Chapter 53: Fielday

Chapter 53: Fielday

Corporal Claws more felt than saw the changes to her body.

Her entire being expanded, shifting her perspective as it did so. Her claws grew, teeth sharpened, and muscles bulged, filling her with new strength.

With a soft pop, her body condensed again, and her vision cleared.

She took in the surrounding scene.

She was back on her perch atop the pond, the branches caressing her body. Moonlight shone down from above, bathing the scene in its blue-white light.

Corporal Claws wiggled her body, leaning back into her throne.

While the log's peak was still comfortable, she didn't fit it as she did before.

She held a paw up before her face, and with a mild flex, extended her claws. They were thicker, sharper, longer, and her instincts told her they were stronger, too.

With a testing movement, she scraped her tongue along her teeth. They, too, were enhanced in the same way.

She chirped, and it sounded deeper, richer; the noise vibrated her chest and cut through the silence of the night.

She wanted to go to her master, to show off her new form. Almost as urgent was the need to show that dastardly crab that she, too, had an improved body. More pressing than both these needs, though, was a weariness that seemed to suffuse her.

Her body felt heavy, her eyes hard to keep open, her breathing slow.

Before she knew it, sleep took her, and soft snores rang out through the evening.

***

I woke with an explosive burst of excitement.

I threw the covers aside and jumped out of bed, stretching as an afterthought.

Fielday! It's Fielday!

The merchant was arriving today, and with him came things I’d been counting down the days toward.

"Coffee machine!" I yelled as I stretched.

A yawn escaped me, and I let it out in all its glory.

"And a bearing for my rod..."

Neither of my animal pals were in the room, so I made my way outside to look for them—I didn't have to go far.

Sergeant Snips was tending the campfire, adding wood and stoking coals. The predawn light of the sun bathed her in its reflected light, giving her spiked body a pink hue.

"Snips!"

She jumped and spun on the spot, facing me as she landed.

Feet scuttled and sand flew as she ran to meet me.

"Morning, Snips!"

I bent to rub her carapace, and she blew content bubbles at my touch.

"Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, hissing her affirmation.

We were staring down at each other, both enjoying the comfort of the other's touch, when we were interrupted.

A far-off sound echoed off the sandy flats, smothering the ever-present noise of waves crashing and birds calling.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com

I spun toward it, and as I squinted into the distance, a grin spread across my face.

Corporal Claws was inbound, a cloud of sand in her wake as she tore through the distance between us.

"Snips...?"

She hissed in question.

"Does Claws look... bigger to you?"

I glanced down at my stalwart crab, and she cast a suspicious gaze toward the approaching otter.

I returned my attention to Corporal Claws.

She was almost at us, her entire body somehow wiggling in delight as she ran, aggressively chirping.

"... yeah, she’s definitely bigger."

When she was within rock-throwing distance, she launched.

“Claws—“

She collided with my chest, and I flinched back but easily caught her in my arms.

I laughed as she writhed, rubbing her body against me and speaking in chaotic chirps I didn't understand.

"Claws! What happened!"

She was almost twice as big as the last time I saw her. She put both forepaws on my chest, leaned back, and peered down at me with obvious pride.

I caught sight of her teeth; they were longer, sharper, vicious looking.

"Your chompers, Claws! They're bigger!"

She jumped down, puffing out her chest as she peered at Snips.

Sergeant Snips scuttled up to her, cocking her carapace as she inspected Claws’ improved body.

Snips nodded a single time, giving her approval.

“Claws—did you evolve? How?”

She puffed her chest out even more, lavishing in the attention, then nodded a single time, gesturing back to the forest with one paw.

"The pond?"

Again, she nodded.

I grabbed another log and twisted it down into the ground, the sandy soil no match for my strength.

Stepping back, I nodded for Snips to go for it.

Without hesitation, her right claw extended. A sharp crack split the air, and a white arc of energy shot from her.

The aura attack traveled so fast I could barely see it, and when it hit the log, the world transformed into a shower of wood and splinters.

Just as with the first log, this one wasn't cut; it was all but disintegrated.

"Unbelievable..."

Corporal Claws looked on with an assessing gaze, and after only a moment's pause, also nodded her head in acknowledgement.

I smiled at them, glad they could find some mutual respect.

"Alright, girls—as much as I'd love to spend the rest of the day hanging out, I really have to get going."

My smile widened as they both waved goodbye, each as adorable as the other.

"I'll be back later, okay? I don't think it should be too eventful."

***

George, the lord of Tropica, took a deep breath, doing his best to calm frayed nerves.

It was going to be an eventful morning.

"It'll be fine, George," his wife, Geraldine, said.

He wiped his hands on a cloth, unsure if they were sticky from sugar, sweat, or both.

Probably both.

She pressed her face against his back and wrapped her meaty arms around his impressive girth.

He leaned into the touch.

"What would I do without you?'

"You'll never know, husband—I'm not going anywhere."

George took another deep breath—as deep as he could breathe, anyway—and let it out slowly.

"Alright. Let us go address the peasants."

She patted him on the back.

"There's my husband."

***

I joined the milling crowd gathering in the middle of Tropica.

I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows at just how many were present. It was nearing hundreds of people, most of which I didn't recognize—I wasn't even aware there were so many farmers living in Tropica.

I guess there are plenty of people that just keep to themselves...

"Fischer!"

I turned to see Maria striding toward me through the crowd, and I beamed at her.

"Morning, Maria!"

I glanced behind her, seeing a grump-as-ever Roger in her wake.

"G'day, Roger. How are ya, mate?"

He nodded and grumbled something indiscernible.

"Have you heard, Fischer?" Maria asked.

"Heard what?"

"Apparently, George has a special announcement. We—"

"Thank you for coming, everyone!"

I turned to see George, standing on a box and looking over the crowd.

"I have some news that I believe you'll all find most welcome..."

***

Barry held the cup to Sharon's lips as she slowly drank the sugarcane juice.

He'd insisted that Roger and Maria go on ahead to the village meeting, and after convincing them his hand was necessary to administer the medicine, even Roger eventually capitulated.

"Your husband is a stubborn man, Sharon..."

Her eyes were still staring into space, but she continued drinking, downing the juice sip-by-sip.

"Your condition has him acting even more stubborn than usual, but I suppose any man would act the same. I'm not sure what I would do if Helen were sick."

She pulled back from the cup, having had her full.

Following Maria's instruction, he put the cup down and tried to ease her back onto the bed.

As he lowered her to the pillows, her body went rigid.

Her hands scrabbled, finding purchase on his arms.

She blinked, her mouth moving inaudibly as she gripped him.

Her head turned, and she looked up at him

As he stared down into her eyes, they held recognition.

"... Barry?"