[twwm] 5th Anniversary - Pooki and The Wicked Well

The little esk trotted around his garden, trailing wisps of smoke behind his body. Broken stones, cracked with erosion and age, surrounded him on his walk. Weeds grew up through the miniature canyons of his garden sidewalk, and he stood proud over his little kingdom. Many a small creature lived here, their little fast footsteps almost too quiet for him to hear. A mouse, quickly scurrying through brush too tall, like a wall of grasses blocking out the sky. A lizard, opening his mouth to scent the air, and moving with the sun like a flower, following its rays to stay warm.

A well was in the distance, stones rising into the sky, far above Pooki's head. The stones were mossy and cracked, eroded and faint from rain and minerals. Stray streaky tears of copper from the well's winch fell down onto the rocks, and dyed them a turquoise green. While Pooki had lived in his garden forever - how long had it been? - he had never made it to the top of his well. It stretched, an unreachable giant like the tallest of peaks above him, but he set his sights on it today. It had taunted him enough, that darned well, with deep throaty calls at night that spooked him and made his fur stand on end. Today he was going to face down the haunted well of his garden kingdom, and see whatever creature was inside! He was also going to touch the roof of the well, but that was a secondary goal.

Wisps of his smoke that swirled around his form whimsically began to twist in frantic movements, mincing the air with excitement. Pooki - normally an esk that would amble and tumble his way along like a small bowl, toddling through wild garlic and onion, started to pick up his pace, nearly dancing towards the well as it glared down at him imposingly. His stare was brave, his eyes open wide, his paws dashing fast. He wasn’t scared - if anything, the challenge excited him! And, as the well grew closer, he began to float upwards, dancing up invisible steps of air as he gained altitude, coming to stare down into the gaping mouth of the wicked well. It was green and damp and dark inside, and there was the source of the deep creaking groans that came at night....

Inside! There were strange creatures, green and slimy, but they seemed not to care for the creature looking down at them, only sticking their tongues out every so often to lick an eyeball that would then close for a few moments. Pooki was ecstatic to see these little critters - whatever they were! He continued his chase of the clouds, his wish to touch the very roof of the shambling and stooped well about to come true as he stepped carefully to it. Placing his tubby paws onto the rotten and lichen covered wood, Pooki did a little pirouette. He had gotten to the top of the well unscathed!