Rescue
Near the forest clearing, a low shape approached; a lithe and muscular creature, following a scent of blood and illness. Trespassers? At the same time, the creature detected another scent. A young one. A lone cub?
Two bright, green eyes peered out from a brush. They spotted a man's crumpled body next to an assortment of tools, and a tent nearby. The creature moved forward into the clearing. It had a round face, long whiskers, sharp ears, a tail with a black patch at the tip. It was a female cougar, investigating these foreigners that had entered her territory. Yet, was she called here for another purpose…? Full of curiosity, the cougar prowled close to the tent.
Inside, the child slept, yet restlessly. Where else was there to go, what could be done? She then sharply awoke with a start, looking up to find the cougar not five feet from the collapsing tent. The great cat looked her over curiously, her shivering form and tear-streaked face. Nidalee was unlike most children; normally, the sight of a wild predator would send anyone running. But Nidalee was something of a naïve child. Although this was a predator of the jungle, she wanted to trust her. She spoke. "Won't… you help me?"
Her human words of course were not something the cougar understood, but through instinct she could decipher what this cub needed; shelter, safety. Family. The cat padded closer, and as a sign of trust, Nidalee slowly crept out of the tent. The cougar gently nudged the girl with her nose and forehead, purring lowly. She then knelt low, putting her head down for Nidalee to mount her. Somehow, she understood the gesture and climbed on top of the cougar. Being the age that she was, she was light enough that there was no problem with carrying her in such a way. As they traveled away from the clearing, the cougar sniffed at the air. She was searching for a source of water, as she sensed the child's thirst. Eventually, she chose her direction, walking at a steady pace so as to protect the shaken girl. Even so, Nidalee found herself calmed by this gentle mother figure.
After a few minutes of walking, they came to a stream. The cougar knelt again, and Nidalee dismounted to drink. During that time, the cat began to look around, as if watching for predators. Sure enough, the wildcat found herself bristling for an approaching threat. From the trees emerged two animals, Murk wolves; one an alpha, the other a lesser wolf. In warning, the cougar began to growl loudly, crouching low and showing her teeth. Nidalee turned around and her eyes widened, backing up slightly; the only nearby safety was a collection of brush, which she tried to duck into, keeping her eyes on the animals.
The movement incited the wolves, but their focus was primarily on the cougar. Her growling intensified, and her hind legs stiffened. The alpha wolf strode forward growling in return; the cougar answered with a sudden leap. Caught off-guard, the Murk wolf gave a short, sharp howl as the cat bashed into him. She quickly bit into the neck of one of the Murk wolf's two heads. Howling and shrieking in pain, he reeled away and tried to retreat a short distance; at the same time, the second wolf attempted to charge the cougar. But being far bigger, she merely knocked away the lesser wolf with a swipe of her claws.
The animal was sent spiraling into a nearby tree, whimpering after taking the blow. By this time, the alpha had begun to approach again. Spurred on by the injury of his companion, he sprinted straight towards the cougar. But she pounced again, this time landing squarely on top of the Murk wolf. He spun in confusion, but the cat had managed to turn around to face the two heads, her claws digging in firmly and deeply.
The wolf had entered a frenzy, but was unable to shake off the attacker. She sunk her teeth hard into the second head. This time, he had no chance to howl. His body went limp and collapsed into a heap, the cougar nimbly leaping off. The lesser wolf had suddenly entered a submissive stance, howling lowly at the sight of his alpha. He turned tail and dashed off into the trees.
She returned to Nidalee; clearly a seasoned fighter, the cougar had no injuries. The girl was shaken up from the close encounter, but as though nothing had happened, her protector nudged her softly with a purr again. It almost seemed as if she was sending a gentle message: Be fearless. The gesture calmed Nidalee and her shivering waned. The cat then took her turn at the stream, and lowered herself for her adoptive cub to mount again. As she was carried throughout the jungle, Nidalee began to view her surroundings with curiosity; the moonlight finding its way through the treetops, she saw that there were traces of ancient civilization within Kumungu, though mostly buried by the thick vegetation. On occasion she spotted broken roads, perhaps even the remains of temples and other structures.
Soon, however, the two came to a cave entrance. It was only a short tunnel with one small entryway; Nidalee had to dismount to follow the cougar through. Once inside, she found herself greeted by two more pairs of green eyes. They were the cougar's own cubs. Their mother padded forward and rubbed her face against both of her children; she was spreading the scent she had picked up from the human child, showing her kittens that this foreigner was to be accepted as one of them.
Nidalee approached them, suddenly feeling her lack of sleep catching up to her. The mother cougar nudged her once more, encouraging her to lay down with them, then walked over to the cave entrance and sat down, keeping watch. Her cubs needed protecting, after all. The two kittens reacted with both interest and uncertainty as Nidalee joined them, but they allowed her to rest. As she drifted off to sleep, she murmured to the family: "Thank you."
The next morning, she awoke feeling rejuvenated, as though the very air of the jungle had been lifting a weight off of her spirit; the tragedy of her birth parents already starting to merely fade into a memory, she felt the acceptance of the cougars and with it a sense of safety. The mother was licking one of the kittens, cleaning the cub's head, but looked towards Nidalee and gave a soft chirp in greeting. She finished her licking and stretched, then led Nidalee outside along with her cubs. She was to bring the children along on her morning hunt.
Over the next several weeks, the cougar taught and treated Nidalee as one of her own. She gradually began to pick up on the same instincts that drove the wild animal, learning how to find her way in the jungle, how to escape from danger. At the same time, she had been taught a few human survival skills of her own; in spite of her young age, Nidalee had knowledge of how to work with what limited materials the forests provided. Over time during her forays, she gathered up stray wood and stone, fashioning them into simple tools, traps, and weapons.
The cougar being at the top of its food chain, while protected by her adoptive family, Nidalee seldom had to worry about predators and other threats. So she was able to spend much of her time on carefree exploration with the mother. As they navigated the vast reaches of Kumungu, she kept in mind the many ruins and structures they encountered; at times, the cougar almost seemed to be intentionally guiding Nidalee to them, as though she had plans for the future. Almost as if there was more to the jungle than what met the eye.
One night, as the mother stood guard before their home, she looked upward and appeared to be sniffing the air. She was actually reacting to the mysterious magical energies that flowed throughout Kumungu. The rainforest's primal magic called out to Nidalee. Perhaps destiny brought this human child here. She still had yet to come of age, but when that time came, there would be work to be done.