"Come here, Meimei!
Get away from there! Meimei!!"
Finally diverting
her attention from the beetle she had been playing with, the little jerboa
squeaked in fright and leapt out from under the patch of ferns just fast
enough to save herself from being squashed by the huge, hairy black paw
that came down with a loud thump. Meimei steaked towards her anxiously
waiting mother, panting with fear, but barely stopped before she had to
bound away again or be left behind. She cried out desperately, trying hard
to catch up to her fleeing mother.
"Mama! Mama wait
for m-oof!"
Not knowing where
she was going, or that those ahead of her had stopped, Meimei cannoned
into her older brother and knocked the two of them to the ground. He pushed
her roughly away and was about to scold her indignantly, but she was already
clinging and whimpering to her mother.
"You...you ran
so fast, Mama! Wh-why'd you have to run so fast and leave me? It was only
Panda!"
"You forget,
Meimei," said her mother softly but sternly, checking her offspring over
for any bumps or cuts. "You always forget what I teach you. When you see
a big creature moving about in the forest, you keep away from that creature.
Otherwise Tiger might find himself with a tasty little Meimei-snack! You
only knew the scent was Panda because his paw almost stomped you flat!"
Meimei, soured
by the chiding, replied rudely, "Well why doesn't Panda watch where he
walks? I think Panda's stupid! Ooow! Mama, Xiong hit me!"
"Stop your foolish
tongue, Meimei!" Xiong cuffed his sister about the ears a second time and
lectured her gruffly. "Panda is a very wise and gentle creature. The stupid
ones are those who don't show respect and get out of Panda's way, like
you! You need to stop thinking you're the most important animal in this
forest and have some regard for others." Xiong paced off, rubbing the spot
on his back where Meimei had struck him. "Sometimes I wonder if you really
think at all."
Meimei turned
her tearing eyes pleadingly on her mother. "Mama...."
"Don't you 'Mama'
me, daughter. Your brother speaks truly, however harshly. Your speed will
not save you from all danger if you are not smart enough to avoid it. I
don't want to see my child gobbled up by Tiger or squashed by Panda, but
if she can only be weak, and a hinderance, like her father, perhaps the
rest of her family would be better off without her."
"But Da wasn't-"
Meimei shrunk back at her mother's sharp look. "Yes, Mama," she mumbled
miserably, bowing her head with shame. She hated the way her mother spoke
when she lectured, as if "Meimei" wasn't her daughter, but a different
creature; a stupid creature, only to be scorned. It had been that way with
her father just before he had been taken by vicious Baboon, lamed and too
slow to escape the grasping claws and fearsome fangs. But it hadn't been
his fault that falling rocks had broken his leg, and before that he had
been one of the strongest among their clan, matched only by his son, Xiong.
Ever since their father was killed, Xiong had grown broodingly quiet and
fiercely temperamental, especially towards Meimei. He was always the first
to admonish her for running ahead, playing in streams, eating too much,
even simply trying to talk to him, which he termed "idiotic prattling".
All his chastising aggravated Meimei to no end, but secretly, each one
of her brother's rebuke's also stung her to the heart. She could faintly
recall a time when Xiong had ran and played and been scolded alongside
her, had protected her from the brunt of their parents' wrath, had not
just been her brother, but her friend. Her only friend.
Glancing furtively
at the rest of her family - all aunts, uncles, grandsires and -mothers
or cousins - all she saw were shaking heads and waggling paws. Even the
little ones, instead of taking some of the weight off those cold stares
with giggles, immitated the disapproving frowns of their elders. Meimei
sullenly hung behind the rest of the clan as they moved off to find an
afternoon meal.
On towards evening, her stomach once again complained very loudly. Meimei had decided not to eat with her family members if she was only going to get more harsh looks and scolding. Her hunger had put her in a fine temper, and she'd even sent one of her little cousins, the lot of whom had swarmed her and begun to tease, bawling to his mother with a lump raising on his head. That of course had only got her into more trouble, made her mother and brother angrier with her, and earned her her place at the back of the family unit indefinitely as a shamed child. Xiong, who had delivered the punishment as head of the family, had told her she had come within a hairsbredth of becoming shunned. Just like Da, thought Meimei. They left him behind to be eaten by Baboon. They didn't even care! And no one cares about me, either.... Her stomach grumbled a reply. The clan, slightly blurred through a light mist that was forming as the day cooled, showed no signs of stopping. They were probably all still full and content from their browse, and wouldn't eat again until long after it was dark. No one would mind the little straggling female going hungry while they pushed on. She might as well have been shunned; it couldn't be any worse. Steeling her resolve with these thoughts, Meimei slowed, watched as the clan disappeared through the mists ahead of her, and stole off through the undergrowth to find something to eat.
"Keep close to
your parents, foolish children!" one of the elders towards the back of
the clan admonished, herding several mischievous young jerboas in front
of him. "You mind now, stay away from that shamed little female!" Once
the young ones had been shooed forward, the elder turned his head and toned
his voice low, so that the rest of the family might not hear the name of
she who had been shamed spoken aloud.
"Meimei, you
hurry up and walk where I can see you this instant! The mist thickens,
child, so stay close!"
He waited, but
Meimei did not come into sight.
"Stop sulking,
child, and come here now!"
Nothing.
"Meimei?" Stopping,
he tried to peer into the mist, but could barely see past his nose. "Come
out from wherever you're hiding; this is no time for games! Meimei!"
A juvenille bounded
up to him and tugged on his tail. "Hurry yourself, grandfather, or the
clan will leave you behind. Where is the shamed child? She shouldn't be
hanging back out of sight in this mist!"
"I keep telling
her that, but she won't come forward. I know you're out there somewhere,
now come here right now and I will forget this incident! If you prefer
not to be seen, I can tell Xiong to go ahead and declare you shunned!"
"I don't think
she's back here," said the other with a hint of concern. "Could she have
circled around in front?"
"Hrumph! Even
I don't think the child would be that stupid. She knows she would surely
be shunned if she dared to step out of her give place."
That was all
the juvenille needed to hear. He dashed off, calling, "Hurry along, grandfather!
Xiong! Stop! Stop the clan!" Startled, family leapt out of his path left
and right, and children scampered wildly about, thinking it great fun.
Once general order was restored, Xiong stalked irritably towards the younger
jerboa who had caused all the commotion.
"What's the meaning
of this, Shuang? In the name of all things sacred, did you have to scatter
the clan about? Children! Back to your parents immediately!"
"I'm very sorry,
Xiong....I, I become too rash when I'm flustered."
"Well, out with
it, then. What's all this madness about?"
"Mei- I mean,
the shamed one is missing!"
The elder male
paused, his features unreadable. "You've looked for her? Surely she's only
hiding?"
"We couldn't
see anything in this cursed mist," Shuang began defensively. He held the
family head in very high regard, and didn't want to appear foolish. "My
grandfather and I called to her many times, but she never responded, even
when we threatened to punish her further. Even she knows she'd be shunned
if-"
"That's enough,"
Xiong cut him off, and immediately regretted the harshness of his words.
He moderated his voice and patted his younger friend's shoulder. "You did
all you could, Shuang. Albeit shamed, she is still my sister, my blood;
I will look for her myself." Reactions to his statement ranged from open
approval to outright dismay, but he left no room for discussion. "Meimei
is a stubborn, wayward child, but she is as much my responsibility as anyone
else's. And perhaps being lost in the forest will make her realize the
importance of obeying her elders. I believe that is punishment enough for
any child. Should I return with her, her shame will be lifted."
A murmur of agreement
rippled through the gathered family. Xiong's mother spoke softly, but so
that all could hear. "You have until the sun sinks below the earth to find
her, my son." She pointed towards the dim orange ball just visible below
the foggy treeline. "If you do not return by then, you are both lost to
us."
Already he could
see that she had curbed her anxiety over her children. She was strong,
his mother, hardened by the loss of her mate. He only hoped he could be
as strong if Meimei truly was lost.
Xiong was growing
anxious. He had been searching for what seemed like an eternity, and the
pinkish glow of the sun was threateningly close to what he supposed to
be the horizon - he couldn't tell because of the thick mist. Assuming that
Meimei had wandered away from the clan, he had looked in almost every possible
direction, but there was no sign of her.
A cool breeze
picked up, swirling the mists around him. And carrying a scent that made
his hackles rise. Xiong was about to bolt for cover when a frightened squeak
cut the air. Against all instinct, he made himself travel in its direction
- towards the source of the blood-chilling scent.
"Meimei! Is that
you?"
"Xiong!" It was
Meimei's voice, only a stone's throw away. Hastening forward, Xiong saw
his little sister huddled down in a quivering ball of fur. Something large
loomed up from the mists, larger than Baboon, larger than Panda, and lithe
like Tiger. But it smelled wrong, it moved wrong....Xiong found himself,
like his sister, paralyzed by terror. He hugged himself to the ground,
unable to tear his eyes away...and as suddenly as it had appeared, the
Thing vanished into the mists.
Xiong jumped
and yelled as something grabbed him, but it was Meimei, burying her face
in his fur and crying.
"I...I was -hic!-
so hungry...a-and I got -hic!- lost...." She went on sobbing with broken
phrases in between about how scared she'd gotten and how sorry she was.
Finally she calmed herself to mere sniffles.
"Well I'm glad
you've learned your lesson, little sister," said Xiong as he gently detached
her from his tear-soaked fur. "Now hurry back to the clan with me - we
only have until dark before we are declared lost, and the light is beginning
to fade."
Tears started
running down Meimei's face again as she stared miserably at her paws. "I
might as well be lost for all anyone cares. All the elders hate me, the
young ones make fun of me, and you shamed me yourself! Nobody wants me
around them, so why should I go back?"
"Because I've
spent all evening searching and calling for you, and now that I know you're
alive I'm not going to let you be lost just because you're too blind to
see how much I care!"
Her older brother's
words hit Meimei like a slap in the face. She looked up at him and saw
tears shining angrily in his eyes.
"Ever since our
father died I've had to look out for the entire clan, but I especially
wanted to keep you safe. I never want what happened to father to happen
to my baby sister, so I have to be hard enough to punish you when endanger
yourself and those around you. Every time I hope desperately that it will
be the last, but it never is, Meimei! You never seem to understand that
I am trying my best to protect you, and teach you to protect yourself;
you only see is mean, angry Xiong who hates you. What about now, Meimei?
Will this be the last time you are punished? When I take you back to the
clan and lift the shame that has been placed upon you, will it truly be
lifted, or will you forever hold the shame of dishonoring your brother?"
All the time he had been speaking, his voice had been growing quieter,
the pain coming through more clearly. Finally, Xiong sighed, and spoke
softly to Meimei for the first time since she had been small. "Please come
back with me, Meimei. I want my little sister back."
Meimei struggled
with warring feelings. She was shocked! She was overjoyed! Xiong did care
about her after all! She had her big brother back! He would forgive her
and then they could play together like they used to and-
Abruptly the
rest of what he had said sank in. No...they couldn't run and play and get
into trouble. Xiong led the clan, now. And he wanted to keep her out of
trouble, out of danger, so she couldn't be bad anymore. Because she made
her big brother hurt when she was bad.
Instead of hugging
the breath out of him like she'd been about to, Meimei merely nodded. "I
wanna go back and see Mama, and I'll n-never be b-bad again...I-I promise,"
she finished through her mounting sobs.
"Now now, none
of that," said Xiong, gruff but quiet, as he awkwardly patted her head.
"Be strong, like Mama. When we get back, you can tell her about the monster
we saw."
"W-what's a monster?"
"A monster is
what you nearly ran into when I found you. Few creatures have seen them,
and even fewer survive to tell about it. Monsters are rare, but they're
bad. They're something else...something not-animal. Come along, now, quickly
before night comes. I know the way back." Xiong started off, Meimei following
nearly at his heels.
The mists were
beginning to clear, and she could see the sun clearly now, red as blood,
and half-below the earth. She sped up, wanting to be back to her family
as soon as possible. A rustling noise to her flank made her heart leap
into her throat, and she glanced quickly over her shoulder. There was nothing
to be seen but eerie treeshadows in the dim red light.
"Monsters," whispered
Meimei to herself.