literature

FFM 21 - Round the Tree of Life

Deviation Actions

distortified's avatar
By
Published:
311 Views

Literature Text

Chaos swept across the material world, and the ripples hit the Tree of Life like tidal waves.   The Tree had never known a moment of peace in all its eternal existence, but this was a moment of exceptional cacophony throughout its branches, as all the spirits and totems of nature convened in a great meeting.

“It is a plague!” howled Wolf, a mixture of rage and sorrow. “My packs fall one after another, furless and rotting in the dirt with all the meat still on their bones.”

“No!  A toxin!”  cried Turtle.  “I’ve seen the rivers turn green and black with pure death, watched countless fish choke on water as though it was pure poison.”

Still, Stag had another suggestion: “A predator.  I’ve seen the beast with my own eyes, devouring my children or simply slaughtering them for the game of it.  

Lion theorized a God, and Hyena supported the claim, marking the first time that the two had ever been unified.  Hawk and Rabbit both agreed that the threat was fast and wily, and when the oft-loathed Viper proclaimed that they had to do something about it, not a single creature dissented. For the first time in the history of existence, the entire Kingdom of the Wild was bound by a unifying cause.

“Yes,” hissed a voice from the shadows, and at once there was silence.  Everyone knew that voice.  She who was Death had joined them, and she watched from the darkness with dozens of malformed eyes, still perched in her webs between the worlds.  “I have seen this threat before, in other planes.  I have watched entire planets wiped clean into balls of dust before the atrocities that you now face, and I have heard their names whispered in nightmares across the multiverse.”  On the shiny black legs of a spider, she crept forth into the clearing under the branches of the World Tree, and clicked her mandibles together in excitement.  “They are called Humans.  And your war has just begun.”
Flash-Fic-Month July 21, 2016
No challenge today


I kinda used my own prompt from a few years ago, which was something like "The animals have returned, and they want their planet back."  I mean really, I guess I just used the age-old trope of man versus nature, but yeah.  Also, inspired by Neil Gaiman and his depiction of the World Tree in Anansi Boys.  Obviously this spider is a little bit different than that one.  I dunno if anyone remembers Sabela, but she wouldn't have been happy if I did a whole July without mentioning her.

Aaannyyyywwwaaaayyy!  Viva! 
© 2016 - 2024 distortified
Comments4
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
TheSkaBoss's avatar