Prompts over at CAKE: short and sweet : scribble :: a pirate’s life :: pistachio :: distribution :: debt
‘Wind in my purple tail’ by Brinda Banerjee
Her high-pitched chuckles and the crazed look of need in her eyes more than made up for all my days of banishment. I preened some more, bushy tail held high, and cocked my head at Sooz, inviting her to bound down from her branch into my borrowed leaf boat and partake of the delicious green nuts I’d brought her. Pistachios, the dealer down river had said. They’d cost me all the treasures I’d scavenged in my new life as Hurly the toad’s henchman.
The life of a pariah is no scamper in the park. There were some good times I can look back on – scurrying around with my brothers. But lately life has been one obstacle after another. It all began on the day when the park was overrun by those two-legged nuisances mother called ‘humans’. These ones had boxes that flashed and they chased us all over the park. When Samey, the leader of our pack told me I was the one they were after, his nose twitched and mine just froze. You are different, he said nose twitching again, you are the purple one. You must leave else they will hound us forever.
Purple? I asked, what is purple?
Well, he said, we are grey and you are purple.
No, it was still not clear to me but the look in his beady eyes was final and I tasted the sting of being outcast. I had to leave Sooz behind. Hurly the toad and Drip the water rat saved me that morning and launched me on a different course altogether. I learnt to hunt by night and hide during the day, just like them. Toughened by the rough life of a river pirate, I am a survivor -one who fights dirty and talks smooth to hoodwink deadly predators. I lost one purple ear and an eye, and I began to wear a leaf patch over that eye. I’m known as the Purple Pirate.
Sooz was getting closer, still chittering.
I shoved off as soon as she made the final leap into my boat – she emitted some loud kuks as she realized the Purple Pirate was kidnapping her; and then, only peace as, lulled by my heartfelt muk muks, she settled in to nibble on the bounty.
Modern Scheherzade 
Lovely!
“lulled by my heartfelt muk muks” is such a great line! Made me smile. A really touching tale about being outcast. Glad he got Sooz back.
Thank you Elaine
A creative take on these prompts — very colorful and alive.
Thanks Anthony – glad you liked it.
A squirrel pirate, and a purple one at that, great stuff. 🙂
Squirrels come into our garden almost every day from the nearby trees, we leave nuts for them to gather on our patio, Lovely, cheeky little things. 🙂
Hello Steve – a very happy new year to you 🙂 They are adorable, although I once met a daring one in the grand canyons who reminded me rather of a pirate – he sort of attacked me (rushed at me), completely unafraid, while I was sitting on a rock – I think he was driven by the strength of his conviction that I was on his territory!
LOL Made me laugh
Haha, is it okay that I found the ending doomedly cute? I wondered how far purple-denial might work.
Oh sure – I’ll take cute, I rushed the ending a bit — I just could not give that one eyed fellow more grief 🙂
This is fabulous Brinda! As others have mentioned, it’s alive with color (aside from the purple) and the vioce is great. Lovely!
Thanks Deanna- that is encouraging 🙂
Aw, such a lovely story!
If I were a squirrel, I think I’d hate humans too. I’ve found city squirrels are much less afraid of humans than suburban ones around here, which seems counterintuitive. Cute story!
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I really like it, especially the
Purple? I asked, what is purple?
Well, he said, we are grey and you are purple.
Innocence and unaware 🙂
Thanks Mangosky – what a vivid image your cyber name conjures! So pleased you liked this little tale