Subu simply couldn't believe that Ataro had done this to him again – sure the boy was an adult now and not really a boy at all, but didn't he know how much Subu worried? Didn't he care? Apparently not because as many times as Subu warned him about wandering away he continued to do so. You'd think the stories about how he'd found their mother practically dead near a wandering hole from a lion attack would have caused him a bit of pause – or how about the fact that she'd gone missing just a short while after their birth? - yes missing. Despite his children s thoughts otherwise Subu refused to believe that Usiku had just abandoned them – rather he thought she had run into trouble, been hurt somewhere or had been dragged off and was unable to return, all of which meant it was unlikely she was ever coming back. But he stuck around...just in case.
And this wasn’t a bad area to live in – his children should be happy here, there was clean water and plenty of game for them to hunt,certainly it was safer them most areas...which was the whole reason he and Usiku had chosen it as the place to raise their young. And raised them he had..right here, just like he knew Usiku would have wanted.
A sound from outside the den caught his attention and sticking his head out he was greeted by the two most lovely forms he had ever seen (Other then perhaps Usiku) His son and daughter. It looked like Ataro had returned at last and Subu could stop worrying, until next time.
In a vain hope to keep there from ever being a next time Subu cleared his throat and looked at the boy “Ataro, son...we need to have a talk”
Ataro sighed a his father spoke – it was always the same. Sure he sounded reasonable now, but it wouldn't stay that way, and really you could only listen to so many lecture before you stopped paying attention to them..and why couldn't his father ever see his side of things? He wanted adventure, he wanted to see things and places he had never seen before, he certainly did not want to spend his entire life caged to the area surrounding the place he had been born. Neither did his sister according to their last conversation..and it just wasn't...fair. They shouldn't have to suffer for what their mother had done. He wouldn't suffer – no he refused to suffer and resolutely he marched into the den to argue his case. One.More.Time. “I already know what your going to say” He told the older dog as he squeezed in to lay beside him.
“If you already know, then why do you keep making me repeat it?” Subu asked his son, sighing slightly as he lay his head down upon his paws “I am not asking for much from you” he told the younger dog “ This is not uch a bad place is it?”
Ataro had to admit that part at least was true – the area was not a bad place to live as far a homes went but that didn't mean it was the only place he ever wanted to see. While he'd never say it to his dad – the heartbroken look on his face would be just far to pathetic – Ataro was sure that he'd inherited more then a little bit of his mothers wanderlust. And he was equally sure his father wouldn't want to hear that at all. “Of course it's not a bad place to live...”He responded “But there has to be more out there to see then just here...” And mother wasn't coming back, how badly Ataro wanted to add that on to his comment but they'd had that fight even more often then they'd had the discussion they were having now and it never went anywhere. It was pointless really – all of this was, no matter what he and Ahadi told their father nothing would ever change – everything would stay just the way it was and that though left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Of course there are” Subu agreed with his son “Terrible dangerous things, why your lucky you even here really – considering the state your mother was in when I found her” He shook his head slightly “just imagine what she will say when she comes home to find out I haven't been taking proper care of you guys, bad enough your other siblings left like they did' A hint of sorrow graced his voice at this point but he pushed it away. They had left and there wasn't anything he could do about it now – but Ataro and Ahadi were still here with him and he'd make sure it stayed that way until Usiku returned. Then they'd go off and adventure together.
And there it was Ataro thought to himself – the same old argument, he wondered briefly if his dad ever considered the fact that their mother by all accounts had loved to wander and that the thought of Subu keeping them all tied here would disgust her, but he doubted it – his father as far a he was concerned had long past got a bit off in the head and reasoning with him at this point was like trying to reason with a tree. You could talk and argue and fuss at it all you wanted – but it sure as heck wasn't moving anywhere. He sighed “alright dad...alright, I”ll try and stay closer to home” He promised – more to nd the argument before it really got started then for any other reason. He certainly didn't intend to remain here forever – he just had to make sure he wasn't caught, had other excuses for being away fro mteh den for a day or two here and there. “Ahadi said she wanted to go hunting” He ventured after a few moments “Would you like to come along?”
“No” Subu replied with a wan smile, hi eyes flickering off into the distance “You kids go along – I think I'll just stay close to the den for the rest of the day” He told his son with a slight nudge of his muzzle to urge him out of the den.
Ataro squirmed out and turned around to look at his father again before sighing and going in search of his sister, his fathers far off gaze alerting him to the fact that he wouldn't have noticed a 'good-bye' anyways. Crazy old coot.
