In the heart of the forest, a tiny baby monkey clung to a low branch, his round eyes wide with fear. His tiny chest heaved with quick, shallow breaths as he searched frantically for the familiar shape of his mother. Just moments ago, she had been grooming his soft fur, humming gentle grunts of comfort. But suddenly, with a swift leap and no backward glance, she bounded away through the canopy, leaving him behind.
The baby’s small hands trembled as he reached toward the distant rustling leaves, where she had vanished. A piercing cry burst from his mouth, echoing through the trees. It was not the playful chatter of a content infant, but a desperate scream, raw with terror and longing. Each cry rose higher, like a plea, begging her to come back. But the forest only answered with the whisper of wind and the rustle of unseen creatures.
Seconds felt like hours to the frightened little one. His tail curled tightly around the branch as if anchoring him against the wave of loneliness. He didn’t understand why she had gone, or if she would return. The once vibrant world now seemed so huge and empty, shadows stretching long and dark around him.
At last, a faint rustle made his ears twitch. Could it be her? His cries softened to trembling whimpers as he scanned the branches. Then, from the dense leaves, his mother reappeared. She returned calmly, as if nothing had happened, her sharp eyes checking him over. The baby flung himself into her arms, clutching her fur with all his strength. Relief washed over him like warm sunlight.
Though it had only been a short absence, to the tiny baby monkey, it had felt like forever.
