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 Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:20 pm
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Ubele's tail twitched against the ground in mild irritation. She was doing her best to control it. Ever since the series of recent events, her sense of responsibility had increased. Ukweli's words . . . they'd left a brand on her mind. She thought over them often, but it would only frustrate her more. Now, however, she was frustrated because she could not find her brother.
Her twin brother Ufunuo was the closest friend that Ube had. Through all that had happened, they'd always had each other. Ever since her brother had bonded though . . . Ubele couldn't help feeling a bit jealous of the bird, Daga. That her brother was bonded while she was not was bad enough, but the fact that Ufunuo had another friend that he was close to, it made her feel abandoned.
"Mother", she muttered silently, her thoughts turning to Nyonda, as they often did. She hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye . . . Curling dejectedly on the rough stone, Ube hoped that Ufunuo would return soon.
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:26 pm
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Ufunuo had risen early that morning, leaving the den as the sun tinted the sky with red and orange. While on another day he may have sought out his friend Dumu or an elder who could answer his many questions, today he had a more specific goal in mind.
Flowers, he had to find flowers, and he wasn't returning home until he did. Weeks had passed since the quake had shaken the earth and the lives of the pride. That day that now seemed so long ago, it had been the last day he'd seen his mother, she had given her life to save his and his sister's, though they had not know she was gone until the day his father had returned and life had been reclaimed. Or perhaps, he had known all along, had felt it in his heart even as his mind tried to believe that she was still alive. He wished he could have seen her one more time.
He had searched all morning, young eyes scanning the earth at each step, nose twitching to catch the scent of a fragrance. The flowers didn't have to be perfect, but they did have to be pretty, they had to be something his mother would have liked, because these were for her.
"Do you see anything, Daga?"
The crowned eagle circled overhead, gliding at his bonded's side as he always did. It had been such a short time since they'd met, yet now it felt as though they had never been apart, strange how that always worked.
"This was your idea kid, you should pick the flowers out."
"I don't think she would mind if you helped."
"No, I'm sure she wouldn't."
Whatever words Ufunuo had thought to answer with were quickly forgotten as a hint of color caught his eye. Flowers! A smile on his maw, the cub bounded to the blossoms, Small, white with a touch of pink, pretty, and they smelled nice, they were perfect, he was sure his mother would have liked them.
His head lowered, Ufunuo gently picked several of the larger flowers with his teeth and setting them neatly together on the ground. When he was satisfied with the number he carefully picked the bunch up in his maw, smiling around stems as he looked to Daga.
"We can go back now."
Finally he had flowers for his mother, he hoped she would like them. |
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:25 pm
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Ubele wandered hopelessly, looking for any sign of her brother and his avian companion, Daga. Still, they were no where to be seen. Where had her brother decided to run off to? Perhaps he was playing with one of the other cubs., maybe Dumu. Ubele had been trying to be social and friendly with them, but it was not coming easily to her. After what had happened to Kuruka . . .
Her eyes scanned the area in frustration, until she finally spotted what looked to be a familiar figure. She rushed over as fast as she could, tripping slightly over her paws. It was her brother. Ubele was about to lash out at him, demanding to know where he had been, until she got close enough to see what he carried in his mouth. She stopped in her tracks, panting slightly from the effort. She stared at the bunch of flowers he held delicately in his maw, and she felt ashamed.
"Oh. Hello, brother. I'd wondered where you'd went."
It wasn't difficult to figure out what they were intended for. Both of the cubs had been thinking about their mother and the past events a great deal lately. Ubele felt ashamed for thinking that her brother had abandoned her, and she also felt ashamed for not thinking that her mother would like flowers. Why had Ufunuo not taken him with her? There were so many questions Ubele could ask, but she did not.
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Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 10:58 pm
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Looking up, Ufunuo smiled around his mouthful of flowers, as if he had expected Ubele to be there all along. Not that he could have really known she'd be waiting, but he was not surprised to see her there. She seemed to have grown insecure since the quake, clinging to him more than she ever had before, was she afraid of losing him too?
"I was picking flowers for mom, would you like to come with me to give them to her?"
His voice was muffled, spoken through the delicate blossoms. He had picked a good number of flowers, and he didn't mind sharing, it seemed only right that they go together. There was no clear resting place or grave as he did not know exactly where their mother had fallen, but the den they had once thought she rested in seemed a fitting place and he was sure mother would have liked it if they went together.
"I picked some flowers for you too." |
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:52 pm
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 12:22 am
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The smile never left his maw, a kind gentleness as he relinquished half the blossoms to his sister, her gift to their beloved mother. Silently his muzzle brushed against her cheek, a gentle nuzzle to show how precious she was to him (though he was careful not to harm the flowers).
"Yes, I think she would like that."
A smile, a glance to his sister to make sure she followed, Ufunuo set off for their destination, trodding through the heart of the pride's home, perhaps past a few curious glances, until his paws found the den he sought.
It was here that he last remembered his mother, when he had thought his mother rested within. It was only later that they understood she had fallen in the quake, her life sacrificed for their own. Though it may not have been the best place for a memorial, it was the only one he knew, and somehow he felt that here, she would always be watching them.
He turned to his sister, a mix of sorrow and happiness in his eyes. Sorrow for the mother they had lost, but happiness that they were still together and happiness that their father had returned. Quietly, gently, he laid his flowers just inside the cave, silent tears falling from his eyes as he offered his gift to his mother.
Daga had followed in silence, gliding above the cubs, watching on with a solemn gaze. He had no words to offer, now was not the time, for now he simply watched, offering his own silent prayer. |
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:55 am
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Ubele followed her brother, head hanging, very subdued. She ignored the curious or piteous glances given to them by other members of the pride as they passed by. She didn't want their pity or their sympathy. She wanted to have her mother back. However, that was not going to happen, and she needed to face that fact. They moved silently through the pride lands. Even Daga was unnaturally quiet and Ube was grateful for that. She didn't hate her brother's bond bird, not in the slightest, but she was envious.
They reached the den after only a short time. Ubele paused, her paws faltering slightly at the sight of the den where they had believed her mother to have been. Truthfully, no one knew where her mother had spent her last moments, but this was the best place and her mother would have liked this.
She stepped forward after her brother and placed her bunch of flowers reverently on the ground next to his. She glanced over and saw the tears running down her brother's face and she was surprised to find tears on her own as well. Ubele caught her brother's gaze and held it, her expression mirroring his, just as they always had. Her mind filled with memories of their family before the quake, how happy they had all been. Now, everything had changed. At least, through all of it, she had her brother and her father still.
Breaking her gaze away from her brother's, Ubele gazed sadly at the flowers and offered up her thoughts, her memories, and love in honor of her mother.
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:10 pm
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He took a deep breath, paw raised to wipe the tears from his eyes. Ufunuo missed his mother more than he could have possibly said, how he wished she was still there, that he could curl up against her and nuzzle into her soft fur. There was so much he wished he could have shown her, that they could have done, he was sure she would have liked Daga, that she would have been proud of all that he had learned.
Looking down at the flowers, a small smile touched his maw. They were beautiful, soft, like she was, but maybe, something was missing, he wanted to do something more.
Searching for inspiration, he looked around him in hopes that something would catch his eye. Then he found it, a fair sized rock a short distance away, worn smooth on one side, speckled with small hints of blue and orange, softened by recent rainfall, it was perfect.
Though the stone was too big to carry in his maw, it wasn't too large for him to move by nudging it with his muzzle, carefully rolling it across the ground to the mouth of the cave, laying it to rest alongside the flowers he and Ubele had offered. Raising a paw, he pressed it against the stone, leaving a faint mark behind. If only he'd had something to dip his paw in first, to leave a more visible mark, but for now it would have to do.
His eyes turned once again to his sister, he wanted to give her the chance to leave her mark as well, or to leave something else. This was a memorial for both of them, that was how he wanted it, how he thought it should be. |
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:26 pm
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Ubele attempted to hold back her tears, but after seeing her brothers efforts at creating a lasting memorial for their mother, she didn't mind them and simply let them flow. The tears splashed the ground, soaking into the packed earth, leaving only a mark behind. Pressing her paw into this mark, she then pressed the mark next to her brother's. They would have to find something else to reinforce the marks, as they were very faint, but they could do that later. For the moment, it was enough.
Moving closer to her brother, she nuzzled up as close as she could, remembering how their mother had done that to comfort them when they'd been very little. How she would smile down kindly at them and find a way to make them laugh away their fears or their sadness.
Without her mother, Ubele felt lost. She would never be able to run to her mother when she had a vision. Her mother would never meet Ubele's bond bird or praise her cleverness again. Their mother would never hold her darling twins close to them again.
With such a great feeling of loss, Ubele let the tears fall and wished that things had been different and that their mother could be with them now.
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 1:14 am
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He watched his sister in silence, showing respect as she left her mark next to his. Maybe later they could find some berries, or maybe some red clay to leave a more permanent mark, but for now, their memorial was complete.
With a quiet sigh, loss heavy on his heart, Ufunuo curled against his sister, his chin resting against her shoulder, one forepaw wrapped around her as if clinging to his twin, to proclaim that they would never be separated, that through it all, there was always the two of them together. He could feel her heartbeat, hear the tears in her breath, tears that were reflected in his own eyes.
He stayed there with her for what may have seemed like an eternity, taking comfort in the touch of his sibling until his tears at last faded. At last he lifted his head, turning to meet Ubele's eyes, a reassuring smile touching his maw.
"No matter what, I will never leave you, we'll always be together. And I think, mother will always be with us to, in here."
As he spoke he raised a paw, gentle resting it against Ubele's chest, where he knew her heart rested. It was perhaps wisdom beyond his years, but somehow he knew it was true. Even though their mother was gone, they still had their memories of her, and in that she would live on.
He nuzzled against her once more, brushing her cheek with his muzzle, a hint of playfulness in his touch, a reassurance that he would always been there. He knew that she was a afraid, close as they were he could feel it, perhaps she had felt his fear as well, though he did not show it. But he had meant what he said, he would never leave her, it was a promise he intended to keep. |
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:54 pm
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Ubele clung to her brother and sobbed, letting the tears fall where they may. She didn't care. They were a badge of honor for their mother. When she had finally finished, he sighed, taking a deep breath. Turning and meeting her brother's eyes, she returned his small smile. His kind words touched her heart. Her gaze turned towards his paw, resting against her chest, resting against her heart. He was right. Their mother would always remain in their hearts and in their memories. She was dead, but she was never truly gone. Her spirit would remain. Ubele vowed to try to honor her mother's memory. She would try harder to get along with others and to be as caring as she was.
"Thank you, brother. I will never leave you either. We survived for a reason. And we have each other. We will always have each other."
She nuzzled her brother gently, returning the reassurance. She was certainly glad of his. After all that had happened, she could not lose her brother. She would stay by his side and he by hers. Fate had made them to live together, brother and sister. Even if Ubele didn't have her mother, even if she was not yet bonded, she always had someone that few others had. She had her twin.
With another quiet sigh, Ubele pulled away enough to stand. She stared at their memorial long and hard, engraving it in her mind. She would always remember. That done, she turned to her brother and smiled. It was one of the first genuine smiles that she'd had in a very long time.
"Let's go home, brother." She turned to smile at Daga as well.
"Let's all go home."
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:51 pm
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"Yeah, home."
Home, where Papa would be waiting, and life, though it had changed, would continue on. His own smile reflected his sister, his shoulder brushing against hers as he walked at her side. There was a warmth he felt, knowing the truth of the smile his sister had shown him, knowing that they always had each other, and Daga and Papa, and even Mfalme, and he knew just how lucky he really was.
He paused in his steps only once, turning to look over his shoulder at the memorial they had left. Somehow, he knew she was there, that Mother was watching over them, and in that moment he felt the warmth of her embrace. She had never left them, she never would, and even though they couldn't see her, he knew she was there.
Thank you, Mother, for all you gave us, we will never forget you. |
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