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 Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:24 pm
He went on sobbing for several minutes. He simply couldn’t deal with the weight of her death. It didn’t seem strange to him to be curled up in Kabu’s arms, crying with rage over the murder of someone he never even knew, maybe only for a moment or a day; someone who if not for Kabu’s story might as well have never existed at all. He kept remembering something Kabu said. She was so happy… so overjoyed… she protected them with her body, so that they could live. When those words came back to him nothing in the world could stop the tears burning his eyes like hot blood pouring from a fresh wound, until he exhausted himself.
Finally he had to stop because he couldn’t breathe and his sobs became scratching coughs. His voice felt all used up. “Di… did she… l… love me, t-too?”
"She loved you so very, very much baby." She nuzzles him her own tears having slowed to a stop.
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:34 pm
He sniffled, his snot sticking to her fur. The humidity kept it moist and cold. He looked up at her with eyes drenched in wet and red. “Wha… what did s… she look like? Wa… was she wh… white like Imbali…?”
"No baby, she looked like you." She smiled down at him tenderly. "She acted a lot like you too. So very tough to the world...and loving with those of us that loved her best. She would have been so proud of you."
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:40 pm
“I… I’m sorry I played that… that game. I di… didn’t know…” He felt physically ill just thinking about it. Almost the exact moment he came into the world he had been so close to death. His mother saved him. He could hardly bare it.
"I know baby, you are such a good little boy." She nuzzled him gently "And Wahadi? You -are- my son too. I will always be your mother, do not ever think different. " She loved him as much as if she had birthed him and it tore her heart to think he might doubt that.
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:49 pm
He was silent for a moment, thinking about what Kabu said. His heart felt torn up. Still, he was glad he knew the truth now and could stop playing that horrible game. He sat up slowly. “She… she w… wanted you to take care of me, didn’t she? She wanted to take care of me herself but she knew that, if she ever couldn’t, she wanted you to be my mama instead, right?”
He wanted Kabu to be his mother, too. She was all he knew of mothers. He was just trying to piece together his new life into some kind of logical picture.
"Yes she did. Uko and I loved each other very much. She was my sister and best friend. Just like if anyone had happened to me I would have wanted to her take care of the cubs, she wanted me to be your momma since she couldn't." She smiled at him tenderly grooming his tear streaked fur.
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:55 pm
Wahadi closed his eyes so she could wash his face and didn’t move or squirm against her rough tongue. When he could speak again, he asked, “What about my father, Unus? Why isn’t he here? I-is he also…”
He didn’t think he could cry again even if his father turned out to be dead, too. It wasn’t that he didn’t care. He had no breath left after crying over his mother and if he started crying again he would probably throw up.
"...he is looking for the monster." Honeslty she didn't know where her brother was. Ila said he had run into Unus and gotten into a fight with the other male when he tried to convience him to see the cubs.
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:58 pm
Wahadi nodded bravely, as if he understood. “That’s what I’d do, too.”
She smiled down at him tenderly "I know you would baby. Come on you are exhausted and need to rest...and I think Tana wants to see you too." She looked back over her shoulder at the den.
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:01 pm
Wahadi nodded somberly and licked his mother’s tear stained cheek. As he got up he needed to pause and stretch his cramped legs. Suddenly remembering something, he turned to his mother. “Are we gonna tell Jitti and Imbali, too?”
"When the time comes. If you wish to tell them you may." She winced as she stood up too, strechign her cramped body.
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:07 pm
Wahadi frowned at the sudden weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He felt terrible keeping this secret from his sisters. He always used to keep up the pretense of hating his sisters, at least in the brotherly sense, in that you call them a pain in front of your male friends but you still let them know you love them from time to time, even when you’re playing tricks on them. That didn’t mean he wanted to keep this particular secret to himself. They deserved to know just as much as he did, but he didn’t want to hurt them either. “I think maybe I’ll wait,” he said quietly.
She smiled gently, "I will tell them baby, it is nothing something a cub should do. I just wanted to know if you wanted to tell them now." She would not let him take such a task on his little shoulders alone. It was a burden, one that she had never wanted any of them to bare but...
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:11 pm
“N-not right now…” He was about to add that he wanted to be there, to comfort them, but he had to re-think that. If his sisters knew that he’d been told first they might be angry. It would be better if he just stayed out of it.
She nodded, " Anytime you need to talk Wahadi I am always here for you. I loved Uko dearly and I would love to tell you about her more when you are ready." Her voiced filled with love as she watched the little cub.
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:17 pm
Wahadi just nodded in reply and walked with her back into the den, too tired to say anything. He would need time to adjust to his new outlook on life. At least he knew Kabu would always be there to help him through the hard times. Tana, too. He didn’t blame his brother for telling on him anymore. Yes, they were still brothers. He had called Tana his brother his whole life so it was too late to stop now.
Kabu smiled gently watching as Tana slipped over to Wahadi whispering a soft apology before curling up with his 'brother'. Looking up at the sky, she smiled sadly, "You would be so proud of him Uko love. He is a good boy, strong and passionate about life...I wish you could have seen him." Padding after the boys she smiled softly. An odd little family...but they were a family.
((Fin~))
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