Loss - Part 5

Dipping a paw into a bowl of water, Shre'ka managed to slack her thirst with several small sips before she scented the Sa'uuk Mo'at returning. Quickly, she scuttled back to her usual place by the far hide wall and crouched there, watching him warily as he entered the dwelling. She was certain he would approach her to offer food or drink again and while she would have dearly loved something to eat, for unlike water, she could not sneak a bite from what he brought her without him missing it, she was determined to continue to refuse.

She hoped her campaign to be returned to Fan'tara was close to succeeding. Shre'ka wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out. Her stomach seemed to growl and gnaw at her like a ravenous beast, doubling her over with painful hunger cramps constantly. She continually felt faint and light-headed. Her head ached. If only the mean, old, Sa'uuk Mo'at would let her go back to Fan'tara! What did he want with her anyway? Why had they let him take her? Nobody seemed to want her! Why did her parents have to die? Now she was all alone!

She realized her thoughts had driven her to tears once more. Angrily she scrubbed an arm across her face, not wanting the Sa'uuk Mo'at to see her cry. He would just try to comfort her, and she didn't want anything from him! He wasn't her father! He was just a mean old male she didn't know very well! She didn't want anything from him except to be left alone!

She sniffled, flicking her ears and looked over at him, noticing he hadn't come over to offer her some food. He was sitting on the coverlet of his sleeping area, his eyes closed, his hands resting loosely on his knees. She pricked her ears forward, then cocked her head to one side, frowning. What was he doing? Why was he just sitting there like that?

Shre'ka crept slowly towards him, perplexed by his behavior. Emboldened when Fey'qua'ri continued to sit quietly, she reached his side and looked up at him curiously. She hadn't really ever looked at him so intently before. The Sa'uuk Mo'at had always frightened her a little, like the clan leader and the Hunt Mo'at. She knew the Sa'uuk Mo'at was old, but he didn't appear to be, the fur of his muzzle had very little silver in it at all. He had an interesting pattern of black and white markings on his gray fur, and a long mane which he kept partially braided, but she decided she liked the black tips on his ears best.

He still hadn't moved. Shre'ka sighed. She couldn't stand it any more.

"Are you asleep?" she asked.

"No," he replied, without opening his eyes.

"Aren't you going to bring me something to eat?"

"No."

She blinked. "Why not? I'm hungry!"

Fey'qua'ri opened one eye slightly and looked at her. "I'd be hungry, too, if I hadn't eaten for as long as you haven't, but why should I bring you anything to eat? You'd only refuse to eat it. I'm not wasting my time with you any more." He waved her away. "If you want to starve, then starve, youngling."

Tears welled up in Shre'ka's eyes. "That's mean!" she cried. "You shouldn't just let me starve!"

Fey'qua'ri's one open eye closed. He turned his head away from her. "I'm not 'letting' you do anything. Starving or not is your decision, cub. I'm merely abiding by it."

Shre'ka's ears dropped in distress. "But I don't want to starve! I'm hungry! I want something to eat!"

Fey'qua'ri's eyes opened. He turned his head back to look at her. "If I bring you something to eat," he growled, "do you swear ka'met'ma to eat it?"

Shre'ka looked at him quizzically. "What's ka...met...ma?"

Fey'qua'ri looked at the little she-cub sternly. "Ka'met'ma is an oath, made in blood. Once the oath is spoken and the blood is spilled, it must never be broken." She hesitated, the mention of blood frightening her a little, and he began to turn away. "No? It is just as well, it is not something to be taken lightly."

Shre'ka scowled, flattening her ears. She held up her hand, glaring at Fey'qua'ri defiantly. "If you will bring me food to eat, I, Shre'ka, swear ka'met'ma to eat it." And so saying, she bit a finger of her hand, drawing a bead of red blood.

Fey'qua'ri watched her solemnly, then nodded. He got up and left the dwelling, returning shortly with a bowl of stew which he set in front of her. "I will hold you to your oath, young Shre'ka," he told her.

To be continued...