Way of the Wanderer - Chapter 2 – A fateful night

After several months, Ebony has grown a bit. Enough to recognize her family and talk a bit, but she wasn't ready to stay alone yet. Ivory was
outside, collecting berries, while Keanu took Bisko and Sato to train them the same way he trained Puro. So Puro was told to stay with his little
sister and play with her if neccessary. Unlike Sato and Bisko, she was calm and didn't jump around much. Instead, Ebony was sleeping quite often.
However, today she was excited, because Puro promised her to visit a special place with her.

''Can we go now?'' Ebony ran around a bit, bumping into Puro a few times ''Can we?''
''Calm down, Eb.'' Puro said calmly ''Let me prepare, ok?''
''Okay'' she didn't stop bumping into him by accident. At least she stopped asking.
A few seconds later he was done packing berries into a pouch.
''Alright, I'm ready!'' he smiled at her.
Of course she couldn't contain her excitement, because that's the first time, she'd leave the cave. Puro started to get second thoughts.
Was she ready? Was HE ready? His thoughts were interrupted by Ebony
''Yaaaay!'' Well, he couldn't make her sad now, so he banished them for good. 'I'm ready for the responsibility!' he encouraged himself.
''And Ebony?'' she turned towards him ''Stay close to me and don't run off, ok?''
''Okie!'' she slowed down and followed Puro out of the cave. It was daytime and the sun was shining bright, so her eyes had to adjust to these new
conditions after living in a cave for so long.
''Watch out, this is a cliff.'' Puro warned her ''You don't want to fall down there.''
She just nodded and kept following until she heard something rushing ''What is that sound?''
''That's a waterfall Ebony. There's a little lake on the mountain and its water falls down here, into a slightly bigger lake down there. That water is loud
enough to make that sound.''
''Whoooaaaah!'' Ebony's eyes widened, even though the sunlight was strong.
''Hehe... Pretty much the same reaction as Sato and Bisko.'' Puro added.
''Can we go up there?'' Ebony wanted to know.
''Not today. But some day we will, that's a promise!'' They hugged each other.
''Really?'' Ebony was smiling.
''Yes, Eb. Really.'' Puro turned back to the path ''Let's continue, shall we?''
Ebony nodded and they kept walking. After several minutes, they took a break. Puro was used to walk for that long, but Ebony never left the cave before,
so he'd let her catch her breath first, before continuing.
Ebony was panting ''This... is really hard... Puro...''
''I know Eb, but some day you won't have any problems with that anymore.''
It took her a few minutes to recover and so they went deeper into the forest.
''What kind of place are we visiting?'' Ebony asked on the way.
''It's a flower field. We picked some of them up to give them to mom, before she got you.''
Puro explained ''They're growing around a big tree. It's a special place to our family.''
''I want to see the flowers!'' Ebony cheered.
''You will. Look! There's the clearing!''
There were still a lot of ice flowers left. Their purple and blue coloration made them stand out and yet fitting in such a place. It was a beautiful scenery. This
time Ebony couldn't hold herself and she ran towards it. As she started running around in the flower field,
Puro picked up one of the flowers. ''Ebony?''
''Yes?'' She quickly came back to him.
''Here. Got one for you!'' he put the flower into the fur behind her ear.
''Yaaay!'' She was jumping around happily ''Thank you Puro!''
''It looks good on you!''
''I'm pretty now!'' Ebony was happier than ever.
''Alright. Should we head back now? You know, before our parents are back?''
''Okay, but can I keep the flower?''
''Of course you can! And now...'' he sat down ''Get on my back. I'll carry you!''
Ebony did not let him say that twice and got on his back.

Ivory returned from berry picking. It took her longer than usual, but at least she got enough berries for at least one week. The caring mother took a peek
inside the cave to see both, Puro and Ebony, cuddled together sleeping. It didn't take her long to notice the flower in Ebony's fur, which made her smile.
Puro was a really good brother. His deep care towards his little sister and of course his brothers was something, Ivory was very proud of. Quietly, she went
into the cave to put the berries away and to lay down right next to her kids, protectively. She'd make sure they remain unharmed, so they could have a great life.

A few months later Puro once again went out to hunt with his father and his brothers. They had finished their training and were now able to hunt for real, but even after walking for a while, they couldn't find anything and it was snowing quite strong, more than usual. It was a literal storm and it kept getting stronger every minute.
''Are you still there?'' Keanu asked, worried about his sons.
''We are, dad...'' Puro replied, partially muffled by the sound of the wind.
''It's useless...'' Bisko threw in ''We're not going to find anything like this!''
''Yeah, can we turn back please?'' Sato added.
Keanu stopped walking and thought about it for a few seconds.
''Well... Ivory collected enough berries for us to eat...'' he noticed ''Okay, let's head back.''
They turned around and even though the blizzard was really strong and made it almost impossible to see, they had no problems finding their way, until they
started to hear weird sounds.
''Did you hear that?'' Puro asked.
''Yes...'' Keanu answered ''But I can't tell you what it was... I have a bad feeling.''
An explosion was heard nearby and some kind of blue light flashed past them and burned the nearest tree, as a weird looking creature came towards them,
holding some kind of device, glowing in the same blue as the lightbolt.
''Run!'' Keanu ordered, facing the creature which closed in.
The kids refused to leave without their father, until...
Another lightbolt has been fired, it came right out of the creature's weapon and it immediately killed Keanu. The kids watched in shock as their father's lifeless
and burned body fell into the snow. Keanu was no more. The creature made a victorious growl, before aiming its weapon at the kids.
Puro only had one thought: ''Run!'' That was his father's last word and now he understood, what fatal mistake he did in disobeying this order. He risked his
brothers' lives and his own. Bisko and Sato immediately ran off, shortly followed by Puro, leaving the creature and their father's body in the snowstorm. More
blue lightbolts flew past them and without any of them noticing, Only Puro and Bisko were left. Sato had been hit and was immediately finished off by the
creature. They kept running until they had no breath left. Bisko was out of breath first, still almost frozen in shock, so Puro decided to carry him the rest of
the way. They just had to make it back home. They must've shaken off the creature, but they couldn't stop now or it would find them again. It wasn't much
further, home was so close, until some green lightbolts crossed their path from the side. A smaller creature took aim at the two and Puro started running faster.
He never had to run that fast before in his entire life and especially not with one of his brothers on his back.
''Hold on tight!'' he yelled.
''I-I'm trying!'' Bisko responded.
The creature kept shooting more of these lightbolts. One of them struck Puro's leg lightly, which almost made him fall over. Another one strifed his back, even
more lightly. 'Good thing that creature can't aim' he thought. But then he suddenly realized it. His back?
''Bisko!'' but it was too late...
His borther's body was sliding off Puro's back, as the creature just kept shooting. He was almost at the point to turn towards the monster and attack it, but
he couldn't. He had to make it back home alive. For his father, for his brothers, for his mother... for Ebony. Protecting her was all that mattered now. He could
mourn later, right now he had to stay strong and survive.