LeilaniOtter
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Alright, I think I've wiped away all my tears... *^^*
This probably turned out to be one of the best pieces I've written in a long time. A wonderful client of mine took advantage of my $50 story special to ask if I could write a friendly tale about our newest otter sensation in the hit webcomic "The Depths" , Talula Tonalea, getting to ride on a dragon for her first flight.
Seemed simple and cute enough - but suddenly my muse (and overactive imagination) went into complete overdrive. Talula is a Native American river otter, and suddenly like a hammer-smash, I pictured her traversing a painted desert and heading for a mountain to "catch" her flight.
And then I pictured Pink Floyd's legendary music video/song "Learning to Fly" and I started to tear up.
And I wrote this...
I really hope you love it and of course, comments welcome.
--
LEARNING TO FLY
The screen fades up from pure black as a powerful, stirring melody, a mix of electric guitar, synthesizer
organ, and driving percussion, opens on a sweeping panoramic vista of the American Southwest, with
towering painted cliffs of layered red, orange, and ochre sandstone stretching against a vast, cloudless
sky. The golden, sandy desert floor is scattered with scrub brush, tumbleweeds, and saguaro cacti.
As the scene pushes forward, becoming less distant, a lone figure can be seen walking slowly yet
purposefully out of the haze — a sleek, anthropomorphic Native American female river otter. Her lithe
yet muscular body moves with graceful confidence across the burning sand, her light brown fur marked
with much lighter, traditional, and intricate tribal patterns across her arms, legs, and face. A few blue
feathers are tucked into the fur behind one ear, fluttering gently in the breeze.
Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
The river otter draws closer to her destination, a steep, crag-filled orange-and-red rock incline that leads
to a high cliff edge. She is dressed scantily for the blistering heat, wearing something akin to a traditional
bikini that reflects her Navajo blood and heritage. At the waist, a decorated brown-and-tan cotton sash,
dropping just far enough to hide a bit of her body-painted thighs, is tied with a topknot at her hip, while
underneath, a tanned leather loincloth modestly protects her crotch.
Above the waist, she wears a stylish bikini-style top, also of fine leather, with a brown-stitched lacing
across the bottom above a sexy innie navel. The top can barely contain enormous cream-furred breasts,
revealing a tantalizing display of cleavage. Tucked just above it is a necklace of blue-painted shale pieces.
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone, as my senses reel
She tosses her head briefly as the wind billows around her. Long, dark-brown hair is gathered in a large
ponytail and topknot. Slightly lidded, dark-brown eyes glance up at the cliff as she continues climbing
rocks and maneuvering around scrub brush, heading for the top.
A fatal attraction is holding me fast
How can I escape this irresistible grasp?
Can't keep my eyes from the circling sky
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I
The river otter nears the top of the cliff, taking a moment to turn and look back down, realizing how high
she is. At first, she appears hesitant, as if the wind has taken on an oppressive feel, but then she turns
and continues climbing until she faces the wide, deep mouth of the canyon around her.
Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought, I'd thought of everything
No navigator to find my way home
Unladen, empty and turned to stone
As the otter marvels at the natural display around her, another figure appears in the sky above. As it
draws closer, it reveals itself to be a large gray-and-white dragon. She slowly smiles in recognition and
lifts one arm in acknowledgment as the dragon dips, sways, and somersaults across the clouds. She
smiles wider, watching her companion perform its aerial acrobatics.
A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded, but determined to try
The dragon moves nearer to her and lands on its powerful talons with a mighty flap of its feathered
wings, standing at the cliff's edge. Its shimmering sky-blue eyes gaze at her intently as the river otter
approaches, gently caressing its thick neck.
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I
The dragon observes as the otter slowly moves around it, lightly touching its wings, sides, and tail. It
begins with gentle caresses and gradually turns to more satisfying, deeper massages using webbed
fingers, exploring every inch of its body, which is nearly five times larger than hers.
Friction lock, set
Mixtures, rich
Propellers, fully forward
Flaps, set, ten degrees
Engine gauges and suction, check
Mixture set to maximum percent, recheck
Flight instruments
Altimeters, check both
Lights, on
Pitot heater, on
Strobes, on
The otter walks back in front of the dragon and presses her nose against its enormous snout. The dragon
responds by wagging its tail and gently flapping its wings. It lowers its head so the otter can hold onto it,
then carefully lifts her up, allowing her to slide over its head and land on its back, with her legs straddling
its strong haunches.
Confirm 3-8 echo ready for departure
Hello again, this is now 129.4
129.4, it’s a go
The dragon turns its head to glance at its rider, who nods in response. It roars, pushes off the ground
with its talons, and immediately flaps its wings to launch forward, leaping off the cliff as the otter leans
forward to hug its neck tightly.
3-8 echo cleared takeoff, the wind’s normal at ten knots
3-8 echo
Easy on the brakes, take it easy, it’s gonna roll this time
Just handle the power gradually, and it…whoooosh…
The dragon swoops forward, then flaps strongly to stabilize itself and ascends again, passing the cliffs
until reaching the low-hanging clouds. The otter gazes around with fascination, her mouth slightly open
and eyes wide, as the land becomes smaller beneath her and the air turns cooler and more humid the
higher they climb.
Above the planet on a wing and a prayer
My grubby halo, a vapor trail in the empty air
Across the clouds, I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night
As they fly, she releases her grip on the dragon’s neck, mainly using her legs to hold on, and lifts her head
toward the warm sunlight while raising her arms to her shoulders, as if she is flying herself.
There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
Can't keep my mind from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I
As the instrumental outro gently fades away, the majestic dragon and its companion soar happily
together into the wide-open horizon. Their silhouettes stand out against the vibrant colors of the setting
sun, while the music softly fades into a peaceful silence, marred only by the growing winds, before
slowly fading to black.
“Learning to Fly”
Pink Floyd
A Momentary Lapse of Reason
©Copyright 1986
Art by The Furry Tail of Your Soul - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/thefurrytailofyoursoul
This probably turned out to be one of the best pieces I've written in a long time. A wonderful client of mine took advantage of my $50 story special to ask if I could write a friendly tale about our newest otter sensation in the hit webcomic "The Depths" , Talula Tonalea, getting to ride on a dragon for her first flight.
Seemed simple and cute enough - but suddenly my muse (and overactive imagination) went into complete overdrive. Talula is a Native American river otter, and suddenly like a hammer-smash, I pictured her traversing a painted desert and heading for a mountain to "catch" her flight.
And then I pictured Pink Floyd's legendary music video/song "Learning to Fly" and I started to tear up.
And I wrote this...
I really hope you love it and of course, comments welcome.
--
LEARNING TO FLY
The screen fades up from pure black as a powerful, stirring melody, a mix of electric guitar, synthesizer
organ, and driving percussion, opens on a sweeping panoramic vista of the American Southwest, with
towering painted cliffs of layered red, orange, and ochre sandstone stretching against a vast, cloudless
sky. The golden, sandy desert floor is scattered with scrub brush, tumbleweeds, and saguaro cacti.
As the scene pushes forward, becoming less distant, a lone figure can be seen walking slowly yet
purposefully out of the haze — a sleek, anthropomorphic Native American female river otter. Her lithe
yet muscular body moves with graceful confidence across the burning sand, her light brown fur marked
with much lighter, traditional, and intricate tribal patterns across her arms, legs, and face. A few blue
feathers are tucked into the fur behind one ear, fluttering gently in the breeze.
Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
The river otter draws closer to her destination, a steep, crag-filled orange-and-red rock incline that leads
to a high cliff edge. She is dressed scantily for the blistering heat, wearing something akin to a traditional
bikini that reflects her Navajo blood and heritage. At the waist, a decorated brown-and-tan cotton sash,
dropping just far enough to hide a bit of her body-painted thighs, is tied with a topknot at her hip, while
underneath, a tanned leather loincloth modestly protects her crotch.
Above the waist, she wears a stylish bikini-style top, also of fine leather, with a brown-stitched lacing
across the bottom above a sexy innie navel. The top can barely contain enormous cream-furred breasts,
revealing a tantalizing display of cleavage. Tucked just above it is a necklace of blue-painted shale pieces.
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone, as my senses reel
She tosses her head briefly as the wind billows around her. Long, dark-brown hair is gathered in a large
ponytail and topknot. Slightly lidded, dark-brown eyes glance up at the cliff as she continues climbing
rocks and maneuvering around scrub brush, heading for the top.
A fatal attraction is holding me fast
How can I escape this irresistible grasp?
Can't keep my eyes from the circling sky
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I
The river otter nears the top of the cliff, taking a moment to turn and look back down, realizing how high
she is. At first, she appears hesitant, as if the wind has taken on an oppressive feel, but then she turns
and continues climbing until she faces the wide, deep mouth of the canyon around her.
Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought, I'd thought of everything
No navigator to find my way home
Unladen, empty and turned to stone
As the otter marvels at the natural display around her, another figure appears in the sky above. As it
draws closer, it reveals itself to be a large gray-and-white dragon. She slowly smiles in recognition and
lifts one arm in acknowledgment as the dragon dips, sways, and somersaults across the clouds. She
smiles wider, watching her companion perform its aerial acrobatics.
A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded, but determined to try
The dragon moves nearer to her and lands on its powerful talons with a mighty flap of its feathered
wings, standing at the cliff's edge. Its shimmering sky-blue eyes gaze at her intently as the river otter
approaches, gently caressing its thick neck.
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I
The dragon observes as the otter slowly moves around it, lightly touching its wings, sides, and tail. It
begins with gentle caresses and gradually turns to more satisfying, deeper massages using webbed
fingers, exploring every inch of its body, which is nearly five times larger than hers.
Friction lock, set
Mixtures, rich
Propellers, fully forward
Flaps, set, ten degrees
Engine gauges and suction, check
Mixture set to maximum percent, recheck
Flight instruments
Altimeters, check both
Lights, on
Pitot heater, on
Strobes, on
The otter walks back in front of the dragon and presses her nose against its enormous snout. The dragon
responds by wagging its tail and gently flapping its wings. It lowers its head so the otter can hold onto it,
then carefully lifts her up, allowing her to slide over its head and land on its back, with her legs straddling
its strong haunches.
Confirm 3-8 echo ready for departure
Hello again, this is now 129.4
129.4, it’s a go
The dragon turns its head to glance at its rider, who nods in response. It roars, pushes off the ground
with its talons, and immediately flaps its wings to launch forward, leaping off the cliff as the otter leans
forward to hug its neck tightly.
3-8 echo cleared takeoff, the wind’s normal at ten knots
3-8 echo
Easy on the brakes, take it easy, it’s gonna roll this time
Just handle the power gradually, and it…whoooosh…
The dragon swoops forward, then flaps strongly to stabilize itself and ascends again, passing the cliffs
until reaching the low-hanging clouds. The otter gazes around with fascination, her mouth slightly open
and eyes wide, as the land becomes smaller beneath her and the air turns cooler and more humid the
higher they climb.
Above the planet on a wing and a prayer
My grubby halo, a vapor trail in the empty air
Across the clouds, I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night
As they fly, she releases her grip on the dragon’s neck, mainly using her legs to hold on, and lifts her head
toward the warm sunlight while raising her arms to her shoulders, as if she is flying herself.
There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
Can't keep my mind from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I
As the instrumental outro gently fades away, the majestic dragon and its companion soar happily
together into the wide-open horizon. Their silhouettes stand out against the vibrant colors of the setting
sun, while the music softly fades into a peaceful silence, marred only by the growing winds, before
slowly fading to black.
“Learning to Fly”
Pink Floyd
A Momentary Lapse of Reason
©Copyright 1986
Art by The Furry Tail of Your Soul - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/thefurrytailofyoursoul