Through the tall grasses of the outermost Tearmann territory, a tiny shape padded with serious focus. She'd come along this way many times before, and had worn her own little groove into the undergrowth. Whenever the pressure of pack life got to her, or when her siblings were just too wild for her, she snuck away and beat this track towards the borderlands, towards the tiny patch of land she had claimed for herself.
Her brother had really been bothering her today, trying to tousle with her. She just hated confrontation. She didn't understand it at all. She liked everyone, why couldn't they like her too? Why did they want so badly to turn everything into a big fight? So she trotted towards the little patch of land she'd claimed for herself, just beyond the border, where she could be alone and enjoy her own company.
Dusk was falling in the grasslands, the sun already set and the insects beginning to hum, a darkness creeping over the land inch by inch, absorbing all the light into itself and drawing out the shadows. This was Nimhglas' favorite time of the day, when the mysteries and hidden things came out to gamble in the blessed blackness that marked the unseen world. The time when anything was possible, and anything could be lurking.
He was one of the things that lurked, creeping in the brush, blending in well with his natural green camoflauge. He'd learned long ago how to keep still and let the world play around him. It had become a delight, to lay unseen as others bared their souls to what they thought was empty landscape. He carried so many secrets in his head now that he thought he could swim in them, if only secrets were rivers.
As she passed the stone that marked the boundary, Gienah relaxed, and picked up her pace until she was bounding along happily. Here she could be herself, in this tiny world she'd carved out as her own. She had studied every blade of grass, every bug in detail over the few months of her life in Tearmann, and knew the smallest stones as if they were dear friends. She found a great comfort in her scrutiny.
Gamboling in circles, she danced gleefully, trying to get the frustration out of her little body through activity. Yes, this was how it should be! Why fight, when you could dance? Why get angry when there was joy to work your energy out on? Satisfied and winded, she finally settled down to her real work. She sat herself in the very middle of her land and began examining the layout, looking for the slightest hints of any change.
Having made himself comfortable in a cradle of grass, Nimhglas sighed quietly, at peace with the universe. He and the land were one, and the land was within him and he was within the land. All things were harmony, and now the night fell over, bringing her dusky canopy and drawing out the fire of the stars. He was onlooker to the world, and now he might become entranced by her theatrical performance.
He was soon proven correct, as a most unusual thing occurred. A little brown hyena pup, as bright against the greenery as he was dull, danced into view, and enacted a high spirited romp, as if calling to her all that was good. He watched, amused. She seemed to embody the very essence of childhood, all energy without grace, innocence without self consciousness. He felt very grateful to have witnessed such an unexpected occurrence.
Gienah's orange eyes raked over every grain of dirt, the smallest bugs crawling around her. Her mind tallied up everything that was different from the last time she'd been here. There were fresh footprints, faint but noticeable, and she sniffed at them curiously. Something hooved, she thought, and pretty heavy. Maybe a zebra. She didn't exactly know what a zebra's feet looked like, though. She needed to double check next time she saw one.
Following the prints, she was distracted as her eyes caught something out of place, and she whipped up to peer into the brush around her. There was a pattern in the green that didn't quite fit, and hadn't been there before. She cocked her head, puzzled, as she stared at it, trying to work out what it might be. It wasn't a new plant, it couldn't have grown that fast. Could it have? Were there really fast growing plants?
Watching the pup with calm spirits, Nimhglas found himself fascinated. For such a tiny young thing, she had focused eyes. She stared at things, and he wondered if she saw the hidden natures of the world. He felt a spontaneous kinship for the little creature welling up inside of him. Anyone who saw mysteries was his brother or sister. His curiosity was now peaked, and he held still.
As she turned to peer in his direction, he felt his thoughts were confirmed. She had spotted him! How often did that happen? Usually his striped coat and green hue kept him hidden away and difficult to track. Pleased, he stood up carefully and slowly as not to startle her, and struck an amicable grin. "Who is this little thing I've found," he chortled, "who sniffs so carefully at the ground?"
Startled, Gienah backed up nervously, but when she realized it was a hyena, all her concerns faded away. She'd never known a hyena who was bad! And this one was very unusually colored. No wonder she hadn't been able to see him at first, he was nearly made of grass! Her obsession for details kicking in, she snuffled forward to get a closer look, and soon her nose was snuffling up against his leg.
The green seemed to be natural, not a covering of plants like she'd suspected at first. How did he get to be such a strange color? Did he roll around in the grass so much that it stained him? That would explain the stripes, some grass was different color from others. Remembering her manners, she backed up again and smiled back. "Hello, mister, I'm Gienah. You're not from the Coalition! Are you a wanderer?"
Staying still as the pup investigated him, Nimhglas's mood was improved to see a young one with such a overwhelming curiosity. It was a great truth that children were half in shadow, seeing mysteries of the world that adults didn't, and embracing them wholeheartedly. But often those feelings faded as they matured. Hopefully this one would hold onto some of her innocence and joy in all things.
"Wander, yes," he answered her in his singsong voice. "This one, the feet do wander, the eyes do see. Home is far and away, where wetlands grow and trees hang low." He danced to his own words, a few short steps meant to entertain. "Co-a-li-tion, coalescence, combining, a merging, one with the all. Star pup is a part of a great whole, then. What part is she? Does she make up some purpose?"
It was the most amazing thing, when the adult went into a dance. She'd never seen adults dance before, not even her own parents! She didn't know that adults could dance, but it was wonderful to see. Gienah joined in immediately, laughing gleefully as she bounced about. "Co-a-li-tion," she sang along with him. "Co-a-li-tion, co-a-li-tion! Merging something, one and all! Hee, star pup."
She was very happy with her new nickname. "Star Pup," she sang. "Starpup Starpup Starpup. Daddy gave me my stars, he has them too. And he gave them to my brothers and my sisters. They're in the coalition too. But my mama's not, she didn't come with us." She puzzled over his question. "Part? I'm a little pup part. I leave the territory when I'm not supposed to, and like to look at little things."
Nimhglas increased his dancing at her encouragement, throwing in some high kicks for good measure. He arched his back and leapt for the sky, snapping his teeth at the emerging stars. "Star Pup," he crooned, "Born of stars, kin of stars, watching closely where things are. Going where stars should not go, to learn the things she didn't know." He sung softly at the twilight sky.
He was amused to find a hyena clan so closely tied to the stars, the mysterious lights in the sky, untouchable so high above. He had seen stars fall to earth, perhaps they could be found and eaten, and that would give the eater stars on their body. Maybe it would give them the mysteries of the stars as well. "Child of night, gets her stars from father. What then from mother? Where is her birthright?"
Gienah was having a great time with the dancing and singing, until the green adult mentioned her mother. That brought her mood crashing down again, and she stopped to sniffle quietly. "Mama gave me... mama gave me my white hair, and my eyes, and my stripey... things." She missed her white and orange mother terribly. "She didn't come with us to the coalition. I don't know why, I guess she just didn't want to."
She tried a little more cavorting to pick her spirits up, but her heart wasn't in it anymore. "Co-a-li-tion," she whispered. "Do you think... do you think she didn't come because she didn't..." She couldn't even say it out loud, but her heart sometimes worried that mother didn't really care, had stayed behind because she never wanted pups. And papa was kind of quiet, and she couldn't relate to any of her siblings. She felt awfully alone sometimes.
The gamboling suddenly brought to a stop, Nimhglas watched the little pup carefully. His heart went out to her, truly it did. He felt immediate kinship with nearly anyone, but to see a child so sad, and so carefully controlling her sadness, brought in him a deep sorrow. Such subtlety, not the loud wailing of most pups, but a stoic silence usually unseen in her years. Did it show age or agelessness?
He lay down beside her and patted her side with his muzzle, sharing his warmth with her in the cooling air. He tried hard to speak plainly for once. "Mothers are mysteries. There is no mother that does not love her pups. You and she are one, for she marked you as hers. Your mane is testament. You are progeny, and so shall she live in your pups, and through your love for them. Then you will be mother. Maybe you will do it better."
Gienah was too young to understand what 'progeny' meant, but it sounded very important. She suddenly felt very important too, to be one for her mother. And as he laid out the plans for her future, she suddenly imagined herself as a mother. It was a strange vision, one she'd never had before, but it was a good one nonetheless. She imagined being big, a big adult, with tiny pups dancing around her, and some of them white like mother.
That cheered her right up. "I'll be a good mama!" she chirped determinedly. "An' I'll teach them to dance and lookit bugs and some of 'em will be star pups too!" She stood up and stamped a foot to emphasize her point. "And they can grow up in the co-a-li-tion..." she didn't think she'd be able to say that word again without singing it... "...too! And they'll have a mama and a papa, and a... what's a mama's papa?"
"Grand papa. Older papa is grander papa." Nimhglas was relieved to see the tears turned back. If he'd cleared some of her grievances with the absent parent, it was worth the headache he'd probably receive for talking straight to her. "Star pup's papa will be grand papa to her star pups." He nuzzled her affectionately, feeling awfully paternal to her as well. She had been very good company in the twilight.
But that made him aware of the time. The light was long gone, the stars out and mimicking little Gienah's coat. He could hear predators rousing, ready to start their nightly hunt. And it was time for him to move on. But first, "Is your territory here? Is it near? Starpup must travel home now, be safe in co-a-li-tion." He tapped her with his nose, pushing her along. "This one will take to border, and no further."
Sighing, Gienah nodded, and couldn't help a yawn from coming on. The green one was right, it was time to go home. She wasn't supposed to be out this late anyway, father might miss her. It was alright, she'd had a good time tonight, much more interesting that just looking at bugs. Although looking at bugs was its own reward. And she'd surely get back to that tomorrow night.
"Okay! Walk me to the border!" Picking up her feet, she traipsed along, humming to herself. "Co-a-li-tion," she sang cheerfully, "Merging something something and another something!" But only seconds later, she hopped up onto a rock and turned to face him. "Here it is, the boundary! And now I'll go home. Have a good wander, green hyena!" Turning, she hopped back on and dashed into the brush, headed for home.
