A Greater Lesson

Chapter 2: The Meeting

I walked along the ledge by my house, searching for something to torture; something to kill.  Anger had overcome me; rationality had abandoned me.  Deep down I knew it was my fault what happened.  Somehow I felt getting revenge would make it even, that my guilt would go away.  I searched for that lion, I searched for the scar I had deliberately left to guide me.  I shifted my vision to the rocky cliffs in the thick jungle.  That’s where the caves hid themselves.  I had searched every one more than once; if that cat was there, I would have found it.  Maybe it did hear my warning, maybe it’s hiding, carefully and constantly looking for safe places to lodge.

My mind was polluted with hatred and guilt and vengeance.  I had every weapon my father owned, and I was eager to use them to cause harm.  What I was doing was against everything my parents ever taught me.  They raised me with love and forgiveness.  I never was a teachable child, I was always too proud for that.  I guess that’s why the lessons never stuck.

I didn’t know how to love.  I used to, though.  I used to at least have some humanity in me.  Now I was a monster.  All I knew was death and pain and how to inflict it.

That all began to change one day.  The day I began to learn a greater lesson.

My search brought me towards the jungle.  Sounds of life and prosperity surrounded me.  It made me sick.  I heard also another sound; different than the rest.  It wasn’t an ambience; it was movement.  Something was here, something I could kill.

I saw somebody in my forest, in my home.  An intruder, and he was armed.  I had to banish him, he had to know he wasn’t welcome.  I swiftly ascended a tree that would provide cover.  From there I spied on the man.  I pulled an arrow from my homemade quiver and shook the branches as I maneuvered.  He looked around, alert now, confirming that he had heard me.  I began scampering on the treetops, staying one step ahead of him.  I scanned the trees, then the ground, in search of Roux.  If this man were to see him, they would attack each other, and I couldn’t risk that.  I had to find him.

The creature began to surf the branches, moving with the agility of a spider monkey, but I knew that was not what this was.  My anger was partially replaced with curiosity.  I wanted to know what this was.  The mystical creature intrigued me, and the fact that I never got a clear view of it added to the excitement.  The faster I went, the faster it went, it never stopped, it was always one step ahead of me.  It was too smart to be an average animal.  I actually was beginning to believe that it might be a legend or a mythical creature rather than any animal I’d seen.

I was into a full sprint when whatever it was dropped to the ground.  To me it was just a blur, but I made an attempt.  I threw my dagger, but missed.  A hand reached out and grabbed it before I got there and disappeared again into the canopy. It was human! I was cut off by a jaguar that leapt out of the thick trees.  I drew my sword and challenged its snarl with a grin.  He began to lunge and before I could make my move, a familiar sound cut me short.

I noticed the man had stopped chasing me, but as I looked back, I found Roux.  That foolish beast of mine was the most loyal creature I knew, and he was about to be slaughtered trying to save me.  I couldn’t keep my silence any longer.

“Roux!”

I looked up to the trees.

“No!  Roux don’t!”

It was a woman’s voice, and with that the jaguar backed off and leapt into the branches above him.  I looked up to find the source of this obedience. The being dropped from the covering of branches and as it stood I noticed it was indeed a woman. Before I could begin to assess the situation, I found an arrow pointed straight at me.  She looked defensive, like she had no trust.