Words:  pillow – pickles – porcupine – parka – pink

Prompt: Start with “This is my worst nightmare…”

Making Amends

“This is my worst nightmare,” Percy grumbled as he shuffled across the field. “All I said to Pickles was maybe she should exercise a little more.”

His pal, Arnold, tottered nearby. “That doesn’t sound all that bad.”

Percy hadn’t thought so, either. But the love of his life had gone all bristly in an instant. Her small brown eyes had gotten even smaller and pinned him with fury. Then she’d tossed his favorite pillow at him and told him to sleep outside.

He’d bristled himself until her eyes filled with tears, and she trembled. He’d felt lower than slime and left their home, knowing he needed to find a way to make amends. Which led him to this field with his friend.

He stopped to sit on his haunches and gaze around. “I just wanted her to go walking around with me. We go our separate ways too much.”

“She thought you called her fat,” Arnold said and looked around.

“I didn’t say that,” Percy protested. But he’d made her cry, so she must have interpreted what he’d said that way. He needed to get back on her good side. “Where the heck are they?”

Arnold sat up, too, and cocked his spiny porcupine head. “What exactly are we looking for? I forgot.”

Percy sighed. Arnold was a good buddy, but his memory was a sad thing. He could leave his home to search for some tasty leaves or twigs and forget almost immediately where he was going. That’s why they generally searched together.

“Pink flowers,” Percy said, squinting into the sun and studying the field again.

“When did you start eating pink flowers?” Arnold asked in confusion.

Percy spotted a small batch of flowers across the field. “Not to eat, Arnie! For Pickles. Remember?”

Instead of waiting for his friend to respond, Percy scurried toward his goal. He saw purple flowers, yellow flowers, white flowers, and not one single pink flower. He really, really needed to find pink flowers. That was Pickles’ favorite color.

Arnold strolled closer. “I remember now.” He grinned, chuckling. “Pickles is mad at you.”

Percy glowered. He ground his teeth in frustration, and his quills spread out, which only frustrated him more. There wasn’t an enemy around. Clearly, he was his own worst enemy. He opened his mouth and said words that were misinterpreted.

Rather than discuss the problem anymore, he decided to snag a bunch of flowers, all colors, and take them home.

A few minutes later, he’d grabbed them and shuffled back across the field, the flowers gripped in his teeth. Arnold hadn’t helped him but had strolled around, nibbling on this or that.

Catching up with his friend, Percy mumbled as best he could, “Okay, let’s go back.”

“Look what I found,” Arnold announced with pride. He nodded to a big, fat pink flower next to him. “I’m going to take it home to my sweet Sally.”

Percy hung his head in defeat. His friend had found what Percy had been searching for and didn’t even know it. He’d already forgotten why Percy had come out to the field. His buddy was so happy about his treasure and pleasing his mate. No way would Percy ruin that for him.

He just hoped Pickles would like what he’d picked for her. Besides, he’d gotten her six flowers!