On one of the endlessly long days that make up my life of leaving an office full of unfinished work to returning to a home that is filled with more unfinished work, i witnessed the death of an innocent. It all started one evening whilst we were chilling out in the palace's main hall. I heard a distinct cry coming from the trees on my hillside. It was what i identified as a typical baby's cry for its mommy. It wasn't human but i could not see what was crying in the dark shrouds of the tree's branches. So i got out the maglite (extremely bright torch) and lit up the source of the crying and saw a baby musang (civet cat) mewing piteously. There was nothing i could do for it except let it cry on and it did all through the night.
The next day went as usual...office drudge then home. Just like every other day when i arrive home, i will be greeted by excited yapping from the knights, jumping, pawing and generally making me colourful as the ram into me giving me bruises all over - i have to say my language is usually as colourful as the rest of my body after the usual meet and greet.Today was no different. I was met with the usual enthusiasm from the dogs and my tired tots of laundry, dish washing etc. So i quietly padded downstairs to go to my laundry area, followed closely but Sir Wolfie and Sir Mags and they dutifully followed me out to do my chores out back. The knights bored with watching me work (they are really very good at this task) started playing in the garden. Occassionally i would scream for them just so that they would come bounding round the corner all smiles to reassure me that they haven't fallen down the hillside.
This day, before i could do my usually well timed scream for reassurance, i heard frantic barking from somewhere around my study. Wondering what triggered off this persistent barking i went to investigate. I found both Mags and Wolfie at the little patio near my study where all my orchid plants are. Wolfie was barking at something in the corner...as my eyes searched around my potted orchids it finally settled on a baby musang terrified beyond belief at the loudly yelping brute, huddled in the corner with no escape.
I told Wolfie in stern tones to stay before heading back in to get a towel to catch the musang. The idea was to release it nearer the tree i saw it in the night before so that it could escape to the safety of the branches. I returned with a towel but as i approached it hissed at me which set off a whole string of barking from both Mags and Wolfie. I figured i still would need my fingers to work with tomorrow so i went round to the back to get a box to trap the terrified baby.
As i came back to the scene of excitement, i heard a scuffle. i returned to find the musang and my knights gone. So i ran round to the far side of the garden only to see Wolfie with the musang in his mouth in a death grip shaking it violently. I screamed for him to drop it and dropped it he did. As i approached i could see that it did not survive the thrashing that Wolfie gave it. He thought it was a toy was my first guess (he usually shakes his toys in just the same way). My second guess is that my Wolfie is a hunter, was a hunter when i saved him from the pound and still is one.
I was very distressed with him. I love my knights as if they were my children and i would never think them capable of murder...but this incident changed it all for me. I did not know how to react. The loss of life, any life - innocent or otherwise is always sad. I cried as i lifted the carcass of this baby civet cat and placed it into a box. It was not a pretty sight. I then proceeded to dig a hole in the ground to bury the poor soul. Wolfie has not seen the garden in almost a month, partly as a punishment and partly i was afraid that he would dig up the shallow grave. I still love Wolfie but i guess I NEED TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIM AND HIS REACTIONS!
Just a couple of nights ago, i heard something banging against my balcony railings and wondered if there was an intruder. I went up to check and in the darkness without turning on the lights i could see nothing move. i decided to flick the balcony light switch on anyway - better to know what is trying to attack you then to be attacked whilst asleep is what i say.
What i saw was two adult musangs playing on my balcony, jumping on the railings, bouncing off the swings, running across the length of the balcony. They played for a good 10 minutes before heading up to the roof to do god knows what. I think these were the parents of the baby musang buried in my garden. I guess they came back for their child afterall except that their child is no more because of mine. My knight, for whatever reason - caused the death of an innocent, i believe innocently.
1 comment:
Hugs Vi. There was nothing you could do. And Wolfie was just reacting to instinct too. sigh.
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