Morada
- navskys
- Apr 22
- 4 min read
By Navsky
Part One: Moonlight Jungle
The glowing moon was full. Dark blue sky blended with the night, earth and foliage. Within the blackness, gleaming spiked teeth appeared. Only the whites of his eyes and mischievous smile gave away his animal form. Gliding over the layers of damp leaf and humus, his paws made no noise. He had delicious bones gathered carefully and piled in his hidden den for later. Restless, the jungle opened before him – adventure calling. Morada entered the clearing.
“Purrrrrrrh” He couldn’t stop the sound escaping from his lips. “Purrrrrrrh”
A few more steps brought him to a semi-covered clearing. Only one layer of trees overhead. He drank softly from the moving stream. He viewed a nest of toucans sleeping. Quietly, he moved in circles. Counting the number and size of each hatchling as he moved around. They did not stir.
Next, his newly moistened paws effortlessly climbed the shadowed rocks until he reached the overlook. The ocean was calm. It appeared as a single shimmering blanket. Sea life jumped and dipped in tandem, losing themselves with determination into the ink smooth waters. With drooping eyes, the mighty animal rested his head on his two front legs high above the coastline and slept.
The dampness of the early morning awoke him. A whale’s flipper punctured the peacefulness. The gray swimming mammal turned and propelled herself forward sideways. Lutanna. The largest whale in the sea. She swam alone away from the pod during the night. Alert. Morada turned and descended at a run. His agile body coasting through pits, ravines and dense vegetation. He crossed the western tip of the jungle.
A little pig wandered out from the rows of brush quietly following the black tiger. Fragrant with the oil released from the plants as his hairy body brushed the leaves. Paskel, the muscular toddling boar believed himself to be agile too. The rumor was he had fallen off a ship crossing the nearby long waters. Lutanna had let him coast on his back for hours. The baby piglet’s nose and eyes barely above the water’s crest. Paskel swam frantically for the last mile, arriving in exhaustion on the beach. For days, he lay on the sand unmoving. Finally, Risivia had swooped down her tail feather’s tickling his nose in sleep. Paskel opened his eyes and blinked at the noonday’s sunlight. Every part of his body was covered in sand shielding him from the rays. Luck arrived on the beach that day. Bermuda, the half-turtle creature, guided Paskel into the dense subtropics of the island. He showed him how to eat roots, greens and wild carrots.
Morada’s pace slowed. A group of turtles camouflaged by rocks and brush intermingled with thick vine leaves. Morada circled. Purring to himself softly. One of the turtles squirmed while awakening. The athletic cat’s ferocious breaths grew loud and rapid. Even his hair was suddenly spring’in outwards, making him look intense. Startling. Paskel let out a shrill and bounded out from the shadowed brush covered in dirt and vines.
“Eeeiieeeoooo”.
“Eeeiieeeoooo”. Paskel snoot uplifted.
All the turtles curled into their shells in fear. Pascal reacted similar to Bermuda and Risivia and had never learned that he was a wild pig. He flew straight for Morada squealing in such a terrified manner that Morada gave up his hunt. As Morada stalked off from the group he couldn’t help wondering about the fuzzy brown-colored animal who sprung at him. That is the strangest turtle I have ever seen!
Part Two: Long Feather’s Nest
The tiger cat was more restless than ever. He stepped soundlessly away from the timide turtles and gutsy piglet. Ascending the overgrown hillside, he was again completely out of view. He remembered Long Feather’s new spacious nest on the ridgeline and continued upwards. On his last prowl, he had circled eagle’s peak. The dew of the morning greeted him as the thick brush and trees changed to scattered smaller trees and brush mixed with large rocks.
“Hmmmmm”. Morada licked his lips as he viewed the eggs nestled in the twigs and branches.
“Hmmmmm”.
Morada’s paw jiggled the bushes. He then moved to the other side of the rock formation unprotected by green cover. The warmth of the nest had been constructed slowly. Twice, he had passed this spot since its first discovery. The brush rustled intentionally by Morada awoke the eagle in surprise. She moved her furry short feathered birds with her beak in error, towards the place where Morada lay hidden now. The hungry feline returned by way of the rustled bush and snuck two large white eggs from their moss lined bed.
He was gone. Back down the hillside in seconds, across the depths of the jungle and up again to his hilly refuge. He returned to sleep, his belly full from his early morning meal.
Bird eagle and the baby birds returned to the nest. Morada heard low bird noises in the distance above. The sky’s first light shined with Long Feather’s cry. Rapsivia heard eagle’s piercing echo and began to sing.
Midnight sky
Clear and Bright
Quiet night
Quiet night
Grandest bird of power and strength
Your sleep has deceived you.
Midnight sky
Clear and Bright
Quiet night
Quiet night
Return and cry.
Cry for them,
The jungle’s cat
Has eaten.
Grandest bird of power and strength
Less you will find.
At home.
As the dawn broke apart the silence. The bird’s message traveled. Le matins de prejongela. Risivia sang loudly as the island’s wildlife animated and the news of Paskel’s bravery reached from west to east. The Island of Berbertato was awake.
The End (Part Two)
Island of Berbertato
FICTION. An unusual Sea Creature swims with a strong current to a new tropical island. He fumbles into tasty crustaceans and wonders at every turn. Will Bermuda make his way back to his ocean home or will the secret of Berbertato island entice him to stay? The Island of Berbertato by Navsky, published in September 2023 is available free through February 2025.
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