now convinced of my Wuzzle’s intelligence. He always seemed to understand my words and anticipate my needs. I was more grateful for the creature’s company than anything else.
I leaned on the long narrow tree branch I’d acquired along the way. Thank goodness I wasn’t a total stranger to hiking and knew how to fashion a walking stick from fallen branches. I’d done it many times with my brother and father out in the Australian bush. Our country home was nestled up in the bush land of a small country town, quite a few miles from Melbourne.
I’d thought about my family during my days of walking. I also thought a lot about Morrdrook, wondering if he was okay, if his injuries were healing well. I tried not to think how frantic he would be not being able to protect and care for me. Always so damn sweet.
I was glad to reach the base of the mountains and from the sun behind me, I knew darkness would fall in a few hours.
Lucky was already digging around in the field ahead of me. The softer grass was kinder on my sore feet. I walked more slowly, aware of just how weak I was, as I reached my pet and sank down onto my knees. Sure enough, Lucky had found a parppa flower, its bright yellow petals a beacon among the carpet of violet blue grass and green bushes. Lucky was scuttling about in the ground trying to dig the root out. I leaned forward using my fingers and nails to shift the soil. Seeing the top of the pink root, I almost wept for joy.
With shaking hands, I hurriedly yanked it out of the ground, dusted it off as best I could, and bit into the sweet root.
It crunched like an apple but tasted starchy, exactly like a raw potato. Hell, I didn’t care…it was food and that’s all that mattered. I chewed, trying not to choke it down in my hungry desperation.
I tore bits off with my teeth and handed them to Lucky, smiling as his little head popped out and nibbled much like a rabbit would until the strip of parppa root vanished.
My meal finished, I stood up, bone weary. My mind wanted to go on, but my body oh so tired. “I need to find a place to sleep, Lucky.” Taking a step, I winced at the tenderness in my feet.
My gaze swept over the long field and line of trees, the gleam of water reflected in the distance.
“I guess I could do a little more walking down to the water. I could do with a bath as well as sleep.”
I scooped Lucky up and kept going, thankful for the flat downhill slope and short soft grass, making the walk a little easier.
The sound of the wind in the line of trees made my heart ache. I missed my Morrdrook so much. I knelt down at the water’s edge and scooped up handfuls of water, drinking my fill. I wept in silence. The water rippled as my tears fell, breaking the smooth surface of the pond.
“I miss him, Lucky. I miss them all. It sucks being alone. What’s going to happen if we find this lost city anyway?” I leaned back, got to my feet and stumbled towards the trees. “We’ll still be alone.”
I decided to rest now and bathe in the morning as I curled up under the low hanging branches of the tree. I sniffed back my tears and closed my eyes. Oh so weary…it didn’t take long for me to fall into a deep sleep.
* * * *
Days blurred into each other but I kept on walking, passing many long grassy fields, down into ravines and crossing slow-moving streams. I passed grazing lumbering beasts, which looked more like elephant seals with legs. They eyed me, but seemed more intent on grazing on the grass.
I had spent half a day collecting parppa roots . I whooped with joy when I came across several drooping blue inkleberrybushes . Like a pig I stuffed myself, moaning as their sweet juices ran down my throat. I devoured as much as my stomach would hold and carried the parppa roots in a small sack I’d made from more of my clothing. There was not much of it left. It looked more like a tattered red mini dress than the lovely thing Morrdrook had given me.
Bless my sweet little Wuzzle, he
I leaned on the long narrow tree branch I’d acquired along the way. Thank goodness I wasn’t a total stranger to hiking and knew how to fashion a walking stick from fallen branches. I’d done it many times with my brother and father out in the Australian bush. Our country home was nestled up in the bush land of a small country town, quite a few miles from Melbourne.
I’d thought about my family during my days of walking. I also thought a lot about Morrdrook, wondering if he was okay, if his injuries were healing well. I tried not to think how frantic he would be not being able to protect and care for me. Always so damn sweet.
I was glad to reach the base of the mountains and from the sun behind me, I knew darkness would fall in a few hours.
Lucky was already digging around in the field ahead of me. The softer grass was kinder on my sore feet. I walked more slowly, aware of just how weak I was, as I reached my pet and sank down onto my knees. Sure enough, Lucky had found a parppa flower, its bright yellow petals a beacon among the carpet of violet blue grass and green bushes. Lucky was scuttling about in the ground trying to dig the root out. I leaned forward using my fingers and nails to shift the soil. Seeing the top of the pink root, I almost wept for joy.
With shaking hands, I hurriedly yanked it out of the ground, dusted it off as best I could, and bit into the sweet root.
It crunched like an apple but tasted starchy, exactly like a raw potato. Hell, I didn’t care…it was food and that’s all that mattered. I chewed, trying not to choke it down in my hungry desperation.
I tore bits off with my teeth and handed them to Lucky, smiling as his little head popped out and nibbled much like a rabbit would until the strip of parppa root vanished.
My meal finished, I stood up, bone weary. My mind wanted to go on, but my body oh so tired. “I need to find a place to sleep, Lucky.” Taking a step, I winced at the tenderness in my feet.
My gaze swept over the long field and line of trees, the gleam of water reflected in the distance.
“I guess I could do a little more walking down to the water. I could do with a bath as well as sleep.”
I scooped Lucky up and kept going, thankful for the flat downhill slope and short soft grass, making the walk a little easier.
The sound of the wind in the line of trees made my heart ache. I missed my Morrdrook so much. I knelt down at the water’s edge and scooped up handfuls of water, drinking my fill. I wept in silence. The water rippled as my tears fell, breaking the smooth surface of the pond.
“I miss him, Lucky. I miss them all. It sucks being alone. What’s going to happen if we find this lost city anyway?” I leaned back, got to my feet and stumbled towards the trees. “We’ll still be alone.”
I decided to rest now and bathe in the morning as I curled up under the low hanging branches of the tree. I sniffed back my tears and closed my eyes. Oh so weary…it didn’t take long for me to fall into a deep sleep.
* * * *
Days blurred into each other but I kept on walking, passing many long grassy fields, down into ravines and crossing slow-moving streams. I passed grazing lumbering beasts, which looked more like elephant seals with legs. They eyed me, but seemed more intent on grazing on the grass.
I had spent half a day collecting parppa roots . I whooped with joy when I came across several drooping blue inkleberrybushes . Like a pig I stuffed myself, moaning as their sweet juices ran down my throat. I devoured as much as my stomach would hold and carried the parppa roots in a small sack I’d made from more of my clothing. There was not much of it left. It looked more like a tattered red mini dress than the lovely thing Morrdrook had given me.
Bless my sweet little Wuzzle, he
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