Destiny of the Small

(started 2/22/08 - ) 

Summary: In “Balto II: Wolf Quest”, Aleu met her spirit guide – a small field mouse named Muru – and discovered that she was meant for a different purpose. But how did Muru learn about his destiny to become a spirit guide? All will be told in a tale about the life of one ordinary brown mouse that was so small but had a special fate all his own. This is the . . . Destiny of the Small.

Rating: G for General Audiences. There’s nothing too horrible here, except for maybe a bit of intense peril and danger . . . and maybe a character death too, but they’re not too bad. It’s all necessary for the story.  

Disclaimer: Any official characters and events from Balto and Balto II: Wolf Quest are the properties of Universal Studios, Inc. This story is complete fiction, despite being based on actual characters from the films. However, any personalities of characters that were mentioned but not shown in the films or mentioned and not given much additional information/screen time are created from the imagination of Juuchan17, the author.

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Piece I: What Happened ‘Neath the Full Moon 

. . . but in order to start our tale, we must start before his life ever came into existence . . . back to when I sensed something special about two young field mice who would, one day, want nothing more than a child to call their own.

These two brown mice – a male named Kahu and a female named Quillac – were plain as most other mice always were. They were experienced in the ways of surviving in the fields and dangers that the Alaskan evergreen forests provided – hawks, eagles and other birds of prey, extreme weather, and any other unexpected moments that life would give them.  

As young mice, the dark-brown Kahu and the light-brown Quillac grew up in separate groups, still learning the ways and wise advice of how to live a long, happy life within the dangerous world once they were old enough to leave their family den and find a life-long partner. Once they each reached about a couple of years old, the young of each group suddenly had to flee their separate families, for their elders and the many other older mice either scattered to safety or sacrificed themselves in order for the other younger ones to live on. Amidst the sorrow of losing the ones they loved and cared about, Kahu, Quillac, and over a hundred other mice from both groups that were three years old and younger had no choice but to move on from their tragedy and prepare to search for their soul mate.

The mouse custom of selecting a mate is one that is considered sacred. Like wolves and many other animals, Alaskan mice that live under the Ancient Ways choose to live monogamous – a single mate forever – so in this case, life would be much easier with someone to protect. With their squeaking voices, males cry out calls to females; if a she-mouse liked any sound she heard, it was only natural to copy the exact call with hopes that the male will hear her and want to meet. For hours, they would try to trace the source of the returning call, awaiting to meet their destined mate until their eyes confronted each other.  

When the dark male and the light female laid their dark eyes onto each other, it was an immediate love at first sight. It was then that they knew that together they would be able to carry on the legacy of the Great Spirits they had learned about since the early days of their youth.

You may not know this, but all animals follow the teachings of wise spirits and pass down tales and wisdoms of the Great Spirits that control the world around them. By doing so, we offer our protection and salvation to all who are loyal. You could say that this was like a form of religion to them, and just like many others in the human world outside of our own, there were different types, rules and spirits that different animals would decide to believe in.  

The Ancient Ways – the oldest of faiths – were the ways and philosophies of the Great Spirits that had been around since the first dawn of the Earth. Other faiths included The Modern Ways and the Dark Ways, each with their own central spirits and methods of focus, but the most followed was the Ancient Ways.

However, humans could never learn of any of these things – probably it’s because man has been unable to interpret animal speech into their language, only being able to hear the different cries and chatterings that we choose to make audible. However, I have heard that native people of the Alaskan territory have achieved some close connection to the balance of nature, but it is unknown whether they have the ability to actually communicate face-to-face with the wild animals because animals have easily considered humans as one of the most hazardous of unnatural dangers within the wilderness. 

Ever since that fateful day that Kahu and Quillac were bound in eternal marriage, I had watched them from afar, sensing the growing connection of their love and knowing exactly what would soon come next in their journey of life. I felt that now – almost seventeen months since they first became mates – was the perfect time to begin the fated spark that would change them forever. So as night fell and the moon – strangely tonight, it was shining with its full silver face against the navy night sky – began to rise, I crept into the dream world of the male, speaking with his dream-image as his physical body succumbed to sleep.

“Kahu . . .”

The dark-brown rodent’s ears pricked up at my warm voice. “Who calls me?” His nose twitched as he searched around the darkness for some sign of presence with his beady eyes of gray. “Who’s there in the darkness?”

“It is I, a Great Spirit from who you worship,” I replied, shining a bright white ray of light towards the tiny mouse. “I am Aniu, the white wolf.” 

I showed myself to him in my true form, which is something that I rarely do in dream visions. My towering snow-white form almost seemed to frighten the mouse, but by his actions, I could tell he was a faithful follower of my teachings and the ways of the Ancient Spirits. He lowered his head in respect of my presence, but I only touched him gently on his back with my dark, wet nose.

“Arise, young Kahu; you are indeed a true follower of the Ancient Ways,”  I told him. He looked up at me with a gleam of pride in his dark eyes.  

“My father and grand-father taught me everything about the Ancient Ways and the Great Spirits, O Great One,” Kahu explained, although I already knew. “So far, my belief has given me all the happiness I could want – a long life, a safe den to call home, and a lovely wife to love.”

“But you and Quillac still wish for a mouse-child, yes?”I asked. I had noticed that he had not mentioned this in his previous statement. 

The dark mouse nodded his head with a slight bob. “This remains true, O Great One, but we do not give up hope for a blessing of a child to be born.” I saw a tiny salt tear drop from his eyes. “For months, we have been praying that a live mouse-child would emerge from our love, but alas, seven times we have failed thus far.”

I looked at him almost with a sense of pity, but my expression did not change. I knew of his struggle with Quillac’s miscarriages and stillbirths, but the message I had to tell him would hopefully make him feel at ease. 

“I seek you only to give you a message tonight, my friend,” I spoke, my fur brilliantly glowing bright-white in a sense of my future-telling abilities. “This is a message of hope . . . and this is what I see: Your wife will bear a live mouse-child ‘neath the light of a full moon.”

“Beneath the moon’s light?” A gasp of horror escaped from the mouse’s lips. “But that’s too dangerous! We’ll be killed once the moon exposes us!” He shook with fear at the thought of any bird of prey seeing him and his wife bringing a new life into the world. 

“You mustn’t be afraid, Kahu, for no harm will come upon either of you,” Then I continued, trying to lift his spirits. “Quillac shall bear you a male-child and you must christen him Muru, for the moonlight shall shine bright upon thee and thy family if you both do so.”

Obviously, Kahu was overjoyed to tears at the news. “A child . . . no, a son! A son! Oh, what joy you bring us tonight, O Divine Lady!” 

“You should never doubt our power, little mouse,” I reminded him amidst his happiness and sudden leaps of jubilation. “We know what has come to pass and what awaits around the bend – we would not ignore the wishes of those loyal to the Ancient Ways.”

“Oh, thank you,” The male mouse lowered his head. “How can I ever repay you for your kindness?” 

“Just be sure to pass down your knowledge of the Ancient Ways to your child, and continue to look to the heavens, where we’ll always be watching over you and your family, protecting you always,” I told him before leaving him to his sweet dreams. “Farewell, Kahu . . . we shall meet again very soon . . .”

Once I disappeared from his vision, I knew Kahu would awaken from his slumber and take his light-brown wife into another area of their den to speak of the news that I had told him only moments ago.  

It was during that night that Muru’s soul was conceived within the barren Quillac, who would finally conceive despite her previous attempts. Because I had been watching them since birth, I knew that both mice would have the courage necessary to fulfill the duty that I had bestowed onto them.

The days went by like clockwork as I constantly monitored the growing fetus and grew impressed by how the two field mice prepared for the upcoming full moon that would signal the arrival of the male-child. 

At last, it had been four weeks since conception and in an open field, despite the dangers of being vulnerable to birds of prey, both Kahu and Quillac stepped onto a flat-surfaced stone where the moon’s lunar rays would light the way for their new arrival. I made sure that no fowl creatures were present to disturb the birth of this child . . . especially since I knew what fate he would soon play sometime in the future, but as I had promised, the wings of the birds were still and Quillac was protected by the safety of a destiny that awaited. As the she-mouse dealt with the pressure and stress of labor, I felt Kahu’s prayer to me – O Great Spirits . . . Please, guide our child safely onto our loving arms . . . and allow him to roam this wonderful land by our side . . .

I wished I could offer an answer, but I could not; it was not my place to speak, for each groan from his wife led closer to the delivery of their miracle mouse-child. I could feel the nervousness in the male’s bones as he watched on with worry. I could even hear the thoughts of doubt running through his brain, but I knew that once he remembered my message, he would know that tonight was going to be a most special night. 

Before long, a son was born onto them, and I asked the Moon Spirit to beam a ray to the happy family. Its gentle silver sheen against their brown coats and the stone-gray rock made the new parents gasp with joy and awe.

“Oh! Look there, Kahu,” an exhausted Quillac pointed a finger towards the moonlight with a smile as she held her newborn baby in her other paw. “Even the Great Spirits offer their blessings to our son. How wonderful this is!” She was in tears with happiness as she allowed her son to nurse on the teats lining her belly.  

“It’s just as the Great Aniu stated,” Kahu murmured as he gazed at the tiny light-brown bundle of joy. “Muru . . . our son . . .” He sighed with a smile as he looked up to the starry sky. “Oh, bless you, Divine Aniu! Thank you for this gift that I now see with my own two eyes!” He gave a loving lick to his wife, licking away her tears. “Ah, the stars seem much brighter tonight, don’t you think so, Quill?”

“Yes,” she sighed happily yet quietly enough for her son to rest. “The Great Spirits must have something special awaiting for our son, huh?” 

“Indeed,” The mouse husband nodded as they continued to bathe within the moon’s light and bask in the blessing that was given to them.

Little did they know how important their son was to become later in life, but right now, the two field mice were just happy to be able to pass their knowledge and survival skills to a live mouse-child of their own; I allowed them time to bond and enjoy little Muru’s company until he reached a certain age, but there was another event that was fast approaching – one moment that would lead to a difficult decision. 

The time was now July of the year 1924 . . .

(Piece I completed – 2/23/08)