Endangered
There had been tension in the jungle for many a year
now, ever since the pale beasts came. The smaller our land became the harder it
was to hide the little ones. With all this vegetation being lost, and more
predators in less space, our jungle was becoming deadly for all those not
bearing dagger like teeth, and a goal to kill. It was my job to protect the
little ones.
I ran a child care. It was small but I kept babies
safer than all others. The location was told to only the parents delivered by
the most trusted eagles. The life of the panda was hard. I had grown up before
the invasion. We were taught to stay away from the pale beasts; the tigers were
taught otherwise, they were told not to make a goal of attacking, but if the
pale beast invaded our land, have no hesitation to kill. The child care was
started in 10 minutes. (I had all parents leave their kids in the falls.
The great waterfall concealed a cave, which was
where I picked up the cubs.) This was normally a good thing. No one ever dared
to enter the cavern. It was filled with traps and all the elder pandas lived there.
Nothing, not even a pale beast entered but still we took extra precaution with
the small ones. The cave was amazing, filled with beds and hot springs. I love
children, but that was not the only reason I was their protector. That was the
only way I can get into the cavern.
My love for the cavern is aside from the point. It
is not very easy to protect children when you have your legs tied together
hanging from a rope. I had got caught in one of the snares set up and it was
only a matter of time before I was taken away to steel cages and looked at for
pleasure. I couldn't even trust the parents, I made them leave their kids at
this secret spot. I always kept the location hidden in case there were spies
for the beasts, or a tiger decided they wanted lunch. But it was not without
its disadvantages when they were not accompanied. They were sitting ducks
waiting for a hungry visitor. I knew time was now my greatest enemy. I needed
to get down fast. I looked around. There was not much, but I remember there was
one thing. I could get a tiger to help me, although they hated me for our great
mother never intended for us to be in anyway kind. They knew it was better to
get me down rather than to let me get taken by the pale beasts and let them
gain more control.
I called to
Rocky, a large south chinese tiger. He patrolled this part of the jungle. He
made sure none of the pale beast came close to us. He was the most fierce, and
yet had the biggest heart he was just like a geode beautiful inside but hard to
crack. I know he would be kind and get me down. His brother was caught in the
snare and almost taken away. Fifteen minutes prior to when the beasts made
their rounds Yoa Yoa, a smart well built giant panda came in ripping the snare
apart, letting him free almost taking both their lives. So Rocky was always
nice to the pandas although some tigers thought of them as food he thought of
them friends. The law once was anyone can kill as long as it is quickly eaten
(so there was no disruption) but the invasion changed that.
Our whole ecosystem was off and was trying to be
fixed. So they put limits on what kind of food you could kill. Still, not
everyone follows the law. Rocky was as quick as molasses (he took a half hour)
but he finally helped me down. I was lucky to get down at all. Some who were
trapped up here got taken away to camps, which they called zoos. They trapped
us in cages and then had people look at us for entertainment. When I got down I
bolted ran as fast as I could. I was running to the spot where the babies were
always left. Though I knew as fast as I ran I would never get there in time I
was relying on the water to hide them.
A huge waterfall rushing with millions of gallons of
that beautiful clear blue liquid. I just hope they had not ventured too deep.
Down farther you get to wear no panda has ever gone. Where the great creatures
the that lurk in the great depths of the river nested, they were not hostile
but fiercely protected their territory.
When I got there I saw nothing but Footprints
leading away over towards the pit where the great creatures lived. I hope the
cubs hadn't gone too far. But the chances were quite slim. They were very
adventurous and didn't use much brain, but I prayed they knew how to stay out
of that type of trouble. Deeper and deeper I went into the cave. Maybe they had
figured out the secret path up to the cavern with all the elder pandas.
Though this would be a miracle, walking faster and
farther, I started to lose my sense to stay away and be scared of stay away
from dark corners. Then boom hit me. I don't know what it was, it seemed a
tiger at the time I turned myself over and found my worst fear it was a
Siberian. I wrestled around with him trying to get a grip on him I didn't want
to kill him just maybe knock him out or wound him bad enough he couldn't chase
after me. Above my head I heard the rock starting to rumble as if a piece was
about to come loose It was only a small piece but enough to knock him
unconscious. I grabbed a rock in my mouth and threw it up it hit the chunk and came
down with an infernal scream he was out cold.
I had my
senses heightened this time making sure another ambush wouldn't get me. My
right arm was already bleeding profusely. There was nothing much around me so I
decided to just bear through it. I heard a squeal from the corner it was the
smallest of the bunch yu zi (she was so small we often joked she was a
different species, but we knew it was only because she was the runt. I ran to
them knowing there would be one if not more tigers guarding the cubs to my
surprise there wasn't I cut them Loose from the bamboo cage. “Yu zi, Hua Mei,
all of you what happened?” Quite enthusiastically they told me about what
happened. Some accounts I think were exaggerated. But all close to the truth.
Diligently we
went up to the cavern through a passageway I had learned about for protection
but was told never to use. As we came in we saw the elder pandas circle around
one spot although they were young the cubs knew what had happened, they stood
next to elder pandas. The cubs said what they knew who is right they said all
the things they'd heard of him. They prayed for him the runt yu zi gave her
favorite comfort blanket and laid it on him. I asked what happened and they
simply said there are forces in this world we cannot know he just fell over we
do not know why he said in his dying breath let the panda that keeps all baby
safe there has been a treaty signed for peace in the jungle and the pale beast
have gone.
There are beasts who see in our hearts and protect
us. The pale beasts can’t come back not now or ever. He is now an elder. This
story is always something I will remember it will always break my heart, the
bravery in one over ignorance of another.
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