CHAPTER ONE
“I don’t understand mother” the little boy’s face squeezed like a mop, he is in obvious disarray.
“More, I am growing hungry, you’ll understand later.” There a woman lying by the corner answered.
“Why not now? Mother!” the boy is getting really exasperated. The mom seems to be unperturbed.
“More? Leave mama alone, she’s carrying a baby.” She touches her bulging tummy.
“A baby?” he glowed in excitement and confusion. Those words sounds exciting seeing how his mother announced it but really, he cannot understand them. “Who is a baby?”
Relieved that at last he seems to have been distracted, she heaved a sigh. “A baby is another you. It is coming to stay with you and play with you.”
The boy’s face crumpled. ‘Another me?’ he thought. That’s bewildering and his little face showed it all which made his heavy mother chuckle. “So mom?” will he be turning to a wolf like us?”
His mother felt like this is taking a whole turn, she allowed the smile that crept to her face, an intelligent boy he is, just like his fa… and there her face fell, she does not want to remember that but the boy noticed.
“What is it mom?” The boy really is intelligent, his mother thought but also sensitive, something his father isn’t. She sighed. The boy crept closer, “Hey mom? Has anything happened to you? Or the baby?”
“No baby…” “Am I the baby?!” Morekish exclaimed cutting off his mother. “No!” his mother interjected immediately. Sure, this is a bundle of joy, but he is also a bag of problems. “You are my baby and your brother,” she points at her tummy, “ is a baby too.”
“Am a baby and my brother,” he stressed this, “is a baby too.” He cooed as he rubbed his mother’s tummy.
“Yes, is.” He allowed her to admire his brother hidden behind her tummy.
“So, mom?” His mother’s face was bright like the morning. “Why can’t I race to the mountain straights?” Her face gathered dust like the dusk.
She sat up. Finally, maybe it is time to open up to Morekish, when a child asks like this it is because he has reached the point of saturation. Reminiscing briefly, she remembered when as a kid just six years when she was out in the woods with her playmates. Her parents had always told her to steer off the path of the kids with the ‘rainbow eyes’ as she called them because of the color transformation their eyes undergo when they look at different things. Naturally, that never scared her as it’d scared the other children, she’d even found it endearing. She even inexplicably vibes better with them on a fundamental level, so, she could not understand her parent’s cat-killing red-hot tantrum whenever she mentions anything about playing with them.
Well, the end of it all was that, she abandoned the street kids the night she turned while playing with them, she’d first of all, made a meal of two of them and was halfway through the third when sky-rendering screams shook the hell out of her. She had run away with one of the boys of the ‘rainbow eye’ kids. She had fallen for him when he showed her who she is and had taught her how to turn. Long story, she got nailed and since then, the moldy street lights of northern Manhattan has been something living only in the dredges of her memory, her parents with it. She sighed.
More was excitedly waiting. His mother seems to be on a hangover. Hoping she crosses over though.
“More baby?” she called. Morekish only whispered a reply, his eyes as large as saucers waiting for the big reveal.
“The mountain straights”, she began “is the home of the mountain pack. They are…”
“Mountain pack? Who are they? Are they those red wolves that always travel in groups with three men carrying their loads?
“No, they’re not. The mountain pack has spotted coats.” His mother answered.
“Okay, thought they are the red ones, those are always angry and they rarely appear down the mountains.” Morekish sang.
“Yes, More, you are correct.”
“But mom, why…?”
“More allow me to finish my story or I won’t tell again.”
More almost passed out. “No, mom,” he exclaimed like a kid who just saw a Halloween ghost, “please, don’t stop.”
His mom was pleased.
“I was once part of the Mountain pack.”
“Mom?” More exclaimed, mouth was agape like the Great Canyon, he is ready to pour one thousand and one questions but his mother’s fierce glare was quenching them…till it could not anymore. “Why? How? How did we come here? No, how could you come from those ferocious angry beasts? No, mom! Why haven’t you told me this before? How could we have stayed here all this while and not with your people? No! By the way, where is your spotted coat? When you turn, you are green and not red and blue? So, what are you saying exactly?” all these in a thunderous stretch deafening the whole cavern.
His mom allowed the downpour to cease before allowing the sustained sigh she had heaved to drop. The room became cold, but whirly.
Silence. Moments passed. Heated but inquisitive glares were starting to melt. The mother was searching something beyond her son’s face to know if something had changed, something she hopes strongly she has not shattered. She sighs as his face started melting back into the child’s it is, that was a huge let off. Morekish was staring, staring deeply at his mother to know if he has changed something. If his outburst has accomplished more than he wanted and wrecked some things, things he does not know but solidly depends on. More specifically, his mother’s willingness to continue the story.
“More,” his mother breathed.
“Yes?” he barely whispered. His mother peered at him again.
“We will continue this story another day, we have to sleep now.”
Heartbroken. That was all Morekish is. How bad of him to have allowed that outburst to happen, but he knows his mother. When she speaks like this, there is no changing it and to his sleeping bed he went, the day is over. The moon blinked through the cavern’s door and night fell.
She drew the rock over the cave’s mouth to go care for her baby. Not the outbursting one, at least, with tears.
It was a bursting scene, he roared to the heavens, as he knew how to do. These kids are scaring the day light out of him, their eyes. He had never seen anything like it, you could see death in them, you can see death roaming around somewhere in a world in their eyes. Something unusual is also happening, he does not want to run to his mom like other times. Cubs, yes cubs they are, but the death that roams deep down somewhere in them, no cub is he? The risk is alive. Off he yearns to flee, however, his legs seems to be planted. Bad time to be eco-friendly, what do they say again? Shit happens. Happens many times nowadays, and what’s more? in even shitty times, doesn’t that make his life a shitty one? The paw of one of the cubs left the earth. His eyes caught it with the kind of detail that does not escape a fainting individual, so slow. The paw landed, his feet is still planted. SHIT! His necks becomes wet, sweat it is. The other paw gnawed off the earth, just like as before, every de
The mountain ash stood tall and proud, its leaves rustling in the gentle mountain breeze. Morekish stared at it, his mind still reeling from the bizarre dreams and encounters with the mysterious girl. The mountain ash seemed like a silent sentinel, a witness to the strange occurrences in Morekish's life. His mother, ever perceptive, observed him closely. "More, something is bothering you. I can see it in your eyes. Tell me." Morekish hesitated, his internal struggle evident on his face. The lemon fires burned brightly, a symbol of his mother's unwavering support and guidance. Finally, he sighed and spoke, "Mom, I've been having these strange dreams, and there's this girl. I keep seeing her, and every time I do, it's like the world around me fades away." His mother's eyes softened, understanding dawning in them. "Dreams have a way of revealing hidden truths, More. They're messages from the subconscious. Tell me more about this girl." As Morekish recounted the details of his encounte
Under the moonlit sky, Morekish and the mysterious girl ventured deeper into the mountains, guided by the ancient whispers of the mountain ash. The air was charged with a palpable energy, and the landscape seemed to transform into a surreal dreamscape. As they walked, the girl began to reveal the purpose of their connection. "Morekish, your spirit is entwined with the magic of this land. You are a guardian, chosen to protect the balance between the realms. The mountain ash has sensed your calling." Morekish listened intently, his senses heightened by the mystical aura surrounding them. The mountain ash, with its leaves now glowing softly, seemed to validate the girl's words. "But why me? What is this balance you speak of?" Morekish questioned, his curiosity mixed with a hint of trepidation. The girl explained, "Long ago, a great darkness threatened to engulf this realm. The guardians, like yourself, were chosen to safeguard the delicate equilibrium between the mystical and the mund
The journey unfolded across landscapes of wonder and enchantment. Morekish, now fully attuned to his role as a guardian, and the mysterious girl traversed through hidden valleys, crossed sparkling streams, and climbed towering peaks. The mountain ash continued to be their guiding beacon, its radiant leaves pulsating with the heartbeat of the mystical realms. As they ventured deeper into uncharted territories, Morekish discovered that the magic of the mountains was just a gateway to a much larger tapestry of existence. The girl, who revealed herself as Elara, spoke of ancient prophecies and cosmic forces that intertwined with the fate of all living things. In a secluded glade surrounded by ancient trees with whispering leaves, Elara unveiled a hidden portal. The air shimmered with an otherworldly glow as she explained, "This portal leads to realms beyond our own, realms where the threads of destiny are woven by beings of immense power. Morekish, you are destined to navigate these real
Morekish stood at the crossroads of realms, the mountain ash beside him, and Elara by his side. The air was charged with cosmic energy, and the mountains whispered tales of adventures yet to unfold. As a guardian of both the mystical and cosmic, Morekish understood that his journey was boundless, and the threads of destiny intertwined with the fabric of the universe. Elara, with a knowing smile, spoke, "Morekish, the cosmic realms are vast, and your role as a guardian extends beyond the boundaries of any one realm. The threads of destiny weave through countless worlds, and it is your duty to safeguard the balance wherever it may be threatened." With newfound purpose, Morekish nodded. The mountain ash, its leaves shimmering with cosmic radiance, seemed to echo his commitment. Together, they embarked on a journey that transcended the known, venturing into realms where time and space were but a tapestry to be woven. Their adventures took them to distant galaxies, ethereal dimensions, a
In the wake of their cosmic triumph, Morekish and Elara returned to the familiar embrace of the mountains. The air felt charged with a sense of accomplishment, yet the mountain ash, though radiant, held a subtle reminder that the cosmic balance was an ever-evolving tapestry. As they descended from the cosmic heights, the mountain ash seemed to communicate with Morekish in a language beyond words. It whispered of the interconnected nature of existence, where the mystical and the cosmic were but threads in the grand weave of destiny. Elara, her eyes gleaming with cosmic wisdom, addressed Morekish, "Guardian, your journey has only just begun. The cosmic realms are vast, and there are realms yet unexplored, mysteries yet unraveled. The threads of destiny call you to new adventures." Morekish nodded, a profound understanding settling within him. The mountain ash, rooted in the soil yet reaching for the cosmos, symbolized the dual nature of his purpose—to be grounded in the present while
Morekish, having successfully navigated the cosmic realms and restored balance, found himself at a crossroads once again. The mountain ash, now imbued with the essence of cosmic energy, stood as a guide to further adventures. Elara, with a serene smile, spoke words that echoed through the cosmic threads, "Your journey is endless, Morekish. There are realms yet unexplored, and the cosmic balance requires guardians like you to traverse the unknown." With determination in his heart, Morekish embarked on a new phase of his odyssey. The mountain ash glowed with an otherworldly radiance, illuminating the path ahead. His allies from the cosmic alliance dispersed, each returning to their respective realms, and Morekish, accompanied by Elara, ventured into uncharted territories. Their journey led them to realms where reality itself was fluid, where concepts of time and space bent to the will of cosmic forces. Morekish honed his abilities, mastering the art of manipulating energies that spanne
CHAPTER TWO The moon cast its silvery glow over the cavern, and Morekish, despite the heaviness in his heart, succumbed to the embrace of sleep. As he drifted into dreams, the echoes of unanswered questions lingered in the air. Meanwhile, his mother tended to the newborn, cradling the baby in her arms. The soft coos of the infant mingled with the rustle of leaves outside the cavern. The baby, nestled against her chest, emanated a gentle warmth—a new life in the world of shadows and moonlit secrets. She glanced at Morekish, sleeping peacefully, his innocent face a stark contrast to the torrent of emotions he had unleashed earlier. A sigh escaped her lips as she gently rocked the baby, contemplating when the right time would be to reveal the rest of the story. The night wore on, and the cavern echoed with the subtle sounds of a lullaby sung in a language that seemed to carry ancient tales. The gentle rhythm of her song seemed to weave a protective cocoon around the mother and her two