O-Ka-Pi, O-Ka-Pie, Life Goes On

The motley boy had tried to fall back asleep when Fern had awoken him at the crack of nine. She had let him sleep in! A little. When Rudy closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, the gray girl jumped on their bed until she realized it was no use. That is when she had flopped on top of him and started to roll and thrash until he finally opened those golden eyes. She had leaped off the bed, grabbed her sword and run for the stairs, ready to start the hunt. Today, this is her hunt and the gray girl can’t wait to show Rudy what she has learned!

They find the okapi group and Fern delivers her ideas, Rudy nodding in agreement. His words pull a smile to her light lips and, as the motley wolf turns to leave for the ambush spot, the gray girl’s ears pick up the soft whisper of ‘I love you’. The smile turns to a smirk and she gives her head a soft shake at his retreating form. Rudy wants the last word here? That’s fine, she’ll give it to him. Besides, she needs to lull him into a sense of security before she springs the news of their wedding on him. The smirk grows as turns her head back to the young okapi.

Slowly, cautiously, Fern moves toward the target. She stays downwind and makes sure to pick the taller patches of undergrowth, not only to hide her but the sword strapped across her back. When she is as close as she dares to get, the gray girl hunkers down and flicks her eyes over to Rudy in the cluster of trees. Counting to three in her head, Fern dips her skull and bursts from the brush, growling threateningly. She is a spring wound up and let loose; light paws race across the distance, the startled large animals spooking and turning to run. Teeth flash as she snaps at the air, driving the younger prey animal away from the herd and toward the ambush spot.

Long legs kick back toward her and Fern dances away, moving, herding the okapi onward to its waiting death while working to avoid injury. Heart thunders with excitement as the racket of hooves and startled noises drown out the cries of the separated youth. The ambush spot draws near.


"Fern Lark"