FFM 2025 12: Four-Eyes and the Crackling

Challenge: Collaborate with another writer. You must combine the genres you chose on day 10 (or replace one of them with a prompt from the Mash-Up Prompt Generator).

I teamed up with Damon L. Wakes. Our genres were science fiction (from me) and wild-animal fiction (from Damon). Damon’s section is in italics and you can find his post (which is missing the latest edits to my section at the time of posting) here: https://damonwakes.wordpress.com/2025/07/12/four-eyes-and-the-crackling/

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Four-Eyes is in the middle of shedding when the ground quakes, raining ground over Four-Eyes. Acrid smoke follows. The ground shakes like a herd of Heavy-Six-Legs is approaching but instead Four-Eyes sees a mixed herd of Warning-Two-Legs and bigger unfamiliar two-legged beings in warning colours walk by, the ground shaking under their legs. Other Four-Eyes closer to the herd scatter while Four-Eyes licks the air, recognizing the smell of the Warning-Two-Legs. The Bigger-Warning-Two-Legs do not smell at all. Not-Smelling-Warning-Two-Legs. Four-Eyes likes them even less than Warning-Two-Legs.

Fire lights up the air around the Not-Smelling-Warning-Two-Legs. The ground explodes and rains around the Not-Smelling-Warning-Two-Legs and Warning-Two-Legs. Fire lights up again and the sound of Sky-Crackle booms somewhere nearby even though the sky does not look like it would rain Sky-Crackle.

Four-Eyes does not like it and so Four-Eyes flees, following the scent of other Four-Eyes.

Not-Smelling-Warning-Two-Legs turn to face Four-Eyes as all Four-Eyes rush out of the ground towards them. First one is toppled, then another. Warning-Two-Legs make Mouth-Noise as they see this happen. Four-Eyes does not like it. Four-Eyes rattles spines with Other Four-Eyes, gathering numbers.

Soon the flight of Four-Eyes is a Crackling. Their bounding gait shakes the ground like Heavy-Six-Legs. Not-Smelling-Warning-Two-Legs topple even before they arrive, and are trampled underfoot. Warning-Two-Legs scatter before the Crackling.

All Four-Eyes come to a place where the ground rises steeply. Many caves with rigid sides stand like trees. These are pitted with vertical pools of hard water. Warning-Two-Legs spill from the mouths of the caves as the Crackling approaches. The Crackling slows, uncertain of what it has found.

Cautiously Four-Eyes ventures inside a cave. Four-Eyes licks the air. It is dry inside, and pleasingly cool. The Sky-Crackle has stopped. The Sky-Crackle started in their old place underground. It does not happen here.

Four-Eyes lies down and resumes shedding as Other Four-Eyes creep inside.

This will be their new home.