Norwegian Forest Cat
Peter pulled boots over calves lengthened and strengthened by his transition from boy to youth, and seasoned by grief over his sister’s death. Four years ago she’d been found in the depths of the Dark Wood, her cat pressed against her cold belly, hissing at all who approached.
Except him.
His curled-toe boots were light enough to prevent sinking into deep snow, the grain of the reindeer fur designed to prevent slipping backward on hills. Snapping the hood of his anorak over his head, Peter stepped into the gloomy morning.
The cat trotted ahead, back to the Dark Wood.
© Liz Husebye Hartmann (2018)
Carrot Ranch Prompt (01/18/2018): In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that includes boots. Whose boots are they, where do they go and what is their significance? Go where the prompt leads.
For those who asked, here’s the Prequel to this Flash: Lilimor and the Fiddler
Valley of the Trolls 
Oh, I loved this. There’s more to the story. I can feel it. ❤
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I liked your flash and I liked it more when put together with the prequel. It’ll be interesting to see where Peter’s (I don’t know why I picture him as a sort of elf?) story goes. I loved the description in the second to last paragraph.
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Thanks Michael! Peter = Elf: Maybe it’s the curl-toed boots? 😉 In my WIP, he’s just a human boy, a small, wiry ginger. Go figure…
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I’ve had your earlier story on my mind, the contrast of the little girl, strawberries and the Dark Woods. It sets the scene for an epic hero’s journey and I’m looking forward to the cat involved in the brother’s quest.
Funny, you say this is what your cat looks like in his dreams…I once dreamt my cat was a jaguar, and I swear the cat sent me that dream to say “See me as I am!”
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Yeah, I’m wrestling thru the intertwined journeys in my WIP. Trying to be be patient with myself. 😉 My cat really wanted to be in the WIP, so he’s a supporting character…
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May he be your Muse, then!
Do you storyboard?
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Yep, with the W hero’s journey (good tool!). My fingers be blue an’ green with dry -erase… 😀
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Ha, ha! I took to using sticky notes because I lost my whiteboard along the way. I bought a piece of white foam-core at the Dollar Store, made a dual path for the W (inner and outer journey). Sometimes I feel like the recorder to what happens, like am I the writer or the writing implement?
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Sticky notes was problem for me…Ha!…the cat kept rubbing up and sniffing, and they’d fall tot he floor. I looked, but no brilliant ideas from the Meeeow-use.
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Ugh, cats, sometimes!
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Nice!
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Thank you!
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Pingback: Lilimor and the Fiddler | From the Valley of the Trolls
Moving story. I can see the cat on her frozen belly and it creeps me out. (Beautiful cat by the way if your cat looks like this he’s gorgeous.) I can’t work out however, whether she just died from the cold or whether there was foul play afoot. I’m going for cold and the cat just hopes she’ll be there. The Dark Wood though has sinister connotations and is the brother looking for revenge? “seasoned by grief’ – lovely phrase.
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Thank you!
Well, my cat only looks like that in his dreams. The “prequel” to this scene is in an earlier post on my site posted 12/23/17, (also from a CR prompt).
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I’ll have a look thanks Liz.
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There’s magic in them there woods.
(Yep, the fiction links are correct, but the icon is new… I’ve had some issues…)
~Jules
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So much emotion. Also, that cat is beautiful!
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That’s what my real cat looks like…in his dreams!
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