7 Comments
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Caitriana NicNeacail's avatar

Great writing. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the red forest, with its evocative smells

James Kenwood's avatar

Glad to hear that you liked it. I wrote it right after going for a summery walk through a nearby pine forest here - the scents and smells were still fresh in my mind at that point.

I did not find any murderous cat-people on my hike, though, so that part was definitely fiction…!

Jane Dougherty's avatar

I enjoyed this, tragic though it was.

James Kenwood's avatar

Don’t mind James while he churns out yet another violent, damaged character in a galaxy far, far away…

If you enjoy tragic - and I suspect you do - then you might also enjoy the piece below. It is quite a bit longer, and follows three characters who all set out with certain plans - and then get exactly what they wanted, just not how they wanted it.

https://jameskenwood.substack.com/p/the-shades-of-brighthide

Jane Dougherty's avatar

I enjoy the human, and it’s often what’s lacking in warrior-style stories. I can skip the battle scenes, but I enjoy the human insights. I’ll have a look at this one.

Ian Patterson's avatar

Some really excellent descriptions throughout, and especially in setting the stage. Relying on smell is so under used! Nice work man

James Kenwood's avatar

Glad you liked it. I went for a midday walk through town today (yesterday, before I wrote this) and discovered a pine forest that just smelled… of memories, and lost summers.

So of course I had to take that and go make it violent & bloody, the way most of my writing inevitably turns out.