Madaki

Madaki’s bottle of strawberry milk is treated with more reverence than most chimps give to ancient artifacts. Every afternoon, they find a secluded spot on the upper stairs of rock in Waterfall City, far from the bustling plaza. They believe this private ritual connects them to the spirit of Mesuokami, a solemn moment for a lone wolf devotee. With resting eyes closed, they whisper a prayer to the great wolf spirit before taking a long, slow sip of the sweet, pink liquid. Yesterday, a young frog fisher saw the whole ceremony and simply asked, “Want a pickled fish to go with that?” Madaki has been meditating on the question ever since, unsure if it was an insult or an offer of fellowship.