Blue’s world is nothing but darkness and calm; muffled sensations filtered through the rough fibers of the thing gently wrapped around her neck, like a warm hug from a loved one. She breathes in the musty scent of the thing, her keen nose picking up the faint earthy smell of the potatoes that were once stored within it, as well as the faint, familiar sweet smell of Caretaker’s sweat and a more musty, unknown sweat that is seemingly nearer.
Blue has never felt this calm in her life. Not since the moment she hatched out of her egg and gazed up at Caretaker’s eyes. Not since the moment she gazed upon the once massive form of her Caretaker and knew that they would keep her safe no matter what, has Blue felt this serene.
She feels a tug against her neck and she stands up precariously, her legs a little wobbly without her sight to guide her. She feels the bindings that wrapped around her fall off of her and free her movement, the tension in them from her straining against them falling away now that she’s calm and poised. And yet, even though she’s once again free, she doesn’t feel the need to run away and flee. In fact, she’s happy to just stay right here, standing in comfort, unmoving and just… Existing in this moment, enjoying every bit of it. She doesn’t ever want to leave this place, or this time.
She feels another tug around her neck and decides that she wants to leave this time and place after all. In fact, she wants to follow that tugging, just so that it doesn’t break the peace and quiet and comfort any more than it already is. She takes a step towards it and feels the tightness go slack once again, bringing back the peaceful calm.
Has life always had the potential to be this calm? This relaxing? Has she just been chasing the thrills of her instincts this whole time, going from fight to fight, from meal to meal in pursuit of a feeling that was there this whole time?
Blue feels something run through her majestic chest feathers, and instead of snapping whatever it is in half and gobbling it down, she just… Lets it happen. Whatever it is manages to get through her dense down and reach her scaly, thick hide beneath, scratching against it in what is an almost pleasant way but is so muted that it’s barely enjoyable instead. Blue decides that it is… Acceptable. For now. As long as the darkness is here, she won’t take it in her beak and crunch it into tiny, edible bits.
The scratching stops, and Blue’s thoughts return to the calm. Is this what life is all about? Has Blue reached the ultimate goal? Is there any point in pursuing anything else? She could just die here, happy, just like this.
She feels another tug and decides that she can die happy when the tugging comes to an end, again. She just needs to move towards the tugging until it stops again, and she can do just that.
Blue walks and walks and walks, following the tugging dutifully, waiting for the moment it comes to an end so that the peace and quiet can return. The smells of flesh things wafts past her as she walks, muffled and muted but still easily recognizable to her keen nose. She walks past large groups of flesh-things; small groups of them. She walks past the stink of the flesh-thing’s leavings and the fresh smell of food-things. The smell of her caretaker and the unknown flesh-thing follows along ahead of her as she goes, not once leaving her side, up until Blue reaches a harsh-smelling, sickening shadow and they come to a stop, briefly.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Caretaker and the other flesh-thing converse for a moment, before Caretaker’s smell moves closer to the harsh-smelling, sickening shadow and disappears within it, leaving Blue alone with the other Flesh-Thing. Blue feels a momentary pang as she smells Caretaker walking away, wishing to follow her. Before the tugging starts once again, and all thoughts of following Caretaker disappears into the back of her mind.
The tugging carries on for some time, leading Blue further and further away from Caretaker and towards something that smells dusty, meaty, and delicious. Blue’s keen hearing hears the snorts of animals, her keen sense of smell picks up the tang of dry hay, and the foul scent of dung.
“Here ya go, boy. Your new home.”
Blue feels the tugging stop for a moment and feels the calm return once again. She hears something groaning open, followed by the tugging starting again briefly, then disappearing. The thing groans shut, with a click and a lock, and suddenly, Blue is left to stand in peace once again.
“I’ll come by and look after you later, alright? Just hang out over here with your new friends and have fun, okay?”
Blue feels the urge to lie down again come over her, and sits placidly, enjoying the experience of the darkness and the calm once again.
Nothing can see her. Nothing can hurt her. She is in perfect safety, she is in perfect peace. The only sensations are the slightly meaty smells around her, the peaceful breeze playing through her feathers, and the terrified neighing that would normally send her into a killing frenzy but couldn’t bother her at all at this time.
She never wants it to end.
“Oh. Shoot. Lemme take this off for you…”
The darkness retreats, and Blue’s eyes turn to pinpricks as they adjust to the sudden light.
“There! Now, be good and I’ll be back with treats, okay?”
Blue blinks her eyes, the calm rapidly retreating away like water evaporating on hot coals. She takes in her surroundings for the first time, finding herself locked in a small wooden paddock. Standing above her, staring at her in slight fear and trepidation, are ten large, four-legged animals, all snorting and neighing in fear at the new arrival to their home.
“Alright, have fun you guys!”
Blue hears footsteps retreat, her brain keeping careful track of it but not really caring to look or pursue it at this moment.
After all, she has so many other tasty things to worry about right in front of her.
She stands up to her full height, feeling a shiver of pleasure run through her veins and down her feathers as she looks down at their long, terrified faces. The creatures back up as far as they can go, pressing against the wooden fence as their prey instincts scream at them to stay far, far away from the thing with the wickedly sharp claws. They rear up on their hind legs, kicking out towards Blue with their hoofs and letting out loud, warning neighs towards her.
Blue takes a deep, long sniff, savouring the fear of them and realizing that they have nowhere to run. She feels a rumble through her stomach, and her beak starts chattering with excitement.
With a sense of satisfaction, she chooses her first meal, and pounces.
Who do you think the self-insert is?
