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Weekly Prompt Challenge - Week One

Welcome to the first installation of the Weekly Prompt Challenge. Information about the event can be found in the sticky. This week, the challenge will be running slighly shorter than usual due to the fact the guild had opened mid-week. Hereafter, challenges will run monday through sunday, sorry for any confusion!

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This weeks prompts:
arrow So, tell me about the mushroom
arrow 'Its eyes stared back at me, as I strained to see the creature in the dark'

Closing date: Sunday, March 4th

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Don't forget to use both prompts in your entry. You are allowed to change tense and point of view if you wish. You are welome to discuss and post your entries in this thread. Good luck everyone!

RESULTS:
Equal first place: Siatara, Akukei, Seraf the Tainted

Oh wow, I completely forgot about this. I'll try and whip something up tonight.

Here is my entry. It is inspired by my love of camping, and because in the woods there are a ton of mushrooms. 83

The fire snapped and hissed as the rain assaulted it’s heated body, each tiny droplet of water a soldier of moisture sent to slay the once roaring beast of flames and heat, beating it back into it’s layer of wood until only a small portion of it’s body protruded for us to gather around for warmth.

All around us swarmed the droplets of water as we sat and grumbled around the blaze. I shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another, rubbing my shoulders to keep them warm. I turned, presenting my back to the flames so that it would begin to thaw.

I glanced around in the shadowed woods looking for something, anything, to distract myself from the cold and the wet. A splotch of deep cream color attracted my eye against the black, brown and green of the night time forest. It’s eyes stared back at me, as I strained to see the creature in the dark. Slowly it began to resolve, the random paths of the falling deluge the only thing that seemed to attempt to draw my eye away from the little fungi.

I stared at it, it’s little umbrella hat over it’s thin body shaking with each impact of water, causing it to shiver as if afflicted by miserable cold that myself and my companions were. The black locks of it’s hair were groomed into orderly wavy puffs drawn up into its head concealed beneath its umbrella like a shy dame hiding her face from the rain and the men, her tan dress standing out against the filth of the land she stood upon as if asking for the attention of others while pretending to direct it away.

The deluge intensified and my view of the fair maiden of the forest was cut off. A stream of curses from behind me echoed through the night as the beast of flames finally died within its den when the next wave of liquid soldiers fell upon it.

“Screw this guys, let’s head back to the cabin, I don’t think Thomas and the others are coming in this weather.” said Lance. “We can clean up tomorrow.”

A murmur of agreement washed through our group and we soggily and sullenly filed towards the cabin. I looked back once more to the place in the distance where I had seen the little mushroom lass before turning to follow.

The next day dawned and I opened the door of the cabin, blinking till my eyes adjusted to the light. Outside around the fire pit stood rings of mushrooms, tiny figures huddled around the still smoking and snapping coals.

“Hey guys! Come take a look at this!” I called over my shoulder, and a couple thumps of bodies rolling out of bunks answered my call. A shuffle of feet and Lance and Kris came to flank me in the door, blinking as I had moments before.

“Whus all the fuss abou’?” slurred Lance, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
“Look at the mushrooms.” I said.
“You woke us to look at mushrooms?” grumbled Kris. “Why were they invited to the party anyways?”
“Maybe Eric wanted some fungis” muttered Lance.

Siatara: I really liked your entry! biggrin It was funny and engaging and made good use of the prompts. A fun read indeed. I especially enjoyed the interruption at the beginning from Jilly. whee

Seraf The Tainted: *sigh* How i'd love to go camping in a wood full of mushrooms. Seriously, those two things together would be so inspirational for me! There was some good description in this piece too! I especially liked the way that you described the rain.

Here's my entry. Sorry if it's bad, it was kind of a last minute write.

Amongst the scattered leaves, I sat down, placing my spear to rest against an aged oak tree. I cocked my head from side to side, and tried to relax. The sky was in a subtle twilight as the shadows below me disappeared, and my friend grasped his knees to try and save himself from an invisible fear.

The air was warm, carrying a brisk scent with it but that was expected on an August evening. I leaned back against the oak and peered over to my friend. “What’s ailin’ you?”

“Don’t you feel… y’ know, in some type of danger?”

I quickly let out a short laugh. “You’ve gotta be crazy to be that paranoid, just because we’re in some woods in the hour of twilight. You know those legends aren’t true.”

That comment wasn’t well received, and he proceeded to look around. Some mosquitoes started to buzz around his head, and he swatted away the infernal buzzing. I laughed, “Hey look, it’s the creatures of twilight! Ooooo, so scary.” He grunted and stood up, grasping his spear.

“Look, you know we have to report back that nothing’s here. Why don’t we just stop talking about this and move.”

“We’re not supposed to be back for two days yet. Relax.”

“But-“

“I’m tired of you being so scared of something that doesn’t exist! You have a weapon, don’t you? Use it!”

He lowered his head and dropped the spear, crunching some of the leaves and knocking one out of flight. “Man, you don’t know what these things can do. I know someone, who knows someone who knows someone’s father was killed by one of those monsters!”

I rolled my eyes and stood up. “You ‘know someone who knows someone, who knows someone?’ How do you know this person is telling the truth? You know, he’s probably just having fun with you.”

“No they aren’t! If they did, than why wo-“

A loud thud bellowed in the distance, and we both scrambled our way to our feet, and grasped our spears. I looked over at my friend, who’s knees where starting to buckle. I tried to stay poise and confident, but only to reassure my friend that he has some veil of protection.

The creature peered its head out of the thicket, covered in whitish green glowing marks. I took a step forward and stopped, I didn’t want to risk any injury. Its eyes stared back at me, as I strained to see the creature in the dark

I darted.

The creature leapt to the left as I stabbed with my spear. I felt something strike me across the face, knocking me to the ground. It snorted, and rushed behind me. I sat up, shaking my head, and peered over to my friend. My pupils shrank as I saw him become dismembered by the demon. I hurried up to my feet and grasped onto my spear. It was just me and the beast of twilight. I shook, but positioned my spear. We darted at each other, got within striking range and-



I heard a slow clap, as my English teacher stared at me.

“Very nice Mr. Schmidt. Now as I was saying before we were trying to listen to a story by Ms. Trea over there. So, tell me about the mushroom.”

Yeah, it was. I play that game a lot, doing three heart challenges and such.

Everyone judging will finish tomorrow, so don't forget to vote in the poll!

>.> We better decide soon!