[center][h3]The Marvelous Misadventures of Dabbles the Sculptor[/h3]
[b]Part One: A Day Out in Alefpria![/b][/center]

It was a bright sunshiney morning in Alefpria. Dabbles was all asleep in his hammock, curled up in a pile of cloaks and cowls in colours that were subdued, but not unfriendly. "Coo-oor-oor-roo," said Himpledonk, the pigeon, from her perch. "Coor-roo-oo-oo!"

[i]"Oh, please, kind Sir, I am very Busy,"[/i] mumbled a voice from under the mound of fabric. But Himpledonk was used to Dabbles's shenanigans, and very persistent. "Coo-oo-oor," she repeated sternly. "Coo-roo-oor-oor-oo."

"Oh, alright then, my dear," said the voice, rather clearer this time. The cloak pile bulged and stretched for a moment, then rocked its hammock and leapt to the ground. Dabbles was ready to start his day. "Come here, my dear. We shall break our fast together."

Two thin, stumpy appendages emerged from folds in the heavy clothing. These were Dabbles's arms, and though they had no fingers and very little thumb under their wrappings, he dextrously picked up a clean cloth and pressed it to a bulbous node in the organometallic architecture of his room, which secreted warm, detergent-laden water smelling faintly of rosemary and naphthalene. This he buried in his folded coverings several times, thus giving himself a pleasant wash, a few glistening reddish-black scales detaching with each swipe.

Having ensured that her companion was well prepared for the morning, Himpledonk fluttered onto the flesh-shaper's shoulder, snuggly cuddled up next to the oversized bulge under his hoods and scarves. Together they departed Dabbles's room through the tricuspid valve that served as a door and flapped shut damply behind them on its tendons.

"My, my, Himpledonk," exclaimed Dabbles. "What a fine day it is today!"

All around, the Sweethearts were pumping and pulsing their way over the thrumming heart of the Fathership. They whistled and hooted through their aortic vents, running frayed venal tentacles over the surface of the far larger arteries of the Father, and interfaced with Him with their complex mandibular arrays. All around, colourful clouds of aerial plankton flickered and undulated, and the humid air sang with low, fleshy [i]thumps.[/i]

"Come, my dear! We must surely go and greet your brothers and sisters, and many other friends of ours too. I feel as though today will be a most exciting day!"

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