Hey you wonderful people!
I'm back, and so is Taylor!
This week she's brought us back to the world of "The Last Guardian" - and boy, did she confuse me!
See, this is what happens when I post pieces from a WIP - Work In Progress. Things change.
Like the names.
It used to be Jack and Taylor - now it's Dakota and Anna.
Got that?
Take notes!
-- Kendra
The Last Guardian
Chapter Two
Morning
Anna
Dakota awoke early in the morning. If I had any question about his habits, I learned painfully on waking, my back cold in his absence. I opened my eyes, yawned, and sat up in bed. Sunlight peeked its way through the partially drawn curtains, giving the room a warm peach-colored glow. I slid out of bed and stretched, my body achy and slow from lack of sleep.
In a fog, I dragged myself to the window and opened the curtains. The morning was glorious. The woods were bright and alive. Moisture dripped from the branches of the pines, the colors of the soil below made vibrant by the morning sun.
I opened the window, letting in a gust of sweet, fresh, wonderful airl, like the pines that sheltered us from the rest of the world. The chirping of birds filled my ears, almost covering the other sounds. A stream trickled into a nearby creek and chipmunks fought over a pine cone. Further away I could hear the pounding hooves of an elk searching for a dry spot in the brush. Under them all, I could just about hear the falling of leaves. I sighed with contentment, feeling we belonged here, like we were part of these woods, a pair of branches settled comfortably in a nest of trees and animals.
I closed my eyes, inhaled and sighed again. A new scent, buttery and eggy, swirled into my nostrils. French toast. Dakota was making breakfast, but it wasn’t any breakfast; it was my favorite. I sighed a third time, took an outfit from the closet, and headed down the hall to the bathroom. I didn't care that Dakota's wet dog smell still lingered on our towels. I was in a haven of sweet aromas and soft sounds and warm colors. My own little slice of bliss. I never wanted this life to end.
Dakota
"Well, good morning, sleepy head!" I glanced at Anna as she made her way into the kitchen. "There's orange juice on the table." I gestured towards her already filled glass with a paw.
She smiled at me and sat down, looking indescribably happy. I smiled back and wagged my tail, feeling as joyful as she looked.
After breakfast, there was an all-too-familiar sound coming from the back door. I stopped in my tracks, a clean plate still in my paws, and pricked my ears at the tiny Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch!
"Anna," I said, smiling as I looked at her. "You have a little visitor."
My girl's face brightened as she rushed to the door. She opened it, then crouched to meet our much expected guest.
"Hey Buttercup!" she said, stroking the animal's small cheek with a finger.
Anna saved the gentle chipmunk years ago, finding him trapped in a snare that wasn't our own. She'd named him Buttercup, insisting that his reddish yellow fur matched the bright flowers in our garden. He was a cute little creature, always begging for nuts or fruit during the autumn season.
He reached out to Anna and she giggled, smoothing her long waves of auburn hair back behind her shoulders. She walked out into the garden, searching for the perfect treat.
In the glow of the sun, our backyard became splashed with color. Buttercups and roses, mint and apple blossoms, tea leaves and other food bearing plants were scattered throughout the yard in pots and flowerbeds. Our jacaranda tree stood tall and bright, its yellow flower petals showering the ground with golden blankets as the cool breeze blew.
Anna, who'd returned with a wreath of bright flower petals in her hair, smiled as she watched Buttercup stuff his cheeks with raisins, nuts, almonds, and berries until his mouth couldn't hold anymore. Before scampering into the woods, Buttercup carefully took a blossom out of Anna's fingers. Anna smiled and waved as he ventured off. I wagged my tail, and felt so lucky to have the privilege of being a Guardian to such a kind little soul.
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