Their Call, Calico: The Series
Part Thirteen
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Based on Original Published Work by Author
☯ Legend on reading Calico’s Life:
☴ Indicator for dialogue: “ ”
☶ Indicator for thought, and lyrics: Italic Font
☱ Indicator for action: Bold Font or wording with quotations.
☳ Poems and Songs [ are indicated ]
☷ Names : Bold Italics
☵ Setting set inside: Brackets: {SETTING}/{BOLD}
{ As the fire dies down, each tigress proceeds to urinate on the pile of ashes reciting: “Chlorestigon, you have been found”, after completing their action.}
Tibaraa:
“ It is time for Calico to speak.”
Mornona:
“ That it is, Tibaraa. But first, like the brave kind that he is, let us give the pleasure of praise. Who is your leader, Pure Kinds?”
One Pure Kind:
“ It is… Calico? ”
A Pure Kind Maffa:
“ He saved us from the corrupt actions of our ruler, Rendemra, he is a warrior. He is… our emperor! I was wrong about you, sweet Calico. ”
Another Pure Kind:
“ I was wrong about you, Calico. ”
A group of Pure Kind Grubbies:
“ Please forgive us, oh great Emperor, Calico. ”
Another Pure Kind Maffa :
“ I was wrong! We have wronged you. Chlorestigon has shown us Calico.”
The Pure Kinds except Gammina, and Lemur give an acceptance proclaimation:
“ He has been accepted by the beams,
by the waters that run deep, and I, too,
who serve Cholesto, and the brother planet,
wet his fur with my tongue,
to accept the way of the sun!”
{ The Pure Kinds proceed to move up on the Circle to Calico to start licking his fur.
At first, Calico is overtaken by this complete leaf-turning of the villagers, but he realizes they have been trained to be subservient. As the first lick strides across his nose, Calico catches the tongue in his mouth.
This Licking Pure Kind is startled, and the Pure Kinds back away from Calico. }
A Pure Kind Maffa:
“ We have wronged you, I will bow so that you may beat me to a pulp, if it is in your best admiration to do so. ”
The Pure Kinds except Gammina, and Lemur:
“ Since the Juhikyops tolerate self-torture in order to demonstrate self-righteousness to others, we bow at your mercy. ”
Mornona unsheathes a grin to Tibaraa.
The Pure Kinds descend from the Circle and bow before Calico. Gammina behind the crowd of Pure Kinds has dozed off, and Lemur is sleeping next to her.
The tigresses have their eyes on the back of Calico’s neck to see where the core of his strength lies.
Calico:
“ I am… not your emperor… I am not your ruler… I am not, nor ever will be your one representation of Chlorestigon’s power… I am not, nor ever will be your atrium of worship, from what pulse grants you praise, a garnish to your personal value, a conductor of your roles and actions.
This empire, this village, these laws, these behaviors of obedience towards one of us over our good natures, each of our judgements, is over. This empire has met Antwon, and it is now time for our survival to truly be birthed.
I have spoken.
Chlorestigon has been found. ”
Joukostos:
“ A Village without a leader, a system, whatever shall we do?
How will we survive? ”
Nyeraz:
“ Where will my grubbies and I live, if we do not have to hunt and move from day to day? ”
Turotosa:
“ Generations have passed. I cannot bear-”
Mornona eyes Turotosa to not lay it on so thick.
Mornona:
“ Clannars, we need to be acknowledged of our purpose by our Calico, for he alone judges our fate — and the fate of all our kinds, this… this very moment! ”
Zajtra:
“ I will bow, because sweet Calico, I have mourned for your loss since the days of Komiak. For we had no choice but to serve under Rendemra’s power over our lives (she sweeps in, and bows before Calico).”
Zajtra glances back at Mornona, and she nods in approval, and the tigresses proceed to close in around Calico, to present their bows of virtuous praise.
Tibaraa:
“ Oh kind, Calico, gentle and wise. I know you have a passion for all who live by these trees and running streams. You will share our respect, as we have to all of you longer than the Village was ever known to exist. ”
Gammina’s eyes slowly begin to open as she observes pure kind rears ahead of her, and then stretches her neck to scope out from the side that they are all prostrating to Calico… {Gamina thinks: “and so are the tigresses in so close a range?”}.
She notices Lemur is out cold next to her, but she can’t move her back legs. Gammina hopes her lover is doing the right thing.
Calico:
“ We will live without single leadership, and we can share what we have with the tigresses. It is the least we can do, but do not harm any of us. Never display anger or rage to a panda or a tusked kind for that matter. ”
The Pure Kinds lift their heads in confusion.
Another Pure Kind Maffa:
“ Did I just hear Calico, correctly? ”
Mornona:
“ Clannars! Epuhza armisstra oh souffer! We are but humble guests. Thank you oh, Calico. ”
The Tigresses stand up, and deliver five long howling roars directed away from Calico.
Through the dragon gate, and off the remaining roofs the tigresses, the clannar tigers and grubbies harpoon like hail against the ground of the village.
Nyeraz:
“ Epalla trughussy, Omassa te, oh souffer! You are an excellent ruler, oh, Calico! ”
Joukostos rolls over on her back and growls up in the air.
Joukostos:
“ Epalla maguruss, mennuh keekee ( growls and laughs )! ”
Tibaraa runs, and soars over several of the bowing pure kinds to a hut, she notions two other grubbies to follow her. In seconds, they are out of a hut with a mattress, and they proceed to urinate all over it.
Tibaraa:
“ We claim this one! My old fatta of my fatta killed the gorilla whore family that slept here. We deserve this hut.
Oh thank you, Calico! You are blessed by the Juhikyops! Great praise! Mennuh keekee, Joukostos (she lets out a laugh in response). ”
Zajtra gets up, and her tail is quite playful, she eyes Calico and redirects her glance back to Mornona. On her way off the circle, she lets her tail brush up against Calico’s stomach. She then rubs against one of the melted Buddha statues, and walks around to greet her grubbies.
A Pure Kind Maffa:
“ What have you done, Calico? ”
Two tiger grubbies run out of this Pure Kind’s Maffa’s home with a mattress, and douse it with their ownership.
A Pure Kind Maffa and her Grubbies:
“ Our sleep nest, it has been defiled! This village will be defiled! ”
Another Pure Kind:
“ ( gets up to wonder as he smells something odious) They’re defecating in our sand garden! ”
Tibaraa:
“ It just felt right, my dearest apologies, pure kindship (she then urinates a few paces away). ”
{ The entering tigers wander over Gammina’s reclined body like a puddle between two points.
The Pure Kinds break away in shock as tigers and tigresses are freely entering their homes, taking out and toying with their personal objects, and playing with their persimmon mounds, and urinating… to what seems to be everywhere. }
Tibaraa:
“ First one to the fountains! ”
Zajtra:
“ Devour your words, Tibaraa! Epalla Masuffir etaemonorhae! ”
Tibaraa and Zajtra gallop and prance through the forest turf towards the Hall of the Fountains.
Mornona is enjoying the midday sun, and the bewildered reactions of the pure kinds on this oh-so lovely of days.
{ An older panda fatta of the Maffa Pure Kind, Kasawbo, still near the circle gazes up at Calico.}
Kasawbo:
“ Calico, Calico. You made a grave mistake. You gave them our belongings, and what did you expect the clannars to do? They are reaping the rewards of our valuables — what we have held dear to us.
We can no longer be in our homes, use our paints. They have defiled our existence, Calico! ”
Mornona walks around to Kasawbo and Calico, and lets her tail drag across Calico’s knee while eying Gammina.
Gammina’s temper is becoming unhinged, yet she still balances her emotions by clawing into the dirt a little ahead of her position.
Mornona:
“ Kasawbo-bo, you have placed your love in these…these gorilla whore things over your own…What is this? Is this misery I taste? (Mornona laughs, and lets her tail ruffle against Kasawbo’s nose as she leaps back onto the Circle). ”
{ A Pure Kind Maffa, Kasawbo’s grubby, now known as Gibansa, furiously returns with her grubbies donning feathers on her head from her, now destroyed, mattress to the Circle. }
Gibansa:
“ Kasawbobo, there is no home we can go back to. Our sleep nest has been removed of its sanitary condition. They even speak a language different than ours. Clearly, their intentions are not pure of heart or mind? ”
Mornona begins to define what Pure Kinds really mean to her. But, to her surprise, Calico stoops off of the Circle, and she begins pacing in an observation.
Calico:
“ Each kind has their own language, and though we have not realized, these kinds had to learn to adapt to ours. It is time to teach them our ways, and to learn from them. ”
Gibansa:
“ Calico, stand up. They are not here to help us, or to be our students.”
Mornona:
“ Help you? Help you! Do you know how much we have helped you for generations? You would have been dissected limb from limb, if you didn’t have us to tend to your needs! ”
{ The Pure Kinds storm back towards Calico, as more tigers enter in passed them: a collision of freedoms. }
Another Pure Kind:
“ Calico, refrain from this nonsense! Be a leader! You slaughtered Rendemra albeit not at his highest of points, but he governed the kinds for our best interests. We took you in, Calico! ”
Mornona:
“ You did not ‘take Calico in’, nor did any of you invite each other in. You were led, and now Rendemra is…dead ( Mornona falls on her back and growls in laughter )! ”
Joukostos:
“ Mornona (catches Mornona’s laughter), the pure kinds think that they controlled their lives on their own… As if the forest proclaimed, ‘panda you come right in’!
We are all powerless, get over yourselves! Though, we do have our advantages (Joukostos pounces in front of Gibansa and her grubbies causing them to lose their balance and fall backwards. Joukostos breaks into more laughter). ”
Mornona eases from her laughter and notices that the tigers and pure kinds are surrounding the Circle.
{ Gammina is beginning to push herself up, and like a poison dart driving through wind, debris and a thousand wasps, Calico’s eye wound is stabbed by the turbulent anger now visibly recognizable from his lover’s eyes, unto his own. }
Mornona widens her pacing, and sees several familiar clannars and friends from afar and gives growls and nods of salutation and love. She waits for the accumulation of kind body movement to collect, and then turns to Calico, and the other Pure Kinds.
Mornona:
“ Everyone… everyone wants power… it is as clear as the next sun, the next, and the new death which we will sink our teeth into.
Everyone wants power.
Leadership is designed to focus the struggle, something we clannars know all too well about, to attain it, while accepting that it is a direction rather than self-attainment.
Eventually, through complication, the direction breaks apart; and often through the rupture of another direction, a burst, of another leadership.
But, today, Calico has announced an obliteration of any such direction.
Calico has marked the end of your village’s reign of power, your rein of control. The empire has fallen…
Free rein! ”
[ Song. “ Free Rein ”
Mornona :
Let me tell about this tigress,
Little to be bundled into violent mess.
All for softening,
No, because I’m dangerous.
Name’s Mornona, you think you know me best?
But what you don’t know, is what I’m about to confess:
That my life’s a free rein!
And there’s no heading back.
My life’s a free rein!
I take what I please,
Hold them down to their knees,
Because I ride on top,
And you think I’ll stop?
No! Because my life’s a free rein!
Turotosa:
All for show, and show me all you own.
Never think you’re greater when you’re all alone.
Goes for show,
That what you promised is postponed.
Look whose possessions I reap as you atone
For everything you took, all our skin and our bones..but now
That my life’s a free rein!
And there’s no heading back.
My life’s a free rein!
I take what I please,
Hold them down to their knees,
Because I ride on top,
And you think I’ll stop?
No! Because my life’s a free rein!
Joukostos:
Did you order me from your party of one?
Care to tell me why our numbers hold the weight greater than a ton?
Try to stop
Us, if you think your battle has been won.
Look out below, I know your glory stories have already been spun.
Try to preach your order cross my stripes as your colors are none, for
That my life’s a free rein!
And there’s no heading back.
I take what I please,
Hold them down to their knees,
Because I ride on top,
And you think I’ll stop?
No! Because my life’s a free rein!
Mornona, Turotosa, Joukostos:
Now, our life’s a free rein,
And there’s no heading back!
I take what I please,
Hold them down to their knees,
Because I ride on top,
And you think I’ll stop?
No! Because my life’s a free rein,
Because my life’s a free rein,
Oh, it’s a free rein, now!
Song. end ]
{ As if on cue, the drumming of a larger animal’s marching arrives at the dragon gate, followed by a deep reverberating growl. }
Tibaraa:
“ They’re here! Now the festivities are truly in order.”
Mornona:
“ Order is for bureaucracies, my Tibaraa. We are riding on currents and streams, and so much rubbing.”
Joukostos:
“ This maffa is sifting on sore. Remember when we took out those deer and the branch jabbed in my back? I had to get one of my own to yank it out. And these statues, my indulgence awaits…”
Mornona and Tibaraa:
“ Ours, too (they laugh)! ”
{ As if a sudden bolt plummeted onto the Village grounds, the clannars solidify their stance, and fix their posture on what is to open those doors.}
Neomumanhi:
“ (bellows out) Clannaras Episau… Epalla Masuffir etaemonorhae! Our time has co — oome! ”
{ Neomumanhi is one of eight large, heavy bodied, giant-legged feline tiger Behemoths which emerge with the beat of the planet. }
The Clannars except the eight Behemoths:
“ Free rein has come! ”
{ One of the eight Behemoths, is Neomumanhi’s lover, Leobeubaeng. She rubs her back against his, and lets her tail wander and drift into his mouth. }
Leobeubaeng:
“ Neomu, your lover is starving, there is no celebration without fresh juice on my tongue. ”
Neomumanhi:
“ I can provide, my little mountain hibiscus ( he proceeds to follow her tail with his tongue all the way to her ear ). ”
One of the Behemoths:
“ Neomumanhi, there is no slaughter in sight.”
Neomumanhi:
“ Nonsense, this land is ripe for the slaughter. My love, what would your sharp tongue desire to devour? ”
Leobeubaeng:
“ Is that pure kind on its death nest? The one struggling to stand, you want to shear and tear it open so we can sip some fresh juices?”
{ Mornona sees them eying Gammina from the Circle, and she departs to divert their attention. She carefully navigates to the Behemoths, and turns her body around in front of them.
Each of the Behemoths proceed to sniff her tail tunnel and nod to each other in approval. }
Neomumanhi:
“ Mornona, my dear. I am so sorry for the loss of your grubby, Pengall. Did you want to give up your grubbies to my lover and I, or raise them for the hunts? ”
Mornona:
“ You are so kind, and charming, my Neomumanhi.”
Leobeubaeng:
“ And don’t I know it.”
Leobeubaeng and Mornona laugh, and then lick each other’s faces.
Mornona:
“ That prey you were looking at, she’s Calico’s lover. Next to her, that’s one of the Lemurs Calico freed. Best not to dine on those two… for now… ”
Neomumanhi:
“ Hunger always wins, my sweet grubbies. Put it here.”
Mornona and Leobeubaeng proceed to lick Neomumanhi’s face. Mornona starts to clean his whiskers, too.
Neomumanhi hisses at Mornona, but both Mornona and Leobeubaeng back off on instinct. Neomumanhi smiles and they all head to the Circle.
{ On approaching the Circle, Lemur glances up to Neomumanhi.}
Lemur:
“ I had no idea there were big mountain clannars like you.”
Neomumanhi:
“ If it lives, expect not the same, no matter the semblance to what you know, and what you know, young grubby. It is the clannar rule of the great fattas. ”
{ The Behemoths rise onto the Circle and Calico backs up a bit to make room. Mornona carefully ushers Calico off the Circle, and then returns to the Behemoths.
Suddenly, a series of cracks appear on the blood smeared labyrinth.}
Mornona:
“ Clannars, Neomumanhi’s gang is here! Our days under Rendemra’s neck are no more. Chlorestigon shines on our freedoms! Epalla Masuffir etaemonorhae! Free rein! ”
{ The Clannars roar and the Village trembles.
Suddenly, one of the warped Buddha statue’s heads plummets downwards and lands on the tail of one of the clannars, and it whimpers in pain.
The unanimous roaring chorus abruptly stops on account of this.}
Neomumanhi:
“ Dispose of that one, and let us proclaim again.”
Seven tigresses surround this injured tiger and begin to go for its throat. The Pure Kinds fall back, as does Calico, towards Gammina.
With the murder in process, Neomumanhi rouses the attention of the pack of packs.
Neomumanhi:
“ (clears his throat) And…Epalla Masuffir etaemonorhae! Free rein! ”
The Clannars roar in unison as the now fallen clannar drags its blood trail down the headless statue whilst descending from one end to the next of his journey — to Antwon’s binding closure.
The pure kind grubbies are terrified, and run to their parents.
Gammina:
“ Calico.”
Calico:
“ I have wronged you. I thought vengeance-”
Gammina:
“ (speaking generally to the nearby grubbies) We will need to leave; they will rip this place apart. And when they do, we will be next!
Gibansa, you and your fatta, and three grubbies stay with me. This is Lemur, saved by Calico. My Rendemrabo…Rendem…was going to slaughter her behind our backs, too.
But first, tell Lurelea and the others that we will leave the gate tonight. No more torch lighting this day forth. Explore, and take what you will need.
The sun has fallen on this village… my home… of my birth.”
Calico:
“ Gammina.”
Gammina:
“ Go lick the tail of your Mornona!”
{ Gammina tries to get up, but the pain still rings clear in her muscles. She whimpers, and teeters back. Calico tries to move her from the side, and she growls. }
Gammina:
“ Cut it out, Calico ! I will be ready when I am able. When, or if we get through with this, you will know exactly how I feel… (she begins panting).
It’s not the time or the place, but it once was, Calico.”
Calico:
“ My love, I-”
Gammina:
“ Be useful! Stop being a tail sniffer, and find that persimmon which I left in our hut…oh, it feels like days, and days ago. ”
Gammina glances at Calico, and proceeds to close her eyes again.
I, I put them all in harm’s way. I thought I was unifying them, that we could be at peace.
It turns out, a balance without a ruling force doesn’t just happen overnight.
{ Calico feels the weight crawl up to his back, and begins to move away while taking in his love and Lemur. He walks a bit forward eying several tigers mating in the rubble of a destroyed hut, and then bumps into Kasawbo. }
Kasawbo:
“ Calico. Oh, you were the hero that you believed in. You fought for the spoils of war, to swoop in and rescue your Gammina.
But you recall, a story is a message, and beyond the message are responsibilities and repercussions. After all, you were being sentenced to death before you killed, no, no, no — you ‘heroically slew’ your accuser!
Consequences, Calico; every action we take, every life we take has a consequence. ”
Calico:
“ That is enough from you, you old fatta, just another pain in my rear! ”
Kasawbo:
“ Hold your tongue, Calico, this very fraction of time, bear! Look at you, just look at what you’re doing. ”
Calico:
“ I am being the responsible one, here, I am helping my lover. Did you volunteer? ”
Kasawbo:
“ You are so naive, bear. Take a moment to realize everything, or you will be burried in an avalanche that you could have foreseen. Do you want to die before you complete the acts? ”
Calico:
“ Do the acts even matter? Was any of it real!? Just another Rendemra trying to defy me, to mislead me, to kill the ones that I love. Do you know what I have been through? She is everything to me! If I lose her- ”
Kasawbo:
“ Then what? You’ll run away from all of this, and just expect that your mistakes, your losses won’t follow you around? ”
Calico:
“ I’m getting her a Rendemrabo persimmon! ”
Kasawbo growls and pounces in the way of Calico.
Calico:
“ You don’t want to do this, Kasawbo. I just maimed a pure kind older than you! ”
Kasawbo:
“ Age doesn’t defy reason! Look around you, Calico. There are tribes of tigers who could kill all of us in moments. There is little holding them back. Quite possibly, that temptress, Mornona, is the only defence that we have. You leave us, and you also abandon your lover, you abandon your Limo! ”
Calico:
“ Lemur… Well, old fatta, what do I do? Do I not complain, not speak my mind, not lead others to survive on our own? ”
Kasawbo:
“ There you go, Calico: Question.
Question me, question yourself, and question what is going on around you. Here’s one, why are you acting like a clannar, when you are a pure kind? ”
Calico:
“ I am a hero, I…I can fight-”
Kasawbo:
“ But you didn’t tear Rendemra to shreds, did you have it in you? ”
Calico:
“I (Calico’s anger is beginning to weaken)… was angry, but I wanted him to die… to die justly… for forgiveness. ”
Kasawbo:
“ Would a clannar ask this of a prey?
Calico, I was young once. I made foolish mistakes, I even had three lovers — and, oh did Rendemra scorn and beat me at the Temple. Gibansa is my grubby, and I lost a grubby when he was very young.
You can definitely kill me, as can the clannars. But it’s not our rage that keeps us living, it’s how we manage and work together with, and without a leader.
If you die, Calico, so do we. And whether you want to be a leader or not, you took out our leader. For the time being, we have to be our own village. This is the great measure of survival. ”
Calico:
“ So, what do we do? ”
END OF PART THIRTEEN
Including Content from the original story published in the author’s work
The Trails To Attrition © 2007, Wasteland Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 9781600471520© 2024, Their Call, Calico: the Series
Including Content published from original version
Wasteland PressAdam Mullin (a.k.a. Good Day, Adam)
