Short Story Archives - Page 3 of 4

The Kitten Psychologist Tries to be Patient Through Email (a short story)

Thea van Diepen

(Read the previous installment, “The Kitten Psychologist vs. The Kitten’s Owners” here) Dear kitten, I would absolutely love to speak with you, but your humans, as you say, have decided I can’t ever see you. You’ll have to deal with the tumblr thing on your own. Sincerely, Your psychologist Dear psychologist human, There is no reason to be rude with me. As you see perfectly well, we can talk through email. Your payment will be minimal to none as

The Kitten Psychologist vs. The Kitten’s Owners (a short story)

Thea van Diepen

(Read the previous installment, “The Kitten Psychologist Broaches the Topic of Economics,” here) Boy, was I in trouble. I think it would have been worse if I hadn’t called my friends the day I left for vacation, which is exactly why I did that. But, man, give them two weeks to steam off and they were still mad. And, okay, yeah, I deserved it. When I got back, they demanded an accounting of exactly how much money their kitten had

Aish of a Grey Lion: A Storm-Dance Short Story (part 2 of 2)

Thea van Diepen

“Aish of a grey lion,” he said. “Where are your claws?” They stared at each other, Niobe sick to her stomach. He had done it. He had gone out into the eseteij and cried out for change. Why now? No, she knew why. Either the Teeshlawat Fyareng had survived or one of his followers continued in his name. Which didn’t matter. They were recruiting again, both children and from the old ranks of child-soldiers. Even if she rescued the child,

Aish of a Grey Lion: A Storm-Dance Short Story (part 1 of 2)

Thea van Diepen

The sharp scent of pine a stab through her nostrils, Niobe kept her eyes on her target as she wound her way through the trees. Uneven ground lent itself poor to graceful movement, but Niobe had the uncanny knack of keeping her shoulders level even as her feet crept across the fallen logs and moss-covered rocks beneath the underbrush. There, only twenty paces ahead and to the right was the soticheij, the monster that once was a man. Back to her,

Are You Sure It’s That Way? (part of the Storytime Blog Hop)

Thea van Diepen

They were lost, and it was Nadin’s fault. It had to be Nadin’s fault; Adren didn’t get lost. Not in the woods. He must be using his magic somehow. That and he kept accusing her of changing direction when she wasn’t. “Just because I walk around a tree so I don’t hit it doesn’t mean we’re suddenly going west,” she told him. He gave the sky a nervous glance, but didn’t reply. This is what happens when you grow up