We Chose Each Other
MGL Mother's Day
All her life, Irithel had only known fear of humans and now there was nothing that could save her. Her tears had dried up as she curled down, in chains, an elf child ready to be sold to slavery. With her family dead, no one will come.
But she was not alone.
The elf stared upon a little white creature trapped in a cage not far from her - a smilodon cub, barely weeks old. Like humans, smilodons were ferocious predators that her people feared and respected at the same time with their large fangs, deadly claws, and massive sizes. None of that can be seen in the cub crying for his parents.
They were the same.
Irithel heard the soft click of her chains unlocked after hours of picking it. She could run away now while the humans were asleep or drunk. Her bare feet made no noise against the damp soil as she tiptoed away back to the forest. She stopped upon hearing the whimpering and soft purrs of the cub, using all her willpower not to turn back until she gave in.
She took a deep breath and walked back to the smilodon's cage, locked on the creature's eyes. Do smilodons growl or bark? One noise and she's done for. At the moment the fear was just replaced by an overwhelming feeling. Courage? Or stupidity? Would it matter? Irithel dug her fingernails into the knots securing the cage, using her strength to loosen the ropes. Despite the burning sensation and the smell of blood, she didn't stop until she was able to loosen the knots.
Her hands were shaking and weak when she finally opened the cage, and to her annoyance, the creature remained inside the cage. Why won't it move? "Get out!" She mouthed and waved her hands, but the smilodon just huddled in the corner, shaking.
Irithel reached out and she didn't know why. Even if it was a baby, the creature was the size of a large dog and can bite her hand off. The smilodon sniffed her bloody fingers and the elf girl braced herself until a warm, soft, tongue connected with the tip of her fingers. She bent down and looked at the cub, eye level, as it continued licking - his teeth were small and underdeveloped. No large fangs yet. She pulled back her hand and gave the cub soft caresses on his head, neck, and to the back.
At that moment Irithel felt warm tears pooling at the base of her eyelids. How long since the last time she received such warmth and affection. How long since she lost her parents? Has this smilodon cub ever experienced such things? She wanted the moment to last forever but they had to escape. As soon as she stood up, the smilodon seemed to have understood and followed her as she escaped.
"Moon Goddess please guide your daughter," Irithel whispered in her flight in the darkness with only a faint light of the moon to save her from fear and hopelessness. She ran until she's wheezing, feet and legs sore, arms full of scratches from shielding herself from branches. Then she stumbled, rolled, and crawled onto the mud, too weak to run further.
Her eyes moved upwards to lock into the gaze of the cub, looking at her with curiosity. "You can be free now. Go! Run away!" She shooed him, hoping he would run off somewhere far away from humans.
Irithel closed her eyes to rest but then she moved, her clothes pulled by strong jaws, dragging her limp body. "Hey, where are you…" Irithel reached out above her to touch the creature who took her somewhere dark - a tiny burrow under large roots. Once settled inside, the cub curled against the elf, warming her body and filling her heart.
She smiled as the cub nuzzled its snout against her chest. "I'm not a smilodon, I'm a human. Don't you see we don't look alike? Why do you think I'm your mother?" She laughed, still in disbelief at the display of affection she's receiving from an animal. "What to call you? Want to be named after King Estes? Nah, too fancy." She sighed and hummed. "Leo would be nice. It means lion, and I think you're like one."
It's been a while since Irithel talked to anyone. Leo couldn't talk of course, but in the darkness, Irithel could see the cub's eyes glowing, staring at her with so much innocence before resting himself on the ground, his back against her. Irithel embraced Leo and gave him gentle strokes on his forehead down to his back until he snored. Leo chose her, and she accepted. "Now I have to take care of you, huh?"