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Authors: Nico Augusto
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protector. You need to keep him close on this journey to ensure that he stays safe and help him find his way. You must not leave him, no matter what.”
Ani nodded at the lion and the other animals slowly began to come forth and show him gratitude. Some of the squirrels brought him nuts and others a plant. Even to Ani it was a surreal sight to see this clan of different species so emotionally and spiritually connected, that their bond could never be broken.
The grand elephant began to stand up slowly. The whole area rumbled as he got to his feet.
He gave Ani one last long look before turning and disappearing into the forest without as much as a sound. The white lion stayed behind and asked Ani to follow him; he seemed as if he had something to show him.
Ani and the lion walked until they were in the center of the forest where there was an area filled with trees that were as white as the lion. Ani had never seen anything like it. The ground was pink like a summer night and the leaves that fell from the trees looked as if they were floating to earth in slow motion. Ani heard the soft sounds of water tinkling over rock and looked towards it. There, amongst the plants and trees ran a beautiful, turquoise river. Near the river Ani could see a tombstone. The sign on it was strange with three triangles aligned on top. There was writing on them…Japanese kanji’s. To a human it may have spelled out a name, but to Ani and the lion the words were only symbols. Ani was surprised to see the lady on her knees next to it, bowing her head and crying. The animals gave Ani the message that they called her ‘the sadness’. She came every night here near the tomb and the lion thought it was important for Ani to see it.
Who was she? Ani wondered. She looked like a ghost with her pale, white skin. She was translucent yet real at the same time. He stood there with the lion for a long time and just watched her until the first ray of the sun began to break through the thick canopy of trees.
She turned her head and looked slowly at Ani just as she began to fade. Her eyes were strange, yet familiar to him. He couldn’t remember if he knew her or not. Once she was gone, the lion escorted Ani back to the edge of the forest. The lion turned and went back into the trees and left Ani alone with his friend. Yann was still sleeping by the fire and Ani went over and lay down next to his leg. He closed his own weary eyes and faded into sleep.
CHAPTER FIVE
“THE JOURNEY”
The boy and his best friend the dog took off on the same path they’d been following, but after a short while, they ran into a small cliff. It was just over Yann’s head. He reached up and jumped slightly off the ground. He was able to grab the edge and he knew he would be able to pull himself up onto it but the problem was Ani. He couldn’t climb it with Ani in his arms.
He looked at the dog and they both knew what had to be done. To Ani’s credit, he didn’t look nervous at all. Yann took hold of Ani around his belly with both hands. One hand rested across the front and the other along the back of his friend. He had to turn Ani one hundred and eighty degrees while leaning against his chest as he pushed him up in a single gesture onto the edge of the cliff. Yann was out of breath when he finished, but happy to look up and see Ani looking down at him, safe.
Yann negotiated the cliff next by grabbing on with both hands and using his feet to scale the steep side. He finally did one grand move like a pull-up and landed on his belly on top of the cliff. Ani came up to him and licked his face. Yann giggled before pushing himself up off the ground and taking a look around.
The forest was darker here, with no visible beams of light. It seemed much denser and the vegetation wasn’t parting easily to allow them passage, as it had been so gracious to do in the light.
What Yann and Ani didn’t see was the dark shape that slunk quietly behind them and
Ani nodded at the lion and the other animals slowly began to come forth and show him gratitude. Some of the squirrels brought him nuts and others a plant. Even to Ani it was a surreal sight to see this clan of different species so emotionally and spiritually connected, that their bond could never be broken.
The grand elephant began to stand up slowly. The whole area rumbled as he got to his feet.
He gave Ani one last long look before turning and disappearing into the forest without as much as a sound. The white lion stayed behind and asked Ani to follow him; he seemed as if he had something to show him.
Ani and the lion walked until they were in the center of the forest where there was an area filled with trees that were as white as the lion. Ani had never seen anything like it. The ground was pink like a summer night and the leaves that fell from the trees looked as if they were floating to earth in slow motion. Ani heard the soft sounds of water tinkling over rock and looked towards it. There, amongst the plants and trees ran a beautiful, turquoise river. Near the river Ani could see a tombstone. The sign on it was strange with three triangles aligned on top. There was writing on them…Japanese kanji’s. To a human it may have spelled out a name, but to Ani and the lion the words were only symbols. Ani was surprised to see the lady on her knees next to it, bowing her head and crying. The animals gave Ani the message that they called her ‘the sadness’. She came every night here near the tomb and the lion thought it was important for Ani to see it.
Who was she? Ani wondered. She looked like a ghost with her pale, white skin. She was translucent yet real at the same time. He stood there with the lion for a long time and just watched her until the first ray of the sun began to break through the thick canopy of trees.
She turned her head and looked slowly at Ani just as she began to fade. Her eyes were strange, yet familiar to him. He couldn’t remember if he knew her or not. Once she was gone, the lion escorted Ani back to the edge of the forest. The lion turned and went back into the trees and left Ani alone with his friend. Yann was still sleeping by the fire and Ani went over and lay down next to his leg. He closed his own weary eyes and faded into sleep.
CHAPTER FIVE
“THE JOURNEY”
The boy and his best friend the dog took off on the same path they’d been following, but after a short while, they ran into a small cliff. It was just over Yann’s head. He reached up and jumped slightly off the ground. He was able to grab the edge and he knew he would be able to pull himself up onto it but the problem was Ani. He couldn’t climb it with Ani in his arms.
He looked at the dog and they both knew what had to be done. To Ani’s credit, he didn’t look nervous at all. Yann took hold of Ani around his belly with both hands. One hand rested across the front and the other along the back of his friend. He had to turn Ani one hundred and eighty degrees while leaning against his chest as he pushed him up in a single gesture onto the edge of the cliff. Yann was out of breath when he finished, but happy to look up and see Ani looking down at him, safe.
Yann negotiated the cliff next by grabbing on with both hands and using his feet to scale the steep side. He finally did one grand move like a pull-up and landed on his belly on top of the cliff. Ani came up to him and licked his face. Yann giggled before pushing himself up off the ground and taking a look around.
The forest was darker here, with no visible beams of light. It seemed much denser and the vegetation wasn’t parting easily to allow them passage, as it had been so gracious to do in the light.
What Yann and Ani didn’t see was the dark shape that slunk quietly behind them and
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