Llama Liana

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Llama Liana was a bright little cria who lived with her Mama Llama and Papa Llama.  Her family lived with other happy llama families who loved to relax and live peacefully. Here in their warm home there was no thought of fear, anxiety, or danger. The South American sun was strong and comforting year-round, food was fresh and plenty, and a nearby river served as playground and lounge.

Liana wasn’t like the other llamas. She loved her family and her home, but she wanted to travel and see the world. She had a strong desire to meet other llamas.
Many times, her friends would find her sitting in her little spot of grass deep in thought. She wondered what other kinds of llamas there were. Big llamas, small llamas, black llamas, white llamas, green llamas, pink llamas.  Liana didn’t think there were any pink llamas, but she thought it would be nice to find out.          

One night, Liana raced under the stars to Mama Llama and told her about the dreams she had.
“Mama Llama, Mama Llama!”
“What is it, little Llama?”
“I want to go far away, I want to meet more llamas. I want to travel and I want to roam and discover everything else there is in the world!”
Mama Llama smiled.
“Not now, little llama. You are still my baby and you belong home. Perhaps when you're older.”
Liana didn’t want to wait, but she loved her Mama, so she said grandly, “Okay,I will stay for another season.”

         The season of Fall came to the grasslands. The sun was still quite warm, the breeze was gorgeous and nature was all in renaissance. The world was so colorful that Liana desperately wanted to leave the grasslands and meet more llamas. In the middle of play, her friends watched her dance and frolic. She went to her mom.
         
“Mama Llama, Mama Llama!”
“What is it, little Llama?” her mom said smiling.
“Mama, I am bigger now. It is Fall. Please, let me find other llamas.”
Mama Llama looked at her daughter and saw she was serious about her desire to travel. She thoughtfully replied,
“Not yet, Liana. Stay one more season. Only one more season and you can go.”
Llama Liana felt disappointed, but listened to her mom and said, “Okay, Mama. I will stay for another season.”

As Liana went off the other mothers watched her. They saw she was independent, driven, and obedient. Liana's unique nature won her family deep respect and dignity.

              The season of winter came to the grasslands. There was no snow or ice in their South American home. On the contrary, things looked just a little...dry. However, this was not noticed by the daydreaming young llama who entertained the younger llamas with ideas of foreign lands. In fact, the more she talked about it, the harder it was to calm her craving for the world. Her wanderlust was ever stronger. And again...

“Mama Llama, Mama Llama!”
“What is it, little Llama?”
“Mama Llama, it is past the season now. Please, can I venture out?”
Mama Llama looked sad upon remembering her consent.
“Please, don’t go, Liana. Only one more season. One more season and you can go."
Liana's heart sank like a stone. It was already two seasons and she still couldn’t go.
But Liana didn’t like to see her mother so sad, so she said, “I will stay for another season.”

              The season of Spring came to the grasslands. There were flowers everywhere and migrating butterflies flocked in the sky. The world looked so beautiful and lively that Llama Liana wanted more than ever to leave the grasslands. So she ran breathlessly to her mom. Her strong hooves cropped the grass and her soft fur danced wild in the air. Her eyes were bright and intelligent.

“Mama Llama, Mama Llama!”
“What is it, Liana?”
“Mother, may I travel just a little beyond the grasslands? I love you so, but I can't help it, I must go. I must see the world, I must meet more llamas. Please, Mama Llama? Please?”
Mama Llama felt torn inside her heart. She knew Liana couldn't stay with her forever, but she loved her little llama so much.
“Please, don’t go, little llama."
"I'm not little-"
"You are still so young and I don’t want you to leave yet. Please, little Llama, please stay only one more season. I promise you may go in the summer.” And Mama Llama became grieved.
Llama Liana saw that her mom was not as strong as before. She didn’t like to see her mother cry, so she said, “I will stay two seasons if it will make you happy.”
And Liana gave her mama a llama kiss.

         The season of Summer came to the grasslands. The sun was very hot, hotter than ever.  Liana watched many of the older llamas become sick and thin. All the grass was brown and the rivers grew shallow. Liana became distressed so she ran to Mama Llama.
         
         When Liana found her mom she was laying down in the dry, dead grass. Mama Llama was getting old and tired. She was very sick.

“Mother, all the llamas are sick and the food and water is gone!”
Mama Llama looked at her and smiled.
“Come here, Llama Liana. I am very old and very tired. I love you so much. Do you still want to see other llamas?”
“Yes, but, I want to stay now. I want to help. I don’t want to leave, I need to stay and help Papa. I will stay until the food and water returns.”

Mama Llama smiled and said, “No, Llama Liana. The food and water will not come back. Our land and homes are dying and will soon be gone. You have become a beautiful llama now and you must go find someone to love.” Llama Liana was very sad and wanted to cry, but her mother comforted her and said,  “No, Llama Liana. You must not cry. Give me a llama kiss, then say good-bye to Papa Llama. It is time for you to go now.”

Liana did not want to go but realized she had no choice. So she gracefully gave her Mama Llama a kiss. She found the leader of the herd, her father, and kissed him with tears in her eyes. He boldly nuzzled his daughter and said, "Be strong and be careful, Liana. You will find others. And you will lead them."
Then she said good-bye to her llama friends. It was time for Llama Liana to start her adventure.



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Under the hot summer sun, Liana walked for many hours until she found a tall, green forest. She smelled wood and pine; she heard chirping and singing; and she tasted crispy clumps of grass. It was so refreshing and Liana was so amazed by everything new, when suddenly she saw someone! It was a young gray wolf.

"Oh, hello. I'm Liana. I come from the grasslands."
The young wolf licked his lips and said, "I am the young Wolf and I live here in the woods."
"Oh," said Liana. "Do you see any other llamas, like me?"
The young Wolf sneered, "Oh, yes. But not often."
Liana's heart skipped.
"Oh! Are they green, or yellow, or bigger or smaller?"
"There are only two kinds of llamas here: dead or alive, and in either state they don't last long."
Confused, Liana asked the young Wolf, "Dead llamas? How-where are they, why are they dead? Is food disappearing here too?"
The young Wolf laughed.
"No, no, no. Food is plenty. Come here, Liana. I see you are very new and I can't help but notice how fresh you look. You look very alive and...healthy."
Liana began to feel scared as the young Wolf started walking towards her slowly and showed his sharp animal teeth. Liana didn't have to ask anymore questions to realize he was hungry.

Liana yelled, "Leave me alone!" and fled as fast as she could out of the woods. The young Wolf almost caught her, but she escaped right on time.

Outside the green forest, Liana sat down and cried.
"How could a wolf eat a llama!" thought Liana. "I would never eat a wolf!"
But Liana learned that even though she was nice to others, others would not always be nice to her. So Liana wiped her tears and kept walking.

After another day,Liana walked into the hills. The sky was ablaze and the grass was as silk. It reminded her of the grasslands. She was looking at all the flowers around her when suddenly she saw a squirrel. Liana was happy to see someone nice for a change and walked right up to her.

"Hello. I am Llama Liana and I come from the grasslands. How are you? Have you seen other llamas? Any green or pink llamas?"

The squirrel stood straight up and said, "I do not talk to llamas!" and ran away.

Liana felt a strange, new feeling. It was an ugly feeling that made her feel little. But Liana remembered the young Wolf and knew that she didn't need to cry, but to keep walking and find new llamas.

The next day, Liana was very tired and discouraged. She found no llamas, only mean wolves and fussy squirrels. She walked endlessly until her hooves became worn. After some time, she found herself  in a meadow. Everything was desolate, she didn't see anyone new and she was happy. All the new animals she met were mean. Liana lied down in the grass and rested. Then, she heard something!

Liana sat up, alert and suspicious. She looked across the meadow and saw something coming. It looked like...was it? YES!  A llama! Liana jumped up and ran to the other llama. The other llama saw her and smiled, running towards her, too.

“Hi, I'm Llama Liana," she said breathlessly, "I have come from the grasslands and... I had to leave my home to find food and water. What is your name?”

“I am Lucas and I have come from the mountains. I also had to leave my family and friends. Oh, wow! You are so pretty! Your color is like the sun on the snow!"

Liana laughed. "And you are so elegant, your color is rich like earth!"
Lucas smiled widely and said, "Will you stay here with me?”
Liana jumped in the air and said, "Yes!"
Lucas and Liana Llama fell in love and lived in the meadow. They were always nice to each other and to the other meadow creatures, no matter what kind or color they were. Soon they settled a home and in no time developed a herd with their own children and the children of other wandering llamas. Soon they were again settled in a world of peace and tranquility.

Never before did Llama Liana feel so accomplished and so happy. Sometimes she grieved over her parents but realized Mama Llama and Papa Llama trained her to become who she was. She knew they would have been proud and not at all surprised at her success. Llama Liana lived happily ever after.