Naut - Tumblr Posts

769...773...777...781...

No 779. Where was it? 776, and 782. Not across the street. 785, not out of order either.

Adelon lifted the tag on the backpack towards the streetlamp to check the address again.

779 Cherry Street, Honesty Washington. A neatly written address on a tag telling any who found the backpack to return it to its owner, the Astral Cat Tavern.

How a tavern had lost a backpack on the other side of the country was beyond Adelon. All he knew was he had been on this crusade of curiosity too long to give up now.

Turning back to the houses. 777, then 781. Not just that, but this was the middle of a street in the suburbs. Every house eerily similar in appearance with its neighbors. One would think a tavern here would be easier to see than a flare over the open sea on a calm night.

Adelon stood and stared into the darkness between the houses for a time, until the moon peeked from behind the clouds to see what he was staring at.

A sparkle of silver drew Adelon's focus back to the tag. Where the moonlight touched it, a set of silver symbols was beginning to appear.

Adelon placed the tag further within the grasp of the moon, revealing the secret writing. As Adalon tried to understand the strange symbols a bubble of odd and twisting energy built up inside his chest. Then it floated up his throat and burst, releasing an unspeakable word of an unknowable realm from his lips.

A soft yellow glow joins the midnight lighting. Adelon turned to look, to see which house awoke. As his eyes began to search the newly lit window for life a sign flickered with beckoning light. Neon blue creating a circular pattern in the window, then one by one as if each had to be lit with its own switch neon red numbers came to life. 7...7...9.

Leaving the street lamp behind Adelon shouldered the bag and made his way across the moonlit street to the darkened doorway that stood at the end of his crusade.

The door was heavy and wooden. An icon of a cat sat in faded paint upon it, watching Adelon's approach. It had two pure white eyes and what appeared to be a pale four pointed star on its forehead. Its tail, wrapped around its feet, a twin-split appendage.

No handle was present on the door, and the stare of the icon warned one against the rapping of knuckles upon its head. Instead, once more, the alien word writhed and floated up through Adelon's chest. As if a password to a hidden world beyond. No sooner had the word wrenched itself from him again, the door opened, granting Adelon entry to the building.

Beyond the open portal was a room with a scattering of empty tables and an unmanned bar. An array of strangely colored bottles and liquid resting on shelves and in tubes.

"Hello?"

A hesitant greeting paired with the creaking of wooden floorboards announced Adelon's entry.

He weaved through the tables and chairs as he looked around for any signs of life.

"We're not open yet."

Adelon whirled to spot the owner of the rumbling voice but saw only a purple cat sat upon the bar. Its tails wrapped around its feet as it stared at Adelon with shimmering yellow eyes.

Adelon stared at the living icon from the door. Then called out once more into the hostless bar as he closed the distance to the cat.

"I found your bag!"

Adelon shifted the bag from his shoulder to the bar-top as the cat-like creature stared at him unblinking. No sign of the person who had spoken before.

Adelon stared back into the yellow orbs and blinked when he realized the black pupils were four-pointed stars. As he blinked and backed away a little, those eyes shifted to the backpack and narrowed into crosshairs.

Then it moved, and as it moved it rumbled, and is it rumbled the voice spoke again.

"Thank you. It took more time to come back then usual."

Adelon stood frozen for a moment as he realized the rumbling voice came from the cat-thing.

It sniffed the bag, satisfying its own curiosity.

"Seems you've traveled a fair distance, there and back again," the cat addressed the bag.

Adelon stabbed at the opportunity to regain his grasp on the moment.

"I found it under a bench at a bus station on the other side of the country."

The pale gaze returned to him briefly before a nod acknowledged his addition. Then the twin-tail dipped below the bar and returned with a silver bell in its grasp.

"I didn't open it," Adelon added trying to chop at the silence, "it doesn't really have a zipper so I couldn't even if I had wanted to... so..."

Adelon was unsure of how to speak with the animalistic creature.

The cat nodded, again.

The tails flicked toward the backpack. The bell, when rung reverberated and echoed, it's metallic tone seeming to travel through time more than space. It started low then rose to a high-pitched 'ting-ting' before returning to its lower pitch as if a temporal doppler had carried it to this specific moment.

As the sound struck across time-space, the bag began to twist and writhe before unzipping in a burst of motion at the height of the bells ring.

Bone white marionette pieces flew from the backpack onto the floor, and their shadow gave aggressive chase as they clattered between the chairs. The shadow zipped over them, gathering them up within it's darkness.

As it tumbled to a stop with all its parts recovered, the shadow turned and hissed at the two observers. A panther-like face providing a maw for the radio static roar to emerge from.

The tails flicked the bell again, causing the ting-ting to echo back across time into this new moment.

The shadow-creature pulled away from the sound, then up into a standing position. The clicking sounds of marionette pieces being fitted together accompanying the shift from predator to person.

A woman with ebony skin and hair like black sheep's wool wore the darkness like a velvet dress and silken shawl.

"Naut." She referred to the cat.

"Lucy Bell." it purred the name in reply.

"Sorry for running away for so long. I just wanted to get out and see some places."

A pause between the shadow's speaking and the rumbling replies.

"Good places can be just as soothing for the soul as good people." The cat rose to walk across the bar again and gave Adelon a side eye as it spoke.

Lucy Bell's steps clacked as she rushed to take her place behind the bar. Her hair sinched into a bun with a pull of black ribbons, her dress sewing itself into a suit-vest, shirt, and pants as she took her position on Naut's right hand.

"Take a seat, stranger."

The twin-tails swept in the direction of a stool before wrapping around the feet of the cat once more.

Adelon sat.

Naut smelled his hands.

"You smell faintly of squid, boy. Squid and blood."

The crosshairs focused on him for a moment before expanding into stars.

"Have you ever tried unicorn's blood?"

The tails slithered away, as Adelon shook his head slowly. A third tail appeared to assist with carrying a bottle into the hands of Lucy Bell.

An ice-filled glass settled on the bar-top and a metallic pink liquid shimmering with glitter filled it. A graceful hand placed a garnish of blue butterfly wings in the place of an umbrella.

A tail pushed the drink to Adelon.

"As thanks for a good deed done. Welcome to the Astral Cat Tavern, friend."

It's Inktober!

I don't know how to draw so I'm going to "ink" some short stories for y'all using the prompts! I'm a day late so I will be posting the yesterday's soon and I'll try to get today's prompt done too

Inktober Day 1: Backpack

Im a little late sorry. I hope y'all enjoy! Today's short is in Lucy Bell's POV

Stargazing from the rooftop. The sound of distant traffic drifted up through the night air as Lucy Bell counted the stars visible through the light pollution.

A voice cut through the ambient silence, jumping and dropping like the speaker wasn't fully in control of themselves.

A murmuring built into laughter, sardonic laughter, belted out as if the laugher could cure their discomfort with the volume of their mirth. The discomfort won and the mirth evacuated as laughter turned to wrenching.

Lucy Bell turned her gaze away from the stars she had lost focus on and scuttled across the roof to get a view of the wretch. She saw a plain looking mortal having her hair held back while evacuated the copious amounts of alcohol in her system. The man that held her hair though was anything but plain and a tingle behind Lucy Bell's eyes told her he wasn't mortal.

This man stood with hair almost on end, it glowed in the light of the streetlamp the color of poorly bleached ginger hair. His skin was pale under the night lights as he gently held the woman while she lost her mirth. Something radiated from him subtly, something that reminded her of deep sea documentaries. A touch of the beyond had graced Lucy Bell's night and she recalled Naut teaching her the importance of curiosity.

Lucy Bell knew a hunt when she saw one. She followed the stranger and his mortal companion as he soberly guided her down the path. Her drunken steps stumbling occasionally as she leaned against him for support, still babbling at jumping volumes.

The mortal droned of failures in her life. Scorned at a past lover. Mourned unsupportive friends. Sobbed at the kindness of her hunter. As he guided her, soothed her, and lulled her into calm.

All the while Lucy Bell followed. She stretched her shadows to reach treetops, and to cling to roof sides. Hiding her bones when the stranger cast his gaze back across the skyline. She made not a sound, quiet as a spider spinning its web.

Soon the pair arrived at an abode, the hunted stepping to the door claiming the place her home. She turned to the hunter, a sad look escaping her drunken, bloodshot eyes. It was a look of asking, of wondering, of pleading, as if she longed to stay in his company.

The stranger stepped forward, leaned in, and his mouth expanded. It split, it stretched, and it wrapped itself around her head. The mortals form went limp in his arms. His hair stretched and spread as he blocked the view of his face from the street as he embraced her.

Lucy Bell watched with peaking curiosity. She'd not seen a Stranger do such a thing before. She tensed as well, ready to pounce. She welcomed the hunt to be hers to chase.

The hair returned to its natural state, the face retreated, the man separated himself from the woman. Her head remained intact. Her eyes now glittered with a dreamy daze. She smiled, soft and wide. A sigh escaped her as if she wished the eldritch embrace had lasted longer.

The stranger stepped away, his hunger sated. He directed the mortal to enter her home. Her smiled continued as she stumbled through her threshold with a drunken skip.

Had he drained her sorrow? Her dreariness? Her pain?

Questions filled Lucy Bell's mind as curiosity won out over bloodthirst.

How much had he taken? How long would it last? What was he?

She had to know. He was walking away.

Lucy Bell stretched herself down from her roof on a shadowy thread. Then it snapped and she dropped. She tucked herself into her casing as she hit the ground. The sound causing the stranger to stop.

She peeked through the gaps. Watching as he approached and inspected her fallen form.

"A backpack? Where did this come from?"

He searched the outside for information.

"The Astral Cat Tavern? Who puts a tavern down as the owner of a backpack? Why is this so far away from home?"

He lifted Lucy Bell and strapped her casing over his shoulder.

"Can't hurt to take you back I guess. Must the best tavern in the world for someone across the country to put it down as their address."

Lucy Bell felt pleasure, she had snagged an interesting one. Naut would be pleased with her. Perhaps her curiosity would be satisfied as well.

She settled into stasis as her stranger settled into his own path of curiosity.

I'm real late for this one sorry!

Inktober 2: Discovery

A monster. That's what the mob had said. They claimed a witch, a child born to the unholy union of an evil spirit and a mortal lived in these woods. A witch that could transform into a horrible monster had wreaked havoc amongst them and done damage to their homes.

Adelon didn't see any signs of a monster though. It was actually quite peaceful in the night covered woods. The half moon peaked through the canopy, and creatures sang in the darkness.

Striding confidently between trunks and over roots Adelon looked for signs of larger life. He shifted his guitar case on his shoulder as he scanned the area.

"How am I supposed to find someone out in the woods? This place is huge."

He shook his head and carried on with a sigh.

If he had known the price for his drink would be hunting down some monster he would've thought twice about drinking it. Maybe next time he would turn down the drink and the work, they say third time's the charm after all.

The hairs on the back of Adelon's neck stood up. He had caught a scent. Grief, despair, hopelessness drifted through the air. His mouth watered at the smell and he stretched his jaw a little.

Blue light filled his eyes as he leaned into his nightvision. The world became a livid blue color as details sharpened. He inhaled deeply. The despair was still faint, being carried on the wind from a ways off.

A shift of course and a shift in determination.

The scent struck again but stronger this time. Hairs stood on end once more. There was something else in the smell setting off alarms. He tightened his grip around the handle of the guitar case he carried.

Forgoing stealth the steady stride continued. Snapping twigs and rustling leaves accompanied rapid foot steps towards the despair-filled being.

Why would a monster despair this way?

A choked breath preceded a shift in the underbrush. Something was trying to flee. Someone was trying to hide.

"Hello? Whoever you are you can come out!"

A flash of white stood out against the dark blue leaves in the livid light. The smell of anguish left in its wake.

The chase began. Stealth was now adopted as much as possible while keep up with the flashes of skin and clothing. A quiet rush through a now silent forest. The moonbeams now forming a maze of split shadows.

A breath of fresh air struck Adelon, bereft of the scent he had been chasing. His head whipped around and his nostrils flared. He found it again, filtering through a thick clump of brush.

There was a hollow leading under a large tree behind the brush. It reeked of the darker emotions Adelon fed upon. Within pressed into the shadows against the wall was a pale creature with long black hair wearing a tattered graying blue dress.

A slitted pupil stared through the curtain of hair. The creature flashed a pair of lower fangs at the intruder. The low growl of a cornered creature warned against further entry.

Adelon placed the guitar case on the ground in front of him as he stepped through the brush and held his hands up.

"Hi. I was sent to find you, not hurt you. Ok?"

He touched the ceiling of the hollow and twisted from side to side to show he had no concealed weapons, and he pushed the guitar case a little further in with his foot.

The growling subsided and the slitted pupil widened into a more circular shape. The two stared each other down in silence.

The pale creature shifted away from the darkest shadows.

"What are you?"

"We're uh...friends."

"We?"

Adelon opened his mouth to respond but was stopped when he heard the creak of treated wood behind him. He whirled to see a dark figure hiding amongst the trees before he felt a sharp pain pierce his chest. He stumbled from the impact and tripped over the guitar case falling into the hollow.

The growls started again, angry this time. Adelon's eyes met a slitted one.

He cursed at the arrow in his shoulder. Then cursed as his quarry began to shift. Then whistled sharp.

The growling stopped for a second and the slit focused on the source of the high pitched sound, confused. Then black tendrils burst the guitar case and wrapped around the shifting creature pulling it tight and pulling it down. A roar of defiance swelled with the angered creature.

Animalistic growls and roaring static filled the hollow. A pair of arrows bounced off the ivory spine of the shadowy creature that had emerged from the case.

"Keep her down Bell! I'll handle the archers."

The slitted eyes widened as they watched the strange intruder rip the arrow from his chest. Then with a mixture of horror and wonder they watched his face split, his mouth opening wider then it should. A bright blue substance was spit into the night, once then twice. This was followed by yelling and a sickening thud as something fell from height.

The yells of witch, monster, and traitor swelled, as did the the barrage of arrows striking too close for comfort. They had been followed.

Struggle, shift, survive. That was what she knew, so that was what she did.

"Adelon! The orb, get us out of here!"

The shadow monster spoke in the voice of a bell choir through static.

A delicately crafted skeletal hand pulled a glass orb filled with swirling indigo smoke. Adelon took it and stared into its depths.

"Naut! Naut pick up!"

A bright green eye filled the mists. It's cross-hair pupil focusing on the vampire squid spawn.

"Adelon. Have you found her?"

"Yes we found her. But we ran into a-"

His words bled into a yell as another arrow pierced his shoulder. He ripped it out, then turned and fired another glob of bioluminescent goo into the night.

"Hurry up Adelon! I'm losing my grip."

"Are you under attack?"

"Yes! Get us out of here Naut! We got her! Get us out NOW!"

A chant mixed with a low resonating meow echoed from the orb. Light grew in the slits of the cross hair pupil as the echoing sound crescendoed. The orb split, opening a swirling portal that filled the back wall of the hollow.

Pinks, purples, indigos, yellows, oranges, greens, reds. They swirled and dance amongst each other. Neon and matte clashing, mixing, sloshing as the doorway to the In-Between sputtered like an open wound in the fabric of the universe.

"Help me move her!"

"Right! 3...2...1...Jump!"

Adelon and Lucy Bell shoved the shifting, struggling creature they had been sent to retrieve through the portal.

They drifted through the In-Between feeling like they were being pulled apart in every direction while resting in the comfort of lucid imagination. Whether they screamed or sang they knew not, but just as quickly as they entered they fell to a wooden floor.

Lucy Bell unfurled from the large, scaled creature she had contained, swirling herself up into a jaguar-like appearance to return the growls she was receiving from the creature.

Adelon shuffled himself into a chair at a table and collapsed. Applying pressure to his most recent wound as it began to regenerate beneath his palm.

The scaled creatures eyes shifted between the two who had shoved it through the strange portal. Her growl had deepened and warned not to strike. Her rows of sharp teeth bared, her claws rested on the floor, her scales fully emerged to protect her. The hair that had acted as a curtain to hide her had become a thick mane that now stood on end to make her seem bigger.

The shifting, wary gaze fell upon a third creature that stood directly before her. An odd creature; small and furry, with pointed ears and pupils the shape of a four-pointed star. It's two tails swayed back and forth as if it was pleased to see her.

"Hello Lungling. I am Naut, the owner of this fine establishment. Tell me, what is your name?"