16th Birthday Preparation

Tomorrow is Ayesha's birthday. She will be turning 16 years old already, which in this world is already an adult age. All of the beasts are planning a grand feast for Ayesha, and especially her mother, Akinu, is swamped with things to do and things to prepare.

"How's the preparation?" Akinu asked the other beast, "Make sure you get all things done before sundown. Have you finish preparing the foods?"

The beasts looked at Akinu with disbelief. The beast knows that Akinu is not this kind of beast. She is calm and composed all the time.

"You should not worry that much," the beast replied, "Everything is fine. All the foods were already prepared, and all the decorations for her birthday are done."

Akinu sighed in relief.

In her mind, she thinks that she still lacks something but she doesn't know what it is. She walks toward the exit of the cave and looks around looking at the place where Ayesha's birthday will be held.

"Did you receive any news in regards to the hunting team?" Akinu asked.

"Yes," the beasts answered, "The leader of the team said that they catch the finest meat."

"How about the--." The beasts didn't let Akinu finish her sentence and walks towards the exit, "Stop worrying too much. Just like what I have said, everything is fine. You have nothing to worry about, besides you already assigned each and every one of us a task. You better get some rest instead."

Akinu looked at the beast with a piercing look. She knew in the first place that everything is fine, but she just wants to make sure. This is her daughter's 16th birthday and everyone in the world knows how important this is.

While everyone is busy with the preparation for Ayesha's birthday. The birthday girl herself has a task on her own. When she was young, she loves to explore and see new things, to seek places that no one has ever gone, to discover all the hidden secrets. She was also making a map of the whole forest on where the beasts usually hide, locations of fruits and berries, and also dangerous places and venomous plants.

"I already went to this place," she said, "The southern part of the forest is where all the delicious fruits and berries are located, might as well the most dangerous place because it is full of venomous plants. If not careful, I might be dead. While in the western part of the forest the beasts mostly hide, and this is also the place where we practice our hunting skills. In between these two is the lake where piranha's lives, I don't dare to swim in that cruel water."

Her face frowned when she remembers clearly on how her meat fell into the water and she didn't even get the chance to get it.

"Those hungry monsters," she murmured.

She looks at her map once again and touched the part of the paper where there are no writings.

"I haven't gotten into the North-west side of the forest," she said, "Maybe I'll go try and check it. Maybe there is something interesting that will catch my eye."

After looking at the map and knowing where she should go, she checked the sky where the sun is currently shining. This is because the sun always rises in the East and sets on the West.

As she saw where the sun rises, she then rushes going to the North-West side of the forest, and from time to time she checks her surroundings and her map to know that she is not lost.

Not long enough she notices that she is an area she is not familiar with. So, she checked her surroundings finding any signs that it is not a part of her map. Then she realized that she found nothing around her that is part of her map, and everything around Ayesha is new to her. She was filled with joy and excitement but she kept it in.

Ayesha is not aware of what lurks around her and what dangers awaits her. That is why she stays as cautious as possible.

"This is too unfamiliar for me," she said to herself, "But I couldn't help myself to check this new place out."

She immediately leaps on one huge stone to another.

"What a beautiful day," she murmured, "I didn't expect that this place has such beauty. I guess I should start looking for new things and draw them on my map."

After that, she starts checking and searching things around her, drawing and writing them down to her map, she also writes down new things she found on her journal. Ayesha also tried to investigate new plants and check if they are dangerous or not, she also tries to get samples from them to test if they are somewhat poisonous to other living things. Ayesha loves making medicines, which is why she starts testing the plants that she just found and see on what specific sickness can it be used or just to heal some wounds.

She didn't take so long from writing things down and went to explore that area of the forest. Ayesha just loves to walk and enjoy the nature that surrounds her. Ayesha is in great joy, now that her map is complete, she has successfully looked and see every secret hidden in their great forest, but somehow, she wants more, she desires more, she wants adventure, and to discover new things.

Ayesha decided that on her 16th birthday she would ask permission to Akinu to leave the place where she grows up and explore the world outside the forest.

"It's not that hard," she said, "All you have to do is to ask Akinu."

She is trying to encourage herself to have the confidence to talk to her mother. She knows her mother too well, and Akinu might be against her decision, she might get scolded about this nonsense conversation once again.

"She would be one hell of a mad at me," she murmured, "What should I do to convince mother? I don't think that she would agree."

She walks toward a huge stone while slipping her journal and map to her bag. Ayesha immediately sat down and closed her eyes.

"If only I have the guts though," she said, "I think mother would agree, but I just don't know how to approach her, she is just too strict when it comes to my safety."

Ayesha lay down and looked at the sky, "Akinu," she said, "Mother, I have something to tell you."

"What is it, my child?" She replied mimicking her mother's voice.

"I want to try and explore the world outside of this beautiful forest, would you grant this child her desire?" She spoke.

"Of course, my child." She replied using her mother's voice once again, "Ugh! If only it's that easy! But knowing my mother, she would definitely give me a good beating."

Ayesha loved relaxing in the nature so much that she didn't notice it was sun down and she has to go home soon.

Ayesha slowly opens her eyes and stretched her body, "I should probably get going, it's getting late."

Yet, she is still sitting on the stone while looking at the bird on a branch chirping. There, she realized that it is her birthday today. Her eyes widened at cussed as the furious face of her mother flashed through her eyes.

"I am so dead! I will be late on my own birthday party. I think I should just forget about going outside of this forest!"

Ayesha quickly stands up and run home as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile at their house, Akinu was a little stressed out since it is almost sun down and they are not finished in preparing for Ayesha's birthday. She was so worried that she double checks everything.

"Are you certain that everything is here?" She asked while checking the foods and other things, "How about the drinks? The foods?"

"Akinu," the beasts said, "I already answered your questions earlier. I told you, the preparations are complete. You have nothing to worry about, everything is here."

The other beasts try to calm her down and told her to go home, relax, and prepare for the celebration. Akinu was doubtful at first but then she was convinced and trusted the other beasts. She left them with small things to be done.

"I am entrusting these to you," she said, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Akinu rushed home and was excited to see Ayesha, yet, she can't hide the fact that she was also scared, she knew that her daughter would want to explore the forest. Since Ayesha is not young anymore but an adult, she must let her go.

"Ayesha?" She shouted, but to her surprise, no one responds on her call. She immediately ran towards her house and was shocked when Ayesha is not there, even in her room.

When she is starting to feel panic, she closed her eyes and tried to relax; just like what her friends say. She then prepared herself for the celebration.

"She is fine," she said, "I don't have nothing to worry about."

When she is finished, Akinu prepared Ayesha's clothes and the other necessary things for her daughter and howled outside to call Ayesha to come home and prepare.