 | Some or all of the information on this page was created before the official release of the content. Please verify that the information is current, then remove the {{Pre-Release}} tag. |
 The Turtle and the Sloth |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| ID | 8280 | ||
| Collection | Solstice Summations | ||
(A fable popular among the Sunporters of Solstice)
Trotty spent most of her life swimming and never looking behind her shell. Always moving and only stopping for a quick bask under the sun, she traveled to places out of reach of even the fastest of ships, and she took great pride in this.
One day, Trotty decided to test how long she could keep swimming. Maybe she'd find the edge of the ocean the other silly turtles used to tell stories about and fall to Oblivion! Oh, but even that wouldn't stop her.
Soon, Trotty found herself on an island she had never stepped foot on before. Farther down was a green jungle that seemed even more exciting to explore. But Trotty never stayed in one place for too long.
Before she could leave, however, something hanging from a tree in the distance caught her eye. Trotty moved to take a closer look. She wasn't as fast on land as she was in water, but by the time she had reached the tree, the hanging thing had barely moved. It had long limbs, black, beady eyes, and was fuzzy all over.
"Are you all fine?" asked Trotty. The creature gradually peered down at her, its face slowly breaking into a smile.
"I. Am. Sloth," he said with slow deliberation. "And. I. am. Very. Well. Indeed. Within. My. Favorite. Tree. Who. Are. You?"
"I'm Trotty. Are you always so slow?"
With how long it took for Sloth to smile and get his words out, Trotty felt like she already knew the answer.
"Slow? What. Do. You. Mean?"
Trotty's shell sank a bit. Poor Sloth. He must never leave the tree. Trotty couldn't imagine staying in the exact same place forever and ever.
"Does this island have a name, Sloth?"
"This. Is. Solstice. This. Is. My. Home. Where. Are. You. From. Trotty?"
"All over. I swam here from a faraway land and have seen many magical places!"
"That. Sounds. Nice. Exhausting. But. Nice. I. Think. You. Will. Like. It. Here. And. It. Will. Be. Nice. To. Have. A. New. Friend."
"Oh, I won't be staying long. I have many more places to visit and explore."
Trotty bobbed her head in thought for a moment. "Sloth, why don't I give you a ride on my shell and let you show me around Solstice? With how fast I am, we can cover the entire island in no time!"
"Very. Kind. Offer. Trotty," Sloth said as he meticulously climbed down the tree. "But. I. Think. I. Would. Prefer. To. Walk. On. My. Own. Could. Use. The. Exercise. Will. You. Join. Me?"
"Walk?" Trotty couldn't remember the last time she just walked. She was a runner, a sprinter. Well, at least a trotter.
"Actually, Sloth, I think it's time for me to go," she said and began to turn back toward the sea.
"Wait. How. About. A. Race?" Sloth asked, stopping Trotty in her tracks.
"A race?" Trotty wondered if she had heard the words wrong, given how slow they were spit out. But Sloth slowly nodded and smiled.
"A. Race. Around. The. Island," he explained. "Very. Exciting. And. You. Can. See. All. Our. Best. Sites. Along. The. Way."
Trotty, never one to turn down a challenge—even a ridiculous one—finally bobbed her head in agreement.
The two readied themselves. "Does the winner get a prize?" Trotty asked Sloth.
"Only. If. You. Are. Not. Too. Fast," said Sloth.
Another odd response, but perhaps his mind was as slow as his body and mouth.
"Ready? Set. Go!" Sloth said in his usual, unhurried fashion.
Before Sloth could even move a three-toed foot, Trotty was already waddling off without even a backward glance.
"Last one back is a rotten turnip!" Trotty shouted to Sloth, who only smiled as his first step finally touched down upon the sand.
* * *
Trotty eventually made her way all around the island and collapsed in the sand where the race had begun. She looked up and jerked in surprise to see Sloth already back up in his tree.
"Welcome. Back," said Sloth as a broad smile slowly spread across his face.
"I never saw you behind me. Did you even race? And where is the prize? I didn't see anything while I ran around the island," said Trotty incredulously.
"I. Decided. Not. To. Distract. You. From. The. Prize. Since. I. Have. Seen. It. Already."
Trotty still had no idea what Sloth was talking about.
"How. Did. You. Like. The. Island? Solstice. Is. Such. A. Wonderful. Place," Sloth said. "The. Beaches. The. Jungle. The Animals. The. People."
Trotty hadn't paid attention to the sights of the island. Was she supposed to? Wasn't completing the race more important? "I don't know. I was busy winning the race."
A slow frown formed on Sloth's face. "I. See. That. Must. Have. Been. Exhausting. And. Boring. I. Hope. You. Visit. Again. To. See. What. You. Missed."
Trotty watched as Sloth methodically settled down upon a tree limb and made himself comfortable.
"Sloth?" Trotty asked quietly. "If I promise to walk slowly and stop to see all the sites, would you like to ride on my shell and show me your island?
"That. Sounds. Relaxing," said Sloth as the broad smile slowly returned to his face. "I. Would. Be. Happy. To. Show. You. Around. Solstice."