PRESS SPACE ELEVEN TIMES BEFORE CONTINUING STORY BELOW I paced the den rapidly. Umbani and Umlilo tumbled around me, paws locked together as they wrestled. I continued to flicker my gaze towards them, trying to pretend I didn't care that they wouldn't let me join them. It didn't help. I did care. But I wouldn't let them know that no matter what. "GRAWR!" Something slammed into me. I yelped as I was carried off my paws. Tiny claws stung beneath my fur, and I was pinned to the dirt, Umbani's idiot face grinning inches from my own. "Got ya good that time!" he cackled gleefully. "Whatever," I mumbled. I had long since learned that arguing with my brothers was simply no use. Umlilo let out a purr of satisfaction. "You're so weak, Gijima!" he declared. "Don't you ever defend yourself? Or do you only RUN?" He purred louder, Umbani joining in. I decided not to point out that the pun on my name made no sense whatsoever as I hadn't even ran when they attacked. Not that I wouldn't have if I'd had the chance. But I rarely did have the chance to do anything when those two were involved. Umbani and Umlilo laughed for an unnecessarily long time, considering that the 'joke' made no sense. I finally had enough and curled up and a corner, covering my head with my paws and trying to get comfortable. Umbani and Umlilo continued their rough games. I peeked enough to see them, rolling all around the den until their reddish fur was caked with dust. I winced as a cloud of grit was kicked up into my face. Blinking it out of my eyes, I continued to watch my brothers, rather wistfully. I shook my head. I should just stop gaping and get some rest, I decided. But my tall, tufted ears continued to tilt towards my siblings, even after I closed my eyes. "Umbani! Umlilo! Stop that at ONCE!" I awoke to an explosion of sand into my fur and lifted my head to find my brothers kicking the pale grains in my direction. Mother had entered the den, a gazelle dangling from her jaws. She dropped the prey and cuffed them each lightly over the head. "Leave your sister alone," she growled. Umlilo shrugged and Umbani grunted. I hissed softly at them and began lapping my pelt clean. They took no notice of me and started devouring the gazelle. Mother sighed. "Well, at least they'll be out of the den soon," she muttered, her eyes shining with amusement as she watched them fondly. "Gijima, are you hungry?" "Yes, Mother," I answered, suddenly aware of my rumbling stomach. I scrabbled across the den and tore into the gazelle with my brothers. The food tasted wonderful, and as I chewed, I thought about what Mother had said. I knew that our time with Mother was ending, but I didn't want to leave her. She'd taught us everything we'd need to know, though, and whenever we complained abut the subject, she'd launch into a speech about how all caracal kittens had to survive on their own someday, or at least without their mother. Swiping my tongued over my muzzle, I padded over to the corner of the den. Umbani and Umlilo began pouncing on various objects: the gazelle bones, feathers from our last meal, stick and leaf bits, my tail, and each other. I ignored them, wondering what it would be like if I wasn't so small. Whenever I asked mother why a was so much littler than my brothers, she always told me the same thing. She would look at me and tell me, "Gijima, you may be smaller than Umbani and Umlilo, but I named you for a reason. You are the faster than them, swift and light on your paws." But what good was speed? Mother put up with Umbani and Umlilo climbing all over her until the sun began to rise past the horizon. Then we all settled down and fell asleep. My brother slept pressing against each other. I slept a couple feet away. I tried to find slumber, but I just stared past the den exit and drifted into thought. When would we leave our territory? How soon? Why couldn't we all stay together? Eventually I drifted asleep, even though I had napped briefly at earlier. I slept more than my brothers, something they took advantage of. Far too many times had I awoken to a sudden pounce, swipe, or nip. I became more alert overtime, but I couldn't keep track of them while I slept. When I awoke, it was still day. The sun was approaching the sky's end, about to sink into rosy sunset. Mother was awake as well, watching us sleep. As I opened my eyes, she glanced swiftly at me before giving a slight nod. I padded outside the rocky den, breathing in the dry air. Mother had explained that we could survive a long time without water, but she always became anxious when the lake near which our den was built started getting lower. I leaped onto a pile of rocks, scrambling for nicks and dents to use as clawholds. I managed to hoist myself onto a small ledge, panting, before reaching my ore paws to grip the very tip of the stone heap. I grasped it firmly, but it crumbled away, showering gravel upon me. Unsteady, I thumped to the ground. Wincing, I lifted my head at the sound of Umbani's call. "Can't even stay on her paws!" I grunted. Why couldn't they at least sleep until dusk? It was practically dusk by now, I realized. I wished my brothers would just leave me alone no matter what. Umlilo sprang at me, aiming for my shoulders. I ducked away and scurried into the den. "Mother!" I wailed. "Play nicely, you two," she growled at them. "I'll go out to hunt later. You can horse around then." Umbani shot me a sinister glance that clearly stated what was on his mind. I made a mental note to find a good hiding place before Mother left. With a sigh, I slipped back out of the den and decided to practice my hunting skills. I padded into a patch of tall grass so that my brothers wouldn't be able to see me and looked around. There! A blossom on the end of a leafy stalk was the perfect target. Kicking my paws hard against the dusty ground, I launched into the air. My claws snatched the flower from its stalk like I'd seen Mother snatch birds from the air when they ventured near our den. I took the flower in my jaws and purred proudly. Maybe I truly would be ready when the time came for me to leave.
I was bored….so I started looking at caracal pictures….and the story formed in my head.
