Journey In The Wild

5

Sleeping, hunting, eating.

Sleeping, hunting, eating.

Every day is the same.

Although Papa left a while later.

But everything else didn't change at all.

I am tired. I am tired of life after such a short amount of time in this world.

I've seen all the birds, all the rabbits, the wolves, every tree, plant, and even every kind of insect.

Nothing interests me.

What is the meaning of life?

Is it just surviving and continuing the cycle of food?

Is the point just to be eaten by those creepy humans I hear about?

What about Mama's life?

I stare at the top of Belinda. I was so bored I started naming my favorite trees: Cidney is a pine tree near the small cliff, and Lauren is that small tree that sits on top of our cave which is as old as I am, I was told.

Belinda is the oldest tree in the forest. The tallest and biggest.

The sequoia tree helps guide me home, though I don't need that anymore since I walked through the forest at least twenty times.

Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months turned into a year.

So for about one year, I walked amongst these bushes, until right now I hear huge shufflings in the distance.

It's huge, I think. But there is nothing I can't kill.

At least nothing I haven't seen yet.

I followed the sound of footsteps, pair by pair, to the Wavern River.

The strange creatures made a fire with some fallen branches and made a triangle with thin skins. How can these huge animals balance on two legs?

I gasp.

Humans.

Those cruel creatures who burn forests and chop down woods.

The ones that are shown in millions of bear-told stories.

And they have weapons.

I snuck backward quietly, not wanting to make any sound.

But of course, luck wasn't on my side when I stepped on a twig.

A human's head snapped up as it slowly reached for a pointy stick with a curved branch. It whispered something squeaky to the others.

And for the love of Ursa did they sound like sick mice!

I backed away more, careful not to step on any more loud things, but the humans started moving. So when I was clear of really fragile things to step on, I sprinted as fast as I could toward the direction of my cave.

Mama was in the nursery cave with my baby sister, Aren.

What's going on? Mama hissed.

I used a claw and drew a picture of the humans.

Humans?! Did they follow you? We must leave immediately.

And so, Papa and Mama led the whole family outside along with some food.

Where are we going? Asked Kady.

No questions, we must hurry.

I can already hear the humans catching up on us.

Go, go! Papa urged, and then we ran.

But Aren slowed us down.

She fell out of Mama's mouth when Mama started giving orders, and we can see the humans behind her.

Run! Mama growled.

I shake my head. I am not leaving my parents here to die.

You have to leave, Puryl, I will never forgive myself if one of my cubs is lost. Run to the cliff with Daryl and Beryl, Papa and I will catch up with you.

And so we run to the edge of the huge valley even though one of the humans has threatened Mama and Papa with their curved weapon.

I can hear them howl from hear after a disgusting sound, and Kady and Aren still aren't here.

And I hear three humans coming.

With weapons in their skinny hands.

They shot Beryl and Daryl in the leg and neck, whereas I dodged their pointed sticks.

There was nowhere to go.

I have to leave my siblings.

They're going to die.

But I will not disappoint my family.

So when the human in the middle drew another weapon, I jumped.

Down the cliff.

And into the dark valley.