Post by willowflower on Aug 8, 2017 23:23:18 GMT -5
The wind was howling, making the windows shudder with its force. Still, the inside of the cozy little cabin was warm, the fire glowing in the pit of the fireplace. Ana Rose stirred the stew on the stove, watching the steam waft upwards as her dinner cooked. A little black cat slunk over to her, whining as he rubbed against her ankle.
A small smile crept upon her face. "Are you hungry, xiao shi?" She tapped the wooden spoon against the edge of the pot and set it aside on the paper towel laying on the stool sitting next to the stove. With slow, careful movements, she lowered herself to the floor so that she could comfortably sit and stroke the top of her cat's head. Said cat began nuzzling her hand vigorously, rubbing his cheek against her arm and walking around her to make sure even the back of her sweatshirt's been scented. Then he crawled into her lap and casually sprawled himself out as if claiming it. Ana Rose chuckled at his antics and gently ran a hand down his back.
It was quiet. It's always quiet in the cabin. Sometimes it's nice - no clamor of the city, no noise pollution, no worrying about having to talk to tiring people. At other times, the quiet only amplifies the noise of the mind.
It's great meditation practice.
The cat meowed again, breaking up her thoughts, and looked up at her with pitifully large eyes. "Ah, yes. Time to fill your little belly, isn't it?" Ana Rose said, scratching his fur. "The soup should be ready now, get on up." The cat hopped up elegantly as she rose to her feet, sitting nicely with his tail wrapped around to his paws. Ana Rose lifted the spoon and dipped it into the soup, catching a carrot and tasting it. "Hmm. Soft."
The soup went into a bowl. The freeze dried meal of the cat's dinner is warmed by water. The soup bowl goes on the table; the cat bowl sat by the leg of the chair. The gentle sounds of the bowls touching wood were familiar. The scraping of the chair legs against the wood floor was familiar. The hot soup, a favorite recipe, was familiar.
The quiet of the cabin, accompanied only by the sound of the wind outside and the quiet slurps and chews, was familiar.
The soup was gone. Ana Rose stared at the empty space on the other side of the table. The cat was cleaning his bottom.
"It's quiet, isn't it, xiao shi?" she murmured. The cat, like always, didn't respond.
There was a loud scream of a sound, almost rocking the cabin with the force of its volume, followed by an enormous sound that had the cat yowling and Ana Rose stiff in her chair. After waiting a few moments, she slowly rose and walked over to the drape-covered windows. One glance out the window revealed the howling storm, snow sweeping over the mountain, as well as the smoke that streamed out from something burning. Ana Rose could see the orange glow just a little ways away.
She looked down at the cat. The cat looked up at her. "Let's go see if there's any survivors, shall we, xiao shi?" she said. The cat gave her a look. "Well, not you, of course."
She then went to don her coat. The cat strolled over and sat down to watch, licking his paw. Ana Rose methodically drew each piece of clothing on, ticking off the boxes in her head: boots, snow pants, jacket, snow jacket with a hood, scarf, gloves, goggles. By the time she drew on her second boot she could feel the sweat beginning to gather on her skin. The cat looked almost amused.
"Well, you can't go outside in that little coat of yours," she told him, patting him on the head. He batted it away with his paw. "You better hope whoever's out there has got a bigger coat than you do, hm?" With another pat, she gathered the rest of her materials: snow shoes, backpack, thermos of hot tea, extra jacket, extra blanket, extra hat, extra scarf, headlight, walking sticks. "Am I forgetting anything?" she asked the cat, working quickly.
"Mrrow," said the cat.
"Yes, yes, you're right, best not to waste time," Ana Rose said, pulling on her backpack and heading for the door. "Don't make trouble now, xiao shi."
"Mrrow."
"See you soon, xiao shi."
"Mrrow."
Ana Rose carefully opened her door, bracing herself against the strength of the wind. The storm screamed and wailed in her ears, beating at her coat. Even within the comfort of her warm clothes, she could feel the threat of a chill creeping in. Feeling the snow pound at her hood, she pushed her way out and hurriedly closed the door behind her with a loud bang.
Quiet fell within the little again once more. The cat, looking up at the door, sat back down and began licking his paw.
A small smile crept upon her face. "Are you hungry, xiao shi?" She tapped the wooden spoon against the edge of the pot and set it aside on the paper towel laying on the stool sitting next to the stove. With slow, careful movements, she lowered herself to the floor so that she could comfortably sit and stroke the top of her cat's head. Said cat began nuzzling her hand vigorously, rubbing his cheek against her arm and walking around her to make sure even the back of her sweatshirt's been scented. Then he crawled into her lap and casually sprawled himself out as if claiming it. Ana Rose chuckled at his antics and gently ran a hand down his back.
It was quiet. It's always quiet in the cabin. Sometimes it's nice - no clamor of the city, no noise pollution, no worrying about having to talk to tiring people. At other times, the quiet only amplifies the noise of the mind.
It's great meditation practice.
The cat meowed again, breaking up her thoughts, and looked up at her with pitifully large eyes. "Ah, yes. Time to fill your little belly, isn't it?" Ana Rose said, scratching his fur. "The soup should be ready now, get on up." The cat hopped up elegantly as she rose to her feet, sitting nicely with his tail wrapped around to his paws. Ana Rose lifted the spoon and dipped it into the soup, catching a carrot and tasting it. "Hmm. Soft."
The soup went into a bowl. The freeze dried meal of the cat's dinner is warmed by water. The soup bowl goes on the table; the cat bowl sat by the leg of the chair. The gentle sounds of the bowls touching wood were familiar. The scraping of the chair legs against the wood floor was familiar. The hot soup, a favorite recipe, was familiar.
The quiet of the cabin, accompanied only by the sound of the wind outside and the quiet slurps and chews, was familiar.
The soup was gone. Ana Rose stared at the empty space on the other side of the table. The cat was cleaning his bottom.
"It's quiet, isn't it, xiao shi?" she murmured. The cat, like always, didn't respond.
There was a loud scream of a sound, almost rocking the cabin with the force of its volume, followed by an enormous sound that had the cat yowling and Ana Rose stiff in her chair. After waiting a few moments, she slowly rose and walked over to the drape-covered windows. One glance out the window revealed the howling storm, snow sweeping over the mountain, as well as the smoke that streamed out from something burning. Ana Rose could see the orange glow just a little ways away.
She looked down at the cat. The cat looked up at her. "Let's go see if there's any survivors, shall we, xiao shi?" she said. The cat gave her a look. "Well, not you, of course."
She then went to don her coat. The cat strolled over and sat down to watch, licking his paw. Ana Rose methodically drew each piece of clothing on, ticking off the boxes in her head: boots, snow pants, jacket, snow jacket with a hood, scarf, gloves, goggles. By the time she drew on her second boot she could feel the sweat beginning to gather on her skin. The cat looked almost amused.
"Well, you can't go outside in that little coat of yours," she told him, patting him on the head. He batted it away with his paw. "You better hope whoever's out there has got a bigger coat than you do, hm?" With another pat, she gathered the rest of her materials: snow shoes, backpack, thermos of hot tea, extra jacket, extra blanket, extra hat, extra scarf, headlight, walking sticks. "Am I forgetting anything?" she asked the cat, working quickly.
"Mrrow," said the cat.
"Yes, yes, you're right, best not to waste time," Ana Rose said, pulling on her backpack and heading for the door. "Don't make trouble now, xiao shi."
"Mrrow."
"See you soon, xiao shi."
"Mrrow."
Ana Rose carefully opened her door, bracing herself against the strength of the wind. The storm screamed and wailed in her ears, beating at her coat. Even within the comfort of her warm clothes, she could feel the threat of a chill creeping in. Feeling the snow pound at her hood, she pushed her way out and hurriedly closed the door behind her with a loud bang.
Quiet fell within the little again once more. The cat, looking up at the door, sat back down and began licking his paw.