2000 words edited today. Less than usual, but progress still counts.

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Kyawtchais' Cenn had loved the trees. Loved them enough that in spite of the risks, ey had insisted on going out into the forest when eir contractions began. Penpy had a common name – dawn. Ey insisted eir child would have a name that meant something more than the time of day ey had been born.

Penpy had gotten eir wish. Deep in the forest at night, attended by fearful healers and hired guards, ey had given birth. The moment the child had left eir body, eir eyes had been locked on the foxfire glow only seen by those who dared the woods at night. Kyawtchaisawt, the cold fire was called. Kyawtchais, then, became eir infant's name.

It was a name that spoke of mystery, of secret things, of deep darkness.

#AmEditing #Snippet #Fantasy #PlantingLife

Planting Life in a Dying City is not a love story in the traditional sense. But there is so much love in this story.

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"I hope the day comes when you can give yourself to me as well. But you have shown me that you accept me as I am. I know if that day never comes, it will be because of your grief and not, as with others, because you reject me." Kolchais smiled and felt the smile to the depths of eir soul. Ey knew Lefeng now. Knew eir spouse-to-be as ey had known few others. Ey would grieve, yes, for a long time. But when ey was ready to move, ey would not be stopped.

Kolchais turned to face the night sky with Lefeng, the stars that guided the farwalkers and boatfolk in their journeys. When the day came, Lefeng would find Kolchais still here, steady as the stars themselves, which never stopped moving, but were always where you needed them to be. "How can I be angry that you grieve them? When it only shows me how great your soul is and how strongly you value those you love."

Slowly, Lefeng leaned over until eir head rested against Kolchais. Together, they watched the night sky.

"Perhaps one day, you can take me to the mountains. Show me how the stars are meant to look."

"I would like that."

"The spinner could come too."

"I think ey loves eir markets, the way I loved the mountains."

"Yes. But ey could still come if ey wants."

"Yes."

#AmEditing #Snippet #Fantasy

Singing… it was a private thing. A family's songs were shared only with their most trusted friends and, sometimes, extended family.

They were family.

In time they would make new songs, but for now, it was right that they share the songs of their childhoods.

When it was eir turn, Kolchais shared one of eir good memories from eir childhood – a song of wind and running eir Baba had taught em while they worked the family garden together.

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About 3,000 words edited on Planting Life in a Dying City, almost done with Kolchais' section of the story.

They are learning how to build a family together!

#AmEditing #Snippet #PlantingLife

2600 words edited and a solid start on Tsouchm's story.

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Regardless, there was work to do. Tsouchm arrived at the gate a few steps behind Longstride and helped unload the greenery from the cart. It took less than a finger-width of the sun's travel to get the greenery on the frame Lefeng had built the day before. It would be big enough for all of them to sleep in, with some room left over.

It was rough and unconventional, but it would work.

Rather, Tsouchm hoped, like their family would.

#AmWriting #snippet #PlantingLife

3,600 words edited. Finished Lefeng's section of Planting Life, and tomorrow I can start editing Tsouchm's section.

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"Maybe you should rest for a day," Paiokp said, "You haven't stopped pushing yourself since… " ey swallowed, "…Since the wave killed everyone."

Once, Lefeng had witnessed a flash flood in the mountains. One minute the narrow canyon had been dry, the next it was running knee-deep with water, and rising. That was what it felt like now, as grief surged through em and washed eir control away. Ey broke down; crying, sobbing, blubbering.

By the time Tsouchm arrived, the worst of the storm had passed. Paiokp had helped Lefeng retrieve the Baba's old necklace from the bottom of eir pack and Lefeng had wrapped it around eir hand, fingering the beads.
Lefeng managed to help get Tsouchm's things but had no life to spare for curiosity about the city or the new grandparent. As soon as they returned to the compound, Lefeng retreated again. Ey had done eir duty to the living, but Kolchais was right. Lefeng couldn't push eir dead away any longer.

Ey had much grieving to do.

#snippet #AmEditing #PlantingLife #Fantasy

#PennedPossibilities 704 - share a scene or two you're proud of writing.

I'm particularly proud of the opening scene of Planting Life.

A shaft of sunlight lanced through the forest gloom highlighting another empty snare. Lefeng shook eir head as ey pulled up the small game snare and examined the grass rope for damage. Somehow no one had seen that break in the canopy over the summer. They were lucky the snare hadn’t been sun-touched.

A small ground shake rattled the trees as ey coiled and stash the snare-rope it in eir pack. Lefeng had pulled a dozen others earlier that day and found a pair of lemurs that had been caught by two of the traps. Ey had been surprised by them. Penpy ran the trapline two days ago but had forgotten to pull the snares. Lefeng was just as glad. It gave em a chance to get into the foothills on eir own one last time before the bright months ended....

read the full thing here -- https://www.story-aerie.com/the-wave/
(CW for death and natural disaster)

#Snippet #AmWriting #PlantingLife

Got about 3000 words edited today. Not as much as usual, but still good progress.

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Lefeng tuned most of it out. It would be important, ey knew. But it was not something ey could help with. Leave it to those who could. Ey's concern was getting shelter for everyone.

By nightfall, they were temporarily settled. Chestef would sleep in the lean-to with eir Baba. Lefeng, Paiokp, and Kolchais all had space under a shelter Lefeng constructed in a corner of the compound. Tomorrow, ey would start work on a winter shelter – the not-so-temporary shelters the farwalkers used when they planned to stay in one place for several weeks or months. The shelters were named for the winter in-gathers when the farwalking clans came together and an entire mountain valley would be filled from end-to-end with the winter shelters of all the families there…

The future opened before Lefeng – but the past remained, dogging eir steps.

#AmEditing #Fantasy #snippet

Ice Age ~ No Time For Nuts 4 D #snippet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCghEsTPhdA