Can we be friends?
Chapter Ten
The start of a family
Izz was worried. That night she'd been moaning in pain and he was afraid. He knew she'd been a little cranky the last few days but soon it would be worth it once the baby was born. She'd been eating a lot recently. But in the morning he went and got some berries for breakfast in the forest. When he came back, he heard something cry from his and Chrisa's sand cave. He ran in there. He saw Chrisa in sand holing something in her arms. It was their baby. He smiled at this. "I think someone is saying hello." She said to him calmly as the baby touched Izz's index finger. He looked like his father except he had blue eyes. "You look so much like me. I hope when you're older, you find somebody who loves you." He said to it. The baby laughed happily at him. It was a deep fruity laugh.
He never thought his relationship with Chrisa would've come this far. He hoped that his child would grow up strong and happy but he wondered something. Because he gave up being a Psammead, did his child have magic? He hoped his fear was wrong or the community would never accept him. Chrisa understood his worry and hugged him. Things were going good for them. She imagined her child as an adult falling in love and marrying and then settle down and start a family. But the Council were worried for their child. He was born a little different like his father and he might stir up the community like his father when he was older. "There's only one way to fix this! It must be sent away to a different Psammead community where it can be accepted and cared for." The leader said to them. They agreed but were a little worried. Was it right to take a Psammead baby away from it's parents just because it was different? This was the leader's main concern too. He needed to see Izz at once to explain this to him and see what he thought. He knew Izz wouldn't let them do this but he had to try. He then went to Izz and Chrisa's sand cave. "What're you doing here?" Izz asked curiously. The leader sighed before talking. "We need to talk bout the baby but not here where Chrisa can hear. Meet me at the lake in the middle of the forest in a few minutes. I'll explain things to you." He told him. Izz watched him leave. Chrisa then saw her husband go off too. She hoped he would be careful out there. He kissed her before he left. He then saw the Council leader sitting near the lake in the middle of the forest and joined him. "What did you want to talk about?" Izz asked him. "It's your kid. The Council know that when he's an adult, he'll be wild like you and cause trouble to the community. That's why we… we've decided to send it away to another Psammead community that will accept him for who he is." He explained. Izz was shocked and angry. "I'm sorry but I can't let you do that. Chrisa would agree with me on this. It isn't fair that the baby suffers because of me. We're not letting it go. I'm sorry." He said as he left. There was sadness on his face and a sandy tear fell down his furry cheek as he walked back to his home where his wife was waiting for him. Their child was asleep in her arms.