Wednesdays are now for the weird and the whimsical, so here’s my latest response to the bug challenge!
Today’s bug is the brahmin moth caterpillar.
This particular caterpillar resembles something altogether alien. Their tentacle-like spindles reaching up from the abdomen serve as a (likely very effective) defense mechanism.
Yeah, you can all probably guess what this piece is about 🤣
Defense Mechanism
The baby twisted in her crib like she’s some sort of caterpillar, and the motion looked uncomfortable. Painful, even. Though it wasn’t until her spine protruded through her semi-translucent skin, making the ridges uncannily visible, that Hel stepped back, aghast. She’d seen something similar before, and her heart sank at the realization. “She’s a shapechanger, too.”
Loki, however, simply picked up the child and cradled her to his chest, cooing softly. It was a display of gentleness that only his family ever saw. “My beautiful girl.”
“He’ll want her gone,” Hel said in a small, trembling voice.
“I know.”
“You can’t let it happen.”
The Trickster pressed a kiss to his baby’s forehead. “I know.”
Are you ready for the vacation of a lifetime? Grab a copy of HOTEL FEN, an urban fantasy novel by Meri Benson and Marie Sinadjan, from your favorite ebook and print store. For fans of Norse mythology, magic and fantasy, star-crossed romances, stories of vengeful old gods, and diva black cats.🐺
Marie Sinadjan 
Loki is up to his old tricks again. 🙂
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Hotel Fen’s Loki has a few spins to his character, but it ain’t Loki without that chaos 😉
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Nice to see a softer side to Loki. Nicely done.
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Thank you, Staci! 😊 He has his moments, haha.
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Really fun response to the prompt! (And what a scary but beautiful caterpillar.)
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Thank you, Priscilla! 😊 And yeah, all the bugs in this challenge series are scary but beautiful. I still don’t want to go anywhere near them, hahaha.
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