Cleanliness Is Next To...

The rain patter against the bungalow’s roof that Athena has claimed as her own. The warm rain is a welcome change to the stifling summer days and, the earthen woman is grateful that she can move around without feeling like she is going to overheat. Today, the earthen wolf is determined to get some cleaning done, her bungalow has been in a sorry state since the late summertime. Thankfully, the space is easy enough to clean and she uses a broom fashioned from straw to ‘sweep’ out the dust, dirt, and leaves that she had tracked all over the floors. Her sleeping furs are taken outside to the lines that been strung between some trees and she hangs each one in a different spot. Carefully, the woman takes her broom and knocks the dust and fur out of each one before leave them on the line to air out while she finishes cleaning.

Halfway through her spring cleaning, Athena is struck with a brilliant idea and she decides to go to the compound to ask the Queen Aliana for some herbs to help cleanse the air of her home. Happily, she trots the pathway to the building and, when her dark paws step over the threshold, she takes a moment to stop and adjust to the cool dark space. She casts her amber gaze around and shakes her head, noting that the boys have been through here. There trail of sand, grass, brambles, and leaves lay strewn about in the entry way. Tutting to herself, Athena quickly moves down the hallway in search of a broom. The boys have been rowdy, obviously outside enjoying themselves before running back in to their rooms. As she goes, she notices all the things they track over the floors and Athena knows she cannot leave it in this state.

A smile is on her pale lips when Athena spies a doorway up ahead and she moves closer to it. Clearing her throat, the earthen wolf calls out softly, “Hello? Anyone home?” She moves up to the door sticking her head around the doorway, to see if anyone might be inside Athena does not spend much time in the compound but she hopes this a closest that houses the brooms. She just cannot leave the hallways in the state that they are. Luckily, the earthen female guessed correctly and she lets out a small sigh of relief as she finds a large wooden broom waiting for her in the alcove. Swiftly, Athena grabs the handle and makes her way back to the messy entrance.

With many a tut and tsk, Athena begins to sweep, beginning on the perimeter of the large hallway. She takes her time, making sure to get in the nooks and crannies where leaves might like to stick and pushes them out into the more open hallway. After several minutes, the space along the walls are swept clean and there is a small piles of leaves, fur, and mud scattered around the room. Next, the earthen woman picks the pile closest to her and slowly moves it in circle around it. She pushes more of the debris into it, turning it from a small mound of muck into a good-size one.

Once satisfied that she has cleaned the floor as best she can in that area, Athena then brushes her pile until it is in front of the entrance. Leaving it where it is, the earthen wolf then goes the next small clump of dirt and fur and begins the process again. This one takes more effort as, half way into sweeping the area, she notices some caked-on dirt that does not want to come off. With a small grumble, the woman returns to the alcove and retrieves a slightly firmer bristled broom before returning to the caked-on mess.

After many firm pushes of the new broom, the mud finally releases its hold on the floor and joins the rest of debris in the pile. The pile grows, like before, and soon joins the first one by the entrance. One by one, Athena grows the piles before depositing them by the entrance. After a final pass around the room, the earthen wolf pushes the last remnants of debris into the large pile by the entrance. Stopping for a moment, she huffs a breath silently vowing to herself to never have children if they are this messy.

Stepping over the dust, fur, and bits of dried dirt, Athena uses her body to leverage open the door and begins using the mouth pushed broom to sweep everything outside. After many more minutes, the hallway is cleared of the mess that had first greeted her. Finally finished, Athena returns the two brooms to their alcove and begins to return to her bungalow. Half way back to house, she remembers the reason she had gone to the compound in the first place and cusses under her breath as she turns back around to get the herbs she had been searching for.



WC: 837
Total WC: 837 / 800


"Athena Nocturna"