The Rhino and the Tiger
This is a story that I submitted to the Anthrocon Conbook a good while ago and was the second story for the fandom I wrote back in early 2020. Trying to go in order with these. I used an omniscient narrator which was a first in one of my stories so sorry if the perspective seems a little inconsistent. As for the story itself it's an Aesop's Fable about two siblings and the value of family and not being alone.
The Rhino and the Tiger
By: A.X Bueno
Two siblings, a rhino and a tiger used to live together with their mother in a humble house in the grasslands. It got lonely sometimes being in a very remote part of the grasslands but the three of them kept each other company and got by just fine. Their mother went out every day to gather things like food, water and whatever else they needed. One day the mother went out and simply never made it back home. The siblings waited for a week, searching and surviving on leftover food and whatever was around, eventually accepting that the worst must have come to pass and she was gone.
They would have to start surviving on their own. The tiger who was the older sister was going to be an adult in about a year and the younger brother(the rhino) was only two years younger than her. They were both starting to learn independence but still had things to learn before their mother vanished on them. After taking a day to mourn they needed to figure out what to do next, at least until they became old enough to truly look after themselves. The sister wanted to go to a relative, one of their aunts who was only several miles away to let her know what happened and see if she could help them.
The brother however wanted to stay where they were and survive on their own. He felt that he didn't need anyone's help and that he was more than capable of getting by on his own being only a few years shy of being an adult and was hoping his sister felt the same way. Of course she didn't and she leaves saying that she hopes he changes his mind and meets her at their aunt's house before closing the door behind her. Left alone in the house her brother sits and rubs his singular horn that all Indian Rhinos have while thinking about one of the reasons he didn't want help that he didn't tell her.
He was different from the rest of his family being the only rhino in it as far as he knew (aside from his father anyway) and because of that he sometimes felt like he didn't belong with the rest of his family. He also didn't want to feel like the awkward house guest who wasn't invited at his aunt's house. He felt like he was tough enough and old enough to survive on his own even if he was the youngest of his family. And so the young rhino started to live life on his own and had to adapt fast to everything that meant. He had to take on all the responsibilities of the house as well as the gathering of food and water.
.
When his mother and sister were still around he would help his sister clean the house, put out the water jugs for his mother to get the water, and just dealt with the simpler chores around the house while they got everything else. They would help him when he needed it or when they were finished. Now he was alone foraging fruits and leaves for himself. His mother knew how to climb as did his sister thanks to his mom's teaching her but now he was scavenging leaves and fruits off the floor as well as the low hanging branches thanks to his bulky body and lack of claws. He thought about tackling the trees for the higher fruits and leaves but realized that he'd still have to catch them and that he didn't want to risk losing any trees they could be scarce as is. Next he went to go grab some water having to go back to the house to grab the jugs, bring them all to the stream and bring the filled jugs back home. Before him and his sister would bring the jugs to the stream and together the three of them would bring the jugs now he was doing all the work.
He also grabbed some reeds from the stream to add to the food he was foraging. He remembers how his mother used to go out of her way to grab reeds like the ones he just picked and how they were a sign of motherly love. All the young rhino has been thinking about throughout his foraging has been family and the way things were. It has been a few days since his sister left him to go to their aunt and while he cleans his home he also thinks about calling her and checking on her and to see if he can join the rest of his family but ultimately he decides against it. The rhino was still determined to be on his own despite the hardship for he was a stubborn one.
And thus for another week the rhino stayed at the house that he alone lived in now. The rhino and his sister ran into each other several times throughout his week alone with her trying to convince him to stay with their aunt and saying how much they worried about him before his stubbornness made her leave disheartened. He was adamant about being on his own despite the loneliness he now felt sitting alone in the house, the extra work he's putting on himself doing all the chores, and him longing for days past. Unfortunately for him he wouldn't be able to be alone for long. The monsoon season was fast approaching and he wasn't prepared especially when the house needed several repairs that he didn't know how to do.
Within two days the house was in terrible shape and there was nothing the rhino could do anymore. With no choices left he made the several mile trip to his aunt's house he hesitantly approached the door but before he could knock the sister opened the door and he whole family welcomed him. He apologized for being so stubborn and making them worry but that he didn't want to be a burden but before he could finish the aunt stopped him and told him that they're family and that that's all that mattered. She said that she knew why he didn't come sooner for although she may not be a rhino she was young and stubborn once too. For the first time in several weeks the rhino feels happy again for his family was with him and everything was going to be alright. After all, he wasn't facing the storm alone anymore.