Summer arrived in style as the sun rose creating a warm fun-filled month of bountiful fruits. Spring had vacated letting the land blossom continuously till the growing harvests were prime for picking. The aroma from the fruit trees was insatiable causing any creature in a mile radius to seek out the sweet nectar and juices of all the fruits and berries. Lately, the campsite had been so busy with chores and preparing for winter, that there seemed to be no regard for just enjoying oneself during these hot days. One such mare was tired of all these preparations. She wanted to forage for sweet fruits and drink the berry juice hanging ripe from the vines. Yet, every time she dared pick herself some delicious treats, she was scolded by the ones in charge. "How dare they" a small irritated voice could be heard as the Elder's daughter Cerylia made her return to foraging for sticks and leaves. The little mare known as Shaylee wasn't a pushover as she shrunk to a flower's height and pouted. Crossing her tiny legs she grumbled, and salivated smelling those delicious sugarplums calling out to her. Three times she had been caught and forced back to foraging as she pondered some way to eat that bountiful fruit. Each plum and berry that was detached from its growing place the tiny purple mare so hungry that she tried devising a plan to get what she wanted. "I know what I will do" she perked up as her tiny flutter wings started moving to lift her off the ground....
Meanwhile, Cerylia was in charge as her directions were given to all the residents within the campsite. Her mother was counting on her to be in charge of helping out Tirranna the two-legger. Summer was a time of harvest and preparations for the incoming winter in the Kawani villagers' lives. Each of the herds had a purpose and a role in being able to convene and live there in safety. Until her mother Celendria returned from her quest, she was in charge. Overseeing the others was a tedious task, especially for those who wanted to follow their directions, not listening to Cerlia's positive requirements. One such Soquili herd member was an especially difficult one named Shaylee. A naive flutter who could shift to the size of a growing flower from the stem. She was well known for her silliness and outbursts of disapproval. It didn't surprise Cerylia when Shaylee vanished for the fourth time. Cerylia sighed as she looked around the area. Shaylee would head for the sugarplums which possibly were over-ripened from the heated sun. "You shrunk yourself", Cerylia frowned knowing this wasn't going to end well. Moving away from the foraging area, her long legs carried her looking for movement. Tallulah, her companion was also on the hunt for the small bug of a mare that liked eluding her orders and gaze.
Shaylee had him in the adjacent flowerbed as Cerlia checked in on her again. Then she crept out behind the teepee site keeping her eyes peeled for interlopers. When the coat was clear, Shaylee beelined her path toward those delectable trees with her favorite snack. Jackpot! There seemed to be a bunch of them piled to the side that the little mare could help herself to as much as she wanted. Puking her head up, Shaylee looked for anyone able to spot her, when the coat was clear, she dived into the pile. They smelled so good that she grabbed one after the other devouring them whole, spitting out the seeds. Soon she ingested ten of them when her head started to spin. In a daze, she exited the pile of sugarplums as she grew to full size without thinking. Her tummy was feeling a little queasy as well as her hooves stepped over one another nearly tripping her up. "Whoa," she exclaimed as she stumbled further into the Sugarplum trees. Then she started to giggle, more so than the usual personality. Everything was just looking funny to her. Shaking her head she noticed a sugarplum fall from the tree that bounced on the ground. Shaylee giggled as another dropped down. She felt so giddy that her wings lifted her from the ground. Playfully, she zigged then zagged as her head felt super dizzy. Then she noted more of the sugarplums dancing on the ground as they chanted, "Shaylee the Sugarplum Queen!". Laughing, Shaylee navigated herself this way and that as she danced with the sugarplums in multiple hiccups. Her vision was so blurry she landed and then opened her mouth as the sugarplums danced their way into her system. Now she saw them dance as she called out to the world, "I am the Sugarplum Queen". Then she tasted that sweet juice and smiled widely. This was a wild adventure! Perhaps she fell into a Sugaerplum world.
Cerylia heard the small howl, relieved that her companion had found the small menace. When she arrived, Cerylia nearly screamed. Sitting in a pile of Sugarplum seeds was Shaylee who seemed to be incoherent in a daze. The entire crop was wiped out they had gathered. To make matters worse Shaylee had shrunk again as she hiccuped. Cerylia asked Tallulah to bring Shaylee back to the campsite. Her consumption of fermented plums made her incapacitated, giggling like mad when the wolf picked her up gently in her mouth. Together they moved the little flutter mare into a safe place where she couldn't harm herself as she passed out when placed on the ground.
When Shaylee came to after being passed out she groaned. Her head felt like it had been run into a tree. Her tummy was less than fine as she hiccuped and then felt pain in her head. "Wha... What happened? The Sugarplums..."
Cerylia sighed her ears upward in relief that Shaylee was alright, "I'm glad you're okay. But, there are no more ripe sugarplums. You ate the entire crop. To make matters worse, they were sitting in the sun too long ad fermented. They made you delirious"
"Say Wha?" Shaylee groaned, "They sure were delicious though. They called me the "Sugar Plum Queen!" she giggled.
Cerylia shook her head, "Once you are feeling better, you get to harvest all the leftovers you didn't devour"
Shaylee groaned, "Aww, okay. It's the least I can do for making a mess". She then thought back to the dancing sugarplums, "That sure was fun though". As Cerylia turned to let Shaylee heal, Shaylee closed her eyes and giggled once more as the visions of dancing Sugarplums danced in her head.
~FinWC: 1,104
