The sun bore bright and blazing overhead on high, staring down the world and daring it to dry up and burn to a crisp. The air in the desert had long ago lost and hope of moisture and now sucked whatever it could get from the tiny bits of life that still clung there, toughing out the heat simply because they knew no other life. Only the experienced survived here, and strays that wandered in from the lush land became only an opportunity, or more specifically, carrion.
A bold streak of color turned up dust as it raced along the sand, stark red and blue in colors never meant for this yellow world. Wei belonged here as much of the thistles though, not by birth but by sheer determination. He'd lived in the lush, and fled it for the freedom offered by survival in a place where few dared go. This bleak land was paradise and beauty to him, and he gloried in it.
Wailawa trailed panting wandering steps, head hung low for lack of energy and to shield his eyes as much as possible from the glare. He was straining on his last reserves now, and every step now was a struggle against the desire to just collapse and commune with the shrubbery like a great furred flower. His mouth had forgotten what saliva was, or even taste, and his eyes felt crusted with sand.
It had seemed so inane at first, wandering from his homeland on a bit of exploration, maybe to see if he could find where his father had gone off to. But he'd lost track of the river and his direction, and the impulse to just keep going until he recognized the land again had dragged him further and further, and now he couldn't even see the mountains. The ground was flat and barren forever, and he still didn't know if he was going the right way. His usual cheerful state had flagged, and now he genuinely thought if he didn't get respite soon, he might surely die.
Leaping over an empty gulch where the floods had come in the rainy season, Wei barreled along the crusted earth on the other side, churning it up as he passed as he followed the gulch further. He didn't run for pure enjoyment, as exhilarating as it was. Up ahead the gulch cut deeper and exposed a rock outcropping, creating a tiny little patch of shelter and security in the barren. It was his little haven, and getting there fast would keep him out of the sun as long.
He finally reached it and hopped into the riverbed, trotting along next to his own pawprints that littered the area. He stepped under the shade for a moment, enjoying how the temperature suddenly dropped to a more comfortable level. Once he felt a little refreshed he paced back out and investigated the area nearby, looking for telltale signs of life. Shade was one thing, but he needed to eat too.
Wailawa's focus shrank more the longer he trudged. His entire world became just his feet, the little patch of ground just in front of them, and forcing the hot scratchy air to keep going in and out of his chest. To not breathe would be bad. Less painful maybe, but still bad. As he kept moving forward despite all sense, his eyes drifted shut, sealing with gunk and his sense of balance wavering.
He suddenly toppled over, and blinked dryly. He realized after a moment that it wasn't due to just his dizziness... he had tripped over a dip in the land, which until now had been perfectly smooth. As he stared, he realized he was looking right at a bit of black in the middle of all the brightness. He didn't know what it was, but it was hope. He bought his last piece of energy to haul himself up, and dragged himself towards it. Soon as he hit the shadow and felt the relief of cooler air, he dropped blissfully onto the unheated ground beneath.
Wei located some little holes in the riverbed, once caused by little bubbles breaking the surface back when it had been moist. He began digging, breaking open the crust and rooting around. After a little bit of effort he found what he was looking for, and hauled it up. A frog, motionless in its hibernation to wait out the dry season, and surrounded by a jelly sac of liquid it had prepared for itself.
Picking it up gingerly by an exposed leg, Wei carried the entire thing back to his outcropping, utterly pleased with himself. But he hesitated before arriving as instinct grabbed his attention. He soon realized what he was staring at... some creature was under the shade he'd only left moments ago. He put his prize down carefully and faced the threat, growling in a way very unusual for a cheetah. Shade was worth killing for in this desert world.
In his hazy state Wailawa thought he heard the sound of scratching, but he was far too gone to care. He lay with eyes closed, glad to just not be broiling alive in his skin, and listened as the noises continued. Whatever they were, they didn't matter. If he could just get a little rest in this blessed shade, he might regain enough strength to keep going. He didn't know how far further he had to go, but he'd never make it without rest.
The scratching noise stopped, which was good. But a little later a growling noise started up, tinged with threat. As exhausted as he was, that threat sunk into his skin and pulled at the nerves for fear. He pulled his eyes open. There was an animal out there, growling at him. He contemplated fight or flight... and gave up on both. He was too tired, just so very tired. He closed his eyes and with a sigh of finality, accepted whatever came next.
When the creature didn't move, Wei stalked forward and investigated. It was dusty and worn, but it looked like a canine, maybe a canine. Its colors stood out as much as his own, bright and whimsical like a field of flowers. It had left footprints where it came in to the shade from the other direction, and they weaved in and out, leading up to the riverbank, where scuffs showed it'd taken a tumble.
It still didn't move. Out of strength then, and boldly taking to his shade because it was the only option around. With no sign of opposing aggression his own wrath faded, leaving him unsure of what to do. He crept forward and inspected the creature. Ah, a hyena. And dried up all over. His empathy peeked up. With a sigh, he went back and fetched his frog prize and brought it back to the shade and placed it on a rock in front of the critter's nose. "Here, eat this."
The anticipated attack never came, instead the creature was talking to him. Wailawa wasn't sure he had enough energy even for dialogue, but he creaked his eyes open to investigate. There was... something, in front of his face, it looked weird and blobbular. Did the creature say "Eat this?" Eat? A blob? As much as his body craved desperately for food, it didn't look very appetizing.
A better looked confirmed that the animal was a cheetah, of dark but bold colors, with mask markings on the face that made it seem faintly comical and a little more friendly. The hope of a kindly face in this horrible place lifted his spirits slightly, and he turned back to the blob. He craned his neck just enough to take a nibble, and to his shock the bubble burst and seeped liquid over his mouth. Delighted, he frantically lapped up as much as he could've.
Giving up on propriety or concern for threat, Wei jumped in as the frog's sac burst and began licking up the moisture too, to ensure as much of it as possible got into one of their mouths before it soaked into the earth. It was strange eating alongside another creature as so much solitude. It felt right, in the place deep inside that craved companionship. Even if the animal wasn't a cheetah.
"You must've come a long way to get out here, whoever you are," he said, and snapped off one of the frog's legs with a quick jerk. The frog shivered as it slowly came out of its slumber. He bit down on the body hard to ensure it didn't run off, then nudged it over to the hyena and chewed on the leg. "If you're trying to get to the other side of the dustland, you're about halfway there. Should've gone around."
Wailawa eagerly licked the last of the moisture off his jaw and the rocks, completely uncaring of the grit that got into his mouth with it. It had come and gone so fast, but he felt revived. He bit into the offered frog, now that he realized it was a frog and not just a blob, and was rewarded with more moisture in the form of blood. Shade, food and water, and now the world was a much better place, one worth not giving up on.
"I'm Wailawa. Thank you," he rasped, and leaned over to nuzzle the feline in gratitude. "Hah, no, I was trying to get home to the mountains and I got turned around. I'm from the Illud per Alt-" his saliva gave out at this point, and he wheezed "Sententia," before he gave up. He just finished instead with a tail wag meant to be friendly, and lay his head back down to enjoy the coolness of the rocks.
"Mountains, huh? There are some mountains along one side of the desert, I've been over that way before. I go hunting there sometimes," Wei mumbled between mouthfuls of frog. "You must have the world's worst sense of directions to end up here." And the common sense of a rabid rabbit, to go into the desert at all without knowing how to survive in it. If not for Way, the hyena would probably have died that very day.
And would probably die tomorrow, if Wei didn't intervene. He fretted in his head, watching the hyena rest next to him without the slightest concern for the cheetah's presence. He could never give up on a noble cause, and here one had been dropped into his paws. "Tell you what. I know my ways around the desert, I'll get you back out again. You rest up, and we'll head out at night when it's cooler."
Wailawa grinned wide at the cheetah's words, and wagged his tail again in gratitude. His faith in life's gratitude was all at once restored. Here he'd been thinking he was to perish in this horrid hostile place, so far from home, but instead fate had sent him a savior. The story didn't want him to end yet. Good, because this would make a great tale to tell when he got back home. And maybe he could tell his father, if they ever ran into each other again.
He peeked out of the corner of his eye at the cheetah and inspected him curiously. He was usually a good judge of character, but he'd never known a cheetah before. This one spoke strangely, half a good heart and half rough confidence. He sat so calmly in the shade and stared out at the bright scenery unblinking, almost fondly. He looked forward to being in the cheetah's company. It would be an interesting future.
Word Count : 1944
