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Sunday, November 2

NaNoWriMo Update

Lycus' plans fell apart quickly. His fear of the hag was overwhelmed by sheer exhaustion. As soon as she left, he crawled into his bed of rags and fell asleep immediately. Eliana came out shortly after Dawn went to bed.

"They sleep in shifts like clockwork," said Ivasik.

Mama Yaga went out and left Eliana in charge. Eliana went off to her own room, humming to herself. I considered waking Lycus and just running for it, but I suspected there were magical defenses in place that would let her or Eliana know.

I ran over to Lycus and tried to wake him, but it was impossible, even with a well-placed nip. The boy was exhausted.

Entering the main room again, I screwed up my courage and padded towards the chair.

"Taking another run at the table are you?" asked Ivasik.

"I'm considering it," I said.

"Going to bribe me with more food?"

I would have frowned at him if I had the face to do so. "Why?"

"I could help," said Ivasik. "If you get me more meat."

I shuddered at the thought. "No thanks. I'm thinking something a little less disgusting, like bread." There was a plate of bread just visible at the edge of the table.

Ivasik snorted. "Bread? Bah!" He turned around and curled up on the floor. "This will be fun to watch."

I was in a dilemma. The chair was going to swat me, of that I was sure. I had to get onto the table and get the bread off of it.

I took a step back to think. No I didn't! All I needed was the bread OFF the table. I was so fixated on getting the bread myself that I hadn't thought of the obvious!

I ran towards the chair.

"The chair's too far away from the table," said Ivasik. "You'll never make it."

I ignored him and bounded onto the leg of the chair. I scrambled up to the seat and then hurled myself off of it without stopping, right towards the table. It was too far away, just as Ivasik said. But it was close enough for the chair to reach…

WHAM! One of the wooden paws stretched out and took a swipe at me. It missed, but it struck the table.

"That was close," said Ivasik. "The next time it's going to—"

I ran up again, leaping along the legs of the chair. This time I could swear the entire chair moved, its four lion-like legs stabilizing it as it took a steadier swipe. It managed to catch the end of my tail, which spun me across the floor. I landed, a little dizzy but unhurt.

"You're crazy," said Ivasik, tail flicking. "Why don't you just give up?"

"Give up?" I said, panting. I darted towards the chair again. "I'm just getting started."

This time it was ready. The feet scrambled out of the way as I dove towards them. It took all my ratly might to grab onto it. The crossbar bent in an attempt to dislodge me, but I hurled myself up at it again and bounded off.

WHAM! The wooden paws just grazed my fur, but it hit solidly into the table. If I didn't know any better, I think I was making the chair mad.

There was wobbling sound as the dish on the table rotated on its axis from the impact. It started to fall…

The chair's arm snatched out to steady it, but a sliced piece of bread flipped end over end. I dove for it and, leaping, snatched it out of the air. The chair was so preoccupied with keeping the plate on the table that it didn't bother to stop me. Or perhaps it wasn't smart enough to know how.

Ivasik watched in surprise. "I don't believe you just pulled that off. You must really like bread."

I dragged the piece of bread out the front entrance. "It's not for me."

Labels: author news

posted by Mike Tresca at 3:52 PM

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