Prologue: Departure

   A calm evening had materialized over the moist, wetlands of the Amazon. Most diurnal creatures hid away, as its nocturnal neighbors began to stir. Croaks, hoots, howls, and chirps lit the jungle with a cacophony. A full moon, aided by the countless stars, shined during these dark hours as they were high up in the blue-ish black atmosphere. A rare source of light that the animals used to guide their way. Though it is rather peaceful, this Eden was just as dangerous and unforgiven during the night than it was during the day. Near the water’s edge, a large, ominous shadow revealed itself in the light. The source of it was a silhouette figure that quickly slunk away into the dense undergrowth just as it appeared. 

  Its irises glowed, as each paw step followed another. A low growl as muffled by a limp body that was severed into its powerful jaws. A malicious and callous expression was upon its face, despite the fact it was not even angry at the given moment. It was so fierce, that the other creatures hid away, scattered, and screeched out that a killer was among them. A large line of light from the canopy further revealed the giant. A calm and nonchalant pace was just enough for a naked eye to make out what it was. It was a feline, a male at that. He had a rich, dark golden pelt, coveted by black rosette spots. His stature was bulky, which his kind was gifted with.

  In his jaws was a capybara, roughly a year old, with its neck snapped by the jaguar’s bite. Carrying his now deceased victim, he approached a large opening in the center of the jungle. A cave like den was in the center, with boulders and fallen trees around it. On a ledge from the den’s entrance, was another jaguar. It was a female, around eleven years old, well into her twilight years. She had amber colored irises, different from the dark greys the male had. Her body was full of scars, her left ear having a “c” shape. “Hi, mother” the brute would say, approaching her as she eyed him with a dull look, having her forearms crossed over one another.

  “I’ve returned from hunting by the river.” Bellow on the forest floor, two other jaguars were busy roughhousing with one another. Another male, and a female. The male inheriting the older female’s amber eyes, and the younger female, a lighter grey. “Hey, Manchado’s back!” the male says, as he toppled over his playmate. Both cats rush over to greet him, exchanges nuzzles, playful nips, and purr like rumbles produced from their throats. “Hey, guys” Manchado chuckles, “I brought back a capybara for mother.”

“I’m sure mother would love it” said his sister, as she turned to the elder, “Won’t you, mother?” It was then, that she looked towards her grown up triplets. She seemed rather unfazed, on the outside. But trapped in her thoughts, she only saw them as a constant pester to her, now that they’re capable of fending for themselves. “I’m dazzled” she huffed, not even breaking half a smile, whether it was fake or not. “See, I knew you would” Manchado slowly made his way towards her. As he invades her space, she gives a rather insecure look, wanting to fend him off, but was alarmed.

 The male would gently press his temple against his mother’s, purring once more. “I know you’ve been unable to hunt lately, so I thought maybe we’ll do it for you. It’s really good, your fav-” He was cut off by his mother’s roar, she deliberately swiped at him as he jerked back in shock, dropping the kill. A nasty snarled encroaching from her throat, as she began to stare, a cold and hostile stare as if he was a stranger. “GET AWAY FROM ME!” said the mother, “Why are you still here?!” Manchado didn’t know how to react, as he glanced at the jaguaress with fear and confusion.

 His siblings shared the same expression, clueless as to why she lashed out at him. “M-Mother…” he replied, almost whispering. “Stop calling me that!!” the elder would hiss, “How many times have I’ve told you three that I didn’t need your help?! How many!!” “I-I-I don’t know.” “A lot more than I can remember that’s for sure!” her harsh attitude caused him to cringe in her presence, tail coiled in and ears falling back. “Yet you three still continue to hang around! Are you deaf?! This is MY territory! And I don’t want you here anymore!”

  Manchado’s brother stepped up to say something. “Mom, why are you acting like this? Don’t you love us? Aren’t you proud of us?” All it took was an aggressive glare by the elder to make him turn away in submission. “You’re all ridiculous!” she spat once more, “Have I taught you three anything?! Where were you when I specifically said that jaguars live alone? Where were you when I told you that you’d have to one day leave my side? Ah, yes, you all had the irrelevant idea of sticking together, like we’re a herd of animals! Like we’re prey!”

 Her daughter would be next to speak. “But mother-” “SILENCE!!” another roar ensued, as the forest responds with the fear of animals crying out, “I would have been proud of you, if you’d take the things that I’ve taught you and used them. But no, you want to stick around like a bunch of overgrown cubs! Expecting me to accept you every time you come around!” “You’re not feeling well, mother” Manchado explained, “Why don’t you want us around? Aren’t you aware that you might not survive if we leave?”

 “Aren’t you aware that I am already dying?! I know my own body, Manchado! I’m not an ignoramus, like you are!” The sudden feeling of despair and upset swallowed him as she went on, “I even said it myself! You three would be my last litter! I’m too old to do anything! Which is why I invested all my time and effort to prepare you all for this moment! Training you, every day and night, for the last TWO years just so I know you will be able to survive without me! But you can’t even do that! This will almost be your third year! THIRD YEAR!”

“Why can’t you just see tha-” Manchado was about to refute, that is, if his mother didn’t leap from her ledge, quickly forcing him on his back as she was on top. “Your attempts of cooing me are futile!” she growled, placing her unsheathed claws on his neck, “To think your father would have been proud. That I would’ve kept my promise to him. I thought you’d be just like him, Manchado. But no…you’re nothing like your father. Because you’re PATHETIC! ALL OF YOU!”

 She turned to her other cubs, “If you two are to have any chance of exceeding my expectations, then you’re to leave my territory, right now! And don’t bother coming back!” They hesitated, as the male asked, “What about Manchado?” The jaguaress would look deep into his innocent and scared irises. “What about him? He can’t live no longer! What was I thinking of letting this disgrace and abomination live?!” She adds pressure to her son’s windpipe, as he began to gag, yet did nothing to retaliate. “I’ll just make do of disposing him. I’ll do our species of favor by ridding one useless being.”

 Her claws would rake gently against his throat, as he tried to gulp. Why was she doing this? She wouldn’t kill him, not her own son…would she? He didn’t want to believe it. He wanted to fight the thought of it. Yet the image of his mother, frowning at him with the intensions to kill could not erase from his mind. Then, it was at this given moment that he suddenly snapped. Maybe it was from the vulnerable position he was in. Or the confusion and fright bottling up into sudden aggression. Whatever the case, his mother was threatening him, and the urge to defend himself sets in.

 Manchado snarled back at the dam, before he violently shoved her from overpowering him. As both cats stood on their hind legs, the two year old would take his right paw, violently slashing her across her face. His siblings gasped as their mother tumbled to the earth, a few large thuds were produced before she fell flat on her stomach. “Damn…” she coughed, staggering to her paws. However, in a split second, Manchado clamped down on her neck, violently slamming her back down to the earth. His right paw secured her shoulder as he snarled, now having the upper hand.

  He had the chance to get rid of her. To finally silence the widow from insulting him and his littermates. He could get even with her. Did he have the audacity to kill his own mother? “Manchado, stop!” his sister wailed, as she ran over, backed up by their brother, “Think about what you’re doing!” He turned towards the two, sharing the same expression as their dam just did. “Brother, if you kill her, you won’t be any better off than she is” said the male, “And look at her, you’ve already done enough. Isn’t a swipe to the face enough?”

 The bruiser turned to the female in his grasp, as she lied there, motionless, but still very much breathing. “Go… Ahead” a withering voice administered, “Kill me. Do your worst. Show to me what a killer you’ve become.” At first his frown faded, as he realized who he had in the death hold. A still moment. The need to kill diminished as he released the old jaguar. Manchado wore a frustrated look, turning away with his ears pulled back.

 His sister tried to help their mother up before she was shooed away. “Don’t touch me!” It grew quite again, before a cold cackle stalked its way out of the battered cat. “I’m impressed, though I knew you wouldn’t have the urge to kill me. You said it yourself, you love me too much. But I still don’t want you around.”

 Her attacker once more gave a mean glare, coming within a few feet from her. “I’ll leave” snorted him, “If it makes you feel better. Your son still loves you. But if you can’t accept that, and everything else that we’ve done for you, then I hope you rot in this fucking place. Goodbye, mother.”

 Not another word was spoken, only a silent exit from the den area. His siblings not wanting to believe what they just saw. “Manchado, wait!” his brother gently tugged his tail, “Don’t leave so-” “DON’T FUCKING TOUCH ME!” he roared, swiping at him as his fur stood up behind his neck, flashing his fangs. “I don’t need you. I don’t need any of you! I’m out of here, and I won’t be coming back!”

  Manchado continued on his way, not looking back to his siblings or mother. He wouldn’t revert to them now, as they were the past. Of the many things his mother taught them, she said to never look to the past. Only ahead, to what the future had in store.

 That’s one lesson the young jaguar took from memory. For now on, he only saw the future.