The child was missing half their leg, they were lucky to have their life. They no longer smiled, no longer wanted to play, until a kind wizard and hir friends brought a puppy, that only had three legs, that day a child regained hir smile.
@internutter/challenge-04263-k245-small-frail-and-scared -- Anon Guest
Healers can only do so much, when resources are thin and talent is off Adventuring. They do their best, but that is not always ideal. Tobi was doing their absolute level best to try to understand that, but it was very hard.
It was especially hard to be five and a half with only one and a half legs.
The other kids were being mean about it, too. Calling them "Hoppy" or "Peggy" as if in anticipation of Tobi's so-far nonexistent peg leg. So they were more inclined to sit around, lie around, and sulk. Until the arrival of the Hellkin, the Elf, and the Kobold.
All three of them were strange. The Kobold was friendly and chipper, the Elf looked weird, even for Elves. And the Hellkin... Tobi almost didn't notice that he had gold tangled on his horns until their conversation was well underway.
The Elf spotted Tobi first, and said, "Ah. Here."
Tobi was staring at hir freckles and patchwork hat when the Hellkin and the Kobold followed.
"Wow, you're really determined to be miserable," said the Kobold. "Shut up in the dark. Sulking in bed. Something real bad must be going on with you."
The Hellkin said, "The neighbourhood kids are being mean to you, aren't they?"
"Yeah," sighed Tobi. "I don't wanna go where they are, and they're everywhere. They hate me 'cause of how I'm broken."
The Kobold was right up to Tobi. "What'd you break? We can help."
Tobi sighed, sat up, and pulled the blanket away from their half-leg. "Da's out earning money for food, but... I can't earn with one foot. Not like Da does."
"There's many other ways to earn a living or being part of the world," said the Hellkin. "Two feet aren't always needed."
"I don't have enough legs," said Tobi. "And they hate me."
"Would you like to meet someone else who doesn't have enough legs?" said the Elf. Ze had a puppy, and when he put the animal down, it only had three feet. And it was happy to be there, as evidenced by its rapidly wagging tail.
Tobi named them Yard, because they had three feet, and for the first time in a month, ventured outside with their crutch and their new puppy.
[Photo by freestocks on Unsplash]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends! Or visit my hub site to see what else I'm up to.
Send me a prompt [34 remaining prompts!]