Maddon's Bonfire Dance

It had been two years since the fire, two years of living in squalor while hiding from the humans who would kill us. They were certain that we were demons, monsters that required slaying. We were not monsters, and they were wrong to hunt us like animals. After all, it was they who had slaughtered the last ursus magnificus, those enormous bears with their dark fur and fearsome claws. We did not want to be hunted anymore. We had tried to make them understand, but it was no use.

Thus, I had fled my home for safety and for freedom. I'd spent many days trekking through the jungle until I'd found a small cave where I could hide, and here I'd remained ever since. The humans had never spotted me here within this rocky crevice out of reach of their spears and arrows. It was only Loka who knew where I hid, for she was my daughter and always followed me wherever I went. She seemed to have an inexhaustible curiosity about the world beyond our caves, so much so that she would often leave me to chase after some new discovery in our forest home. I worried when she left, but eventually her curiosity would always draw her back home again. As long as Loka could find her way back, then I would know she was safe.

Today promised to be a fine day outside my cave, so I ventured forth into the daylight to stretch my legs and gaze upon the world around me once more. The jungle sun shone brightly overhead; its light dappled through the canopy above in beautiful patterns of shadow. A gentle breeze made the leaves rustle together in a soothing melody that almost put me into a trance until...

"Papa! Papa!"

I turned towards my daughter's voice and saw her dash past one of our stone pillars before disappearing behind another one moments later. When her head poked out from around the corner once more, she waved at me excitedly. "Come look at this!"

"But where are you going?" I asked despite myself as she disappeared once more before appearing beside another pillar only moments later.*

"I'm following something," said Loka as she ran off yet again with a childlike glee to her steps and a mischievous glint in her eyes. This time though it took longer for her to reappear than last time before she shouted out to me once more from somewhere in the distance.* "You'll never guess what it is!"* She disappeared again after that final exclamation, leaving me alone in the clearing with only the sound of birds singing for company.*

The girl was always trying to show off whatever new thing she'd discovered at school recently or wanted to show me on some recent hunting trip or another of mine or hers; this looked like yet another one of them.* Curiosity drove us both forward in life; it filled us both with an eagerness towards each new challenge whether it be new monsters or new discoveries.* Was that what made me hesitate? Was that why I felt hesitant towards accepting whatever gift awaited me at the end of Loka's trail? Whatever it was, it sounded dangerous by its association with my daughter.* What if there were hunters nearby? What if they'd seen her? What if they were waiting just ahead in ambush? What if they were waiting right now?* All these thoughts raced through my mind as I listened intently for any sign that anyone else was there besides Loka.* When I heard nothing more than birdsong again however, I began walking cautiously toward where Loka had disappeared moments ago.* Whatever it was that she wanted to show me couldn't be worse than being taken by human hunters surely?* No matter how cautious I might need to be though, there was no denying the excitement welling up inside my chest as well; excitement at seeing whatever marvel awaited me on this day.* Nothing could take away from the joyous anticipation building up within my heart all because of my daughter's unending curiosity and enthusiasm for life.* Even if it meant being captured by hunters today didn't have to be a bad thing.* Anything was better than sitting around hiding all day long from people like those who'd killed our bear friends.* So when finally after minutes passed with no sign of danger ahead or danger following behind had appeared (and when no cries for help rose up from any other part of this jungle either), I began moving faster towards whatever awaited on the other side of these pillars surrounding me now.* My pace quickened even further still when a rustle alerted me first to movement behind another pillar nearby before soon after revealing Loka standing there before running off ahead once more with renewed vigour toward whatever lay before us both now amidst this green oasis surrounded by red earth and blue sky overhead; this place where we both belonged even if we sometimes felt trapped within its confines.* Soon enough too we were both standing upon a large rock protruding from underneath which we stopped running just long enough for me to ask one final time: "Where are you going?"*

* "You'll never guess what it is!"* Loka said once more before bounding off again into the bushes ahead leaving behind loose foliage fluttering gently back down onto the ground like soft raindrops falling down onto dry soil after a thunderstorm gone past.* For now though there seemed no storm ahead only bright sunshine streaming down onto everything beneath itself as if signalling some kind of happy event happening now between mother and daughter taking place far away from prying eyes and voices alike already lost amongst all this beautiful green wilderness around us both; this place where everything seemed wonderful and nothing could ever go wrong despite all those fears racing through my mind reminding me otherwise during those seconds lost in thought earlier just moments ago when we first arrived here together like one person becoming two separate beings lost inside their own worlds entirely separate from one another yet united by name and purpose otherwise bound together by blood forevermore via love forevermore especially on days like these where happiness seemed infinite in scope without limits whatsoever except... There among all this natural beauty something caught my eye contrasting sharply against all these green leaves surrounding us right now: something dark brown amid all these green leaves like someone having walked out here wearing their brown clothes amidst everyone else dressed in green clothing or something having happened instead maybe involving someone wearing brown clothes perhaps who got shot then died bleeding out everywhere except... except... Except nothing because what stood out most violently against all these green leaves wasn't anything supernatural or unnatural but something entirely natural appearing instead exactly as natural as everything else around us both just standing alone here within our own shadows cast down around us against a backdrop filled with sunlight overhead shining brightly down upon everything beneath including ourselves standing alone inside our own shadows detached from one another staring straight ahead at nothing visible but death itself looming over everything below unless... unless... Unless you chose not to see him there staring down at you instead somehow convinced yourself he wasn't really there right now staring down at you instead somehow forgetting he was even real hiding instead within your mind so much so perhaps hiding deep within yours until he decides his time has come hopefully not too soon considering how young your daughter is (just six years old) except... except... Except maybe you can't convince yourself he isn't there somehow not looking down at you instead staring directly back at you seemingly taunting you onward promising death should you move forward instead except... except... Except maybe you're wrong maybe death isn't real his promise isn't real either maybe his very existence won't force itself upon you directly instead allowing you all your freedom no matter how afraid your soul might feel right now trembling uncontrollably inside your skin under pressure squeezing out every last drop until nothing remains but fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear fear...