Smore led a very ordinary life for a Neela. The forests around Veta were relatively safe, and Neela such as himself were free to wander as they pleased with no shortage of foliage to eat. Leaves and moss are not the most
exciting foods out there, but what else was there to eat anyway?
Bugs? Goodness no. Smore shuddered at the thought.
At least he didn't have to eat bugs, as his mother would say after yet another dinner of leaves.
Neela were generally advised to avoid campsites. While these were visted by hikers rather than hunters, it just wasn't worth the risk. Smore had never been one to pay much attention to the advice of his elders though, and one day after venturing rather close to a campsite, he couldn't help but be drawn in by the intriguing smell drifting from the site.
He crept up to the campsite and peered through the branches into the clearing. There was music and laughter and then Smore saw it - FIRE. Run! All his instincts told him to flee at once and yet he didn't. These people weren't running, in fact they were sitting around the fire. People are such strange creatures, thought Smore.
As he wandered closer he could see that these humans were holding sticks over the fire, and on those sticks were some strange white blobby things. Slugs? Smore wondered - but he'd never seen a slug like that, and certainly not one that smelled so sweet.
The humans would then take those hot white slugs, and squash them in a cracker along with a strange brown square. Smore had no idea what this was all about, but he knew one thing - it smelled delicious!
Without even realising it, Smore had wandered so close that he was now practically at the fireside, at which point the people gathered around it turned and noticed him. Once again Smore resisted the urge to flee, instead opting to join the people around the fire. They welcomed him in and offered with one of these slug crackers. Smore was apprehensive about eating something so strange, but since he'd come this far he figured might as well try.
WHAT IS THIS!??
So sweet, and warm, and sticky, and crunchy. It didn't taste a thing like slugs, nor did it taste like leaves or moss. It was delicious. Smore had no idea food could actually be tasty.
Smore stayed a while enjoying the fireside activities, and when he started to leave, the campers placed some white slugs (which he now knew to be called marshmallows) onto his antlers. "For your friends!" They said, waving at him as he trotted back into the forest.
Suddenly Smore found himself to be very popular indeed. All manner of woodland creatures would smell the delicous marshmallows on his antlers and come along for a tasty treat. Smore was happy to share, and even though his mother still made him eat leaves for dinner, now Smore knew that all dinners could be followed by dessert!
Art, profile and story by me.
Custom Harvest Neela
Rachel
