I'm looking for the light }{ Ilyich and Kuna

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

Not even a full 60 seconds passed before I came across the first pinetree. I knew it would be a little longer for Kunabee to find a worthy bush, so I took my time examing every branch to find the perfect one. I knawed through one and saw the moisture ooze from his lime green veins. A smile erupted as I stole the limb and raced back over to where I had left my boy.

He wasn't alone.

A yearling with pale fur lay beside him, recieving a playful tongue action from the black child. I dropped the stick and squeaked in alarm, this yearling a far larger size than I. My neck furs rose, and my spine hairs soon followed. I didn't care that this mutt was a friend of Mahal--I had approached Mahal because he was an injured puppy. This dog was mature, and she was healthy. I took a nervous step back, swallowing the hiss I wanted to present. Should I act like I don't know Mahal? Would this dog be angered at the puppy for interacting with cats? For Mahal's safety, I even exchanged a fearful glance to him. As far as this canine would know by my actions, I was wandering through and only just stumbled upon them both.

[Kunabee]

I took a little longer to find the bushes, and longer still to find supple enough leaf-covered vine-branches. I carried a bunch in my mouth, happy at my success. But as I arrived where Mahal was, I was met with the same thing Bhu had seen earlier. Only, Bhuvana was there too. I shook a little, but decided I had to be brave. It was the only way to bring our two species together. Not in friendship, but merely in peace. Maybe, then, the humans could learn. Peace was the only way to make things bettter. Quietly I came over, nearly forgetting to make a muffled noise over the vine-branches. I set them down at my feet. I wasn't very close, but close enough. I paused, tensed to run, but then, "H-hello, th-there," I managed. I made a forced smile; everything I had went into not running. But I was tensed and ready to, just in case. Normally I wouldn't be this bold, but Mahal... He had given me hope there were other Falomi like him. There would be a few felines, a few canines, joined in friendship. Peace could come, then. I hoped.
There was no way I'd outrun the mature Falomi, but I could try, at least. And my death... well, maybe my death would bring hope and courage. But oh, how I did not want to die!

[I L Y I C H]

Mahal--

I looked up, seeing Bhuvana. My smile dropped. Had I done something wrong? I hadn't meant to! Drooping slightly, I whined at them. It didn't occur to me that they were scared of Paragon. She was my friend, there was no way she was scary. Shew as creepy sure, but not scary. The white woman at my side looked up at the two smaller cats, blinking lavender eyes. "Hello" she murmured in response to Kuna's greeting. Laying her head down she turned her eyes from the things gripped in their jaws to me.

"Have you hurt yourself, little boy? Your mother will be worried" Despite the hurt that put in me, Mama being worried about me was the last thing I wanted, I responded like any young male.

"Its just a little sprain!" Paragon sighed, not responded as she looked apathetically up at the two cats. "Uh- anyway! This is Bhuvana and Kunabee, ah Kuna! Their my friends!" I wagged my tail frantically, trying to dispel the worry and fear in the air. Paragon lifted her head enough to tilt it down in a bow.

"If you are friends of Mahal's then you are freinds of mine" she glanced at me. "My name is Paragon, and if you can put up with him then I can not bother you in the least" I screwed up my eyes at her, not appreciating her humor at all. She smiled weakly in her forgetting sort of way. I blinked, turning back to my cat friends.

"She wont hurt you honest, please come back" I wagged my tail disparagingly at them.

[Kunabee]

Kunabee~
I picked up the vine-branches and came closer, feeling better, and set down my vine-branches again.
"I'm sorry," she said, "But I have to be careful. You being a Folami and all... I didn't even know there were nice ones until I met Mahal.." I smiled warmly at him.
"We were trying to make a splint for him," I explained. "Paragon, is it? That's an interesting name. Well, as Mahal told you, I'm Kunabee - or Kuna." I shrugged.
I felt honestly happy. Two nice Falomi in one day! It was amazing! There really were miracles out there. But of course, I never doubted that for a second.

[I L Y I C H]

Mahal-

Paragon nodded in agreement with the spotted cats words, and I smiled widely. "Yes, we folami can be very bad characters" she mused, before suddenly turning towards me. "But we can change too, his mama did. She treats that little lioness like a daughter" I smiled happily. I liked the thought of Abeni being my sister. I liked it loads more then Alonda being my sister. I loved Ekshen and Cenzo cause they tended to be nicer but Alonda could be such a jerk.

I rounded out my mouth, almost purring out of joy. Now if only Bhuvana would come back. Come closer. I sent huge puppy eyes at her. "My mama use to be big and scary, daddy says so! He said-he said she could be scary!" I laughed, the very image of a scary mama seemed completely unreal to me. "But now she's nice, she super dupper nice, and she says-" I paused gasping for breath. "She say's I'm a good boy, too!" I snapped my mouth shut and grinned, turning my face back towards Bhuvana.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

With instant relief, I sprang forward happily. A second nice Folami. Maybe Dio had been foolish to speak so harshly of them. But these two reinforced what the god had said. It wasn't typical for them to be nice. But they could change. Skoll had made that possible. Before Skoll, only experimental malfunctions were kind. But with a god of their own, even the proper genetic Folami had a chance at salvation.

I dropped the branches by the black puppy before looking to the white girl. "It is the highest honor to have met you, Paragon." My grin was sincere, the young Bhuvana beginning to run through my veins. I didn't need Alec to be a happy feline. I was a Peace Leader, it was my mission to bring joy to those around me. I could not do that if I relied on joy from others.

Turning back to the boy, I looked at our supplies, then at Kunabee and Paragon. "Anybody here have thumbs?" I, of course, knew they didn't, but that was my own childish way of saying, how the heck do we put together this splint with only clumbsy paws?

[Kunabee]

Kunabee~
I stared, then I grabbed a branch in my mouth and set it by Mahal's paw. Then I did the same with another branch. And stopped. "Okay," I wondered aloud, "Now how to hold them up so we can tie them with the vine-branch things?" I frowned.
"And how do we tie them with the vine-branch things?"

[I L Y I C H]

Paragon-

So trusting... So much the opposite of me. It was endearing. My tail twitched slightly, unsure of wither to move or not. I stood slowly, as not to scare them and leaned over my little friend. He peered up at me threw suddenly fretful eyes. "It won't hurt very badly, my dear, hush" he whimpered, disagreeing with me very much so. My eyes set upon the branches, before looking at the others. "Tongue?" I stuck mine out in thought. I could try to twist the things together. Gripping one end carefully I drug two over just above his injury, stiffening before working at the branches.

They shifted and tasted off and packed in my mouth. But it was working, the shift and pull of the muscle. Finally able to drop the spit covered thing I blinked down at the awkward but sturdy knot. "Okay then... stick the branch threw this end and Ill try to tie the other side" Mahal quivered slightly, he hadn't made a noise but I could feel him stiffen every time I jostled his ankle. "I'm sorry, little boy" The young pup shook his head, blinking away tears and offered me a weak smile.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

Kunabee spoke my other fear, but the shedog threw them both away. The humans had done a fine thing with creating this creatures. Many could kill us with ease, their intelligence far superior to our own, but others used those brains for good. Like this girl here, helping her vulnerable friend in the presence of cats.

I was quick to obey, sliding the branch in as she had instructed. My grin never faded, though it tensed when the poor child was hurt by our touch. I couldn't stand his pain much longer, so I called Dio to aid in making this quick. Or Skoll. Whoever was in charge of healing the Folami.

"Little child, I am sorry the pain medication is not as strong as I had hoped. I am truley sorry." My heart ached for I felt I had failed this young dog. I should have found a stronger pill. I should have, but I had been too distracted. My smile faded partially, but I allowed a grin to stay on my maw. Come on, Dio, I know happiness is a way to ease pain. Don't let me smile fade and discourage my dear Mahal!

[I L Y I C H]

Mahal-

I whimpered slightly, cursing myself for worrying Bhuvana. I shook my head again, smiling at her as the vine was pulled agonizingly tight against my heated swelling ankle. Paragon's tongue brushed soothingly against the injury. Bhuvana wasn't totally right, I could feel the numbness at the edges it was just creeping up slowly. " You are lucky your parents are too busy with their pack to come searching for you, you bum" Paragon peered down at me out of the side of one lifted lavender eye. I grimaced in real fear.

If mama found me she would thank Bhuvana and Kuna and Paragon. Mama would do it grudgingly but she would be grateful. Daddy might eat them. I flared my eyes at my larger white pelted friend, before looking at Bhuvana. "I have to go! My momma! I'm worrying my mama." I scrambled up, yelping softly as I touched the ground with my now lighter less pained foot. Biting my tongue I looked at my two new cat friends sheepishly.

Paragon stood more slowly, creaking like she thought she was old. "Carska will be very upset when she smell everyone on you." I lashed my head around, ocher eyes wide. I didn't want to get anyone in trouble. I knew mama was a bit paranoid, but if I explained to her! My tail tucked.

"M-My mama isn't bad!" I snapped, ears flattening. "She'd love them for me, you know!" Paragon blinked, eyes crinkling in an odd way.

[Kunabee]

Kunabee~

I frowned worriedly at the mention of his pain. And frowned more when he stood up. "Be careful," I warned, not wanting to see this sweet Falomi pup hurt. But then he seemed to stand fine, and I smiled again. I listened to Mahal and Paragon.
"Your mother sounds like a good person," I told him kindly, "It's great that we've been able to meet." Imagine what this could show just a few people. Falomi and feline, friends. Then I got an idea.
"How about we meet here," I said, "Every so often, or maybe someplace else that's nearby. That way, we won't depart and possibly never see each other again. Do you think that... do you think that could work?"

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

The idea of meeting these animals again in future was intriguing, but I feared it would not work. My group and I were going to start spreading Dio's word, soon, and I was sure our duties would call for us to travel to distant parts of this unusual country. I decided now was the time to admit my rank, to share why I may be absent for any further meetings. These were my friends, now, and they should know who I was.

"That would be great, Kunabee, it really would!" I paused, my face losing it's smile as I focused on wording what I had to say carefully. "But I can not promise anything. You see, I am, umm, a peace leader." I looked to my paws and shuffled them nervously. The following words came out in a rush of air, "There is a small group called upon by our god, Dio, and it is our duty to stop the war between felines, and to save the feline race from," I looked up now, nervously glancing to Mahal and Paragon, "well, your kind, actually. So, I may have to travel with my group...and I may not be able to see you guys for a while. I don't know Dio's plan...."

My eyes fell back to my paws. Time to be judged and labeled insane. Time to lose my friends. Time to be called a liar.

Time to go back into my shell that stupid me dared to come out of.

[I L Y I C H]

Mahal--

I turned my body towards Kunabee, almost shuddering with excitement. "yes! Yes!" Paragon watched me idly, not about to commit to anything. She wasn't one for applying herself to anything with everything she had. The white woman turned her head, facing the sun and refusing to respond. I turned to stick my tongue out at her not at all impressed.

Trying my weight on the now splinted foot I smiled. It didn't hurt all that badly now. I gave my group of saviors a bright childish smile straight from the pit of my heart. Alas I would have thanked them had not Bhuvana brought up something that totally diverged my attention. "Like Skoll?" The words slammed out of my throat, and I almost pounced on the cat, trying to control myself I hobbled hurriedly up to her. "My big uncle Daiade tells us about Him sometimes, but he doesn't say much about ... er Dio?"

I sat down by her side, tail waving. That waving stopped quickly. "T-Thats okay, Bhuvana. I know, my pack can get really mean towards my buddy Abeni sometimes. B-but we are very kind to her too. Daiade sleeps with her, and mama pokes fun at her 'cause she's a lion but she plays with her sometimes." I peered sideways at Paragon. The white woman had taken interest in me again. Her lavender eyes were wide with shock.

"There's a lion imprisoned in the folami camp?"

My chest huffed out, face falling from a fighting smile into one of utter hatred in less then a second. I hated it when people claimed Abeni was forced to stay there. I hated people who would treat her like a prison inmate. "Abeni can leave to hunt when ever she wants. She can play with anyone who wants to play with her. My daddy is Alpha and he hasn't tried to hurt her!" My teeth snapped together, and I glared up at my older friend.

My head wrenched sideways, to press against Bhuvana's shoulder. My anger died quickly and I peered up at her, eyes begging. "Will you tell me about Dio?"

[Kunabee]

Kunabee~

"Dio?" I asked Bhu, blinking at her, "A... God?" I shook my head in surprise. There was... a God? Calling upon people to help spread His word? Well, He was something to believe in, at least.
Before I could ask her to tell us more about Dio, I heard about the lion in the Falomi camp.
"A lion... being treated well... in a Falomi camp?" I asked in surprise, "That's... that's... wonderful!" And there was another God, Skoll.
"Can you tell me more about Skoll and Dio?" I demanded, looking back and forth eagerly, "I want to know as much as I can!"

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

Mahal, as any child would usually behave, believed me. There was not much reaction in the ways of Paragon. And Kunabee...well, I couldn't quite read her response yet. Gazing down at my young friend (or more like gazing forward, due to his size), I smiled. Both he and Kunabee wanted to know of my dear Dio. And I wanted to hear more about Skoll. I had not been permitted into the dream where Dio had spoken of Skoll. I had not believed. I had not been worthy.

But now Dio had given me a second chance to learn.

But first, "A lioness in the camp? Treated well? Oh, Dio, yes! That is excellent news! Skoll and Dio are working together on that one for sure!" I wanted to dance with the words, run back to my group and share the exciting information I had just obtained. But they could wait. My friends were here. My mission was here. I needed to teach of Dio, and then have Mahal teach us Skoll.

"It may all sound silly," I looked specifically at the two adults with those words. "If I had not been a cub when first called upon, I would have believed it to be a dream induced by rotten meat. But, being a child at the point of the dream, I was open to it, willing to hear my Lord's voice. And then the others, my dear leopardess, tiger, and lioness, all had the same dream. It had to be real...it had to be." I trailed off, eyes dream-like and content. This was my element, telling of Dio's good graces.

"Dio is a baboon, as strange as that may seem. He was not always a god, of no, not at all. At one time, he was just an african baboon, part of a tribe, living his life. That had to change, though, when the Murder Apes began infesting the lands we felines had called home. The Murder Apes paid no mind to the baboons, but they were killing adult cats and taking the cubs. Well, Dio had pity on the mewing kits who had been stripped from their homes, and the roaring parents who had had their babies stolen. Since he had thumbs, thus able to open cages, he began to stealing away children and returning them to the families, or finding them new homes if their families were all dead. He did this for a long while before he was caught and butchered by some Murder Apes who had lost a lot of money because of Dio's antics." I paused an shivered, looking to my paws in discomfort. Butchered seemed too harsh a word to use in front of Mahal, but it was the only word strong enough to describe what had happened to Dio.

"Well, he reawoke in the Heavens and had been given dominion over all wild cats who had been victim of the merciless pet trade of the humans. He guides us, even we who do not know him or love him, even we who despise him, he still guides." Looking back to the trio, I smiled gently, almost with an alien like expression. "But he needs mortal help to have his mission accomplished. So he chose me and three others to walk and gather a peaceful army so that we may create a world of harmony in these foriegn lands. And recently, he even brought us his own daughter to help."

Shifting to look into Mahal's innocent little eyes, my smile grew honest. "And now, Kunabee and I would like to know about precious Skoll. I know so little about the Brother who aids my most precious Dio."