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 Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:10 pm
It was bright, and there was noise, and Gizamulika was scared. She'd been warm with momma only hours before (though it seemed like forever ago to the frightened cub) before the scary thing had come. She still wasn't sure just what had happened. She'd woken from a deep sleep and seen him come, stealing her siblings as she hid away...and then moments later she'd heard him coming and had watched the same event unfold a second time, this time not from a bird's eye view, but through her own eyes. And momma was gone.
She lay behind the rock for hours after the scary one had taken the rest, wishing momma was here, wishing she wasn't alone...as if in answer to her prayers, behind her lidded eyes came a vision. It was blurry at first, but the more firvently she prayed the sharper it became. Momma...was walking. Head down, big wings dragging their tips in the dirt. Behind her a fish leapt out of a pool of water, catching her attention, though she quickly looked away...
In a moment she knew. There was a watering hole over the way the sun set. Passing birds had talked about it, and she knew...Momma was there! Careful to watch for the scary one again, she crpet out. Circling the den site (or what was left of it after he'd torn it up to find the cubs) she could still smell her family...Maybe once she found momma, she would help get the others back! She quickly found the trail, the moderately yellowed grass making tracking that much easier. Even a cub could do it today, a bit of good luck for the otherwise unfortunate cub. She ran down the path, white wing markings catching the light and giving her a faint glowing look.
"...Momma!"
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:26 pm
She'd seen him coming... How could she not, when she had laid awake ever since the cubs had been born, fearfully watching over them. The goddess, with all her powers, knew that she could not save them. Eventually they would have to leave her, in one way or another... How could she possibly take care of 8 cubs? On her own? Dead meat turned to rotting heaps of flesh when her teeth or claws touched it, which would only make them ill. The small amount of time they had been with her was hard enough, having to show them how to catch bugs and lizards for their meals, and on the rare occasion being able to talk someone nice enough into hunting for them. There was no way they could live like that. Not to mention just being in her presence made them sickly enough.
So she'd turned away when she saw Iar coming for them. As cruel as he was, she knew that they'd live. Their absence was still almost too much for her to bear. Black tears streamed down her cheeks, the same putrid oil that came from her mouth. Posca laid down on the shore of the watering hole, lacking the strength to take comfort in the cool waters. She curled up upon herself, her large wings serving as a thick, tattered blanket to drape over her.
"I'm so sorry..." She whispered to herself. Her eyes, which were more empty than ever before, closed mournfully.
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:41 pm
Giza continued to run as fast as her little legs could carry her. Still so young, she fell often, and stumbled over any bump in the path she was following. Her paws and front became dirty with dirt, but still she ran. She managed not to be really hurt, thankfully. She had to find momma!
The air began to smell different which egged the little cub on. Was that what water smelled like? She hoped it was. Waddling through the grass (which was rather taller than her to begin with) she couldn't see where she was going. All she knew was that she had to follow the brown grass. But momma had gone so far...!
Finally, just when she thought her paws would drop off, the grass thinned. She was grateful that the way was easier, but it was harder to follow her mother's trail now. she worried, until she spotted the huge black form at the water's edge. She froze, crouching, and at first thought it must be the scary one. Had he come to take momma way too? But then a breeze whipped up, and she saw the blackness ripple. Momma's wings! She let out a squeak and tumbled towards the water, skidding in the mud and splashing into the shallow end before she managed to wade over to paw at her momma's wings. "M...Momma!" She couldn't find her way through the feathers...what was wrong with her momma!?
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:51 pm
Posca had fallen into a deep state of near unconsciousness, somewhere between sleep and just... not caring anymore. Everything was so painful, and now she was alone... again. She was always so alone.
At first she didn't notice the little paws against her broken wings. The voice seemed so far away... Surely she was dreaming. But no... Giza. Her eyes jolted open and she raised one wing enough to peek out from under it, her cheeks stained with the inky black tears.
"G-giza..." He hadn't taken her. A mixture of emotions flooded her. Relief nd joy at seeing her daughter, but also a bitter resentment... She'd only have to take her back, and leave her herself. She didn't know if she could bear it.
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 6:37 pm
Momma wasn't moving...No! The scary thing must have found her! She wailed louder and reared up, bouncing both of her front paws off the wing, trying to stir her momma...And finally, the form below her moved. She quickly ducked under the wing when it lifted, pressing unbidden to her mother's side, a splotch of magenta against the duller purple.
"Momma...momma..." she wasn't alone any more, and even knowing the scary thing had taken her siblings, she felt like somehow it was okay. Momma could get them back, she knew. And she wouldn't be taken away herself.
orn from her frantic run, she plopped down and curled up against her mom, tucked away under the one wing. She was safe again, and had no clue of the conflict warring in her mother's heart at that very moment.
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:37 pm
Posca flinched as she latched onto her side, the touch making her instantly anxious. She didn't like her children touching her... She loved the contact, but was always afraid that it'd make them weaker. There would be no way she could take care of them if they got sick. It was hard enough as it was!
More tears streamed down her cheeks. But... she let Giza lay there for now. A few moments couldn't hurt... right? She'd have to leave soon anyway.
"...It's alright Giza... It's alright. Don't cry, dear one." She shifted a bit so she could nuzzle her nose against her cheek, trying to calm her down.
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 11:05 pm
Though it was too soon to tell for sure, it seemed so far that no ill effects had or would come to Giza from her mother's touch. Some inherited immunity, or the simple fact that Posca was more in control now, spared her. She glanced up and managed a little smile. Just as momma wanted to reassure her, she wanted to make her momma stop crying. Seeing her so sad...
"Don't worry momma...we can get them back!" She licked her mother's nose, careful to avoid the black stuff on the rest of her mother's face. It didn't smell that good (though it did smell like momma) and she assumed it would taste bad too.
"I'll help! We can get them...the scary thing can't hurt you, right momma?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:34 pm
Posca felt as if her heart would whither and die away from the agony she felt. She almost felt ill from the guilt and regret... But what could she do? She couldn't be selfish and put her children's lives in danger.
"...No... child... I'm so sorry... But we can't... I can't." She continued to gently nuzzle her, her wings creating a secure shelter for the tiny body. "Do not think that I don't love you... Or your brothers and sisters. I love you all, but there is no way I can take care of you. You'll have to go with the others..." Her tone was apologetic and gentle as more tears streamed down her cheeks.
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:50 pm
What? Momma couldn't save the others? She wanted Giza to go stay with them too...? Tiny tears welled up in the cub's eyes, and she dug into her mother's side even more, refusing to believe it. Momma was just scared of the scary thing. Maybe he said he wanted all the cubs, or he'd do something bad...
"But I don't wanna go momma...that big thing was scary, and mean! I wanna stay with you. Please?" She begged. She didn't understand why her mother didn't want her, couldn't want her, but it hurt. "If I have to go 'cause I always pounce Phlegyas I promise I won't ever again!" If it was because she was so slow, she'd learn to run faster. If it was because she was too small she'd eat lots and get bigger. There had to be some way she could go with her momma!
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:57 pm
Posca's heart was throbbing... Each word that came out of Giza's mouth made a piece flake off of it, and she was wondering if there would soon be anything left at all. She let out a shuddering breath, eyes closing as she composed herself. "Giza... No... You've done nothing wrong, my love..." She folded her wings against her back and started to stand. She couldn't lay with her like this... It only made things harder.
"It's me, Giza. I can't take care of you... If you stay with me, you'll... Please... It's better for you to go."
Giza scrambled when Posca rose. She wouldn't be left behind! Maybe it was from her father's side of the family, but a spark had lit behind her eyes, and her brows furrowed intensely. She would keep up, she was determined. "I wanna go with you!" She reiterated, pawing at her mother's leg. "Going with you is better for me!" True, she didn't understand the situation, but in her mind there was nothing 'better' than going with her mother. Moms took care fo cubs, right?
"I'll keep up, I promise!...I'll get big and keep up, momma! I promise!" She wasn't frantic, not yet, but she was afraid. Why wouldn't momma take her with her?She knew she loved her, she could see it, so why...?
"I can't!" For the first time she rose her voice, black tears streaming steadily down her cheeks. "Giza, stop it!" She stepped away from her desperate paws and turned towards her, frowning deeply. "Stop it, please... You can't come with me. You'll only get sick if you come with me. Understand, my darling..."
One wing extended forward, the silky feathers carressing against the cub's cheeks. "I love you... but you'll perish if I keep you."
Giza was startled by the change in her mother. Ever calm, always sweet and quiet, to hear her raise her voice so...It was as if her mother had struck her, it was so unexpected. The cub hunkered down a moment, frightened. Tears to match her mother's, though clear, stained her face. Why...why was this happening!? Unable to see that it was no one's fault, her mind went back to that morning. The scary thing. If it hadn't come they would all be together. If it hadn't come momma would be the same as before! She knew then that she hated that scary thing.
The touch of her mother's wing broke her thoughts and stilled her shaking. "Momma..." Couldn't she see? "I don't care momma..." Didn't she understand? "I wanna be with you, momma...I don't care if it makes me sick, or if I die." Giza would die all the sooner if her mother left. Maybe not in body, but she knew if her mother rejected her, her heart would die that very day.
The goddess shook her head, oil tears dripping steadily from her chin, instantly rotting the grass under her. "You can't... You can't, Giza. I'd rather see you with him than see you die. You'll find happiness, even if things are hard now..." She was more trying to convince herself. This had to be done... right? There was no other way... right?
She couldn't bear it anymore. Her wings drew back from her daughter, extending outwards to momentarily block out the sun around them. A great rush of wind scattered dust and dead grass as Posca took to the air, slowly leaving the ground... and her daughter behind.
Darkness...Quiet tears turned to gulping sobs and cries of anguish as the little girl felt her heart wrench. "No..." She leapt for her mother, trying to do anything. Make her stay, hold on as she left the ground. Too little too late, she felt her back graze her mother's toes as she took to the skies, and she crumpled in a heap beneath, in that great shadow. This couldn't...it...why? Momma..."MOMMAAAA!" She cried, scrambling to her feet.
She ran, though she could barely walk. Tripping and stumbling, she chased after her mother. "MOMMAAAAAA!" Her piteous cries rent the morning air. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, it was getting hard to breathe. Tears and snot clogged her nostrils, her little teeth gritted against the pain as she tripped over a branch and went sprawling. Up, run, can't stop...Momma...
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:01 pm
Her daughter's cries echoed and rang in her ears like a siren. She wanted so desperately to turn around and gather her up in her wings, holding her close and protecting her from the world. Such a cruel world it was... But it would be crueller in her presence. She'd only know death and decay with her. She'd never know beauty, and she'd never know how life could flourish. This... this was better for her...
The wind wipping her face dried the tears, and the cold air numbed her heart. She couldn't look back. She couldn't regret this decision... Her children would live, even if her heart died.
She flew until she was out of sight, far enough that she didn't think such a small cub could follow. Even if she'd try, surely she'd give up and go back to her siblings. That's what would happen... Posca settled down in a heap, taking refugee under a large tree. She curled up into a ball and sobbed into the earth, letting it soak up her sorrows. Panic and fear lent strength to the small cub, enough to chase until long after her mother was out of sight. Soon enough it was all she could do to keep going, her body locked in the repetitive motions. Her voice had long since gone hoarse from continually calling out in hope that her mother would stop, and come back for her.
For a time her mind had raced. Why had her siblings been taken? Why was momma gone? Why couldn't she go too? She needed answers, but was too distraught to find them on her own. Momma loves me. Keep running. A mantra she thought to herself over and over.
Eventually, worn in body and mind, she collapsed and slept where she fell. It was a fitful sleep, filled with nightmares, shadowy figures, and the sight of her momma getting ever and ever further away. Hours later she came to in a cold sweat. Before she could even move, a vision blinded her, and for a terrifying heartbeat she thought the scary thing had found her. He was furious, enraged...beating at something in the long grass. Blood was flying, and something screamed...The vision dissolved into another. "Momma!" She yelped, though her voice couldn't rise above a ragged whisper. Sleeping at the base of a tree she'd never seen. It was as if she could reach out and touch her, but somehow she knew what she saw was far away...so very far...She heaved herself up and staggered. Her paws had been worn down the day before, and the bottoms were caked with dried blood. Still...she had to go on.
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Days later, as the sun set past a far horizon a gaunt cub was seen limping across the savanna. Head low, she almost missed the tree, but when she saw it her pace increased. Finally... Dirty and bloody, her once-white wings were grimy and dim. Some how she knew. This was the tree. Yards from it, her knees buckled and she fell. "N..ooo..." Barely a word from her parched throat, she began to drag herself forward. A dark form, curled as in her dreams...At last, the tired and beaten cub made it to her mother's side once more, and tucked herself away under one black wing.
"See...? I promised...I'd keep up..."Days had went buy, and Posca hadn't moved a muscle. There was a thin layer of dust and rotting leaves on her, but she didn't care... She was barely breathing. All the world was darkness and misery... She'd turned her back on it. There was nothing left for her. She probably would have stayed here until she died, rebirthing into a blissfully ignorat creature. The tree, which had long died and withered, marks her spot like a twisted tomb stone.
But something brought her out of the darkness. A stab of warmth against her side, something soft and familiar... Her eyes slowly opened, but they stinged from the dried tears that had caked them closed. She saw a blurred spot of bright pink, though it was duller than before. ..."Giza...?" It couldn't be... How could she had traveled so far?Finally able to fully rest, Giza had begun to sink into a deep sleep. One finally untormented by fearul dreams. The siren song of sleep was strong, but the clear note of her mother's voice was like heaven being opened in her ears, and the cub stirred, blinking to look up with tired eyes. A tiny smile cracked her lips, the first in days. "Momma..." Her voice was in as poor shape as she was, but the happiness in it managed to shine through. She'd caught up. She'd found her momma.
With the last of her strength she rose, flinching at the feel of her paws on the hard dirt. She moved forward, limbs shaking, and pressed her head to her dear mother's, breathing in her scent and nuzzling close. "I kept up...Don't...go..." Her paws slowly slid from under her, and she slept before she hit the ground, unable to stay awake a moment longer.It was a miracle that the cub hadn't died from hunger and exhaustion... And even more so that a predator hadn't picked her up as an easy meal. She was so frail and weak now... For a moment Posca paniced. She had to go! Being around her in such a sickly state would only make it worse... But still... her daughter was ill and injured. She couldn't leave her like this...
And even if she did leave, would the cub just follow her again? She had tried so hard to find her, such love and determination couldn't easily be thrown aside. Would leaving her again only assure her death, instead of prevent it..? It was a risk... One that she couldn't take.
She curled around the tiny cub, using her wings to shelter her. Posca just held her for a while, nuzzling her cheek against her's. It was bittersweet rejoicing. She'd keep her daughter with her, but for how long? How long would it last? Even more, with her daughter in such a state, she knew she couldn't hunt for her, or find her food good enough to make her healthy again. Would her daughter die now, here in her arms? ....No, she couldn't allow that. Her daughter had to live. She'd travel to the end of the world and back, just to assure her health and safety. After all... The cub would do the same to stay with her.
After a few moments she stood, this time gathering up the cub by the loose skin on the back of her neck. She made sure the cub was held securely in her gentle teeth, then took to the skys again. She wasn't sure where she'd go, or who she'd find... But there was a direction that her heart was pulled towards... Fin.
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