Gathering Pink Dye

Gathering Pink Dye

The cliffs of MoonSnail Cove loomed before them, jagged and treacherous. Waves crashed against the frozen rocks below, sending sprays of icy mist into the bitter air. Quaraun leaned heavily on his cane, his lame leg throbbing with each step.

"I dinnae see why we gotta trek this bloody ice pit," grumbled BoomFuzzy, his breath clouding the frigid air.

"Because," Quaraun answered primly. "I require rare seaweed for my dye vats. The whole reason I live in this particular lighthouse and not some other lighthouse is precisely because of the ability to gather my own ingredients to make my own dye. No one else can match my shades of pink silk because no one else - "

" - is crazy enough to be hanging off a hundred and seventy three foot tall ice coated cliff over the raging fury of the North Atlantic Ocean," BoomFuzzy said.

"That is not what I was going to say."

"No, but it's what ya going to do."

Quaraun scowled.

BoomFuzzy grunted.

"Yer obsession with pink is somethin' else, Love."

Quaraun's silver tentacles twitched irritably.

"It is an art, Unicorn."

"Art that trin' to break ya wee lil' neck."

"Well seeing how you are already dead, I have you to protect me."

"What ya saying is ya takin' advantage of me being a Lich, to risk ya neck on the assumption I'll just swoop in an' rescue you?"

"Yes! That is exactly what I am saying!"

"Yis an arrogant snot nosed lil Elf, ya know that?"

A sudden crack echoed through the air. Quaraun's ears twitched violently. The cliff beneath their feet shuddered.

"Aw hell," BoomFuzzy cursed.

The ground gave way. Quaraun stumbled, his cane skittering across the ice. BoomFuzzy caught him mid-fall, his undead strength defying gravity.

"Ya owe me, JellyElf," BoomFuzzy teased, holding the Elf to his chest as they hovered in mid air.

"I owe you nothing, Phooka," Quaraun huffed, clinging to Lich.

BoomFuzzy's grin gleamed wickedly.

"I could just drop ya. Jaggard rocks is only a few hundred feet. Ya could end up UnDead like me and we could be ghosties together."

"You would not dare."

"Ya right. I wonldn't. But only on account of I'd have to spend eternity listening to ya telling me it was all my fault ya died."

Quaraun glared at BoomFuzzy.

"You act like you think I hate you."

"I know ya don't hate me. I wouldn't still be around if ya did. I died three hundred years ago and ya can't accept it. Ya love me too much to accept it."

"You killed yourself and it was my fault."

"I know. I didna know how much ya loved me, when I was alive. I left ya with a guilt ya never should've had to bare. But ya taking too many risks. Ya too hell bent on trying to join me. Ya shouldn't do that."

"I miss you."

"I know. Tis why I don't move on."

"I am not trying to take risks. I just need to occupy my mind. I can not forget how you died."

"Then call it love, aye?"

Quaraun's cheeks flushed faintly.

"Very well. Love, then."

BoomFuzzy kissed his forehead.

"Good answer, Love."

The Lich floated back down the the ground and gently released the Necromancer onto the beach sand. They continued onward, unshaken by the icy void beneath them.

| ©2025 Wendy Christine Allen | All Rights Reserved | Cross Published on Medium |