The envoy to the humans did not start off well, but it got better.
Someone smarter than everyone else had underestimated the sheer fright a dapper hare with a cane, a buff skunk, and a magpie who spoke Human might be.
They walked right into the little village and the humans scattered back into their buildings. And not all the Hellos and Don’t Be Afraids and We’ve Come to Warn Yous would bring them out again.
It was up to Able to bridge the uncanny valley.
He looked around and gathered a few hastily dropped items and began juggling and balancing them, sometimes ten objects high. He whistled while he did it. Carlotta picked up on his cues and began singing. Sir Asa stood dumbfounded.
Able, admittedly, came from the Southern Woods. He had two brothers, Ready and Willing, who both followed the family tradition of security and protection. Able had a bit of wanderlust and found himself at several subsequent taverns playing bouncer. But also training as a fighter and as an acrobat at a small monastery. He got bored just doing the same things. He could entertain you or flip you in the air if he wanted.
His tricks caught the eye of children in the human village and sensing that the envoy meant no harm, the humans slowly came out to see the great acrobat and juggler skunk. Soon humans were clapping for him. And he kept making it more and more challenging —to build the crowd up to care if he could do it or not.
Acrobats and jugglers are good at building empathy, you know? You care if they can do it. You are with them in the balance. You are with them in the scary moments.
Sir Asa found the perfect opening to talk with them–and because of Carlotta’s brilliant ability to reflect regional accent and dialect, she made Asa’s words sound compelling and familiar.
And Able, when he saw the children balancing tea cups on their heads, knew he had done his job well, and he quietly taught them to juggle as the adults talked about orcs and danger and strategy, the concepts remaining a little over the children’s heads, flying quickly, much less entertaining than a salt shaker perilously balanced on a wooden spoon.
Go to Chapter 22
“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.
“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.
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