[TrickTreat] Haunt's Revelry

(Grammar note: Haunt uses They/Them and Pup/Pupself pronouns, so any usages of the word ‘pup’, ‘pups’ and ‘pupself’ are the use of neopronouns! ^^)

Haunt's Revelry

Under cover of darkness a Starlyng did work, clawed paws sifting through undergrowth and brambles, leaf-like tail wagging this way and that with excitement; on the hunt for something special… Dry twigs flew up into the air, scattering all about, leaves crunched and crumpled, the quiet stillness of the forest disturbed until- finally- with a rustle and a thump the deed was done and a pumpkin-clad head emerged from the tangle, jaws clasped firmly round a long, gnarled stick! This discovered natural treasure was as long as the Lyng themself with one end straight and the other curved, just what they’d been searching for!

For this unassuming branch was to be something much more than just a piece of wood, it was the beginning of a crucial piece of Haunt, this forest-foraging Lyng’s newest project…

A Costumed tribute to The Eighth Seat, Grimshaw!

Well, of course for Haunt paying tribute was somewhat secondary to earning as much candy as possible via the best most impressive costume during Reaper’s Revelry, something pup was hoping to achieve by making the biggest, scariest scythe pup could to carry by pups side- hence the enormous vaguely farm-tool shaped stick.

Now they’d uncovered what they’d been searching for they made their way back home, scampering along; head swaying with the weight of their stick and smacking against a tree or two, hanging lights around their neck bouncing against their leafy body and shimmering like fireflies in the night. It took pup no time at all to return to their little abode and toss their stick on a pile of fabric in a multitude of dark grey colours, ready to get started on the next leg of their costumery plan with enthusiasm and excitement aplenty! 

But… The night had grown long during their forest excursion, and even as pup sifted through the fabric pile to find a good cloak-sewing starting point their eyelids began to grow heavy and their limbs began to feel as if weighed down by the gravity of a black hole; perhaps excitement can only take a Lyng so far past their bedtime, it seemed exhaustion might have finally begun to set in as it got later and later and later. They tried their best to stave it off, but with every passing minute their motions became more sluggish and laboured, their vision blurring; try as they might Haunt simply couldn’t fight it forever, and with one big yawn they found pupself settling down atop the pile of fabric (which made for quite the nest to sleep in) and drifting off…

~

Haunt awoke the next morning with the first beams of sunlight trickling in, blinking blearily as the world came back into focus; as did their predicament too. Oh no! How could it be! They’d fallen asleep amidst their work, now they’d surely never get their costume finished in time to enjoy the Revelry! Pup scrambled to pups feet with a frantic speed, glancing around this way and that to try and conjure up a plan as to how to throw it all together as fast as they could; but wait…. Had they not fallen asleep in their pile of fabric? Yes, they most certainly had! Well then why did it not lay beneath them now?
Panic twinged at Haunt for a moment as a million possibilities flooded their head; perhaps someone had stolen it, how cruel an act that would be! They scrambled about the room, lifting up blankets and peering under furniture; but nary a pin nor thread could be found. They dashed through the kitchen in a flurry of pots and pans, they skittered down the hallway knocking paintings askew this way and that- but still no costume materials! Over and over they searched and searched but all to no avail, knowing in their heart that it was surely nowhere to be found as they slunk back into the room they’d started in, tail between their legs…
But as they did so that’s when they spotted it, something they’d overlooked; something that hadn’t been there before. 

There, in the corner was some sort of wooden stand in the shape of a figure, a white sheet thrown over it obscuring all but its base and the end of a very familiar stick poking out. Haunts eyes grew wide as pup spotted it, trotting over tentatively; just where could this have come from? They stared at it from a safe distance, tilting their head to the side as they surveyed this mysterious new addition to the room; noting a small purple mushroom pinned to the sheet, along with a tiny handwritten note. Haunt took the little piece of paper in a paw immediately and began to read, mood lightening more and more with every word that had been so elegantly written in jet black ink.

‘Hello dear reveller,
I hope you will forgive my intrusion, but while out tending to my mushrooms I heard tell of someone who may be in need of help to finish a project of theirs. I do so hope you enjoy it, you picked out quite the perfect stick for the scythes body.

Yours, Atramenta’

Haunt couldn’t believe their eyes, could this mean….

Tentatively they reached out, bundling the white fabric in their paw, taking a deep breath before.. WOOSH! Off came the fabric with one sharp tug, revealing their costume all finished; wooden scythe included! Haunt whooped in glee, dancing in circles around the room, delight overwhelming them! It was perfect, it was everything they’d hoped to make and more! They’d be the best dressed Lyng around in this, they’d be practically swimming in candy!

“I can’t believe it!” Haunt exclaimed

“It’s a Reapers Revelry miracle!!”