Tell Her Tail

by Matthais Unidostres

Chapter 2

A distant shape, a glimmer bright,
Rose from the sea, a hopeful sight
Allura's eyes, with wonder filled,
A heart once weary, now fulfilled

Twitch, too, saw, with joy and glee,
An island ahead, a sanctuary
Together, they, with might and main,
Paddled towards, to break the chain

The ice floe moved, a hopeful sign,
As they drew near, the land divine
Their spirits soared, their hearts grew light,
As hope replaced the darkest night

---

The sand crunched beneath Allura's paws as she finally crawled off of what remained of the ice floe, her front legs heavy and soaked with seawater. Twitch flopped down beside her, his little chest heaving, his tiny body trembling from both cold and exhaustion. For a moment, they lay there on the warm sand, basking in the blessed stillness after days of drifting on that icy, merciless sea. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the beach, the warm rays gently kissing their fur.

After catching their breath, they turned to the dense, vibrant jungle that lay just beyond the beach. Allura’s eyes glittered with determination, while Twitch’s nose twitched, picking up the scent of fresh greenery. They exchanged a quick nod and sprinted toward the thick undergrowth, legs pumping with newfound energy. They had made it to solid ground; now they had to find sustenance.

Twitch immediately darted ahead, his small form weaving through the tall grasses and broad-leafed plants like a little brown shadow. His instincts kicked in, and he began sniffing out every edible plant he could find—wild carrots, dandelions, clover, and even some tender roots poking out from the ground. His paws moved almost automatically, ripping up green shoots and stuffing them into his mouth. He chewed quickly, hungrily, swallowing down mouthfuls of fresh, sweet plants, barely pausing to breathe.

He didn’t notice anything else. The only thing on his mind was filling his stomach after days of gnawing hunger. He tore at leaves, chomped down roots, and even nibbled at bark. His world shrank down to the delicious taste of greens, the feel of them sliding down his throat, and the blissful relief of finally, finally eating something. For a little while, he was in his own world, completely focused on satisfying the hunger that had haunted him for days.

But at last, his stomach gave a satisfied gurgle, signaling that he’d had enough. Twitch let out a long sigh of relief, flopping down against the trunk of a nearby tree. As he did, he realized with a start that he hadn't seen Allura in a while. His ears perked up, swiveling around, and he sat up straight, scanning the edge of the jungle with wide eyes.

Then, he spotted her. Allura was making her way back toward him, her fur looking a bit disheveled but her posture relaxed and satisfied. But what caught his attention were the red stains smeared across her mouth and down her chin, stark against the purple fur of her face.

Twitch’s heart gave a nervous jolt. His imagination ran wild for a moment, picturing Allura sinking her teeth into some poor animal, tearing it apart with her sharp claws. He suddenly wished he hadn't eaten so much as his stomach churned. He turned away, placing a paw over his mouth as his cheeks bulged. But then he caught himself and swallowed it back down. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that Allura was a predator. She eats meat and that's just nature. His whiskers twitched, and he turned back to face Allura and gave her a quick sign—a little shrug and a wave of his paw that seemed to say, "You do you."

Allura blinked, her ears flicking back in mild confusion. Then she saw the nervous look in his eyes and seemed to catch on. Her face shifted from puzzled to mildly irritated, and she let out a snort of amusement. "Oh, come on," she said with a roll of her eyes, her voice tinged with annoyance. "It's just berry juice, Twitch."

Twitch blinked, his ears twitching in surprise. He looked at the red stains on her muzzle again, then back up at her face. The realization hit him, and he felt a little foolish for his earlier panic. Of course, they were berries—bright red, juicy stains, not at all like the aftermath of a hunt.

Allura gave an exasperated sigh, wiping a paw across her mouth to clean some of the berry juice away. “They were sweet, by the way. Pretty good for jungle berries," she muttered.

Twitch grinned sheepishly, his whiskers twitching with a mix of embarrassment and relief. He thumped his hind leg a few times in a little apologetic gesture, acknowledging his mistake.

Allura sighed, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Alright, now that we're not starving to death," she began, glancing back at the jungle stretching out around them, "we should check out the rest of this place. See if there's anything useful—maybe fresh water or a high spot where we can get a better look around.”

Twitch nodded eagerly, his ears perked up, ready for whatever came next. They had made it through one challenge, but there was no telling what else lay ahead. With a determined flick of her tail, Allura started forward, and Twitch bounded alongside her as they went deeper into the island jungle.

The air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and lush greenery as Allura and Twitch made their way deeper into the jungle. Sunlight filtered down in scattered patches through the canopy above, casting dappled patterns on the ground. Allura’s kept her keen senses alert to any signs of danger or opportunity as they walked.

Then, something caught her attention. Her nose flared, picking up a scent that made her stop dead in her tracks. It was an enticing, almost intoxicating smell, unlike anything she'd ever encountered before. Her head snapped in the direction of the aroma, and she sniffed the air again, eyes narrowing as she followed the invisible trail with single-minded focus.

Twitch noticed her sudden change in demeanor and hesitated, his nose twitching nervously. He could smell it too, and he immediately recognized it. His eyes widened in alarm, and he scampered in front of Allura, waving his paws frantically to get her attention. He knew exactly what that scent was—catnip.

But Allura barely noticed him. Her head was already low to the ground, nostrils flaring as she inhaled the scent, leading her to a small patch of green leaves with a silvery tinge to them. The smell was almost overwhelming now, so alluring that she felt a deep urge to investigate further. Twitch hopped in front of her again, trying to warn her, his small paws waving like crazy. He squeaked frantically, trying to convey his message: "Don’t touch it! Don’t eat it! Stay away!"

Allura knew many things, but there were still things that Twitch knew that she did not. Plants was a category that the rabbit happened to be a bit of an expert in. Twitch was indeed familar with catnip, while Allura had never even heard of it.

So, Allura huffed and batted Twitch aside with a paw, her focus dominated by the scent coming from the plant in front of her. "Oh, come on, Twitch. It smells so good, how could it be bad?" she murmured, more to herself than to him. In all honesty, she probably would have listened to Twitch’s warnings if it wasn't for that incredible smell messing with her head. She leaned down, took another deep sniff, and closed her eyes in delight. She’d never smelled anything quite like it before. It seemed to draw her in, compelling her to get closer, to taste.

Twitch jumped up and down, still trying to warn her, his ears flopping wildly, but Allura wasn’t listening. Her mouth opened wide, and with an impulsive, almost gleeful decision, she took a huge chomp of the plant. She chewed slowly, savoring the unexpected burst of flavor, a dreamy look crossing her face. Twitch froze, his little eyes wide with worry as he watched her swallow.

For a moment, Allura stood still, her tail flicking in confusion. Her eyes grew wide and round, her pupils dilating to the size of saucers. She blinked, a strange grin spreading across her face. "I... I feel... strange," she mumbled, swaying slightly on her paws.

She tried to take a step, but her legs wobbled underneath her, and with a giggle—a giggle of all things—she flopped over onto her side, then rolled onto her back. Her paws curled in the air as she began to laugh, a light, high-pitched laugh, completely lacking her usual wicked edge. Her tail swished back and forth, batting at leaves with carefree enthusiasm.

Twitch watched, baffled, as Allura’s mouth twitched and she began to purr. "Purrrr... purrrr..." The sound rumbled from her chest, a soft, steady vibration that filled the air around them. This wasn't the hypnotic purring of her mind control spell. This was something more innocent. Allura’s eyes widened in surprise, and she gasped. "Wh-what is that? Where is that coming from?" she demanded, looking around wildly due to the catnip messing with her perception.

Twitch sighed, exasperated, and pointed a paw at her chest.

Allura’s head tipped to one side, her ears perked up. "Me?" she asked, sounding dazed. "That’s me?" She paused for a moment, as if pondering this revelation, and then a mischievous grin spread across her face. "I wonder what other sounds I can make..."

She took a deep breath, her nose twitching with amusement, and began to experiment. "Mrrrrrow," she trilled, stretching the sound out, her voice rising and falling like a musical note. "Mrrrrrrraaaaow!" Her mouth formed into a perfect little “O” shape, and her ears flicked forward, then back.

She tried again, this time deeper and longer. "Rrrrrrreeeeowww," she growled, rolling her tongue and stretching her jaw wide, her eyes crossing slightly as she concentrated. Her nose quivered with delight, and she batted playfully at the air, like she was a kitten chasing an invisible butterfly.

"Meeeooowwrr!" she sang next, her voice suddenly high and squeaky, her face scrunched up into an almost comically serious expression. Her eyes crossed again, and her ears twitched wildly. "Meeeee-yoooow! Mrrreeeew!" She moved from one noise to the next, chaining them together like an orchestra of feline sounds, each one slightly different, some drawn out long and melodious, others short and sharp. "Mew, mew, mew, mew!" she continued, her mouth moving into a series of exaggerated shapes—round, wide, and stretched.

As she continued, her face twisted and contorted with every noise. Her eyes widened comically, her tongue occasionally sticking out as she made a strangled, gargling noise: "Grrrrowlll-ow-ow!" She then squeezed her eyes shut and let out a long, almost mournful "Mrrrrrrrrowwww…" before breaking into another fit of giggles.

Twitch, growing more perplexed with each passing second, finally let out a soft huff and began tapping his foot on the ground, his arms crossed over his tiny chest. He gave her a pointed look that clearly asked, "Are you finished?"

Allura paused mid-"meow," her eyes half-lidded in a daze, and then she smiled down at him with a dreamy expression. “Meeeow,” she replied in a high, cutesy voice, dragging out the sound like she was mimicking a kitten.

Twitch sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes. He hopped up onto Allura's fluffy belly, settling himself down in the soft fur with a resigned look. Her fur was warm and thick, and despite himself, Twitch felt his eyelids grow heavy. Allura's belly rose and fell rhythmically beneath him as she continued to hum and purr in a daze, her eyes half-closed, enjoying the strange, new sensations coursing through her.

Within moments, Twitch decided that he, too, could use some rest. He curled up on her stomach, snuggling into her soft fur, and let out a contented little sigh. It seemed that both of them could benefit from a bit of sleep; Allura from the effects of the catnip, and Twitch from their days of surviving on the ice floe.

Slowly, lulled by the rhythmic sound of Allura’s purring, Twitch closed his eyes, and the jungle around them seemed to grow quieter. Allura's purring softened, a gentle, steady rumble, and soon enough, she was drifting into a blissful, catnip-induced nap, Twitch nestled comfortably on her warm, furry belly, both of them finally at peace—for now.

Comments

[DeadWheat]

I actually didn't know catnip was a plant and not some man-made food until I read this- thank you for educating me.