Welcome to Issue 34
ShadowFate Winning Entry
The Good Old Golden days
Zambo stalked through the forest. His ears pricked for any sound. His paws sank in the snow. Suddenly he paused, something was moving around in the bushes. A low growl sounded in Zambo’s throat. He pounced, his large paws landing on a winter gala creature. “Eek!” It cried. Zambo jumped off when he recognized it.
“Lilly!” He purred happily. Lilly lifted her head, and looked at him with round eyes – Blue, one dark the other light-
“If it isn’t Zambo!” She said scrambling to her paws. She gazed at him “How are you, you big lump?” She asked
“Life is treating me well” He answered, “Life’s good, but it seems last winter’s snow was whiter…” He trailed off as Lilly let out a snort.
“Not like the good old golden days eh?” She asked him. But Zam didn’t answer, he was lost in his memory
~~~
Zambo ran through the forest, in his mouth was a baby jinx.
“I can walk!” it protested angrily, Zambo didn’t answer, just kept on running. Ahead the trees thinned out, a mother jinx caught sight of Zambo and the babe.
“You found him!” She cried in relief rushing to greet them. Zambo put the jinx down, “Yes” was his answer
“Thank you so much Mr.…” She gazed at him
“Zambo, just Zambo” He answered swiftly, “It was no trouble, I love to help out when I can” As he spoke a large white snowy flake drifted through the sky and landed on his nose. He turned to leave, saying a ‘you're welcome’ as the jinx thanked him again.
~~~
Zambo scuffled around in the snow, making patterns in the snow. It was almost spring, and the snow was swiftly melting. It was wet, but warm.
~~~
“Hey Zambo, I’m still here!” Lilly’s voice cut across Zambo’s memory
“Sorry” Zambo said shaking his head “I was just remembering last winter…” His mind wondered to the day when he made patterns in the snow. Probably one of the best days of his life, he had spent the morning making patterns, then saw the Pomme Tree in the snow. Played on the ice until it broke, and sent him face-first into the water.
~~~
In the large field, covered in wild flowers of every color and size, Zambo rolled around, pollen coated his pelt. He sneezed. He got to his paws and stretched, he loved warm spring days, days when the sun warmed his fur, and grass under his paws, and flowers and plants growing. He bent to smell a daisy.
Storm clouds began to gather over head anomalously, covering the sun, and blocking the warm rays. But Zambo’s disappointment was brief, he could smell rain on the wind. He loved rain. He loved snow. He loved flowers. He loved the sun. There probably wasn’t anything that nature could throw at him that he didn’t like.
~~~~
“Please stop spacing out on me” complained Lilly
“Sorry, I was just remembering some of my golden memories of the year” Zambo purred. Lilly just sighed, but purred “It’s been a good year”
“And another one is just around the corner…and I can’t wait” Zambo said, as he gazed at the setting sun, turning the clouds gold and red and every shade of pink. “A good new year is on the way.”