Year Four
Kukalaka
He remembers the feel of a the needle and thread, sliding through the fading cloth beneath his fur. Every patchwork scar upon his surface has come to him as a sign of love. The first were from a tiny boy just barely half the size of the man that Julian has now become.
Others said that it would not be the same with Julian fully grown. That he would be embarrassed by the sight of his oldest friend. That he would hide him away like a monster in his closet, and abandon him to the ravages of years. There are days when Julian has to leave him behind, and he waits on the shelf, and worries. Sometimes they are apart for many days. The stars pass by the window, and everything is quiet and still.
Sometimes he even imagines that this will be forever. But then the door opens, and there is movement inside. Julian smiles, and greets him with a cheerful hello. And Kukalaka remembers what it is to be happy.
