A Farewell- Kyrazha

[Rhonya]

The ruins stretched from the river back up a grassy slope, the rocks crumbled and as time passed discolored by nature. Small rays of sunlight played over the rocks, for one showing their true colors again, markings painted amongst the yellow-ish color of the stone, long forgotten and abandoned. Small plants made their way through the cracks, reaching up towards the morning sun, drinking in the warmth and the light. Larger jungle plants surrounded the ruins and hid them from sight mainly, the place not being that big. Perhaps once the crumbled walls had been those surrounding an altar, for it was just a small place.

Something did move around the broken stones, a flash of orange and black twisting between the broken rocks before finding a comfortable spot on the wall in one of the early rays of sun peeking out over the trees. I had been keeping my eyes closely on the ruins because I knew he’d come here often, a resting place, almost not disturbed by the outside jungle. I shifted my weight a little as I continued to keep looking down, my lips curling into a small, fond smile as I watched the large tiger rest on the remains of the wall. Though when the thought came to me why exactly I’d come here, seeking him out, the smile disappeared again and I prepared myself . Tonight we’d prepare. Tonight we’d sail to our camp from which our assault would happen… And I couldn’t take him.

Gently I stepped down from my hiding place in one of the trees nearby, using my long nails and my toes to get myself down safely, knowing very well I couldn’t afford to fall with the pregnancy far on its way now. My stomach annoyed me, it brought me off balance and made me forced to walk with an almost ducklike waddle, much to the amusement of some of the other orcs. But I knew it was only temporarily and that in a few months I’d go back to my former shape and agility, with some work.

A ray of sunlight lit up my face as I moved close to the shape resting on the wall, squinting my eyes in reaction to the sudden light. A low growl sounded and I stopped moving, noticing his eyes on me. He was wide awake, but the growl hadn’t been a warning. It had been a welcome, a greeting from one respected being to another. A soft sound in the back of my throat served as my answer and I approached further, reaching with my hand to softly stroke the unique striped fur of the tiger.

“Good mornin’, Lian… See ya foun’ ya ol’ spot again, e’? Be a nice spot, at leas’…”

My words were soft and gentle and Lian rubbed his head against mine in a loving gesture. I made a soft purring sound and took a good look at him. It was getting more clear now Sadok kept pointing me on it, though perhaps I’d just been refusing to see it. He was getting old… His fur wasn’t as bright anymore as it once was, his shape still strong and impressive, but time had left their marks on the tiger. He probably felt my mood shifting, because he raised one massive paw and simply rested it around my back, in an almost humanoid kind of embrace. I put my arms around his neck, seeing I could reach it easily with him being positioned a bit higher on the wall, right in front of me.

“O’ Lian… I be sorry. We be leavin’ tonig’t, to a place ya can’t follow. Ya… will ‘ave ta stay ‘ere, alrig’t? In ya ‘ome.. Da place ya were born. Ya belon’ ‘ere, I dun’ wanna risk ya life. Ya go’a place ‘ere…”

My words were soft as I spoke them, and the tigers ears twitched a little as he listened to the sounds I made. Perhaps he understood the words, perhaps  he just listened to my tones. I’d always believed he could actually understand what I wanted, whether it came from my body language or from what I was actually saying. He let out a low rumble, licking one of the tears from my face with his raspy tongue. I hadn’t even noticed I’d begun to cry…

Long ago, in this same jungle, he’d been gifted to me. I remember it like it was yesterday, Qa’ajn coming to me with the small thing in his arms, a small bundle of fur and stripes, claws and teeth, setting him down next to me with a smile. I’d loved him from the first time I set my eyes on him. We played, we swam, we hunted and we slept together, cuddled up against each other against the cold of the night and rain, first me protecting his smaller body, and when he grew to be larger than I was, him protecting me in turn. We’d been inseparable.  Where I went, Lian went, even though we sometimes were away from one another for a short time, we always found each other again. I’d never had a bond like that with an animal, and it hurt me deeply to have to leave him here, now, many years later.

My eyes were set on him, taking in that unique pattern around his snout, his eyes, his ears… Putting it to memory, I pressed my face against his and simply let myself go as I almost never did in front of anyone. My shoulders started to shake, my form trembling and more tears started to run down, my chest actually feeling as if someone was pressing down on it, hard. I had trouble breathing for a while, but Lian just stayed with me, rubbing his head against my face, his paw resting heavy on the small of my back.

We sat like such for nearly an hour, silent apart from a sob from me once in a while, and the ever going low, comforting rumble coming from Lians chest. He was too precious to me to risk. I would let him live his last years in the jungle he came from, the jungle he knew. Even though it broke my heart.

Slowly I stood again, the sun shining down on my back now, higher up in the sky. It was time to go back… Time to prepare for the journey.

“I love ya, Lian… “

It was all I managed to say out loud, but I believed he understood me. He didn’t follow me, when I started to slip away, just watching after me with those bright orange eyes, until I disappeared between the foliage surrounding the ruins. I didn’t look over my shoulder, I just ran, ran the familiar way through the jungle I had to leave behind, the place I grew up with, the place I’d probably never see again.

I needed some time on my own… Time to get myself together, to prepare my mind. I couldn’t show weakness now. Sadok needed me to be strong. No.. I needed myself to be strong, to be able to face the upcoming dangers. Not only for Sadok. But also for myself, and the two small beings growing in my stomach. I had an extra risk, going through… But I wouldn’t be left behind.

I would push through. I had promised.

[Kozgugore]

Daw, very touching. <3 A well-described and lovely read, even if it's only just in honour of a catty furball! Too many farewells this week. D: