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Description
021ei Tango • - - - t h e s t o r y ;

"It's called the 'Ocean'," mother said in her soft, loving voice; it was a memory from my cub days, curled tight up against her side. She would purr and tell us stories every night until we could sleep and I, alone, of my litter mates remained awake all through mothers stories. I was stubborn that way, insisting that I hear every single word mother had to say. She would scold me, periodically, but always in the gentlest and chuckling tones. "It's sometimes as blue as a sapphire or as green as an emerald and it glitters in dazzling colors every time the sun comes up or goes down." her voice crooned to me. "It shushes and hushes and rushes up onto the sands as gold as your coat, or as white as the clouds. The air is salty sweet and warm and damp."

Staring down at the ocean now I finally understood why my mother loved it so much. She never did tell me how she'd ever come to see the ocean and know what it was like but there was no mistaking now that I saw it that she knew exactly what she was talking about. Sitting here, on top of the sand and the grasses, staring down at the ocean I felt like I was on top of the world. The sun dazzled on the waters, chasing away the cool, dark of night and the ocean changed from deep blacks and blues sparkling like stars to a warm emerald, soft peridot and far in the distance a brilliant, dazzling diamond of topaz directly beneath the sun. I don't know why the world chose this time, this location to paint the world in greens and golds and blues instead of the warm crimsons and peaches that I was used to in the morning but it lifted my heart. I was finally able to shed the anxiety of being on this side of the fences at night.

I watched as the world melted from night to day and felt at peace. There was no restlessness, no need to find my way back. It was beautiful. It didn't last forever, though. The sounds shattered the silence, a shadow gliding over my head and the sand before me. High over head a white, gray and black bird soared in lazy, looped circles. I craned my head back to watch the gradual descent until at last it folded its wings and bounced three hops on the sand. Crouch, I lowered and crept forward, trying to move silently through the dry grasses all around me. Slowly, slowly, I crept closer. I almost had it too. Then my collar caught on a dry stalk and the blade of grass snapped noisily. The bird took off with a noisy squawk. As I watched it flutter away my tummy rumbled noisily, reminding me that it had been a very long time since I had last eaten. I glanced back down at the ocean and my tummy rumbled again. Beautiful scenery won't feed you, the thought tickled my mind and with a sigh I abandoned the jeweled waters to try my luck again, further down the beach.

• - - - t h e w o r d s ; 529

Description
021ei Tango • - - - t h e s t o r y ;

"It's called the 'Ocean'," mother said in her soft, loving voice; it was a memory from my cub days, curled tight up against her side. She would purr and tell us stories every night until we could sleep and I, alone, of my litter mates remained awake all through mothers stories. I was stubborn that way, insisting that I hear every single word mother had to say. She would scold me, periodically, but always in the gentlest and chuckling tones. "It's sometimes as blue as a sapphire or as green as an emerald and it glitters in dazzling colors every time the sun comes up or goes down." her voice crooned to me. "It shushes and hushes and rushes up onto the sands as gold as your coat, or as white as the clouds. The air is salty sweet and warm and damp."

Staring down at the ocean now I finally understood why my mother loved it so much. She never did tell me how she'd ever come to see the ocean and know what it was like but there was no mistaking now that I saw it that she knew exactly what she was talking about. Sitting here, on top of the sand and the grasses, staring down at the ocean I felt like I was on top of the world. The sun dazzled on the waters, chasing away the cool, dark of night and the ocean changed from deep blacks and blues sparkling like stars to a warm emerald, soft peridot and far in the distance a brilliant, dazzling diamond of topaz directly beneath the sun. I don't know why the world chose this time, this location to paint the world in greens and golds and blues instead of the warm crimsons and peaches that I was used to in the morning but it lifted my heart. I was finally able to shed the anxiety of being on this side of the fences at night.

I watched as the world melted from night to day and felt at peace. There was no restlessness, no need to find my way back. It was beautiful. It didn't last forever, though. The sounds shattered the silence, a shadow gliding over my head and the sand before me. High over head a white, gray and black bird soared in lazy, looped circles. I craned my head back to watch the gradual descent until at last it folded its wings and bounced three hops on the sand. Crouch, I lowered and crept forward, trying to move silently through the dry grasses all around me. Slowly, slowly, I crept closer. I almost had it too. Then my collar caught on a dry stalk and the blade of grass snapped noisily. The bird took off with a noisy squawk. As I watched it flutter away my tummy rumbled noisily, reminding me that it had been a very long time since I had last eaten. I glanced back down at the ocean and my tummy rumbled again. Beautiful scenery won't feed you, the thought tickled my mind and with a sigh I abandoned the jeweled waters to try my luck again, further down the beach.

• - - - t h e w o r d s ; 529