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A Superb Family

I kneel down beside my newborn foal during a storm in the middle of winter. Tobi looked up at me expectantly for a story, “Mommy, tell me about great-grandpa today!!”

I sigh as I thought about how to start the story of my grandfather, “Well, my grandfather, Oka, was Temujin‘s pride and joy, the favourite of three. Temijin was five years old when Oka was found wild as a young foal. Every day Oka was brushed and exercised with as much commitment as you could have for your respected horse.”

“Only occasionally Oka was taken to wars fought between clans for grazing space, but when he was, he loved it. Temujin and Oka were one. Oka galloping through yowling enemies while Temijin would gracefully wave his curved sword around, like a magic wand. Enemies would fall around him, never to rise again, but Temujin and Oka were never touched by one blade.”

“Depending on the area, Temujin would lead Oka to a new grazing ground, every place better than the last. Every day was spent grazing, hunting, and occasionally going to war with his superb owner. These dream days continued until something terrible happened.”

Tobi’s eyes were wide with fear and anticipation, “what happened?” He managed to ask.

“Temujin’s father, the leader of his clan, had been poisoned by another leader. Temujin was his father‘s heir, but, fearing for his own death, fled with his family of four brothers and his mother, but left Oka behind. After being ill treated for months on end, Oka soon gave up hope of Temujin ever coming back and lost the will to live. Not long after he died, his son was born, never to know the face of his father.”

Wind whistled through the wooden boards of the cramped and cold stable. Tobi snuggled closer to me to keep warm, his eyes full of shock and horror, “What happened to grandpa then if great grandpa’s fate was so terrible?” Tobi bravely asked.

“When my father was old enough to be tamed, it was when Temujin had been named Genghis Khan. Everybody bowed down to Genghis Khan, if not they were brutally murdered. Genghis Khan would take warriors from the places he conquered and use them in his army. He would even steal precious people from foreign places to benefit his empire. Genghis Khan was feared by many, but helped those within his empire and soon became godly. Your grandfather‘s name was Toklo, and he unfortunately wasn’t part of Genghis Khan’s army and he never got the chance. The worst thing was that his clan was headstrong.”

Tobi looked up, worried, he looked as he was going to ask about his grandfather’s clan but thought better of it, “What does Khan mean?” He asked instead.

“Khan is a name given to leaders of tribes, and Genghis mean ruler of all. This information alone should have stopped Toklo‘s leader from going into war, but it only made him laugh mockingly. “

“When Toklo and his rider rode into the battle grounds, he watched as unit after unit of soldiers that ranged from 10 to 1,000, all Genghis Khan’s army. Toklo nervously raced into battle, but when he looked up, he met the battle glazed eyes of Genghis Khan‘s battle scarred horse. The horse rose upwards and fell onto Toklo and his innocent rider, both killed by the brutality of war.”

Tobi was looking at the thick hay covering the floor of the stable, “how do you know so much?” Tobi asked.

My eyes traveled upwards, away from my foal’s innocent body, “I got told first hand by the son of your great-grandfather, and the brother and killer of your grandfather.” Tobi was watching me, but I couldn’t meet his eyes.

A groomer strode into the stable, unfazed by the cold winds and snow. He roughly shoved Tobi and I into a tight halter and led us into the cold outdoors.

I was brought towards the almighty Khutulun. She had won another wrestling match, and another 100 horses. Tobi and I were two of them.

Fireworks boomed overhead. But wait! those weren't fireworks! they were angry ninjas with grenades! I fled in fear towards a flat area where the ninjas could not sneak up on Tobi and I. Suddenly the ground dropped from beneath me and I was falling towards lava, along with Tobi. I felt burning water engulf me and I was never to see the light of day again.