Part 2 http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6092112/


This wonderful story was written by my friend  david31
Story belongs to David31-Used with permission


One evening, Tommy; the young bear cub was out for a walk through the woods near his home. Suddenly he heard a strange sound coming from the distance. It sounded a little like a trumpet, but that couldn't be, could it? He followed the sound through the woods, until Tommy found an extraordinary sight. Tommy had found an elephant in the middle of the wood. The poor thing was caught in a few vines from the trees. 'Oh you poor thing, don't worry I'll help you out'., said Tommy and he soon set to work on untangling the elephant and soon he was free.


The elpehant was very gratefull that Tommy had untangled him that he wrapped Tommy around his trunk and sniffed him a little as a means of saying 'thank you' to his rescuer. Tommy giggled at the fact that the elephant put his trunk down his shirt and it tickled Tommy's chest, when the elephant smelled him. 'You're a really friendly elephant aren't you. I guess this means that we're friends now. If that's so, then I need to give you a name'., said Tommy as he thought about a name, then he continued. 'Since elephants are meant to be strong, like bears are, how about the name...'Tirar Ho'*', suggested Tommy. The elephant nodded his head. 'Tirar Ho it is then, I wonder if you can give me a ride back home. I would like you to meet my papa'., said Tommy. So Tirar lifted Tommy and put him onto his back and they headed in the direction of Tommy's house, with tommy pointing the way for Tirar to go. Tommy was certanly enjoying the ride.




At Tommy's house, Tommy's father was relaxing in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. It was quiet, until Tommy came into the kitchen through the back door, sounding very excited. 'Dad, dad. It's wonderfull. Come quickly and see'., exclaimed Tommy, grabbing his father's paw and pulling him off his chair. 'Hey, my little cub. What's the hurry'?, he asked. 'You should come outside and see this'., answered Tommy quite quickly as he took his father to the back door. 'OK, Tommy. I'll have a look'., his father replied with a smile. But when they both got into the backyard, Tommy's dad was shocked by what he saw. 'It's an elephant, dad. I rescued him from the woods and I decided to call him Tirar Ho. Can we keep him dad, hug can we'?, Tommy asked rather excitedly. Tommy's dad now looked quite concerned.




"Well he looks like a wonderfull elephant, my son. But how are you able to look after him? First of all, he is too ig to fit inside the house'?, asked Tommy's father. 'That's OK, papa. I can just look after him in the backyard'., answered Tommy with a smile. 'What about food? Elephants tend to eat a lot'?, asked Tommy's father. 'That's OK, dad. I can search and bring him the food he wants'., answered Tommy with a smile. 'What about water? Elephants tend to drink a lot'?, asked Tommy's father. 'That's OK, papa. I can give him plenty of water from the watering hose'., Tommy answered with a smile. 'What about washing him'?, asked Tommy's father. 'I will help him wash. No problem'., Tommy replied with a smile. 'What about excersize'?, asked Tommy's father. 'I can take him for walks through the woods'., replied Tommy with a smile. 'What about...erm if the elephant had a...you know...accident'?, asked Tommy's father in a lower tone of voice. 'He can use the woods, but if anything goes wrog, I'll clean up after him'., Tommy replied with a giggle. 'Ok, son, but what about if he gets sick and needs to see the vet'?, asked tommy's father, now sounding serious again. 'I can save up my allowence to take him there'., answered Tommy. 'You could, but Tommy sending an elephant to a vet is very expensive. It will take you a long time to save up enough for you to take him there and the poor elephant may need help right away'., replied Tommy's father.




'The truth is, keeping an elephant is too much responsibility for a young cub your age. You don't have the space, the money or the time it will take to look after him. Elephants need to be cared for all the time'., explained Tommy's father. 'Can't you help me look after him'?, asked Tommy. 'I wish I could, but even I don't have the space, money or time to look after him. All that is dedicated to looking after you my son. I'm very, very sorry but you can't keep him'., replied Tommy's dad. 'Awww but papa'., said Tommy sadly, but then his father showed him something that he read in the newspaper. 'Besides, i've read today that the local zoo has lost one of it's elephants and I think the elephant you found was the missing elephant. The zoo is closed for the moment though, so I'm sure it's OK if he spends the night in our backyard. But by tomorrow morning, the first thing we have to do is to return him to the zoo. I'm very sorry Tommy, but it's where he belongs'., said Tommy's father. Poor Tommy was now in tears. 'It's not fair Dad. Why do I always have to lose people I care about'., sobbed Tommy as he ran into the backyard and gave a surrowfull hug to Tirar Ho. Tommy's dad fealt like crying himself now as he saw his son hugging his new friend. He didn't want Tommy to lose another someone that he cares for. But what could he do, nothing could be done.



It was nightfall and Tommy was sat back against Tirar Ho who was now fast asleep after feeding upon the grass in the backyard. As Tommy looked up at the beautiful stars above, they reminded him of the people he loved, but of whom he lost not too long ago. There was his mother, who died from a disease that she had for a very long time, that was very upsetting for both Tommy and his father. Tommy had also lost a fiend of his called Miguel, who was killed by his abusive father, because he drank too much. Tommy could see his mother standing side by side by Miguel with her hand on his shoulders and then giving him a hug as if Tommy's mother was saying 'It's all right my child. I do miss you, but I'll be looking after Miguel, up here in the heavens'. Thinking about that made Tommy cry some more with a mixture of happiness and sadness. Tommy cry some more with a mixture of happiness and sadness. Tommy's dad then came and saw his son still sheading tears. 'This should cheer him up'. he said to himself, as he brought out two mugs of hot cocoa for himself and Tommy,knowing that it was almost time for bed. He took the coca from his dad. 'Thank you'., said Tommy, softly.





Tommy's dad then broke the silence by saying. 'I'll let you in on a secret Tommy. When I was your age, I wanted to look after an elephant too, after seeing them at the zoo myself. But my father told me that elephants were too big and too smelly to be keept inside the house and that I would have to push on their behinds to get them in and out of the front door and if the elephant ever decided to sit down while I was behind it. I would be one squashed bear cub'., said Tommy's father with a smile. Tommy couldn't help but laugh at the story his dad told him, nearly spilling over some of his cocoa. Then Tommy's father continued 'My father finally convinced me not to have an elephant when he said that it would stomp on my toys, not because it wanted to, but because it didn't know any better. So I stuck with toy elephants instead'. 'That was a nice story, Papa. but I'm still going to miss Tirar Ho so much'., replied Tommy. 'I know you will. But at least you'll be able to see him at the zoo with his family'., said Tommy's father. 'Tirar Ho has a family'?, asked Tommy. 'But of course, he's only a young elephant after all and I'll bet his poor mother is worried sick about him. I would be worried sick too if I didn't know where you are'., replied Tommy's father. After hearing this, Tommy started to see the situation a little differentily. Sure he would miss his friend, but he didn't want Tirar Ho's family to be worried about him. After finishing his cocoa, Tommy got up, He then asked his father 'Dad, it's such a lovely night tonight. Is it OK if I sleep beside Tirar Ho tonight and you can join us too if you want'?, asked Tommy. Tommy's Dad didn't see the harm in that at all. 'Sure'., he said and Tommy smiled in return.

TO BE CONTINUED...