#vixen525

[pythonpie]

Did this piece for @vixen525 of her big boy Taevis!

[horseyneigh2002]

Flings a prompt your way:

5. “I’m sorry- I didn’t see you there little guy.”

After a good amount of back and forth, I decided that you would get to see some Beryl in his pre-imprisoned state! Done in second person! Don’t worry, this didn't get gory even though Beryl was very much an asshole here!

Contains: Some angst/suspense, Beryl being careless with tinies, and I think that’s it.

Wordcount: 821

~~~

You had a very simple life, as a shepherd. Most days were just watching and defending your sheep. You had a very healthy, hearty flock under your care, and were lucky enough that wolves were scarce in this region. No diseases ran rampant through your flock, and the rivers were slow and shallow, lazily winding their way through the landscape. 

A light doze in the warm afternoon sun turned into a bolt of sheer dread that had you sitting upright, your crook clutched tightly. 

Something was wrong. 

Your eyes scanned the flock before you, every sheep looked to be accounted for, but they had all gone very still, very quiet. All of their heads were turned towards a direction, just watching. 

Slowly, you rose to your feet to see what might be approaching. For a long moment, you saw nothing that would justify the dread in your chest. And then, you saw it. 

A shadow, black as night, was stretching and morphing and racing across the ground, steadily getting closer and closer to your flock. At the crest of the hill, it paused, gathering and swelling into a large mass that began to raise from the ground. 

The deep shadow gave way to dark blue skin and a human-like shape took form. Dread turned into terror as yellow eyes appeared on the face and sharp teeth became visible. 

You knew this being. Beryl. One of the Gods. A bringer of death and destruction and chaos.  

The sheep began to bleat with terror and run in any direction away from this massive, horrid being. You had half a mind to join them in panicked fleeing, but the rest of you knew that they would not be able to survive, scattered across the fields unprotected. 

You tried to herd the terrified animals into one direction, but you felt the ground buck beneath your feet. Beryl was moving, taking steps towards you and your vulnerable, scattered flock, leaving the ground a flattened mess in his wake. 

“Stop!” You changed your course, sprinting towards the towering being, waving your crook above your head to get his attention. “Please! My sheep! Stop! Do not trod on them!” 

A shadow fell over your head, a massive foot that was falling from the sky, set to crush you into mud. 

“Please, my lord!” Your knees hit the dirt with your plea, every muscle in your body bracing for the end. 

Nothing. 

Your heart continued to pound in your ears, but your life was not snuffed out. The shadow above your head shifted, and the foot shifted back and settled on the ground not an arm’s length before your face. You lifted your head and saw yellow eyes locked onto your minuscule body. 

“Apologies, my lord.” You whispered. “My flock is in your way, please do not destroy them. Give me a chance to move them to safety.” 

Yellow eyes blinked, and a voice like thunder rumbled from behind fangs. “I didn’t see you there, little one.” Fingers larger than yourself suddenly seized you from behind and raised you to the giant’s face, locking you in a steely trap. “Silly little mortal, I almost squashed you. What has you throwing yourself beneath my feet?” 

“My flock is in your way.” You managed to speak without stammering, despite the drop beneath you and the fangs before you and the crushing grip surrounding you. “I need them, and I merely ask to be able to move them in a way you will not crush them.” 

“Flock?” The being looked around and then looked back to you. “I will never understand you humans and your obsession with these little animals.” 

Your heart leaped into your dirt as the giant crouched down and with a wave of his fist that still held you tight all your sheep suddenly stopped mid run and slowly returned to a group off to the side. Their movements looked so stiff, so forced, and they were extremely still once herded again. 

“There. No need to throw yourself under my feet.” Beryl brought you back to his gaze and shifted you into an open palm. “Such a brave and stupid mortal. But, you know your place.” 

Something heavy landed hard on your back and pinned you solidly in place. A shock of cold, followed by searing heat flared across your back. You all but choked on your muffled cry, but before you could even realize what was happening, you were dropped onto the grass in the shadow of the deity, finally freed from his grip. 

“Goodbye, little one. Not every being like me would stop.”

And like a breeze, he was gone. Your back stopped spasming with pain just as your sheep seemed to come alive again, calmly wandering around like before he had shown himself. That night, in a bucket of water, you were able to lay your eyes on the brand that was left upon your skin. 

[faithinhumanityr]

vixen525 submitted to faithinhumanityr: "Just a Small Deed"

This happened not long after I left home. I had a part time job, which I had originally lived down the street from and could walk to. I left that house and moved in with my grandparents 30 miles away to escape my stepdad. That move meant the money I made from the 15 hr a week job only barely covered the round trip cost, car expenses, and a tiny bit extra. That tiny bit extra always went to getting small snacks and quick meals I could have on break at the job.

After work one day, I made a stop to pull out cash so I could shop later for a couple weeks worth of work-day meals. On the drive home, I noticed a guy with a cardboard sign on the ovepass. I only got a glance, but his appearance and the few words I caught made it clear he was homeless. And he was in a terrible location for that, a small side town that had a couple of gas stations and neighborhoods. A place where people lived, but worked and shopped elsewhere. No bus stations, the only possible shelter was an old abandoned motel.

The first thing I thought of was that if I didn’t have my grandparents so nearby, I could have ended up homeless myself.

I turned around at my first opportunity and went back, pulling over next to the guy. I gave him my bag of snack-meals for the rest of the week, the $60 in my purse and a few quarters I found on the car floor. I said to him that hopefully the meals could last him a couple days, and that he could use the money for whatever he wanted. I mentioned that the gas station a couple blocks away had a payphone, and if he wanted, he could get a cab to the nearest bus stop, or there was a train station the next town over if he knew somewhere better to go.

I didn’t tell my grandparents that I didn’t have my portable meals for the rest of the month, they had enough expenses to worry about. I scrounged about for change so I could buy some cheap fruit and ramen, but mostly made due without.

I never saw that man again, and I don’t know what happened to him. I just hope he had some family or friend that he could get to with that bit of money, a chance to improve his situation.

Dear vixen525 - thank you for this submission! You are an amazing person for having done this "small" (I doubt this man saw your act as small ! ) deed. Wonderful.