Drabble #79: Woods

[jalenstrix]

...we had a quieter response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 78, with entries by the terrific 3iggy and me (your intrepid drabble proposer jalenstrix) and commenting love by the both of us.



For this prompt, we continue with our one-word drabble roots, with a word ever so suggestive:

Woods

The woods can be such a mysterious place -- all sorts of faerie antics are possible, no? Just the place to get up to mischief, really. (Or possibly set a musical, you never know...) Come into the woods, and tell us all about it labyfic-style.




Given our entries from recent months, let's continue with the limit for this month of 500 words. Though remember that shorter pieces are most definitely welcome!

Your entry should take the following format, posted as a comment on this entry:

Word count: # of words
Drabble: $your_beautiful_drabble



I'll aim to get the next drabble challenge out on the first Thursday of next month (May 2).

I'm also very happy to take suggestions if something in particular strikes your fancy -- comment on this post or PM me with your suggestions. You can see our current collected suggestions here.


Remember: Feedback is LOVE. So do reply to your fellow labyficcers' drabbles if so inclined. (Though be careful of concrit unless specifically okayed by the author beforehand.)

Comments

[jalenstrix]

Word count: 500
Author’s note: A skalmejen is a Viking-age wind instrument with a sound rather like a bagpipe.

The bonfire flames flickered, indistinct shapes dancing to the drum rhythm around us. I’d come to this little neo-Viking gathering in the woods to get out of my skin for awhile, and with the help of some quality salvia, I was just about there. Shadows shimmered at the fire’s edge, beckoning against the weaving melody of the skalmejens.

Everything’s dancing…I began to move my hips, letting the pulse slink down my spine and shift me where it wanted.

I felt his presence long before the heat of him rolled behind me, moving to that same pulse. Strong, masculine, other. He smelled of the wild and his body hovered a breath behind mine, wordlessly inviting me closer. Here be monsters.

I roused myself from the thrum of the drums enough to turn my head and catch his eyes. “So, what’s a nice goblin king like you doing in a place like this?”

His smile glittered, just as predatory as I remembered. “It’s much more fun when you can see me.”

“We’ve been close before?”

“Countless times.”

“Why didn’t I know?”

“You weren’t in the right state of mind.”

“And now?”

“What do you think?” His fingers traced patterns just in front of my face, close enough to kiss.

“I think that salvia is working.”

“I think you’re right.”

“But then, you’re not really here. This is just…” I blinked as my thoughts slid away on a dizzying swirl of skalmejen. My back was pressed against the lean planes of his chest and his fingers were so close.

His lips were suddenly hot against my ear, his scent riding riot through me. “Why don’t we see how here I can be?”

I slid my fingers through his, dragging his hands down and pulling them along my hips. “This is a good plan.”

“I always did enjoy your boldness.”

“Less talk, more sexy times. Who knows how long this salvia will last?”

His laughter coated my skin like honey. “So demanding.”

“A girl has needs.”

“Don’t we all?”

~~~

Sunlight streamed through the forest canopy, glinting off my fingernails, and the lovely warm tree I was curled against inhaled.

I bolted upright and stared down at a thoroughly delightful expanse of lean, muscled torso that still smelled of the wild. “You’re here.”

“So it would seem. And you’re warm while this forest is a mite nippy.” He cocked his head rakishly. “Fancy coming back down?”

My head shook by itself. “I am definitely off the salvia. And you’re still here.”

“So true. Are you going to take advantage of it?”

I stared down at him. The otherness wafted off him in bone-shocking waves. Here be monsters.

It was, however, a very nice chest and this forest was damned cold. “Just for a little while.”

“Mmhmm.”

I leaned back against him and was immediately enveloped in the tantalizing musk I remembered. My body zinged right to attention. “I must be crazy.”

He stroked down my back, settling me against him. “All the best heroes are.”

[redwolf]

That was delicious 🦊🧡

Derail

[redwolf]

Word count: 500
Drabble:

According to Jareth, sooner or later the Labyrinth would recruit rescue guardians for Sarah, so aside from her concern over how he was coping with the impact of the recent test, this was something she would need to deal with in the future.

Bearing that in mind, she had been observing the trio to determine what she could expect to contend with and if there were any ways to mitigate the fallout.

It wasn’t an issue throughout the day, as they worked together in the metalworks. It was in the evenings where they struggled. Initially Jareth had been inseparable from Rook and Erich, to the point it interrupted his sleep and they sought each other out. Sarah had watched them ease back from needing constant physical contact. It was now at a point where she would see one of them stop, their eyes tightening and they’d drop what they were doing and walk to their nearest compatriot to bury their face in a neck or wrap their arms around a body. The action always cascaded and it would pull all three together like magnets.

Sarah had discovered that it helped if they were distracted, so she grilled Bishop for information on past interactions and used it to keep them engaged with each other.

Music seemed to work well to balance them out. Jareth and Erich were accomplished musicians who were both proficient in several instruments. Rook, on the other hand, loved music, but lacked their talent. She could play scales on several instruments, which was amusing to watch as she held her tongue at the corner of her mouth in intense concentration. The boys had laughed when told Sarah that it had taken them years to beat that amount of rudimentary skill into her muscle memory and Sarah had hoped that was a euphemism, but Rook’s glare made it hard to determine the truth.

Rook’s skills came to the fore when it came to lyrics, leaning in the same direction as Jareth with their shared abstract tastes in art, where Erich favoured lyrical compositions. Sarah had been thoroughly entertained at the good natured rivalry between the three as they wrote.

Sarah thought she may have found the key to their relationship when she watched them singing. Erich was good and Jareth made her melt, but Rook was atrocious. She understood the concept of singing with the music, even if her efforts were far from musical, where Jareth tended to take music as a vague suggestion and worked around it. His efforts to explain this technique and Rook’s increasing frustration at her inability to understand it had devolved into all of them dragging up past exchanges before collapsing in laughter.

Sarah was a little embarrassed that it took her way too long to realise that this was an old exchange they were rehashing for both their own amusement and her entertainment, but she couldn’t bring herself to mind when it was their laughter that was healing the anguish they had shared.