Ain Ghazal: Accounts of a Gazelle-man
By Son Rhandi
Chapter 04: "Daggerhorn Screws Up"
It had passed for an additional two months since the day young Enkidu resolved
to become a Chôjin. Everyday, every sunrise, they ran, the buck and the fawn,
the father and son, and they continue to run, every day a different path.
Be it through the treacherous tall grasses or deep into the heart of the
Ngorogoro Crater, or just a good and friendly jog through Dorongdo Village,
even now, at the height of the rainy months, they continue to run.
Daggerhorn was frazzled by the fact that his son still hadn't changed his mind even after two months. He wasn't about to give up, however, in the mission to keep his son from entering the ring, and made sure to make Enkidu's part of their excursions as difficult as possible. The first week was just straight running. The second, he had the lad run with 10-pound ankle weights. Weeks three and four, the weights were doubled. Five and six found weights around the child's wrists and back. Seven and eight continued from there…
He really wasn't feeling up to it today, that Enkidu. The rain came pounding down on his bare skin, irritating and near painful. He'd been sniffling and sneezing for the last two days. He thought Chôjin were supposed to be some sort of super beings. Could they really get sick? Enkidu squeaked out a sneeze. Even Chôjin catch colds, I guess…
Today was the same as any other: He and Daddy were well into the day's run, making good time despite the pouring rain. Aside from the ground making squishy noises with their every step and the roar of the rain, itself, it was a quiet, peaceful day. The animals were generally less active when it rained heavily, so they could travel without fear of incident.
"Move along, Enkidu!!" Daggerhorn barked. "We've still got a long way to go!"
The child nodded, doing his best to keep up given the poor conditions. The little fawn was under the weather both figuratively and literally. He felt strange; his head burned… Under Africa's sun, it wouldn't have been something to give much thought to. However, it had been cloudy and cool for the last two days. He shouldn't have felt as hot as he did, even when running all day. The intermittent dizziness didn't help things, either…
Would it be a crime to remove the weight strapped to his back and sit a spell? Given the circumstances, the child saw no fault in it and sat in the cold mud. He had to stop and catch his breath for a second. It would have to be a quick second, though. His father wouldn't wait, as he well knew.
"Enkidu! You'll be eaten by marsh lions if you don't hurry!"
"O… Okay..!" The young child rose to stand, but lost his balance and fell backward. He tried again, only to fall a second time. He placed a small, white hand on his forehead. "Daddy…" He called weakly. "I don't feel so good…"
Daggerhorn's ears shifted. Enkidu..? He slowed his pace to a halt and looked back. His son lay face down in the mud. The buck trotted back. "What's wrong, Enkidu? We still have four more hours worth of running to do."
The child did not respond. Daggerhorn knelt to him and gently nudged his shoulders. "Enkidu..?" He called again. Still nothing. "Stop joking, Enkidu!" He barked, starting to worry. "If you're tired, just say so!"
When the response was none a third time, Daggerhorn scooped his child up in his muscular arms and took off. They were way too far from home to consider backtracking, but the man thanked the stars above that they had taken the path they did. The route was near the Chôjin All-Boys Academy, and as sure as he was part-gazelle, there would be an infirmary there. And so, he raced through the marshes, through the water above and below, through the mud it created, through to the school. He saw its own children running their own paths, and its armor-clad adults barking orders to continue, Lionardo among them.
"Come now!" The lion boomed, his mane drenched and clinging to his neck. "Five hundred kilos to go! If you don't make it, I'll drop you by a full letter grade!"
"Lionardo!!"
He turned around. "Daggerhorn? What are you doing here?"
"Where's the infirmary?" He asked desperately, clutching a still-unconscious Enkidu.
Lionardo's eyes widened. "Come on, man. This way."
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"You are very lucky to have been in the area. What were you thinking, running the poor boy ragged when he had a temperature of over 102° F?"
"Well, how was I to know? He didn't look sick at all! …Well, he had been sneezing a little, but still, that shouldn't be a cause for concern, should it?"
"I don't know. Should it..?" Lionardo crossed his arms and shot the gazelle a glare. "Use your head, man! This is Africa! When a person sneezes here, it's because of sand or dust in the air, not the common cold!"
"What do you want me to say? 'Sorry, Lionardo. It'll never happen again'?" Daggerhorn scoffed. "I made a mistake, okay? Making me feel dumb isn't going to make things any better! And speaking of mistakes, this is just as much your fault as it is mine! Enkidu wouldn't be sick at all if it weren't for you and your stupid training suggestions! I'd say my biggest mistake was listening to your hairy--"
Lionardo back-handed the buck. Daggerhorn brought a hand to his stinging cheek and looked back at his former partner in shock. "…Do you think it's good to blame others for your own screw-ups?" The lion growled low and deep. "Would you be saying all this if your son was watching? …Enkidu may be a Chôjin, but keep in mind, Daggerhorn, that he's only five. You made a mistake; learn from it, but if that boy is ever harmed again, and it's because of your stupidity, I will never forgive you. Pardon me…"
And he turned on his heel and left. Daggerhorn was speechless. Ears drooping, he pulled up an available stool and sat at his son's bedside. He placed a hand over little Enkidu's brow. Still hot. "Enkidu…" He began in a partial whine. "If you weren't feeling well, why didn't you say something?" Looking on him now, up close, he really didn't look well at all… He took his son's tiny hand in his paw and gazed upon him sadly. "…I'm sorry, Enkidu," he whispered. "Daddy's sorry… Just get better, okay?"
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This isn't home, was the first thought to enter Enkidu's head when he finally awoke. The little fawn sat up and surveyed the area. Lots of beds, paper-thin white sheets laid over each one. Matching pillows, to boot. Daddy was there, too, sitting in a stool, his head low and his breathing slow and steady. He had dozed off at some point. "Daddy?" Enkidu tapped him on the shoulder. "Wake up, Daddy."
The child continued to rap at his father's shoulder until the man stirred. "Hi, Daddy," Enkidu chirped.
The buck turned his head to the fawn, eyes opening out of sync to meet his gaze. "Enkidu…" He began as a partial yawn. "You're awake…" Daggerhorn plucked his son from the hospital bed and engulfed him in a hug. "Feeling better?"
The lad nodded, smiling. "That's good. I'm happy." Daggerhorn left the stool and set his son there in his place. "You sit tight," said the buck. "Daddy's going to talk to Uncle Lionardo, then we'll go home, okay?"
"Can I come with you?"
"No. Daddy needs to talk to your old uncle along. I won't be long. Promise."
That seemed to be good enough for the fawn. Daggerhorn waved to his son as he exited the infirmary and went to seek Lionardo. It took a bit of memory jogging, but he'd managed to locate Lionardo's office without too much difficulty.
"So much to do…" The lion rubbed his eyes and growled. His stack of paperwork hadn't lessened in five hours, no matter how he stared at it. He gnawed on the cap of his pen. He was having so much trouble concentrating… "Maybe… I was too harsh…" Lionardo crinkled his muzzle. His guilt trip was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in," he bellowed.
His lion eyes widened upon seeing the buck's familiar form. Daggerhorn met the lion's eyes briefly before turning his gaze to the floor. Lionardo rose from his desk and came to meet him, scratching the back of his head.
"I--" They began simultaneously. Daggerhorn sighed. "Look," he started. "I shouldn't have blamed you for a choice I made. It was wrong of me."
"Yes, it was. But still…" Lionardo crossed his arms. "I guess I shouldn't have been so hard on you. You're still new at this whole kid thing. I suppose there will be some mistakes to be made along the way…" He extended a broad paw. "Still friends?"
"Of course," was the buck's reply, and they shook hands accordingly. "It's a lot harder than I thought it would be, this whole parenting thing. I always wonder if I'm doing a good job, if Enkidu is happy with just me here. …Do you ever wonder why he never asks about his mother? If he misses her somehow..?"
"Nope." Lionardo returned to the chair behind his desk. "The way I see it, the boy can't miss what he's never known. Besides, you carry on like a woman so much, you satisfy both roles." He chuckled.
"Hey! That isn't funny!" Daggerhorn proceeded to put his lion friend in another headlock.
"Ugh! Shouldn't you be with Enkidu?" He choked, tapping the buck's forehead. Daggerhorn scoffed and released the lion from his grips. "So then," began the buck. "See you later?"
"Yeah, yeah…" Lionardo grumbled, smoothing out his mane. "Just be a little more careful next time, y'hear?"
"Don't worry. I'd sooner die before I ever let Enkidu be hurt again."
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The rain had finally let up and the night sky was brimming with stars. The little fawn sat perched upon his father's shoulders, occupying himself with counting the stars. "Daddy, how many stars are in the sky?"
"Too many to count," he replied. "You'll be as old as me before you're even a quarter of the way through."
Enkidu blinked. "That many?!"
Daggerhorn scowled, suddenly feeling ancient. "You don't have to sound so surprised…" He sighed, letting it go. "So, then, Enkidu, what do you think of your old man?"
"Huh?"
That may have been too vague. He decided to rephrase the question. "Do you like being with Daddy? Are you happy here with me?"
"Yeah! You're the bestest dad in the whole world!"
That wasn't convincing enough for the buck. "You don't wish for a mommy at all?"
"Nuh-uh!" Enkidu shook his head in disgust. "Girls are yucky!"
"Oh, now don't say that. All girls are beautiful, so you should treat them with respect."
Even the ones I don't like?" The fawn asked. "I don't like Da'shana. She pulls my ears all the time and tries to make me eat grass..!"
Daggerhorn had to laugh. "She probably likes you, then."
"Gross!" Enkidu stuck out his tongue, and Daggerhorn just laughed and laughed. "So, then, Daddy," Enkidu started, mimicking his father's tone. "Are we going running again tomorrow?"
"No. I think you should rest for a day. You've earned it, I think."
The fawn's ears drooped a little at that. "But I want to be a great Chôjin wrestler, just like you and Uncle Lionardo! I don't want to miss a day..!"
The buck smirked. "Well, if you're mind is made up, I guess I shouldn't stop you. We'll go running, but you'll have to take it easy, okay?"
"I won't faint again, promise..!"
And so, it went on for five more years, since the day young Enkidu resolved to become a Chôjin. Everyday, every sunrise, they ran, the buck and the fawn, the father and son, and they continue to run, every day a different path. Be it through the treacherous tall grasses or deep into the heart of the Ngorogoro Crater, or just a good and friendly jog through Dorongdo Village, even now, in the child's tenth year, they continue to run.
