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 Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 1:32 am
There were stars, glistening brightly, great fireflies on a jet black sky. There was also a warm wind about, and the gentle hum of cicadas could be heard, singing softly in the distance.
Yet, although the night was beautiful, Chachili's heart was clouded with grief.
'No,' she thought, doubts creeping into her mind, 'I can't give them away... I can't give my babies away...'
'But if you don't,' a voice in her head told her, 'if you don't give them to him, they'll die. No, worse then death... they will be enslaved.'
Chachili winced as the unknown voice shot through her. It happened often now, and more regularily... she heard voices, speaking to her, telling her things...
Fortelling the death of her children, if she did not give them away.
And every time a voice called to her, whispered to her, a pain like no other would shoot through her body. With each fortune, with each whisper, Chachili was growing weaker. Madder.
"Urgh," Chachili stumbled, and her fawns looked up at her with concerned eyes.
"Mama... are you alri-"
"Don't speak to me, Kukuru!" Chachili snapped, and at once felt despair tug at her again. She couldn't bear to hear her babies speak.
Instead, she walked on, her fawns by her side, sniffing the air for the dog who would save them. Or rather, who she hoped would save them. It was a well-known fact that wild-dogs preyed upon klipspringers. Maybe, the dog she sought would take them... and devour them...
"No, no. This is the only way. He is the only one."
'That's right, Chachili,' a voice hissed in her mind, 'Those who hunt for your fawns will not find them for moons, if they are left in 'his' care. You are not connected to 'him', in any way, apart from meeting 'him'...'
"But what about Koin?" Chachili was referring to her old friend. He was a wild-dog, too, but he was also a father of nine pups and a wise friend. Chachili's most trusted friend, in fact. If anyone should look after her fawns, it should be Koin.
But the voices disagreed.
'Idiot preybeast,' the voices in her head joined together in a frightening chorus, and Chachili's head felt like it would explode, 'The one whom hunts your fawns knows about your bond with Koin. You are good friends, you and he. Leave the fawns with him, and they'd be found no sooner than next moon.'
Inside, Chachili hurt. She felt so much pain... not only from the voices calling to her, but the pain of knowing what was to come.
"So... Chiboa's the only one who...?"
'Yes.'
"Mama..." Kukuru whispered, his eyes wet with fear, "Who are you talkin' to? There's nobody else he-"
"KUKURU!" Chachili snarled his name through gritted teeth, "I told you not to speak."
Kukuru, barely even a month old, flinched and stepped back behind his brother.
"But, where are we going?"
"We're going to see your 'Father'"
"Our... father?" Kukuru's eyes glistened, and he flicked his brother with his tail, "Didja' hear tha'? We're gonna' meet father! "
Chachili screwed up her eyes. It was all too painful.
But the scent of the wild-dog she sought was not too far off.
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:51 pm
"Father?", Makuu echoed, returning Kukuru's excited look. "Ca-", Makuu paused, glancing wearily towards his mother. Why didn't she want them to talk?
The young fawn's eyes full of mischief, he leaned into his brother's ear. "Can you believe it, Kukuru? Our father! We're going to meet our father!"
-----------------
Chiboa paused and lifted his muzzle to the night sky, drinking in the sweet aroma of prey in the near distance. Naturally, the scruffy male was not one to do the dirty job, but tonight was different. He had never successfully hunted anything; he had always stollen it. It was not, perhaps, the most honorable job, but it fed him. That was all that mattered. And thus far, there had been no good pickings. The once strong and cocky scavenger had been reduced to a skinny mutt, though his ribs were not well seen beneath his bushy exterior.
Excitement pulsed throughout his body as a gust of warm wind sifted through his fur and filled his nostrils. They were coming.. straight this way. A grin krept across his maw.
He licked his chops, waiting, watching. He stood still, fighting the urge to leap forward and run towards the source of such a delightful scent. His grey-blue eyes narrowed when, on the horizon, a young fawn seemed to be bounding his way, blind to the danger it was truly in. He bunched his muscles together, ready to spring, when another fawn came into sight, and then its mother. All the young wild dog could make of the scene was three grey blobs moving swiftly in his direction .. and so, naive prey to eat.
With a delighted howl, he charged out of the tall grasses and lunged towards the largest one, seemingly too busy with its fawns to notice him. But, as he neared closer, something became painfully familiar.
Chiboa clamped his jaws shut and dug his claws into the ground, trying to stop himself as he plunged into Chachili's side. He collected himself swiftly, backing away from her.
"Chachili?", he whispered with disbelief.
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:30 pm
Chachili flinched as the dark shadow leapt. She had not seen it coming, and gave a startled cry as the lean shape of Chiboa came crashing into her. Flinching, and winded for a moment, the grey klipspringer lay panting on the ground, her eyes wide with fright.
'Have they come?' she thought, her heartbeat pounding in her ears, 'They've come to take my children already, haven't they? Haven't they?!'
As she focused on her attacker, Chachili felt herself overwhelmed with relief as she realised who exactly the figure was. She breathed out, still sick with worry, and slowly, trembling, got to her feet.
"Chi...boa..." she whispered, her voice quivering with uncertainty, "It's you, isn't it?"
Kukuru watched the spectacle with wide eyes. He had ducked behind his brother, cringing, not understanding what had just occurred.
"Makuu..." he whimpered, flattening his ears and rubbing up against his brother's flank.
Chachili seemed to have lost all sense of self. She was no longer the strong, yet irritable klipspringer she had once been. She was a shell of her former self... a wide eyed, quivering lump of meat.
"Take them," her voice shook. The mother of two was clearly distraught, "Please... help us."
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:08 pm
Makuu shakily stood his ground, pressing against his brother. "It'll be alright", he whispered, but there was a quiver in his young voice.
-------------
Chiboa blinked with disbelief. Surely he hadn't scared her that much? The last time he had seen Chachili, she had butted him straight over the forehead with her sharp hooves, and had been nothing but cocky and fearless. The quivering klipspringer standing before him didn't seem real. Or, rather, more like prey than Chachili, who seemed to scratch out that definition for herself.
"Chiboa to 'yer service", he grunted. He shook his fur as if it were wet, trying to straighten it out from his collision with Chachili.
"Take them?", he repeated, glancing at the two fawns quivering beside their mother. He stared at Chachili, disgusted. "I'm not going to eat your fawns", he retorted, casting angry glances at each of them. "How's that going to help you?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:34 pm
"Not eat them, you dimwit!" Chachili snapped, and her old personality seemed to reappear for a brief moment. But it died down as quickly as it had come, and Chachili lowered her head.
"I... have nobody to look after them anymore," she muttered, darkly, "Nowhere to turn. We're being hunted down, but not by any normal predator. I don't know where to turn, Chiboa..."
She looked up, eyes blazing.
"I JUST DON'T KNOW ANYMORE!" she screamed.
There was a silence, and the song of the cicadas arose to the air once once. Chachili stood, eyes wide, staring at her hooves. She gave a chuckle, and then a laugh, but it was clear that she wasn't happy. The laugh was a disturbing, quiet one... and it echoed the madness that had rested upon Chachili this past moon.
Kukuru, startled, staggered back. His mother's outburst had been unexpected. Her quiet laughter was even more sinister. She wasn't even their mother anymore. Chachili wasn't... like this.
"I don't know, Makuu," he whispered, almost too scared to speak properly, "Maybe we'll be fine. But Mama..."
The fawn looked to Chiboa. Kukuru's eyes reflected his feelings... he, too, was confused. Not even he knew what was to happen.
He jerked to reality as Chachili spoke again.
"We're being hunted. These two will die. Unless," she gave a weak smile, though her eyes were dull with pain, "You can take them, Chiboa. I hardly know you. You have no connections with me. Take them, and nobody will find you. Nobody will suspect you. They do not know who you are, or that you know me. And then," she hesitated, "You can teach these ones to become wild dogs."
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:03 pm
Chiboa backed away, his eyes full of confusion. "Chachili, you're not yourself", he remarked, turning his gaze away from her blazing eyes.
"And I think you're scaring your fawns", he commented, motioning toward them with his muzzle. Anything that could take her attention off him would be great. He could not wrap his mind around what she was asking him to do.
He paused a long moment, staring wearily at the terrified fawns.
"Chachili", he spoke again, raising his head, "the whole savannah is packed with hungry predators that want to eat 'yer fawns. I can't help 'ye with that, lass." A look of pity flashed through his ice blue eyes, and then was gone. He smirked, "You've never given me a reason to like you."
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:36 pm
Chachili gave him a cold, hard stare.
"Maybe I've never given you a reason," she said, surly, "But these two have never done a thing to hurt you, Chiboa. Tell me, have you got a heart, at all?"
She darkened, again, and her eyes blazed.
"Or was the time you tried to help that Kellelo girl just an illusion?"
A wind passed through. All was silent. Chachili's eyes clicked from her fawns, to Chiboa's lean form.
"Asking you to look after them may be a bit of a hard request," she said, through gritted teeth, "But they will grow to love you. Care for you. If you teach them, they will feed you. They will not become your slaves, but they will be by your side," she breathed out, "I know this, because they are of my blood. And of their father's blood. Loyal blood, laced with determination."
Though, she thought bitterly, Their father did abandon us all. The b*****d.
She looked from Makuu, to Kukuru. They were young, and fit. They'd probably never remember this day. They were still small.
"You know, Chiboa," she said, her voice soft, "We can both benefit from this."
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:52 pm
Makuu's blue eyes grew wide with disbelief. "Kukuru!", he gasped, no longer whispering. "She's giving us away!", he wailed, turning to his mother, "why do you have to leave, mommy? Who is he?" Makuu searched Chachili's face desperately, afraid of how his mother would respond.
------------
A low growl formed in Chiboa's throat.
"I have a heart, but I use it sparingly. You never know what could happen if you get soft", he growled, gritting his teeth also.
"Kelello is one of my own kind. These", he said, gesturing toward the two boys, "are my prey. I could just eat them. If I didn't have a heart. If you hadn't uttered one word to me, so that I'd know that you had thoughts and feelings. But you did. And the fact that I even speak to you now is enough, for pity's sake!"
Chiboa clamped his jaws shut, listening aggravatingly as Chachili continued. His eyes softened, but he did not lean on Chachili's side of the agruement.
"How could I benefit from this? What would my gal think?", Chiboa asked desperately, leaning into Chachili's ear. "What would everyone think?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:12 pm
Chachili turned away, and her heart wrenched as she heard Makuu's whispers to Kukuru.
No, she thought, her heart feeling as if it would burst with desperation, I don't want to do this. I just want to protect you!
Instead, she listened as Chiboa spoke. They were prey. True. But so what if they were prey animals?
"You speak the truth, Chiboa," Chachili rose her eyes to meet with his for the first time since their meeting, "They are prey animals. And that is exactly the problem. But you have the power to change that. Change their ways, bring them up as wild dogs. Don't you? Or are you a coward?!"
Her eyes blazed with anger, yet her body quaked with fear. Everything was all too much. Then, she heard it.
That wasn't fear, was it? No... Chiboa would be embarrassed. Shamed to look after fawns as his own, was it?
That was how Chachili saw it, and at once she understood his sudden hostility.
"Aaah," she whispered, "So you do have a loved one. Very well. I see what you mean."
She turned, and beckoned for her fawns to follow her.
"Very well. Come, Kukuru, Makuu. We're leaving," she said sharply. And then, to Chiboa, "I misjudged you, it seems. Since when did a proud dog like you worry about what everyone else thinks? You seemed so free... it seems like you've changed, as have I."
Kukuru, his heart pounding, brushed up against Makuu, with affection.
He was scared... scared of this stranger, this unknown territory they were in, and even of his mother. And he had once thought the world of his mother! Now, all he had left was Makuu.
He shivered, and pressed his head against Makuu's flank.
"She won't give us away, brother," he protested, "She loves us. Mama loves us. She's even told us that, hasn't she?"
Then, he turned his gaze towards Chiboa. The dog looked menacing to the young fawn, and he backed up closer to Makuu.
"You won't take us," he cried, "We belong with our Mama."
But his eyes told a different story. Kukuru wasn't sure where he belonged now. His mother had changed. Everyone was angry. There were snarls, and cries, and pain. Where was he meant to belong?
"I'm scared, Makuu..." he whispered, shaking, "I'm so scared. But... we have eachother, don' we? And... that's enough."
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:32 pm
Makuu opened his mouth to protest, but could not choke out the words. He didn't believe his brother. Now he knew of his mother's worries, as complex as they were for such a young fawn. Although he couldn't piece it together, he knew that Chachili would stop at nothing to do what she had fixed on doing.
Even so, the young Klipspringer plead with his brother. "Don't take us, please!", he wailed. His blue eyes were filling with tears, and he turned away so that his brother couldn't see.
"Who are you? Who are you?", he insisted, looking from Chiboa to Kukuru frantically.
"Yes", he sniffed, pressing hardly against his brother's pelt. "They can't seperate us."
-----------------
Chiboa sighed.
"I can't change what they are, Chachili!", he growled, running beside her. "One day they'll wake up and realize what they are, and know that they've been lied to all their lives! And who will be there for them? I surely won't. They wouldn't trust me, just as they don't now", Chiboa argued desperately, panting.
"Please, re-think this.. after all, if what you say is true, can't 'ye not fight fate?", Chiboa raced ahead of Chachili and sat down, blocking her path.
"I have myself a lass, of course! And you must think of what dignity I have. What she would think of me." His voice quieted. "I haven't changed. I live by the soil and do as I think is right for myself, because the world is too big to be thinking of others. You're all alone out there, when it comes right down to it."
Chiboa didn't know if he believed his own words. As if between the letters of his speech, a foggy image of his mother appeared, and he could almost drink in her sweet scent, for if only a moment. How dare even a prey animal do to these fawns as his own mother had done to him.
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:49 pm
Kukuru shut his eyes, and trembled.
He couldn't take anymore of this. His only solace was his big brother, Makuu.
Big Brother is here. Big Brother is here.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chachili blinked, sadly.
"I won't abandon them forever," she said quietly, "I'll come back for them when it's all over. But please, Chiboa... otherwise..."
She looked desperately at him, then realised what she must do. Abandon all her pride. Stoop so low, even Chiboa couldn't deny her this one wish.
She bent her front legs, and, kneeling, lowered her head in a bow.
"Please!"
Her voice rang out, echoing slightly across the plains.
"Please! I beg of you!"
Kukuru twisted his head away, too young to understand what was going on, but old enough to realise that his mother had shamed herself in front of her only relatives. Her children.
"Otherwise, they'll be murdered in cold blood, Chiboa," Chachili looked up, her blue eyes suddenly strong again, "There is something coming! A monster, coming! It will latch onto their throats like a starved carnivore, and these children will die!"
She arose, and dipped her head.
"It won't be forever," she said, softly, "A few moons. That's all I ask of you, Chiboa. And I will come back."
Her heart throbbed with pain.
"Unlike you, I don't have a partner anymore. My family was slaughtered in the mountains, ages ago, and my herd has broken. I have no-one left in this world. These ones are my only hope. If they die, I... I..."
She couldn't finish.
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:13 am
Chiboa gaped. Whatever dignity Chachili had had now vanished before his eyes.. to him. She was submitting, something that neither a Klipspringer falling to its death beneath the jaws of one, or a Klipspringer in plain sight would do to its predator. Chiboa stayed silent, jerking his head away. Her pleas were too painful. If only he could bring himself to eat them all, and end such misery. But then he would carry a guilt unfightable for the rest of his days. Oh, the irony that I have fallen under the spell of a manipulative prey thing.
"A few moons?", Chiboa echoed, looking doubtfully towards the fawns. He could not tear his eyes away from them, nor admire their courage as they clung to one another, wondering what was going on, or what would happen next.
"My mother left me when I was a small pup. I never learned how to hunt. I lived by being a rodent, eating off what other's could not finish. A vulture. Scum."
Chiboa could not believe what he was doing; he had never even shared these thoughts with Imal. Then again, how could he disgrace himself in front of her? Perhaps it was an exchange of shames, because he pitied the Klipspringer mother.
"But I guess that's good for you. If my mother hadn't left me, then I'd have eaten you and your fawns." Chiboa laughed, but grief clouded in his eyes.
"I go on", he continued, his voice barely a whisper, "I became strong on my own. But I will never forgive her. And they will never forgive 'ye, no matter if you're saving their lives. Even if", he paused, gulping down his words.
He shook his head, with unkept hair brushing over his eyes. He knew within the gutter of his heart he would resent this decision always; that it was not truly he that spoke such words, but his mother. Wherever she may be.
"Alright", he said shakily, puffs of white breath escaping his maw as he spoke in the midst of a chilling night, "I'll take 'em."
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:04 am
Relief flooded through Chachili. It was as if a weight had lifted off her shoulders... her fawns were to be safe. They were saved.
"Thankyou..." her voice was shaken, and her eyes were wet with grief, "I really can't tell you how much this means to me. I really cannot!"
They were saved. At least, Chachili thought of it that way. The ones she loved most in the whole world were about to be spirited away... but away, of course, to somewhere where they could live without fear.
"You may have been abandoned, Chiboa," Chachili said, her voice quiet, "But unlike your mother, I will return for them. If they will want me again, that is."
She dipped her head, then turned to her fawns.
How beautiful they are, Chachili thought, closing her eyes to take in their scent, How beautiful. I love you. I love you both.
All signs of anger disappeared from her eyes. She bent down to them both, and nuzzled them tenderly, with a mother's love.
"My Makuu," she whispered to the eldest, "I'm not giving you away. But I will leave for a while. For now, Chiboa will take care of you. Then, if you want, Mama's coming back to get you. Stay strong, and look after your younger brother. Makuu. My Makuu."
She kissed his cream-pink nose, and looked into his deep blue eyes. They were so alike hers... Makuu really did take after her in looks. She felt such strong affection for the young fawn... and so, she brushed against him, and took in his strong scent as she did.
Then, she turned to Kukuru. The younger of the siblings was trembling, and as she approached him, he stayed back.
"You're going to leave us?" he sounded bewildered and hurt all at once, "But you're our Mama!"
Chachili winced.
"Kukuru..." she looked at him with desperate eyes, "It will only be a little while. Your brother is with you. Trust Chiboa, he will treat you well. And when I return, I want to see you grown up. Grow, and become strong, Kukuru. My little Kukuru."
And with that, Chachili nuzzled her fawn. Love for her two babies roared inside of her. This time, Kukuru did not push her away. He returned her affection with a lick.
When Chachili had finished her goodbyes, she turned to Chiboa.
"Chiboa," she said, her voice strong, "Look after them well. If I return to find that they have been mistreated in any way, I swear that I, Chachili, will kill you."
Then, she dipped her head.
"Saying that," she continued, "I must express my deepest gratitude towards you and your mate. You may hate me for my own sins, but I want you to love them as your own, Chiboa. And thankyou. I will never forget this. Never."
With this, Chachili took one last look at her fawns. Then, in silence, she turned and ran.
And how she ran! She ran and ran, until she was as far as she could get. The grey klipspringer, exhausted, collapsed.
"Makuu! Kukuru!" she cried, in a flood of emotions, 'My babies!'
And the klipspringer cried this for the rest of the night, while the cicadas sang their song.
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