Chapter 11- Misery Loves Company

Xandor was six months and strong and tall now. He was nuzzling behind a tree with his now girlfriend Harratina.

He didn't know it now, but he really only liked her.

He wasn't in love as he might be in the future. Harratina's little giggles soon found their way to Sasha and Henriatta, who frowned and ran all the to the 'smoochy tree' as they called it.

"Aw man! You guys ruin hide and seek big time! Why do we always let you play with us?" Sasha complained. "Yeah, not cool."

Henriatta's personality had developed more and she was now a shy cub, while Sasha was the outgoing one. Xandor and Harratina just smiled.

"It's because we're so charming." Xandor poked his tongue out at the girls

. Sasha frowned, rolled her eyes and pounced. Henriatta followed after her, play attacking Xandor.

"Ok guys, enough!" The two 4 month olds were quite heavy on Xandor's chest, as he was only 6. They got off giggling cheekily.

Vladek and Igor meanwhile were watching the children sneakily in the tall grass. "Well, well, well. Looks the like the kids are up to some trouble again." Igor quipped making Vladek chuckle.

"Yes, they are little children. But we're going to make Xandor grow up so fast he won't know what hit him! If only he knew Lina couldn't swim…" They evilly laughed as quietly as they could.

Vladek and Igor stood up straight, making their presence known to the young group of cubs. "Oh, 'stepbrother'! Mother wanted to spend some time with you today down by the little clear creek. She also loves to swim. Remember that, Xandor." Vladek rolled his eyes as if he was annoyed just talking to his brother.

The bit about spending some time with Xandor was true, but the part about the creek was not.

"Ok. Bye guys, Harratina you're in charge now." Xandor said to his girlfriend. He went to see his foster mother, Lina, busy talking to the adults of the campsite as usual.

"Hi Mom. You wanted to spend time with me?" asked Xandor.

"Oh yes, what would you like to do?" asked Lina.

"Um, can we go down to the clear water creek?" Xandor suggested.

"That sounds wonderful." said Lina.

Xandor and Lina walked side to side as they went down to the creek.

"Do you know what singing is son?" Lina wondered.

"No Mom. What is singing?" Xandor replied.

"Ah, animals in these lands do not do it too often. They are in hard times. They have nothing to sing for. But when I was in the royal pack, it made me feel good. One day, my son, I won't be around. When I am not, I want you to sing. Sing to remember me." Xandor nodded.

"Ok, now to sing…" Lina explained the inner workings of singing, and soon enough Xandor could sing a small song with her. They sang some when they were down at the creek:

"What about sunrise?
What about rain?
What about all the things,
That you said we were to gain? .
What about killing fields,
Is there a time?
What about all the things,
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice,
All the blood we've shed before?
Did you ever stop to notice,
The crying Earth the weeping shores?

Aaaaaahhhhhh…"

Xandor his mother bellowed out their 'aahs' before stopping.

"That's a great song Mom." Xandor complimented.

"Thankyou. I learnt it from my grandfather, and your namesake, Xandor. He was old when he taught me this. He probably wouldn't be alive today. He was frail and senile when I left the hyena campsite around Asiyejali's age. That turned out to be a mistake." Lina sighed at the past.

"Mom, don't worry, let's play tag!" Xandor suggested. "Ok. I'm going to get you!" Lina and Xandor tagged each other, laughing and playing.

They started tackling each other, and then Xandor remembered what his brother said about Lina loving a swim.

He playfully pushed her into the water.

But he was taken aback, when Lina started to scream and shriek.

"Son, I can't swim! Get some help quick!" She screamed in fear.

"UTIA! TYMO! SHAKAR! EDEFITH! UTIA! TYMO! SHAKAR EDEFITH! UTIAAAAA! TYMOOOOO! SHAKAAAAAR! EDEFITHHHHH!" He wailed, in defeat.

Then he turned around and saw his foster mother fighting against the water and in dying gasps. "I'm sorry mother. I have failed you." He said quietly in a half-whisper, tears collecting in his eyes.

He could do nothing but watch his mother die. "You have n-n-not failed…me…" Lina gasped as she died.

Xandor broke down and wailed, having a tantrum like a very young lost pup. He wept because he knew his only relatives alive were the ones he despised- the biological brothers and the tigon.

He didn't want to be associated with any of them.

It was too unfair! How could he go on without his beautiful, caring, and supportive mother? Lina. He killed Lina.

He pushed her in. She drowned. More tears came to his eyes as he realized all along he had become what he set out to not be. He was a murderer. He was evil. He wept and wept all through the day, just sat and wept.

Eventually, a search party of Harratina, Henriatta, and Sasha was sent to find Xandor and Lina at sunset.

They only found Xandor, crying. "Xandor, what happened? Where's Lina?" asked Harratina as sensitively as she could.

"She's d-d-dead." He spat out, and then cried even more.

"Oh my gosh!" Harratina gasped, and then cried in grief.

So did Henriatta and Sasha. She was a kind white hyena who let them stay. She was like an aunt to them.

"How did this happen?" Henriatta asked between tears.

"She drowned, because I pushed her in when she couldn't swim. I didn't know she couldn't swim. But I'm still a murderer. An evil, evil murderer!" Xandor howled in emotional pain.

"You're not a murderer! If anything, your brothers set you up, I heard them talking! You're innocent, they killed their mother indirectly!" Harratina exclaimed.

Henriatta and Sasha nodded. They huddled together with Xandor, in grief and support. The next days would be long days of mourning.**