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 Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 8:49 pm
I open my eyes in my nest; my siblings and I are six moons old. Gray dawn light is filtering through the woven branches of the den, and a breeze is finding its way through the gaps and caressing us like a warm tongue. Mother is nudging us all awake, hurriedly telling us in hushed tones that we must keep quiet. She’s gently herding the five of us out of the den. Father isn’t here, but that’s not unusual; he’s rarely here when we wake up in the morning, and he won’t return until sunhigh. Mother says she doesn’t know where he goes but I think she knows more than she lets on.
Mother is saying that we’re going to our secret place – the grove that no one knows about outside the six of us, not even father. It’s important that we get there. If we get split up, we need to meet up there when it’s safe. Mother will better explain what’s happening when we get there. I’m confused, and I think my siblings are, too, but we trust Mother enough to stay silent and wait.
We’ve been walking for a long time and are more than halfway to our secret place. Suddenly, a booming roar erupts behind us, full of rage. My ears fold back in uncertainty and I look to mother for reassurance. But she looks scared, too, and that only makes me feel worse. She’s trying to hide her fright as she quickly makes us promise that we must stay perfectly silent and perfectly still no matter what happens. We all nod in agreement and mother hastily bursts into action. She’s grabbing us one by one and hiding us.
Marzel goes into an abandoned badger’s set; the den reeks of badger, but the scent is old and the badger probably hasn’t been here in moons. Uchungu listens to mother’s orders and pushes his way under an intensely fragrant bush. Now it’s my turn. Mother grabs me by the scruff and holds me up to a tree; digging my claws into the thick bark, I begin to clamber up the trunk. I only just reach the first branch and nestle myself into the crook between it and the trunk when the undergrowth explodes around us. Father charges through the bushes, his claws extended and his teeth bared. He looks angry, and my fear grows.
As I crouch in the tree, trembling but forcing myself to stay quiet, a terrible scene unfolds before my eyes. Father roars an accusation at mother; he sounds strange and isn’t making any sense. Mother lies to him and says that she doesn’t know where Marzel, Uchungu and I have gone – that we ran off when he roared. She says that we were just going for a walk. Father doesn’t believe her. He lashes out and strikes her across the face; blood wells in deep scratches. Mother forces Hasi and Imefungwa behind her and bares her teeth at father. He lunges. Terrified, I can’t watch anymore. I close my eyes tightly and put my head between my paws, wishing I could shut my ears against the terrible screeches and yowls.
It seems like seasons have passed before the noise dies down. Only a low grumbling remains. Opening my eyes, I see Mother, Hasi, and Imefungwa lying motionless on the ground. Not calling out to them is the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do. Silently, I beg for them to get up, but they don’t. Father sniffs around, trying to locate me and my two brothers, but the scent of the blood covering his face is too thick. He is coated in it and his pelt is marred with the marks of mother's teeth and claws. He calls out a warning – a promise that he will find us and that we will meet the same fate – before stalking off in the direction of the den.
After several heartbeats, when I’m sure that father is gone, I half climb and half fall back down the tree. Padding tentatively to mother’s side, I try to wake her, knowing that it’s in vain. I start to weep. I would like to curl up against mother’s body and wallow in my grief, but a faraway crashing reminds me that I’m still in danger. I remember my promise and turn in the direction of our secret place. As stealthily as I can, I head to the grove in the hopes that I will find my brothers.
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 8:51 pm
Mapigano Huzuni jolted awake. Just like in her dream, the early morning light was pouring into her temporary den – a shallow cave that she had taken shelter in two sunsets ago. Apparently, she had been thrashing in her sleep; her nest was ripped to shreds and scraps of moss were scattered everywhere. Forcing her fur to lie flat, ‘Zuni waited for her heartbeat to slow and tried to forget the terror and grief of her nightmare. It was the same nightmare that she had every time she had slept since that day.
Shaking her head, ‘Zuni yawned and blinked away her sleep. Rising to her paws she left the den and stretched before surveying her surroundings. Her gaze rested for several heartbeats on the nearby ocean; she watched the seagulls as they wheeled through the sky and allowed the rhythmic motion of the waves to mesmerize her briefly. ‘Zuni could hunt and still make it to the beach shortly after sunhigh. Nervously, she kneaded the ground with her forepaws, finding comfort as her claws slid in and out of the dirt.
Tearing her gaze from the beach, ‘Zuni headed for a nearby forest. It didn’t take long for her locate and catch some prey – an unlucky hare nibbling at some fresh shoots, too distracted to notice her until it was too late. After finishing her breakfast, ‘Zuni spent much longer than normal carefully grooming herself. Finally, angry with herself for delaying, ‘Zuni shook herself and headed for the ocean. She had put this off for long enough.
But, try as she might, she couldn’t stifle the growing fear she felt in her belly at coming back to the place she had once called home.
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