Welcome to Issue 73
Wolfleader Winning Entry
Alas! I see a maiden!
By: Wolfleader
Waves crashed and hit the beach shore with a roar. Each hit of water stole sand and returned sand. Skillows chirped in the palm trees that were dotted along to beach front. Not far from the shore swam Amazon, an Oceanic Anya. He smiled up at the bright sunshine that warmed his wet pelt. Again and again Amazon dived and collected seashells that lay on the ocean floor. His head broke the surface once more, his whiskers twitched with delight of his collection so far. In his webbed paws he held some pretty conk shells along with some brightly colored muscle shells.
“This will be perfect for my bookshelf!” He said with a grin. He was about to swim back to the shore when something caught his eye. Farther along the beach you went, it became rockier and more elevated. On top of the highest rocks Amazon spotted an Oceanic Haruba looking towards the ocean.
“Alas! I see a maiden!” Amazon said with surprise. With the shells still in his arms, Amazon padded towards the lady who sat upon the rocks. It took him longer than intended for he made sure he didn’t lose a single shell. Finally he had made it to the ba
“Ahoy fair lady! Why do you sit upon rocks so high?” He called. The Haruba responded not and continued looking into the distance. Amazon tried again,
“What are you called? I go by Amazon!” He waited for her response. Finally she looked down at him blankly.
“You may call me Musical.” She said with little emotion.
“Why so sad, my lady?” Amazon asked.
“I am not sad, for I wait for my true love.” She responded.
“And who is this true love, may I ask?”
“I know not.”
“Might it be me?”
“Unlikely”
“And why so?”
“My true love is one of greatness.” She said starting to get slightly annoyed.
“Some are born with greatness, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them!” Amazon said laughing.
“Go away, you silly Anya.” Musical said rolling her eyes.
“I will show you I am great!” Amazon said boldly, adventure shown in his eyes.
“Yeah, sure.” Musical laughed.
Amazon swam over to the rocks, water splashed upon his already drenched pelt. He held his shells to his body as he climbed the steep, wet rocks. He almost lost his footing a couple of times and once a shell that he now held between his teeth. But Amazon kept climbing until he was on the rock with Musical.
“You think that impressed me?” She asked with a smile. Amazon didn’t respond as he placed his shells on the ground in front of her and enabled him to talk.
“Probably not.” He responded and paused. “But I want to leave you with a small gift, the gift of giving. As I leave here, I want you to keep these shells and every time you see them, go and give, whether it’s a act of kindness, or a present. The act of giving is better than receiving.” He smiled and padded towards the edge of the rock and prepared to jump back into the sea.
“Then I will give you my heart.” Musical whispered smiling. Amazon turned around.
“And I will give you mine.”