Welcome to this week’s installment of many micro stories, ranging in length from 100 words to 500 words.
With each story we hope to deliver a little whimsy into the lives of our readers.
MEMORIES
Bastet’s paws sink in the golden sand as she makes her way around the arena. She takes her time, drinking in the scent of old ash. There are black patches on the sandy floor from the fires that raged through the battle and she can’t help but flinch at the memory.
“Are you okay?”
She almost jumps out of her fur as Sekhmet sneaks up behind her. The lioness’ eyes sparkle with amusement, so Bastet licks her shoulder to get her fur to lie flat.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just…”
“Reminiscing?”
“I wouldn’t say that. It makes it sound like it was a good thing.”
Sekhmet sits beside her. “I know what you mean. It wasn’t a fast fight. Ra forced us to drag it out.”
Bastet flicks an ear. She remembers dashing to and fro, trying to avoid Sekhmet’s sharp claws. Every time she got too close to the fire, her fur would singe and she could feel her skin burn. Sekhmet, in her rage, hardly seemed to notice the towers of red flames. Her fighting style was brutal, constantly chasing her prey without giving them a chance to catch their breath.
Bastet scrapes a paw across the floor. “I still don’t know how I won.”
Sekhmet rolls her eyes. “You waited until I tired myself out. A feat that most don’t get the chance to do.”
More memories flash behind her eyes. Of her watching the lioness’ knees buckle. How she goaded Sekhmet to leap one last time, into burning flames that stripped her fur from her flesh. Ra had been delighted by that performance and called the battle there. When Sekhmet regenerated, he gave Bastet the role of his protector. Sekhmet’s furious screams still ring in her ears from time to time.
Bastet forces her mind to focus back on reality. “I wish I had never challenged you.”
Sekhmet cocks her head to one side. “If you hadn’t, someone else would have,” She bends down and licks the top of Bastet’s head. “Plus, if you hadn’t, would we be where we are today? I prefer not to think back about things that I could change. It’s happened. If there is any change that I can make, it’s in the future.”
Bastet looks up at her with a smile. “You’re right. We wouldn’t be together today if it wasn’t for what happened.”
Sekhmet nudges her, causing the cat goddess to fall over. “Come on, let’s get out of this place. Mafdet is in charge of camp and I don’t want her trying to race my lions again.”
Bastet stands up and sticks her tongue out. “I’m sure she’ll find some other way to go annoy them, if not.”
“That’s what worries me. Sometimes she’s like a tick that’s buried itself in a knot in your fur.”
Bastet laughs and takes one last look at the arena. She still has to force herself to stay in the moment. But, then she looks into Sekhmet’s golden eyes and knows she’s safe.
Jessica Turnbull is an author who mainly writes Young Adult Fantasy. However, she is hoping to also branch into Sci-Fi, Horror and New Adult. Books got her through her darkest years as a teenager, and she hopes that one day her books will inspire young people to keep going. She lives in the UK with her cat, Mishka.
https://www.jessicaturnbull.com/
https://twitter.com/jess_a_turnbull
If you enjoyed this drabble you can find it and more in the Hawthorn & Ash 2023 anthology.
Iron Faerie Publishing 