Teryl's Tales of Whim~
"A mortgage-free house with magically refilling food, good water, solar-energy and unlimited free internet?"
"That's my first wish, yes."
"Cumbersome but, it is granted," the genie shrugged, waving a hand, legal documents appearing on my new floors, "Second wish?"
"A securely fenced backyard full of catmint and silvervine."
"Granted. Let me guess, third wish: a dozen cats?"
"No, I wish to be the cat."
"Granted."
"Meow!"
#TootFic #MicroFiction #Writing #TerylsTales #Caturday #UrbanFantasy
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The warrior roared and the barista roared back much to everyone's shock.
"You challenging me?!"
The warrior gaped, axe in hand, suddenly unsure of how to proceed, "Yes?"
"Then get in line and I'll deal with you when it's your turn."
The warrior shuffled to the back of the line sheepishly, until finally, it was his turn.
"So, we meet again."
"Unicorn latte please," the warrior mumbled.
"No duel?"
"You've... proven your bravery."
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
Sweat was pouring down almost everyone's faces as they struggled to smile politely.
"Tasty, yes?" the dragon asked, stirring her stew.
"Y-yes," the knight gulped, chugging her wine.
"Delicious," gasped the princess, trying to fan herself surreptitiously.
The goblin lifted her bowl for more, "Yeah, it's great! I need the recipe!"
The dragon smirked, "It's a secret."
"Damn!"
"May we go now?" pleaded the knight
"Once there's none left."
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The fire crackled gently warming the gathered elves.
Above, the stars twinkled mysteriously, and in the distance, wolves howled a respectful distance away.
"Hope they'll scare some small game this way," yawned on sleepy elf.
"I'm fine with the grains and berries we saved up."
"My special fermented honey should be ready, I bet it'd go good with either meal option."
"I saw some fat fish in the river, we could share a feast."
So they did.
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
Screaming pipes woke me up before the icy cold water finished the job - I was alert, afraid and angry all at once, shivering in my towel. It hadn't even been refreshing.
I waved a crystal over my toaster to make sure it was in a good mood before I popped my waffles in.
Then I considered risking a proper shower, but then I noticed the time.
It wasn't until I got to the bus-stop I remembered I could've just flown to work on my broom...
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
A bubbly glass of something colorful and potent was placed in front of me, garnished with what looked like a snail curled around a piece of cheese.
"Enjoy!" the alien bartender urged cheerfully, before scurrying off to serve another patron.
I eyed the beverage, making sure it didn't eye me back. That had happened once and had soured the whole experience.
I took a sip.
Now I'm not sure where I am or where this really cool tattoo came from.
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The old heater roared and the pup howled sleepily, too cozy to keep its vigil against the rumbling machine.
"Not going to be much of a hunter," snorted the cub's aunt, tapping away at her laptop.
"We could chuck her out into the snow like the old days, see if she makes it through the night," said the cub's uncle.
"I'll order a high-visibility puppy-vest right now."
"I was joking!"
"Okay, no vest."
"And she stays indoors!"
"Hrmf!"
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The wolves milled around, snarling at anyone who came too close. My manager glared at me across the threshold.
"Miss Wolfstar... Pets are not allowed."
I shrugged helplessly, "I'd leave them at home if I could, but my fiancee is... traditional. I'm to be attended by her best guards until the wedding."
"Tell them to stop being dogs. They're setting off allergies."
"If they shift now they'd be naked."
"Tomorrow. Clothing."
"Yes'm."
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The old cat strolled in with his favorite prey - an empty paper-towel roll.
He flopped over beside me and showed me how to kick at it.
I made very impressed noises, and he purred so hard the floor rattled.
"I really think you're starting to enjoy this curse," my grandmother chided.
The cat seemed to shrug and rolled over.
"Worse mayor this town'd ever had, a century ago," she reminded.
"But the best cat we've had, ever."
#TootFic #MicroFiction #Writing #TerylsTales #Caturday #UrbanFantasy
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
"What do you think of the timeline?"
I inspected the length of ribbon again, curling one end onto my finger, tracing the course of events, "A little grim right here... What happened?"
My apprentice shuffled his feet, dusting off his robes as if he hadn't heard me.
"What did you do?" I snapped.
"I wanted to conjure a pretty meteor shower!"
I looked at the ribbon again, sighing, "No point wasting this orb, let's see how the mammals do..."
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The centaur ducked his head into my salon, glancing around nervously.
I paused from sweeping away hair and looked over, "Looking for a trim?"
He nodded shyly, "And a shampoo, please."
"Mane and tail?"
He looked startled and glanced at his rump, then back at me, "Yes, both."
I shifted a few things around and guided him to the basins, "Special occasion?"
"I'm... going to propose," he gulped.
"And?" I giggled.
"Will you marry me?"
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
"Nope, can't do it," grunted the plumber, standing up.
I gave her a bewildered expression and she shrugged, "Sorry, yer pipes have demands. I can't fix this, you have to."
"I don't really speak... Pipe?"
"Oh well," she mumbled thoughtfully, "Guess I could be yer go-between. You wanna know what they want?"
"I need a functioning sink, so yes?"
"Less peas, more Eco-friendly soap."
"That's all?"
"Maybe some lavender once in a while."
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The elves hadn't been in the cave long, when the dragon returned unexpectedly.
They scrambled to hide, squeezing behind boulders, books and piles of treasure, keeping as quiet as possible.
The dragon lumbered in, tired from a long flight, completely unaware, lighting his chandelier with a puff of flame.
The elves burst out of their hiding place, throwing confetti, and cheering, "Surprise!"
The dragon gasped, "You remembered my birthday!"
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
It was a sunny day; no birds sang but the light shimmered and the wind whispered sweetly, rustling bare branches.
"Makes you want to leave work early and hop on the old broom, doesn't it?"
"Or curl up on the roof with my familiar and a good tome."
"I'd hang my hats out for an airing myself."
The witches sighed wistfully, then finished their lunch, before heading back to their cubicles, "The hexes don't write themselves."
"If only."
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The cats milled about the cafe, looking their best and placing their paws up against the window as people walked by, inviting them in for some cuteness and coffee.
A grey cat sat up high in a hammock, surveying her little kingdom.
"Not a single human yet," she grunted, "Purrhaps it's time to change locations."
The cats gathered in a circle, weaving a spell with practiced motions, shifting the shop closer to more cat-lovers.
#TootFic #MicroFiction #Writing #TerylsTales #Caturday #UrbanFantasy
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The merchant's daughters leaned out the windows, watching the city grow as the caravan neared.
"What opportunities are you most excited for in town?" their father called back to them.
"Business!"
"Pleasure!"
"Magic!"
"Books! So same as the other three combined!"
The merchant laughed, "Sounds all like good fun! But please remember, if you intend to bring home a suitor, warn me first! I want to look my best."
"We promise," they giggled.
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
I leapt out of bed instinctively reaching for my alarm.
I'd been practicing for months.
I slapped the chime off before the first ding, already pulling on my leggings.
"I'm up, I'm almost ready! Summon the horses!" I yelled down the stairs.
"What about breakfast?" my pa yelled back.
"Already in my backpack! I'll eat it on the way to my first adventure!"
At that, I climbed out my window, into the carriage, and pointed up, "Forward!"
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
2024 Greetings
I hesitate to start the year promoting my Patreon, because I know times are tough all around...
But this year is shaping up to be extra rough already. I'll admit, there may be points where Tales become scarce again for reasons beyond my control, but I'll be trying hard to be consistent and communicative (though sometimes circumstance won't allow for it).
Even if not, Reading, Boosting and Faving my tales is incredibly heartening; thank you all so much!
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
The view-screens depicted multiple cities, states and countries, with a precisely calibrated timer.
The home-assistant noticed a cold wet nose nudge against it.
"Dog, designated Coco. How can I help?"
Coco let out a soft whuff, and whine, before trying to crawl under the sofa - she used to fit there, the first half of the year.
"Understood."
The shutters clicked into place, and the sound dampening turned on.
"New Year Cheer, in 10, 9..."
Teryl's Tales of Whim~
"My most challenging customer? Three bears in a trench-coat."
The clerk paused, noting the completely sincere expression.
"Three... toy bears, in a trench-coat? Puppets?"
"No, three bear-bears."
"How'd they fit in a single trench-coat?"
"...Bearly."
After a pause, the clerk typed what they thought they heard, "And how did you handle the situation?"
"Went out a window and directly to a temp-agency. Please help me find a new job."
BLM🖖LGBTQIA+Curious multi-fandom dabbler. Learn me a new thing or just tell me what you love - your shared experiences can shape bonds and understanding.
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