Someone was sleeping on the Rock that had belonged to Malani, the One who Nursed Him, the One who Bore him.
Someone very big.
Someone very big and very loud and snory.
Still. That was not Someone Very Big's Rock. That was Malani's Rock.
Even though she had gone away down the water. Even though her roars no longer sounded here.
So Rishi gathered up all his courage -- and he was a Very Brave and Big Rishi -- and he Roared, telling the Someone Very Big to move.
Then he ran and hid in the grasses, just in case.
The Someone stood very fast, taking up the whole rock, and roared back at him, and the roar was Very Big too.
Oh. Oh. Oh.
He shook a little in the grass and then bared his teeth and Roared again. His Home. His.
This is Rishi's Home!
Rishi's!
The Very Big One roared again, too, and jumped down to stalk the grass around the Rock.
Rishi stayed far away from those claws and teeth, but he would not give up his Rock. His. Rock.
His water.
His grass.
His birds.
His sky.
His trees.
Not Someone's. His.
A Very Big Someone. Very Big. But quiet. The gra ...
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