FROM
THE DREAMS OF CHILDERN
**********
The moon
shines full within the sky
A spot blood red upon its eye
The time has come, for Cheetah clan
To gather round hand in hand…..{1}
The young cub
listened as her father sang the words of the gather. She had never been
to one before, and for some reason, her parents seemed quite nervous about
attending this one. She glanced up at the full moon that lit the dark night
sky with its soft light and for not the first time wondered how the dot
of red had come to be there.She
turned and could hear her parents’ whispers at the front of the wagon.
Did she dare ask?She was supposed
to be asleep under the travel blankets, but the excitement of the journey
and the rough jar of the wagon forbade her from reaching the sweet depth
of sleep. She glanced again at the moon, and with a finial determined thought
she slowly crawled to the front of the small wagon.
"Papa," she
spoke softly. "May I ask a question?"
The elder cheetah
turned and glanced down at his small daughter."Cheetara,
what are you doing up? Your mother sent you to bed hours ago."
Upon hearing
her daughter’s name Cheeyana turned and shock her head."And
what is it that your inquisitive mind must know before dawn, my little
Nata?" She reached out and pulled Cheetara on to her lap.
She glanced
up to the moon. "How did the red get there?" She turned her amber eyes
to her father and awaited his answer.
Kenydar softly
chuckled and reached out to ruffle his daughter’s thick golden-blond mane.
"You know the reason for the gather?"
She thought
for a moment before answering her father."So
that you can talk."
"Yes, that
is one reason for the gather." He reached over and grabbed the light blanket
sitting on the seat beside him and gently covered her with it, "Now I will
tell you the story, but you must remain quiet." She nodded and huddled
farther into her mother’s lap. "Many moons ago, long before your mother
or I were even cubs, the clans were divided and they fought among themselves.
Many Cheetahs died during these times. The wars continued on for many seasons
until a young clan leader decided the bloodshed had lasted long enough."
He paused and took a drink from the small container next to him, "The Cheetah’s
name was Cheetaren, of clan Duma."
"That’s our
clan." Cheetara spoke proudly her amber eyes flashing in the moonlight.
"Yes it is,"
Kenydar smiled down at her. "He sent a single messenger to each clan leader
and bid them come unarmed to the Forest Valley in three days time, when
the moon would be full.He traveled
to the valley and to his surprise found that all the clan leaders had come.
They talked long into the night and at dawn a compromise had been struck.
The fighting would stop and all would return to the lands that their clan
claimed.All but one agreed to this.
He was called Tahall of clan Che’dar; he spoke out against the peace and
against Clan Duma. It was he whose knife pierced Cheetaren’s heart that
night. The other clans were shocked by his actions, and the Clan Che’dar
was renounced and all lands were divided amongst the others.Tahall
was banished and his title stripped.It
was not till 100 season later that the clan Che’dar was allowed to rejoin
the gathering."
"But Papa,
why is the red eye on the moon?" She asked again sleepily
"The night
that the dagger pierced Cheetaren’s heart, the red eye appeared upon the
full moon. It is said that the eye is the blood spilled upon the ground
that night and that the Gods themselves reached down and placed it there.So
once every 10 years when the moon is full and the eye of blood appears,
the Cheetah clan’s gather so that we will not forget the sacrifice’s made."
He glanced over at his daughter and saw her amber eyes had closed and sleep
had finally claimed her weary mind.
Cheeyana pulled
the blanket tighter around the sleeping cub and turned to her husband,
"You left something out of that tale."
"I know; it’s
best she doesn’t know. The truth will come to her soon enough and I hope
that she will be strong enough to survive it.
*
* * * * * *
The
lone wagon slowly made its way into the small valley clearing.The
others already gathered took little notice of its approach. The large bonfire
had already been lit and the six places for the leader of each clan had
been set. Kenydar guided the wagon to the far end of the clearing before
allowing the animals to stop and then he dismounted the wagon. He motioned
his mate to remain sitting and reached up and took Cheetara from her lap
before helping her down from the seat.
"I should start
a cook fire and brew some Malta tea, and perhaps warm the sweet
bread." Cheeyana suggested as she reached into the wagon to gather the
needed supplies. "Will you go and speak at the council?" She asked her
mate.
"I must.Clan
Duma has as much a right to speak as the other clans." He felt his daughter
squirm slightly in his arms and mumble in her sleep. "If not for us then
for Cheetara." His mate nodded her head, and with a soft caress upon his
cheek she turned to the task of preparing a small meal for them.
"Papa," A sleepy
voice muttered from his arms, "Are we there?"
"Yes little
Nata," He brushed away some of her mane that had found its way over
her eyes, "Are you hungry?"
She nodded
and pulled herself more upright in her father’s arms and looked around
for her mother, "May I go help Papa?"
"You may, but
stay right with your mother, do not wander." He said as he stood her on
her feet.
"Kenydar,"
He turned and saw the other elders approaching," Clan Duma was not called
to the gather."
"I am aware
of that Metah Clan Cheet’var, but Clan Duma has as much right to speak
as the others." He answered, his voice filled with pride.
"Your Grandfather
gave up the right of the gather when he took his mate. The Clans have not
yet decided to reinstate your noble rights."
"All I ask
is a chance to speak,"
"Only nobles
may speak at the gather." Tenash Clan Che’dar hissed, "Your clan was stripped
of its nobility when Dumas took that outsider as mate. He knew the law
and he ignored it."
Kenydar’s amber
eyes locked onto the face of Tenash as he growled out his words, "I ask
for only five minuets to speak, no more.What
I have to say is simple."
The other Clan
elders whispered amongst themselves for a moment as Kenydar and Tenash
continued their stare down.
"Papa?" Cheetara
broke the spell the two were under,
Tanash hissed
between his teeth, "So, I see you have a cub now," his eyes seemed to glance
through Cheetara as he regarded her, "Tell me does she have the curse?
Is she a throw back to the outsider your grandfather took in?"
Kenydar growled
low with in his throat, "Go to your mother,"
"But Papa,"
"Go!" She jumped
back at the sound of his voice. He had never spoken to her in such a manner
before and a part of her felt more frightened then she ever been in her
six seasons.
"Cheetara,
come I need help tending the fire and food." Her mother called when she
saw the look upon her cub’s face. "He did not mean it." She spoke softly
after her young cub had reached her. Cheetara only nodded and quickly wiped
her arm across her eyes to remove the tears that threatened to spill from
them.
The clan elders
turned back to the two males, "We have decided," Metah Clan Cheet’var stated,
"You will have your say at the council. Be ready by moon set." With that
the elders left.
*
* * * * * *
The moon
shines full within the sky
A spot blood red upon its eye
The time has come, for Cheetah clans
To gather round hand in hands
Come and
gather, Come to hear
The tales told far throughout the year
Cheetah clans, there hearts hold true
The gather fire calls to you.
Elders speak,
young will learn
Of our past, in each clans turn
Stand beneath the eye blood red
Speak the words and honor dead
The sun
will rise. Moon thus turn
Gather fire will cease to burn
The time has come for Cheetah clans
To gather round hand in hands.{1}
She listened
as the elders sang out the call to the gather.This
was what her Father had come for, a chance to speak, a chance to tell of
there clan. She felt a beat of pride within her heart as she watched her
father step into the center of the Gather circle. He stood there, his blond
spotted mane blowing gently in the wind, his amber eyes flashing in the
fire light, his posture straight and proud. He glanced at each Elder in
turn before allowing himself to speak.
"Fellow clan
Elders, I, Kenydar, son of Savanha mate of Tedar Clan Duma. I wish to tell
of my Clan."
"I, Metah,
son of Cheefay mate of Hachee of Clan Chee’var call Clan Duma to tell us
of their Clan."
Kenydar gave
a graceful bow to the Elders and spoke, "I have come to ask that my Clan’s
noble rights be returned." Several of the Elders looked shocked, others
growled, "I do not deny the things my Grandsire did, but how can you continue
to punish my Clan for this? My family has had no cubs born with the curse
in the three generations since."
"But is it
not true that the curse is passed to only the female cubs, and that your
Clan family has not had a daughter till your cub was born?" Elder Netaren,
Clan Du’mae asked
"Yes, that
is true, but…"
"And she is
only six seasons old, too young for the curse to make itself known. It
was your Grandsire’s choice to take a Larnden as mate, and you know
the law." Tenash Clan Che’dar stated. "The Larnden are forbidden
to breed, to stop the curse from running freely through our Clan’s again,
Dumas made his choice when he took Tarnee as mate, and produced a male
child, your father, he broke the Clan laws."
"Tenash speaks
the truth, I do not deny that my cub may develop the curse, but can we
not strike a comprise?"
"What do you
propose?" Metah Clan Chee’var asked
"The curse
is said to manifest itself by the child’s tenth birthday.I
ask that if Cheetara does not show signs of the curse that our nobility
be returned upon her tenth season."
The Clan elders
talked amongst themselves for a moment.Kenydar
glanced over at his mate, who was holding a sleeping Cheetara upon her
lap. She offered him a small hopeful smile and held the cub closer to her.
"What you purpose is acceptable" Metah stepped out in to the center of
the circle, "Hear me Cheetah Clans, Let it be known that upon the moonset
of the tenth season of Cheetara, daughter of Cheeyana mate to Kenydar Clan
Duma. That if the cub shows no sign of the curse that clan Duma will have
all Clan nobility rights returned to them. So speaks the Gather council,
and let it be so."
Kenydar bowed
to each Clan Elder in turn, "I thank the Gather council; you are as kind
and noble as the first ones." He said in the traditional parting as he
left the circle.
*
* * * * * *
"What do we
do if Cheetara does show signs of the curse?" Cheeyana asked her mate later
that night, "She will be an outcast not only from our clan, but from the
whole of the Cheetahs."
"I know; for
now all we can do is hope that it does not happen."
She turned
to face him, her fear for her cub showing with in her eyes, "But what if
she does?"
He sighed and
took his mate’s hand in his, "Then we must obey the laws. I can not afford
to allow our clan to fall further into disfavor, even for my only cub."
Cheeyana regarded
him, her eyes moist with unshed tears. "She will be dead to us; we will
never be able to touch her, hold her when she cries, hear her laughter
when she’s happy. At times I find myself wishing she had been a son."
He clutched
his mate to him, allowing her to shed the emotions that were building up
with in her, "Come. It hasn’t happened yet and it may never happen. We
will just have to hold onto the hope that the curse died with Tarnee."
He turned when he heard a commotion outside their tent. "Wait here. I’ll
find out what is going on."
Kenydar existed
the small tent he shared with his family, and quickly walked over to the
Elders grouped off to the side, "What is going on? Why is everyone preparing
to leave?"
"Mutant ships
were spotted not far from here; we are heading to the cave to take cover."
Dutor Clan Du’hath informed the new arrivals. "Grab only your families
and anything you need to survive."
"How far were
they?" Kenydar asked
"Not more then
½ a cycle’s walk. Go, all of you. We have little time." The elder
warned again.
Kenydar nodded
and made all haste back to his family, "Cheeyana, grab Cheetara quickly."
He said as he reentered the tent.
She regarded
him for a moment, "Why?What is wrong?"
"Mutants.We
have to reach the cave before they get here." He grabbed up some food packets
and a water jug, "Come we must go now." He slung the quickly assembled
pack over his shoulder and took the sleeping cub from her mother. "I want
you to keep running no matter what happens." He gave her a quick kiss and
they both took off into the night.
*
* * * * * * *
She was being
shaken, jarred out of a sound sleep.Cheetara
opened her eyes to find herself wrapped in blankets and clutched within
her father’s arms.She tried to shift
her weight but felt his hands grip tighter."Lie
still little Nata," He said as he continued his dash. She did as
she was told. She could feel his heart pounding through his chest
and she could hear his powerful lungs heaving for air. But amid all
this, there was something else.
Fear.
She had never
known her father to be afraid. Worried? Yes. Angry? Sometimes.
But fear? And fear of what? She could hear others shouting
for people to hurry, that they were coming. They who? There
were only other Cheetahs in the valley. Who were they so afraid of
that they were running? She felt her father stumble and regain his
balance. She could hear him reciting the blessing of the Great ones,
and at that moment, for the first time in her life, Cheetara was truly
and completely afraid.
He was tiring
he could feel his strength leaving him with every step. The last stumble
had almost cost him the grip he had on his daughter. "Not much farther,
must keep running." He willed himself.He
could see the others ahead of him, but he had lost site of his mate within
the shadows of the forest. He heard the ships coming closer and began reciting
the blessing of the Great Ones. Suddenly the dark forest around him burst
into light and the thunderclap that followed was enough to blast him off
his feet. He clutched his cub as he fell to the ground, placing his body
between it and Cheetara.
She jerked
at the bright light and loud noise that had assaulted the still night,
and suddenly felt herself clutched tightly to her father as he jumped,
no, flew through the air. A scream escaped her throat as she felt the grip
upon her loosen and her body was torn away from her father. She lay where
she fell, too sore and confused to move, tears running down her pale face.
She could hear her fathers voice as he cried out for her She slowly sat
up and tried to fight back the wave of dizziness that assaulted her, "Papa!
Papa!" She cried into the dark night, "Papa where are you?" Her eyes frantically
glanced around trying to spot the familiar sight that accompanied that
voice, "Papa!"
He opened his
eyes he lay there for a moment trying to regain his bearings. "Something
missing" he thought, the familiar pressure that had been on his chest and
in his arms was gone. Suddenly everything came back, running, the cave,
he had to get Cheetara to the cave. He sat up quickly in shock "Cheetara!"
He shouted out into the night. He could hear the mutants.They
were close. Too close, "Cheetara!" He frantically searched, "Please answer
me! Cheetara!" He stopped.Was that
a cry he heard? To the left, yes there it is again.
"Papa!" Her
throat hurt from her cries, her head hurt from the fall, She could feel
more tears welling up in her eyes again, she heard the bushes in front
of her rattle, and she let out a cry and jumped into the arms that were
out stretched to her.
There to the
right, in the bushes, he tore into the small grove that Cheetara had landed
in and grabbed her as she jumped into his arms hugging her tightly to him.
He took the time to glance over his shoulder and saw the sight he had hoped
he would never see: Mutants, "Too close," He clutched the shaking cub closer
to his body and frantically looked around the small grove. There.Under
that tree, a small cave.He crawled
over to it and gently spoke to his daughter. "Cheetara I need you to stay
in this cave and be as quiet as you can."
She glanced
into the dark hole, "No, I want to stay with you Papa." She threw her arms
around his neck.
"You can’t,
please you will be safe here." He gently placed her into the small cave,
"Move back as far as you can." He glanced behind as he heard them approaching.
She did as
she was told, and crawled back into the small cave, it allowed her enough
room to have ½ inch of air above her head and no more. "Papa, please."
She cried out one last time,
He glanced
back at his cub and seeing the fear within her eyes removed something from
around his neck. "Keep this.It will
keep you safe ‘til I come back." He turned his back to her. "I love you
my little Nata." He quickly pulled a large rock in front of the
opening.
She took the
item he handed her, "Please Papa, don’t leave me alone." She cried as he
turned his back to her, "Papa please don’t leave me." She watched as he
moved a large rock towards the opening. "PAPA!" She was plunged into the
darkness.
Boy, cheetahs are stingy. Main page!