking her head as she smiled and left the two axolotl women there with unsatisfied frowns on their faces.