Journey to the site.

Sarah's ears were much perkier and stood straighter than before. Previously, we all had very floppy ears. They didn't stand erect like Umma's.

Our hearing improved a little more. The skittering of bug feet became more pronounced and distinguishable. Bin's little play bites got more hurtful than usual too.

Controlling the stubby tongue was a challenge for my young mouth yet I was certain I had more teeth than before.

There were a few changes observed on our muzzles. Did the fuzz become slightly thicker? I thought it did. I may be a little too bored these days, hyperfocusing or random details.

Everyday passed with the usual routine of eating, sleeping, playing, licking, whining, growling and acting cute for treats. I took matters into my own hands to amuse myself with a little beetle who had the very unfortunate fate of entering the den of wolves. He stayed with me for a few days, scuttling about and getting rolled around by my paws until Bin took the chance and ate him while I wasn't looking.

I was in the very enjoyable process of disciplining him for his misdeeds when Umma came back from the hunt. She had some blood around her muzzle that instanlty got licked away by an impatient Yahya.

Nowadays, she would be gone away for hours and hours leaving us by ourselves; trying to get us weaned was not an easy feat with us being so needy.

"When you kids stop needing my dudu, we will leave this den to somewhere exciting," she tempted us.

Oh boy.

That day came much sooner than expected. The day we were to leave this den. All of us pups were excited. We were finally going to the Rendevous. A place were the adults were allowed to have fun.

Our den was a quiet, hidden place under a large fallen log. It was hollow and rather spacious With enough room for two grown adults. A small stream flowed close by concealed within the hearthstones and ferns.

We were on our way with Umma and one of our aunts. Her name was Haya. She was our 'Bu' Haya meaning 'Eldest patriarchal aunt' Haya. She looked similar to Abba and was still unmarried.

I have never seen her go on hunts. She would always guard our den from a distance, never approaching us nor keeping us out of her sight.

The sky was overcast. We hurried along the wolf trail doing our best to reach the Rendevous faster but we were too late.

Light drizzle wetted our whiskers and a lot of smells transformed completely. The air became earthy and heavy with life. Jo hurried us into a thick, tall and dense undergrowth.

It was prickly but the soil underneath was soft and warm. Umma made a few huffs trying to separate Sarah from Bu Haya who stood with the other wolves in the rain. Sarah, that sassy girl, and Ana had taken a huge liking to Bu's gentleness and stern facade.

The undergrowth was pretty waterproof. It made me wonder how the roots got watered for it to grow so thick. Maybe the ground had a higher watertable.

Yahya pushed Halima a little to make himself comfortable and Bin rolled about in the mud. I smelled a familiar tangy scent of red berries emitting from the side. Some stems had clusters of fruit sprouting at its base. I would have mistaken them as mushrooms had I not seen it being used as garnish that day with the elves.

I gave one a little nudge.

Puchiwt!

The berries burst apart like a mini explosion of firecrackers. That gave me quite a big fright. Gosh. Did it have to be so dramatic while spreading its seeds?

I calmed my scared heart and used my sniffer to pick them out from the sparse grassy bits. Now, I wouldn't know what kind of taste buds wolves usually had from back at my old place but I could taste many complex flavours much more vividly than my time as a bipedal primate. This particular berry tasted like jaggery but a lot more blue or purplish. I had no other way to describe it. It was blue jaggery.

I shared the fruits with the other kids and collected a few more clusters very carefully by their roots to give to the adults outside. The rain was letting up by now so I could leave.

The red berries were handed off mouth to mouth. Some burst on the way, startling everyone. Umma laughed silently by the side seeing Jo's new red nosed look.

We passed them around and I went back in to fetch some more. There were no more left in the place that I collected so I went in a little further.

My nose was hard at work looking for more clusters.

I concentrated really hard with my eyes squinted and smelled some a little ahead where I almost could come out the other side of the bushes. There was a stronger smell right there by that big, curvy stem.

A petite, delicate cluster was faintly visible. I happily chomped down on one of them to uproot it.

It was icy and sweet. My tongue felt it all clearly.

It should have popped.

I wished it popped into another bloody firecracker show.

I dearly wished it wasn't the lifeless thing I found slumbering away, soul separated from this world, with limbs covered in blue jaggery sap.