Leech Prompt: A Spooky Story
Dantalion refused to sit still.
All afternoon the shuffle and bump of his tiny paws on the cottage’s flagstones had drawn Cheto's attention away from the giant iron cauldron that was bubbling on the hearth. It wouldn't have been so bad if every instance wasn't followed by the rustling of scattered paper and soft bump and tumble of their stacked odds and ends. The luxury leech had something of a bee in his tiny wee bonnet, and it was finally hitting the point that the witch could no longer ignore him - truthfully it was something of a miracle that he hadn't broken anything yet.
"Dinty!" they exclaimed as he scuttled past again, hopping away from their hands, his tiny wings flapping and straining as he launched himself in the air. Cheto watched with a frustrated sigh, halfheartedly making a grab for him as he teetered around the room. He grew tired quickly at least, bouncing through the air and down onto a suitable landing spot; the table by the window, covered in herbs that had been left out to dry. Cheto winced upon hearing the rustle of their plants, wondering how many ingredients they'd lose in Dantalion's thick, fluffy fur. "Dinty I need those..."
The witch sighed again, scooping the dazed leech up before he could get into even more mischief. He immediately protested by blowing a large raspberry and began to wiggle again, his tiny paws flailing in a desperate bid to be free. To do what? they wondered, run around the room again?
"You're full of beans, aren't you?" they tutted, looking around. Dantalion's romping had made their reasonably small and cramped cottage even harder to navigate with all the things he'd tipped and scattered... and with the sun already ducking down to the horizon, the mess was framed with stretching purple shadows and a comfortable orange glow. "Full of beans...." they grumbled, dismayed at the chaos.
They seized the wiggling leech by the scruff of his thick, fluffy neck and yanked him up before he threatened to wiggle free of the crook of their arm. “Dantalion!” they exclaimed suddenly, an idea forming in their mind. “If you don’t stop this ruckus do you know what’s going to happen? There’s two great big leeches that prowl around this neck of the woods and they’ll sweep into this cottage and take your wiggly booty away from me!”
That made him stop. The leech dangled from their hand for a silent instant, before another loud raspberry let Cheto know exactly what he thought of such a threat.
“Oh believe me, I’m not joking.” the witch huffed, striding over to peek into the shimmering liquid of their brew over the fire. Carefully tucking him under one arm and making sure he was gripped tightly this time, they waved their free hand over the mixture so that the shifting colors within began to take on recognizable forms.
They’re big, scary creatures, you see. Bigger than you. Bigger than me even! One of them walks upright like a man… a man, but not quite. Maybe more like a bear. A man-leech... bear.
As they spoke the colorful potion swirled about, creating a silhouette of the creature they described. A great big monster shape with an awkward shambling gait but the distinctly recognizable cute kitty mouth. Dantalion blew a loud raspberry at it as another shape started to swirl beside the first, but he had stopped struggling which at least meant that Cheto had his attention.
They always hunt in twos, you see. The second one has an appetite like no other! Did you know he tried to eat the moon? And he succeeded too! They had to find a new one and put it up in the sky because of him.
They could feel Dantalion tense in their arms and tried to hide a snicker behind their free hand. Oh he was definitely paying attention now, looking at the velvety leech shape in the potion as it leapt for a bubble building near the edge of the brew. It vanished with a pop, causing Dantalion to wiggle a little in surprise as the blobby leech shape flowed back down to join the other one shambling across the liquid's surface.
They love to find naughty, disobedient leeches and eat them up! Especially around Halloween time - you know its October, right? They can smell when a little cheese puff like you is being terrible and wrecking the house....
A third shape had materialized in the cauldron, much tinier than the other two. It looked just like a silhouette of Dantalion, running on his little legs. The cat faced smiles on the big leech shapes widened as they began to flow towards the smaller one, closing the distance as their mouths opened. Wider and wider those hungry smiles grew, until with a splash and a hiss they snapped shut over the tiny leech and the potion bubbled and seethed scattering a rainbow of colors across its surface.
Dantalion yelped in surprise, kicking his back legs and flapping his tiny wings in an attempt to get away from the cauldron. Cheto chuckled, shifting his weight to hold him like a hamburger between both of their hands.
"And that's why you need to behave, Dinty." They peeked at him from under their bangs. "If you're bad the big leeches are gonna come and eat y-"
Both of them jumped as the front door was thrown open with a crash! Dantalion let out a shriek of terror and leapt out of Cheto's arms, tiny paws skittering across the floor as he bolted for the nearest hiding place; the claw footed bookcase packed tightly with recipes and spells.
The witch looked towards the door, surprised by his fear. A moment later they began to chuckle at the sight of the figure in the doorway. The setting sunlight illuminated them just enough; a young nobleman wearing a thick, heavy cloak over his dark finery, and an enormous leech monster resting its nose on his shoulder, curiously taking in the smells of the room.
"Potion Seller." His voice was thick with an unplaceable accent as he cocked his head curiously. "Pardon me for arriving so late. We are here for the Errand...." he trailed off as something bumped behind the counter, followed by distressed squeaking. Dantalion had gotten stuck in his attempt to hide himself under the bookcase and was now madly thrashing around trying to pry himself loose. "Uh..."
"You've come right time, Count Lecarde." Cheto laughed. "And how lovely to see Mooneater here with you too!" They went to the potion bubbling over the fire and carefully filled two glass bottles full of its contents, stooping to yank Dantalion out from his hiding place on their way back to hand the man his order.
The Count's eyes widened at the sight of the tiny leech, his face lighting up with an expression of delight. "Oh! So small...." he looked over his shoulder at the nonplussed leech in the doorway, carefully taking the potions that Cheto handed to him. "Moon look, he is small... little man looks as though he sees a ghost." He brought a hand to his mouth to hide his growing grin. "Ah he smells me for what I am, yes..."
Cheto waved him off, taking the small pouch of coins that he handed to them. "Oh, don't mind Dantalion. He's just startled because I told him a scary story." They shook the coins onto the counter, sliding them about with a satisfied nod. "Please make sure you're careful with those bottles on the ride back. The glass can crack easily."
The Count nodded pleasantly, backing towards the door, unable to peel his eyes away from the smaller leech monster. "I can be delicate like glass. Please have no worrying." He smiled, giving a little flourish and a bow. "A good evening to you, Potion Seller."
He shut the door carefully and Cheto could hear him talking excitedly to his leech as the two of them meandered away. Dantalion was stiff in their arms, his fur standing on end, a high pitched, pitiful squeaking noise leaving him like air escaping a balloon once their customers were out of sight.
"Honestly Dinty what's gotten into you?" they asked, holding him up. "I wouldn't let any leeches eat you, real or not."
But Dantalion whimpered at the sight outside the window behind Cheto's back. The Count in the distance shaking off his cloak to stretch his wings, glamour disappating as he shuffled like a bear alongside Mooneater. The sound of his excited voice carried away on the wind as two leech monsters disappeared into the forest beyond.