Podgy-Warble (WoE #11 Bubble & City Hall Challenge)

Reporting from Write at the Merge week 11, we are provided two pictures for our inspiration. One is of the New Town Hall in Hanover, Germany with the lights on the facade for a charming display of evening colors. The other is of the perfect bubble suspended over a Norwegian valley at sunrise.

I was so captivated by the picture of the bubble that I didn't even think about the Town Hall. I found the picture simply breathtaking, the sort of picture I which I could take but never will because I won't ever have the right camera or software. Not to mention, I'm still a five-year-old around bubbles.

I was at Disney's California Adventure once when a cast member was using one of those bubble guns in the Hollywood section. "Look, fairy farts!" I exclaimed.

The cast member doubled-over, giggling incessantly with snorts and squeaks. I pronounced myself a winner.

That story shared, I believe you will see that I absolutely had to return to Sticky's world for this prompt. Sticky just learned of his destiny, but he's conflicted about what that means, and now all his friends are involved.

I offer the following in response: Introducing Podgy-Warble

“I don’t see what the problem is,” Pocker scratched his head as they gathered seeds in the farmer's meadow, “why is being a Fetcher a bad thing?”

Sellamina shot Pocker her withers-butterflies look and Sticky cringed instinctively. “Secrets are secrets, Pocker!” she hissed.

“Yeah but it’s not like he’d be lying or anything.” Pocker said in defense. “We keep secrets from all kinds of things, like other clans, humans, even squirrels.”

“Those secrets are different.” Sella gestured emphatically. “Those secrets are about protection.”

“Can we think about maybe heading back?” Sticky interrupted, pointing eastward. “The sun’s coming up.”

Sellamina continued as if she hadn’t heard him, her voice pitching in passion and her wings darkening with her mood. Lily appeared openly confused by the argument. “What do I think?” she whispered.

Sticky shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen Sellamina and Pocker this at odds before.”

Topple materialized in the toadstool beside them. “You know what I don’t understand, is why the Seeress chose you as the new Fetcher to begin with. You can’t Fetch without us. Not to mention your camyflaging skills are sorely lacking.”

Sticky made a face, insulted, “They are not! I’m just not obsessed with looking like a toadstool.”

Lily groaned, “You two aren’t going to start fighting, are you?”

He didn’t feel like apologizing, but Lily made a point. The rising sun meant they would all be exposed soon. Inhaling slowly, he grumbled, “Sorry, Topple, you’re right.”

The fight between Sellamina and Pocker grew steadily louder, another threat that would need resolved for their protection. The sun would coax the balinogs from their dens for warmth and the amphibians would not resist a potential snack of pixies. Then Topple would never let them hear the end of it, his I-told-you-sos haunting them for the whole of the season.

Sticky turned away in frustration and was instantly taken in by an unfamiliar sight. A perfect sphere, full of the swirling colors of dawn clouds, drifted in mid-air. He flew into the eye of the argument to get their attention. “Stop, what’s that!”

The quintet watched the sphere float, awestruck. “Must we bring it back to the Seeress?” Lily-fathri whispered, her wings quivering like she was about to explode. “Or can I keep it? I want to pet it and name it Podgy-warble.”

The sphere did a curious thing then: it audibly popped, disappearing.

Sticky tasted soap on the breeze. “No!” Lily screamed, frantic tears pooling in her almond eyes, “Podgy-warble’s dead!”

Pocker flew to her, wrapping protective arms around her. “Shh, it’s okay Sweet-pea,” he whispered, but Sticky could tell Pocker didn’t have a clue if it would ever be okay again. Podgy-warble was gone and there was nothing left for them to plant in reverence. Lily shook and sobbed until they all had tears.

Sellamina pointed a shaky finger over grass, “Stars, look!”

An army of Podgy-warbles floated above them, each a perfect sphere of swirling color. Lily wiped her eyes and cooed.