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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#41: Fuzzy Friends (or Foes?)

Hey, writers! I'm Tracy Gold, an editor, writer, and mom to a toddler, horse, and dog. And this week, I'm taking over Reedsy Prompts!

As an editor, I've enjoyed working on young adult fiction (like Amanda Searcy's Watch You Burn), non-fiction (like Gary Vikan's The Holy Shroud), and sci-fi/fantasy (like Nikki Richard's Demon in the Whitelands). Visit my Reedsy profile to learn more about me and my work!

My theme for this week is "fuzzy friends." From Hedwig in the Harry Potter series to Enzo in the The Art of Racing in the Rain, nothing captures hearts like a beloved animal. Animals can be powerful antagonists, too: just look at Jurassic Park! Perhaps what I love most about books featuring fuzzy friends (or foes) is that they mine the depths of the human heart by exploring how we interact with animals. I hope these prompts help you sniff out a good story!

This week's prompts

Write about an animal who changes a person's life (for better or worse).

Kids – 232 stories

Write about an animal species that doesn't exist in real life — an alien, new discovery, imaginary creature — it's up to your interpretation!

Middle School – 145 stories

Write about an animal who goes on a journey.

Kids – 69 stories

Write a story featuring an animal who subverts expectations (like a snuggly tiger, or something more magical, like a literal fish out of water).

Kids – 69 stories

Write about an animal who causes a huge problem.

Middle School – 99 stories

Stories

“Penny's journey ” by Prathamesh Chavan

Submitted to Contest #41

It would have been long time that , I was separated from my families and just wondering , what they might think about me? Should they believed that I have died? Many question's kept me worrying.But people outside the glass seems fascinated about the colour and beautiful body of mine . I was like living in water cage were many people and small children around the table would smile at me . Some kid's would come and feed me some of anacharis . It was same the usual day boring nothing to do much , just entertain the crowd . I never thought that ...

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“Bud, My Guitar, and Me” by ℙ𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕪 𝐻𝑒𝒹𝑔𝑒𝒽𝑜𝑔

Submitted to Contest #41

The thick summer air envelops me in its warm, sweet wind, and the smell of honeysuckle accompanies the laid-back country song I was strumming. The wood of my guitar presses lightly against my torso, the shiny amber-colored wood gleaming in the sun, and I chew on a piece of hay as I lay back, playing my way to sleep. The bustling city miles away, the countryside is peaceful and empty, except for the crickets chirping in the early evening shade. A light weight on my worn-out boots makes me sit up. What I find startles me a bit. A small gr...

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“Emmott and Emily's rainy day adventure” by Catherine Stevens

Submitted to Contest #41

“I love it when it rains.” Emily exclaimed in delight. Her brother Emmott was whooping it up, running and sliding thru the puddles. He dashed close by Emily, sending a large plume of water her way. “I love the rain.” He shouted. “ I just said that silly.” She yelled over the noise he was making. &nb...

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“He was Toby” by ✰ Jessica ✰

Submitted to Contest #41

This story is in honor of my close friend’s dog, Toby.~~~~~He was the best.Black and brown were the colors of his coat, and chocolate brown were the color of his eyes.He was mine.After loosing our family dog not too long ago, this dog was a blessing from heaven.After our family dog died, I knew I needed a new shadow to follow me around, so me and my brother set out to find our two new companions. Both of the dogs clicked with our family. My dog was what made me smile each day.He was a wild, yet loyal puppy.Training was needed, know...

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“A Bird Named Poe” by R Kon

Submitted to Contest #41

Poe had seen it all. The city changed around him. Gangs rose and fell, elections came and went, neighbourhoods gentrified, the city was occupied - twice - but Poe was always there, keeping a sharp black eye on things. He always told his proteges, the winged ones and the two-legs, that the sky was their playground, if you knew how to use it. Not being able to fly did put the humans at a disadvantage, but there were always the rooftops. Ah, the rooftops. Even having wings himself, Poe loved them. It was a whole world up there, somehow se...

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“Memories Hidden” by ℤ ℍ☮️

Submitted to Contest #41

My grandpere once told me a story about the Warrior of the Animals. He was a man with deep blue eyes and grey hair curling down to his back. He lived in a redbrick house, which had nestled bird nests in the chimney and silkworms threading their pale colours over his doorstep. He had a little chick in his pocket, named Sunny who was such a little ball of velvet. This man had a glossy chestnut boat sitting in the inky ocean, bathing in the gossiping waves. His house was on a deep fiery red coast, away from the people. All he could see were for...

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“Morgana” by Harken Void

Submitted to Contest #41

I am the whisper in the trees. The shadow in the night. I am a tale better left untold.A tail, better left unseen.Every mother has her demon. Her worst intention, hidden behind something sweet and fluffy. Something that she sets loose when dark deeds need to be done. And Mother Nature has me. I am that demon. I am that worst of intentions, the dark deed needed done. I am the one she sets free when nightmares don’t cut it. When people fail to heed her final warning. When there is no other way.I am the harrowing that follows in the p...

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“Unfolded Wishes ” by Emine L.

Submitted to Contest #41

My fingers fumbled over the sleek paper with an elegant design of pink cherry blossoms. I folded it in half several times, each time the piece of paper got less simple. I creased its wings and tucked the head, finally holding out my handiwork, studying it. Pleased, I sat it down on a pile of cranes folded out of simple sheets of unique paper. I pushed my black hair behind my ears, watching my brother finishing the last fold of his own crane. He grinned at me and placed the last crane on top of our pile which was covering ...

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“LIFE FIRST” by SHYAMALA BHUVANACHANDRAN

Submitted to Contest #41

The rains, the trains and the elephants are all objects enchanting forever. Heavy rains, speedy trains, swaying elephants are very attractive. For children specially, once they notice any of them, life comes to a standstill. Ananya too was no different. In fact, she had an obsession with elephants. Some years ago, her father had taken his family to Thailand and Ananya had a chance to go on Elephant Safari. It was a free ride for children. She was too small to sit alone on the elephant. Her father had tucked her with him. Initially, she was s...

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“The Lohi Bher Cougar” by Hiba Nasir

Submitted to Contest #41

If truth be told, the incident mounted to not even a sliver of what it has been boasted to be. But of course, pointing that out would ruin the much built, mythical hype. It would give mothers one less threat to discipline their children. It would give those children one less incident to recall when they grow up. Not to mention it would reduce the zoo sales considerably.The affair had been quite mundane, really. The zookeeper at the Lohi Bher Wildlife Park had simply forgotten to inspect the wire meshing at the back of the cage (as the human ...

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“A Mouse Gives to an Old Locksmith” by Dustin Softman

Submitted to Contest #41

Singor Careri’s hands were swollen and it was only 9 O’clock. His palms like a pair of string-tied hams, were already squirming to move their fingers. They bundled their breakfast knife leaving a splatter of jam on the table. The soft little clink was eaten up by the noise of the street through the open window. Queuing cars late for work. Huddles hiding from the morning sunshine under the awnings of cafes. They filled the pavement and road with the kind of confused purpose that an unemployed locksmith can only dream of.Careri nudged the jar...

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“Find yourself ” by Prathamesh Chavan

Submitted to Contest #41

The cracking of fire wood at campsite and the buzzing sounds of cricket's made me feel like home. It was black sky no stars could be seen ,I hadn't smelled this everything form long back ago .Never the less, I got the chance to hunt down the liger with the help of 15 warrior's ,I would be to struck the spear and win the tittle of new king ,Not to mention ,rana is also to into this completion but I had an nasty smell about him. Everyone were in there hut's snoring. I remember my word to anika ,"that I would come back by winning and to become ...

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“Amara's song ” by Prathamesh Chavan

Submitted to Contest #41

Today, I was amazed by the, wonderful and never setting sea water .It looked the sea has no ending as far as you can reach full of blue colour.I had always imagined to sail this long voyage and my dream came ture ,it was wonderful feeling .Though sun was high ,no cloud's could be seen ,"do some work boy" shouted a voice ."Yes,sir" , I would do best I shouted too .He was my uncle and he had promised to take me to, long voyage and seen as many places beyond ocean .I reminded myself to work , nothing more in life to do now. I have lost everythi...

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“Skye and the Cloud Leviathan” by Harken Void

Submitted to Contest #41

Skye closed her eyes and lost herself intentionally in the experience. She reveled in the feeling, that awesome, beautiful, indescribable feeling that you get when soaring high up in the sky. The wind roared in her ears as it rushed by, playing with her braided hair. The air was cool and fresh, a slight scent of rain and tree pollen carried with it.Skye often felt like she was a soul born into the wrong body. Why was she bound to the ground as a human being, when clearly all her heart was up with the sky? The sky was her passion. It was her ...

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“Other Places” by Hailey S.

Submitted to Contest #41

A breeze sweeps through the forest, tickling the trees and causing the high branch I am crouched on to sway dangerously while I fumble for a grip on the smooth bark. It carries with it the smell of something distinctly inhuman. Something animal. A scent that, up until just a few days ago, was completely unfamiliar to me. Something I couldn’t place in all my knowledge of plants; decorative, edible, or otherwise. It came and went as quickly as a waft of honeysuckle, caught in the wind, reaching your breath, and then carried beyond, far out int...

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$50

Prize money

614

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 15, 2020 EST

Won by Jack Basson 🏆

Title: A Cat of Ganymede

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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