Adventures in Interning: Laundry is the Worst

“Why are we forced to undertake such a horrific trial,” Kaytlyn groaned as she carried a basket of robes into a small hut. Besides the fennec, her talisman cape penguin, Franz, brought a second basket of robes.

 

    “It’s just robe folding,” a skunk with blue stripes dyed into his tail laughed as he brought in a third basket. “Besides, its your fault that we are doing this. You just had to try to show off with your mech suit.”

 

    “You weren’t exactly complaining when we cleared the treetops, Vondell,” Kaytlyn stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend. “Wouldn’t have been so bad if we didn’t land in the berry baskets.” The two laughed and folded robes for a while while Franz supervised. Vondell tried to keep Kaytlyn’s spirits up, but the fennec felt the life-draining effects of folding laundry.

 

    “There look, we have only one basket left,” the skunk smiled as he replaced the empty basket with a full one. He began to reach for one of the robes when a loud noise sounded outside. Kaytlyn and he rushed to find the source when a blue-furred rabbit girl in a black dress pushed her way through the underbrush.

 

    “Kaytlyn! I have come to make you pay for what you did to me,” the Lapine shouted before spotting the skunk. “Oh good your boyfriend is here to save me a trip.”

 

    “Jo, what nonsense are you spouting now,” the fennec demanded as she took a fighting stance. In response, the blue rabbit sent several spells flying at Kaytlyn and Vondell. The magic curved around them as the two prepared to deflect and dispel. “Ha! You missed you incompetent witch.”

 

    “No, I didn’t,” the Lapine witch laughed as she pointed. The fennec turned to look only to be greeted with the sight of all the neatly folded robes, now flying wildly around the air. Franz was trying to hop up and grab them, but the penguin was too short.

 

    “Get her I’ll get the robes,” Vondell shouted as the skunk boy returned to the hut. “Mischief of Magpies heed my call and retrieve the robes.” A cacophony of corvid cries erupted from the trees as the birds took flight and began chasing down the clothes.

 

    While the magpies tried to retrieve the laundry, Kaytlyn faced down Jo. Vines erupted from the ground only to be struck down by hexes from the rabbit girl. Closing the distance with a few hops, Jo tried to throw a punch, but the fennec ducked under it. Kaytlyn erupted a bush out of the ground under the rabbit entangling her. Not ready to give up, Jo managed a hex to make the plant wither away, freeing herself. The fennec druid tried to strike the rabbit, only to be swept up in her arms.

 

    “Sorry but this is where I leave you,” Jo laughed as she gave Kaytlyn a taunting peck on the cheek before taking off. Confused, the little druid looked around as the witch disappeared into the woods.

 

    “What is going on here,” a loud voice demanded as a grey-furred lion with a yellow mane walked into the clearing. Behind the newcomer, a wolf-like tail swayed as Vondell and Kaytlyn snapped to attention out of surprise. “All you two had to do was fold the robes, but since you want to make a game out of it, you can enjoy full laundry duty for a month. No excuses, I don’t want to hear them.”

 

    “Yes, Master Druid Liam,” Kaytlyn and Vondell replied in unison, knowing it was no use arguing, nor would he believe a witch managed to slip into the Grove undetected. Over the next month, the fennec and skunk became proficient at doing laundry.