The First Step
A Thursday Prompt story
© 2024 by Walter Reimer

Thumbnail art by  technicolor_pie, color by  Major Matt Mason

Prompt: tackling


“They laughed at me,” Vladmir grumbled.

Moka Bustani glanced at the young Emperor. Vladmir and his younger brother Farukh had returned to Maratha from Terra a few days earlier, and the two young leopards had asked the tiger if they could help him with his gardening duties. Smiling, the tiger had agreed, and now they were helping him plant a young pear tree.

There were bottles of chilled water nearby, but the security forces were farther away. Still watchful, but the tiger was trusted.

The hole stood ready, excavated dirt off to one side. Farukh dusted dirt from his trousers as Moka shook his head. “They did?”

Vladmir nodded, pouting slightly as he looked at his own dirty paws. “I told them that I wanted to make Terra as nice as Maratha.”

“Ah,” and Moka nodded. “That’s a worthy goal.”

The leopard’s paws balled into fists. “They didn’t really laugh,” he growled, “but I could tell they were.”

The tiger’s big paw rested on Vladmir’s knee. “What did I say about being angry?”

“That it clouds your judgement,” and Vladmir’s ears went back as he sighed. “Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about,” the family estate’s gardener said. “You’re young, and by the time you’re old enough to govern,” and he tapped the side of his nose, “they’ll all be gone.”

The younger feline blinked. “Dead?”

Moka smiled and gave a conspiratorial wink. “Well, that depends on how old they are now, doesn’t it?” The two younger furs giggled and he went on, “I suppose some will retire, or end up in other jobs. You’re young, Vladmir. You can afford to wait, but that’s not to say that you can’t start things.”

Vladmir cocked his head and flicked his ears. “What do you mean?”

“You and Farukh help me get this tree in the ground first,” Moka said, “and I’ll tell you.” With their help, the pear tree was lifted and placed in its hole. The excavated soil was replaced, and the gardener said, “Has anyone told you how you go about taking care of a problem?”

The two kittens shook their heads. “The first step,” the tiger said, “in solving a problem is to understand what the problem is. When you’re sure, you start working the problem.”

“’Working the problem?’” Farukh piped up.

Moka nodded. “Break it into small, simple, easy steps. Get one step out of the way, and then move on to the next.” He walked over to the coiled hose, connected to a pipe that was part of the garden’s irrigation system. “Just like getting this tree planted.”

The brothers looked from him to the tree. “So, the problem was getting the tree planted,” Vladmir said, “and the first step was . . . finding a good spot for it?”

The tiger glanced at the tree. “Exactly right.” He turned the valve, and the kittens squealed with laughter as he sprayed them playfully before directing the water flow to the tree.

“When will we get pears?” Farukh asked as he wiped water from his eyes and ears.

“Not for a while yet, but when you’re older – maybe twenty – you’ll see beautiful fruit on this tree,” and for a few moments he and the two youngsters played about with the hose. “Living things have their own pace,” and Vladmir and Farukh laughed as Moka accidentally sprayed himself in the face. “You know that huge banyan in the middle of the garden? Your ancestors planted that, far back.”

Playtime over, the two leopards looked at the tree again, careful to keep their feet out of the mud as Moka packed up the tools and hose, placing them in a cart. “Now, I think you two need to go and get cleaned up while I put these things away.”

“All right, Moka,” Vladmir said. He gave Farukh a gentle swat on the shoulder. “Race you,” and the two took off at a run toward the huge mansion.

Moka watched them go, his face momentarily settling into a hard, set expression. The moment passed and he began to whistle a soft tune as he started down the path, the cart dutifully following him.