The Bear and The Eagle Part 18 - Tuesday...

Here's my self-imposed challenge: Write a monomyth (epic) using writing prompts given on Gather.

Here are the other parts, if you haven't read them yet.

Part 1

Part 2

This prompt is for Tuesday Writing Essential -

This week I thought it would might be fun to use

the word awakening as the prompt. It can be an awakening about

anything. We all have them at one time or another. Possibly something

you never thought of before, or something you are trying to forget,

and realizing it is not worth all the angst, and let it go.

Please write a poem or short story using Awakening as your prompt,

A poem can be any length and try to keep your stories to around 500 words.

Please post your submissions by next Monday night, June 6, at 12 AMand

tag it with TWE, post it to Gather Writing Essentials and Tuesday Writing

Essentials.

* * * * *

The following morning, still full of Mayday hotdogs, Spaulding rubbed his tummy, while he and Lady walked around the grounds of the castle.

Lady giggled. "This walk will give you room for breakfast."

The lanky teddy bear smiled and blushed. "Where are my brothers?"

"Valentine and Lee are playing with them. Don't you trust me?"

Spaulding smirked. "I don't trust them to keep out of trouble."

Lady laughed and fluttered back down to the ground. "You're the one who went into the well first."

"That wasn't my plan, but I suspect it was yours." He raised an eyebrow.

She smirked. "It was, but I think you'll help everybody."

He cocked his head.

"Tell me what you smell."

He absorbed the air. "Something spicy and something sweet." He breathed in again. "Pine trees and dirt."

"Not dirt, soil."

"What's the difference?"

"You were covered in dirt. Soil is rich stuff that grows plants." She breathed in. "Does this smell like your park above us?"

Spaulding pulled up his red stirrups and tugged at his Phillies' jersey. "No. That smells like diesel and goose-." He blushed. "Umm, geese leave droppings around the pond."

"Poop." She giggled. "Yeah, I know. It stinks."

His stubby tail wagged and tugged at his new pants. "By the way, thanks for the Phillies uniform. How'd you know we liked the Phillies?"

She smirked. "I am a Philadelphian. We do get cable down here. But, let's get back on topic." She fluttered above him and waved her arms. "Losing your eyes gave you a different perspective, doncha think?"

Spaulding rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't understand."

"Didn't you notice things another way, when you couldn't see them?"

He nodded.

"What did you notice when you came here?"

"I didn't step in dog pooh or trash." He studied the ground and foliage. "I didn't hear cars or trucks. I heard birds sing instead of coo and chirp. This is a very different place then above."

"Better or worse?"

"Besides trashy waterfalls, fish pecking out my eyes, and being attacked by vines?"

She smirked. "Yeah, really. Those are the problems. So, besides those?"

He shrugged. "When I wasn't really scared, I liked this place. More stuff, more animals, and more peaceful."

"This is more peaceful?"

Spaulding nodded.

"Would you like your park more like that?"

"Or, stay down here," Spaulding blurted.

She pulled him next to her under a blooming redbud. "Don't say that." She searched his eyes. "Wouldn't you miss your family and friends?"

Spaulding searched her eyes. "You don't want me to stay?" He looked up into the pink flowered branches. "Then why did you bring me here?"

Lady pulled his muzzle down to look into his eyes. "I made this place to protect the plants and animals from all that's wrong above us." She kissed his nose. "I brought you here, because what's wrong above has come here. I need your help. Would you like your park to be like this garden?"