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GubGarThumfatem paced around his meager hut. His elbows were as square as they could be behind his back, his wide forearms smooshed together. All around him old fish hung. Their smelly, oily bodies ripe with a clear fermented liquid often used to relieve pain. His bed was little more than dried grass and reeds. Shells decorated where they could be reasonably laced to the hut’s material with lashings.
“Where is he,” Thumfatem turned and paced again, mumbling to himself. The fur covering the door shifted slightly, as a single butterfly flew into the room and rested on the wall. Its wings had a painted quality that resembled eyes. Thumfatem seemed to pay it no mind as he rubbed his blubbery chin in thought, his grumbles continuing. A second butterfly crawled from the ground and fly on the opposing wall. The painted eyes appeared to move and watch the selkie as he walked across the room. Thumfatem turned to one of them briefly and shuddered, quickly returning to his one sided rant.
Two of the mysterious butterflies entered the tent, merely resting on the wall and glaring at him. Thumfatem peered over his shoulder at the fluttering eye pattern. His eyes darted to the first one that entered, then the second, until he had connected an invisible line between them all. He looked up to nothing in particular, “What is this?”
A voice echoed in his mind, “Does my ethereal presence displease you, Prophet of the Selka.”
The sudden words caused Thumfatem to jump, his flailing arms slapping a few of the hanging fish and emitting an oily odor, “Ah!” He quickly covered his mouth and strung a few fingers along his whiskers, “Who- who speaks?”
The voice answered, ”I am Lord Parvus, sovereign of insects and god of toxins.”
Thumfatem seemed to pale at the mention of a God, “W-where do you stand?”
The god replied, ”Insects are merely an extension of my ichor. I am within your hut, and I am outside it.”
“Oh,” The Selka stretched his imagination, “I see. Well, to what do I owe the honor?” He puffed up his chest and collected himself.
There was a slight pause, ”I am interested in the welfare of all mortal races. Is it not appropriate that I visit the prophet of the greatest Selka village? I need to ensure that all is in order. That the Selka will have a strong leader, a wise advisor, and that they will keep their god’s commandments.”
“All is in order,” Thumfatem charmed, “Father Kirron is running a tight ship through his chosen leaders and prophets. The greatest of all Selka hunters himself has sworn to capture a bird of great power for our sacrifice alone.”
There was a pause, as the strange butterflies still glared at the selkie, ”It would appear that way would it not. There is great reward for pious duty, and grave consequences for failing said duty.” the voice echoed, nonchalantly.
“Oh of course!” Thumfatem rested his hands on his stomach, “The Grottu know this best.”
There was another pause, ”As prophet, you are granted certain luxuries for your great service, but your transgressions would also be weighed greater than a common worker.” the voice continued, still in a neutral tone.
Thumfatem slipped a fat finger between his teeth, “I suppose that makes sense, yes.”
The god continued, ”I have other business to attend to, however if you continue to devote yourself to your holy work, I shall reward you. For the time being, I shall bestow a small blessing upon your village.”
“Puh- Please!” Thumfatem inclined his head respectfully towards the butterflies, “All and any help is much appreciated.”
The voice replied, "Within your waves, you shall find a colorful fish bearing the mark of the butterflies' eye. Whenever one of your peoples has a fever, find it, and grind its fins to dust. It shall alleviate their ailment." . When he was finished, the butterflies began to leave the tent, one by one.
Thumfatem stood in shock, and only after a moment, he muffled a shout, “Thank you!”
He stood still for a moment longer, and then with as much energy as the fat seal could force, he burst out of his hut in a waddle. He slipped behind the other huts in an attempt to remain incognito and with a clunky slide, he slid into the beaches waves. He scooped water before him as he swam, eyes wide and curious. It took him a while, but eventually he spotted it slipping through a reef: butterfly eyes. A toothy grin formed on his mouth and bubbles escapes. He let out a water filled yelp of joy and quickly ascended.
“Where is he,” Thumfatem turned and paced again, mumbling to himself. The fur covering the door shifted slightly, as a single butterfly flew into the room and rested on the wall. Its wings had a painted quality that resembled eyes. Thumfatem seemed to pay it no mind as he rubbed his blubbery chin in thought, his grumbles continuing. A second butterfly crawled from the ground and fly on the opposing wall. The painted eyes appeared to move and watch the selkie as he walked across the room. Thumfatem turned to one of them briefly and shuddered, quickly returning to his one sided rant.
Two of the mysterious butterflies entered the tent, merely resting on the wall and glaring at him. Thumfatem peered over his shoulder at the fluttering eye pattern. His eyes darted to the first one that entered, then the second, until he had connected an invisible line between them all. He looked up to nothing in particular, “What is this?”
A voice echoed in his mind, “Does my ethereal presence displease you, Prophet of the Selka.”
The sudden words caused Thumfatem to jump, his flailing arms slapping a few of the hanging fish and emitting an oily odor, “Ah!” He quickly covered his mouth and strung a few fingers along his whiskers, “Who- who speaks?”
The voice answered, ”I am Lord Parvus, sovereign of insects and god of toxins.”
Thumfatem seemed to pale at the mention of a God, “W-where do you stand?”
The god replied, ”Insects are merely an extension of my ichor. I am within your hut, and I am outside it.”
“Oh,” The Selka stretched his imagination, “I see. Well, to what do I owe the honor?” He puffed up his chest and collected himself.
There was a slight pause, ”I am interested in the welfare of all mortal races. Is it not appropriate that I visit the prophet of the greatest Selka village? I need to ensure that all is in order. That the Selka will have a strong leader, a wise advisor, and that they will keep their god’s commandments.”
“All is in order,” Thumfatem charmed, “Father Kirron is running a tight ship through his chosen leaders and prophets. The greatest of all Selka hunters himself has sworn to capture a bird of great power for our sacrifice alone.”
There was a pause, as the strange butterflies still glared at the selkie, ”It would appear that way would it not. There is great reward for pious duty, and grave consequences for failing said duty.” the voice echoed, nonchalantly.
“Oh of course!” Thumfatem rested his hands on his stomach, “The Grottu know this best.”
There was another pause, ”As prophet, you are granted certain luxuries for your great service, but your transgressions would also be weighed greater than a common worker.” the voice continued, still in a neutral tone.
Thumfatem slipped a fat finger between his teeth, “I suppose that makes sense, yes.”
The god continued, ”I have other business to attend to, however if you continue to devote yourself to your holy work, I shall reward you. For the time being, I shall bestow a small blessing upon your village.”
“Puh- Please!” Thumfatem inclined his head respectfully towards the butterflies, “All and any help is much appreciated.”
The voice replied, "Within your waves, you shall find a colorful fish bearing the mark of the butterflies' eye. Whenever one of your peoples has a fever, find it, and grind its fins to dust. It shall alleviate their ailment." . When he was finished, the butterflies began to leave the tent, one by one.
Thumfatem stood in shock, and only after a moment, he muffled a shout, “Thank you!”
He stood still for a moment longer, and then with as much energy as the fat seal could force, he burst out of his hut in a waddle. He slipped behind the other huts in an attempt to remain incognito and with a clunky slide, he slid into the beaches waves. He scooped water before him as he swam, eyes wide and curious. It took him a while, but eventually he spotted it slipping through a reef: butterfly eyes. A toothy grin formed on his mouth and bubbles escapes. He let out a water filled yelp of joy and quickly ascended.