Post by angelwyche - ADMIN on Nov 27, 2007 11:49:31 GMT
Luna’s Midwinter’s Adventure
Luna is a pure white, young Guinea pig lady, with beautiful big pink topaz eyes. Luna was born in the late summer. She is very inquisitive and had a bold nature that got her into trouble. Frost, her mother often had to find her when she was a baby because she wandered off to explore the far reaches of the pen she shared with her family.
As she grew older she shared a pen with her Mum while her brother went to live with their Father.
In the last of the summer the Guinea pigs spent a lot of time in the outside run running and playing on the grass, sometimes resting and eating in the dappled shade of the oak tree in the garden. As the weather got cooler they spent less time outside, Luna asked her Mum “why is this happening, why is it getting darker and colder?” Her Mum, said “It is the coming of winter; we will now be spending more time in doors”. “But don’t worry” she continued “we will still get time to run and play on the floor of the family room”.
One day after they had not been outside for some time, they were grabbing some treats from the big dish on the floor during play time along with Old Hazel and Snowbell, who was Luna’s Grand Ma, the older sows were quite excited about something, and they were talking about something called midwinter solstice. “What’s that?” asked Luna, who just had to know, “Well” said Old Hazel, Who was a beautiful self buff “Today is the shortest day of the year, after today the days will start to get longer again”. “Will it get warmer so we can go outside again?” Asked Luna. “It will take a few weeks but it will start getting warmer” said the old sow. “I have heard from our human families Father that it takes about a month for the heat of the sun to reach us”. “So in another 4 and a little bit weeks it will start to get warmer” laughed Luna, who was very quick at working things out “yippee!” “You are very clever” said Snowbell “Must run in the family, you are very like your Father in that way”. “But at least you don’t try and eat the carpet, like he did at your age”
Over the next few days there was al lot of extra activity going on with the human part of the family. There was a young tree brought into the house and shiny things hung on it. Interesting smells came from the kitchen and the fridge was opened regularly, a lot of wheeking every time this was heard got the guinea pigs extra food and attention. The children were excited and jumpy. Their Mum seemed so busy and their Father seemed to be telling some really awful jokes. At floor time the tree was barricaded off with books, pretty boxes and even a skate board. Even though she tried hard Luna couldn’t see clearly over this fence, and when she did jump high enough to get her little paws on top of the smallest book, tipping it over, she was picked up and put beside the fresh veggie dish with the other Guinea pigs.
“Please settle down” said Frost, but Luna set off again for the interesting decorations. “I’ll go after her” said SnowBell around a mouthful of Parsley, trotting after her grand daughter. She reached Luna just as she tipped the smallest book over again, this time they were both picked up and one given to each human child. Both guinea pigs were carried over to the settee under the bay window. Neither of the guinea pigs minded this because it meant lots of attention and hand fed titbits. Contentedly the sows snuggled into the necks of the two girls. There was a film on the telly about a big chubby man in a red and white suit with a what looked like couple of white alpacas wrapped round his head.
Luna looked up over the shoulder of her young owner, and out through the window, and saw silver and, shiny orb in the sky. “What’s that?” she asked her grandmother who she could just see through the hair of the girl whose shoulder she was settled on. “That’s the moon” Snowbell replied “it’s what you were named for”. Luna is moon in an old and different language. Just then the doorbell went and both pigs trilled gently at the sound. The door was opened and people were singing. Both children got up and put both guinea pigs on the settee and went to see who was at the door. Now this was unusual, both sows knew this, they’d never been left unsupervised before. Snowbell grabbed the piece of carrot that had been left on the settee as well in the dash for the door. Luna took a chance and started to climb the cushions, she wanted to see the moon properly. The first cushion was quite easy as it was sort of bunched up at the back of the settee. The second one was more upright, but she managed it. Now she was about 9 inches from the back of the settee. She’d made that height before with the book by the decorated tree. The cushion was a bit squishy but she managed it almost toppling backwards and downwards. She clambered to the top, now she could see out the window. The beautiful silver disc in the sky draw her attention, it glowed wonderfully, better than anything on the decorated tree. It was mottled with circles and blotches sometimes blending into each other, Luna could almost see shapes on it. She leaned towards the window moving her front paws forward and slipped. It happened so quick she didn’t even make a noise, she didn’t fall far, just onto the window sill amongst some potted plants and a model of the plump man in bright red; he suddenly laughed “Ho! Ho! Ho!” Luna got a shock and ran to the end of the ledge and hid behind a miniature version of the tree in the room. The plump man waved from side to side and sang a short song about some jingle bells, then was still again. Ou! Ou! Oi! Ou! She trilled gently, he didn’t move. She took a few steps towards him, he stayed still. She walked up to him and sniffed him, he smelt funny, not alive. ’He’s not a threat’ she decided. Luna looked at the moon through the window, “you are very pretty, moon lady, but I’m in a bit of bother now” she thought. She was thinking that she had better get back before the singing at the door stopped and Grand Ma Snowbell finished the carrot.
Luna examined the back of the settee; her jump from the window sill would be much harder than any she had attempted earlier that day. The back of the settee was about 7 – 8 inches above, but the back sloped down and away from her, forming an overhang. Still she was sure she would make it. She took a deep breath let it out, and jumped. She made the distance with her front paws, but her hind feet scrabbled at thin air, she managed to hang on for a couple of seconds and then fell down the gap at the back of the settee. She landed with a soft plop on something soft and fluffy and rolled to the floor. The shocked and scared little sow ran in the first direction she could, along the back of the sofa and behind a wooden piece of furniture. She found a small gap between the floor and a back panel, and squeezed in. Inside Luna found a narrow gap with a ledge just off the floor; she climbed onto this to catch her breath.
Poor Luna was a little dazed and felt sleepy from the shock, and as her heart slowed its hammering and her quickened breathing was returning to normal, she dozed a little, and was just aware of movement and crying, gentle comforting sounds that humans made to each other at times of upset.
Luna woke up properly well into the night, all was quiet and there was an eerie atmosphere. The little sow slid off the shelf onto the floor. She did a quick check over herself; she seemed to have come out of her fall without injury. She squeezed out of the gap she had struggled into earlier, and looked about – straight into a huge pair of big green eyes. Luna froze and stared straight back at the eyes. “Oh! At last its you” said a voice from somewhere just below the stare, “They’ve looked for you everywhere” the eyes blinked, breaking the spell and the Tortoiseshell cat behind them sat down and looked at Luna, curling the end of her tail neatly over her front paws. “You have almost ruined a very special night, for the human people”. “I’m sorry” gasped Luna. She took a breath and asked “How can I understand you and you me?” The cat grinned “Because of this special night, at midnight until sunrise all animals can understand each other” she went on “We are all at peace with each other, we do not hunt or fight in acknowledgement of the blessings that were given to this world just over 2000 years ago.” Luna was amazed “I’ve heard no pig say anything about this to me”. The cat settled down closer to the little white sow. “you little pig people are never around to be told this” she said “You are protected by our human family and are so re-moved from your wild relatives, I am not surprised that this information has been lost to you”. “Also you are the first to stop and listen, normally you run away, or our human family separate us.” She continued “and we only have this time out of every year to talk”. “Anyway you landed on me earlier, and ran off. I knew you were here somewhere so I decided to wait to see if you were OK. If you hadn’t been I would have found someway to let our humans know where you were in the morning”. The cat got up and stretched “lets move somewhere more comfortable, and warmer, there is a fire left banked in the fireplace”.
Luna followed the graceful cat around the furniture to the rug in front of the fire. “My given name is Cleo; my true name is a secret and only for me to know”. “I am Luna” said Luna “after the old word for moon” she added proudly. “That is a good name, old and honourable” said Cleo. “Can you tell me a little more about what tonight means” asked Luna as they both settled by the fire. “What is the special thing that happened all that time ago?” asked Luna. Cleo half closed her lovely eyes “For the humans it was the birth of a very special child, a sort of prophet who would grow up to do very special things, he would talk about tolerance and forgiveness, he would heal and help people. He was born to save people from themselves.” Cleo looked at Luna “The animals were represented at his birth as he was born in an animal house. Our gift was to be able to talk to each other for one night of the year, and put our natural instincts aside, we were not left out of this blessing”. She sighed “Sometime it is said that a human will discover the blessing and will be able to hear us, but I think that is still along time away.”
Suddenly they was a noise at the door, Luna ran behind Cleo. “Don’t worry he will not see you little pig” said Cleo. Luna peered from behind Cleo. It was a life sized version of the jolly red and white man. He picked up the sack he had put at the door and carried it over to the decorated tree. The sack looked like the ones the humans lined their rubbish bins with, the man started to empty it under the tree. The noise that the bag made sounded like the sound that preceded a feed of fresh veggies and Luna almost started Wheeking. She shut herself up remembering where she was, but she did hear the other guinea pigs wheeking in the kitchen, she felt sad that she wasn’t with them. The man finished lying the presents out under the tree and picked up a dish of carrots next to a drink that Luna hadn’t noticed before. He picked up the carrots, broke them up, put some back on the plate picked up the glass had a drink and went into the kitchen. The wheeking stopped as the family of guinea pigs got carrot pieces.
The man came back in the room, put the empty glass down, and walked back out the room and closed the door. “Who was that? Luna asked coming from behind Cleo. “That was the man who brings the gifts, he comes every year” said Cleo, who obviously knew more but wasn’t telling. Luna walked over to the carrot dish sniffed it, they were normal carrots. The Floors got cold wet patches on it!” she exclaimed “how’s that?” “Come with me said Cleo” Trotting towards the kitchen, Luna hurried after her. Cleo led Luna to the cat flap. The cat pushed her head through the flap leaving enough of a gap for Luna to look out when she put her paws on the bottom edge of the cat door. Outside was all white, and cold and soft white flakes were falling. “That is beautiful” said Luna; “It is snow” said Cleo “It is supposed to be special if it snows on this night, I can’t think why, it is so cold and wet.” “The moon” cried Luna, Spotting a full moon just above the horizon, so pleased she had seen it again. “Let’s go in” said Cleo “it is getting late.
Both animals walked back to the fire, Cleo curled up and Luna settled beside her and they both dozed in the last of the heat from the fire.
A little later Luna woke up, feeling hungry and remembered the carrots beside the tree. She waddled off towards them, and was just finishing off a nice carrot snack when she heard movement outside the door and the footsteps of the family coming down the stairs. She dashed behind the parcels, worried about what sort of trouble she was going to be in. The sky outside started to turn a delicate pink. Just as Luna hid and the door opened she heard the cat whisper “Talk to you next year, little Moon pig”
The children were sad about not being able to find their lost guinea pig child on Christmas Eve. They started to open their presents trying to be happy. The youngest pulled a present towards her and uncovered Luna’s hiding place. The little white pig stared wide eyed then blinked from the light. The little girl scooped her up into her arms and the rest of the family gathered around. The best present that year was finding a little lost white pig.
Luna is a pure white, young Guinea pig lady, with beautiful big pink topaz eyes. Luna was born in the late summer. She is very inquisitive and had a bold nature that got her into trouble. Frost, her mother often had to find her when she was a baby because she wandered off to explore the far reaches of the pen she shared with her family.
As she grew older she shared a pen with her Mum while her brother went to live with their Father.
In the last of the summer the Guinea pigs spent a lot of time in the outside run running and playing on the grass, sometimes resting and eating in the dappled shade of the oak tree in the garden. As the weather got cooler they spent less time outside, Luna asked her Mum “why is this happening, why is it getting darker and colder?” Her Mum, said “It is the coming of winter; we will now be spending more time in doors”. “But don’t worry” she continued “we will still get time to run and play on the floor of the family room”.
One day after they had not been outside for some time, they were grabbing some treats from the big dish on the floor during play time along with Old Hazel and Snowbell, who was Luna’s Grand Ma, the older sows were quite excited about something, and they were talking about something called midwinter solstice. “What’s that?” asked Luna, who just had to know, “Well” said Old Hazel, Who was a beautiful self buff “Today is the shortest day of the year, after today the days will start to get longer again”. “Will it get warmer so we can go outside again?” Asked Luna. “It will take a few weeks but it will start getting warmer” said the old sow. “I have heard from our human families Father that it takes about a month for the heat of the sun to reach us”. “So in another 4 and a little bit weeks it will start to get warmer” laughed Luna, who was very quick at working things out “yippee!” “You are very clever” said Snowbell “Must run in the family, you are very like your Father in that way”. “But at least you don’t try and eat the carpet, like he did at your age”
Over the next few days there was al lot of extra activity going on with the human part of the family. There was a young tree brought into the house and shiny things hung on it. Interesting smells came from the kitchen and the fridge was opened regularly, a lot of wheeking every time this was heard got the guinea pigs extra food and attention. The children were excited and jumpy. Their Mum seemed so busy and their Father seemed to be telling some really awful jokes. At floor time the tree was barricaded off with books, pretty boxes and even a skate board. Even though she tried hard Luna couldn’t see clearly over this fence, and when she did jump high enough to get her little paws on top of the smallest book, tipping it over, she was picked up and put beside the fresh veggie dish with the other Guinea pigs.
“Please settle down” said Frost, but Luna set off again for the interesting decorations. “I’ll go after her” said SnowBell around a mouthful of Parsley, trotting after her grand daughter. She reached Luna just as she tipped the smallest book over again, this time they were both picked up and one given to each human child. Both guinea pigs were carried over to the settee under the bay window. Neither of the guinea pigs minded this because it meant lots of attention and hand fed titbits. Contentedly the sows snuggled into the necks of the two girls. There was a film on the telly about a big chubby man in a red and white suit with a what looked like couple of white alpacas wrapped round his head.
Luna looked up over the shoulder of her young owner, and out through the window, and saw silver and, shiny orb in the sky. “What’s that?” she asked her grandmother who she could just see through the hair of the girl whose shoulder she was settled on. “That’s the moon” Snowbell replied “it’s what you were named for”. Luna is moon in an old and different language. Just then the doorbell went and both pigs trilled gently at the sound. The door was opened and people were singing. Both children got up and put both guinea pigs on the settee and went to see who was at the door. Now this was unusual, both sows knew this, they’d never been left unsupervised before. Snowbell grabbed the piece of carrot that had been left on the settee as well in the dash for the door. Luna took a chance and started to climb the cushions, she wanted to see the moon properly. The first cushion was quite easy as it was sort of bunched up at the back of the settee. The second one was more upright, but she managed it. Now she was about 9 inches from the back of the settee. She’d made that height before with the book by the decorated tree. The cushion was a bit squishy but she managed it almost toppling backwards and downwards. She clambered to the top, now she could see out the window. The beautiful silver disc in the sky draw her attention, it glowed wonderfully, better than anything on the decorated tree. It was mottled with circles and blotches sometimes blending into each other, Luna could almost see shapes on it. She leaned towards the window moving her front paws forward and slipped. It happened so quick she didn’t even make a noise, she didn’t fall far, just onto the window sill amongst some potted plants and a model of the plump man in bright red; he suddenly laughed “Ho! Ho! Ho!” Luna got a shock and ran to the end of the ledge and hid behind a miniature version of the tree in the room. The plump man waved from side to side and sang a short song about some jingle bells, then was still again. Ou! Ou! Oi! Ou! She trilled gently, he didn’t move. She took a few steps towards him, he stayed still. She walked up to him and sniffed him, he smelt funny, not alive. ’He’s not a threat’ she decided. Luna looked at the moon through the window, “you are very pretty, moon lady, but I’m in a bit of bother now” she thought. She was thinking that she had better get back before the singing at the door stopped and Grand Ma Snowbell finished the carrot.
Luna examined the back of the settee; her jump from the window sill would be much harder than any she had attempted earlier that day. The back of the settee was about 7 – 8 inches above, but the back sloped down and away from her, forming an overhang. Still she was sure she would make it. She took a deep breath let it out, and jumped. She made the distance with her front paws, but her hind feet scrabbled at thin air, she managed to hang on for a couple of seconds and then fell down the gap at the back of the settee. She landed with a soft plop on something soft and fluffy and rolled to the floor. The shocked and scared little sow ran in the first direction she could, along the back of the sofa and behind a wooden piece of furniture. She found a small gap between the floor and a back panel, and squeezed in. Inside Luna found a narrow gap with a ledge just off the floor; she climbed onto this to catch her breath.
Poor Luna was a little dazed and felt sleepy from the shock, and as her heart slowed its hammering and her quickened breathing was returning to normal, she dozed a little, and was just aware of movement and crying, gentle comforting sounds that humans made to each other at times of upset.
Luna woke up properly well into the night, all was quiet and there was an eerie atmosphere. The little sow slid off the shelf onto the floor. She did a quick check over herself; she seemed to have come out of her fall without injury. She squeezed out of the gap she had struggled into earlier, and looked about – straight into a huge pair of big green eyes. Luna froze and stared straight back at the eyes. “Oh! At last its you” said a voice from somewhere just below the stare, “They’ve looked for you everywhere” the eyes blinked, breaking the spell and the Tortoiseshell cat behind them sat down and looked at Luna, curling the end of her tail neatly over her front paws. “You have almost ruined a very special night, for the human people”. “I’m sorry” gasped Luna. She took a breath and asked “How can I understand you and you me?” The cat grinned “Because of this special night, at midnight until sunrise all animals can understand each other” she went on “We are all at peace with each other, we do not hunt or fight in acknowledgement of the blessings that were given to this world just over 2000 years ago.” Luna was amazed “I’ve heard no pig say anything about this to me”. The cat settled down closer to the little white sow. “you little pig people are never around to be told this” she said “You are protected by our human family and are so re-moved from your wild relatives, I am not surprised that this information has been lost to you”. “Also you are the first to stop and listen, normally you run away, or our human family separate us.” She continued “and we only have this time out of every year to talk”. “Anyway you landed on me earlier, and ran off. I knew you were here somewhere so I decided to wait to see if you were OK. If you hadn’t been I would have found someway to let our humans know where you were in the morning”. The cat got up and stretched “lets move somewhere more comfortable, and warmer, there is a fire left banked in the fireplace”.
Luna followed the graceful cat around the furniture to the rug in front of the fire. “My given name is Cleo; my true name is a secret and only for me to know”. “I am Luna” said Luna “after the old word for moon” she added proudly. “That is a good name, old and honourable” said Cleo. “Can you tell me a little more about what tonight means” asked Luna as they both settled by the fire. “What is the special thing that happened all that time ago?” asked Luna. Cleo half closed her lovely eyes “For the humans it was the birth of a very special child, a sort of prophet who would grow up to do very special things, he would talk about tolerance and forgiveness, he would heal and help people. He was born to save people from themselves.” Cleo looked at Luna “The animals were represented at his birth as he was born in an animal house. Our gift was to be able to talk to each other for one night of the year, and put our natural instincts aside, we were not left out of this blessing”. She sighed “Sometime it is said that a human will discover the blessing and will be able to hear us, but I think that is still along time away.”
Suddenly they was a noise at the door, Luna ran behind Cleo. “Don’t worry he will not see you little pig” said Cleo. Luna peered from behind Cleo. It was a life sized version of the jolly red and white man. He picked up the sack he had put at the door and carried it over to the decorated tree. The sack looked like the ones the humans lined their rubbish bins with, the man started to empty it under the tree. The noise that the bag made sounded like the sound that preceded a feed of fresh veggies and Luna almost started Wheeking. She shut herself up remembering where she was, but she did hear the other guinea pigs wheeking in the kitchen, she felt sad that she wasn’t with them. The man finished lying the presents out under the tree and picked up a dish of carrots next to a drink that Luna hadn’t noticed before. He picked up the carrots, broke them up, put some back on the plate picked up the glass had a drink and went into the kitchen. The wheeking stopped as the family of guinea pigs got carrot pieces.
The man came back in the room, put the empty glass down, and walked back out the room and closed the door. “Who was that? Luna asked coming from behind Cleo. “That was the man who brings the gifts, he comes every year” said Cleo, who obviously knew more but wasn’t telling. Luna walked over to the carrot dish sniffed it, they were normal carrots. The Floors got cold wet patches on it!” she exclaimed “how’s that?” “Come with me said Cleo” Trotting towards the kitchen, Luna hurried after her. Cleo led Luna to the cat flap. The cat pushed her head through the flap leaving enough of a gap for Luna to look out when she put her paws on the bottom edge of the cat door. Outside was all white, and cold and soft white flakes were falling. “That is beautiful” said Luna; “It is snow” said Cleo “It is supposed to be special if it snows on this night, I can’t think why, it is so cold and wet.” “The moon” cried Luna, Spotting a full moon just above the horizon, so pleased she had seen it again. “Let’s go in” said Cleo “it is getting late.
Both animals walked back to the fire, Cleo curled up and Luna settled beside her and they both dozed in the last of the heat from the fire.
A little later Luna woke up, feeling hungry and remembered the carrots beside the tree. She waddled off towards them, and was just finishing off a nice carrot snack when she heard movement outside the door and the footsteps of the family coming down the stairs. She dashed behind the parcels, worried about what sort of trouble she was going to be in. The sky outside started to turn a delicate pink. Just as Luna hid and the door opened she heard the cat whisper “Talk to you next year, little Moon pig”
The children were sad about not being able to find their lost guinea pig child on Christmas Eve. They started to open their presents trying to be happy. The youngest pulled a present towards her and uncovered Luna’s hiding place. The little white pig stared wide eyed then blinked from the light. The little girl scooped her up into her arms and the rest of the family gathered around. The best present that year was finding a little lost white pig.
