Blood Runs Thicker Than Water

The nomadic cub was not supposed to have left the pre-approved meeting clearing that all the adults had set up. She knew she was supposed to be down below, near where the water was landing, not up here on top where it was all coming from. But, she couldn’t fight off the curiosity. Back at home their big lake had seemed to still, sure wavey if the wind picked up, but it had not run like this one did. She needed to see where all the water came from that came roaring down below.

So, when the sun had begun to set and the dim had come in over them, Neva had hatched a plan with her sister to sneak away. She was sure Aven was somewhere nearby now, even if she could not see her - she could feel her. When she had left, the sky had been cloudy and the air had felt close and hot, so the wind that picked up was quite enjoyable. Any adult would have seen the warning signs, the rapidly dropping temperatures, the way the sky seemed to roll with clouds, the faraway rumble of storms approaching. Neva knew none of these things, she saw no harm in quenching her thirst for knowledge.

The big walk had been tiring, but they had not actually walked as far as Mother made it seem. It had only been a couple of days, and now they had been staying here for a few more days, so what was all the fuss over? Neva needed to explore what she assumed was her brand new forever home. The girl had just crested the rather steep climb to see the rocky oasis, when the first fat raindrop fell onto the crown of her head.

But Both Feel The Same When Your Eyes Are Closed

Blood Runs Thicker Than Water

The agouti child looked up at the sky accusatory after the first drop splattered onto her head only for a second to crash onto her nose. She didn’t particularly want to be caught out in the rain, but had to admit that the coolness was refreshing against the humidity. So she continued on, moving closer to the quick moving water, watching as it rushed over the stones before beginning to plunge down below. She had an idea to drop a stick into it and watch it go over the falls, but before she could even turn to collect her game piece she heard her name behind her.

Smirking to herself she pretended like she did not hear her uncle calling her name and slipped into a familiar game she had been cooking up with her twin. It was innocent enough, and she turned to the side to begin hunting for an appropriately sized stick. Small enough it would still float, but large enough it would be easy to see as it made its way towards the cascade. Should she hear the name Neva again she would turn with a sugary sweet smile and reply, ”I’m not Neva.” Honestly, couldn’t any of them tell her and her sister apart?

The only one who got it right every time was Mother. It was with that thought that the slow trickle of rain turned into an outright downpour and the sky flashed with lightning.

But Both Feel The Same When Your Eyes Are Closed

Blood Runs Thicker Than Water

Neva was pleased that her little trick had gone over well and that she had fooled her uncle into thinking that she was Aven. Her grin might have come across as welcoming as sweet - but it was truly just the thrill of pulling the wool over someone’s eyes. Turning to look over her shoulder back towards the river behind her, she was sad to have to abandon her game of throwing sticks into the falls before it even began, but even as a child the weather made the skin along her spine crawl.

Stepping closer to her uncle to be safe she shook her head and told the truth, ”I dunno.” She had been with her when they snuck away, but they had parted ways a few minutes ago and she wasn’t sure where her twin had gone. She might have spoken up to explain that had the sky not suddenly lit up with lightning that struck close enough to them that the ground shook when the thunder boomed.

Pressing against Matos’ legs she looked up towards him in fright, waiting for some kind of instruction from the grown up on what they were supposed to do.

But Both Feel The Same When Your Eyes Are Closed