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 Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:31 pm
Part I
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She awoke in the early morning to the warmth of the sun flooding into the den. For a moment, she blinked her soft blue eyes, adjusting to the bright light flooding into the den. It was warm- both from the sun, and the huddled bodies of her brothers and sisters tucked around delicately around her. They weren't a particularly late sleeping bunch, so seeing them all still sound asleep cued her in on just how early it was. Sluggishly she yawned and snuggled against one of her sleeping siblings- most likely Seide, judging by the nearness. An was groggy and half asleep- and not particularly humoring the idea of waking up just yet. Not when it was soo comfortable.
But as with most things in life, adventures rarely waited for waking.
Somewhere in the distance, came a sharp screaming yelp. An, still wavering between sleep and consciousness, responded by twitching in her sleep. Her fur twitched. It wouldn't be until another scream broke the silence of the den that the young blonde cub fully awakened. Her head lifted up with a start, and her wild eyes fluttered about as she tried to see the cause of it. But as she looked over her sleeping family, it became clear that the noise had not originated from the den. Carefully, she wriggled herself out from another cub's stretched out paws, and quietly tiptoed over the shifting bodies.
Again the noise. Such a horrible scream! It didn't sound like anything An had ever heard before. It wasn't a roar like a lion made. Nor a shriek like a cub. It was... unusual. Piercing. She stumbled over her mother's paws, and quickly skirted around the den's entrance, and out into the sunlight. It was terribly bright, and the morning air was thick with sand. A small sandstorm had kicked up the night before, and it was only just now abating.
Carefully, An tossed a glance back towards her family. She had promised her mom she would only go out after attending to her lessons and spending some time helping out Ea in the ward. But...! This was an emergency! Judging by the strange wail the screamer was making, there could really be only one culprit.
Monsters.
Hopping off the sandy rocks which lead up to their den, An swiftly moved off them and into the sands. Another wave of sand flushed up around her, and she sneezed as it forced past. Was something caught out in the storm? “Can't go too far,” An quietly said to herself, even as she donned a little wicked grin. She didn't want to get lost. She might have known the area around the pride quite well- but amidst the soft onslaught of sand, it would be easy to get turned around. Leaning into the buffet, she started out into the open area.
She had never seen the desert quite like this. It was almost as if it were covered by a hazy mist or fog- but that fog was full of sand. It got into her nose and her eyes and her fur. Shadows cast by the hazing morning sun made it seem as though giants lurked in the desert, just out of reach. Seem, anyways. An puffed up her chest, and attempted to stare one down. When it didn't respond, she steeled herself. Well! If it wasn't going to be a proper giant, there was no reason for her to bother with it then, was there?
She wasn't sure if she was anywhere near where the voice had been calling. Letting the wind pull at her, she called out into the dunes. “Hellooooo!” She yelled. “Anyone out there? Any monsters?”
Her only response was a buffet of wind. The sand swirled in small torrents. It wasn't a brutal stream, but for a small cub it was enough to warrant covering her face and coughing. Monsters could be so unaccomidating! Another ten feet further, and An was at the sight of a kill. Surely made by one of the pride's lions the night before, its half eaten remains whistled softly as wind pulled through it. It seemed strange to be left outside, still mostly intact. Curiously, she rounded about it, investigating the still beast.
“Hrrn,” An mused. Had it been the ghost of this beast? The thought of it sent a tingle through her spine. But it was no so much in fear, but excitement. She stretched her paw forward and prodded the fallen beast.
And then, the wail.
An's head lifted upwards. This time it was closer. Much closer. She left the corpse beside, and broke into a run. She wasn't about to lose it this time!
As the young child ran, she felt her paws sink into the warm sand. But even as she ran, she didn't seem to be getting any closer to the origin of the horrible yell. Again, it came- this time behind her! She slid to a stop, sand pooling around her. “Wait a second...How did I run past it?” She thought to herself. She'd been keeping a very close eye out on the surrounding area! Carefully, An started to walk backwards, retracing her steps.
Now that she wasn't running, she started to focus more intently on the shifting ground below her. Warm, and permeable. So when her little pink paws hit something solid and furry- she gasped and retracted her foot. There was something, or someone, buried in the sand!
“Woah!” An gasped. “Hang on!” Frantically, the little cub started to dig. But with the sand flushing all around her, the sand seemed to be replaced just as quickly as she was digging. A few scoopfuls and she had uncovered a tail and a part of a back leg. Knowing that she was running out of time as the sand started to cover what she'd already dug, An leaned down and bit onto the creature's foot. “Sorry!” She grumbled through clenched teeth, and leaned back. The sand seemed to have quite a hold onto whatever it was, and it took almost all her strength to force it out from the hot sands.
“Uuuf!” An gasped as she finally freed it and fell backwards. Her mouth still clamped on the poor creature's leg, she released it, and took a step back to see what it was that she had accomplished. Lying before her in the sand was a small black jackal. She had seen the creatures before, often lurking in the crevasses of the rocks, hoping to steal scraps from the lion's kills. Had this been what had made the terrible scream? But oh, it wasn't moving!
Softly, she shook the little thing. “Hey, hey... wake up!” She said. With a swoop of her paws, she lifted up and cradled it like a child. It made no response to her attempts to revive it- and it was hard to tell if it was even still breathing. “Don't worry, I'll take you to safety, okay?”
As carefully as she could, she bit down on the scruff of its neck, and started to run back the way she'd came. The path was swirling and moving. The great shadows still seemed to shift in the light. Were they watching her? Watching as she pulled this little thing from the depths?
Not wanting to bring it directly home just yet, An decided to head for a small bunch of rocks near the pride lands. It was frequently used as a play area for cubs bold enough to go out into the more open stretch of land. And so early in the morning, it was completely desolate. She dragged the little creature into one of the rock's alcoves, and set it down on the rock floor.
The jackal was still unconscious, but now that the sand was not obstructing her vision, she could see it was in fact breathing. It seemed to be unusually large, almost swollen. Gently, An gave it a nudge, thrumming quietly as though to rise it. “Hey, you're safe! I've saved you.” Her paws gently crossed over the little thing's ears. “Time to wake up now!”
For a long moment, there was nothing. And then, a small pink eye peered out from behind heavy lids. She seemed startled for a moment, and her legs twitched as though to run. But it was a futile effort, and she relented almost as soon as she had started. An seemed delighted, despite the hasty reaction.
“There we go!” An grinned. “Are you hurt? Or did you just get beaten up by the storm?”
The jackal did not respond, and instead, flinched and rolled over onto her belly. With her head resting on her paws, she seemed to almost ignore the blonde cub's questions and encouragement. It seemed confusing to An, who leaned back onto her hind-paws and tried to figure out what had caused the black dog's silence. Wasn't she thankful to be rescued? Well, An supposed she couldn't always expect thanks for random acts of heroism. It just seemed a bit disappointing. She wondered if the female was injured.
But, it was getting late. Mom and dad would be waking up soon- and they'd be none too pleased to hear that their daughter had gone out sneaking around in the desert in the middle of a sand spin. Frowning, An lightly patted the jackal over the head. “Well...uh. I got to go, little thing. You should stay here so you don't get blown away. I'll come back and see if you're alright! Right? But, you can go too if you're well enough.”
The jackal didn't seem all that interested. She docked her ear and almost seemed to glare in the direction of the lion cub. Confused over having received such a cold shoulder, and scampered off- hopefully to return in time before mom woke up!
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:35 pm
Part II
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She had rushed through her chores and her training, and begged Ea to let her off early. Guarding the ward wasn't exactly pressing work- she might have been young, but she was well aware that the end goal of the entire job was mostly to keep her out of trouble. Luckily, her cousin had been in a good mood. Free from obligation for the afternoon, An made a b-line for where she had left the little jackal. Although she was excited to see if there had been any developments on the case, she privately hoped she wouldn't find anything at all. If the jackal was gone, at least she knew it had gotten better and simply vanished back to the desert it had come from.
But if it was still there... then, there must have been something keeping it.
Sneaking carefully past a few guards who were out patrolling, she climbed the rock mound. Luckily, there didn't seem to be any other cubs playing king of the hill. It didn't take more then a few seconds for her to wriggle into the small cleft she had left her in. And unfortunately for An- the black creature was still very much there.
“Oh!” An gasped, her facing pulling into a smile. “You're still here! That's good!”
The black creature rose up to its feet. It was clearly burdened by it's own swollen body- but it was quick to snarl at her, taking a few nervous steps backwards until it pressed against the rocks of the cave. Bright white teeth shined from behind her lips. An couldn't remember a pair of sharper looking eyes!
The blonde cub rolled backwards, not wanting to get a face full of tiny teeth. But although the jackal and the cub were fairly even in size- An was fairly confident her claws could handle whatever the little mutt wanted to throw at her. An bristled and gave a little hiss, making sure the black thing wasn't about to think she wouldn't take this seriously. “Hey!” she said through clenched teeth. “Chill out! I'm not here to hurt you. But I won't hesitate if you try and bite! I rescued you, you know!”
The jackal continued to growl. She was trembling, but somehow An could sense it was not from fear. She was simply too weak to stand. Finally, a voice spilled from her lips. “I highly doubt the words of a lioness. Why don't you back off and leave me be?”
An gaped, and swished her tail. “Doubt my words? I never lie! At least, not about stuff like that. I don't know what kind of lions you know, but if I say I won't hurt you, I won't! Except if you try something.” As if to show she meant business, she snapped her teeth. “I'm not just some kid. I'm a firekin!”
The jackal laughed. Her voice was harsh and dry. “A firekin?” She scrunched up her nose and let her tail fluff out like a wild thing. “I don't really care what you are. You'll watch your mouth and back away. Just...just get away from me! I don't want anything to do with lions or their cubs.”
An gaped, pulling back her paw. Hey! This was no way someone treated their rescuer! Not only was it unbelievably rude- it also hurt her feelings. She hadn't been trying to hurt the little thing. And quite honestly, she'd been worried about it ever since she'd left the hurt creature. “Now, come on!” An whined. “You can't just brush me off like that. I just wanted to see if you were okay and-”
But any hopes of An rectifying the situation suddenly faded when the little black dog ran at her. An had hardly a second to throw up her paw before the jackal turned on her, digging it's teeth into An's soft fur. An snarled in response and attempted to shake it off, swinging her own paw down and slapping the dog across the face. “Ugggh- let go!” She snarled. “You can't possibly think you can fight me!”
The jackal, however, apparently thought otherwise. The force of An's paw was enough to unbalance the dog, who rolled to the side before climbing back to its feet. This time, An met the little creature in a charge- pouncing upon the jackal, and attempting to restrain her.
The little jackal went frantic, and started to kick and bite at random. An yelped as the dog's sharp teeth grasped onto her ear. But another good jerk from An's paw got her to release. This time, An wasn't messing around. Her claws slashed at the jackal's face, catching her across the muzzle. The dog yelped and gave a similar scream from earlier.
“Little b***h!” the jackal shrieked. She twisted- and surprised An by a sudden ravenous force to her stomach. The little cub gaped and rolled off the jackal, who quickly overtook her with a sudden burst of speed.
But even though she had been knocked over, An wasn't about to lose her advantage. The jackal had attacked with renewed strength- but An's thick paws were stronger then the jackal's thin little legs, clearly meant for running and not fighting. Keeping her paws pressed against the jackal's shoulders, she sunk her claws into her, until the black dog let go. Growling in anger, An jumped around, and this time bit the dog on the side, and forced her down to the cave floor.
Now, An had the upper hand. She pressed her paw against the dog's neck and growled threateningly. The intensity of the moment had almost overtaken her. But as she pressed her weight upon the jackal's throat, she noticed the swell of the little dog's belly. A thought passed through her mind, intensified by the jackal's whining beneath her. She was pregnant! “Keep quiet,” An growled. “Look! Even if you could beat me, all I have to do is yell and someone is going to come find me. Stop screaming like that. I'm not trying to hurt you or your pups.”
The jackal's pink eyes flashed. For a moment, she grew still- and An released her paw from its throat.
Like a flash, the jackal slunk to the back of the cave, curling her tail between her legs and keeping a low growl. “I don't need your help. Get lost, cub.”
An rubbed her paw against her chest. It was bleeding, but not badly. Mom would be sure to raise hell later. “I just wanted to see if you were alright,” An reiterated. “My name is An. I found you.”
“Found me?” The jackal growled. “I would have sooner you left me! I don't suppose you saved my mate as well, did you?”
For a moment, An was shocked. Her cool blue eyes, bright from the effort of the small scuffle, grew wide. “Your mate?” She gasped. She hadn't seen any other jackals out in the sandstorm! “If you were missing someone, why didn't you tell me? I would have gone and found him too!”
The jackal licked her lips and spat. “Or you would have eaten the both of us.”
The blonde cub fumed. “Eaten you? What would I even do with you? I can eat all the stuff I want. I don't know of anyone that eats jackals.” She groaned. “But... your mate! If he's still out there, then we've been wasting time!”
“Wasting time for what?” The black dog muttered. She settled down in the back of the cleft, and started to lick her own wounds.
“Wasting time to find him!” An said. “He's been gone for hours now, if not more! I'll go back to where I found you. Maybe he's still out in the sands- maybe he's looking for you!”
For a moment, the jackal seemed to find some hope. Her ears perked, and she let a slow whine slip from her lips. “...You would look for my mate?”
“Of course I would!” An balked. “I woulda helped you earlier! This is what happens when you don't trust people, you know!”
The jackal scrunched up her nose, and twitched her tail. “But, you're just some kid. Even if you could find him... its probably too late.” Her ears flattened, and the jackal grew quiet.
“I'm not just some kid!” An peeped. “I'm a firekin! We can do whatever we want to do. Not to mention, I'd never turn down an adventure! Just tell me where he might be- and I'll start looking. You can rest here, and I'll be back before nightfall!”
The jackal shook her head, and slowly rose to her feet. She winced in pain as she did. “No. I don't... it isn't right of you to look for him. Go do your lion things. I am sure that if its meant to be I'll...find him.”
An shook her head. “No way. I'd go looking anyways now that you told me. Trust me, you probably don't know who I am, but I'm really stubborn. Like, really. My mom says I'm incorrigible, whatever what means.” She wiped off the last bit of blood, and smiled. “Just tell me the way! And I'll be off.”
The jackal didn't seem to hear her. Instead, it limped right up and past An, giving the small cub a look out of the corner of her eyes. “...I must see this through.”
An blinked, and leaned forward. “But I...I can really go, you know. You should stay here. You don't look well at all.”
The jackal narrowed her eyes. “Which fighting with you hardly helped.”
“Hey!” An scoffed. “You attacked me!”
“So, I cannot accept your offer.” The black dog winced. “I don't rely on the help of others.” And with that, she started to slowly limp off into the desert. If her mate was out there- she seemed determined to find it.
An blinked, and suddenly took off after her. “Yeah, well. You can't exactly stop me from following you either!”
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:39 pm
Part III
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So she hadn't.
The jackal seemed to ignore her as she trotted slowly across the desert sands. The sway of the dog's belly troubled An, and quietly, she hoped her fight with the dog had not caused the unborn pups any harm. She wasn't sure if she could handle that kind of guilt. But even restrained by the thought of it- the other female's silence was almost unbearable.
“So, uh.” An called, skipping ahead a few paces. The little dog walked so slowly, it seemed almost a crawl. “Do you have a name or anything?”
The jackal poked her nose into the air. “My name is Preta.”
“Wow, that's a pretty name.” She encouraged, although she did so mostly to keep up small talk. She was happy enough just to have the black dog speaking to her. “So... what happened to you? I heard the screaming early in the morning. Thats how I found you.”
The jackal flattened her ears, and sighed. “If you heard screaming, it wasn't me.”
An's face fell, and she looked generally distraught. Sighing, she slumped forward. “I'm sorry. I didn't know. When I found you, I just assumed... I didn't expect there to be so many people running around needing help! What were you doing beneath the sand?”
Preta shook her head slowly. “I had no choice. The winds were so strong... we were out in the open. My mate and I dug a hole so we could take shelter. But he never made it... or, maybe he didn't expect to. He covered me with the sand, and then I didn't hear anything.” She lowered her snout. “Or didn't want to.”
“Well... I'm sure we'll find him. I spend a lot of time out here.” An reassured, trying her best not to get the little jackal down. But even as she offered the mother words of comfort, An couldn't help but have a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Those screams had been so loud! What other beast had been out in the desert that morning? Her blue eyes narrowed, and she remembered the ghostly shapes that seemed to appear in the sands when they blew. Had monsters gotten Preta's mate? “What's his name? We could start calling it! Surely we must be near where I found you.”
The jackal sniffed, and seemed to scoff at her. “I do not know.”
“You... you don't know his name?” An blinked. “But he's your mate!” Not that the blonde cub proclaimed to know much about the mating rituals of jackals. Or the mating rituals of lions, for that matter. But she was pretty sure her mom knew her dad's name!
Preta seemed disgusted at the comment, and stopped walking. “It is our tradition. If a jackal dies, we never say their name again. It keeps their spirit from becoming lost in the Other World.”
“But, you don't know he's dead,” An said, her mind already spinning with questions about this 'other world.'
“I can't take that chance,” The jackal said flatly. “I won't lead his soul astray. He will hear my calling if he lives. But we won't say his name until I am sure.”
That seemed horrible unfortunate to An. The desert was a large place- and even with the jackal's nose and An's...determination, they were unlikely to find such a tiny creature without a helping hand. And then it hit her like a lightning bolt. They could get some help!
“I know where to go!” An said, suddenly jumping in front of the black dog. “I know a bird! He runs everywhere. We can get him to help us look. I'm sure with the three of us, we'll be able to find your mate.”
The jackal did not seem as excited as An was. She docked one of her ears and grimaced. “Lions, and now birds?”
“You know, there's nothing wrong in helping each other,” An said.
The little dog bristled, and pushed past her. “Don't lecture me on that. I raised a wild dog once. But he was a dog, I am a dog. I don't know what lions or birds are, but they are not of us. I will find him on my own.”
“Well, I don't know anything about dogs or, other worlds. But, I want to help. And I know we can find him if we just let me find my friend. Really, we can! Don't your pups deserve to find their father?” She pleaded.
The jackal stopped walking. For a long moment it stood in the sand, letting the wind buffet softly against her. Then she drooped her head, and dropped her tail. “I have not felt them since this morning. Perhaps they are all dead.” She winced. “They go to the Other World without even having names to call...”
An wibbled and pressed one of her paws to her chin. Oh no! That was so horrible! To lose her children...! But, the cub steadied herself for a moment, and tried her best not to be overtaken into the jackal's infectious sorrow. “This...this other world-” An started, sneakily leading the jackal towards the direction of the bird's nesting site. “What is it like? You keep talking about it. I've never heard of it before.”
The jackal seemed oblivious to being lead. She followed, her bright eyes low and misty. “The Other World is the land of the dead. It is the place all souls enter when they die- where the great jackal king judges all. Lions, dogs, it does not matter. But our kind always has kept the old ways. We watch for places where the boundaries between the two worlds are weak. Some jackals even guide lost spirits into the Other World. But, I have never met such a jackal. I am sure you have your own traditions and great spirits.”
“Really?” An mused. “But uh... no, we really don't believe in that stuff. At least, if we did, no one told me. Firekin believe in strength in life. I... don't know anything about anything past that.”
“That is unfortunate.” The jackal said softly. “No wonder your spirits get lost so easily.”
An wasn't too sure on that. She never felt as though her spirit was in any danger. But then again, she'd never been dead either. It seemed strangely appropriate that other creatures had different beliefs then they did... and yet, it was a very foreign concept. But one thing was for sure. She didn't know what this 'other world' was, but she was determined to rescue the female's mate from it.
“We changed directions.” Preta remarked weakly.
“Yeah, I uh... decided to take us to the bird. You weren't paying attention.” She smiled, twisting her tail in an attempt to show she had meant no harm by it. “I just... I want to make things right, you know? And I think we can do this! Hakkari is a weird fellow, but he runs really fast and he can sort of fly. We'll find your mate in no time!”
The jackal drooped her head. “You say this, but my heart does not feel it is true. But... you will do as you must, I suppose.”
And together, they set off towards bird's roost.
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:40 pm
Part IV
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“So, this other world- are there monsters there?” An asked. They had arrived at the bird's dirt mount not long ago- but unfortunately, the bitter roadrunner was nowhere to be seen. Deciding that some rest was in need, both for Preta's ladened state and An's youth, the two sat on top of the mound, hoping to catch sight of the bird.
The jackal crossed her paws. “... I do not know. I suppose anything is possible. Perhaps bad spirits, who are rejected by the Jackal God, are turned into such things.”
“Hrrrm,” An pondered. The hot noon sun was beating down upon them, and she couldn't help but pant. “It would make sense. But, then again... my mom says there are no such thing as monsters either. One time, I hunted after a monster with my cousin Fia. It turned out to be a cheetah, and not a monster at all. But, he was sort of shady.”
The jackal sighed. The heat was taking its toll on her as well- but, having to answer scores of ridiculous questions was no doubt also weighing heavily upon her. “If there are monsters, I would think they would keep hidden. If we knew about them, then they would be no different from any other danger we face in this life.”
An twitched her tail, considering it. “Hm. That's a good point! I bet they hide. Maybe the cheetah WAS a monster. And he simply turned into a cheetah when we found him.” She'd have to tell Fia about this! Grinning to herself, An quietly giggled. Yes, she was quite sure she had found the answer to her problem.
But, her head party was cut short when the jackal suddenly took in a gasping breath. An lifted her head and followed the other female's eyes. In the distance, a small cloud of dust was slowly moving towards them. “That must be my friend!” An proclaimed, sticking out her chest.
“Your friend moves quite quick.” Preta mused.
Quicker then even An had anticipated. Before they could scarcely blink twice, the wiry bird was upon them. And the noise! She could hardly make out what the bird was saying as he thrashed his feet about, attempting to catch Preta or An with its crow's feet. “AGH!” The bird's shrill voice screamed. “Little blonde monster returns! It comes for Hakkari now! And, look! Jackal thing- you come to eats his eggs, yes? You'll not eats the eggs! Stay still, so Hakkari can peck out pretty eyes!”
It wasn't hard at all for An and Preta to dodge the wild bird. He was flailing so miserably, he rarely even got a few inches near the two. But Preta was not amused. “I thought you said this was your friend!”
An giggled sheepishly, running past a swooping beak. “Well, uh! Maybe not so much a friend as a frenemy.” She skipped around Hakkari, attempting to draw him off of Preta. “Come on Hakkari! We need your help! You don't even have eggs anyways!”
“That is because your friend eats them. Hakkari knows their kind. Little devils. They comes and they eats the eggs right out of the nest. Plop, plop, plop. All gone. Now lion child wishes for the eggs. They have joined forces!” He hollered, flailing his wings to either side. With a particularly lucky shot, he kicked An lightly on the head.
“Owch!” An grimaced, putting one of her paws on her head. But before Hakkari could retaliate, this time, An launched herself into the air. She leapt, catching the bird by his scrawny neck, and using her weight to drag him down to the ground. As if to help- Preta jumped on top of An, until they became one strange, inter-species dog pile. “OKAY. Hakkari, calm down! We need your help!”
Hakkari continued to scream, pinned beneath the cub and the jackal. “Helps? Hakkari is the one who needs the help! They do not care about his poor heart! It is bursting, it is!”
An rolled, fixing her posture. “Listen!” she shouted. “Preta's mate is lost out in the desert! We need your help to try and find him. You can run faster the either of us and sort of fly!”
Hakkari narrowed his beady eyes. “Why does Hakkari care about jackals? Or blonde cubs, for that matter!”
An rolled off of Hakkari, and turned all of her kitten charm up full force. Her eyes went wide. Her whiskers trembled. Her ears seemed to grow bigger as she pressed them against her head. “Because... she's got eggs inside her! And they need their daddy!”
The bird twitched, and glared at the jackal still on top of him. “...Jackal eggs?”
An nodded. “Yes! And their daddy is lost somewhere out in the desert. During that sandstorm last night. You must know, you were out here too!”
He made a strange, uniquely avian noise and twitched his head back and forth as though he were considering her plea. “Eggs,” he replayed. His bright eyes blinked, and squinted. “Do not know if there are eggs. Sand, it rained hard last night. Not see any jackal- but if there was, Hakkari is sure Bhajra got them. Hunts at night, loves to pick off things lost in the sands!”
Preta made a strangled gasp of sorrow. But An leaned in closer.
“Bhajra?” An gasped. “Who is that? Do you know for sure that they took him? Is it some kind of monster?”
“Monster?” the bird snapped. “No monsters! Bhajra is an eagle. Lives on the cliffs. Always tricks Hakkari, eats his lady's eggs. Eats little jackals. Eats little gazelle. Whatever comes in Bhajra's way! It eats, is true. I do not know if that is what became of daddy-jackal, but. Hakkari is sure that Bhajra was out this morning. Heard its wings. Beat, beat, beat. Not silent like other birds. And the screaming!”
An's ears perked. “Yes! I heard it too! Oh, dear. Where can I find this eagle? We have to be sure!”
Preta shook her head. “No. This is all I need to hear. The great god has called my mate... and my pups as well.” She flattened her ears. “Not long before he calls me too.”
An thrashed her paw. “No! Absolutely not! Hakkari!” She rose up on her paws so she was the same height as the bird. “We have to fight! Tell me where the eagle is? I'll find it and make it tell us if he saw him!”
Hakkari's feathers prickled. “Why try? Eagle, sure to eat you as well. Not care between jackals and cubs. Not that Hakkari cares, it would serve the blonde monster right.”
An furrowed her brow. “I'm not afraid. Besides, if he has eaten Preta's mate- he's not about to eat me too! Where can I find him?”
The bird took a long moment, before rising back up onto his feet and brushing himself off with an awkward quirk of his spindly leg. “Cub would get eaten for jackal? That is strange. That's what Hakkari thinks,” he said, looking over at the east ridge. He leaned his head forward, indicating with his beak. “Eagle nests to the south. Swoops down over lion pride. Not far from here, no...”
“Alright!” An said. “That's where I'll go then.”
Preta whined. “Why bother? We already know what is likely. My mate would have found me if he still lived. What is the point in risking further injury? It does not matter anymore...”
But, the little lioness wasn't about to take any of that. “No! No sad talk!” She proclaimed, pointing a paw at Preta. “I don't know what we'll find, but I don't turn down an adventure when I see one. Besides, you said so yourself you didn't care what happened to you. So it does not matter what happens when we go to see the eagle.”
Preta flattened her ears. “That may be true, but you're just a child and-”
An puffed out her chest, and twitched her tail. “I have no notion of dying. The eagle would be a fool to eat me. Besides, I have claws. He is a bird. He will be cautious, I don't think he'll risk a fight. Not if we catch him off guard.”
“She.” Hakkari corrected. “Is a mommy eagle. Very hungry. Babies, very hungry.”
“A mommy eagle?” An pondered, thinking. Yes. They had a chance then! The eagle would surely not be looking for a fight if it had younglings to protect! But then again, it would also be more fierce, and be on the look out for any sign of danger. They would have to move quickly, and fast. “I have a plan.” An declared, turning towards Preta. “But, you should stay here. I don't think its safe for you to go.”
The black jackal scoffed. “And send a child by herself? We're the same size. At least if I go, there's the possibility she'll eat me instead.” As if to silence the discussion, she jumped off the mound. “But I will not hope. At least for anything less then the same fate as my mate.”
An shook her head. That was no way to conduct a mission! How could you expect to win if you were half expecting to die in the process? At least if you died, you died thinking you would succede. Why have it any other way? An flicked her tail, and jumped down beside the jackal. “Well. You should have more faith in me! I haven't failed yet.”
“For one so young, that is hardly surprising.” Preta mumbled.
“You crazy things. Eat you both, is true.” Hakkari jabbered behind them. An was surprised to see, however, that the bird seemed to be following them! She kept quiet for a few, listening to him ramble about their most imminent demise, before turning behind her.
“You're coming with us, Hakkari?” She asked, the wind tussling her curls.
“What?” Hakkari rambled. “Goes with you? I go to see them get eaten! And, Bhajra shall see Hakkari lead her such food. And she will not trouble Hakkari no longer.”
An rolled her eyes, and flicked her tail. “You know, you could have just lied and said you were coming to help.”
“Could I? Then I am coming to helps you, blonde monster!”
An shrugged it off and did her best to keep up with Preta. She seemed to have been invigorated by this recent discovery, and was now practically flying over the sands. As An ran across the sand, watching the sky slowly turn into shades of red, she started to slowly go over her plan in her mind. It wouldn't be long now before they were at the eagle's den- and she only had one shot to make this right.
She only hoped Preta's mate could hang on long enough!
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:43 pm
Part V
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Bhajra's nest was on a small cliff, jutting out of the desert like an island in the sea. As An approached, she realized she had seen this place once before, playing out on the dunes. When she had passed it, she remembered feeling an overwhelming sense of unease. This was a place of death. Even in a desert, which in itself sustained itself off of the constant cycling of death, the nesting spot seemed eerie and out of place. They decided to hide out amongst the shadows of the boulders leading up to the beast's lair, and consider their strategy.
“I do not smell him here.” Preta whispered, her voice low and sorrowful.
“Because she has eats him!” Hakkari yelped. An quickly flung her paw upward, and shut the bird's beak before he alerted the eagle to their presence.
“Ssssh. Hey. I know you want to sell us out or somethin'- but you can't do it until she's got us! Otherwise, you're just going to make the eagle come down and eat you too! Do you want that?” An hissed.
The bird nervously warbled, and decided no, he did not. From then on, he spoke in a whisper- although it was clear he had a hard time sustaining it.
“Now,” An said. “Its almost dusk. The eagle will be waking up and getting ready to hunt again. We'll have to catch her before she flees her nest. I don't know how big eagles usually are, but their shadows are pretty huge. So she's probably nesting in that big cleft up near the top. That will be where her eggs are. And your mate!”
Preta shook her head. “Just let me go. I will speak to Bhajra, and if she chooses to eat me, it is what was written.”
An scoffed. “None of that stuff is true. Just, sssh. I've got a plan. But you're going to have to let me go first. And I'm not going to take anything short of victory! Are you listening to me? If we go in thinking we're going to get eaten- that's what's going to happen! And I'd really rather not get eaten!” She pointed a tiny paw. “My mom would be soo mad.”
The jackal sighed, heaving her shoulders. “I don't see how I can be hopeful. Even if he lives. I doubt now that our children do.”
An pushed the melancholy dog out of the way, and focused on her plan. Hakkari and Preta might have expected an inevitable demise- but she didn't! She was a lioness! Eagles might eat cubs, but big lions could eat eagles if they caught them. Bhajra would be cautious around her, she was sure of it. And with her eggs so close by? No. An was sure she could by time long enough for them to interrogate the eagle, and come out of it alive. After a short mental pep talk, An started to crawl over the rocks. Her pelt, seemingly blending into the sand. “Come on. Just follow me. It's going to be alright!”
Preta didn't seem to lighten up any. But for what it was worth, she crawled up onto the rock and carefully followed after. Hakkari hung back, lying low for his triumphant victory over the whole occasion. An only hoped he wouldn't suddenly get smart, and give them up while they were in clear sight of the great bird.
From here on out, there was silence between the lion cub and the jackal. An laid low to the ground as she stalked forward, thankful for each step that did not cause an alarm at the nest. All she had to do was get to the rock. She was sure once her claws were firmly planted into the stone, she'd be able to defend herself. But it was a slow process- and they were running out of time!
Almost ten feet to the nest, An suddenly noticed a small flutter of brown wings. The eagle was stirring! Instinctively, she lay low to the ground, sucking in a strangled gasp. Had they been spotted? She hadn't signaled anything to Preta, but a careful glance behind her showed that the jackal was doing the same. The bird seemed to turn inside its cave. She didn't see them! At least, not yet! Taking another slow breath, An suddenly made a dash for the rocks. Just a bit closer, and there was no way they could be spotted!
And running through the sands, An was able to take a leaping dive towards the rocks. Her claws sunk into the safety of solid ground. Yes! Part one of the plan was complete! Now, they just had to-
A shriek echoed in the air, rattling off the rocks and stone. An gasped and turned around to see Preta- lengths behind her, frozen beneath a slowly spiraling shadow. The eagle had flown from its den! But how? She had been so sure- An glanced upwards, and suddenly saw that the eagle was still very much in her nest. Her head was sticking out, and her beady eyes were focused on the sky.
Bhajra had a mate!
“You didn't say there was two of them!” An yelled at Hakkari, who seemed genuinely surprised. It had been obvious. Why would the eagle have babies if there wasn't a daddy eagle? Oh, this plan had quickly gone to the dogs, that was for sure!
The shadow of the daddy eagle rounded across Preta, who was still frozen in horror, her bright pink eyes wide. The eagle was diving! An made a squeak, attempting to get Preta to move- but the little dog was paralyzed. An started to run- but she barely made it halfway before the massive eagle fell from the sky. It grabbed the little jackal by the shoulders and forced her into the sand, and began to bite at her head.
“Hey! Hey!” An shrieked, trying to startled the bird. Ten more feet! Her little paws dug into the sand. She wasn't even sure what she was doing now. She knew she could scare the eagle by coming into its nest- but out here in the open! There was no way she would be able to stop the eagle from grabbing her too. But even as she thought that, she pictured her next actions. She wasn't afraid. And she wasn't going to ruin this adventure by being eaten!
The little jackal was shrieking. The sound flooded into An's ears as she pounced, her tiny claws outstretched. The noise was so loud that the eagle did not hear her advance. A second later, she hit a wall of feathers, muscle, and dangerous claws.
The eagle made a shriek of surprise as An grasped onto its back. Somewhere in the den, the eagle's mate yelped in warning. An knew she only had a few seconds before the eagle would repel her- so she did her best to do as much damage as a cub possibly could. She went for the delicate wings, and bit down hard, thrashing her claw against the eagle's back. The sounds of Preta shrieking were soon replaced by the strangled cries of the eagle.
But, the eagle was not one to be best. He spun around, practically lifting An off the desert sand with a swipe of his wings, and flung her off of him. The bird turned and ran towards her, hopping up into the air and slashing his talons to scare her back. Worried that the eagle would simply return his attention back to the wounded jackal, An made another dive at the bird, hoping she'd scare him into a flight. But the eagle was not so easily scared. He jumped up again and raked his talons across her snout, challenging the little cub with a brutal scream.
“Ah!” An shrieked. For a moment, her sight was clouded by stars. She flailed her claws outwards, hoping to catch the eagle if her dared come closer. But it seemed that now that they were separated, neither combatant was interested in coming any closer.
When the stars finally cleared, An saw the stage before her. The eagle, with its sharp green eyes focused directly upon her. Preta, laying on the sand. She had her head raised, and she was panting in fear. The mother eagle, Bhajra, had taken to the sky. She wheeled around them, and An watched as the shadow slowly moved across their bodies. Her face stung from where the eagle had struck it. Tiny droplets of red blood sprinkled the sand beside her paw. Every reason to be terrified. Her fur was on end, like she had been electrified. And yet... she did not feel afraid.
The eagle screamed in challenge, and opened his wings like a shield. The shadow danced across his face.
An stood still, her tail twitching. She shook off the blood that had pooled on her face. “You can't beat me, bird!” An called to the eagle. It seemed to surprise him, his feathers puffed out, and he peered at her curiously. “You'd better fly away!”
The shadow of the other eagle began to drift towards An. She knew it was likely that the other bird was planning to dive upon her. She doubted she could deflect it. She was tiny- and with nothing but sand to hold her to the ground, the beast could probably do what she wanted with her.
And then, the telltale whistle. The bird was diving. An charged forward towards the male eagle. Better the opponent she could deal with then the one she couldn't. He seemed shocked by her actions and jumped into the air, ready to slash his talons at her face a second time. And still, she felt cool. She leapt, and dodged to the side in a splash of sand. The eagle flung his claws outward, narrowly missing her delicate ears. She decided to do the best she could by distracting them. Her teeth sunk into the bird's tail feathers, and she pulled the opposite direction of his spinning. The eagle howled, kicking its feet and attempting to remove the cub from its backside. The mother eagle stopped her descent prematurely. She flapped her wings and growled in rage, taking back to the air.
But the feather's of the male eagle were already pulling loose. Another twist- and the eagle was free. Again he used the powerful force of his wings to slash into the air. This time, they struck An in the face, stinging her wound. She gasped, and another flash of claws sent her flying backwards. She rolled in a ball, coughing up sand.
Struggling for breath, An eyed the bird. She had landed on her belly, and as the eagle started to wheel, she knew she wasn't going to have enough time to stand and dodge aside. The eagle leapt forward in a pounce- before a flash of black pooled into him. Preta! The little dog knocked the eagle to his back, but hadn't thought to do much more past that. It was easy enough for the eagle to grasp her with his claws. He moved forward, grasping her by the muzzle, and thrusting her into the desert sands.
An growled. Perhaps they could just wear the eagles out! But, judging by Preta's wailing, she doubted the little jackal could take much more. The blonde cub gathered up another well of strength, and charged back at the eagle.
In her rage, she barely caught the sound of whistling up above. The mother eagle was diving- and before the lion cub could reach her mate, she crashed into An, pushing her down into the sand.
Now, both eagles were victorious.
An thrashed. “Let me go!” She growled. “Or I will make you so sorry!” She struck blindly at whatever might have been eagle, but the bird's vice-like grip forced her further into the sand. She felt a sharp jab of pain as it pecked her on the head.
The two eagles relaxed for a moment, panting. It was a rare occasion that they both managed a kill! The male eagle twisted his head, and gave a soft call to his mate, who eagerly responded. Bhajra was having a bit harder of a time restraining her catch. Underneath the weight of the eagle, An coughed, spitting up sand.
And then, somewhere in between the frantic sounds of An's thrashing and Preta's whining, another voice called down. For all An could tell, it might have been the great jackal god himself.
“Birds!” The voice said. “So foolish, they is! Now Hakkari has their eggs! No more eatings!”
The eagle made a shocked noise, and released An just enough so that she could lift up her head. Up above in the eagle's nest was Hakkari! His long, willowy body stretched down so he could see them, and an egg grasped in his claws. It was dangerously close to the edge, and An's eyes lit up in delight as she realized the roadrunner's plans.
The eagles did as well. They grew deathly quiet, and watched what the crazy bird would do.
Hakkari pushed one of the eggs off the cliff. It fell with a splat on the ground below. An had never heard a more satisfying noise. The eagles shrieked- but froze when Hakkari rolled the next egg towards the ledge. “Hakkari is the boss now! Hahaha. Not think that, did you? Now, let the blonde monster and the jackal with the eggs go. And maybe Hakkari not drops your other eggs. Or maybe not! Hakkari does not like eagles much...”
“You heard him!” An growled, standing up and forcing the eagle off her. Almost in a daze, the eagle hopped off, her eyes wide and focused solely upon her eggs. The male eagle had not yet released Preta- but one sharp look from An had him moving. The little jackal was winded and bleeding, but she was able to crawl out from underneath the eagle. Her tail tucked between her legs, she quickly ran to An's side.
Hakkari gave a little chortle of delight. But, An knew it was only a matter of time before the eagles realized they could retaliate. She turned around, and moved in front of them, pointing her paw squarely down at them. “Don't drop the egg Hakkari!” An called over her shoulder. “You! I said you were not going to beat me! Now. We'll let your eggs go. But first we have some questions!”
Bhajra squawked, and pulled her head back.
An tapped the jackal lightly on the shoulder. Her eyes never leaving the eagle, she back up towards the eagle's den, until she was directly below Hakkari. Her feet squished against the yoke which had broke on the stones below. “Hakkari- now! Drop the egg!”
“Crazy blonde thing.” The bird muttered, and kicked it off the ledge.
The white egg fell down, straight into An's waiting paws. A second later, An's claws curled around it. “If you want your egg back- you'll tell us about Preta's mate! Did you eat him?”
Bhajra twitched. When she spoke, her voice was raw and almost incoherent. “Lion child will regret threatening us. We did not eat a jackal. You are wrong. Give us the egg! Or we shall eat you!”
An snapped her teeth in front of the egg, and the birds flinched. “Then you will tell us where he is! You can fly over this whole desert! Find him with your sharp eyes, and maybe I won't eat your eggs! I hear they're very good.”
Preta shuddered against the pain in her shoulder, but did her best to suddenly look confident. “Yes. Eggs are quite delicious. You will do as the lioness says, eagles. Find my mate!”
The two eagles seemed to take a moment to look at one another, squawking bitterly between them. And then, the male took to the air. For a long moment the mother eagle glared at them, as though she were considering attacking. But after another second, she took to the air as well- leaving the jackal and the cub alone in the sand. Winded, An sunk into the sand, holding the egg in her paws.
“That was close!” She sighed. “We'll keep this egg to be sure they don't try anything.”
The jackal turned towards her. “Your face-” she started, nosing towards the slash marks.
“I'm fine!” An purred. Actually, it stung horribly. But it wasn't serious. “Really, don't worry about it. I'm more worried about what mom will say when she sees it!”
But the jackal didn't seem to want to take that as an answer. She leaned down and started to lick the wound. It stung, but An couldn't help but feel touched. They'd certainly come a far way from where the story had began. An only hoped now that the eagles would find their mark. Hopefully, they wouldn't just return back with an entire flock of eagles.
Wincing against Preta's gentle administrations, An looked upwards to where Hakkari was still dutifully poised in the eagle's den. “Hakkari! You're a hero!” The cub adored. “You really saved us back there! What happened to you selling us out, huh?”
The roadrunner squawked, and twitched his head. “Hakkari regrets that he got caught up in the moment. Can't have blonde monster being eatens. They'll think Hakkari did it! And then, all lions, they tries to eats. Not good, not good.”
An smiled, pulling the egg close to her chest so it would stay warm. “Well... thanks, really.”
And so, they waited.
[][][]
And the eagles did return. First the male, directing them to follow. With the egg clutched delicately in her teeth, the trio had followed the path the eagles had set forth. It took them out into the sands, where it was already starting to kick up again. There was a sorrow in the moment. The eagles weren't the only birds in the sky that afternoon- in the distance, a dozen buzzards slowly swooped overhead.
They arrived at Preta's mate not more then an hour after all of this had happened. Half buried in sand, the strange gathering of creatures stood around the poor body, ravaged by the sun and the buzzards. Preta stopped in front of the little body and simply sat, staring down at him sadly. An, with the egg still held in her mouth, turned to deal with the angry eagles.
Bharja was quite upset over all of this. Her feathers were ruffled and splayed. Cautiously, the little cub scooted forward, until she dropped the egg in front of them. “Now! I kept it pretty warm. But you'd better get it back to the nest. I don't think it can take much more. So don't be trying anything.”
For a moment, An wasn't sure if the eagle's would comply. Once the egg was returned, they lost all their bargaining chips- but An was banking on the eagles not wanting to lose another of their eggs. And after a moment of nervous warbling, it seemed that she was right. The mother eagle moved forward and picked up the egg delicately in her claws. Then, with some assistance from her mate, the two eagles took to the sky, becoming only specs on the horizon.
But they couldn't stay here forever. An didn't doubt that at least the daddy eagle might return for revenge, so she quietly walked up behind Preta.
“I'm... really sorry about your mate, Preta.” An whispered. “I wish I had been able to save him.”
The little jackal gave a soft whine, and touched the small windswept tail. “It... cannot be helped. I thank you for trying though... and saving me twice now.”
An smiled, and stretched out her paw. “How could I not? We'll have to get moving though...there's no way to tell if the eagles will come back for us. I can help you bury him.” The cub said, moving around the small body. She put her paw in the sand, ready to shovel some on top of him- when the jackal stopped her with a tap of her paw.
“That is not our way.” Preta said softly. “As we eat from the dead, so will others eat from us. It is... as it should be.”
An gasped softly at the rather grotesque thought. She looked down at the scrap of fur, and bowed her head. “Well... then I hope he makes it to your other world safely.”
Preta smiled weakly. “Yes... him and my children. They will-oh!”
An turned around, pulling her paw up in shock. “What's the matter?” Had she seen a ghost? The whole setting was certainly eerie enough for one!
“No...it's just...!” She gasped, rising up onto her back feet. “My pups- I felt them! They've come back to me!”
An grinned, half in tears. “Yaay!” She shrieked. “That's amazing! That- that, it must be meant to be! We must get home then! And make sure you are alright!”
The little jackal seemed to be blinking away her own tears. Flattening her ears, she bowed her head in front of her mate, and stood. “Yes...I think...there is still much for me to live for. Goodbye, my dear love.” She whispered.
And together, An and the little jackal returned back to the protection of the firekin's lands.
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 6:22 am
Part VI
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The next few days had been hard ones. When she had come home with her face looking like it had gone through a shredder, Kaanga had gone into hysterics. Despite An's protests that she was fine, Kaanga had dragged her to her cousin Ea's. It had already been quite late- and Ea was none to happy to see herself once again being thrust into the spotlight as some sort of medic. A few hours of agonizing cleaning, a salve made of a root, and she was grounded. Quite possibly forever.
But by the second day, Kaanga had cool down enough to let her out for at least an hour. An didn't doubt her constant groaning had had some influence over her mother's patience- but, she wasn't about to argue. With her face still black and blue, she immediately went back to the spot where she had left Preta. She worried she might end up finding nothing but a dead body.
The blonde cub climbed up the rock mound, her tiny claws slipping against the hot rocks. It was the first time she had been out since getting wailed on by the pair of eagles, and she winced as her young muscles ached. She hadn't been expecting such a strain. By the time she finally reach the small cleft, she was out of breath and winded.
From inside the depth of the rocks, An heard a small whine. Her ears perked up immediately, and she pulled herself up onto the ledge. “Hey, Preta- you okay? Sorry I couldn't come sooner. Mom got really angry at me. Grounded for a loong time.”
She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She could see the small lump of jackal to the far back of the rocks, wedged against the boulders. As An approached closer, the little dog lifted her head, and wagged the end of her tail. She laughed softly, although it was still tinged with sorrow. “Hello An,” She said. “Oh- your face...”
The cub smiled, and she pulled up a paw to ghost over it. “Ehehe. Yeah, was sort of hard to lie my way out of that one. The swelling will go away though! I'll be fine. That's what Ea says. Mom says I was very foolish.”
The jackal shook her head slowly. “I was foolish. I should not have let my grief lead you off into danger. You're just a child. Just like...” Her voice trailed off, and she looked down towards her abdomen. “...my children.”
An grinned and moved around the black dog. At this young age, the jackal was just big enough for An to sit besides at the same height. She leaned against the wry dog's frame, and cross her paws. “Naah. It's like I said before. I couldn't not help. How are the babies...? Do you think they will come soon?”
The dog paused for a long moment, and shifted her large white tipped ears. “They live, I can feel it... but anything past that, I'm not sure. When my mate and I were caught in that sandstorm, we had been trying to move to a new den. Our old one had gotten taken over by a cobra.” She squinted. “If...we had just stayed there and fought it off, maybe this would have turned out better. He wanted to fight. I thought it would be safer if we just moved...”
“But, cobras can be dangerous. I think you made the right choice, even if it didn't end well.” An reminded. Slightly idle, she started to lick at some of the dog's wounds. They were a bit more severe then An's were- and privately, An had to wonder what her mom would have said if she had come home looking like Preta.
She winced against the wound tending. “I would think lion cubs had better things to do then take care of depressed jackals.”
“Well,” An sighed. “Only so much things I can do during the day. Besides, I do what I want to do. You're my friend! And, we have two very angry eagles probably plotting our demise. That seems about as good a reason as any!”
The jackal chuckled weakly. “I don't doubt those eagles... will forget what happened to them.” She glanced over at An with one of her bright eyes. “But, I also don't doubt that in a few months, you'll be so big that you won't need to worry about such a thing.”
An scoffed. “I already don't worry! As long as there's some other lions nearby, I don't think stupid eagles would try to eat me. I'm far too clever.”
She smiled weakly, and nodded. “Well. I appreciate... having someone to talk to. I'd never thought it would be a lioness.”
The blonde cub purred, and nuzzled her older friend. But just as quickly, she suddenly realized she had a very particular question to ask of Preta! “Hey, so...I sort of had a question. This is going to sound really silly, but no one has told me.”
The jackal raised her head, and looked towards the child. She seemed to tilt her head to the side- as though she was not entirely sure what the cub might have been getting at. But she wagged the end of her tail. “Well, if I can answer?”
“Where did your puppies come from?” An blinked, her blue eyes suddenly going into 'cute-kitten' mode. “Cause I... am sort of confused about that.”
Preta's face fell, and her ears just as fast. “......” For a moment, she seemed to dumbstruck to say anything. Then, she chuckled nervously and rubbed her head with her paw. “I think that's probably a better question for your mother.”
“I did ask her!” An admitted. “And she told me that she and my dad flew up into the sky and traveled to the sun. Where they picked us out of the fire and then came back down with us. But she said it with her 'I don't want to answer this question' face, so I have a feeling she was being tricky.”
Even the embittered jackal couldn't help but keep an 'aaww' from slipping from her lips. But she wasn't about to give THAT lecture to An. At least not to some cute-faced kitten! “Well, uh...that's...inspired of her. But, I think that's the sort of thing... you should grow up a little bit to learn. Besides, it's not very interesting anyways.”
This was unacceptable. An flailed out her paws. “Aww! No one ever tells me. It's not like I'm going to go find cubs of my own or something. I was just wondering where I came from and all. Or where your babies came from.”
“Well, my babies.” Preta said, leaning her head down onto her paws with a smile. “My mate and I flew up to the moon to get them.”
“Ufff.” An groaned, falling backwards onto the stone gravel. “You're as bad as my mother! Well. I guess I'll figure it out. I'm pretty tricky too, when I want to be.”
“I don't doubt that.” Preta mused. “But don't worry about it. Trust me, the best parts of life are the ones where you don't have to worry about boys or tiny mouths to feed.”
Boys. So boys were involved in the scandal! An balked and stuck out her tongue. Daddy was okay for a boy. The others though... were pretty much dumbfaces. Always trying to drop lizards on her or treating her like a girl. “I punched a boy in the face once.” An remarked.
“You certainly are a... spirited child, that's for sure.”
“One day I have to leave here.” She suddenly said, almost sadly.
The jackal turned her head and blinked. “Leave? Why? You shouldn't be planning to run away already. You're just a cub.”
“Not running away. It's just how things are. I'm not red, so I can't live here. Which is pretty cool... mom says we were born wrong colors because firekin were needed somewhere else in the world. That we've got something really important to do.” She rolled over onto her back. “But... what's it like outside the desert? You've seen it, right?”
The jackal seemed perplexed by such a strange ritual. In her culture, black jackals were considered more loftier then the rest- but, beyond that they didn't seem to even bat an eye at color. “Well.... it's very big. It doesn't look anything like it does here.”
“Really?” An asked, her blue eyes widening. “Is the sky still blue there?”
“It's the same sky.” Preta explained. “Although... it might rain, so sometimes it gets very dark at times, even during the day.”
“What does rain look like?” The blonde cub asked.
“It... well, it's water that falls from the sky. It doesn't always happen, but some times during the year it rains almost nonstop. It makes all the ground green with plants and other things. It's quite a bit different from the desert- although, I have a fondness for the latter. All jackals feel a kinship with the desert.”
“So do I,” An said, folding her paws on her chest. “Are...there other deserts, do you think?”
“Oh, most certainly.” Preta remarked. “I was born in a desert that wasn't this one. There is even a great desert, far far to the north. Bigger then anything in the world.”
The cub lit up and sat upright. “Really? Someday I'll go see it then. I really want to see everything. If I have to go, I want to make sure I make good use of it.” She looked over her shoulder. “You should come with me!”
The jackal blinked, and folded her paws. “Well... that's quite a journey. I... well, I suppose that will depend on my pups.”
An grinned. “I think you should. After all, you said I'd be really big soon. We could travel all over! Eagles wouldn't scare me any more.” As if to show her strength, she pricked out her claws.
The jackal chuckled to herself and settled down. “Well, we shall see. It sounds like a fine adventure indeed.”
An grinned mischievously and nodded. “Okay! But, now I'd better get going. Mom only gave me an hour to be off today, and I think if I'm gone longer then that she'll skin me alive.”
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:17 am
Part VII
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With An gone, Preta fell into a deep and restless sleep. Sore from her wounds, she had to strike a hard bargain between looking for the food her pups would desperately need, and the sleep that she so ached for. She was well aware she could have asked the little lioness child for assistance in the matter- but Preta was a proud jackal. She wasn't about to have some child simply overtake everything for her. Before her mate had died, they had been a coherent and brutal team. In fact, she had first met him during a hunt.
It had been to the far east- where the land was most steppe and you could smell the sea not far off. She'd always liked that country, even though she favored the desert. It was a great land for hares. Fast little creatures, but there were few things she enjoyed more then hopping on top of one of their fragile burrows, and watching it cave in. The hare bolting out like a flash of brown and white, their tail high in the air. Sometimes she gave chase- sometimes, she simply dug deep into the burrow and checked for any abandoned kits. Those were quite good, although sometimes you just wanted a good chase.
On this particular occasion, Preta had chosen the former option. With the angry hare gone to the wind, she was digging into the earth, smelling around for the little things. The smell of dirt was overwhelming. She hadn't even noticed him near her, until he had appeared sitting on the roof of the burrow, just above her.
“My,” The Jackal had said, “What a fine tail I see.”
Preta remembered being quite flustered over this. She gasped, inhaling quite a bit of dust as she did and started to cough. This had only managed to make her look all the more comical- her behind wagging in the air as she struggled to free herself from the tangled roots and claustrophobic conditions. Sputtering, she had emerged- coming face to face with a most mysterious face. “What?” She had balked.
“I was simply commenting on your tail, my dear.” He thrummed. He always had had such a lovely voice. It was deep, slightly tinged with age. He was a few years her senior, and she was still a long legged youth.
“Oh, were you?” She had spat, pretending to be offended. Truthfully, she had loved the flirting. She was hungry, but she hadn't realized until then just what she had been hungry for.
Hunger. Her belly ached, returning her back to the present. She looked down at her swollen abdomen, and decided she would have to find something to eat if she was to even make a half attempt at whelping. But her shoulders hurt, and as she rose she could feel them grinding against the socket. That b***h of an eagle had thrashed her good. But at the same time, she thanked fate for having scared her back to her senses. Before the eagle, she had been willing to die. She had wanted to follow her mate.
Now... now, she wanted to live. For her children, for her mate. And for her strange young friend, An.
The black jackal winced as started to trot. Stiff bones did not make for good traveling companions. Nor would they make good assets in hunting. Hopefully, one of these lions had made a kill recently that she might be able to feet upon. The lions of the firekin were notoriously testy and an agitated bunch- but she wondered if they'd perhaps scent the cub on her. Maybe she'd at least be allowed to steal a couple of bones.
It wasn't like they ate them.
Hopping down from the rock face brought another stab of pain to her thin frame. It made her fur stand on end. Nope. This wasn't good at all. As she started out over the desert, wary of the sky, she made a silent prayer that the lions had at least been generous in their kills lately. She wasn't sure if she could even manage to hunt a lizard in this condition!
It would take some while before Preta found a kill suitable enough for a jackal to safely feed upon. The first two she had found already had visitors- the first, a pair of fiery red lions, bickering over their share. The second, a venerable army of vultures. At times the great birds and jackals could even be considered allies- but in this particular instance, they seemed none too interested to share with her. The final one she found was little more then the half bleached corpse of some wayward beast. The lions had already cleaned off most of the choice parts- but Preta could scent some of the meat still lingering at the hard to reach spots.
Checking once to be sure the coast was clear, Preta ran over to the dead beast, and started to eat her fill. Out in the open she felt on edge, and she could scarcely taste the rancid meat as she shoved it down her mouth, appeasing her hungry belly. One thing she did become aware of, however- was that she was not alone.
Working diligently inside the beast's skull, was a fat black rat. It turned to the jackal with a kind of nervous disinterest- but seeing the female going to work at the hips of the fallen prey, did not seem too worried. Preta doubted she could have caught the rat, even if she had tried. “Don't trouble yourself.” The jackal muttered, pulling off a strip of meat. If it could be called that. “I'm not about to eat you.”
The rat seemed to smile. His whiskers twitched. Jackals were known for their generosity when it came to scavenging. Cobras, however, were not.
A second later, a flash of white struck out against the little animal. The rat could hardly even let out a squeak as the cobra struck it swiftly on the face. But just as soon as it had bit the foolish animal, it turned around and rose up in front of Preta, it's wide hood spreading in the sun. Behind him, Preta could hear the dying squeaks of the rodent as the snake's poison went to work.
Preta's hackles raised. She recognized this cobra. The albino one. “You!” She hissed.
The snake wheeled around the dead corpse, and flicked his tongue. “Ah! The Dead-Speaker. You nearly fouled my hunt! What an unfortunate thing that would have been. I might have had to eat you instead!” Eingana purred, in his deep, throaty voice. “I remember your scent. It lingers in my home.”
The jackal bristled and bared her teeth. “I doubt you could swallow me, snake. And I remember you as well. You are the creature who overtook my den.”
“Ah, yes!” The snake smiled. “It is a good den, isn't it? When I saw it, I knew the great snake had deemed it for me. You, a jackal- it was a sign! How lovely. How are you then?” As he spoke, he seemed to dance. It was hard to tell if he was readying for a strike or being friendly.
Preta decided to err on the side of caution, and take a few steps back. The snake might not have been able to eat her, but she was quite sure it could land her a brutal bite. “Don't mock me with niceties. Eat your kill, and I'll eat mine.”
“So rude! Why, why so rude?” The snake mused. “These things are customary, are they not? I take your den. You find new den for puppies. I simply am doing my job in this. I always thought jackals were much more...reverent. We are both death-speakers, are we not?”
The jackal growled. “Customary? You are the cause of my mate's death! If we had just stayed and bit your head off like we should have, he'd still be alive.”
The snake shook his head. “Ah! That is tragic. But, such things are written, you know. Come now. I threaten you out of jest. I will bite you if you attack me, or if you tried to take back your home. But I am not the reason your mate died. Our kind, we walk hand and hand with death. Or, well...” he paused. “Only, not so much with hands for snakes, you see? You should know these things better.”
"I am not really in the mood to be preached to by a cobra.” In a sudden show of boldness, she started to get back to eating. To hell with him. She need her strength. If he wasn't going to bite her, then...!
The snake seemed a bit put out by not receiving the same courtesy that he had offered. The snake scoffed and settled back down onto the sand, flicking his tongue out merrily. “How unfortunate. It seems only we serpents remember the old ways. Ah...is a tragedy, but? We shall be rewarded.” As he slipped about the bones, Preta could hear his chuckled float about. “Unfortunate that she is forced to feast off of such....rotting flesh. Cannot be good for one in her state. One who has made an enemy of the eagles.”
The dog's ears perked up, and she swallowed the last bits of meat. “Where did you hear about that?”
The snake smiled, or at least, as well as a snake could. “I hear of everything in this desert. It should be no surprise. The great one- she has heard of it. So now I hear of it. I hear it rumble up through the sandsss.” He continued. “That jackals and lion cubs are no longer kin to the birds. Perhaps they shall catch you, out in the open like this. Listen, you can hear their wings beat in the sand...”
The jackal raised her head and looked intently upon the sky. But there was nothing, not even a cloud. She frowned, and bit off another chunk. “What do you know.” She muttered.
“I know that jackals are Death-speakers.” He mused. “So are cobras. Hnn. Such meat, not even fit for a jackal. It is unfortunate.”
The jackal hissed. “Why, do you know of a better place?”
“Perhaps I do.” The snake remarked, sliding into the sand. “I will eat my dinner now, and... maybe then I shall take you. Do not eat the sour meat. You may have a strong stomach, but I doubt it is well enough for...that.”
The jackal scrunched up her snout. “I don't trust snakes.”
“Nor should you...” The cobra chuckled, and disappeared behind the fallen animal's skull. For the moment, however... Preta would just have to wait and see.
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:06 am
Part VIII
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Watching the cobra eat had been a bitter, and slightly nauseating affair. If she had ever felt thankful to be a jackal, she was at that moment. After such a foul display, there was no doubt in her mind that jackals were truly exalted amongst these... belly crawlers. Just the thought of it sent a chill up her spine, even as the pair slowly moved across one of the dunes.
He claimed to know where a kill might be. Preta wasn't so sure she believed him. Was he allied with the eagles, she wondered? Her nose crinkled. So far she had seen nothing to the skies, but the wariness in her gut did not leave her. Unfortunately, however, Preta was aware she didn't have much of a choice. She needed food, and the cobra had been right about the rancid corpse. It was too far gone even for her iron stomach. She would have to simply trust fate, and hope that the cobra who had started this whole ordeal was feeling just a bit guilty.
“Why are you taking me to this place, anyways?” Preta asked, her tail swishing. “You're giving me quite an opening at the back of your head. It would be east to pounce on you. Maybe you simply want to die.”
Although, Preta suddenly regretted voicing that notion out loud.
The snake chuckled lowly. “I think not,” he said, not changing his course. “You are hungry jackal. Without her mate. I have told you already- we are Death Speakers. I would surely be cursed for not respecting the great snake's wishes. He lead you to that place, so that I might atone.”
“Atone?” The jackal balked. “I didn't know you were feeling guilty! Good.”
The snake gave another one of his eerie non-smiles. “Atonement and feeling guilty are two different things. If I felt guilty, I would return your home. But, I am not. So I do not. But your presence is an omen for me. It means that the great snake, for whom I share my name, has something else in mind for you. So I will honor the omen.”
Preta shook her head slowly. Talking to this snake was like talking to a rubix cube. But whether he meant to be good or not, the whole thing left a sour taste in her mouth. “And what of that rat? What happens if you meet his widow and eighty children tomorrow? Will you be obligated to go find them something to eat?”
The snake scoffed. “Rats are cull. Hardly worth the ground they walk upon. There are only a few chosen creatures left on this earth, and the snakes rule over all. No. I would not care if I saw the rat, for it is beneath a snake to even think they would have importance in the next life. Jackals, however, are chosen creatures. As are the lions, and the vultures. We have importance. When the world is consumed by the great snake, it is we who shall exist. The snakes shall rule- and the jackals shall judge. Is that not what your kind teaches?”
Preta shifted uncomfortably. “The great Jackal god. This story I know, but I have never heard snakes being apart of that Other World.” She sniffed. It sounded like snakes to write themselves into their afterlife. Lions and vultures Preta could tolerate. Snakes... no. If snakes ruled the world, then it was truly something foul. “And yet, you still took my den.”
“Such is life.” He thrummed. “It is unfortunate, yes? But, here I am. I have your den, but I shall pay honor to the jackal god by leading you to food. I believe you have more importance then a rat. So when you die, you shall speak on Eingana's behalf!”
While that might have been true, Preta hoped her mate would speak loudly in this one's damnation. Just the thought of it brought a smile to her lips. She wasn't sure what this snake was getting at with omens and atonement, but she believed that he believed what he said. And she could only hope then that he was truthful about leading her to food. Just the thought of it made her stomach groan slowly. She needed fresh meat. Red meat. If she was going to have the strength to survive her injuries, let alone birth these pups.
The snake continued his slow, 's' shaped curves across the sand. Despite not having feet, he moved as though he were swimming through the sand. The further out they went, the more concerned Preta got. She wheezed as fatigue started to set in. “I do not know where you're taking me snake, but I cannot go much further.”
“It is not much further,” he said. “Up over this ridge here. You shall find what you seek.”
“And just how do you know there won't be a dozen vultures at the kill? Or a bunch of hungry lions?” She muttered.
“There is a hungry lion. I did not say there would not be. But she will not trouble us. We are below her sights, so to speak.” The snake mused. “It is a fresh kill, made just this morning. Left outside the darkness. This lioness, she is a Death Speaker too- although lions rarely are. She oversees the living dead. She is a friend of mine. Raised her, have I. Since we were both very small.”
She shifted her ear. “A lioness?”
“Indeed. One of the great ones. Her eyes see in two directions at once. Do not worry. She is far too busy to be concerned with you.” The snake mused.
Preta wasn't too sure about that. But, she followed the white snake anyways until they were just outside the large cave where Ea had been nursing Vlam. Sure enough- near the side of the cleft, a herdbeast of some sort hard been slaughtered, and half eaten. More then enough for a single lioness. It was fresh, and not even the vultures had begun to pick at it. As Preta took in the sight, her jaw dropped open. “This is far too fresh a kill!” Preta gaped. “The lioness will be protecting it.”
“You should listen to what I say,” said the snake. “I am familiar to this lioness. She and I are in understanding. You will eat here, but not always. Otherwise we may strain her patience. But for now... it is good.”
The jackal didn't need much more prompting. She rushed forward, wary of the cave's mouth. Half expecting a lioness to burst forth from the darkness and attack, she started to devour the fresh meat. The kill was warm- and not just from the sun. It tasted as thought the blood had not stopped pulsing through it, and her body practically trembled as she swallowed some of the delicious meat. Meat that was not just the sad remnants of a decaying kill- but parts where the actual killer would have been pleased to eat. She was so preoccupied with her frantic eating that she had forgotten the snake which had provided it.
The albino had moved up and into the opening of the cave. He was stretched out, and seemed to be sunning himself. Preta had to wonder if he was not, in fact, lying about all of this. “Thank you. I won't forgive what you've done but... thank you.”
The snake opened a single red eye. “Thanks is not necessary for me. I have done my deed, and the debt is paid.” He thrummed slowly to himself. “But, eat as much as you can and take back whatever you can carry. It is not a favor I shall be in the habit of repeating.”
The jackal nodded, swallowing down another chunk. She was already eyeing a large meaty bone she would work off and carry back to her new living area. It wasn't much.
But it was starting to be something.
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 10:22 am
Part IX
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She awoke from a nightmare, her head jerking upright and her paws splaying to either side of her. In her dream, she had heard Him call her from the Other World. Nervously, she lowered her head, swallowing against the tightness in her throat. It felt dry. She couldn't escape the pressing fear that her survival... was somehow not what had been decided for her. What if she and her mate had been meant to die together? She shuddered, and shifted her tail. 'No,' she thought. Her mate would never ask such a thing from her. He'd want her to survive. Her and their children...
Preta looked over the darkness of the small rock cave. The large hunk of meat she had dragged into her den earlier was still fresh smelling, and she privately applauded herself on having managed to drag it all the way, despite her injuries. But as she sat up, Preta became aware that although this cave was... adequate, it was not a proper den. It was drafty, and far too large. Now that her belly was full and she had slept son, pressing maternal instincts roared in her ears. She needed a place she could safely defend. A place that was warm. Defensible, especially now that she was alone.
It was still dark, but to Preta, this was the ultimatum time for her searching. Her black pelt had always shielded her in the dark- and in this light, any eagles would be hard pressed to spot her. Not only that, but she was unlikely to run into An at this hour. She loved the little cub- but this was a jackal's business. Not that of some small cub.
She took a moment to eat a bit of her remaining food. It was sandy and the flies had started to get to it, but it was still a cut above what she was used to feasting upon. As she swallowed a sliver of meat, she couldn't help but bitterly wonder if she should attempt to take her own den back. In the night, she bet that white snake would be easily spotted. She could wait until he crawled out of her burrow, pounce on him, then bite that sorry little head off.
Preta snorted, her tail bristling. No, she supposed she couldn't. Not with her shoulder injured, and especially not after he had aided her earlier. He'd better thank his great snake god. When she was better, she had half the mind to turn the jackals against those meddling snakes. Even the lions seemed bothered by their presence.
As soon as she was finished, and had given herself a quick bath, she took back to the desert. This wasn't about to be an easy task, but she steeled herself as best she could. After all, when they had fled the cobra, her mate had been certain there was a proper denning site in the west. She didn't suppose he had expected a pride of lions living near there- but with her scent somewhat acclimated to them, she had hopes she could perhaps test fate and safely den not far from their intimate borders. They seemed a brutal lot, but they seemed to be more concerned with other lions then they were jackals.
Stalking through the sands, she began to make a mental checklist of what she needed. A good, sturdy den, backed with rocks so the sand would not fall in one day and choke her. She would need to face away from the wind, and away from the sun's evening rays. Not more then a mile from water, so her hunting and drinking would not strain her. And now... she longed to add one more to that list. She wanted to be close to the lions. Not near. Not even in eyeshot. But close enough that she could throw herself to fate if danger should arise, and take shelter within their protected borders.
But she was a jackal, and she still had her pride. Close would do. But not too close. She didn't want to bother with becoming a plaything for a pride of bored cats.
She decided to start with the best she could. Perhaps she could return the cobra's favor, and chase out some weak little snakes out of their cherished home. The jackal snarled lowly, and gave a little yip. Well. Either way, she was ready. She picked up her pace into a run, and headed towards the closest ridge. It was a small stretch of rocks cropping out from the sand, larger then the one she had been staying at. There were tell-tale marks of lions having used it to sharpen their claws at one point- but for the moment, the scent of the rock was still. She could smell small mice and perhaps what might have once even been another jackal- but now, nothing.
She nosed around the nooks and crannies, her bat-like ears swiveling around to pick up any sounds of danger in the distance. For the moment, only the sounds of the night echoed across the rocks. She sniffed, and dug around a bit in the sand. Den hunting was a bit of a slow process, particularly here in the desert. Old dens could easily be consumed by the sand- and she tested their limits by thrusting her paws into any cracks in the rocks that she could. After a half hour of searching, she'd only managed to unearth an old lion's skull. She decided to sit on it, while she considered where to search next.
“To the north...” she mused, looking off into the distance. An oasis was somewhere out in the desert. A beautiful country, but only a novice would pick such a spot to stay. Water would have been a luxury- but once that water dried, Preta knew the desert would consume the oasis faster then a lion tore apart a gazelle. And the effects would be no less brutal. She wasn't about to risk her pup's lives on some gamble that the oasis would remain unharmed while they were weaned. But if not there, then to where?
She turned, viewing the east. To the east was the thick of the lion's lands. She wanted to be near them, but any closer would be too close for comfort. To the south, the eagles. The only way that seemed logical would be to continue following her mate's advice, and go to the west. She only wished her had been more clear when he had told her that he knew of a place. But then again, she supposed they never thought they would be separated.
Taking a brief moment to mourn herself, she climbed off the lion's skull and gave it a small kick. “Sorry, fellow.” She chattered to herself. “Let the great jackal judge you for what brought your end.”
The tell-tale claw marks had made grooves into the bone. She didn't need to wonder past that.
Keeping her head high, the jackal took off to the west. Here, there was more desert. The sand had broken into waves, and she watched the little ridges as she walked past them. Hopefully they wouldn't be there by morning. She didn't like her tracks being so easily traceable.
After a good bit of walking, she came upon another rock ridge. It was little different from the last- although a bit more weather worn. The sand was cool here, indicating that it had been in the shade for most of the light hours. Taking in the scent, she started to slowly repeat the process of poking about the rocks. The first resulted in a scorpion crawling out, brandishing his stinger in hapless protest of being disturbed.
“You should know better.” The jackal muttered. One of their first lessons as a pup- how to desting the little insects. She quickly pinned him down and bit off the stinger, devouring up the crunch morsel even as it wriggled. Feeling the bitter taste in her mouth, she wondered how she would manage to teach her own pups such a task. Being a parent was a two person job, and jackals were intimate partners. Her eyes lowered.
This would not be easy.
Taking to the sand again, she continued her searching. The long stretch of stone and rock was was a good twenty feet across, and for the little dog that was quite a job. As she continued searching, she noticed a small ledge of rocks just above where she stood. Curious, she followed up the path. It was weather-worn and not too steep, something which her shoulders were grateful for.
But she approached with caution. There was a small crack in the rocks just ahead- barely large enough for her to slip through, but more then enough space for a snake to den. She snarled a warning, waiting to see if anything stirred. It would be snakes! How many homes did they mean to take?
But as she waited, the little jackal soon realized that she was alone. If there was anything inside the crack, they did not respond. Taking a slow look around her, she quietly slipped into the darkness, hoping she was not walking straight into an adder's den.
Once inside the cleft, she became aware of a dull, stale smell. It was empty, but it would need to be redug and adequately aired. Something had died here, and upon investigation, Preta found the skeletal remains of another jackal. She sat beside it for a moment, unable to keep memories of her mate from flooding through her. “So... you're alone here as well?” She asked the skeleton, and gently pushed it to the side wall. “I am sorry friend. But I need this home for myself.”
She did another careful sweep of the den, before collapsing in exhaustion. She didn't even have the strength to clean out the bones. For the moment, her ghostly friend would simply have to remain. “Too tired...” She breathed, and shut her eyes.
Hopefully this time, she would dream of better times.
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:04 am
Part X
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Her dreams had been muddy, but she'd rather confusion then guilt. When she awoke the sun was shining into the small den. It still smelled like death, but with the bright sunlight floating through the cracks, she could finally get a good look at the place. It was a dusty, dry den, made of mostly rock and a bottom of sandstone. Much smaller then her last resting place had been, and she was glad for it. Too much room, and she would not be able to keep it warm. Not warm enough during the bitter nights. The crack was small, but she bet with some effort she could enlarge it. And as for her new roomate...
She turned aside, and look down at the poor jackal. Whatever it was, male, female, young or old, it was nothing but skeleton and clumps of fur. She hoped, at least for her sake, that it had been an old jackal, who had died here after living a full life. She quietly prayed its spirit would not haunt her, as did the spirit of her mate. Surely, it was another jackal. It would understand.
Feeling the weight of her belly, she sat up, and licked her paws. She would need to clean this place today. Remove her fallen sister. Dig out some of the sand, and bring some fresh air into this dark place. Maybe then... maybe then it would be home. She sighed, feeling slightly faint. The strain of doing such work coupled ached her. Had they been together... her mate would have handled these things while she rested. But she was alone now, and she'd have to do her best. Taking a few gulps of the stagnant air, she stood up, and moved towards the dead creature. It would do good for her morale to get it out of here.
Unfortunately, it was so decayed and bleached that when she tried to lift the skeleton, it fell into pieces. If she wanted to remove them, she would have to dispose of them piece by piece. She was not about to have her young teething on the bones of their own kind. Blanching, she decided to start with the little ones, putting as much as she could fit into her moth before carrying them out. She didn't want them dug up by them either- so she went out a good few yards before spitting them out on the sand. She quickly went to work, digging up sand and earth until she had a hole of a suitable depth to dispose of them.
With the sun beating down on her, Preta dropped the bones into the hole, and started back for some more. As she approached the den, she suddenly became aware that there was someone waiting for her there. It was An! The little jackal perked her ears as she caught sight of the cub.
“Preta!” An grinned, skittering down the rocks and the sands. “I was so worried! Did you know there's a dead jackal in there? I totally thought it was you. Except, that would have been...bizarre...”
The young child's innocent banter made her tail sway. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed children, in all this bitterness. “Yes, I am just now burying her.” She wasn't sure why she was calling it a she. She supposed she didn't want another male in her life at the moment.
“Burying? I thought jackals didn't bury.” The cub remarked, her bright eyes sparkling. For what it was worth, Preta noticed that the swelling had gone down in the cub's face. She was starting to look less horrific, and more unfortunate. She hoped the wound would not scar too badly. “Isn't that why we left your mate?”
“Yes, it's true.” Preta remarked, climbing back into the den. Behind her, An had some difficulties squeezing her round body in through the crack. “But this is a different situation. There is nothing left of her but bones, and this is my home now. She must be removed, and I'd rather not disturb her spirit further. I dug a hole not far from here to put her in.”
“Ooh, ghosts.” An squeaked. She made a slight gasp as she finally managed to squeeze into the den's entrance. “Do you think she haunts this place? I can help you carry the bones, I'm not afraid of ghosts.”
“It would be very unlike a jackal to haunt their den...” Preta remarked, but her voice was not as certain as her words. “But, I would rather not disrespect the dead. Let us return her to the earth, and quickly. I should have done it the night before, but I was far too exhausted.”
An nodded. She might not have known much about death and ghosts, but she knew they were probably things to be avoided. She eagerly grabbed up as many bones as she could, holding the skull up over her head as she managed their surprisingly light weight. “What do you think she died from?”
Preta set down the bone she was carrying. “It could have been anything. Knowing this desert, probably a snake.” Her voice riled as she spoke the words snake. She decided it best not to mention to An that one of them had helped her. She didn't see the need in fostering any familiarity between the two.
It seemed to be a sentiment An shared. She made a face, her eyes narrowing. “Snakes are disgusting. I don't trust them. But they taste pretty good! Just don't tell my aunt I said that. She's really close with them and all that.” As though No might be listening nearby, she looked around cautiously. To this, Preta only smiled, her bushy tail wagging slowly.
“Come. We'll be rid of this ghost now.” Preta said, trotting out over the den's entrance, wavering under the small bones collected in her mouth. An seemed to have some more difficulties again- she wedged herself in between the two slabs of rocks, and pushed backwards. Preta had to admire the strength a lion had- even a small cub. The rock jolted, and then rolled to the side slowly, until the space was just big enough for An and Preta to walk in without much difficulty.
“There!” An said, the blonde cub notably pleased with herself. “I hope I'm not getting fat.” She poked her round stomach, still soft with cub weight.
The jackal laughed softly, and shook her head. “Nonsense,” she smiled. “I wanted to make that door a bit larger anyways. Thank you. Now, when I clear out the sand it will not be so hard of a job.” Although, she wasn't exactly looking forward to it either.
“I can do it!” An brimmed. She picked the bones back up, and from then on was almost incoherent as she rambled. “I'm really good at cleaning! That's what uh...mom has had me doing these past few days. I don't know why grounded means cleaning, but...” Her head shook. “I guess its fair. Hehe. Now I'm doing more cleaning! Oh no.”
The jackal could only make out every other word, but she had a smile stretched across her face. She couldn't help but wonder if her own children would be like this. Eager, talkative... An had mentioned wanting to travel with her. She wondered if the lioness would still feel that way when she was an adult. Preta had never considered the allegiance in a literal sense- but the more she thought of it, this might have been a blessing in disguise. An adult lioness could do much for the jackal and her family. Perhaps the snake had not been entirely untrue when he spoke of her still having importance.
They reached the small hole in the sand, and as reverently as a bitter jackal and an ambitious cub could, they laid the bones to rest. An did the honors of covering over the hole with sand, even sprinkling a little bit over it for good measure. “There! Now, rest in peace jackal. Do not haunt us for taking your home!”
Preta bowed her head. “I am sure the great jackal has judged her fairly.”
“Then we have nothing to fear!” The blonde lioness ran forward, her tail bouncing behind her like a whip. “I'll get to work digging out the sand! We'll be done in no time!”
Preta stood still over the small makeshift grave, bowing her head once before rising and following after An. She had lost a mate to this desert, but Preta was begining to realize she might have very well gained a friend. It would be yet to see if the lioness would stay true to her childish words...
But, for the first time in a while, the little jackal began to hope for the future.
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