Lunar Heart, Shadow Bound ✓ [when the moon lies]

Ch.2: Her Name Means 'Rain'

Edited: Aug, 24, 2020

Note: Underlined words are Kathula tail sign language. Character art by rixtyminutes  

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Two years passed, and Pinti grew up to be a beautiful young Kathula. Her stripes darkened and she got a little taller. Her semi-long fur became coarser as she shed her baby fur.

Although she was still only fourteen, her mind matured a little, too. One day when following her father around the clan as he made his rounds, she noticed how much the clan respected him—even the elders. Her father always made sure everyone had a roof over their heads, had enough to eat, and were healthy and happy. She quickly learned being a leader wasn't all about memorizing rules or ingredients for potions. From that day on, she took her duty seriously and found pride in it, even welcoming the title, 'Saffornalélí' instead of shying away from it.

Yesterday, she got to assist her mother when a young female gave birth to her first child. When Pinti was little, she thought childbirth was disgusting and weird, but it wasn't at all. The moment the little pale blue Kathula baby looked at her with its small black eyes, Pinti thought it was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen.

"And I was born like that, too?" she had asked her mother later that day.

"Yes, you were. And you cried and cried until you were fed." Her mother had laughed. "Always wanted things your way from a young age."

Her father tapped her shoulder with his tail, and she jerked out of her thoughts, coming back to the present.

Focus, Pinti, he signed with a smirk. "I thought you were going to show me your secret training," he whispered.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, I'll focus." Pinti narrowed her eyes and took in the scents of the forest where they stood. She had convinced her father to come along with her and Tendri in the woods to show him how good she was at tracking now. During lunch break between studies, she would practice with Tendri. That meant eating time was shortened, but it was worth it.

She soon found the scents of the dried soil and crunchy leaves. Even the tree roots were in need of some good rain. Autumn had been quite dry this year and even the little stream nearby was suffering.

No, stop. Focus. She scolded herself, closed her eyes, and weeded out the scents—a trick she came up with herself. She still could track scents, but now she could find them without moving. It didn't take her long to get rid of the nature scents and her father's scent, and all the scents of the Makiista Clan that wafted in her nose on a slight breeze to find just the one. Where was she hiding?

Before the exercise, Pinti had Tendri hide somewhere. After a moment of sweeping the nearby forest floor, she moved her senses up the trees. There it was. It was a very faint scent, but she had it in her grasp. In confident strides she walked up to one of the trees and pointed.

"You sure?" Her father seemed uncertain. "I don't know... I can't smell her."

"I'm sure!" Pinti fluffed her chest out in pride.

Her father shrugged and called up the tree. "If you're up there, jump down and I'll catch you!" He gave the tree a rustle. After a few moments, Tendri came falling down on them with a squeal, but her father caught her in his arms.

"I was even holding my breath!" Tendri complained, twitching her tail tip, trying to fluff it in her father's face, but he kept her away from him with a laugh.

"Well done, Poocha." He praised Pinti who held her head high. He let Tendri down and gave a pat on her head.

"And you, too Poocha, for holding your breath so long. Well, I'll be going on my rounds," their father said. "Since it's already evening. Why don't you call it a day?" He smiled and walked away, not making a single sound as he padded across the leaves and out of the forest. The tree above them rustled and Kirlan poked his head out.