The Artistic Side Of Onyx
By and ã Eric Chambers, 2002
Characters ã J.M.H.
No redistribution or alteration without permission.
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"YOU’RE HOOOOOOOOOOOOME!", the black blur squealed, pouncing Natasha, packed down with groceries, in the front lawn. Getting a scream out before hitting the grass, she found herself on her back, straddled by Onyx who, for all intents and purposes, looked too happy to see her.
"Hello to you too...", Natasha blinked, catching her breath.
"Homehomehomehomehomehomehome, you’re HOME!", Onyx squealed again, pining her sister’s shoulders.
"You’ve been alone all day, haven’t you?"
"Yes", Onyx said disappointedly, "Where have you and Lori been?"
"I don’t know about Lori, but I went shopping."
"Shopping?"
"Groceries."
"Groceries", Onyx repeated.
Natasha looked over, then back up, "I think you broke the eggs."
Onyx looked over her shoulder at the three brown paper bags strewn about the yard, then back at her sister, "Oh, sorry. But you’re back! I can show you my new works!"
"Fine", Natasha sighed, "Can you help me put up the groceries first?"
"Yep yep!", Onyx quipped, raising her paw in salute, "Will do, captain."
Natasha waited a full minute, just staring at Onyx who just grinned back at her, "Get off me, Onyx."
The black furred-face skunk pouted and slowly rose, straightening her clothes as she walked over to the bags, hefting two up, cradling them in her arms. Natasha bent over to pick up the remaining bag, and as she rose up was treated to a raised nose and a flick of Onyx’s tail, "You weren’t complaining last night."
Eyes were rolled as the door shut.
----
"So, what was it you wanted to show me?", Natasha asked, feigning interest in her sister’s excitement, finding more appeal in the can of green beans she was stocking in the pantry.
Onyx had half buried herself, searching, in one of the paper bags, "Ooo, apples!"
"Onyx!"
"Hmmf?", she came up with a whole Red Delicious clamped in her muzzle.
"Nevermind. Just help me put some of this stuff away...please", Natasha sighed again, taking the remaining apples out and placing them in the refrigerator.
"Mmmkh", Onyx smiled behind the fruit, handing her sister a loaf of bread.
Natasha turned around to accept it, then looked down, "You’re drooling on the floor."
"Ah,", looking down herself, "shawrry."
"Forget it. You wanted to show me something?"
Onyx took a huge bite of her apple, setting the remainder on the counter, "Yesh!", she exclaimed with a full mouth, then swallowed, "In my drawing room. C’mon!" Onyx took her sister’s paw, leading/dragging her upstairs.
----
The fresh scent of paint stung Natasha’s nose as she was lead into the small, but well-lit room, steadying herself as Onyx let go, almost diving for a pile of papers in the corner. She stood watching from the center of the room as her sister picked up a hand-full of papers, presenting them to her, expectantly.
"Sketches", Onyx squeaked, bubbling with pride, "Go on, look!"
Natasha tentatively took the papers, flipping through after a short glance.
"See...", Onyx commentated over her shoulder, pointing, "that’s a bunny. That’s a mouse. Ooo, and that’s that praying mantas that’s been outside my window, isn’t he cute? See," she pointed to the left claw, "he caught a little fly too."
"They’re...good, Sis." They were too; the detail was amazing, especially for pencil. The fur on the two mammals was extremely detailed for, what Natasha guessed, was from memory (at least she hoped there weren’t any mice around the house for Onyx to draw), and the shading on the mantas couldn’t of been done better in ink.
However, Onyx caught the hesitation in Natasha’s voice. She pouted again, coming back around her sister, "You don’t like them, do you?"
"Onyx...", she hesitated again, "...of course I do. Was there anything else you wanted me to see?"
Onyx stood silent for a couple seconds, then practically jumped straight up, "Yes!" She took the sketches from Natasha and placed them back into the corner with the others, then stood next to a heavily paint-sploted sheet covering what looked like three easels. "Presenting....", she said, being over-dramatic as she tossed the sheet aside, revealing two newly finished paintings, "Ta-da!"
Natasha blinked out of sheer surprise, "Is that..."
"Yup!", Onyx quipped, "I sketched you and Lori while you were sleeping and did these paintings from those. Cute, huh?"
Natasha leaned in a little, inspecting her own first – her eyes glancing over the familiar markings and facial features of the skunk. Only the head, shoulders and one paw that had been laying in front of her face were shown, something of a close-up. Of course Onyx caught her in the most unflattering position, on her stomach, her cheek on the sheet, with a few strands of hair fallen in front of her eyes. On the other paw, it was sweet. "Thank you, Onyx. I love it", Natasha said, putting the painting back.
"Yay!", Onyx jumped up, hugging, nearly tackling, her sister, "You were drooling a little, but I left that out."
Natasha made a sound along the lines of "errk!" and pushed Onyx off, eyeing the second painting, "Ooo...I wouldn’t show that to Lori though."
"Shaw me w’at?", came a crunching sound from the door. Onyx and Natasha snapped their heads in that direction, seeing Lori leaning against the frame, eating an apple.
"Hell...", Natasha muttered.
"Hey!", Onyx whined, "My apples!"
"H’re", Lori tossed the half-eaten fruit in Onyx’s direction, "Mo’ pussy drawin’s?"
Onyx caught it, taking a small bite, "Hmmph.", crunch crunch, I don’t see you painting anything", crunch crunch.
Lori slowly padded over to the easels, taking a first glance at Natasha’s. "Awwww", she smirked sarcastically back at the picture’s model.
Natasha just smirked back.
Lori, however, stopped when she came to the second painting, scanning carefully over her own features before picking up the canvas, turning it this way and that. It was her all right, just her neck, head, and tops of her shoulders though. From the position in the picture, she was on her back, head turned at a 90 degree angle, mouth wide open in the middle of a rather dramatic snore.
"She was just trying to nice, Lori. She worked hard on that", Natasha calmly tried to explain from behind her.
Onyx just munched on her apple, interestedly asking, "What’d ya think?" crunch crunch.
Lori turned it over again, finally setting it back on it’s easel, "’s not bad, Sis. Still shit, but yo’re gettin’ better at least."
"Gee, thanks", Onyx spouted sarcastically. Lori passed her, walking towards the door; she punched Onyx in the arm, grabbing the apple from her paw, and finishing the last two bites. "Ow...", Onyx whined again rubbing her shoulder, "That hurt...", and winced when an apple core bounced off her head. "Bitch", Onyx pouted yet again.
Natasha stood by, just rolling her eyes, "Right...well, I’m going to finish the groceries and get ready, I have a date tonight."
As she started to walk out, Onyx grabbed her by the arm, pleading, "Wait! I’ve been lonely all day...Will you play with me?"
Natasha raised an eyebrow, "Will I play with you? What are you, ten?"
Onyx just stood there, making a sad puppy face.
"Oh, fine...If you help me, I’ll play a quick game of checkers, cards, whatever you want; just let me go."
"Yay!"
----
20 minutes later:
"King me", Onyx grinned.
"’ey!", came Lori’s voice from the kitchen, "Who spilled sumthin’ on da floor?!"
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