Destiny of the Small

by Juuchan17

Piece III: A New Destiny
  

Back with the sight of grief, the dark-brown Kahu patted Quillac’s light-colored back with a gentle paw. “We’ll make it, Quill . . . Shh-shh . . .” He allowed her to weep on his shoulder as he looked back up towards the sky.

I felt some sort of regret for Kahu, Quillac and their feelings of loss. Utter sorrow . . . is quite a heart-wrenching emotion to deal with, especially when one loses a child, it seems. Many times I had witnessed loved ones, both young and old, coming to join the Spirits once their moment arrived, and the sense of emptiness that one feels when you realize that someone is gone forever. Even the spirit of Muru, their child that unexpectedly joined me far too soon, was sent to tears by the sight of his parents. 

“What can you do, Aniu?” he asked me amidst his tears. “You said that there’s a way for me to say goodbye to them . . . and offer some words of condolence before I follow you, right?”

I couldn’t deny him the chance to bid his farewells to his family, the ones that knew him for almost seven moons. That would just be cruel of me, . . . especially since his journey now would never be the same, but there was something I had to prepare him for next. “I will allow you to speak with them, but in return, you must swear that whatever I ask you to do for me, you will agree to it. Understood?” 

The wise mouse-child nodded. “Oh, of course! You know I’d do anything for you, My Lady. Anything.”

I gave him a small grin. I had hooked him into a deal – he didn’t know about it right now, but he had just agreed to ready the future of a child who had not even been conceived within the womb of its mother. Of course, I knew he couldn’t refuse, and his unknown destiny was just beginning. 

“Now, come with me, little one,” I motioned my head towards his grieving family. “There’s still time before the dawn. That is when you must leave this place behind and join me.”Without hesitation, he leaped by my side, both of us suddenly disappearing into the air.

Other mice began to offer some senses of comfort for those in mourning, but it was still difficult for anyone to bear. Muru’s lifeless body was limp and slightly cold from the lack of warmth, but a tearful Quillac still cradled it as if he were merely fast asleep in her arms. Kahu wept at the sight and fell to his knees – he just couldn’t handle the emotional strain anymore. 

With streams of tears in his eyes and complete sorrow in his heart, Kahu began to call attention from all directions, screaming towards the stars as if he hoped that the Great Spirits were listening. “Damn it all! O Aniu . . . O Great Spirits, why have you forsaken us?”

Quillac gasped at the words her husband spoke. “Kahu! Don’t anger the spirits with your harsh words!” 

“Sorry, Quill,” Kahu huffed, looking back at his mate. “but Aniu said she’d protect our son – she promised! Why should I not be angry when she broke her binding vow?”

“I understand that, but can’t you see? I’m just as upset as you are!” she replied, embracing him after placing their son’s body on the ground. “I wish our son was just sleeping in my arms, . . . but he’s not!” Her eyes began to drip tears, each word about her son invisibly stabbing her heart with a dagger of grief. “I loved him . . . Oh, I loved him . . .” 

“Shh-shh . . .” Kahu calmed himself for a moment, drawing himself closer to his mate’s warm body to comfort her. “I loved him too . . . You’re not alone in your grief . . . No, in our grief . . .” His arms stroked Quillac’s light-colored cheeks as their bodies met in embrace.

Within their hug of several seconds, they shared tears and silent words of comfort – all signs of the ultimate sorrow of their loss. Once they separated, the she-mouse continued, speaking with a sense of calming wisdom despite the grief she felt in her heart. A couple of tears streaked down her cheeks. “Muru was . . .” It seemed quite difficult to speak of her only son in the past tense. “ . . . he was so young and we did our best as parents to love and nurture him as our miracle son, but . . .” Quillac’s voice began to crack once she paused. “i-i-it  . . . it was just his time to join our ancestors in the Paradise of the afterlife.” 

“We couldn’t really predict that, could we?” the darker mouse sniffled. Quillac only shook her head, still with tears streaming. “So . . . I suppose . . . I should apologize to the Spirits for my furious revolt.” As he approached the body of his son, Kahu knelt by it, reaching his hands up into the air as a gesture of peace. “Please, please forgive me for my fury, O Spirits. Calm our souls . . . and offer us comfort as we accept our loss . . .” His head then fell, his nose touching his son’s unmoving chest as a small stream of salty tears trickled from his eyes.

The hurt father wept for a couple of minutes before the form of Quillac’s light palm sat on his shoulder. “Kahu, I know it won’t be easy to move on from this, but think about Aniu . . . and our son . . . The Spirits give, and they take away – it’s all part of the natural cycle from which all creatures live.” Kahu glanced up at her; his wife smiled softly amidst her sorrow and the painful words she uttered. “If we remember that, . . . perhaps we too can move on from this. Besides, neither Muru or the Ancient Spirits would want us to reflect on the bad mistakes of the past, right?” 

“That is correct, Quillac . . .”

My deep words echoed through the ears of all the mouse families that were present. Over fifty other mice, both young and old, had come to pay their respects and offer whatever condolences they could to the family, but once my spiritual form slowly appeared with a flash of mist, all eyes were on my shining face; however, my light eyes were on the two grieving mice that had called me.   

“Oh!” The parents spoke in awed unison. They grasped each other with their tiny arms wrapping around their backs and shoulders. “O Lady!” Their eyes were wide, regardless of their tears, but they and their company lowered their heads in respect for my sudden presence.

“There is no need for formalities now, young ones; time is currently of the essence,” I told them, allowing them to look up once more.  

“Why are you here now?” Kahu asked, breaking the moment of amazement with his voice filled with total exasperation. “Why didn’t you save our son?” Despite the anger on his face, tears continued to fall from his eyes as he talked to me. “Muru . . . he’d probably still be alive if . . . if you protected him . . . He wouldn’t be—”

“That’s enough, Father . . .” A new voice came from my side; it was that familiar voice that silenced Kahu’s rage, repeating the words once more. “That’s enough.” 

I turned my nose towards the ghostly vision of the young rodent that walked out into the moonlight. It almost seemed to outline the creature’s features once the lunar glow made all things clear.

“M-M-Muru?” Quillac stammered out in astonishment at the sight. She looked back and forth from the corpse of her son and the vision that stood beside my white fur. “No . . . no, it can’t be . . . You can’t really be here, . . . can you?” 

“Mother, it is I,” Muru revealed, approaching her with a small smile and shining dark eyes. “I am here.”

“Impossible . . .” The dark-brown mouse murmured. I could sense the disbelief in his voice and in his eyes. “It . . . it can’t be you . . . You’re . . . you’re . . .” 

“Yes, Father – I am dead,” Muru turned to his saddened patriarch while he was near his mother’s arms. I was instantly surprised by the way he serenely accepted his unfortunate predicament, but I had a feeling that he would understand for I knew he was wiser beyond his days. “but Aniu . . . she graciously allowed me to see you again . . . one last time.”

Kahu gasped. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, although he could clearly see Muru with his own eyes. “But why? Why have you come back?” 

I decided to respond this time. “He is no longer meant to be in this world, Kahu. His physical body has broken ties with his soul, thus the son you knew as Muru exists no more.” Although both Kahu and Quillac embraced their son’s vision together amidst their weeping of comfort, I continued on, looking at them with soft eyes of amber-orange. “Brave Kahu, gentle Quillac, . . . your son only wishes for you both to not be troubled by his sudden passing. This meeting was his final wish to you two as a sign of comfort . . . and I respectfully accepted.”I lowered my head in respect for the grieving parents. “I send my humblest apologies to both of you, despite my absence, but now I offer you a prophecy of comfort: Your son’s sacrifice was destined to occur . . . for his destiny is one that not even you would ever realize.”

“I . . . I don’t understand,” Quillac said, looking towards her son. “Did you know about this, Muru?” 

He shook his head. “Oh, no . . . I’ve never known about this before. The Spirits never told me in my visions.”

“That’s because if you had known about your forthcoming death, the Spirits knew that you would never leave home,” I explained to him, as well as the other mice who listened. “We are not allowed to interfere with the natural course of a creature’s cycle of life and death, for it shakes the balance.” 

“I see,” Quillac, the more intelligent of the parents, muttered. “Great Spirits can only see, not do.”

“Again, that is correct,” I replied. “As Great Spirits, we are indeed omnipotent – those that have knowledge of everything, from one’s time of conception to the moment their souls come to join the eternal heaven. We even know what thoughts really lie within one’s heart and mind, no matter what creature they may be and no matter what situation. Still we cannot physically assist in the necessary events of one’s life.” 

“So, what is Muru’s destiny?” Kahu asked me curiously. “What was his purpose of living with us if his fate was not meant to be here?”

“His destiny . . . to you, I cannot say,” I told them without a expression on my face. “He and only he is meant to learn of such a fate; however, there is a reason why the two of you raised a mouse-child together . . . but you shall learn why before you even realize it.” 

The two mice looked at each other with confused gazes, but soon all had smiles. “After all we’ve been through so far together,” Kahu began.

“I guess we can manage it,” Quillac completed her mate’s sentence, nuzzling him and her son. 

Suddenly, my ears pricked up at a soft chirping – the larks! The singers of the dawn were calling . . . and our time on Earth was up.

“Muru,” I lifted my head, turning towards the tiny mouse-child. “the sunrise is now upon us – we must prepare for your journey home. Quickly, go say your final goodbyes.” I watched him nod and look at each of his parents. 

“Father, Mother,” soon Muru began to tear up himself as he spoke. “thank you so much for everything you’ve taught me. I love you so much, and no matter what awaits me, I will never, ever, forget you.”

Kahu smiled with a waterfall of tears flowing from his eyes. “We didn’t teach you much, Son. You were always so interested in the simplest of things, . . . but we did our best.” He wrapped his arms around Muru for a final embrace. “I’m so proud of you, my special little boy.” 

“Oh, my son . . . We love you so much . . . Must you go?” Quillac sobbed after hugging him, clutching onto Muru’s translucent palm with both of hers.

“I must. I have a destiny to uphold now,” he replied bravely. He turned back towards me with a calm expression. “Aniu, I am ready.” 

I returned his command with a nod and a howl that reached the heavens. I felt a surge of power flow through me, creating a beam of light in front of the slowly-rising sun in the east. I stepped towards it, but looked behind me with a kind gaze.

“Come now, child,” I told him warmly. “It is time.” I turned away, knowing that the small mouse would quickly scamper behind me and into the light. 

“Goodbye, Mother, . . . Father . . .” I heard Muru say as he quickly caught up to me, having just enough time to enter the beam before the sun dispersed it with its golden brightness.

It’s difficult to describe the sights that await one on the other side of the light, but the warmth was more of a welcome than you could imagine. I could tell by the slight shudders against my thick coat that Muru was still not easily adjusted to the new feeling of being only a once-living creature now entering the eternal afterlife, but I only looked forward, preparing to show him to what his fate had led him. 

“How are you feeling?” I asked my companion. I was curious to hear how Muru was handling things now that he was dead.

“I don’t know how to describe it, Aniu,” Muru replied back to me. His tone was murmured, as if his previous look of courage in front of his parents was only a façade, hiding his true emotions of sadness now that he had to bid his only family farewell. “I hate to say it, but I . . . I really miss my family, even though I just saw them for the last time.” 

“I understand how you feel,” I grinned, still speaking empathetically towards him. I knew his current flood of emotions were normal – I mean, he was just hours dead already, and I had faced many experiences before. Sometimes, there are feelings of regret that will never cease to linger around me after living so many lives on Earth, but Great Spirits have to maintain their composure, despite our past feelings. Mortals, however, . . . well, I suppose those emotions can stay with them for eons after their deaths, but I knew that for the destiny that awaited him, Muru could not continue to have such selfish regrets.

“What . . . what is this place?” He asked me, his tiny eyes now wide with awe. “I’ve never seen . . . anything so beautiful before!” The rodent had leapt onto my back once we had entered the light, clinging onto my fur so that his tiny form wouldn’t be blown into the heavenly breeze. 

I lightly chuckled. “You shouldn’t be afraid, young Muru; this is the Spirit Realm – the afterlife, you can say.”

“The afterlife, eh?” Muru said with awe. “Wow, this is completely unreal . . .” 

Indeed he was right – this world is hard to believe unless you see it with your own eyes. Not even I can visually describe the beauty and perfection of the Spirit Realm – especially since it is rare for a mortal such as yourself to witness these sights within life – but I can tell you that our world is rather obsolete compared to the land of the mortals.

After several more minutes of gliding towards the Spirit Realm, I landed in front of a small cave and lowered my head, allowing the tiny rodent to dismount from my back. “Here, Muru,” I told him. “This shall be your home from now on.” 

“This . . .” Muru gasped in disbelief. “This is . . . all mine?” I nodded with a small smile. “Oh, thank you so much, Aniu!”

“Step inside, my child,” I pointed my nose to the opening, which led into a dark space. “You have thanked me much too soon.” 

The rodent crept inside the opening, which was the perfect size for himself to keep his own privacy. Once he stepped in, the darkness immediately dispersed into a bright silver light, causing him to instantly smile.

“How . . . this is . . . oh my goodness!” the brown youngling put his fingered paws on his face with a wide-mouthed smile.  

“This is a gift from ‘Sister Moon’ herself,” I explained as he continued to explore his new surroundings. “She has taken quite a liking to your spirit from the beginning and wanted to give you something for your home here.”

“Oh, thank you!” Muru had now scampered to the back wall, where shelves of ancient texts and literature sat in rows. He was completely awestruck. “Oh my –” The mouse gasped yet again, reading the titles and seeing the many other things now in his possession. “’Ancient Spirits and their ways,’ . . . ‘The Magic Sprites of Nature,’ . . . oh, and these prisms!” I swear he let out what seemed to be a squeal of delight, spinning slowly around. “These shine and sparkle so beautifully in the moonlight!” 

I chuckled at his happiness. “I knew you fancied crystals, so I had this meant for you.”

“This is wonderful – thank you so much . . . for everything, Divine Lady!” Muru bowed his head several times, knowing that a simple thank-you was not nearly enough to show appreciation to one as high as a Great Spirit. I, however, easily accepted his praise, but now was time for him to learn why these were now his. 

“My child,” I began to ask, catching his attention despite his eagerness to begin reading a book in his tiny palms. “do you know why you have been given these books, prisms and these other things?”

He honestly shook his head, stepping outside so that I could see him. “Oh, no. I haven’t a clue why.” 

Good – he had no idea what fate had led him to do, and at last, I could reveal to him his destiny. “Muru, remember when I allowed you to see your parents a final time?”

“Yes, I do,” He nodded. “You said I had to agree to do whatever you requested of me . . . Does this connected to these books and crystals somehow, Aniu?” 

“Indeed they are,” I replied. “My request for you is a task that will not be simple nor difficult, for it all depends on how observant and knowledgeable you will become within the next few weeks.”

“Uh, I’m afraid I do not understand, My Lady,” the mouse-child seemed rather nervous replying to me in such a way, but I did not want him to know too much about the task at hand. “Pardon my asking, but what exactly is the purpose of this?” 

“Your destiny lies within this knowledge – both what you have learned from your parents on Earth and what you have yet to discover here in your grotto,” I told him. “What exactly your fate will lead you – I cannot tell you quite yet. There is still about two months before it shall become known to you.”

“Two months?” Muru repeated. “What will take place then?” 

I could sense the growing curiosity within the mouse-child, but I had to maintain the secret of what exactly his purpose was. “That is classified for the time being, I’m afraid.” I saw his head fall in disappointment, but my next words lifted his spirits. “However, during that time, you will improve on the skills that make you who you are.”

“You mean, like my prism-stacking and wisdom of the Old Ways?” He asked, no longer with chagrin in his dark eyes. “Oh! And my singing too?” 

I nodded. “Those books will enhance your current knowledge in ways you have yet to imagine, just as those crystals beneath the lunar rays will teach you the beauty of nature, light and song. These things will all be necessary in your destiny, but right now, you must learn to use these tools before I reveal the truth of why you are here.”

Muru, for a youngling, took these rather well. “Ah, I see.” He chuckled embarrassedly. “Now I understand why you made me swear – you knew I would do anything for you, right?” 

“This is true, but I also felt that you would be the right choice for this specific task,” I replied sweetly. “On Earth, I sensed how you really felt there. You were wiser than the eldest of mice, you communicated with spirits while you slept, and your fascination with the strangest of things made you feel . . . different than others . . . a loner, an outcast amongst mice.”Muru let out a light gasp of surprise; however, he knew I was right – I was observing him almost all the time. “Because of your differences, you have been given a special honor – the chance to become a spirit guide.”

“A . . . spirit guide?” The brown mouse’s ears pricked up at the words. I knew he was quite knowledgeable about these things. Of course, they are the beings that help guide a creature to their unknown destiny, whether it may be to greatness or something drastic. “Me . . . an actual spirit guide? Oh, to whom?” 

I shook my white-furred head gently. “That is also classified . . . sorry; however, you are merely a candidate for this task. Your strength with the Spirits seems to work in your favor, but first, you must focus on mastering these other talents of yours before the moon turns full twice around. Then we shall see if you qualify to become a full-fledged guide.”

The young mouse asked no other questions, only bowing his head in understanding of my secrecy. “All right, Aniu. I shall work my hardest to please you in this opportunity you have given me.” 

“Good,” I nudged him with my nose, which he hugged with his paws. “Know this: you will soon learn where you truly belong, Muru. This will not be a simple journey, but everything here is here for a purpose, just as you are.”

I smiled as I watched him scamper into his new den and begin to read one of his new books, but as my focus turned to what I had done that entire night, my face lifted towards the snow-white clouds. I leapt upwards, disappearing into the heavens and within moments, a sight of joy and celebration was in front of me. 

There were humans all around the snow-dusted street near me, but of course, none of them – not even the many dogs that barked along with the human cheers – could sense that I was even in their presence. I stood in front of what looked like a hospital in the center of a small Alaskan town, covered with still-falling flurries everywhere, but one familiar sight caught my eyes.

It was a brown-gray canine with scruffy fur, wild and untamed like a wolf’s. His eyes were red and gold, but I knew he was not as wild as his looks would assume – I had been watching him closely for a long time, after all, and you probably remember him well. A little girl with long auburn hair hugged him, telling him something that I could not hear exactly, but their attention turned to the open doorway where a young she-dog stood. She was slender and elegantly poised, neatly sporting a red-orange piece of fabric around her neck, but her presence made the male run towards her with pure joy in his eyes; once together, they seemed to dance around each other with barks and smiles, soon to halt once their noses touched for a quaint kiss. I guess it took them by surprise at first, not realizing that everyone in front of the hospital – including myself – could see their display of affection, but soon the she-husky rubbed her bright red-brown and ivory muzzle against his cheeks and neck. 

The plan is soon to be in motion, I thought as the roar of the crowd grew louder. The young couple stepped forward to accept their praises while I disappeared, returning back to the Spirit Realm. I knew that the life of the one I wanted Muru to guide would be conceived within hours . . . and now, there was no turning back on the destiny that would bring the two of them together.

(Piece III – completed 5/25/08)