Makaa lay next to the small body of water he and his father sometimes talked beside. It probably wasn't the place to go to when he wanted to be alone, but he hadn't been able to walk any farther. He was so... floored, that he actually couldn't walk another step. He'd just stopped in his pawsteps and flopped down. How could she be gone? He... He had expected her to be there. What would they do now? And worse. He had no idea how to react other than to just lie there, staring blankly into the sunkissed waters.
It seemed a plague had struck the Safi, a possible final blow to the already fragile pride...Zapaliti had accepted that her mother was gone. She did not like it, and the wound still stung, but there was nothing she could do. Now was no time to weep for her, knowing her brother might still be loose in the desert. She had to be strong, be the rock her siblings could trust in.
And that was why, when she spotted Makaa sitting alone, she bounded up to him with all of her usual energy. She slowed as she neared, knowing he didn't appreciate being startled, and called out. "Makaa!" It was only when she saw his face that her smile faltered. There was a look there she'd never seen before. "Makaa...?"
Makaa heard Zapa, but it was as if she was calling to him from far off. He did turn to look at her, though, trying his hardest to look a bit more normal and failing miserably. He wanted to say something, anything. Hi, Zapa. What do you want to do today? Kinda cloudy today. All would have sufficed. But none came out. Absolutely nothing came out of his mouth, even though he opened and closed it a couple of times. All he could do was look at her.
That settled it. Makaa always had somethign to say to her. Something to talk about, or ask her. Or at very least he'd usually shove her over and want to wrestle, or some silly boy thing like that. This just sitting, and that look on his face...something was wrong. Really wrong. Comforting instincts kicking in, she moved to his side, pressed her head to his. With a whomp she sat down beside him. He wasn't saying anything, and she decided not to make him talk. For now she just watched the water ripple. When he was comfortable enough to say what was wrong, she'd be ready to listen.
Say "Hi Zapa" he urged himself. Say something!
"My mother's gone..." Not exactly what he had intended to say, but it would seem that it was all that would come out. He didn't move to look at her again, he just stayed with his head on his paws, a small tremor snaking through his body as he sighed a bit.
Zapa had slid a paw to swish the water around as the silence went on. She'd begun to think maybe Makaa was just tired or something...until he spoke. "Gone? Gone where?" She didn't know he was so attached to his mother, that her leaving for a bit would upset him so. Something about the feel of him shaking under her touch made her think there was something to this more than what she'd assumed. "Makaa...she's gone? Like...like my momma?"
Makaa nodded a bit.
"She, just up and left. Didn't tell anyone but my sister, I think. And Hewa told us later that she wasn't going to be coming back," he whispered back, watching the ripples in the water that Zapa made.
"I... I don't know how to feel. I knew she was old and wouldn't be with us for forever but... But..."
Zapa snuggled closer, not looking at Makaa, but rather looking inwards. What should she do? What could she do? Little more than listen and offer herself as a source of comfort. "It's strange...thinking she won't be there." She knew the feeling. Was Makaa sure she'd...gone? She almost wished he hadn't been told. She knew his bond with his mother hadn't been the same as hers with her mother, but the pain of finding out suddenly, and so young...But then, not telling would be a lie. And he would hate that most of all.
"I... Yes, it is," Makaa replied softly and turned his head so that he could rest it against her side a bit. Straightforwardness seemed to run a bit in the family, so there was no doubt in his mind that what Hewa had told them was true, Mother was gone and she wasn't going to be coming back.
"I just... I don't know how to feel..." he whispered, a bit of confusion slipping into his voice, something quite out of the ordinary for him.
Zapa curled more around Makaa. "It's okay to not know." She gently groomed his ears. "Sometimes you don't feel, even..." She hadn't, for a while. She'd denied it, chose not to believe...Of course she'd had to accept it since, and the pain was still fresh, but it was bearable now. If she'd let herself hurt right away...surely she'd have gone mad or worse. "It's not shameful to let yourself feel sad when the time comes.
"It isn't... I guess you're right..." Makaa replied softly and curled a bit more around her. At that point, however, he made a decision. He was strong. He had to be strong, for her and his family. There was weakness and confusion in sorrow. He would not be weak, nor would he become confused with his emotions in the world outside. He'd be sad, but only with her.
