Fan Fiction ❯ A mother's Pain ❯ The Story ( One-Shot )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Title: A Mother's Pain

A/N: For the benefit for some, I'll tell some of the pronunciations

Places:

Forellia: for-REL-li-ah

Mibuang: mi-bu-A-ng

Musangra: mu-sA-ng-ra

Corell: ko-RE-ll

Gexaf: Gex-saf

Names:

Katriya: ka-TREE-ah

Calgerou: kal-GEH-roo

Iches: ICE-shes

Resyir: re-shir

Ryda: Rye-da

Dwes: west

Skyed: sky-ed

Suriah: soo-ri-AH

Hysh: he-sh

Qwed: kaed

It was the time again. Forellia was in danger of being destroyed once
again. The three warring ones are tensing their muscles. The Tigers of
Tiger Cove vs. the Wolves of Mibuang vs. the Foxes of Musangra. The
leaders now have felt that the temporary truce that was set by the
Elders had gone too long. Their predecessors have kept the peace, but
the cocky Young had fanned the smoldering flames of the ancient feud.

While the leaders of the land had decided to fight, it is not them who
suffers, but the citizens and all those that happen to fall in their
family. The citizens knew it was futile to run for everywhere there
was bloodshed, torture and innocent lives being lost. Refugees of
Tiger Cove had to seek cover from the furious battle between their new
leader, Isches, and the Wolves' new leader, Resyir. Both had strong
armies. The troops consisted of men and women alike, children included
if found healthy enough.

The Foxes were considered a strong foe to the Wolves and the Tigers,
but their role in the war is that they only protected their own
territory. If needed, they will expand their land. Foxes although were
the shrewdest, were also the wisest.

Katriya was a red fox. Her red pelt shimmered like the sun at sunrise.
She had sinned once, loving with another fox not chosen by her
tradition-based parents. Now she had understood her parents' judgment
of saying that Ryda, her heart-chosen mate, was a bad seed. True to
their words, Ryda had deserted her after she got pregnant with a kit
due to their joining. The kit was born healthy, a silver male. She
christened him the name of her late grandfather, Calgerou.

Her kit had grown up beautifully. Now at the age of 12, he was a
sturdy boy. He grew his hair long. His pelt reflected the colors of
the day. Ryda had been slightly silvered near the tail, but Calgerou
was totally silver. She survived the day by using her extensive
knowledge of hiding in the shadows inconspicuously and not to mention
her running skills.

Now at the time of the Great War, her skills had to be tested to the
extreme. With a youngster barely able to fight properly, it exhausted
her to survive in the woods alone. Food had become scarce, and search
parties looking for enemies or vulnerable refugees have caused them to
keep moving.

Katriya's most important possession was Calgerou. Nothing would get
Calgerou without a life-and-death fight with her. She would kill for
the sake of her son. She had been teaching her survival skills to
Calgerou since he had been able to walk and talk, and to understand
her totally. Her son was a rebel himself but he was clever enough to
listen to his mother's advice. At a young age of five, Calgerou had
killed because he had to protect his mother and himself.

The battle seemed to have tampered down a bit. With all three sides
depleted in numbers, they were looking for new recruits. As if adding
fuel to the fire, a mysterious disease had spread rapidly. It had
infected several soldiers and animals. The cure was very rare and is
only known to the Elders.

Katriya had found a relatively safe cave near the mountains, near the
border. The entrance was hidden by several vines and lush undergrowth.
There she had stayed for several months away from the battle, away
from the hectic life in the city. She knew it was safe to leave
Calgerou alone while she hunted for food. The food supply had been
abundant and they lived the once peaceful life they had. Though life
was good, Katriya was still wary of the Great War occurring near her
living quarters. Her wariness did not wear off until two months of
safety.

Her hunting was done. She had a plump rabbit in her jaws. It did not
put up quite a fight as she had expected of the rabbit. She was
rapidly approaching her hidden sanctuary when she smelt the scent of
Wolf blood. Tracks, which normally would not show unless for a sickly
animal or a clumsy one, was clear as crystal. Realization struck her
like lightning when she knew where the tracks led. She dropped the
carcass from her mouth and ran like the wind towards her now supposed
heaven.

True to her instincts, she found that a fight was going on near he
house. Her house that contained her precious kit. Rage soared through
her like a bonfire newly lit with kerosene when she saw her son
dripping blood from the wounds inflicted on him. Around him were
several corpses, of foxes and wolves. The Tigers have yet to reach
them. Some of the wolves were still standing even though they had been
fatally wounded.

The reason for their presence were always the same, to either kill
them or to enslave them. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled through
the now darkened skies. Rain soon poured buckets on them. Calgerou was
hurt enough. Katriya sprinted from her hiding place and with deadly
swiftness, she killed the remaining Wolves.

The battle had ended. Calgerou was exhausted and his wounds burned
when in contact with the rainwater. He watched in excitement as his
mother came to his rescue. There had been too many enemies and he
wasn't strong enough to take them all. As he was running towards his
mother, his vision suddenly became fuzzy and he felt nauseous.

"Mother! You came back..." he cried when he suddenly collapsed to the
ground.

"Gerou!" She shouted back to him.

~*~*~*~*~

She hadn't been back here for along time. She didn't intend return.
Now was a vital time. She had to know the remedy known only to the
Elders. The Elders just happen to live somewhere deep in the swamp,
surrounded by wisps of dirty looking mists. They lived in isolated
huts very far away from the turmoil of Forellia.

Carrying her unconscious son on her back, She waded slowly through the
bog and towards a hut that she remembered clearly of. The hut looked
dilapidated with the roof having a hole in it and the straw that held
the hut upright was almost rotten. Inside though resided the important
resident of Musangra, Dwes. Dwes is the notorious medicine woman of
all of Forellia. She was claimed to have cured the Skyed Disease
during the Peaceful Times.

Katriya poked her muzzle at the doorway. Inside, she saw Dwes. Dwes
was a wrinkled old fox, whose pelt had lost most of its luster. Dwes
had once been beautiful but now she seemed to be just another senile
old geezer. Dwes looked up towards her. The look on Dwes was of much
wisdom and her pain was evident in her eyes, which projected her
life's experiences in just one look.

Dwes had been expecting Katriya for a long time. Katriya, after all,
is her daughter. Since Katriya had abandoned her, Katriya doesn't
recognize her as her blood-mother. Still, she knew that she'd be back.
She was not surprised either when Katriya entered with a bundle on her
back. Dwes directed Katriya towards a mat on the floor and proceeded
to examine the young fox. Soon, she sighed heavily.

"Your son is in danger of dying from the plague spreading around. I do
know the antidote, but I don't have the ingredients right now," Dwes
said, her voice rough. She proceeded in giving Katriya a piece of
paper. On it were the precious ingredients of the antidote. "You have
to get these ingredients for me. These old bones can hardly carry me
around without giving a creak hear and there."

"Thank you very much, Dwes. I will go and get the ingredients as soon
as possible; I can't let Calgerou die. He's everything to me," Katriya
said with a sigh of relief.

"There is a price for this antidote. A price that taxes your skill as
well as your heart," Dwes rasped.

Katriya was puzzled. She didn't understand: taxing to your skills and
your heart? Why my heart? Does it mean that I will have to go back to
Gexaf again? God, tell me what this means! Suddenly, the answer struck
her mind. "Ryda... it's about Ryda, isn't it?" She looked
questioningly at the wizened fox in front of her. Dwes did not answer
her. "Why now at this time...?" She mumbled. Her heart wrenched. She
has to do it for the sake of Calgerou. But to face her ex-lover was
too painful a burden to bear.

A slow, painful minute passed. Katriya looked at Calgerou's suffering
body and decided to go for the most important quest of her life. "I
will go! No matter the obstacle, I will return!" She said with
determination burning in her eyes.

Dwes's faces softened and a smile brightened her face. " Go, my child.
Remember to return at most in a month. Your son will not have long to
live by then."

~*~*~*~*~

It had been two weeks already. Katriya had been diligently collecting
the items. Some proved to be more rare that she first thought, like
the Corell flower that blooms once in a month at midnight when the
full moon is high. Her patience had frequently been tested so has the
survival skills. Now she had to head to get a rare mushroom that grows
in only one place, Gexaf City, the hometown of Ryda.

Gexaf wasn't a real city. It only had a few of creature comforts. Most
inhabitants lived in huts made out of durable and strong wood. She
knew exactly where Ryda lived. Taking a brief detour towards his hut,
she realized that he couldn't be living here now. The hut was
deserted; would-be treasure hunters have salvaged its contents.

Going into the heart of the city, She searched the area for the
elusive mushroom. She had no idea how it looked like. She searched
high and low but to no avail. Not even one mushroom had appeared. It
was almost dusk. She was exhausted from her recent travels. Now she'd
like place to cuddle up and rest for the night. Finding a nice soft
patch of grass to rest for the night she began to drift off to sleep.

Suddenly she was shaken awake. Opening her eyes, she saw a soldier
telling her to scram, as it was private property. Obediently, she rose
and walked aimlessly towards the night.

The next morning, she found herself in a nice soft bed. It seemed that
she had either walked here in her sleep or somebody had offered her a
place to crash for the night. She hoped it was the latter so that she
won't get in trouble with the authorities.

Slowly, she got up. Shrieks from the young kits playing outside told
her that it was almost noon. She straightened herself out and walked
out of the door, hoping that someone was there so she could thank
whoever had gave her lodgings of the night. Sitting at the table, was
a kit of 8 years. It had jet-black fur with a line of silver fur
running at its back. It looked up to her and smiled. It then shouted
to its mother telling that the guest was awake.

Shuffling was heard beyond the wall. Then a slender woman with sharp
features and a tawny brown pelt emerged from the next room.

She held out her arms and held Katriya's shoulder. "I trust that you
had a good rest. You were so tired when I found you that you
practically fainted into my arms. I know that we haven't been
introduced yet. My name is Suriah. That is my son, Hysh. My husband
would be back from his nightly rounds soon. So rest. I will get you
your breakfast."

"Thank you for your hospitality, but I really have to be going now. My
name's Katriya. I'm sorry to intrude in your duties, but I have to
go," Katriya said holding Suriah at arm's length. It seemed that
Suriah was as stubborn as she was. Suriah's stubbornness caused
Katriya to sit down and relax and have her breakfast. As she was
waiting, she wondered around the premises of the house. She then
decided to exit the house so as to get her bearings of the place.

When she exited the house, she breathed in the fresh air of the city.
She closed her eyes and relaxed her tense shoulder. She took in the
busy bustle of activity of the city, the sounds of the playing kits
and the sweet scent of the morning air. The sounds of the city
reminded her of how she missed the city life. Suddenly she heard the
delighted squeals of the kits increase in frequency.

"I'm home!" a strange voice cried. The voice was uncannily familiar.
The deep throaty laughter underlined with humor. She opened her eyes
and saw a much older Ryda. Ryda also stopped at his tracks and looked
at her. As if he was searching his mind for someone familiar, he
mumbled, "Ka... Kat..." before he could finish, Katriya ran off, tears
streaming down her eyes.

~*~*~*~*~

She stood on top of the hill. The sun was setting now. It made her red
pelt glow as if it was on fire. Her face was streaked from the tears
that were shed early that morning. Soon she saw a figure approaching.
Part of her hoped that it was Ryda, another part of her wanted to get
rid of Ryda. When the figure neared her, she saw that it was only two
other foxes cuddled up together. Her heart gave another spasm of pain
that reverberated throughout her body. Soon sobs racked her body.

She heard another figure approach. She did not bother to look up. When
the figure touched her shoulder, then she looked up. Ryda was standing
in front of her. His facial expression showed apology and empathy.
Katriya could not stand it anymore. She hugged Ryda and cried her eyes
out once more. Ryda kept smoothing her fur, trying to soothe her.

"There now, Katriya. Don't cry. I'm here. There now." The soft cooing
words seem to make her relax. Slowly, She looked up towards Ryda.
"See? I know that you're stronger that that! Sorry if I didn't
recognize you just now."

"It has been long, hasn't it? Somebody must surely be against us up
there. I didn't expect to meet you again after you deserted me. Now at
such a time, when Gerou is sick," She said her voice still suffered
from the aftermath of the sobs.

"Gerou? Who is that? Is that your current lover?" Ryda asked having a
jealous note in his voice. Not that he minded having Kat taking
another lover. He was sort of happy that she had found another person,
sort of.

"Why jealous? Don't worry Ryda. He's just our child that's all. He's
name is Calgerou. You know of the incurable disease that is spreading
around. Well he has caught it two weeks ago and I have been looking
for the ingredients for the cure. I have only one more ingredient. The
rare Qwed mushroom. I have enough trouble finding it already. Now I've
got you to add to my list of troubles!"

Ryda could not believe what he was hearing, but it was true. He had
another son and he was in danger of losing him even before he saw this
Calgerou. " I know that this is bad thing to do, Kat. But will you
please wait here while I tell my wife that I am going away for a short
while. I'm going together with you, Kat. I want to see Calgerou too.
Then, if you want you could stay with Suriah and me." With that, he
stood up. His physique had not worn down although he led a comfortable
life. He told her where the mushrooms could be found. In fact it was
just about ten meters from where she sat. Then he left.

Ryda came back two hours ago. The sky was already dark. Katriya had
caught her dinner, and was eating her catch rapidly for she hadn't
eaten for almost two days already. Soon, she was ready and they both
headed to the dense forest towards Dwes's dwelling place.

At the murky swamp where the hut stood, Calgerou's health had taken a
turn for the worse. He now was already having trouble breathing and
his temperature was fluctuating between high and low. Dwes had been
trying to keep this beautiful fox alive but now her efforts are
becoming more futile. She prayed to the Holy Deity that Katriya would
reach here quickly.

As if hearing Dwes's prayer, Katriya quicken her pace towards the hut.
Ryda followed closely behind. Soon they reached the clearing where
Dwes's hut was situated. Dwes was glad for their sudden appearance,
even though they did knock down her door. She quickly brewed the
ingredients given by Katriya.

Ryda went towards the suffering fox on the mat on the floor. The fox
had a silvery pelt and its face resembled somewhat of him. The fox was
thin and it's skin had a pasty look to it. He was happy but shocked to
see a silver double of him.

"Calgerou, open your eyes now. You're gonna be all right soon. Now
open your eyes and look at me," he said in a soft voice. Calgerou
slowly opened his eyes with a questioning look in them. "I'm your
father, Calgerou. I have gone back to you and your mom. Please live
and don't give up." Ryda continued. Then he hugged the sobbing fox.
Calgerou was happy to see his father finally.

Soon the antidote was ready. Dwes held out the bowl of putrid looking
liquid to Calgerou. Though he was disgusted to drink such a bad
smelling liquid, he drank it all down in one gulp. He hugged both of
his parents and thanked Dwes for her efforts, then he lost
consciousness

~*~*~*~*~

He woke up two weeks later, feeling better than ever. He was in his
new home now. They now lived with his father and his other family. He
knew that he would be happy in the new life that he and his mother had
chosen. Everything is peaceful now.

Not really the end