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 Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:09 am
Ilaheva was out hunting. Though this time it was not for wayward lion cubs or prey. She was hunting out answers that would ease the pain in her heart. She walked as if in a daze, going farther and farther from the safety of the den. Intellectually, she knew that that damned old wolf's opinions should not be affecting her this badly. Emotionally though, she felt as if he ramed bits of splintered bones through her.
The female wild dog knew she'd done the best she could raising her little cub. She certainly cared for Mrengo and she would be devastated if anything bad happened to the mite. But deep down, part of her was grateful that Mrengo had vanished two nights ago. And that gratitude worried her.
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:19 am
Mrengo'angaa lay curled up, dozing in the morning heat and feeling comfortably full. She knew the hare she'd taken last night had been more by luck than skill, but right now, that didn't matter. She'd learn the skill given enough time. No, she thought, right now I just want to sleep and not worry.
Alas, worry did not want to let her get that needed rest. She knew running away as she had was wrong. She should have at least told Auntie goodbye and to not fret. 'Ren wasn't entirely sure why Auntie seemed to be getting thicker around the middle when she wasn't eating that much, but the physical change had triggered other changes. And it was those other changes that had finally driven 'Ren to run as far as she could and quickly.
She wasn't even that far from the den that she'd shared with Auntie. Perhaps a day's easy walk. If she could just stay here, she could be entirely happy.
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:27 am
Ilaheva tripped over a sharp stone, yelping a little as the stone nicked her paw. She paused for a bit to lay down and clean the wound. As she cleaned the tiny injury, she looked at the land around her. Long grass, rocky soil and a tiny hill with a small overhang under it. Probably some hare's den. Well, if it was, the hare would get no trouble from her.
Ilaheva paused her cleaning and sighed, finally laying her head down atop her forepaws. She knew what she wanted. Whether or not she could get it was an entirely different story.
"Ahhh, Mrengo," she murmured, "if I had done things differently, would you have stayed? Should I have given you more freedom?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:31 am
Bright blue eyes snapped open as 'Ren thought she'd heard Auntie's voice just outside her hiding place. No, it couldn't be.... Auntie would never walk this far to find her. In fact, the cub often remembered the wild dog as saying that it would serve 'Ren right if she wandered too far and couldn't get home again. Still.
Crawling to the opening of the tiny den, 'Ren peeked out and nearly fell over from shock. Laying only a few feet away and looking heartbroken was her Auntie. Mingled relief and panic warred for a moment in her mind.
She'll make me go back with her and I don't want to! Still crouching and watching, 'Ren wondered what she should do.
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:47 am
Relaxing in the gentle heat of the morning, Ilaheva half closed her eyes as she continued to talk to herself.
"What could I have done differently?" she wondered aloud. "Too little discipline is as bad as too much. Maybe I should have told her more often that I did care about her. Goodness knows I rarely said it."
For a moment, she hid her face in her paws and whined mournfully. More than anything right now, she just wanted Mrengo to know that she was loved and that, well. Maybe keeping Mrengo in the same den as a lot of puppies would have been a bad idea after all. But a nice little den of her own nearby.. that would work beautifully.
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:16 am
Surprise froze 'Ren to the spot as she listened to her Auntie think out loud. She really does like me? Creeping even closer to the opening, the little lioness finally decided to brace herself and go talk to the wild dog.
Moving quietly, she crept towards the wild dog before sitting a little off to the side and clearing her throat nervously.
"Auntie.. I.. I'm right here. I'm sorry I scared you..."
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:29 am
Yelping and scrambling to her feet, Ilaheva staed blankly at the small figure who seemed to have appeared out of thinnest air.
"Mrengo! Don't just jump out like that!"
She caught herself moving forward to bite the little one's nose and stopped when she saw Mrengo wince. Pulling back, she gave her head a shake and adopted a much softer tone of voice.
"It's not nice to scare people like that, small one. You startled me badly. Now."
She sat and studied the cub. A bit grimy, but otherwise still healthy enough looking.
"You've eaten? Nothing's hurt you?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:34 am
Flinching back as the wild dog surged forward, 'Ren was hard put to hide her surprise when Auntie didn't bite her and instead sat down and watched her carefully.
"I'm sorry I scared you, Auntie. I didn't mean to. I was over there," she pointed to the little hill. "And I heard you talking and you looked so sad."
She knew what was going to happen now. She'd answer Auntie's questions, get scolded and she'd have to go back to their den. So, might as well get it over with. Sighing in resignation, she answered willingly enough.
"I'm not hurt. I ate a hare I caught. It wasn't really hunting though. I got very lucky."
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:42 am
Nodding as she accepted the apology, Ilaheva nevertheless felt proud of her charge. She was young and the savanah was a dangerous place for any age, but she'd still managed to take care of herself.
And Ilaheva did not miss the wistful expression on Mrengo's face when the cub had pointed out the place she'd moved into. Nor did she miss the sigh. Forcing herself to think objectively, the wild dog realized that young as Mrengo was, her instincts were sound. It was time to let her go.
"You seem to have done very well these last two days, Mrengo," she replied softly. "I'm very proud of you. The hare might have been luck, but you'll learn and you'll get better at hunting, I think. And that little den looks quite cozy."
She hesitated for a moment then plowed on.
"I'm afraid our old den is going to get a bit crowded before very much longer. Would you like to stay here instead and perhaps come visit me? I'll come visit you for as long as I can before... well, before I can't travel very much. Would being here make you happy?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:46 am
Auntie was proud of her? That confession made the cub's jaw drop. And then the sense of what Auntie was saying made it through her mind. She could stay here! She wouldn't be forced to go back with Auntie, but she could still visit and talk.
Tail lashing, 'Ren looked up at the face of the beast who'd cared for her since she'd been tiny and smiled. She wasn't sure why Auntie's den would be crowded, but she could find out the answer to that one later. The important thing was Auntie was going to let her stay here.
"I would love to stay here!" she exclaimed giddily. "Can I really? And I really can come see you whenever I want? It's really okay?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:51 am
Smiling at the cub's excitement, Ilaheva simply nodded.
"You really can and it really is, little one. I think we will both benefit from this arrangement. And it will ease my mind to know you are so close. Now, why don't you show me your den and we can think of ways to make it safer and more comfortable for you before I have to go back to my home."
Nosing the cub's shoulder, she smiled encouragingly as Mrengo scampered ahead to babble excitedly about her new home. It would take her some time to get used to not having a curious little cub underfoot, but perhaps, like most changes, it would be for the best. For the both of them.
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