“I just hope I find him on time. I’m scared of the fact that he might wander off to any dangerous places that might have weapons or sharp objects. It’s been years, but I still remember vividly what happened to me at the forbidden lake. It’s a very scary thought. I’ll never forgive myself if something like that ever happened to my baby.”
Nani replied. “The forbidden lake is gone forever, and Ramsey is a strong cub, he can withstand anything, just like his mother. I’m sure he’s probably playing somewhere like he usually does.” She then thought of something then as she spoke, “which reminds me, have you checked Suri’s quarters? He seemed to have been bonding so close with Meeka lately.”
Ava thought of it. That’s one of the likely places he might have been that she hasn’t checked. She never thought to look where she’s never seen him before, but Nani might have a point, maybe he’s off wandering to new places with his new close friend, Meeka. And the only person who might have an idea of their whereabouts is the little girl’s mother, Suri.
Ava’s heart jumped at the realization. “Oh, Nani. You’re right. There’s a likelihood of him being with Meeka. I too have noticed their closeness lately. I’ll go and check now. I just hope he’s there.”
“Of course, please don’t waste time at all. Go and check now, hurry. I hope you’ll find him this time.”
***
Suri’s quarters wasn’t so far away. It might have been, but for Ava’s hurrying legs, it didn’t seem so. As she reached the door, she remembered to knock this time, not wanting to bother anyone unnecessarily, especially if she couldn’t later find what she came looking for.
“Luna Ava, good evening, ma’am.” Suri bowed immediately upon seeing her visitor. She got up from the little bench she was sitting and offered it to her. It was a small form of hospitality, but the best she could give in this not-so-properly furnished room she shared with her two daughters.
Ava smiled at her, politely refusing to sit and going straight to the point.
“Sorry to bother you at such a time, Suri, but what I came here for is very important.”
“Oh, no need to apologize, dear Luna. You are always welcome in these quarters anytime,” Suri still couldn’t figure out the important thing Luna Ava had come here for. What could the queen possibly be searching for in a lowly omega’s quarters? Like she’d read her mind, Luna Ava answered immediately.
“I came here in search of Ramsey. I’ve been looking for him all day after he escaped from the nursery, and I still haven’t found him. I came here because I didn’t realize before that he might have been with Meeka.”
Ava stopped speaking after noticing the look on Suri’s face. It was a guilty look she had there, she knew she’d get answers here because Suri was about to tell her something.
“What is it, Suri? Do you know where he is?”
Suri would speak, but not before she dropped to her knees and placed her hands together, begging. “I am sorry for the stress you’ve been through today because of me, Luna Ava. I apologize greatly. Ramsey has been with Meeka all day. They played together after lunch, and they just went to the woods at the back to catch some fireflies. I honestly didn’t know you were looking for him. I thought he had your permission to come here. I am sorry, Luna Ava.”
Ava didn’t know what to say. Why hadn’t she thought of visiting Nani earlier? Or even coming here? She’d been stressing herself looking in the most irrelevant places, whereas her son had only been toying somewhere with his new friend. She should have known.
“I am tremendously sorry, Luna Ava. I didn’t know that you were looking for Ramsey. I would have brought him to you myself if I’d known he escaped from the nursery.”
Luna Ava should be mad for this, but what’s the use of crying over spilled milk? It will only upset her the more. She should even be glad that at least that Ramsey was fine this whole time. Ava assured herself that this won’t happen again. She’ll be placing extra hands in the pack house nursery to monitor her son, and she’ll make sure to be visiting as frequently as possible. Ramsey De’ Clan won’t get the chance to run away next time.
***
“That’s a very special teddy bear you’ve got there,” Meeka giggled, carefully holding the small jar of fireflies in her hand. She was with little Ramsey who held a brown teddy bear with an eye patch in his hand, and they were walking back to the pack house after completing their quest for tonight.
“Thank you,” Ramsey beamed, holding up Mr. Winslow so Meeka could get a better view of his prized possession. “Mr. Winslow and I have been buddies since kindergarten. He goes with me on so many adventures.”
“You have to be careful with him though,” Meeka replied. “There’s a lot of bad people around, and some of them might try to use Mr. Winslow to get to you.”
Ramsey didn’t understand these words, so he asked her, “what do you mean?”
Meeka halted along the way, making Ramsey do the same, before she looked left and right to ensure that they were alone. Apart from the trees and smaller animals, the woods were empty. No one was around here.
Just to be sure that her words wouldn’t be heard by anyone else, Meeka decided to whisper. “A long time ago, I had a buddy just like you did. Her name was dolly.”
Ramsey’s eyes shone. “You had an adventure buddy too? Cool. Where is she? I want to meet her! And I hope Mr. Winslow can meet her too!”
“You would have, but dolly is no more,” Meeka muttered sadly.
The excitement in his eyes ceased. “She is no more… like… you mean she’s… dead?”
11 year old Meeka nodded, placing her head down. “She died in the forbidden lake those years ago.” Meeka pointed at a spot covered with bushes, not too far from where they stood. “That’s where the forbidden lake was before it got destroyed, along with dolly inside.”
Ramsey felt bad for Meeka’s loss, but among all she said, something else seemed to capture his attention.
“What’s a forbidden lake?”
“It’s a very bad lake that mummy used to warn me and Jannie to stay away from.” She tried to recall the old nursery rhyme she’d been taught about the lake then, maybe Ramsey could learn it too.
Stay away from the dreadful lake,
It’ll put your life at stake.
It sits at the back of the mighty dawn house,
Deadly but quiet as a mouse,
Stay away from the forbidden lake…
Meeka cut off the rhyme because she couldn’t remember the rest of the lyrics, but the song wasn’t as important as what she was about to tell Ramsey now.
“You must remember this, Ramsey. Whenever a mean lady asks you to hand Mr. Winslow over in exchange for a lollipop. You must run. Run, run away and never look back.”
Ramsey was about to respond to Meeka before he spotted trouble headed towards them, trouble in form of an angry mother Luna.
After Meeka saw what was coming, she gasped at the cub beside her, “uh-oh, your mom’s here.”