Ties That Bind

He was here before but it did not really feel like long ago,the path was decorated with the most colourful lantanas and the greenest of grass on either of its side.At the end was a gurgling river on the bank of which there was someone waiting for his arrival since quite some time.As her eyes shifted from one end to the other beyond the waters seeking him, she had a strange feeling about the morning because she was hearing something different.He crawled stealthily as he came near her,she was sure it was him.She had already made up her mind to interrogate him brutally like always for he was back after almost months.She had actually lost count.So she wanted to make her anger obvious and he like always got ready for what was coming in the next few hours.

He came close and patted her back gently with his paw and said a meek “Hello”.She turned and growled as he did expect.“So where were you all these days?” asked the not so pleased tigress.He looked into her tear filled eyes,he forgot his well rehearsed answer and she forgot the rest of her queries,well this felt very scary and bizarre.

“Oh! I was out in the jungles hunting, had a good time and what about you?”.She looked back at the waters again speechless,usually she would talk for hours with him about every little event that would had happened in his absence,about every game and every rain.He would often make these kind of long trips and bring his tales of adventure to share.But when he was gone the last time she did not move from the place he left,she decided to wait.And wait she did with a gut feeling,everyday in the same place.Two seasons passed,the nights grew colder and she never felt more lonely.Most of the deers and hares were hunted down and killed by the rest of the meat devouring folks,but her hunger stayed.She survived with the stream.Looking at her bitter state he was hurt.He asked her in a roar “What made you wait this long?”.She frowned to say “He will be here anytime soon, please do not move…so said my heart”.

He walked away without a word and climbed a boulder and sat there staring at her almost till midday, the sun sailed through the skies and reached right above his thinking head.She sat there without any change in her expressions.The green, the blue and the yellow never brought this warmth ever before for both of them.The river flowed with a new rage and suddenly thinking of him she felt a burst of energy inside her.His presence made everything perfect.

"As long as the ties that bind us together are stronger 

  than those that would tear us apart, all will be well."

She chuckled and he could not ask for more.They stood up and walked towards each other, brushing their foreheads and cuddling each other they fought with their paws.He earned a well deserved rip from her claw,but now it did not hurt.When dusk set in,they strolled towards their cave on the hill top.There was work to do and a life to live.He would go again wandering in the woods and search until he found his treasures, she would wait again back making his home for him.They knew everything about each other but nothing about the day called tomorrow.They would fight again.They would love again.She was happy because he survived her hope.He was happy because she lived for him.

PS: “The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale” so said Richard Dawkins.

Yet we shall not just survive but live!

-R.