The Luna Stories - No 3

[angelwyche - ADMIN]

The Luna Stories
Winter Tales

Luna the little white guinea pig was getting excited. Why? Because she could sense the activity in the house they lived in was getting ready for the midwinter festive season again.
This meant extra titbits of favourite foods, hearing excited gossip from the human family they lived with, and the musical laughter from the two little girls of the family. But most of all Luna would be able to speak to Cleo again. Cleo was the big tortoiseshell cat that also lived with the family. Luna had 2 guinea pig children to introduce to Cleo; Luna had a daughter, a very pretty little lady pig called Cirrus, and a shiny golden coloured son called Sol who was born during the first blushing of autumn colours. There was also Caspian, Cirrus and Sols Father who had joined the family in the summer. Of course the little pigs, Caspian and Cleo had seen each other, but this festive eve they would be able to speak to each other.
Last year Cleo had explained this by saying - ‘Because of this special night, at midnight until sunrise all animals can understand each other, we are all at peace with each other, we do not hunt or fight in acknowledgement of the blessings that were given to this world just over 2000 years ago.’

There were many visitors to the house; all of them visited the guinea pigs in their two cages in the corner of the kitchen, many of them giving treats to all of the little ones. As it got later into the night the children disappeared upstairs to be followed later by their parents.

The guinea pigs gathered together at one side of their cage and Caspian and Sol sat in the corner of their cage nearest to the sow’s cage. Caspian was now completely over the shyness he displayed when he was first adopted by the family. Cleo was settled, dozing on a fleece next to the pen.
Cleo stretched as only cats can and lightly leapt to the top of the cages, where covers had been put on the top, just for her use. The humans had been quite surprised at Cleo’s interest in the guinea pigs over the last year, and so had catered towards her spending time near them by putting strong covers on top of the cage.
‘Moon pig’ she whispered ‘it is time’
Luna looked up from where she had been nibbling an alf alfa block ‘Hello Cleo, it’s so lovely to talk to you again’ All the other lady piggies gathered around, Luna had told them all about her adventure the year before, and they were eager to meet Cleo. Luna made introductions all round, ‘This is my mother Froste’ the gracious white sow nodded ‘My Grand mother SnoBerry’ The older white sow said ‘Greetings Cleo, ‘I have heard much about you’. Then she introduced Hazel ‘Hazel is our wise sow, she knows a lot of stuff’ the lovely Buff with the wise eyes greeted Cleo. Caspian stood up against the bars of the neighbouring pen and said ‘I am Caspian, and I must thank for your help and guidance, when Luna and I were lost.’ ‘I was happy to help, and was very pleased that I found you’ said Cleo. And this is mine and Caspians daughter, Cirrus’ said Luna, nodding to her daughter, and our son Sol’. Cleo looked at the little sow with the beautiful swirly grey and white coat, and the shining boar. It is a pleasure to meet you little pigs named for clouds’ said Cleo respectfully, ‘and greetings to you too who are named for the sun’ she said to Sol.

Cleo glanced at Hazel ‘I remember you were here when I arrived as a kitten’. Hazel gave an amused glance ‘I remember you chasing you tail on the kitchen floor and getting into allsorts of trouble’ Hazel was quite amused by her memories. ‘You have been here a long time?’ asked little Sol. ‘Six turns of the seasons’ answered Hazel. ‘I can remember all of you either arriving or being born’ Hazel said. I remember a number of years ago, a sow being brought into the family this very eve. ‘Tell us, please’ asked the younger guinea pigs.

‘A few years ago, the human mother used to work as an assistant at a shelter for animals that were ill or looking for their forever home’ Hazel said, settling into telling story mode. ‘This Eve she brought home a box with a beautiful white sow in. The children were much younger then, so they were only allowed to stroke her as one of their parents held the sow.’ I was taken out of my pen and put on the floor for my usual exercise and play time, and the young sow allowed on the floor with me’ I was still young then and had lots of energy. But instead of charging around, I went up to this sow to greet her. She was nervous, but did not try and avoid me, she also smelt very clean due to being bathed before being brought home. She was also very plump and only able to waddle around a little. We shared treats and sat in front of the fire for a while. Then we were put back into what was now our cage’.

‘I remember’ said Cleo ‘I got shut upstairs’ she looked a bit glum about that part of the story.

Hazel continued ‘Later into the night, this young sow started to get uncomfortable, I was concerned as to how I was going to let the family know if she was ill. Then I realised what was going on. Over the next hour I stayed close and encouraged her as she give birth to a single white baby, a little sow.

She had just been cleaned up and on her feet, when the bearded man came to see us. He was overjoyed to see the baby and was very generous with the carrots he always brought. He also gave the new baby sow a name, Froste’ Hazel finished.
They all turned and looked at SnoBerry and Froste, who were looking very happy about the memories that Hazel had just shared with them.
‘So that’s how you got here’ said Luna ‘So pleased that part of the family history had been explained.’

Just then the animals heard the door open and shut and the tramp of heavy feet. ‘Here he comes’ said Cleo. There was a rustle of bags in the living room, and then the bearded man in red came into the Kitchen. He stroked Cleo, and stroked and tickled the guinea pigs, as they all climbed up to the bars of their pens. He was pleased to see Cirrus and Sol. He then gave them all carrots and stood back and watched them for a little while. He gave a sigh and left via the living room, leaving wet foot prints on the floor.

Cleo curled up and wrapped her tail over her front paws and watched the little pig people eat their carrots. It would be dawn soon, and the human family would be down soon to see what the man in red had brought.
Luna looked up from her carrot ‘be well Cleo, and I will see you around.’
‘I will, moon pig and we’ll speak next year’ said Cleo, and she rested her head onto her paws to doze until the family came down stairs.