FA+
Shop
197
Views
Views
4
Favorites
Favorites
Category
Story / General Furry Art
Species Canine (Other)
Gender Male
Size 120 x 92
File Size 51.2 kB
More from Walt46
Listed in Folders
File type: Rich Text File (.rtf) [Download]
-----------------------------------------
Could not generate preview text for this file type.
-----------------------------------------
Could not generate preview text for this file type.
The Last Ship
A Thursday Prompt story
© 2025 by Walter Reimer
Prompt: manage
A group of people gathered on the wall of the fortress of Portus Dubris to watch. As the ship tacked out of the harbor, a few of the spectators waved, while one or two prayed. One of the onlookers, a brindle-furred canine named Roger, glanced at his friend. “Do you think they’ll be back?” he asked.
His friend Nigel was also canine, but with fur the color of charcoal. He shrugged, a paw absently adjusting the cross around his neck. “Don’t know, but with the last of the legion gone it’ll be up to us to look after things.”
“But the barbarians – “
“Are barbarians, yes,” Nigel interrupted, “but so were we before they,” and he nodded at the ship as it headed for the gray line of the mainland, “first came to our shores. We’ll cope with them, find a way to live with them.”
“But . . . the roads, the basilicas,” and Roger’s eyes widened. “My villa . . . “
Nigel gave a soft laugh. “I’m sure everything will be all right. Sure, there are a few things we can do without – “
Roger snorted. “Like the wines you like, the ones from southern Gaul?”
His friend sighed. “Yeah, I’ll have to learn to live without it. But beer’s not a bad substitute.” There was a short silence as they watched, until the ship was lost to their view. Nigel clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Come to my house for dinner?”
Roger thought it over before nodding. “Sure. I can help you drink your wine.”
While the last ship went to join their general and defend his claim to the throne of the emperors in far-off Rome, the two friends laughed as they left the walls of Dover, each secretly unsure how their society would deal with the press of the northern and western tribes and the lack of a guiding paw from across the narrow sea.
A Thursday Prompt story
© 2025 by Walter Reimer
Prompt: manage
A group of people gathered on the wall of the fortress of Portus Dubris to watch. As the ship tacked out of the harbor, a few of the spectators waved, while one or two prayed. One of the onlookers, a brindle-furred canine named Roger, glanced at his friend. “Do you think they’ll be back?” he asked.
His friend Nigel was also canine, but with fur the color of charcoal. He shrugged, a paw absently adjusting the cross around his neck. “Don’t know, but with the last of the legion gone it’ll be up to us to look after things.”
“But the barbarians – “
“Are barbarians, yes,” Nigel interrupted, “but so were we before they,” and he nodded at the ship as it headed for the gray line of the mainland, “first came to our shores. We’ll cope with them, find a way to live with them.”
“But . . . the roads, the basilicas,” and Roger’s eyes widened. “My villa . . . “
Nigel gave a soft laugh. “I’m sure everything will be all right. Sure, there are a few things we can do without – “
Roger snorted. “Like the wines you like, the ones from southern Gaul?”
His friend sighed. “Yeah, I’ll have to learn to live without it. But beer’s not a bad substitute.” There was a short silence as they watched, until the ship was lost to their view. Nigel clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Come to my house for dinner?”
Roger thought it over before nodding. “Sure. I can help you drink your wine.”
While the last ship went to join their general and defend his claim to the throne of the emperors in far-off Rome, the two friends laughed as they left the walls of Dover, each secretly unsure how their society would deal with the press of the northern and western tribes and the lack of a guiding paw from across the narrow sea.
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Canine (Other)
Gender Male
Size 120 x 92px
File Size 51.2 kB
Listed in Folders
It's a little convoluted, but I'll to explain with this story as an example.
1. I get the word and my mind will start running through definitions and synonyms. In this case, 'manage' can mean 'lead,' but can also mean 'cope.' I settled on the latter.
2. I started shuffling through memory, and my brain dug up a video of historian Simon Schama in his History of Britain series, talking about the end of Roman rule in Britain.
3. I then went to Wikipedia to get the old Roman name for Dover, as well as for a bit of history.
4. The names I just plucked out of the air.
5. I then threw 1-4 into the Room of Infinite Monkeys (the personification of my writing ability), with the admonition to "Keep it short," and this came pouring out.
1. I get the word and my mind will start running through definitions and synonyms. In this case, 'manage' can mean 'lead,' but can also mean 'cope.' I settled on the latter.
2. I started shuffling through memory, and my brain dug up a video of historian Simon Schama in his History of Britain series, talking about the end of Roman rule in Britain.
3. I then went to Wikipedia to get the old Roman name for Dover, as well as for a bit of history.
4. The names I just plucked out of the air.
5. I then threw 1-4 into the Room of Infinite Monkeys (the personification of my writing ability), with the admonition to "Keep it short," and this came pouring out.
Comments