Firstborn

Chapter 18 - Betrayal again

Tawny was busy cleaning his knife with a garment he 'borrowed' from the clothes line. "Well, that would be telling but let's just say her training will be useful when we take you with us to help you on your way to becoming a Blessed."

Meeru wanted him to be a Blessed? Why would anyone wish it on someone they loved?

"What do you want with Avi?" Rosetta's muffled voice came from within the sack on her head.

"Oh, sorry! Did I leave you out of the conversations? It was rather rude of me, Mummy dearest."

Avi looked over to Rosetta, in her snow leopard guise. The sack covering her head had thankfully been removed. The word 'mummy' rankled with him. He couldn't get over the fact that he had finally reconnected with his mother only to find out she was a Blessed snow leopard and he would be one soon.

Tawny continued to taunt. "It seems Mummy here has purposely tricked us all by changing your birth date. Imagine the surprise I felt when Meeru reported to me that you had begun healing easily since this afternoon. Two whole days before your official birthday. Confused? You see Avi, healing yourself easily is the litmus test for knowing if you are Blessed and it happens rapidly once you turn eighteen. By healing yourself you sent out a message as clear as hanging up birthday balloons and serving cake with eighteen birthday candles."

Avi accusingly glanced at Meeru who visibly squirmed. He couldn't believe Meeru had made his situation worse.

"Don't look at me like that; you were going to be sacrificed whatever. I've paved it for you to be in W...Tawny's cohort. If you are allowed to live in the jungle with your mother, you will be under her jurisdiction. Rosetta as leader will continue to let Papa and Dev destroy the Khamosh Valley. We can't allow Rosetta to do that."

Alarm bells were ringing in Avi's head. Avi was very fond of Meeru but she'd never been the selfless kind. How was Meeru going to gain from his being on Tawny's side? Worse, if he wasn't mistaken, Meeru was alluding to the possible demise of Rosetta, his mother. The role of a leader usually ended with death in a jungle didn't it?

"Get away from me Meeru. Did you use me as bait to get him interested in you?"

Tawny chuckled and both Meeru and Avi swung their attentions back to him.

"Meeru, your nephew knows you well; I don't think he believes you capable of a completely selfless motive."

Meeru moved away from Tawny and gave Avi a look of hurt and disappointment.

Avi relented. If Meeru had been completely selfless, she wouldn't have survived the Major's household. He softened and walked up to Meeru and, wrestling free of his guard, moved several steps towards her. The youth he pushed back earlier made a move to restrain him again but Tawny signalled for him to stand down.

Avi grasped his aunt's hand. "Meeru, I know you care for me, but why would you side with Tawny who is definitely against your own father? Tell me you're not in love with him."

Meeru jerked her hand out of Avi's and, full of scorn, angrily spouted. "Think back to the day Una arrived and the conversation we had in your room. Do you remember me telling you that our family could never have a female as their eldest grandchild? Well it's true. All the female babies were murdered by Ma. She didn't stop with her own girls. She killed your sister who you don't even remember existing."

Avi had heard some of what Meeru said when in conversation with Rosetta but the details were fuzzy. He asked, "But if that's true, how come you even exist?"

"I was born after six children so I had good odds of living but even then I wouldn't have existed if..."

"If it wasn't for Rosetta. She saved you from drowning." Avi remembered this part of the conversation quite well.