Beaver Dam Hopeless Wanderer

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c58/becuffin/caved.jpg) bottom no-repeat; background-color: #301e4e;"> There, for just moment. His head bobbed above the surface of the creek. She raced forward on three legs, dead beaver still hanging from her jaws. She had to get it to him, although she couldn’t quite remember why... The tell-tale cracking of a falling tree was all the warning she had before the tree fell in her path, tell-tale snickers to her right allowed her burning eyes to fall on the gang of beavers that were laughing at her expense. How she hated the watery rats. She reached up, on hind legs, her head just clearing the edge of the monsterous tree that blocked her path. She was angry again. Angry and upset. Even so... the words floated to her like a whisper on the breeze. "I will find you... I promise. I won't ever leave you..." Her heart broke again as she shook the creature in her jaws, intent on tearing it limb from limb in her frustration. She had heard those words before, but fate was cruel. He wouldn’t find her. She wouldn’t find him. Finally amongst the debris of legs and arms and tail, only the beavers head remained. She was panting heavily, ready to take it in her powerful jaws and crush it. Put out it’s torturous eyes and rip off its smug smile. It was then the head moved of its own accord and latched onto her forepaw. Hard. She couldn’t contain the shriek that left her mouth then, eyes opening to nothing but darkness. She scrambled, foreleg pushing to dislodge the needle-sharp teeth from her leg, but as soon as they made contact, the pressure stopped. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the midnight gloom and she allowed the scents around her to wash over her. She was panting heavily. All but drenched. She could feel him pressing into her side now, and she moved her head down to brush her tongue lovingly against his snout and cheek. Nervously grooming her son, as much for her own comfort as his. “Oh Adi, I’m so sorry.” she whispered as she worked, slowly centering herself in the dark, safe confines of the den they shared. It had to be a sign. She had to find him.

code by bryony

<blockquote>He was exhausted. He was certain any day now he would start to feel the benefits of climbing the mountains, swimming in the lake, running through the forest and generally exploring the world, but each night when he crept into their den away from the rest of the world, he felt utterly exhausted. He would stroll in, find his spot and flop to the floor with a thump. He didn't mind dropping his guard when he was in their den; this place was a palace for just he and his mother, so he didn't care if anyone found him with his belly to the sky, his limbs poking out any way they could or even his tongue lolling from his mouth as he snored.

He hadn't heard his mother creep in. She was always so quiet as not to wake him, but he often felt saddened by it. When he was smaller and they were utterly alone, she used to nudge him to just make sure he was still there with her. He'd lift his little head, give her a sleepy smile and cuddle into her fur and doze peacefully. Now though, everything was different. She was up early and home late. He hated what the white witch made her see him so little. It was almost like she planned the whole thing. Pack life wasn't normal for him. He was used to making his own rules, doing what he wanted, (within reason) when he wanted and having his mother there whenever he wanted her or needed her. Now though, she was there less and less. He had stopped waking up when she came home. What was the point? They were both far too exhausted to do anything but cuddle up and sleep in a mass of fur and limbs.

Tonight was no different, he slept so close to her side he felt as if they were joined at the hip. So when her legs started to spasm, he awoke quickly. Her paws dug into his side. She had turned, her limbs had pushed them apart and then thrashed around. Her lips and eyelids quivered and her entire body trembled. No matter how tired he had been, he was awake and alert as soon as he realized she was in distress.
She had the dreams before, not so much since they came here and she had seen his siblings were safe, but the expression on her face worried him. Normally he would let her sleep through it, just cover his ears with his paws and try to doze back off as she needed her sleep so badly. This was different though. This scared him.

Unsure of what more to do, he chomped down on her paw. His sharp teeth digging deep into the pad until her eyes flashed open. He immediately released the limb, hoping he had not hurt her but a whiff of the air told him no blood had been drawn. At least she was awake.

Her tongue found his face and began to comfort him in a way only she could. He crawled on his belly closer, until their bodies molded to one once more and he whined quietly. <b>"It's OK. I-I'm here."</b> He was hurting for her. The guilt of knowing he had caused her this suffering ate him from the inside, but what could he do? Sometimes he felt like running away, but that is what had caused all of her problems in the first place. He tried to prove his worth to her, that he was worth her sacrifice but she wasn't around much anymore to see him climb the mountain, to watch him bring down his first rabbit and catch his first fish. All things she had missed because of the white witch.

<b>"Go back to sleep. I will watch over you. Always."</b> he whispered as he bumped his nose to her cheek before he buried his head beneath her chin and let it rest upon her paws. He would not, could not go back to sleep again tonight. He had to stand guard and ward of any more nightmares. It was the least he could do for his beautiful, broken mother.</blockquote>