Savanna ChronicleS
Ziku
By Savanna Queen
Please review Characters page for a list of characters
I
Murder
Ziku eyed the golden grasslands. A single acacia resided beside the small stream, both producing memories from out this serval's whole, short life. His black ears twitched, and his eyes were seldom open by the time the sun began to set. It didn't take long for two graceful figures to appear out of nowhere, about a half a mile away. They headed northward, toward a sun-dried shrub that nestled itself under the lonely tree. There, as quickly as they had come, they vanished from the evening, taking shelter in those ancient thickets. Ziku yawned. There was nothing ordinary about this night. When it came, it mingled in the savanna, the moon and stars lighting up the dark blue sky. A lonely breeze occasionally swept by, and a choir of various insects filled the air. There was even a lonely hyena sulking about in the distance. No matter. This denizen was no threat. After all, Ziku had nothing to offer the fellow - he had had his meal earlier that day. A proud catch of not one, but two rodents. Ah, life was good - mellow. And that, above all else, was what Ziku could've asked for. A relaxing life in the grasslands.
About eleven months ago, at the very shrub beside the acacia, a young female serval had given birth to a litter of two; one of each gender. There, she nursed the pair and took care of them; showed them how to hunt and survive. Now that those eleven full moons had gone by, each one full of careful teachings and new experiences, Ziku had the handsome, slender body of an adult - almost. He, being as laid back as he was, had easily pulled himself from the thicket from which he was born. Every day he went off on his own, and every night he'd come back to the same spot upon an incline that overlooked all that was known to him - the grasslands, the stream, the acacia, the shrub. And every night, he watched his mother and sister return to the thicket.
Now that his family was back, the serval closed his brown eyes completely.
"Hey," someone whispered.
Ziku jerked his head up, ears now perked as he searched for the source of the noise.
"Kiro," he hissed, his tone a mixture of happiness and irritation. "Why are you here?"
The female serval, who was just a week or so younger than Ziku, grinned, surveying her friend. "I came t' say goodnight - that's all."
Ziku stared back into her jade eyes, sparkling so much with youth and mischief it was hard not to smile back. But he didn't - he frowned.
"You shouldn't have come," he whispered. "This isn't your territory, you know,"
Ziku felt his heart drop as he watched the female's grin vanish, just like that. But he was surprised to see it quickly return.
"You're always like that," purred Kiro in amusment, now taking a step forward to nose her friend. "So serious at times, and then so mellow at other times.
The male cleared his throat, before explaining earnestly, "What would she say if she knew you were here?"
Kiro cocked her head for a moment. "Who? Your mother?" She then giggled. "It wouldn't matter."
Ziku's mother was a very territorial cat - even Ziku himself was rarely allowed near the shrub these days, though it did not bother him at all. The relaxing independence suited him well.
"It will if the wind shifts," Ziku pointed out. "And there's not just my mother, but Oola, too."
"Your sister? So?"
"So that's two against one."
"No it's not. You're on my side...aren't you?"
Ziku gulped, shifted uncomfortably, then replied, "Of course. But I just get nervous when you're here, that's all."
"Why? Why does it matter? I already know it's Yisha's lands - I smelt her markings and took note of them. It's not like I covered them with my own marks or something."
Crunch.
The two stood there in silence for a moment, unmoving and stiff. Ziku's large ears twitched, and he scented the air.
"A rodent, or something," he whispered to Kiro's questioning face. "Anyway," he continued, the two relaxing once more. "I think you should go back to your territory."
Kiro rolled her eyes. "I'm going to but, I just thought you wanted to say goodnight, too. But if that's all you have to say to me..."
The female turned around, beginning to pad away. Ziku sat there, watching his friend go off into the distance, feelings no doubt in pain. He shook his head. By the time the sun rose the next day, Kiro would be the same again. It didn't matter if he followed to apologize or not.
Ziku lie down once more, eyes closed. If only he could fall into a light sleep for a few hours...
Suddenly, the serval jumped. He gazed around. It was morning, and the sun had risen. The sun's rays blanketed his gold and black fur, causing him to shudder. Or perhaps, it was not the heat - it might have been something else...the very thing that caused him to awake in such an abrupt manner. A sound - a cry. But from whom? A dying animal obviously...a rodent? Had Yisha or Oola caught something? Or was it someone else's prey?
Ziku turned to look at the shrub. By now, his sister and mother would've been up and about. The adolescent turned his head from side to side, before padding toward the very place he was birthed at. In no more than ten minutes, he arrived to the acacia, and the surrounding thicket. He scented the air carefully, finding the aroma of his family both relieving and awkward. It was about three months ago that he had decided to live on the outskirts of his mother's territory, and so left this den. Not once since then did he try to come back, but he knew if he had, his mother nor sister would be too fond of the action. So he was careful and silent, making sure of their absence.
They were no doubt, gone.
The male stuck his head into a small hollow in the thicket, where it opened once inside. Nothing. Nothing but twigs and sticks, twisting and lacing their way around each other, like mutated, dead fingers. As a cub, this place was the center of Ziku's harmony. Now it was almost nothing to him - if anything, a feeling of indifference permited here.
Clearing his throat, he pulled his head from the den, and glanced around once more. What was that cry? What creature had uttered such an agonizing sound?
Kiro! Ziku suddenly thought, gasping. He turned toward the east, and took off up his incline. He sprinted almost as gracefully as his mother and sister did. But soon, Ziku halted. A faint odor came to his nostrils, causing his nose to wrinkle. Against all insinct, the serval began to follow the scent. It was not like him to do this - to go straight toward the danger. It was not something a normal animal would do, let alone him.
The smell grew stronger, and Ziku's heart began to race. A rotting log nearby was covering the source of the smell...Something was dead. Something, or someone...
Ziku froze. The still body of his sister lie there, open and uneaten. A heartless act caused the young serval to lie there, with flies and insects beginning to pour around her. Even a few vulchers circled the skies above. Her guts and blood were exposed to the world. Ziku forced himself to take a step back from Oola's carcass. A feeling shoved its way into Ziku, causing his stomach to ache. He was used to seeing dead bodies, ever since he was old enough to start feeding on solid foods...He was used to the fact that every creature died...but something was missing. Why had Oola died? She was young and healthy, so it was not age nor disease that caused her falter. That meant a predator had to have taken her down. And though surely the scavengers could feast freely upon her body, the killer itself was gone. Nowhere to be seen.
"So young, so innocent." a voice whispered.
Ziku leapt, turning around, his fur bristling. "Mother!" he cried out, before he could help himself. "What's happened here?"
He studied his dame's face; an expression filled with the pain of loss and uncertainty. Yisha, a serval only two years older than Ziku himself, was torn from her daughter and companion.
"Mother?" Ziku urged again, though his fur was still bristled.
"I left for a drink at the stream," Yisha began, her soft voice cracking. "Then I heard her...and found her...like this..."
A couple vulchers landed. Ziku had to hold himself back from pouncing on the little creatures. After all, Oola was dead, and nothing could bring her back - it would be ten times worse if she was at least not given up for a reason. Besides, it's what Yisha had strongly taught her cubs - the meaning of life was to produce more life. But Ziku had the feeling his mother was trying her best as well not to chase the scavengers away.
"Did you see who it was?" Ziku finally asked, frowning.
Yisha shook her head. "My son... she has gone to the moon and the sun, like every living creature is meant to do...but for a reason untold."
Suddenly, before Ziku could stop himself, a strange new feeling of pain and revenge came, and he snarled, "I'll kill it!"
Yisha shook her head sadly. "If you do that, then you are just as bad as the creature itself."
"But, Mother," Ziku started, unbelieving. "There would be a reason - to avenge Oola!"
He looked around then, eyes wide once more.
"Is the creature still in the territory?" he whispered, looking about.
"Right now, I feel it is just us," Yisha replied, with such agony but at the same time, strength, it made Ziku proud to have been raised by such a serval. "I don't know if it shall come back or not, though."
There was a pause, before the male asked, "What are you going to do?"
Another moment of silence, before Yisha replied with, "You should not be asking what I am going to do, but rather what you are going to do."
Yisha bumped noses with her son, before turning around, no doubt heading back to the scrub. Ziku frowned, standing there, just yards away from his sister's dead body. What just happened? She is finally telling you to leave, Ziku heard a voice inside his head. Had Yisha said that a week ago, Ziku would have been more than happy to do so, starting a new chapter in his life. He probably would've left by himself in just another full moon or so. But the murder of his sister changed everything...
Ziku watched his mother pad off. He glanced at Oola's body for the last time, then turned, and headed to the east.
II
Taking Off
He blinked, watching as two servals sunbathed together. Kiro and her mother lie a quarter mile or so away, neither noticing Ziku's scent. The winds were in his favor. He licked his dry lips as he lie on his belly in the dirt, waiting, watching. Just a couple hours ago, he had left the territory from where he was born, for the last time. Now he was but two miles away, waiting for his chance to meet up with Kiro. Was it selfish that he was going to ask her to leave with him? Though Kiro was an adolescent, she still had a few more full moons on her to go before complete independence. After all, female servals usually stayed longer with their mothers, and could even stay until they themselves were ready to be mothers.
A few more minutes of silence went by, before one of the females lazily pushed herself from the earth, yawned, stretched, and then began toward the stream - the same stream that if followed for a couple miles westward, would lead straight back to Yisha's territory. But it wasn't Kiro who had gotten up.
Ziku swore under his breath, watching as the mother left for a bit - he'd have much preferred to stay out of the center of another serval's territory. Still, he took his chance, and leapt up, cantering over to where Kiro lie in sleep.
"Kiro," he hissed, nosing her.
She opened her eyes, and gasped in shock. Quickly, she calmed to see it was just her friend.
"Oh, if it isn't Mama's cub." Kiro huffed, then turned to lie on her other side, facing away from Ziku.
Ziku huffed, then batted a paw playfully at her.
"Ah, c'mon." he pleaded. "Don't be like that." Kiro said nothing, so Ziku took this opportunity. "Listen, something happened today."
"What? You finally grew a brain?" the female snorted. "You'd better get out of here, Ziku...Mother won't like it if you're here." she said in a mock-tone voice, though both knew it was true.
"Look, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. But something very important happened, and now I have to ask you something."
Kiro continued to give him the cold shoulder, though she couldn't help but feel a bit of curiosity tugging at her fur. Finally, after a bit of silence, she rolled over to face him and snap, "Well? What is it?"
Ziku shifted slightly, before continuing. "I'm leaving today, Kiro."
"What? That's great!" she exclaimed in sudden joy -- something Ziku did not expect at all. "Now we can hang out without your family being so uptight!" she went on, jumping up and head-butting him, before nuzzling the male as well. "Of course there's my mother, but she won't matter so much-"
"Kiro!" Ziku hissed - something he rarely did. "That's what I came here for - to ask if you would leave with me."
Silence. The two adolescents seemed to be studying each other, like they had done so many times in the past.
"What are you talking about?" Kiro finally asked. "Go with you? Where?"
"Away." the male quickly answered. "However far it takes to find out what killed my sister."
Kiro shifted, glancing around with a frown. It was obvious she knew nothing that Ziku was feeling - she was a single serval, born to an experienced mother who doted on her day and night. To feel the loss of an only litter-mate, taken by the paws of something that killed for no reason, was something the young sheela would never understand.
"Please," purred Ziku, finally. "I must leave to find out what destroyed my sister's life."
"But what are you talking about? What happened to Oola?"
Ziku cursed himself, forgetting to mention the incident earlier in the day. "It's my sister," he went on. "My mother and I found her dead - torn apart."
Kiro shifted again, still frowning. "Oh...I'm so sorry..." She paused, before adding, "We...we were all born to die, Ziku. We can't help-"
"It's not that!" snarled the male. "My mother has taught me well about the Circle of Life! I know when someone dies - to help another person's life! But Oola died at the paws of something else...something she didn't deserve! She was young and innocent, and is now sent to the stars, without knowing life! Her carcass rots away in my birth-territory, where she lies, open and exposed to the world - eaten only - and only, by the scavengers!"
More silence, before Kiro exclaimed in fear, "What are you talking about? Nothing ate her?"
"NOTHING!" shouted the male.
"But...But what if she had something wrong with her? A lump in her tummy, perhaps - Mother says that's how my aunt died-"
"It's nothing like that!" Ziku hissed, fur now raising on end, in irritation. "She has been sent to the stars for now reason - my sister, Oola, young, innocent, healthy - no reason for her to die! At least if she had been devoured, there would've been a purpose in her death...but there was not even that..."
The two gazed at each other, both filled with grief and surprise.
Suddenly, a spit and a hiss sounded. Ziku jerked his head to see Kiro's mother standing, not more than ten yards away. Her fur was bristled, and her teeth were showing. Ears folding to the back of his head, the adolescent began to back up, staring at the older female now. She began to pad forward, and Ziku knew it was his last chance.
"Come with me," he pleaded, now turning to look at Kiro. "Come with me, Kiro."
Still, the older female was advancing. Ziku knew he could easily take her down with his body size and weight, and yet...it did not seem right to him. As wrong as his sister's death.
"Kiro..." the serval whispered.
Kiro stared back, eyes wide in confusion and disappear.
"I'm headed north," Ziku finally said. "To the north!" he cried out, before taking off.
Ziku pounced passed Kiro's mother, and sprinted into the horizon. He felt the elder female on his heals, but only for a few yards. Soon enough, she vanished, and he was heading into the light. Away from the only lands he knew from his mother, sister, and best friend - the only other animals he ever got to know in life.
III
Away
The serval panted. He stood there, gazing into the distance with eyes as brown as the acacia's trunk. His black ears twitched, and his golden pelt glittered in the savanna sun. Black spots decorated his slim body of about fifteen or so pounds - soon enough, he would be full adult - as large as the sire he was born from.
Ziku stood there, stiff as a boulder. He now based himself beside a water hole, only about fifty feet or so in diameter. A frown formed - Kiro, his cubhood friend, had not accepted his proposal. Though it was not sure that she decided to stay with her dame, she was definitely not with him. A wave of downcast feelings swarmed the cat, and he could not help but frown at the thought. He heaved a sigh, pawing at the dead ground, before looking up again. What stood in front of him was unknown land - land of gold and free trees and shrubs, even a river or water hole occasionally. The sky was bright and blue, not yet ready for the rainy season. He sniffled once, before continuing on. I'm by myself now, he thought, almost bitterly. On my own, as I've always wanted it... Still, he could not help a feeling of loss. Was it really the loss of his sister? Or perhaps, the loss of Kiro? Either way, he knew it would be that loss that drove him on in life. After all, his mother, Yisha, had never taught him, nor Oola, about something that could kill for no reason. Everything had a life, and needed that life to go on - that is why others took the lives of other creatures. That is what Yisha had told them - for once, he knew she was wrong.
"Ziku," someone whispered.
The male jerked, before looking over his shoulder to see Kiro padding forward.
"I thought you weren't coming," he breathed, pushing himself from the ground to nuzzle his friend.
"I didn't want to leave Mother, but..." she paused, before continuing with, dramatically, "I thought I'd never see you again."
"You'd have seen me again - I'd have made sure of it." he purred, nuzzling her.
Soon enough, the two pulled apart from each other, each examining the other.
"What'd your mother say?" Ziku finally asked, in pure curiosity.
"She wasn't so happy at me leaving so soon - but she was already with more cub, and easily let me go." Kiro paused, before concluding with, "I'm glad I left - this way I get to be with you."
The two grinned. Ziku thought his heart was beating a bit too fast than normal...
~~~
The sun arose. It easily covered the grasslands, warming it upon every exposed inch. Ziku awoke, nestled beside Kiro. He lifted his head, gazing about silently, before the female.
"Kiro," he whispered, nipping at her nose a bit. "Kiro, wake up."
"Huh?" groaned the sheela, yawning a bit. "Mother, I..." she paused in utter silence, eyes opening all the way in realization. "Oops," she chuckled. "Sorry, Ziku. Say, where are we, anyway?"
"Not far," he snorted, sitting up, continuing to gaze about. "We traveled maybe a mile or so from the stream."
The pair lie far off in the savanna, where a few trees decorated the bareness and the golden grass swayed in occasional lonely breeze. A few wild birds flew overhead, and an antelope of some time grazed in solitude just yards off, not even noticing the young predators. The feeling of being beside no source of water made the adolescents shudder, but even more so, Ziku quivered slightly from the thought that he was not near the territory borders, protecting his kin. Now it was as if he was of no use to the world...That is, until the picture of Oola's corpse entered his mind.
Snarling, the male leapt up.
"Ziku?" Kiro quickly asked, sitting up in concern. "Are you OK?"
Suddenly realizing where he was at and whom he was with, Ziku forced himself to calm. He looked at the other serval in gentle silence. As her eyes met his, he gazed away.
"Yeah...I'm OK," he whispered, studying the ground now. "It's just..."
"I know," whispered Kiro, before pushing herself into his pelt, nuzzling him deeply.
The sensation flowed through the youngster like a waterfall. He had not a clue what it meant, but felt only the fact that Kiro's company made him if anything, content. After all, she was a great cubhood friend, she knew his personality, and could be potential mate - the perfect companion for such a journey. Still, it was the fact he was gone from his past, and was on such a quest caused his stomach to churn.
"Do you think we could really find my litter-mate's killer?" Ziku abruptly asked, without thinking.
Kiro pulled away from him, a slight frown upon her face. "Oola's predator? Perhaps..." she said, thoughtfully, which was a not total downfall. After all, Kiro was a serval of - though mischief and immaturity - logical thought at some certain - more serious - times.
The two gazed fondly at each other. Ziku finally looked up, into the distance. North looked like nothing but more grasslands and scattered plants here and there. If they were lucky, they would stumble upon another water source, where perhaps there, they could take shelter.
"What are you planning?" Kiro finally asked.
Ziku stayed silent in deep thought for another moment, before replying with, "Water. That's what we need, Kiro. Once we find it, we can settle down, and discuss what we are to do further on. After all, the creature that took Oola's body is probably not far."
Kiro shifted uncomfortably, with yet another frown. She began, "What do you...what do you think it was?"
"I have not a clue." Ziku admitted, almost ashamed. He glanced quiet at his forepaws. "A creature that does not understand why it survives. After all, if it did know, then it would not have killed someone else for no reason..."
The female then asked something somewhat surprising and almost offensive. "Do you know why you live, Ziku?"
Ziku blinked, looking up at Kiro, an expression of betrayal and shock upon his face.
"What do you mean?" he snapped.
"Ziku, don't take it the wrong way," Kiro quickly said, knowing she had already dealt damage. "It's just-"
"Just what?" the male snarled, standing up. "You think I am still a cub, learning his ways?"
"Well, we still have lots to know, is all,"
"Oh! Lots to learn, eh? Like why my sister was murdered?!"
Something took off. It swept by in an instant, leaving the pair of adolescents to stand there in silence. Finally, shaking his head, Ziku hissed once at his friend, and turned around, padding off northward once more.
"Wait! Ziku!" Kiro cried out, leaping in front of him. "Where are you going?"
"I already told you - to find water, and then to deal with that creature." Ziku grudgingly replied, walking around his friend.
"Hey!" Kiro went on, now striding beside the male. "I didn't mean to offend you - it's just, there are things in this world we don't know yet - may never know. Is that what you are going to base your life on? A mystery?"
"A mystery meant to be solved!" he hissed, not looking at her, continuing to pad forward.
"But why?" the female cried out again. "What if you never solve it? Then what?"
Ziku halted in his tracks, turning his head slightly to the left to gaze into Kiro's young eyes. She flinched, and quickly looked away.
"What is my life worth, then, Kiro?" he whispered, voice now trembling.
Kiro looked up again, so abrupt it almost caused Ziku himself to look away. But he kept the gaze stiff.
"Your life is worth just as much as mine - and Oola's - and every other creature out there, Ziku. That is why I hope your life is not devoured by the very thought of a serval that has now passed on to the Rightful Place. Please," she begged. "Just listen to me..."
"Listen to you? You don't even want to help!" Ziku snarled, taking a forepaw and slapping the Earth.
Chunks of dirt flew out, but he paid no attention. Instead, Kiro hissed back, and turned around, running away. Ziku stood there in utter silence, almost panting. Both anger and regret filled his mind, and he could not help but frown, watching his friend sprint into the distance. What had he done? The only companion he had now, was running away...
Shaking his head, the male turned to follow Kiro.
"Kiro!" he cried out, running after her. "Kiro! Wait!"
But Kiro had already disappeared. Up and over an incline. Ziku's legs moved faster, trying to catch up with her.
"I didn't mean it!" he shouted to the emptiness. "Kiro, I didn't mean it!"
Ziku stopped. He stood in place at the base of the small hill, silently catching his breath. But it did matter if he did so. The air, which had so been full of life - insects and birds singing, distant animals making noise - was now barren. Just as barren as the land this young male now stood upon. Emptiness was everywhere - nothing. Nothing but the soft, lonely gust of wind.
"Kiro," he whispered to himself, gazing up the knoll with wide eyes and perked ears.
Bracing himself, the male took a step forward, then another. He continued this process, paw after paw, step after step. This action so normal, learned at such a young age as most creatures had, Ziku would've thought nothing of it, normally. But now...now it meant the difference between what seemed life and death. Going against all instinct, he was actually forcing himself to walk. Walk toward the familiar danger as before. He was advancing on it, as slowly as ever. Soon enough, he came beside the top of the hill. Again, Ziku had to push himself into a place he did not think he deserve - a place of cruel insanity, that so reminded him of Oola's opened body.
Ziku shook himself once, before leaping. The serval leapt at least ten feet in the air, as if hunting. He landed about four feet from he had been, now atop the incline. There, he looked down into the beady eyes of a small, dead rodent. They glimmered up into his own. With pity, Ziku took a step back.
"I didn't eat it," someone said, and Ziku twirled around so fast, he almost tripped over his own paws. "The hare, I mean." stated Kiro. "I found it like that. Nothing got to it yet...It was just...like that..."
The female's voice was both of fascination, and sympathy. Both glanced once more at the dead creature, who lie on its back, legs stiff as sticks, eyes wide open, and stomach wrench apart.
"C'mon," Ziku quietly exclaimed. "Let's go."
In silent agreement, the two padded away.
IV
Water
The sound of gushing water easily calmed the young servals. They lie together, upon the muddy bank. Ziku gazed silently at the river's movements. Had he and Kiro seen this a month ago, the two would've been filled with curiosity, happiness, and eventually, a sense of relaxation. Now, with Kiro robbed of her playful innocence, and the absence of Ziku's laid back ways, all that was felt, was a sense of security and metaphorical warmth. They lie against each other, both purring, and motionless, watching, waiting. A rhino lie not too far off, across the river. It snorted, watching the two, before looking away.
"What's happening?" Kiro finally asked, eyes wide open as she gazed at a rock.
"I don't know." Ziku quietly replied, staring at the same rock.
Not once in their short lives, had they - apart from Oola - encountered a creature, that lie without a reason to be still.
"I mean," Kiro went on. "Not even the insects had gotten to it."
Somewhat abruptly, Ziku turned slightly over so as to get better access to Kiro's pelt. He began to groom the female - a relaxing action of instinct, meant not only to clean, but taught to him by his mother, to help soothe. Kiro's eyes of jade finally closed, and she heaved a long sigh.
"What did it?" she finally asked, through Ziku's lapping noises of the tongue. "What killed that rodent?"
"I don't know." Ziku repeated, continuing to groom his friend in the warm sun. "But it was healthy, no doubt. I smelt nor felt no sign of disease, and it looked very young - perhaps even a cub - in its standards, of course." the serval added.
Kiro nodded, but said nothing once more. Ziku finished up, and she turned over to lick at his head as well, both comforting each other. It was not as if they were frightened, nor even shocked, but more so confused beyond belief. The realization that what their mother had taught them about killing was not all true sent the stunning truth through their spines, causing them both to shudder.
Another few minutes went by, birds, primates and other savanna denizens calling in the distance, more than one could count insects together singing, and the scents of other animals nearby filled the air.
To be continued...
