Beyond the Cave

By: Domus Vocis

Cub still not come back yet.

Wolf did not worry much for Cub, especially since he hunted on his own accord. Whenever they woke up, Wolf and Cub hunted by themselves. Game such as small rabbits went by the maw of the cave, curious about the glow of their fire, and both would slice their throats. After that, they'd grill it above Fire, eat, then play before falling asleep. Nothing changed, nothing ever did. 

One day though, Cub whined about leaving the Cave. He wined and begged for Wolf to go beyond the Cave. Wolf growled that nothing but darkness was beyond the Cave, that leaving the Cave meant being Gone. She should have been graver toward Cub. Cub did not listen well. Cub barked angry at Wolf, then she thrashed Cub's cheek. In the blink of an eye, Cub ran off into Darkness, and did not return for many nights. 

Wolf grew worried for Cub, and did not want Cub to be Gone. Being Gone meant being swallowed by Darkness, and not being Gone meant always being near the Fire of the Cave. Each night, Wolf slept with knife in her paw, eyeing the Darkness like a cocky game. She knew Cub to be strong, to be mighty as herself.

Another night passed by, and Wolf whined and howled inside the Cave's mighty maw. Something happened to Cub, but Wolf knew Cub was not Gone. He be Alive. The next morning, she grabbed her knife, all of the game saved, and ventured out of the Cave.

Outside the Cave, it was always Darkness. Only black colors. No yellows like Fire, no blue like Cub's eyes, no brown like the Cave's walls or red like rabbit blood. However, Wolf knew there be something. The ground went up and down, and Wolf could barely see.

Many moments after abandoning the Cave, Wolf suddenly smelled something. She smelled a foreign scent, and it was not Cub. It smelled wrong, like game meant gone foul, or a crackle in the air from the gods. A noise came from Wolf's right, and she fell onto the ground. The assailant growled like her, clawing at her footpaws and grabbing her tail. It must be Cub's capturer! 

Anger consuming her like Fire, Wolf rolled and held her knife firm. She slashed the air, screaming and crying like a feral game. Then, the attacker fell. Staring closer, she saw another Wolf, but this Wolf carried much fur. And in the distance…

A whimper, from Cub. Wolf ran, and yipped at feeling Cub's paw in her own. She hugged Cub close, hugging him close to her chest for the warmth. The other Wolf wanted to take Cub, but Cub was safe. 

Staring back at the other Wolf, Wolf knew it was not safe in Cave anymore with him alive. She looked closer at the other Wolf to see if he were Gone, then grabbed his knife and belongings before going back to the Cave with Cub.

However, as Wolf walked, she stared up into the sky and saw bright Fires light the ceiling of her and Cub's world. They awed at it, and stared up even as they entered the Cave. Despite what happened, Wolf and Cub, they felt safe now with each other.