| Sentient Carnivorous Plant |
| The woods are cool on this warm day. Towering trees offer shade, and soft breezes are enough to dry the sweat from you skin. While walking along a well defined path your notice a raven watching. You have the feeling that he is considering your carefully... for what you're not sure; it makes you curious enough to follow when he takes off deeper into the woods. When he moves out of sight his caws pull you in the right direction, but soon you find yourself in dense part of the forest, tangled with undergrowth. Just as exhaustion begins to overwhelm you there is the sound of water. Fighting your way off the rudimentary trail, you find your way to a river, swift and clear. A drink of the cold, sweet water refreshes you, and you decide it would be better to follow the banks. After a small rapid the water slows, and the river widens. Trees bend over the water, some braches brushing the surface, moss blanketing the gnarled roots. There are all manner of animal tracks, and you spot an otter's mud slide. The river speads out into a large pool. At the far end is a semi-circle of gargantuan trees twisting together toward the sky, creating a great canopy of filtered light, in the midst of which is a strange plant. It's as tall as a small tree itself, but hidden behind a thick skirt of foliage. The huge, dark green leaves are heart-shaped and covered with velvety hairs. Bell-like flowers hang in cluters, glimmering crimson and violet. Without realizing that you've moved, you find yourself before the plant, reaching out to pluck one of the flowers, inhaling the spicy scent. You find yourself biting into the bottom, a sweet liquid flushes your mouth, reminiscent of peppery lemonade. A movement catches your attention, and you step back... were those eyes? Upon closer inspection you see that the plant is busy with animals: a dragonfly lights from leaf to leaf, a fruit bat is cruled into the darkness under a large branch, a small bronze and gree frog is blinking at you from a seed pod. There is a rustling on the ground, and a porcupine shuffles from beneath the skirt. She sits on her hind legs, scratches her belly, and makes a soft chucking noise that sounds as if she's clearing her throat. "Well," she says in a husky voice, "are you going to say something interesting, or just stand there?" Startled, you mumble soemthign nosensical. She grins, eyes sparkling, and tilts her head. "Come on in and look around then, maybe you'll find your voice later." The branches part, revealing a narrow entrance, and you follow the porcupine in... |
| Les Trois Mousquetaires in Washington D.C. (photos found below in 3 links) |
| Tercan Tarot: my version of the deck (described and in progress) |