Ch.10: A Second Chance

The next morning, the Great Circle rose up to greet the coming dawn, and shined down upon the form of young Megumi who yawned, just waking up from her slumber. Weariness plagued across the first thoughts to come into her mind.

Today was the day. The day her father Bigtail received his second chance.

Last night's conversation with Guido still flowed clear through Megumi's mind. She had had a lot to think about once her friend left to let her sleep.

Megumi had dreamed of her mother, and all of the love she had given Bigtail even though he was always aggressive and mean. Today she would follow her mother's example. At least…she would be brave enough to try.

But first, Megumi needed something to drink. So she walked out towards the river where the fresh water flowed. Saliva dripped off of her tongue as she thought of lapping up the precious liquid.

However, just as she was a few feet away from the river, Megumi stopped, hearing the sound of arguing voices coming near the water's bank.

Curious to who it could be, Megumi quietly snuck in among the ferns and then peeked her head out from the other side. Who she saw arguing was none other than her father Bigtail and Grandpa Longneck, who had the unfortunate luck of crossing paths today.

Bigtail's eyes were narrowed in anger as he yelled at Grandpa.

"What makes you think I can't change?" the black longneck said " I know I made a mistake when I split the herd. You can't hold a grudge for that."

"I can" said Grandpa " because confronting Brutus and his herd was a foolish decision to make. You knew that going against him was dangerous, so why did you…,"

"That's none of your concern!" shouted Bigtail, making Megumi jump in the ferns " You have no right to accuse me! You have no idea what I went through! And some way. I'll find a way to make Megumi forgive me."

With that said, Bigtail walked off, leaving Grandpa Longneck only to stand there in silence.

Once her father had left, Megumi moved out of her hiding place, away from the river, no longer thirsty, but pondering over the conversation she heard.

Should she go after her father now after just hearing a big fight? No, the move didn't seem to be wise. She would just have to sit and wait for her dad to cool down, before she went on to give his second chance.

Finding a soft spot among the grass, Megumi stopped and lied down, wondering why Grandpa Longneck still seemed so confrontive that her father was here.

Megumi knew the story behind her dad's burning rage. Her mother had explained it to her many times when she was young.

Bigtail was a strong and proud longneck, growing frustrated at looking weak or insecure. He valued power. He valued strength. And when Ashanti came, Megumi assumed that her father had valued her mother's comforting grace.

She had shown him love, while others continued to look at him with hatred and fear. Growling that he was far from the protector they had admired years ago.

His endless anger had caused a burning pain, and it seemed as if Grandpa Longneck had suffered a deep wound. It seemed that even if he understood what had caused Bigtail's rage, he wasn't willing to drop his grudge anytime soon.

Suddenly, Megumi found her eyes widening with shock as she remembered her father's sorrowful words, that fateful day when Ashanti crashed down through the earth.

"Ashanti…" he breathed " you were the only one who ever understood my pain. Thank you, for your love."

It was the first kind words her dad had ever spoken. How could Megumi forget them in this amount of time?

"He did care for my mother" thought Megumi confidently " He cares for me. It doesn't matter how he was back then. It's time to make things right."

A few minutes later, laying not far from the river where he and Grandpa had fought, Bigtail looked up with surprise as something brushed along his side, and glanced to see Megumi slide in beside him, taking a seat amongst the grass.

Both longnecks stared at each other for a long moment, not sure who should speak or what to say. Megumi finally sighed, and looked at her father, letting him slowly drink in her words.

"Dad" she said softly " I forgive you."

And with that, Bigtail smiled.