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Killing Cold

It has always seemed to me that the more knowledge you gain, the more complicated things become. I was born in a small tent during the worst blizzard in our clan's known history. My father, Tendichi,  kept checking the straps on the tent to ensure that the raging winds outside did not rip off the small flap and bring in the deathly chill. He had even taken the precaution of stitching it shut to ensure it's security.  This is his first litter of cubs and he is taking no chances with the lives inside. He had hunted for days and stockpiled the foods him and his mate, Matara, would need to take them through the blizzard as well as the birthing of the cubs. Matara is well into her birthing labors, when the first kit made its appearance. It was Tendichi's job to make sure each kit was cleaned of the birthing fluid so that the first breaths could be taken. He would then set the cub down near one of Matara's four nipples and go to clean the next. I was the last one born that night. As my father cleaned me off and set me down he looked at his mate.





"Matara, this one is as white as the killing cold outside. This could be a good omen should she live to see the elders." Tendichi adds another log to the fire to keep the warmth in the tent as his mate and cubs settle in to sleep.





Four cubs was a good number for Matara, the elders would be pleased. Two males and two females. Astari, the benevolent surely had blessed them.  Tendichi opened the small pouch the village shaman had given him before the storm hit the small valley. The proper offerings to the gods was inside. Enough to cover the birthing of six cubs if necessary. Tendichi ground up the dried herbs, added a little bit of water, then dabbed his pinky claw into the mixture to mark each cub on their foreheads while they slept. then he offered the rest of the mixture, bowl and all to the fire as he called upon the gods to bless his family and look over them.Curling up near his mate so that the cubs were between them, he closed his eyes and allowed himself the luxury of sleep.





I was still awake. It could have been the stillness outside or the crackling of the fire inside, but my senses were alive. I wanted to smell everything since my eyes were not quite open yet. I moved my limbs around frantically and kicked with my back legs until i found myself scuttling away from my mother's warmth. Her smell was very distinctive, but I smelled a stronger scent, masculine and very close. My body moved as i caught his stronger scent. This was my father, at least that is that my senses were telling me. I scooted with my back legs until I hit the wall that was his chest. I felt his breathing change, I must have awakened him.





"Little white huntress, you should be sleeping with your brothers and sister." The deep voice said "The killing cold is outside and the coldest part is yet to come. You will need our warmth to survive the night."





I could not find the words to speak yet, so I mewed, and heard his chest rumble with laughter.





"You are a brave one to risk the cold. I will tell you a story about our people until you sleep." He said as he moved me further into the warmth of his chest. The fire's power was waning, I could feel a subtle difference. So I stayed close to my father as he started his story.





"Our people are called the Felinari. Our distant ancestors are both huge hunting cats, and the nimble industrious humans. The hunting cats are large. Some have stripes, others have spots, some have both. Some were built for speed and running, others were built to be fighters. They are majestic and require the utmost respect. Humans are two legged industrious creatures with insatiable curiosity. They look weaker than they are, they are warlike. They are always fighting amongst themselves. How the two became crossed to produce our race is still a mystery. There are two types of Felinari. The ones that look like cats walking upright on two feet, and the ones that look more human. The ones that look more human are smaller, they have the catlike ears on their heads, their claws are more hand-like, some do not even have tails. They have some features of the cats, but they blend much better with the humans in their world." My father's words were comforting and I felt my eyes begin to droop. "Your mother and I were paired by the village chief, Seraja. She has been trying to keep an even blend of human bred and cat bred Felinari even so that the advantages of both manifest in the offspring. Your mother has much human bred breeding in her bloodlines as I have cat-bred. Seraja is wise, this I can see now. For my cub lays beside me now, listening to a story instead of sleeping. When you are presented to Seraja, she will assess your strengths and give you a name. Your mother and I of course will give you a name that is only to be used until your proper name is bestowed upon you. "My father's words are soothing, but I am not quite ready to allow myself the peace of sleep. "You, little white one, I shall call Jahra. It means "Ice Maiden" in our tongue. With your fur as white as the snow outside, and your stripes the color of ice on the lake, this name suits you best. Jahra, keep your eyes and claws sharp. Your battle roar should shake your foes to their feet. Sleep now, you have a lot of growing to do. Your mother and I will show you the arts of hunting, and finding food when meat is scarce."





I drifted off then to sleep with my father's words implanting themselves in my brain. Growing and fighting and eating is what I dreamt of while the killing cold passed over us. When the cold was over, and the last of the snow had fallen, the fire was out. Cubs and parents alike were sleeping.





One week passes since the night of our birth, four energetic cubs are tired of being kept inside. We have already found legs to walk on, our eyes are open and sharp to see everything in our tent. My brothers, Comsi and Rohri wrestle each other for the last scrap of meat in the tent. My sister, Jeytha, sits next to my mother, trying to look as regal and graceful. Jeytha was as dark as I was light. Her fur was black as the starless night, her stripes gray as the morning fog. and her eyes were a dark penetrating yellow. We did not like each other, but we did not quarrel as our  brothers did. We simply kept our distance. By an unspoken agreement, she stayed nearer to mother and I nearer to father. Today though we would be going outside the tent. Our father had assessed that we were strong enough to go out of doors and see the world around us.





"Cubs, come to me," He said. "Comsi, Rohri, stop fighting. Today we go out of doors, your bellies will get filled. " As my brothers stopped fighting and came to sit at my father's feet, my sister stayed back by mother. I looked at my father in awe. How could any other male be as tall, as broad of chest and strong as he is? I sit at his feet, eager to hear his words of wisdom.





"When we leave the tent today, you will see and endless world of white. It is the time of resting for nature








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Lyonesse