Gonalona Pack

«Come on little one, come closer! Let me see you, pretty princess!»

«...»

«Still so shy, huh? There's no need to be scared.»

Majula was lying flat on the ground, watching the little, cream colored whelp in front of her intently. Hinami looked around in confusion, still uncertain why those three strangers have been in their tribe then and again the last few quarter moons, but it seemed like she was slowly getting used to them anyway. She still hasn't spoken a word, but that didn't stop the little cutie from having fun with her brother Tengu. Majula got up when the two began playing and were too distracted to pay attention to her and she walked back to Octavia and Sage, who were sitting off to the side of the tribes camp, watching the whelps lovingly.

«How long did you say she's been here already? When did you find her?»

«A couple moons ago. We found her around the time Tengu was born, only she was already a bit older than him. Our boy is already talking, running and eating meat and we'll take him outside the tribe soon for the first time, but Hinami is still so closed up.»

«You have no idea why you found her all alone?»

«No, nothing. Maybe her parents just couldn't keep her or they were attacked and didn't make it. It doesn't matter anyway, she's my little whelp now and I'll take good care of her, as good as I can anyway.»

The two jills nodded. It was sad for everyone to see how the adorable, kind whelp just wouldn't trust anyone enough to talk to them, but they hadn't lost hope yet that someday she would.

At the same time a green jill with white spots was crawling on a thick branch, creeping closer to a hole in a tree of which she thought it might be the home of some prey. Underneath the young Mayur was another jill, with white underbelly and tail, as well as many dark, round spots. She made sure to cut off the prey should it try to flee the other direction. Cheondungchida positioned herself in front of the hole in the bark and wiggled to find balance before she finally leaped and reached her extended claws into the tree. A loud squeal, then silence. She pulled her paws out and saw she had caught a beautiful conure, mostly orange and red.

«Great work, Noeu! Octavia has taught you well. Now get down here, we've caught enough food already.»

«I'll be there in a second, Kali! Just take this for now.»

She threw the carcass of the bird from the branch and the tribe leader caught it mid jump.

«Pfft, show off.»

«Hey, watch your mouth, punk!»

Kali grinned, the conure still between her jaws, then she began trotting back home while Cheondunchida wanted to check whether there were some eggs left that they might steal as well. Carefully she put her paw back in and placed it on the bottom of the hole, but what she felt were surely no eggs! It was warm, kinda soft and definitely moved. She pulled back and her eyes widened. For a second she wasn't sure if she wanted to pull out what was inside, but she knew she just had to. This time she softly grabbed what she had found and pulled it out, only to see in the early morning light that it was another, way smaller conure! It was still not fully plumed, obviously a chick and now it had no mother anymore. The jill was shocked at this revelation and she knew there were two options, both difficult in their own way. She could kill the little chick and be done with it, but doing it would be hard. Or she'd take care of the bird, which might be even harder, but she'd be able to release the poor thing into the wild again someday. She stared at the little bird, sitting on her paw, looking around in confusion and shaking from the cold of the outside world. She knew she wouldn't be able to kill it. Cheondungchida grabbed a bunch of feathers from the inside of the nest, as well as a large leaf from the tree and made an improvised, tiny nest with which she'd be able to carry the bird around. She placed the chick inside and picked the package up with her mouth, then she slowly climbed down the tree and headed back to Kalis tribe as well.

When she got back to the camp she immediately walked over to Sage, knowing he'd be the only one who might know how to treat the conure. When Hinami and Tengu saw her returning with something weird, they ran up to her and bustled about.

«What's that? Is it food? Wait, that moved!»

«Hm? Oh my, is that a little chick?»

«Yes, Sage, I'm afraid I killed its mum and now I kinda feel responsible for taking care of it.»

The hob smiled and looked at her with a spark in his eyes.

«You're talking like a mother about her whelp. Didn't you say you don't want any offspring?»

«That's not my offspring, that's a bird. And I won't kill it or leave it to die. I hate eating meat and killing innocent prey anyway, I just needed to practice, but I never meant to endanger this ones life!»

He nodded and took a closer look at the bird, then turned back to the birdcatcher.

«It's not that young anymore, you should be fine just digging for worms or catching insects for it. I'm sure if you feed it well it will soon be able to fly and take care of itself.»

She nodded and sighed in relief. Sage left and walked into his healer den, where he was keeping some herbs and other useful tools and materials. He returned with a few strong vines and used them to wrap the little nest to Cheondungchidas back.

«There, now you can watch it at all times.»

«Thanks! This is real nifty.»

Tengu and Hinami were still staring at the little bird in fascination, which was looking out of its little package, just enough to see its eyes and beak. But then, Tengu jumped up to get a better look and the little bird got so surprised it called out in a loud, shrill scream. Everyone was wincing and covering their ears, except Hinami, who was looking off somewhere else, as if she hadn't even noticed anything.

Sage laughed and patted Noeu on the shoulder.

«Boy, you got a lot of work there if this little one is always that loud.»

The jill joined him in laughing, but they stopped when Octavia poked them both, her eyes fixed on the little princess.

«Uh...Sage? Have you...ever checked if Hinami is completely healthy?»

«Of course, I'm a healer after all! Who would I be if I didn't. Why? Is something wrong?»

«Well, I'm not sure...»

The whelp was looking at her adoptive father and he smiled back lovingly, Octavia was sitting behind the whelp. She got up to her feet and roared loudly, right next to Hinami, but she didn't twitch her ears at all or turn around in surprise. She just kept smiling at her father, who now realized what was going on. Still, as he didn't say anything, Octavia had to ask to make sure.

«Did you ever consider that maybe...she doesn't talk because she can't hear?»

«This...this is impossible! I have called her before and she came to me!»

«Did she see you then?»

«I...I think so, yeah.»

«Then she didn't run to you because she heard you say her name, but because she saw you gesturing her to follow you.»

«This can't be...»

The hob with the one eye was completely frozen, unable to move. His head was spinning and he didn't know what to do. He promised to protect her and he was a healer, how could she be deaf?! She was the cutest little Saliko on Ibea, why would the gods possibly let her suffer like that?!

Cheondungchida noticed the hob wasn't doing too well and whispered into the other jills ear.

«I'm gonna go find Phyra and Kali, you stay with him.»

Octavia nodded and the birdcatcher ran off to find help.

That evening, all members of the tribe were sitting in a circle, the whelps playing in the middle. Kali had called out a meeting for everyone to tell them that Hinami was disabled and how everyone should take care of her and treat her accordingly. Sage didn't feel comfortable with that, but he knew she'd need special care, as life on her own would be difficult and she might never be able to hunt or fight on her own. The cream jill on the other hand never seemed to mind. She noticed how everyone had paid much attention to her that day and gave little squeals of happiness, but they were almost inaudible. Still she was otherwise healthy and happy and every member of the tribe was sure she'd be fine.

Later that night, as the Gonalona pack went to their temporary dens within the tribe, they saw Sage and Phyra sitting in the middle of the clearing, the jill softly licking the healers ears and cheek. It was good they had such a loving, unconditional relationship and that Phyra was such a strong female. She was giving him security, a bastion of calm in this poor hobs life, who had been marked with misfortune and hardship since he was born, all because of his wretched brother. But he'd treat his whelps like a good father, make sure they'd only fight if necessary and let mercy and kindness be their most important virtue. Makutas horrible rule over Ibea would be over someday, that he knew, and then the good hearted Salikos would be left and lead a perfect life.

A couple quarter moons later, the Gonalona pack was saying goodbye to the tribe as it was time for them to move on again. Octavia bowed politely before Kali and Majula and Cheondungchida joined her quickly.

«Thank you for letting us stay. If I'm around again I'll stop by to check on you.»

«No, thank YOU for helping us out around here, Octavia! We really needed your girls' paws here and now we're finally done with expanding and securing the camp. Please, you're all three always welcome here.»

They wished goodbye to Sage, Phyra and their whelps too, promised to return safely someday and the tribe prayed for their safe travels, then they disappeared into the jungle and left the tribes territory. A short while later, Majula was raising the question everyone had, but no one had spoken about yet.

«So...where are we going now?»

Octavia shrugged her shoulders.

«Well, there are a couple more tribes around that I should check on. You want to come with me?»

Majula nodded quickly, but Cheondunchida, the conure still strapped to her back, hesitated.

«I think I'm needed elsewhere.»

The trapper nodded, knowing exactly what she meant, but the spotted jill was surprised.

«Wait, what?! You're leaving?»

«Yes. I've felt it for a long time now, I need to go.»

«Where to?»

«Don't know, guess the gods will show me.»

«I completely understand and I think you should go. I know when I left the tribe I was raised in, nothing was able to stop me and it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. Go. But come back to us in one piece, alright?»

Noeu nodded and the saying goodbye continued another time, but this time with many hugs and kisses. The three had grown together like sisters and it hurt them to go separate ways, but after all, their pack had only been temporary anyway. They were meant to split up someday again, but still Cheondungchida was very happy she had met those two and had been able to spend some time with the jills that had become so close to her like a family. But now it was her time to find her calling.