—
Last twilight.This is time of day when sun is gone but sky is still light.Writer was laughing. Says, “Other writer wrote famous books about Twilight.”
Beast thought,But was no Beast so other books do not matter. This is Beast story.
Writer nodded. Was human motion that said Writer understood. Or agreed. Or was afraid. Human nod meant many things.
Beast was perched on Writer RV.Is tall truck with house inside. Top of RV is good place for Beast to rest.
Was lying, belly down, on top of RV. Smelled deer on wind.
Smell made Beast mouth water. Beast licked jaw and muzzle. Small herd came into Writer yard to eat. All females and yearlings. Ate leaves off tree called mulberry. Deer liked mulberry leaves. Ate many while Beast watched, mothers teaching young to eat leaves.
Herd is too small to take young. Must wait. Must be patient.
But...
Am hungry. Am starving. Have not hunted for many days.
Writer was laughing harder. Writer said, “Beast is melodramatic. You ate yesterday.”
BUT WAS NOT DEER! AM STARVING.
Watched deer. Deer Beast could not eat. But... smelled male deer, called buck, on wind. Many bucks.
Ears pricked. Smelled with flehmen response, mouth open, withscreeof sound.THREE BUCKS!Beast gathered paws beneath body.
Bucks raced into yard! Chasing females!
Females ran fast, away. Yearlings raced into trees to hide.
Beast leaped to ground. Smell of fear and terror and deer-rut was strong. Beast chased along ground to bigger trees. Leaped high and raced on branches. Spotted male deer. Jumped to ground and ran! Was long race.
Last male deer was small buck. Had small horns. Had odd white spots on pelt. Beast crept along branch and watched small buck.
Beast pulled paws and legs in close, watching. Was strange buck.
Writer said, “That buck is called piebald, which means brown with patches of white. Or even spotted white all over. But with brown eyes. Piebald deer are beautiful.”
Beast had seen such strange deer, but did not have name for pelt-color until now.Pie-bald.Beast had seen pie. Was messy human-food with no meat.
Was messy deer.
Pie-bald buck was alone. Separated from male herd, alone for first time since birth. Was young. Was afraid. Beast gathered paws close.
Writer said, “Stop. Leave piebald alone!”
Beast leaped. Landed on Pie-bald back. Dug in with fangs and claws. Pie-bald ran.
Was good fight. Was good feast. Writer was silent.Good.Was Beast story.
Jane Tracks Down Miz A
A Short Short Story
The original version of this short-short went to a single winner for a charity auction. Except for the winner, no one has ever seen this vignette, and the ending has been altered. Its place in the timeline is uncertain.
“What kind of flower do you take to a recuperating blood-servant?” I asked the clerk. She looked at me like my question was nutso, but maybe it was the weapons that made her eyes go round. Except during Mardi Gras and Halloween, when my gear looked like a costume, the M4 strapped at my spine made some people nervous. Others reacted to the stakes and the blades. Whatever it was, she scuttled away.
