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Our Last Tears

After a long dry season, in a time few could remember, the tribes met up around the Lake of Ara. Unlike the previous days, the morning was soft and fresh, a good time for romanticism and peace. Ospreys were roaming the sky above the clear water as the dozen herds were taking their rest at the shore, eager to enjoy the last remains of the rain. This sanctuary was the only place predators and preys were coexisting together, in a truce not preventing tensions, mockery, and provocations.

Within this bustle, getting out of the golden grass, a lonely bovine was approaching carefully to water. He was ignoring the annoying choreography of the other animals around him, expressing absolutely no interest in them. His brown-white fur was dusty after a journey which was too long.

Exhausted, he stopped to rest at this very place where he came into this terrible world. He didn't know why it was so important to him. Was he seeking an illusion of peace before reaching his destination? Or was it the nostalgia for a time of naïve peace? As he was laying down, these last thoughts made him shiver. His goal was so close, and the fear groped his heart.

Nasiru craned his neck to lap the water, enough to recover a bit of strength. The translucid essence was fresh and pleasant after several days of intense heat. He was also relieved not to recognise any familiar faces. He had travelled at night to stay quiet. The nocturnal veil helping him to avoid his kind and too curious folks to see a lone gazelle roaming the lands. They would ask too much embarrassing questions, and he didn't want to answer any of them. Everyone would laugh at him, telling him to come back to his safe home, or scolding him for such foolishness.

It wasn't their fault if none of them couldn't understand his quest. For Nasiru, they would be right in all aspects. Committing such a crime before the Goddess was totally insane, and the young gazelle didn't deserve any love or compassion. Not from any sane people, at least.

“I must go," he whispered to himself, dejected.

He cut his break, stood up, and drank a bit more to allay his thirst before leaving. As he lifted his head, about to leave, his eyes noticed his face in the water. His own reflection showed a young adult, with gracious traits, but his eyes were expressing the deep void in his soul. It made him even more disgusted with himself.

But the lake was quiet and magnificent, so much Nasiru couldn't avert his eyes easily from the surface. This time was surely the last rest he could enjoy. No one around him was paying attention to his tears falling onto this immense puddle, fading in a complete ignorance. Plenty of other ones would stream during his procession until he reached his desired freedom. The pain which had made his heart bleeding for several seasons would finally end.

The memories of the past had been haunting the youngster every day of every moon since his childhood. He had committed a crime to his kind, a huge mistake leading to him to suffer the hate of all his brothers and sisters. This burden was unbearable, to the point he had to leave and find the only forgiveness he believed deserving.

It would be the end of both their ordeal and his guilt.

Nasiru walked for hours judged by the merciless goddess burning his path with her rays. Exhaustion and bleeding hooves were the cross for his incoming redemption. Determined, he reached the last secured place before his destination.

In the middle of the sea of the yellow grass and rocks, a grove of acacias was hiding a little pond. A group of laconic gnus was resting in the shadows of the trees. Their tufted tails were swinging to disperse the swarm of flies bothering their peacefulness. Most of them didn't pay attention to the youngster and were only glancing at him as indifferent as the rest of the folks in the valley. The gazelle passed close to the biggest of them, who huffed suddenly, granting to him an unwelcomed interest.

“Go back to where you came from, you fragile little thing." He ordered with a loud, deep voice.

These blunt words took Nasiru by surprise. He stopped his relentless procession to observe this imposing monster who, unlike the others, didn't ignore him. His muscles were powerful, and his filthy body covered with huge scars, proofs of his uncountable battles for his survival. One of his horns was broken, crowning a weary but confident gaze.

“Why would I comply?" His youthful voice was fearful but also resolute. “I'm free to travel wherever I want."

“Further away is the Cheetah territory." The old gnu were speaking boorishly as he was still grazing. “If I and my mates allow ourselves to have a pleasant walk in there to trash their cute faces, I don't think you would do better than being a wandering snack."

“Perhaps is it exactly what I want?" Nasiru answered without hesitation.

“Oh… I see in your hopeless, empty eyes you're not lying." He giggled before he continued with a slightly ironic tune. “A suicidal gazelle, eh? It's the first time I've seen this. You have more balls than most of your kind, that's for sure. I love your insanity."

“Go fuck yourself," the bovine cursed as he walked away.

“Don't forget to stick your cute little horns in the belly of one of them before snuffing it!"

Frustrated, Nasiru resumed his journey, muttering about this annoying interruption. He could hear the group mocking him behind, laughing and spitting bad words at him like the others. Their opinion and judgement had no meaning to the young male, even if he knew that his project was foolish. He had nothing left in this land he once called 'home'. Nobody there was expecting more from him than disappearing from the fiends who were the architects of his hell.

Indeed, there were no lies in his words, and the truth was clear to him. The only solution for everyone to be happy and find forgiveness was to die devoured by the predators who killed his siblings. This was what he was looking for in these forbidden lands.

Not so far away, was lying on a rock a young cheetah, in the shadows of the grove of his tribe. He was lounging nonchalantly, only waiting for the time to pass all day along. The hunger tore his stomach, but not enough for giving him the will to hunt for his pittance by himself. The sole idea was feeling awful to him, and he was already spending his energy into grooming his soft golden fur and his scarred paw. His lost claws had healed long ago, but the deep pain he was suffering was still strong.

Rolling on himself by boredom, stretching his legs in a long, loud groan, he resumed to watch his daily show. He had been observing a little, dirty puddle for a few days at the very bottom of his throne. A fish was struggling in pain within it, wiggling full of foolish energy. The cheetah's eyes, exhausted by the sloth, couldn't avert from this fascinating scenery. Death would inevitably take it soon as the water level would reduce and make it too thin for it to breathe. This tragedy was subjugating the predator who was enjoying with delight such a hopeless, vain survival.

“How much time, my little friend?" He said to himself. “How much time will you battle your own fate?"

He stood still, absorbed by its gesticulation, while he let himself drown in a pleasant slumber. His thoughts were like the ghost of his past, wrapping their paws around him in a warm embrace. The feline didn't notice the intruder in his den and the sounds of hooves on the dust until the fruity smell of fear reached his snoot.

This scent was delicious, delicate, and sweet. The cheetah opened his eyes and saw him a few metres away. Nasiru was there, standing straight. The hot wind from the savannah was bringing his flavour towards him.

“Who are you?" The predator asked with curiosity, surprised such a cheeky prey dare to enter the territory of his mortal enemy.

The gazelle couldn't answer so much the sight of his executioner was scaring him. His body was standing quietly, expressing a false feeling of calm and bravery despite being paralyzed by a feral horror.

“What insanity could have brought you here?" The cheetah went down on the rock with agility, not deceived by this posture. “I can smell your panic from here, your delightful scent of rotten fruit."

The feline looked as much gorgeous as dangerous to the prey, frightened by his sharp fangs and his powerful muscles. It was obvious to the young gazelle that he couldn't flee, even if he would have wanted. This strong maw would grab his neck and cut his veins, before his deadly claws would slice his belly. Then this vicious predator would feed himself with his flesh, opening the gate of his redemption.

It was finally time.

“I-I…" He tried to expose his request.

“You?" His executioner lifted an eyebrow, not impressed.

“Devour me, please!" Nasiru finally screamed in a sudden momentum of bravery.

A long silence followed this demand, only broken by the struggling sounds of the fish behind. The two animals crossed their gaze with intensity, each of them gauging the other until the feline slowly smiled.

“Are you kidding me?!" The cheetah puffed before he roared with laughter.

Such an unexpected reaction. The bovine knew that his request would be incongruous, but to be mocked this way…

“Please, I beg you." He insisted not understanding.

“Nope!"

The feline sat onto the dirt and undertook to lick his paw again, obviously amused by such nonsense. He was facing with indifference the growing desperation who were flowing from the eyes of the prey and hit the ground with a rain sound.

“Why would I kill you?" He asked coldly.

He dug his jade eyes deep into Nasiru's ones, penetrating them as his fangs would have done if he had any will to fulfil that absurd need of death.

The youngster was even more disconcerted by his enemy's behaviour and words. He asked to himself within the blurry veil of his mind: “Wasn't this what predator do? Killing their prey and devour them in a bloody, perverse insanity?". He was before a desired destiny refused to him at the very end. His legs staggered as the doubt was flooding his thoughts.

“Why?" He asked in a begged way, “Am I so insignificant and cursed that even you, my mortal enemy, refuse to eat my flesh?"

The cheetah didn't answer and stayed quiet in front of the young male. The feline was thinking about how such foolishness could happen. This wasn't right for him.

“It's not conceivable," Nasiru whispered in disappointment, not understanding as he hardly lay down, exhausted.

“Are you seeking death so much that you can stand before my refusal?" The predator asked softly.

“I travelled so long to find one of your kind," the youngest let go out all his despair in tears, “and now you're refusing my flesh. Am I so disgusting to this world that I am also so to your eyes?"

“No," sighed the feline, tired of this pitiful representation, “You just fell on the only one who will never hurt you whatever you're telling him."

“Why?" Nasiru begged, “I only want…"

“I swore I would never kill again!" the feline yelled, losing composure before such an annoying stubbornness.

“But I deserve it!" The gazelle screamed in anger, making a step of uncontrolled defiance.

The golden furred male felt his own anger growing like a beast enraging in him. He clenched his fangs, trembling as he was trying to keep himself calm. A long exhalation gave him the control he needed not to kick his visitor out of his den. Then he watched once again the puddle behind him. The fish was still struggling there, trying to live, when a defeated soul was nagging in front of him, well-groomed and healthy, to get death. Such an insanity didn't deserve any compliance, but something was bugging him, a deep doubt interfering with his resolution.

He came closer to the bovine, sighing. Something was making him run away from life and, at least, he wanted to know the reason for such a heresy. So, he sat down in front of him and nuzzled his front head to help him calm down.

“What's your name, little one?" He asked in a resigned, kind voice.

“N-Nasiru," he answered hardly, his voice cut by his tears.

“Mine is Vuka."

The cheetah laid down and groomed his fur for a moment, waiting for his visitor to stop crying. The gazelle was even more disconcerted by his sudden caring; this was so unreal to him.

“Tell me now," resumed the feline as he tried to smile the best he could. “Why do you wish death so much?"

Nasiru eased off. The exhaustion and disappointment were so high that he couldn't feel any fear or will anymore. He watched the floor an entire minute under the patient gaze of his ancestral enemy, before finally open his maw again, putting order in his mind.

“I…" His lips were struggling to pronounce the words flooding him with guilt, “I killed my brothers and sisters… during the last wet season."

“I doubt it," reacted Vuka with no hesitation. “If a gazelle murdered their own kind, I would know about it. All the savanna would have gossiped about it."

“I did not kill them myself," he completed his words, a bit hurt by such direct words, “at least, not how you do. I've always been reckless, and, on this day, I ventured too far from the herd. Your rabble noticed me and, as I was panicking, they tracked me to our hideout and attacked my whole family. These monsters ate my siblings right in front of my eyes."

The bovine was crying again, his tears burying in the dry dirt. Vuka kept observing him with mixed feelings. The natural order running the savanna was making this event common, but, as awful as this could be, everyone was accepting fate religiously. This gazelle was now rejecting this fundamental principle of life and wanted to put an end to himself. The feline's anger faded, replaced by compassion and sympathy.

“I'm not like them." He simply said.

This response took aback Nasiru. A predator not taking pleasure in hearing about its own lust? He was staring at him without saying more. His eyes were telling something alien, an unexpected kindness and warmth. The expression of the feline softened when the fear of the bovine was fading. The herbivore had to accept this reality; he would have to live another day.

The cheetah looked at his scarred paw. His lost claws were still painful and seeing this lost soul struggling was strengthening up the pain. He clenched it, remembering memories he would have preferred to forget. The fate was ironic.

“You…" Vuka hesitated. “You are not the only one that the lifecycle has broken."

“How?" the youngster asked with an indifferent curiosity.

The feline glanced at the puddle again, the fish still fighting his eventual death with all its strength.

“Why don't people leave me alone as I'm waiting for the water to dry out?"

“Uh?" Nasiru wasn't understanding.

“Never mind," the cheetah huffed with a quiet voice. “What is your plan now that you know I won't fulfil your request?"

“I don't know, to be honest." He answered, as depressed as he was before. “I will surely resume my travel to find another of your kind. Hopefully, I will be luckier with the next one. Otherwise, I heard about a cliff not far away…"

The gazelle stood up hard and made a few steps towards the edge of the grove. Something in his determination was fascinating to the feline. His hooves were looking damaged by a long trip on a sharp path. With close observing, he noticed the bruises under the fur, signs of the recent bullying he surely had suffered. Despite such difficulties, he was still walking towards his death, facing his worst nightmare for that. He was wrong; there was no cowardice in this broken soul.

“Hold on!" Vuka called him out before he gets out of the den; an idea crossed his mind.

“What again?" Nasiru's eyes were tired.

“I want to show you something before you reach your final destination."

The gazelle wasn't sure, but the eyes of the golden fur hunter were expressing something strange, warm, and melancholic. He felt suddenly in the deepest part of his heart, as he was drowning himself in his pupils of jade, an amber glowing despite being almost extinguished. This comfortable feeling wasn't unpleasant, but for a second, he doubted. Vuka noticed that and exploited this momentum.

“Let me go with you to the cliff," he asked with confidence. “I'll guide you."

“Why?" the gazelle asked, annoyed at such a weird, confusing animal. “If you don't want to kill me or answering my question clearly, I have nothing to do with you."

“I want to show what is at the bottom of the cliff you talked about." The cheetah approached with grace to the bovine, nuzzling him as he was passing by him. “You'll still be able to fulfil your death with after, but I'm sure it will interest you."

“I-I'm not sure…" The herbivore was hesitant; a strange new feeling was making his determination tottering.

“This will answer your question."

They crossed their eyes again and Vuka felt invaded again by the spectral fangs of the feline. But instead of fear, he felt something he thought he would have never felt again—hope. He swallowed with difficulty before he nodded and followed him.

They left the den and took the direction of the Arid Hills in silence. The other animals were watching this odd representation: a predator and a prey, walking side by side, in the savannah in peace. The cheetah was aware of the rumours which would spread, but he was indifferent to all these things. His companion noticed their excessive interest.

“I realise that walking together like this isn't a common event, but do they have to stare at us?" He asked, uncomfortable by such attention.

“Ignore them," the cheetah suggested. “The animals in this part of the valley take the Cycle more seriously."

Nasiru wasn't sure how to respond. The Cycle wasn't really something his herd told him about. He learned prey were to be hunt and to survive the best they could, but he had never really considered that any sane people would worship this. It sounded more like a fatalist story for justifying a harsh reality.

“Are we committing some kind of crime?" Nasiru questioned, understanding the implications of the feline's words.

“Oh, yes!" He confirmed, amused. “A huge one."

After an hour of roaming within the tall grasses of the valley, the duo reached the Whispering Ravine. Nasiru had heard about this place during his childhood; his father told him it was the Beyond, but he wouldn't have believed it was truly existing so much it sounded unreal. His eyes were seeing the mysterious mist filling up the huge depths of this gigantic crack in the World's flesh. The wind was complaining from them, accompanied by the screams of the hundred vultures living on the walls.

“What… what is this place, Vuka?" He asked to his guide.

“The Beyond," the feline answered in a hesitant voice, “The graveyard of the valley if you prefer."

Nasiru felt confused again, but he didn't ask more, feeling his questions would find answers soon. They took a steep path going along the cliff, descending into the crack. The atmosphere was heavy, becoming darker and creepy as much as they deepened in the guts of rocks and dirt. The bovine was fearful, still not understanding why they came here. At the bottom, they entered a tunnel which led to a large hollow, smelling strangely good.

“We've arrived, young gazelle."

Vuka pointed his clawed paw towards a dead tree on which a vulture was sleeping. She was old, and her feathers looked damaged, ravaged by the time. The oppressing sounds of the ravine weren't reaching them anymore, replaced by a mystic silence.

They approached quietly, and the elder woke up, noticing their arrival. She deployed her wings and shook her plumage.

“Oh… Vuka." She shook herself to get out of her slumber, before chattering her beak. “I didn't expect you to come back so soon."

“I have something to explain." He answered casually. “I thought showing 'it' would help me express my message."

“I see…" Her eyes turned toward the gazelle, with suspicion. “Who is this soul? You should be aware these dedicated grounds are out of limit. You shouldn't be here yourself."

The gazelle disliked not being asked directly, but he stayed quiet, only scratching the ground. The place was holy, and this vulture was surely its guardian. He didn't want to make things harder for his companion, as their presence was already a transgression.

“His name is Nasiru." He explained with respect. “He's a lost soul, and I'm giving him answers. I know I demand a lot for you, my friend, but I want to give him the same peace as you gave me in the past."

“I grant you your wish then," she nodded. “But stay sure that no sleeper moves. We don't want to disturb the dead."

“Thank you, Elder."

The duo resumed their walk and penetrated within the graveyard. The Beyond was an immense, deep pit in which thousands and thousands of skeletons were resting. Gnus, lions, giraffes, gazelles, birds… All the species of the savannas had a representative in this macabre accumulation. Each corpse was clearly discernible, perfectly cleaned, and dropped off with deference in a posture of serenity. Prey and predators here looked equal and in peace.

“What… no, who have we come to see?" Nasiru asked in haste.

“My family."

Vuka's voice was melancholic, weak. A shiver ran through the herbivore's spine, like a lightning in the clouds. He knew from this moment how much this predator couldn't fulfil his request; he too had lost his most precious treasure. Now craving to know, he swallowed and kept following the feline with an energy and an interest he thought he would never have recovered.

The cheetah was bouncing between the graves in haste, without waiting for the gazelle, who was struggling to follow the graceful male. He almost stumbled because of the infinite stones and bones scattering the ground. The screams from the sky were accompanying them in this last procession, to the same destination Nasiru was seeking before, but as a living. The feline stopped suddenly.

Vuka's gaze faded, losing its light. In front of them were five corpses: one adult and four cubs. Nasiru understood. He was contemplating what was lasting for his guide's wife and children.

“Are they your family, aren't they?" He asked, knowing the answer.

“Yes." the cheetah answered weakly. “They died six moons ago, by my fault."

“It's awful…" The eyes of the young male were filling up with tears.

Such a tragedy. He felt horrified. Vuka was suffering the same hellish pain and had to live with this guilt of surviving, too.

“W-what happened?" He dared to ask.

“A hunt went bad… extremely bad." The cheetah was smiling while crying. “My kittens were admiring me, expecting I impressed them each day more. Someday, I chose the wrong prey, too strong, too vengeful. The herd crushed them with their hooves in the chaos I triggered. All of them."

“The gnus…" Nasiru remembered.

“Yes, the gnus… They've been attacking my kind since then, again and again, trying to keep us far from the rest of the valley. Or they're just playing with us, I'm not sure."

Vuka sat down and turned his muzzle toward his guest, gazing at him with weariness.

“I swore I wouldn't kill again." He took a breath, his voice cut by tears. “I can't. I don't want anymore."

“I…" The gazelle wasn't sure about what he should say. “I'm sorry."

Nasiru couldn't speak, feeling awful at having asked for such atrocity. His own guilt disappeared from his mind, becoming a huge unfairness. He was upset, angry against the world.

They stayed silent a long time, observing the bones before leaving together, coming back to the entrance. The old vulture was still there, watching them walking slowly from the highest branch of the tree.

“Are you already leaving?" The elder asked with a smile on his beak.

“Yes, we are." Vuka answered weakly.

“Hopefully, you found success in explaining to this insolent that going against the Cycle could not bring him the serenity he was seeking." The vulture was staring at Nasiru with judgement.

“So, you knew." The gazelle noted.

“There is nothing we can't know." He cleaned his feathers, making fall one of them. “We are the eyes of the sky, the teeth of the Beyond and the guardians of the valley. We are everywhere, Nasiru. Like the Cycle."

Nasiru pondered these words with attention. One of them were surely following him during his journey, waiting to claim his flesh and bring him to this place.

“Elder?" He asked, pensive about what he saw in the graveyard. “Why do we unite in the death, but not in the life? Why should we kill each other with such brutality?

Vuka turned over to watch Nasiru, surprised. Their gaze crossed, and the feline saw something he wasn't expecting. He was seeing life; a strong flame was burning deep in the gazelle. A couple of hours ago, this spark was almost extinguished. He had intended to teach him to accept his destiny, not to rebel against it again.

“That's a good question, little one." The guardian looked intrigued, but also was expressing content. “Why? A lot would say that is fate, the nature of the universe."

“Who said that?" Nasiru was confident. An idea was birthing in the depth of his soul.

“No one." The vulture replied without hesitation. “All has always been this way."

“What would happen if someone decided not to care, to choose another path? Nothing, right?" His idea was becoming a conviction.

Before the Elder had the time to answer, Vuka intervened.

“What are you trying to do, gazelle?" He asked roughly, upset. “You have obviously something in mind. Speak high and clear."

Both looked at each other, their tail and ears raised with defiance. Nasiru was in a furore, but not a destructive one. This was a new strength which was birthing, a new life.

“Vuka," His voice wasn't anymore the one of a young man. He was confident, powerful and somewhat charming for the feline. “I saw you watching the fish, the one who was fracking dying within this dirty puddle. I'm sure you were waiting for death too, weren't you?"

“W-what?" the feline stammered, caught out.

“Tell me… Why must we force ourselves this live with this awful pain?" His eyes were biting the predator. “Why must we live in this rotten world which only wants us to slaughter each other? We both want to kill ourselves, and we're failing to do that."

He laid down, inhaling deeply before resuming his statement. The golden fur male stayed silent.

“I went to you by cowardice to do it myself, and all I found was someone as pitiful and coward as I am."

Vuka felt stabbed in the chest as if his horn stroke him deep. His heart was bleeding, the blood of his souls dropping on the arid dirt.

“Let's fuck this shitty world and screw everyone who tries to force to respect this eternal, bloody order."

Both stared at each other in silence, the feline not knowing how to react. Nasiru, as fragile as he was, expressing such stunning vitality. The old vulture coughed and smoothed his feathers while admiring this representation. She felt it was finally the right time to answer Nasiru's last question.

“Nothing forbids it," she confirmed. “Absolutely nothing."

The gazelle smiled in relief and left without a word. Vuka followed like a zombie. He didn't know what to think about this. His belief broke and the resolution about the fatality of the Cycle was fading, waking up the pain he closed within his heart. His tears couldn't stop flowing, leaving a trail of despair behind them.

As the cheetah was feeling on the verge of collapsing in the dirt, Nasiru felt full of life, determined to rebel against this awful doctrine with the consent of the Elder. The Cycle took them everything. They had no reason to keep going as before.

Suddenly, reaching the summit of the cliff, the feline collapsed hardly on the floor, crying.

“Such an annoying prey you are…" He complained, flooding the dirt with his sadness.

“Vuka…" The gazelle approached to him. “We lost everything we loved. Your kind surely hate you as much as I am on my own."

“That's true…" He buried his muzzle within in paws. “They don't understand."

“What do we have left beside this guilt rotting us so deep?" Nasiru asked, caressing his shoulder with his hoof.

“Nothing…" He tried to dry his tears. “Like you, I'm too coward for ending myself."

The bovine laid down next to him, curling up against his chest in a mark of affection he wasn't understanding fully.

“You know…" He began his explanation, his voice filled with compassion. “The fish you were admiring… They cover themselves with a mud shell when the water disappears. Then they wait for the rain to come back for swimming free again."

Vuka realised what he was meaning. He was waiting for his death, while this fish, on the edge of his own life, was fighting to the edge. Each day, he was struggling more, and he would survive in the end, filled with faith.

“They were trying to survive, even if they were losing everything." He whispered, concluding his companion's words. “What do you suggest, Nasiru?"

“Let's ignore our packs and leave, to live without them. We don't need them, anyway." He waved out to push his declaration, like repelling a swarm of flies.

“I still eat corpses, though." He averted his eyes, expecting a reprobation.

“It's better than killing. No family to disappoint. No parents to threaten or get killed. No potential friend to eat."

Vuka stared at his companion. He was serious. 'Such a fool', he was thinking, but at the sight of his clawless paw, his suggestion was tempting. Living as he was doing had no more interest for him now.

“We can't erase the past, you know." He told him, recovering.

“We can ignore it." The gazelle replied without hesitation.

“You were begging me to slice your throat a couple of hours ago." Vuka puffed. “The sun and the despair grilled your tiny brain."

Nasiru turned his head, playing as if the feline hurt his ego, but the outcome was pleasing him.

“You're weak, whatever you could say." The feline continued with a smirk. “Without pack, you're dead. You need my protection."

“So, you're in?"

They gazed at each other friendlily and nodded. No more words were required anymore. They stood up and helped each other to walk for a new foolishness.

None of them returned to their clans.

The gnus resumed their raid, denied of the pleasure of mocking the death of a foolish gazelle.

Vuka's siblings were worried about his departure but also were relieved not having to feed this boulder anymore.

Nasiru's herd didn't care not seeing him coming back, more pleased by his disappearance.

None in the savanna believed this strange story about a predator and a prey roaming at the border of the valley together.

They were alone, free, now far from their homelands to live their own way. Both were protecting each other against the harsh Cycle they were fighting with all their will. Happiness was filling their heart, even more content of the words the few witnesses told at their sight; “unnatural friendship", “aberrations", “a naïve prey deceived and fattened". A great number of them only seen malicious trick or unholy behaviour. This judgement was a blessing for the duo.

One night, before the first tears of the sky, they were lying down close to water, within a remote oasis far from the valley at the gate of the Sands. The atmosphere was still warm, thick from the scent of the fruits and the herb. Thousands of the stars were scattering the firmament, the two companions huddling together with affection.

Nasiru glanced at his companion, a beautiful male, always here for him. So much time had passed since they met, and he could barely remember his earlier past. Life was intense with him, adventuring together for their survival and overcoming their trials in a romantic passion. He felt satisfied, the hole in his heart fixed with something he had never enjoyed before discovering him.

“I am so happy, my friend." He whispered softly, licking his neck with a deep affection.

“Me too." Vuka smiled sincerely and answered the gazelle's caring with a caress of a rough tongue.

“I wouldn't have expected three moons ago that the solution of our ordeals would be this simple." He nuzzled his companion, letting his deep, warm emotions expressing in his voice.

“Choosing to go against your teachings, the natural order you lived in from your birth, isn't easy, you know?" The feline sniggered, scratching his cheek with embarrassment. “Even if I had tried to fight against them for long already, even by starting a family."

“What do you mean, exactly?" Nasiru asked with surprise, his ears high, showing a habit his friend was knowing very well.

“Well…" Vuka began, averting his eyes toward the reflection of the moon in the water. “When I was a teenager, I didn't really want to mate a female. It wasn't my alley, you know."

“Not the type to be interested in sex, you're saying?" A grin was drawing on his face. “You've still passed a lot of time to 'groom' your sweet parts lately."

“I said I was not interested in females." He paused awkwardly, noticing that his companion smiled even wider. “My mother wasn't leaving me any choice. I was to give offsprings to the clan and respect the Cycle as all my ancestors did."

“Despite that, you told me that your mate and children were wonderful and that you loved them deeply in your heart." This sudden revelation was slightly confusing Nasiru. “You even wanted to join them in death; I remember clearly."

“Going against my nature doesn't prevent me from loving the fruit of my flesh and cherish them until my end." His gaze was melancholic, even his eyes were obviously trying to express something warm.

Vuka came closer to the bovine and brushed his neck softly with his nose, inhaling his scent deeply. A prey approached and touched this way would fear for its life, but not Nasiru anymore. His trust was complete after their long journey. He was welcoming the snuggle of his companion, happy and comfortable under the sky.

“You freed me from this destiny, Nasi." He pushed him with his muzzle, making him lie on his back to express his desire at will. “The water came back to fill my puddle up, allowing me to get out of my hard shell. I'm not sad anymore with you."

They shared an instant of felicity, watching each other, not leaving the glowing fire burning in the depth of their souls. Nasiru wrapped the cheetah in a warm embrace, full of affection and gratefulness.

“Me too, I love you, Vuka." He confessed with confidence, pulling his companion's head toward his with his forelegs, slowly.

They kissed, caressing each other's lips with passionate licks, increasing in intensity as much as their desire was increasing.

Bushes and trees were rolling their eyes: an envious heresy for a few, an attraction for the curious, a cute transgression for the others. No one stopped them; these two beings with destinies cursed by the unfairness of the Cycle were taking their revenge on their own destinies.

At this very moment, the world ceased to exist. They could embrace only one reality—the soft texture of each other's tongue rubbing and sharing their affection.

The full moon was rising in the sky, lighting up the oasis with its lit rays. Nasiru and Vuka wrapped themselves with the air warm air, filled with the sweet scent of the dates. The slapping of the water was barely covering the loving melody of the couple, grooming each other with sensuality. The quiet chore of the witnesses and chants on the insects was the orchestra accompanying a new chapter.

Their passion and mutual desire were undoubtful, as their muzzles were visiting each other with privacy and were brushing their maleness. Laying down on a soft carpet of leaves, their legs were wide open to the other's caring. Tongues and paws were caressing each other's fur and chest, their moans fleeing into the breeze.

“It's been so long since I was waiting this…" Vuka whispered, taking his time to pleasure his love.

“Me too, silly." Nasiru was also giving the feline all the care he deserved, drawing his roundness carefully.

Within this concert of groans and intimate sounds, the cheetah took this occasion to observe his mate's privacy without interrupting his licking. His lover's testicles were cute, small, their black skin covered by his clear fur. His sheath was longer and thinner, different from his, hiding a penis he had never seen of this shape.

He licked its entire length, wrapping it with ease, himself shivering as the bovine was exploring his barbs. Such a felicity to finally expressing their deep feelings, this appeal he felt from the moment he woke up to the reality.

Nasiru was also enjoying this moment; this was the final of his misery. He couldn't help himself but thinking about this past fading by swallowing the sweet fruit of his lover's arousal. He was taking a delightful pleasure in feeling each part of the predator's privacy, drawing the unusual curves that only his kind could appreciate until this heresy happened.

The time was speeding down as much as the rhythm of their heartbeats were increasing, giving the tempo of their pleasure. Their feelings were blowing up, mind lost into a concerto of lust, love and gestures. Their bodies were dancing faster as much as the final were closer.

“Nasiru, wait!" The cheetah almost screamed, struggling to keep his hips standing still.

“W-what's up?" The gazelle panted, not sure how to react, his instinct commanding him to continue until their release.

With no answer, the feline stood up and made a few steps before crouching, lifting his golden tail to reveal another part of his privacy. A stroke of love hit the bovine, his arousal reaching a summit which dropped into the group.

“Please, take me now, under these stars." His lover begged.

“Oh, Vuka!"

Nasiru jumped on his legs and bounced on the back of his mate. He nuzzled him, crying of happiness, and sniffed deeply into his fur. His thin legs were wrapping around the warm chest of his male, in which echoed the same beats as himself. His rode was brushing the feline's round sack, eager to deliver together the outcome of their deep feelings.

“Be gentle, please." The cheetah asked with a very soft voice. “I… I never did it like this and… I won't last long, I think."

“It's okay, my love." His partner was licking his ears, resting on his back as Vuka laid on the ground. “We will have plenty of new opportunities. Each night the Cycle will let us live."

“Under each moon and sun…"

“Together…"

“…Forever!"

Once these words were told, Nasiru settled their oath by penetrating his lover in a deep moan of pleasure as he could feel the most private part of his mate, deeply. Vuka himself almost screamed, blushing with embarrassment, hiding his muzzle with his paws.

“Cute… A-ah!" The bovine, without thinking, was already making him love, his sheath pulled down fully as he was thrusting deeply into his lover, not able to stop even if he wanted. He locked his hooves into the ground, embracing his lover, to love him the best he could, panting loudly as much as his partner. Both were living a pure heaven, far from the issues of the world, not caring for anything.

“Oh, fuck!" The cheetah was still hiding into his forepaws. “This is so much better than what I imagined."

“Me too, more than any of my dreams" He sped up with waves of pleasure running through his spines. His tail was high, and his thighs slapped softly with the twitching of his lover's one. The fluid of their love was flowing, covering their fur, with an unknown smell invading their noses.

They couldn't wait more; they both wanted it for long.

“Ah… Vuka, I'm coming!"

“Me too! Please, don't stop!"

They were moaning and screaming as their emotions blew up in their bodies, making them reach the edge and met the climax of their lovemaking. The bovine pushing the most he could, releasing in a pure expression of happiness his seed, his neck stretched, resting on the feline's back. He was trembling, his sperm spreading on the sand rock. During the last seconds of the blaze, they kissed softly on each other, enjoying the last remnants of pleasure waving into them.

Exhausted, happy and dizzy, they felt on their side and rested on the leaves of their little nest. Without more words, listening to the lullaby of the breeze, they felt asleep, snuggling each other, in peace.

When the sun raised, warming the savannah with its blazing rays, the couple had already left the oasis travelling towards the east. They walked long, far away from the most remote tribe of animals, until they met their true destination.

They sat at the top of a cliff, close to each other, cuddling lovingly as they were admiring the never-ending sea of golden sand of the End of the World.

“Here we are." Vuka said in a breath.

“So, this is it? The End of the World?" Nasiru was as afraid as amazed by the infinite desert spreading in front of him, sinking into the horizon.

“Yes." The cheetah was staring at the sand, pensive.

“Tell me, Vuka. Why are we here?" The eyes of the bovine were full of fear and hope, wondering about his fate.

The feline laid down, crossing his paws, inviting his lover to do the same. He took his hoof and caressed it with his paw pads softly. His jade gaze dived into Nasiru's one, expressing a faithful dream and a total confidence.

“You see," He started with a confident voice. “When I was a kitten, my father shared with me an old story. It has been generations that our elders have taught this tale to our offsprings. This is quite insane but, we are insane now, aren't we?"

“Well, yeah," confirmed his lover.

“According to these teaching, our ancestors came from an unknown land, on the other side of the desert." He noticed the eyebrow of the gazelle lifting with these last words. “Actually, it's not the End of the World, only a big land of nothing. I don't know exactly how they made it, but they found a way."

“Eating each other, and drinking the blood of the weak, I guess." Nasiru's hope faded like a pound of water at midday.

“Perhaps, but…" Vuka lifted his paw, about to make a so important revelation that Nasiru rolled his eyes in expectation, “where they came from, animals were living differently. Without this 'Cycle of Life' bullshit."

“Are you serious?" The gazelle's eyebrow raised even higher.

“Yeah." He pointed by tilting his head. “My family were like somewhat believers running away from a 'moral deliquescence' or another shit like that. I don't know how were living the animals there but, anything sounds better than here. Here, we will have to endure the tribes, the vultures, and a constant predation."

“Yes," Nasiru nodded, “we would never be quiet in the valley."

“So…"

“… we should try our luck."

“Bingo!"

The feline smiled widely at his lover, who was very dubitative towards such enthusiasm to go forward towards death after all these weeks to have finally accepted life. But Nasiru was understanding the complex situation they were living in. At any moment, they could have to fight whose who fear the natural order to fall.

“Do you understand we could find no corpse there?" Nasiru's face was expressing this cold reality without emotion.

“I'm confident about the fact we will find some of them, but not all the time." His eyes were losing progressively their brightness.

“You've overcome your desire to eat meat here, but when you will starve, almost dying, what would happen?"

The cheetah couldn't answer, not sure about this. He knew the instinct of survival could be powerful, and he had almost failed to respect his resolution in the past during days of fasting. Nasiru was observing his lover's doubts, and kissed him, breaking the panic which was expressing on his cute face.

“You can." Two simple words said with an intense softness.

“What?" Vuka wasn't sure to have understood.

“You can eat me if we reach the point we need to survive." He clarified. “I want you to reach this land of freedom you're talking about."

“But I want to make it with you!" Vuka was in horror.

“Me too, so I will kick your muzzle and break your fangs if your try to eat me before we reach the edge." He smiled at the idea.

“You have changed so much." The feline sighed, knowing it was useless to resist.

“You too, you have."

The couple made love once again under the clear sky, not knowing the guardians of the valley were observing them. Some would say that they wanted to stop them from this foolishness and brought them into the rank. Others would say they wanted to recognise their bravery. They left once the couple reached the horizon and came back to the Graveyard. Had they blessed them or cursed them, banishing them in the shadows? No one would ever know.

The cheetah and the gazelle left at the dawn, no one there to bid them farewell. They didn't know if they would survive this last journey. They who had fought their own fates and the will to put an end to their pain took the risk of ending their dream for better days.

Nobody would ever know if they made it.

There was no testimony.

But the Goddess would remember a love who had transcended two being towards true freedom.