Running With Lightning (rewriting)

A New Friend

Riola looked up at Zeyla with disbelief, "I'm a super powerful being? COOL!" she shouted excitedly jumping up. Zeyla sighed and tried to say something but the little pup was off in her own world at the moment. "OOOHHH I'm gonna save the tribe! Beat up bad guys, ohhh ohhhh maybe even save the world!" Riola barked happily.

"Keep your voice down Riola." Zeyla admonished finally ending Riola's happy spree. Riola sat down her fluffy tail flicking excitedly.

"How do I use the power? is it activated by emotions? Pain? Some sort of cool backflip move?!" Riola was suddenly splashed with water, she glanced up at Zeyler as she had water floating around her head it dropped to the ground and disappeared.

"Now if you listened you would have heard me say that your power is activated in a special way no one can unlock it for you." Zeyla explained, flicking an ear in an irritated way.

"Yea its like our powers, right mom?" Morra asked standing. Riola stared with wonder as vines began growing out of the ground and around Morra's paws.

"Whoa" Riola breathed and jumped around excitedly.

"Sure kinda like our powers" Zeyla shrugged she got up and stretched padded over to the chief and sat down with him. Riola saw that she was talking to her father she hoped she was not in trouble. Riola glanced back at Morra who had a look of pure concentration on her face.

"You can stop using your powers now." Riola said stretching with a yawn. Morra yawned as well.

"I know but I like doing this." Morra replied she took a deep breath and the vines dropped to the ground dead. "Ha! New record!" She laughed.

"You were keeping track?" Riola asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Morra replied, "i wanna see if I'm getting better." Morra said sticking her tongue out.

"well at least you know how to use them." Riola grumbled flicking her tail sadly.

"aw don't worry you will get them eventually-" Riola tuned out the rest of her sentence and looked over Morra's shoulder to see her father carrying something in his teeth. Riola told Morra goodbye and went over to her father when she got close she realized it was a baby tribemate! Riola ran up to her father.

"Da! Who is this?" Riola asked curiously sniffing the small bundle of fur.

Chief looked down and smiled. "Curiosity killed the pup!" he joked and Riola scrambled away laughing. Zeyla approached him.

"Chief she needs to know." Zyler said. Chief sighed and called Riola back.

"Riola, Ashika is dead" Chief said sadly. Riola's ears dropped.

"oh." was her reply.

"I know its hard she was like the mother you never had." Chief said and Riola nodded. He leaned down and nuzzled his pup. "Do not be sad little one her legacy will live on through Veral." He looked down at the small pup who sat up and sneezed. Riola gasped.

"He has wings?!" She said as the pup unfurled tiny red and black wings he squeaked, cold and Zeyla picked him up taking him to the nursery.

"some of our tribemates do Riola, most are just able to hide then against their black fur." Chief replied with a smile. His gaze turned serious. "But Veral wont be treated differently he is Ashika's son and therefore is your cousin." Chief said glancing toward the nursery. Riola looked upset, and Chief sighed "At least you will have a new friend to play with soon." Chief said laying down next to his pup with a yawn. Riola jumped up and batted at her fathers head who promptly rolled over with a whine. "Oh no! Ive been defeated in battle by the mighty pup, Riola!" he exclaimed dramatically with a hint of sarcasm. Riola laughed and yawned. "you sleepy?" he asked, Riola nodded. "Come on its time you got to see my den." Riola laughed as she was swept off her paws and into the air by her father who promptly went to his tree and skillfully climbed the roots and branches to a hollow inside the trunk. He went in and set Riola down on the smooth and surprisingly soft bark he curled up around the pup who quickly fell asleep. Chief smiled and lay his head down, falling asleep with his pup for the first time in a long time.

Riola burst out of the tree hollow with a yelp, her father lunged out and gabbed her before she fell. "Careful!" Chief growled through the bundle of fur in his mouth. He smoothly leapt down the tree and towards the camp entrance.

"Where we going Da?" Riola asked her paws swinging limply through the air.

"its finally time for you to see the world." Was her fathers reply. He walked to a clearing and set the pup down who began sniffing every bush flower and blade of grass she could.

"Its so pretty here!" Riola squealed looking around at the bright colors of the forest, she saw a small purple butterfly and decided it would be fun to catch it. Riola crouched down wiggled her haunches and jumped missing the small bug by a landslide. Riola barked unhappily and chased the butterfly around. "I will get you!" She snarled tripping over her own paws and falling over. Chief watched the scene unfold and laughed.

"Careful Riola the world is a dangerous place." Chief said sounding, sad. He perked his ears and watched the pup play around carefully.

"Its ok da you will protect me, right? Do a cool backflip thing and turn into a giant monster to save the forest?" Riola asked sitting by her fathers paws. Chief looked confused for a moment then burst out into laughter.

"No Riola its not like that!" He laughed then stood. "Come we have much to talk about."