Future Proof 1 - Collab

Dillyweed | Irody

Irody looked around the area. She was never one to consider settling down. And she wanted to move around again. But for now she was content with their place of living. She and Obscura were fixing their winter home. The home that would shelter them through the snow and cold. It was an old, underground storage basement. The house that stood on top of it was long ago leveled to the ground. Only the foundation was on top of it. But it was fairly similar to a hovel and it could be cosy. There were still a few cans of old food in the corners of it. Pickled vegetables and fruits. They could be good to save for when the snow comes. When there's less food outside. Irody was in full swing carrying down everything they could find that would help them create a barrier between the dirt floor and them. The first layer was sticks. Obscura was running to and from the forest gathering every stick she could find while Irody - who was much slower than the two legged, brown pachy - brought them down. She started the layering from the corner further in, so that they had a start of a base and as Obscura brought more and more. When Obscura stuck her head down the opening that had some time ago been a staircase but was now a caved-in opening just big enough to fit one of them in at the same time, but at least made it doable for Irody to make her way both up and down it fairly easily.
“I think it is break time.” Irody said with a sigh. Despite the fact that the pachy had been running to and from the forest, which was a greater distance than what she herself had had to run - Obscura thoughtfully had placed the sticks so Irody could simply grab them from the opening and back down again - Obscura seemed to have so much more energy left than Irody had. “I think we deserve some food.” There was a pile of berries, leaves and edible sticks piled up in the corner that they had prepared the day before when they found the place. Irody grabbed a pile and sat down on the layers of sticks. It wasn’t comfortable yet but she couldn’t feel the floor which meant that they were getting close. The next step would be to collect as many pine branches as they possibly could before the last layer would be dry leaves - the forest would . Irody was quite unsure if they could actually get that much dried leaves. The frost made them slightly wet. Especially when they started to melt. They could leave them to dry in one of the corners for sure. But it could make the entire hovel slightly damp. It was a fine balance of things. If the hovel became damp it could potentially make its integrity worse which they didn’t want. 
Irody must have had a face that told Obscura how concentrated on their plan she was. She could see the pachy look at her with a curious look as she stuffed food in her mouth in a way Irody had only seen her do. She gave off a scoff and a smile.
“I think, if we hurry we can drag down a lot of pine branches tonight. Then tomorrow, if the snow hasn’t arrived yet, we can collect leaves and see how dry we can get them.” She took another bite of a leafy branch. It felt good to eat leaves. It was a shame there would soon be none left. Not even yellow and slightly old ones. Pine needles she could eat as well but leaves tasted just a tiny bit better to her. Soon spring would arrive again and they would be back. It wasn’t really a long wait. But she would still stuff her face as much as she could before. “If we can find dry leaves we should take them in. But if they’re wet.. Do you mind sleeping pine needles? It might be a bit pinchier but it’s still soft.” She looked behind her at the sticks. Pine needles were better than sticks.

699 words

AberrantKapro | Obscura

The brown, laced pachy was determined to get their den ready before snowfall. She couldn't help but stop and watch as her beautiful girlfriend carried in what she had brought from the woods. A lot of sticks and pine branches to cover the floor, to make a softer and warmer bedding for the pair. 
Her white feet paced quickly back and forth through the frosty grass as she fetched more and more material from the forest. Her toes felt cold from the frosty ground, but she didn't mind. A cozy and safe home was more important right now, so she pressed on. 

“I think it is break time.” Irody had suggested as Obscura returned with yet another batch of twigs. The floor was mostly covered now, so she didn't exactly mind taking a break, but at the same time it was so close to done that she wanted to finish. She was almost bouncing on the spot, feeling rather indecisive. 
“I think we deserve some food.”
The mention of food was the pachy’s queue to settle for a break, she knew Irody was serious about her food breaks so it was best not to argue. 

Obscura settled down next to her girlfriend, nibbling on some berries that the two had gathered earlier. They had thawed enough to indulge in without a cold snap when biting into them, which Obscura appreciated. She usually preferred fresh meat over fruits and berries, but since they had to prepare for winter, she hadn't had any real opportunity to hunt anything. But she didn't mind. Her time with Irody, building a life together, being safe and warm with full bellies, was much more important than satiating her craving for blood.

 Obscura smiled as she looked over at Irody. She was so happy that she had chosen her. That they were together. 
She snuggled closer to the green styra and leaned against her round belly, gently swaying as she was breathing. She had placed herself close enough for her girlfriend to be able to rest her head against her shoulder too. It felt so peaceful. So perfect. Like everything she had ever dreamt of and more. 
After a moment of just existing in each other's presence, Irody suggested that they hurry and get some more pine branches to fully cover the floor. Obscura agreed and happily bounced up on her feet, more than ready to head out in the chilly weather again. She stopped at the entrance, however, and looked back at Irody with a warm smile. 
“I will bring back the biggest stack of branches you have ever witnessed, I promise!” the pachy convincingly said, prepared to leave on her own, but Irody got up as well and made her way to the doorway.
Obscura was delighted that Irody wanted to accompany her, while she didn't mind working alone, doing it together would definitely speed up the process. 

483 words