Free Onio by Linell Jeppsen

It
was Bouldar’s guard, Wolf, and Onio’s father, Hunter.
    Onio
did not put down his spear, however. In fact, he brandished it at the two males
and roared, “Do NOT come any closer or I will kill you!”
    The
sasquatches stopped. Hunter stared at his son for a moment and said, “Why do
you raise your spear to us, my son?”
    Onio
quivered with rage. “Son…do not dare call me son! You ceased to be my father
when you left my mother and me so long ago! Have you come to take me back to
your king? I will kill you first!”
    Hunter
sighed, and looking down at the ground in front of his feet, he nodded. “Onio…
First Son…I love you.”
    Mel
saw Onio draw back in shock. The look of longing that came over the young sasquatch’s
face was painful to behold. “Then why did you leave us?” he whispered.
    Now
the older sasq looked angry. It looked to Mel as if every hair on the sasquatch’s
body bristled. The dog laid its ears back and snarled.
    Wolf
made a sharp gesture and uttered something aloud that Mel couldn’t hear. Smiles
lay back down with a thump. “Where do you find these creatures, Onio?” he
muttered. “They crawl to you like fleas to a bear!”
    Onio
blushed. “I did not find this dog…she came to me. She was being abused by the
small humans!” Onio’s defensive tone of voice made Mel believe that this was
not the first time Onio had picked up a stray. She wondered uneasily if she was
just another stray the young sasquatch had picked up along the way.
    Hunter
looked calmer now and Mel realized that Wolf’s off-hand comment was a
diversion. If so, it had worked. Both father and son regarded one another in a
friendlier manner. Hunter looked his son in the eye and said, “I left you and
your mother in the hope of keeping you alive.”
    Onio
gaped, exclaiming, “How did that happen? If anything, Mother and I were in more
danger than ever without your protection!”
    Hunter
was growing angry again. “Listen to me, you foolish boy! You and Petal were
never in danger from the members of Bouldar’s tribe. It was Ironhands…always
Ironhands that posed a threat. Bouldar and I knew that something needed to
happen to keep him in check! It was Bouldar who sent me away…Bouldar who wanted
me to stay close, to spy on his conniving brother. It broke my heart to leave
my family!”
    Mel
saw tears fall from Onio’s eyes as he gazed at the older male. “Is this true, Father?
You didn’t leave us because you were ashamed of us?”
    “Ashamed…skies
above, your mother is the most beautiful female ever created! I love her with
all my soul! And you, Onio, I am proud to call son.”
    There
was only a moment’s hesitation before the two large males embraced. Mel could
feel their fists through the soles of her feet as they thumped one another on
the back. Mel grinned and the dog wagged her tail. Wolf rolled his eyes.
    “This
is all very nice, but we need to leave before Two Horses’s people find us and
slaughter us for dinner.”
    Onio
stepped back, wiping the tears of joy from his eyes. “Are you coming with us Father?”
he asked.
    Hunter
shook his head. “No. I must return to the tribe now. Ironhands knows I grieve
over the loss of my son. He gave me time alone to hunt. I stashed my kill to
come here, but I need to get back to it now. The subterfuge has worked well so
far, but even the smallest mistake could give us away.”
    Onio
looked devastated at losing the father he had only just found. Hunter regarded
him in silence. Then he spoke again. “Onio, I came with Wolf so I could speak
to you once more before you leave for good. I think that you should go to the
High Peaks tribe in Montana.”
    Onio’s
mouth fell open in shock. “The High Peaks…Father, that is high royalty! They will
never accept me there!”
    Hunter
glanced at Wolf, smiling. “Did you know that Wolf is cousin to the queen?”
    Onio
stared at his grandfather’s guard and shook his head. Wolf grinned.
    “Yes
Onio, Wolf is royalty in