Chapter 2: The New Guy
Once she was in the trees, Nita broke into a run until she felt she'd run her frustration out adequately. Slowing to a stop, Nita took a moment to gaze at the forest around her. Beams of sunlight broke through the branches of the pine trees, making the snow strewn ground appear to glow. The crisp, cold breeze ruffled her fur gently as it stirred up the dead leaves on the ground, causing them to dance in the shimmering winter light.
Nita's uncle Manny had told her how they used to live on a large continent, but had to move to this island when the ground had shifted, causing a wall of rock to destroy their home.
And while this island was filled with mostly herbivores, and stragglers kept washing up on the beach from other continents, Nita was happy to live here for the rest of her life.
"Hey, Nita!" A voice called.
She sighed, 'Although...' Nita raised her eyes to the sky, giving a silent request for patience.
Two young male sabres ran up from behind her. They weren't much older than her, yet they were even bigger than her brother, Jasper, and completely identical from their hazel eyes, to the tip of their tawny coloured tails.
Even after all this time, Zane and Kane could never be told apart, and Nita could swear that even they got confused at times. But as they were always seen together anyway, much like her uncles, Crash and Eddie, it didn't matter too much.
"So, Nita," one of the twins, Nita guessed to be Zane began, "has Carmen said anything about us lately?"
Nita resisted the temptation to roll her eyes with difficulty. She couldn't blame the twins for admiring her sister, but surely they realised that, as Carmen's sister, she'd do what would help Carmen, rather than them?
"Nothing out of the ordinary." Nita answered vaguely, and made to move on, only to find her path blocked by the hulking figure of Kane.
"C'mon, Nita, she must have said something!" He pleaded. "There are only so many sabres on this island."
"And only one sabre like her." Zane said dreamily.
Nita tried not to smile, but it was so funny seeing the large, muscular twins, with such lovesick looks on their faces.
"Did she say anything about that jump I made across the river?" Kane asked. "It was awesome! One leap!"
Nita shook her head. The twins had been trying to compete with each other over who could come up with the most impressive stunt to show Carmen, but none of it worked, and while Nita knew why, the twins had never taken the hint.
"I have a question for you guys now." Nita put forward. "What's Carmen's favourite colour?"
"Uuuuhhh." Both shot questioning glances at each other.
"Orange." Nita answered for them. "Like the sky as the sun sets."
"Of course, I knew that." Zane said unconvincingly.
"Yeah, me too." Kane quickly added, not to be outdone.
"Good." Nita continued, "Because it would be amazing that you have known Carmen for so long without knowing what she does and doesn't like." Nita hoped that not-so -subtle hint could finally get the point across.
"Yeah, yeah." Zane said, looking like he was thinking hard. "Of course."
"Of course." Kane added. "I mean," he continued for confidently. "If you want to impress a girl like Carmen, you need to know what will work and what won't, right?"
Nita sighed as she watched the twins race each other to The Rock. Apparently, she had failed, once again, to help the twins see the light.
Nita was about to continue on toward the Cove when she heard someone screaming in the distance.
"Aaaaaah!"
Nita's ears perked up. She knew that voice.
"Heeeeeelp!" Came a second cry. Pinpointing the direction, Nita ran.
All the fallen logs and rocks that littered the forest floor made it frustratingly difficult for Nita to run, as she was repeatedly required to climb over things, that she knew her family could simply bound over.
So she climbed the nearest tree and began running through the branches instead.
This was the ability that Nita was most proud of. It was the one thing that none of the other sabres on the island could do. Her Uncles Crash and Eddie had taught her to run through the trees like this, as Nita's small size allowed her to run along even the higher branches of trees and jump through the gaps between trees easily. Reaching the clearing where she heard the cry, Nita jumped down and took in the scene.
She knew she recognised that voice...
Her adoptive uncle Sid was backed up against a pile of boulders that had fallen in a rock slide last month. Facing him were two angry Rhinos.
And they looked ready to smash a sloth.
"Leave him alone!" Nita darted forward and placed herself protectively in front of her uncle.
"Nita!" Sid cried joyfully. "Thank goodness! I mean, I was hoping for Manny, or Diego or Jasper... "
Nita growled threateningly at the Rhinos, but Sid seemed to think she was growling at him.
"But you'll do!" He finished quickly.
Nita ignored her uncle's ramblings and kept her eyes focused on the two Rhinos in front of her.
They towered over her, their faces showing surprise, before they glanced at each other...
And burst out laughing.
"Oh, look who's come to the rescue." One of them jeered. "A big scary sabre!"
"Please don't eat us!" The other begged in mock terror.
Nita felt her growl growing into a snarl at the back of her throat. She knew she was small, but Nita was still a sabre. They should be afraid.
Especially as they were threatening a member of her herd.
The first Rhino was laughing so hard that his large head came too close to the ground. Darting in, Nita slashed her claws along his mouth, leaving long gashes, before nimbly jumping back out of range.
The Rhino threw his head back in pain, knocking his friend off balance.
Glancing back to her uncle, Nita gestured to a nearby tree, its branches overhanging the rock pile. "Climb that tree, Uncle Sid."
"Way ta go, Tiger!" Sid cheered in encouragement as he scrambled off. Nita turned back to find the first Rhino was no longer laughing at her.
"That. Hurt." He said slowly.
"Well, that was the point." Nita tried to stall as she cast her eyes around the small clearing, but all she could see were the rocks and boulders on the ground, and the overhanging branches of the tree.
Now the Rhinos had her backed up against the largest boulder.
Nita had an idea. She'd done similar things when practising her jumping (something Carmen and Jasper never had to do), but she'd never done it in a situation like this before, and hoped it would work.
"This is quite a twist, isn't it?" The second Rhino said. "Herbivores killing a carnivore."
"Yeah...I don't think that's gonna happen." Nita crouched low on her toes to prepare for the jump. Timing was everything.
"You're pretty calm for someone in your position." The first Rhino said. "After all, there are two of us, and only one of you."
"I can count." Nita said flatly before smiling. "Although, I'm surprised you can."
With a bellow, both Rhinos surged forward.
Nita jumped onto the top of the boulder, and then leapt toward one of the overhanging branches. But the branch was further away than she thought. She had to scramble to get all four paws on the bark in time, and had to settle for hanging underneath the branch.
Nita felt the tree shudder as the two Rhinos crashed face first into the boulder, where she had been mere moments before.
Pulling herself up onto the branch properly, Nita laughed as dazedly, the Rhinos got back up and wondered amusingly around in a circle before both collapsed, unconscious.
"Watch out for the boulder!" She called down cheekily to the knocked out pair. She then turned to search the branches of the tree.
"Uncle Sid?"
"Oh, Nita!" Sid scrambled down from a higher branch and hugged her tightly. "Thank you so much. You were so brave!"
"That wasn't being brave, that's just what you do in a herd." Nita said. "You look out for each other."
Apparently, Sid had been foraging for berries when he somehow caused a tree branch to fall on the Rhinos' heads.
Leaving Sid to continue his forage for fruit "'Cause all the running from the rhinos worked up my appetite", Nita continued to run through the forest.
Eventually, Nita made it to a cliff overlooking Switchback Cove. Her mother had told her that this was where she, Manny, Sid and her dad had camped after escaping from pirates. It was also where many of the local hyrax lived, and Nita noticed many ears and eyes poking from the branches of the overhanging trees.
Ignoring the eternally curious eyes, Nita began to jump from boulder to boulder, practicing her precision as she made her way down the cliff to the shore line.
Their herd members made regular visits to the shore now, as stragglers from other areas washed up on the island, like Sasha and the twins had, after their own areas were destroyed by the shifting ground.
Landing on the sand, Nita took in the sight of Switchback Cove. The current arched by gracefully, carrying shells and seaweed along with driftwood and the odd small chunk of ice-burg. This was where most people washed ashore.
Nita broke into a light jog and moved closer to the tide line, enjoying the ocean spray on her face.
She breathed in, relishing the scent of clean, salt air.
Wait. She sniffed again, more carefully. She could smell something else…
Following the scent on the breeze, Nita ran along the tide line, scanning, trying to locate the source of the scent.
Sometime later, Nita spotted a dark shape ahead, just above the tide line.
Rushing forward, Nita came across a young sabre, washed up on the beach. Seaweed and sand covered his fur, which was an unusual shade of inky black.
Nita was frozen. This was the first time a sabre had washed ashore since Sasha and her brothers.
Nita examined the black sabre, who wasn't much older than herself.
Was he alive? Nita put her ears close to his head, listening for a breath, but it was difficult to tell with the sea breeze.
"Hello," Nita said quietly. "Can you hear me?"
The sabre didn't move.
Gently, Nita nudged the black sabre with her head.
"Wake up." She said, hopefully. "You're safe now,"
Still no response.
Nita felt worried now. He couldn't be dead. This was the first sabre she'd found!
Nita nudged the sabre again, rolling him onto his back.
"Wake up." Nita said. "You're safe, you made it to land."
Using her paw this time, she pushed his chest, trying to get a response.
"Come on, breathe." She told him, pushing his chest again.
As the black sabre still didn't move, Nita felt tears sting her eyes and she tried to hold them back.
Their family, Sasha and the twins were the only sabres on the island, yet there were hundreds of herbivores, and Nita did not want to see the only sabre she'd found simply wash away with the next tide.
She pushed on the sabres chest again. "Breathe." She commanded.
Still nothing. Nita felt anger bubbling beneath her tears.
"Wake up!" She slammed both paws into his chest.
The black sabre suddenly jerked, coughing and throwing up seawater.
Nita laughed with relief. He was alive!
"That's it, cough it all up." She encouraged as the sabre continued to spit out saltwater and sand.
"What were you thinking, trying to drink the whole ocean?"
Breathing heavily, the black sabre squinted up at her, exhausted. "Seemed like a good idea, after I ran out of air." He croaked.
Nita smiled. This sabre had been drowned and still had a sense of humour. "My name's Nita." She introduced herself.
"Marco." The black sabre replied, wincing on his sore throat.
Nita realised that she had to get some fresh water in him, fast.
"Can you stand up, Marco?" She asked. "We need you get you some fresh water."
Shaking with exhaustion, Marco slowly struggled to his feet. Quickly, Nita put her shoulder against his, and he leaned on it, gratefully.
"There's a river not far from here, you can drink and rest."
Slowly, Nita help Marco to another area of the beach where a small river ran out of the forest edge.
Marco collapsed on the river bank, gulping mouthfuls of the fresh water.
Thirst sated, he began rolling on the grass at the forest edge, cleaning off the sand and grit before joining Nita under a tree.
"Thanks for finding me, Nita." He said. Marco's voice had regained its strength, and while he was still clearly tired, like a typical male sabre, he was now trying not to show it.
"You're welcome." She smiled.
Marco gazed out in the direction of the ocean for a moment, before jumping to his feet.
"My pack!" he cried out, turning toward Nita. "Did they wash up too? What happened to them?"
Nita shook her head. "I'm sorry, Marco, you're the only one I found."
Seeing the shock in the black sabre's gold eyes, Nita quickly added "but they could have washed up further along the beach."
Turning immediately, Marco ran back toward the shoreline. Nita close behind.
"Marco wait!" She called out, as he stumbled to a halt. "You haven't recovered yet, you can't just go racing off."
"I'm fine." He growled stubbornly.
But Nita could be stubborn too. "No, you're not." She told him firmly. "You need to rest. I'll take you back to my family, and we can send out a search party for the rest of your pack."
Marco looked away and along the coastline.
"You're probably the first one here." Nita continued, gently steering Marco back towards the forest. "If we head back to my family, we can have lots of people out looking for your pack, but if we stay here, it's only the two of us. We're more likely to find them with more people searching."
Reluctantly, Marco agreed and allowed Nita to lead him along the river bank.
They needed to take regular breaks, as Marco still hadn't fully recovered from drowning, and his throat was still parched from the sea salt. But, as they walked, he got a little stronger, and was able to tell Nita what happened.
"We were hunting through the jungle, when we felt this huge earthquake." Marco began. "The ground split in half, right in front of us, cutting us off. Then the wave came."
Marco stopped walking and closed his eyes against the memory. Nita could see him reliving the moment as fear rippled across his face.
"All I can remember was swirling water, my sister screaming, and our pack leader yelling, ordering us to stay together and get to high ground."
Marco opened his eyes, but he seemed oblivious to the forest around him.
"The last thing I remember was seeing my sister struggling in the water. We were trying to reach each other when something hit me from behind. Everything went black."
Slowly, Marco turned his gaze to Nita. "And that was it, until you found me."
Nita realised her mouth was open and quickly closed it. "Wow." She breathed. "That wave sounds terrifying."
"Well, I was more concerned about my sister than myself." He shrugged.
Holding back a smile, Nita continued walking. "You sound like my brother, Jasper." She told him.
"So, what's your pack like?" Marco asked, coming up alongside her.
Nita shook her head. "I'm not part of a pack." She explained. "I'm part of a herd."
"What?" Marco looked caught Nita's eye, confusion written on his face. "What do you mean, a herd?"
"Well," Nita began. "There aren't just sabres. We have mammoths, two sloths, and two possums included in our family."
This time, Marco was the one who had his mouth open.
"You live with mammoths?" He asked. "Do you have any idea how much meat you could get?"
"No!" Nita stood directly in front of the black sabre, and stared straight up into his eyes, green matching gold.
"We never hunt mammoths," she told him. "This is an island, we have rules. And if you are going to live here, with your pack later on, you need to follow those rules. We don't hunt mammoths, sloths, possums, mole-hogs or hyraxes. Everything else is fair game."
Marco shook his head in disbelief, apparently speechless with shock.
Wordlessly, Nita turned to continue.
After a few minutes, Nita realised they were getting close to home.
"We're nearly there." Nita told her travelling companion, and was surprised when he began to tense up, moving forward in a stalker's crouch.
"What are you doing?" Nita asked.
"Well, I doubt your 'herd' is going to like a strange sabre turning up," Marco whispered. "They might think I'm a threat, I have to be on my guard."
Nita shook her head. "Is that what a pack does?" Nita asked curiously, causing Marco to look at her in surprise.
Giggling again at the surprised look on his face, Nits nudged him forward. "Don't worry, you'll be welcomed." She assured him "We find stragglers washed up often, but you're the first sabre in a long time."
Nita stepped forward, only to hear an 'ow!' from behind her. Looking back, Nita saw that a small nut had fallen on Marco's head. Examining the nut, however, she knew that the tree it belonged to did not grow in this part if the island.
That meant only one thing…
"Uncle Crash! Uncle Eddie!" She called. "Is that anyway to welcome a newcomer?"
"Absolutely!" Crash said, popping up from a nearby bush. "Someone has to teach the new cat the rules."
"And possums rule!" Eddie added, jumping up to stand on his brother's head.
"Possums on a stick." Marco growled. "Perfect. I'm starving." He crouched, ready to pounce.
Nita quickly stepped forward before either of her Uncles could invite a challenge.
"Remember Marco, we don't kill possums here." She told the new sabre before turning back to her Uncles. "Can you tell the others that we're coming, please?"
"Sure." Crash said, loosing off one more nut with his reed blowpipe before disappearing, Eddie darting after him.
Diego and Shira were catching a drink at the local pond, when Crash and Eddie suddenly appeared, hanging upside down from a branch above their heads. Shira started in surprise.
"Did we scare you, Kitty?" Crash asked with a cheeky grin.
Shira swiped at them nonchalantly with her paw, knocking them to the ground. Pinning them down by their tails, she brought her face inches from theirs. Crash whimpered and pushed Eddie in front of him.
"Call me Kitty again," Shira whispered, "and I'll have you as an appetiser."
"Easy, Kitty" Diego said, "They're family, remember?"
Shira appeared to consider this for a moment before letting the possums up with a smile.
"Hey!" Eddie objected, pointing at Diego. "He called you Kitty, but you didn't attack him!"
"He earned that right when he became my mate." Shira explained shortly. "Now, what do you want?"
Both possums snapped into a quick salute. "Reporting an incoming mammal of the sabre tooth nature, Ma'am!" They said in perfect unison.
"Ma'am?" Shira commented. "I think I preferred Kitty."
"A new sabre?" Diego asked. "Should we be worried?"
"Definitely!" Eddie interjected. "He tried to eat us!"
"All the sabres on this island have threatened to do that at some point." Diego reminded them.
"If he's from a pack, we might need to be worried." Shira thought out loud.
"Hey," Diego assured her. "We were both able to adapt to life in a herd. I'm sure we can teach this new sabre as well."
"Guess we'll find out once Nita brings him in." Crash said.
"Wait. Nita's bringing him here?" Diego asked.
"Yeah, she found him washed up at Switchback Cove." Eddie explained.
Suddenly, Diego had a thought. "How old is the new sabre?"
"I dunno," Eddie said, scratching his head. "About the same age as the twins?" Losing interest in the conversation, he and Crash scampered off in search of the others.
"Maybe I should be worried." Diego muttered once the possum brothers were gone.
"What?" Shira laughed, "You've never been worried about Zane or Kane."
"The twins were never really an issue." Diego explained. "Carmen can take care of herself."
Shira raised her eyebrows. "And you don't think Nita can?"
Diego shook his head. "That's not what I mean."
"Good to know." Shira said, nuzzling her mate in reassurance. "But don't you think we should at least see this new guy before you turn into 'Alpha dad'?"
Diego sighed. Shira was right, No point getting defensive for no reason. "You're right."
"Of course I am." Shira said confidently.
"Okay," Marco said to Nita as she trotted ahead of him, leading the way. "So your father's a tracker, your mother's a runner, your sister's a fighter and your brother's the protector." He summed up. "So what do you do?"
"Me?" Nita asked, pausing on a tree root. They were nearly at the training area, the forest beginning to thin and turn to rocky ground.
"I'm a climber." She said after a moment's thought. "I'm the only sabre on the island who can run through the branches of the trees."
Marco raised his eyebrows. "That's impressive." He commented.
Nita looked at the black sabre over her shoulder. "Really?"
"Yeah," Marco nodded. "I mean, I know sabres can climb, but I've never heard of any sabre being able to actually run through the trees. "
Nita smiled. "Thanks."
The two young sabres emerged from the forest into the sabres' training area. This boulder strewn clearing was where the sabres practice their fighting, tracking and hunting skills, and Nita knew it would be the most likely place she'd find her family.
And they were in luck. Jasper and Sasha were having a sparring match, watched by Carmen and the twins, who were acting as coaches, calling out advice from the sidelines.
"You've got her on the back foot now, Jas!" Kane called out. "Keep charging! Drive her back!"
"Sidestep, Sasha!" Carmen shouted.
Sasha darted to the side, causing Jasper, in full charge, to overbalance and fall forward. Sasha pounced on his back. Gently she opened her mouth and pressed her sabre teeth against Jasper's neck.
"I win." She whispered.
"You're a fierce predator, you know that?" Jasper told her affectionately.
Laughing, Sasha let him up. Jasper turned, annoyed, to his 'coach'.
"Drive her back?" He asked Kane. "That was a great idea!"
"Hey, you were the one who didn't control your charge!" Kane defended.
"You guys are such sore losers!" Carmen said smugly as she gave Sasha a high five. "Honestly, it's pathetic."
"Pathetic?" Jasper challenged, and began stalking his sister. "You wanna back up that insult, sis?"
"Oh, my dear brother," Carmen teased "I already know you're pathetic, I don't need to back it up."
Laughing, Jasper crouched, preparing to pounce. Carmen mirrored him, smiling.
"This is my family." Nita turned to Marco, who was staring. It wasn't like he had never sabres practice fighting before, it was a favourite past time in his pack. But he was surprised at the...lightness, of it all. With his pack, the only laughter you heard was when someone lost.
Sasha looked up from the new match, spotting Nita, accompanied by a young black sabre.
"Hey Nita!" She called out, bounding past the sparring siblings. "Come join in! Who's your friend?"
"This is Marco, he just washed up on shore." Nita introduced. "Marco, this is my friend Sasha. She and her brothers came to the island on an ice flow when they were little."
Marco was guarded. He still didn't know what to expect from these sabres who lived with mammoths and possums.
"Hey, new guy!" A voice called out.
Jasper and Carmen had abandoned their match.
Jasper came over. "Awesome!" He cheered. "I'm Jasper." He introduced himself. "Fancy a sparring match? It'll be good to have a new challenge." He grinned. "You spar the same people too often and it gets boring."
"Oh please, I was kicking your tail." Carmen said smoothly, her hazel eyes studying this new, black sabre. Marco raised his head proudly, meeting the eyes of the other teenage sabres around him. He was new, but an equal.
"I wanna spar the new guy first!" Zane came forward to join in the group.
"No way!" Kane had to jump in too. "I'm stronger, I should test him first."
"He just washed up on shore." Nita said firmly. "We need to look for his pack."
"That's taken care of." A voice said.
Turning, the kids saw Diego watching calmly from atop a nearby boulder, Shira at his side.
"Dad!" Nita greeted happily.
"Crash and Eddie told us what happened, and Manny and Ellie have gone to the Cove to search for the rest of his pack." Diego explained as he came forward, eyes on the black sabre. "We're going to send a couple of our herd there regularly to see if they turn up."
"Thank you." Marco said cautiously. This sabre was obviously the leader, and he knew he should tread carefully.
"Now," Shira continued "the question is whether you are willing to join us here on the island."
"I told him the hunting rules." Nita put in quickly. "He'll follow them, won't you, Marco?"
Marco lowered his eyes respectfully as Diego's gaze turned his way.
"Of course."
'He is from a pack.' Diego realised, recognising the etiquette. 'But not high in rank.' This could be a good thing, Diego considered, as he may adapt easier to herd life.
"Now." Diego stepped forward confidently. "How about we see what this new guy can do?" He challenged.
"Dad," Nita objected, "Marco just washed up on shore today, half drowned, he can't-"
"Yes I can." Marco interjected, shooting a look at Nita. He was determined to show this older sabre his worth.
"Alright, kid, step into the ring." Diego strode into the centre of the clearing as Shira led the kids to the sidelines, leaving Marco and Diego squaring off on the hard ground.
Diego may now be part of a herd, but he remembered what pack life was like. He knew how this young sabre had grown up, never being able to fully relax, always sleeping with one eye open, for fear of someone else attacking him in the night.
He also knew that the way pack sabres measured each other was through hunting, tracking and fighting. So Diego knew the best way to learn about this new sabre, and how he'd adapt as part of the herd, would be to see how he fought in a training session.
Marco began to circle Diego, searching for a weak point. The older sabre kept his eyes on the newcomer, waiting.
Marco lunged, only to find himself pinned to the ground.
"Never pounce first." Diego advised. "You lose your ability to defend yourself when your opponent is ready for you."
Marco jumped to his feet before attacking again.
Marco may have been younger than Diego, but the tawny sabre had experience on his side. Marco tried sidestepping, bluffing, charging, but the older sabre could read his every move, blocking, dodging and cuffing the younger one to illustrate an error.
"You're weakest just as you finish attacking" Diego pointed out. "As you regroup, your opponent can get the upper hand. Always be on your guard."
Eventually, Diego called a halt to the match. He'd seen the black sabre respond well to the lesson, getting frustrated at first, but learning quickly and adapting his technique to Diego's teachings.
"Good job." Diego congratulated. "You're fast, and you're adaptable. You should do well here."
"Thank you." Marco nodded.
"Okay, my turn!" Nita darted forward. 'Who wants to spar me?"
"I will!" Jasper stepped forward, as Marco and Diego backed off to give them room.
"Awesome!" Nita loved sparring her brother. "Let's go!"
Shira watched Nita's match thoughtfully. Everybody commented on how much Carmen was like her mother, and while Carmen did indeed look much like her, Shira could actually see more of herself in her smallest daughter.
For she too, had spent her life trying to prove herself, until she felt she needed to leave, joining Gutt's band of pirates as a result.
Shira didn't want her daughter to make the same mistake.
When Carmen's turn in the training ring came, Shira went over to where Nita was resting and lay down next to her.
"You did really well, sweetheart." Shira told her.
Nita avoided her eyes. "Thanks, but I don't feel like I did," She answered. "Jas kept on hitting me, I could barely touch him."
Shira turned her gaze towards her other two cubs, who were sparring each other well. Each was using their own talent, Jasper, his strength, and Carmen, her speed, to try and out do the other. It was a pretty even match
"You're a climber." Shira told Nita surely. "You're agile. You're actually very hard to catch, but your weakness." Shira turned her head to meet her daughter's bright green eyes, "is in your desire to prove yourself."
Nita frowned in confusion. "I had always thought my determination was a good thing." She said.
"It can be." Her mother granted. "But if you focus more on trying to get your opponent then defending yourself, you end up leaving yourself open to attack. That's why Jasper kept on hitting you, despite your agility. You were so focused on getting close to hit him that you forgot about your own safety."
Nita looked down, processing this new way of viewing her fighting skills.
Shira took a breath. "And it works in all areas, not just sparring."
Nita paused in her train of thought, tilting her head slightly to view her mother out of the corner of her eye.
"I heard from Peaches about what happened this morning." Shira said gently.
Nita turned away, gritting her teeth.
"I have a question for you, Nita." Shira stated. "Why do you care so much about what other people think?"
Nita's shoulders tensed, and she was silent. But Shira knew that all she had to do was wait.
"Because I'm a sabre." Nita began after a minute's thought. "We're predators. Other animals should be afraid of me. They're afraid of Jasper and Carmen, and you and dad."
"They only time they're afraid is when we're hunting." Shira replied. "Other times it's not fear. It's respect."
"They're scared." Nita was sure of her point. She had seen those herbivores run from her brother and sister.
"Our herd isn't afraid of us." Shira put forward.
"But they're family." Nita said confidently. "That's different."
"They still respect the fact that we're carnivores." Shira replied. "Even though we do have to remind them at times," she added, thinking of Crash, Eddie and Sid.
Nita looked confused. "What are you trying to say?"
"That gaining respect through fear is not really respect." Shira answered. "That's how a pack works. It's how a pirate works. It's the idea that if you don't prove your worth, you're not worth keeping."
Shira met her daughter's eyes once more. "It's not how a herd works. We are all worth it, and we all look out for each other."
"Hey Shira!" Zane called out. "Come on, I haven't fought you for a while!" He challenged.
Smiling, Shira got to her feet before looking at Nita again.
"Please think about what I said sweetheart. See your skills, see your worth, and don't leave yourself open to attack because you're trying too hard."