Under Guardianship

The sun is barely setting when I am awakened by a cry of panic.

"Monster!" Sock comes crashing through the ferns and scrambles up the oak tree, pieces of bark splintering off the trunk. They land with a crunch onto the bed of dry leaves below.

I watch as every bird in the forest takes off in a frenzy, and my heart sinks.

"Not again..." I grumble and stretch my stiff back, sinking my claws into the tree branch I had been napping on, tail twitching, "Can we please go one night without you scaring away dinner? This is the first day that it hasn't rained in months." We aren't going to get many more chances to eat if we don't seize this opportunity. It's hard enough paying the dues as it is.

"No Pippa this isn't like the other times." Sock holds firmly to the top of the tree trunk, his dilated pupils begging for my attention, "I really mean it this time. There's something... something not right down there."

I blink and slowly rise from my stretching position, lifting a paw to my mouth to give it a contemplative lick. I wipe my forehead with the paw and yawn, then stare for a moment at my brother.

"You say that every time." I sit and watch as Sock just looks at me blankly, his puffed-up tail swishing. He’s ridiculous, but I've learned that taking his delusions lightly only adds fuel to the fire. I can't afford to have a falling out with Sock right now, so after a moment I give up and say, "Where is it? What did you see?"

"Oh, it was grotesque I tell you!" His eyes light up now that I’ve taken the bait.

I mentally prepare myself for his dramatic tale. No matter how many times he does this, he always seems to top it the next time around. At this point, anything short of extraterrestrials is going to disappoint me.

Sock climbs onto the branch above me. His tail is still swishing, and now it's in my face.

It slaps me on the nose. I sneeze.

"The monster had no fur or scales or feathers. The skin that it had seemed to be barely attached, as if it were shedding like a snake- except it was no reptile. It released the most hideous, high pitched scream when I approached, and I swear to you it looked into my very soul. The thing reached for me with no warning and that was when I took off in search of you."

Sock's tail is relentlessly assaulting me, moving faster with every sentence he speaks. I bat it away.

"That doesn't sound like it's real. You know this forest is under Guardianship. How could such a thing be here with no consequences?" I ask, thinking that he may have imagined it.

"I. Am. Telling. You." Sock insists, "If you don't believe me, I'll show you."

"Oh? You're going back to the monster just to prove a point?" I am amused. My brother hardly shows this amount of courage.

His whiskers quiver. "No, no you're right... you should go alone. I can't bear to face it again. I simply can't!" He swivels his ears in the direction of the river, "Go look by the riverbank. And Pippa... whatever you do... promise you will be careful and do not let it grab you!"

I roll my eyes. Figures. "Fine. But I'm only doing it to prove to you how dumb this all is. As soon as I get back, be ready to hunt... and you'd better hope all of those birds you scared away come back because we can’t afford to go another night without prey. The Guardian’s knights come tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Already?” Sock frowns, “But we’re not even close to done!” I hear him lower his voice as he mumbles, “Do you think the Great Guardian will leave me alone if I say I’m gamey?”

We can’t pay the dues because you’re way too loud. I swallow my response. I know that when we’re actually out hunting Sock can be a decent asset- one that I can’t go without. It doesn’t help that he’s annoying, though.

“Just don’t make any more noise please.” I wave my tail at him and leap off the tree.

I make no sound when I land on a mossy patch, a landing that would make my mother proud. Had there been prey here, none would know I am on the prowl. Perhaps I’ll get lucky and catch something on the way to see this “monster”. I am fully convinced Sock is jumping at shadows again. After all, the light plays the most tricks at sunset.

The forest is dead silent. I swivel my ears to pick up on the tiniest vibrations. I hear the wingbeats of a moth. The distant chirp of a fruit bat. A lonely cricket serenading the coming stars. Nothing of substance. Nothing I can sink my claws into. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful night. I hope I live to see more beautiful nights like this. I just need the dues.

As I approach the riverbank, I open my mouth to try and find any scent that is off. At least, that is my excuse. In reality I am hoping I can catch a mouse unaware, but I have no such luck.

But there is… something here. To my surprise, I am hit by a stench that I am not familiar with. I shut my mouth and recoil from it. By the stars, is Sock actually right this time?

My hackles stand at attention. All of my movements become stiff, and I crouch low, following the scent while avoiding the dried fall leaves that will give me away.

This smell, it is otherworldly. It doesn’t smell like a plant or an animal. It also doesn’t smell like death. My instincts are not warning me of danger, nor am I attracted to the source. Mother always told me that all knowledge is passed down through genetics, that my ancestors’ experiences would inform me of what I need to do. But what happens when there is no information on something? This smell brings that concerning question to mind. For the first time in my relatively short life, I am faced with a choice.

I… I choose to face it. I think of Sock and his cowardice. How it always holds him back. I say to myself that I will not be afraid of this thing.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Stop it.” Under my breath, I chastise my heart for beating so fast.

There is a rocky overhang not far from the bank. The trail leads me to it. My eyes, well-adapted to the darkness, glow through the foliage and peer into the shadows.

Something moves under the overhang. It looks relatively amorphous at first, but then I can see that it has four legs like mine. It seems to be sitting on its haunches, but its forelegs are odd and don’t touch the ground. Its ears are little nubs on the sides of its head, and from what I can tell Sock is right- it doesn’t have fur, scales or feathers. Still, that is not particularly concerning. After all, pigs, hippos and elephants don’t really have those things either. Could this be in the same family? Or perhaps it’s like a bird before it reaches the fledgling phase. That would make this thing an exceptionally large baby bird, about twice my size.

And yet… that could make it edible.

I lick my lips and think about how my descendants will remember the day I discovered a new form of prey.

I inch up to the creature, at this point convinced that it is some sort of young offspring. It blinks at me with an innocence and curiosity that adults don’t have. There is no muscle mass on this thing. I’m not even sure it can walk.

“Mumumumumumu…” The creature reaches for me with one of its fleshy claw things and I back away, flattening my ears.

It blinks again and sighs, then starts pulling at- at its own skin??

This is the skin that Sock mentioned, again accurate. It seems to be like another layer on the creature, not quite attached to its body. I notice something hanging from its neck. It’s shaped like a heart, and it seems to be made of metal.

I am familiar with the concept of jewelry. I myself have a circle earring that I wear on the tip of my right ear, but only the sentient creatures wear those. That means this thing can’t possibly be a bird. And yet, it is most certainly not a pig, hippo, or elephant either.

“My word. What are you?” I ask it and relax a bit. I sit just outside of its reach, though the thing hasn’t tried grabbing me again.

It looks up at me when I speak and gurgles.

I raise my brows, “You either don’t speak the local language or you’re too young to have learned it.” My tail-tip twitches in thought.

The young animal gurgles again and puts the necklace in its mouth.

“Now, now. You shouldn’t try to eat that. I think.” I walk up to it and gently grab the chain with my mouth, pulling it away from its slobbering lips. I’ve seen many baby animals try to eat what they shouldn’t, and I imagine this is no exception. “Are you a predator species? You don’t look like prey.” I ask but know full well it won’t answer me.

I am crushed against its side as it puts its forelegs around me in a highly unnatural position and pulls me close, squeezing me. My claws slide out of their sheaths.

But my claws slide back in when no harm befalls me. The creature’s grip isn’t too tight. All it does is place its head on my back and close its eyes. It seems to be a gesture of kindness. I look back at it and feel a twinge of sympathy. Who left this little creature here?

I purr involuntarily and before I know it, I lick its cheek. The creature gurgles again and continues to hold me. I don’t have the heart to break away.

Against all logic I begin contemplating staying the night with it when I hear a rustle in the woods beside me.

A fearsome growl rips through the silence and three wolves stand over me baring their teeth.

It can’t be… they’re not due until tomorrow!

The wolf in the middle snarls at me and says, “Pippa Oak, you are under arrest for failure to pay your dues and illegal possession of this creature.”