A Mother's Love
It was a rather timid, if not gentle afternoon in the Hundred Acre Wood that particular day...a day when Tiggers could prove themselves best.
Or a Tigger, for that matter.
With a spring in his tail, he trounced here and there, off trees, and dirt floors, until he nearly passed a rather large boulder in fact, lodged between two trees, as it had been for quite some time. He knew the area well enough, two, if not three minutes from Rabbit's house (his latest stop for the day). He was sure on such a lovely day as such, there would be no better excuse than to bounce the neurotic rabbit for all he was worth and then some. It would be the springy-est, jumpy-est, flouncy-est bounce ever bounced as a greeting. Pooh Bear would become jealous (if he noticed such things discerning from his honey pot). And in the energetic Tigger's mind, Rabbit would be none the happier to be his object of friendliest affections. After all, Tiggers were loving, affectionate, and loyal creatures. It's what they did best. Especially the Tigger they all knew all too well. The world around him wound him up, and well...he did always bring a certain absolute cheer wherever he went. A kind and thoughtful fellow, with a heart of gold for any who would accept it, and even those who would rather not. And for the special few who had the patience...the ones who owned his loving friendship melted deep in their souls...why...they would even dare a snowstorm for his sake. Or an avalanche for that matter.
His padded feet thumped against the dirt and grass with a soft puff, crooked tail clicking back and forth as his paw tucked below his massive chin, lowest stripe pressing his brow down. "Now that is a garganchulous rock that could use a little bouncin' if I do say so myself." It was a goal of the high spirited animal to bounce any and every thing in the Hundred Acre Wood, at least once. It would merely be another to check off of his mental list. And by the size of it, it wouldn't be hardly a hassle. He had bounced higher, sharper, more threatening cliffs, trunks, and branches than this hiccup. But a Tigger's determination was his law, and nothing else would change his mind otherwise. Winding up his tail, he framed the specified landing atop the boulder with his paws, tongue poked in thought before scrunching his body back for more power. It would only take a moment. Rabbit could wait.
The large room was warm and toasty, smelling of good things, but mostly in particular, freshly baked cookies. It wasn't a strange notion to find the vibrant mother cleaning and tidying after her littlest Roo, but baking she could very well fit in between such demanding tasks. Besides, if rewarding herself from time to time with a small sweet proved fulfilling, then why not bake, by all means? Not only did her dearest joey enjoy them, but their friends as well, and that was motivation enough. Cleaning off her counter, she tucked away the flour bag for a refill on a further date, washing off the batter from the bowl as she quietly hummed to herself. A home was pleasantly quiet when a young one was away, but often lonely as well. With her permission, Roo had gone off to Rabbit's to help him with some gardening, as Rabbit required the extra hand, and Roo was more than willing to participate in a responsible role. It would prove him elder than his mother often treated him, and though quite small, perhaps even Tigger might see him in a grander light. The young one could only hope.
But however much Roo wanted to grow, he would always be his mother's child, and she would always love him just as much. A simple knock broke her from her thoughts as she patted her paws dry on a cloth, setting it down before hopping over to her entrance. Perhaps Roo had come for lunch? Though she couldn't fathom Rabbit sending him away without a morsel to spare. It simply wasn't how Rabbit did things, or any of their friends for that matter. Each of them guided and guarded Roo as their own, and loved him just as much as any one of their family. It was a glad day came the certain one she chose to move to the Hundred Acre Wood. They had all proved to be a...playful bunch. And most certainly charming.
Gripping the knob gently in her paw, she brushed off any flour residue on her pouch and cracked open the door with a soft smile to greet whoever happened to be standing there, but it surely fell as soon as done. Head lower than low, with ears and whiskers to match, he could barely keep eye contact before they capped softly, crooked tail twisted firmly between his paws. The tallest of them all suddenly appeared the smallest, and though he tried his best to keep firm, his chin let out the tiniest of trembles, beady little eyes opening once more...and in them the greatest urge to release what he refused to, though they tried their hardest...and the beads gathered, but would not fall. With a paw to her lips, her brows pressed nervously, for Tiggers were bright and energetic fellows, and never forgot their manners about a lady. But neither greeting nor cheer could be said for the current Tigger who merely scrunched his nose toward his face in a hefty sniff, head tilting off in shame.
Reaching out for a moment, she instead clutched her chest, opening the door even wider with concern, "Why, Tigger dear, whatever is the matter?" Her voice softer than silk, and still it attacked him, or so it seemed as he ducked his head further between his shoulders, tail ringing and ringing. His lips parted for a second until they closed again, eyes trailing down toward the ground, and she followed, a small gasp parting from her own. Along the stripe of his knee bore a tear about two inches wide, and as durable as Tiggers were, or claimed to be, no one was perfect...and he was very much frightened.
With a lean she scooped her arms about him, curling him in tight to her chest, and in that moment she felt his stresses and tension release, strong arms clutching back in desperation. His head nuzzled under her cheek as the soft whimper reached her ears, and her paw gently rubbed along his back, squeezing him closer in reassurance. He may have been the only one...but he would never be alone.
"Shhh..."
Though no sound further came from him, she knew it to be a consoling feature...it always calmed Roo during his worst of days. And in her moment of the most comforting of hugs, she realized that this was not Roo, but Tigger...an older, though innocent member of their family of friends. And perhaps she would have to alter her consoling methods, but this was nothing she could not handle, for she adored him and would do anything for a Tigger who loved her son just as well as she. "Come in, dear...we'll get you all fixed up." she cooed gently, slowly pulling back, as she could feel the fear of abandonment in his sudden grip, though it softly relaxed as his paws fell in hers. Leading him away from the door, she cleared the counter of any obstacles and patted it gently for him to sit, and with a swift but heartless clamber, he was seated atop, paws slouched beside him. Almost afraid to move his legs, he merely sighed, head following through until his chin rested into his chest, and she, nearly afraid to leave him in his state of need. With a few quick hops, she rustled through a three shelved chest, finding all her tools exactly as she had left them and hopped back to him, looping a healthy sized black thread through the needle eye with precise precision. An expert's eye.
Upon viewing the tool, his posture changed for the worst, tail scooped and cramped to his chest with wide eyes, but her free paw gently padded his good knee with a mother's knowing smile. "It won't hurt. I promise." And with that said, his trust in her multiplied tenfold before shakily relaxing back to his previous position. With a pinch to his knee, she started, slow, steady, and exact in every form of marksmanship. Sewing was nothing new to her, as she had adjusted Pooh Bear many a time, especially during his grander meals or strenuous actions, or attached a tail for poor Eeyore. Roo's shirts and night outfits had all been lovingly crafted by hers truly, but never had a Tigger required a use for her skills. They were mighty creatures...brave and rambunctious, with energy to spare, hearts and tails of strength. But that was not the Tigger that came to her door or hugged her so dearly. He had...for the first time in his existence...been broken.
And his knee was the least of the damage done.
With a gentle tug, the string snapped, and for certainty, she double and triple checked the quality of her work, a small sigh of relief releasing. The stitching blended perfectly well, and none would be the wiser. If it eased his ego, none would have to know. It wasn't for Kanga to spread such news. Tigger was fine and safe, and that's all that mattered. But when her smiling eyes reached his, all she found was disappointment, and shame. And for the first time since his visit, he grumbled wearily, eyes dragging along the floor.
"Tiggers don't handle pain very well."
With a gentle smile, she tucked her paw under his chin, knowing all too well of the true pain within his chest, clouding his mind. "But Tiggers always bounce back." she noted sweetly, bringing her paw back to his knee. He gazed at her for a moment as he processed her words, beady eyes falling to his lap as he swung his left foot gently. "We all need a little patching at some time or another. We can only be perfect at being who we are, dear." She extended her paw out, stepping back to give him space. "I know a Tigger who's perfect at being a Tigger. He's never afraid to bounce higher than his own goals. It's what everyone loves about him...he never stops trying." His eyes fell from hers to her paw awaiting his, nervously placing his large one upon it. With a firm grip, he slid off the counter and onto the recently patched leg, testing his weight and durability with a slight fear of it tearing back open, but by Kanga's hand, it held, and it held well. Squatting gently, he stretched it out, and with a curious glance, he caught her smile, nodding to him to go on and truly test her work. With a few forward pounces, he trust himself upon his tail, bouncing and spinning this way and that, his knees flinging about in graceful planning as they always did. And with that, he landed firmly on his feet, the strength and confidence swelling back into his prideful chest with a gleeful laugh.
A soft clap broke him from his cheer, ears tucked as she held her paws before her, the warmest of smiles held just for him, "Well, hello, Tigger dear. How nice of you to visit." And finally, a grin curled along his muzzle, arm swung out and ready to greet her in the most genteel of ways possible, when she found herself halfway pounced, a warm and cozy purr escaping the ragdoll as he curled firmly within her arms, all the thanks in the world hardly enough to express any other way. And again, she curled him tightly in, as she cared for him perhaps more than any other dared, and refused to back away from such love. He needed her as she was, and she would always accept that. With a gentle kiss between his ears, she patted it in, making sure it reached his soul deep within, and he chucked bashfully, arms releasing and twisting about his tail, and it was during this time that Roo's terrified voice broke through the air in fear that something terrible had happened that day.
"Mama, Mama! Rabbit said he saw Tigger fall-" and he paused, all worry and stress filling his own beady little eyes as his hero stood in his living room quarters, good as new, and even better, "Hiya, Roo boy!"
"T-Tigger! You're okay!" the worried little joey claimed, hopping as quickly as he could, right into the arms of his best and biggest role model. Should anything happen to him, he wasn't sure what he would do, as best friends often worried about one another, especially during their times of need. But Tigger merely chuckled, and fell back on his tail, bouncing them both in place as he knew the movement would ease both of their pain and release them to new heights. "O'course I'm okay. Fixin' Tiggers is what Kangas do best." he added softly, and Roo glanced up between them curiously, and smiled at his mother who could and would always make everything better. Even if it was already the best.