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 Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:46 pm
It was amazing how things came and went in the savannah. After her ventures down by the beach, and her pride-to-be, Leboya had again, gone off on her own adventures, enjoying life as it had always been.
Until.
The pregnant lioness had made up her mind to return to the beach, figuring now that her being had been as big of a neon-sign of advertisement to the pride, and that now the mass of cubs that had been born on her first trip there now needed another pair of eyes to watch them.
That's when the pains had struck, pausing the prowling lioness in her paw-steps, wincing at the tightening of her stomach. It wasn't something she'd ever felt before. When no other pains came to her, she shrugged it off, and continued her walking, pretending it had never happened.
And indeed, as fate had had it, the problem hadn't come again for another while.
Later, when she had settled in her place of resting, as it had been in the recent nights, the pain had struck again, with more pressure then it had last time. Again, she ignored it, until quite soon later, it struck again, with more force, telling her to get her butt in gear.
There was gonna be a mess.
What had happened after that, she was unsure of, as things seemed to have come and gone with well, little complication. Her first born had been a bit, well, iffy about the whole coming into a cold-world thing, and given her a few problems he, whom she named Kijuvo. A strapping little boy, who, while he showed marks of his father, as well as his coloring, the lioness ignored that, and simply cleaned the boy, resting him against her belly, where his shortly-following younger sister came to be as well.
She was a beautiful little girl, looking, with no real surprise, like her mother. Leboya heaved a sigh, nudging the cub with her nose to feed like her brother did. This one. Yes, Neoni'liga would suit her well.
It was after that when things got difficult.
Inside of her, it felt like her young unborn cubs were fighting with each other, and indeed she felt like a battle indeed had gone on, when her third child, a young brightly-marked boy who shared his brother's markings, while bearing a symbol of his mother's jelly-fishhood. A lovely little boy, and her little fishlet. Hlatswana would be his name.
Finally, in the years when Leboya would look back on this, the final cub seemed to give her the most problems, and indeed took longer then her other siblings to be born into the world, and then, difficulties arose, causing the lioness to worry about the small brown little girl. After a lot of cleaning and babying of the child, however, the lioness was convinced her youngest, Nyemelewa, would indeed be alright.
Now, if she could only just stay awake....
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:04 pm
A lavender female padded threw the tall grass of the savanna. She was still young and looked to be nothing more than afew weeks old. Strange that such a young creature was out on her own at such a tender age. Pressing down on the plant life that blocked her view Iola caught a whiff of something in the air. Her nose twitched as she shrugged off the scent. The cub was far to busy getting lost to investigate the smell that filled the air. She pressed her paw down on another bushel of grass when she noticed a cricket, Iola’s eyes widened as she sprung toward it hungrily. But alas, she missed as the cricket hopped off, Iola tumbled forward rolling threw the grasses until she hit something…something soft. The cub still abit dazed from the roll stared into a world that spun around her. “Ugghhh…” She placed both paws on her head trying to make the spinning stop. Finally she shook the daze off when she noticed she sat in front of a purple mound. A LARGE purple mound. Iola blinked quite afew times, for the few days she trekked threw the savanna she had never seen such a thing. She pawed at the mound afew times. It was soft doughy…could it be food? Iola stood up and circled the mound; it sure was large. When she came to the end she heard a faint cry, or mew. A sound very familiar to her. She quickened her pace and rounded the end to see a small group of things laying close to the mound. They were so small, so furless. Iola was afraid she took a step back. “What in the world…?”
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:12 pm
A sort of dazed sounding purr came from the lioness as her back, seemingly, went under a childish-assault, attempting to lift her head to look behind her. That didn't work too well for her, however. Soon, though, it seemed the little source of entertainment had found that, indeed, the large mass of Leboya was navigatible, and now had found it's way to investigating her young ones.
A purr came from the lioness, her legs and paws stretching out lazily as she watched the cub.
"I see you've found my little ones." she said, breaking her own silence with a content sigh.
"My very new little ones." she repeated then, adding another word, then heaving a sigh, purring in contentment.
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:24 pm
Iola was taken back. The mound it was TALKING to her. The cub’s eyes widened, her gaze meeting the other’s. “Y-Your little what’s?” She asked her voice hoarse and shaky. She obviously didn’t fully comprehend what was going on at that moment. The cub's eyes glancing up to the ‘magic mound’ and down at the furless things. Iola kept her distance not really knowing to run or not. But even if she wanted to, her legs where glued to the ground. A lump formed in her neck, while trying her best to mask her fear. The cub swallowed down a dry lump. Her muscles tensioning as she took a step closer on shaky legs. More with curiosity than with bravery. She peered down at the small creatures her mouth forming a perfect O.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:51 am
Leboya chuckled at the response she received from the frightened little cub, or was she surprised? Maybe a bit of a mix. Forcing herself to lift her head up, even though she was exhausted.
Again, she explained; "My little ones. They're cubs, much younger then yourself, however." Again, she beamed with pride at the four, before again laying her head down. She was so tired, but now she couldn't just fall asleep. Predators came out after the sun went down, and the last thing she wanted was anything to come along and eat her babies. That would be sad.
When the cub was close enough, the lioness reached out with a paw, pulling the child closer to her, purring, and grooming the cub, if only out of the desire to take care of the little one, who, for all she could tell, was all alone. "It's all right, you can be as close as you want. Just be aware that they're young and fragile." she purred into Iola's ear, again sighing in contentment.
Not yet had the concept of that these little bodies were now going to have to be transported back to the Bahari'mtoto come into her mind.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:13 pm
"Cubs?" Iola was barely able to ask before she was dragged along by an extended paw. The lioness's voice seemed strained, the cub could tell the other was tired. She‘d just now began to notice the features of the lioness, not the blob she seemed to look like from behind. Her fur…it was so pretty, so trim, so neat, SO purple. The young cub mouthed out the word ‘mommy’. Her eyes closed momentarily before snapping open again. A rough sensation ran up her spin. Just as the female began grooming her, Iola cringed, the lioness was running her rough tongue opposite of how the cub’s fur grew. Fur standing on end, Iola arched her back, eye twitching. This felt…so icky. Yet so familiar; it was hard to believe that just a week ago her mother was grooming her just as this female was. The cub turned her neck slightly, pleading with her eyes for the lioness to stop the torture. “I…hate…this…” She mumbled with clenched teeth.
Hot breath pressed against her plush ears before kind words met them. Cerulean eyes stared down at the smallish pups. They sure didn’t look threatening. And now that she was getting a better look at them she could see they had some fur on there tiny bodies.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:20 pm
Leboya chuckled a bit, allowing the cub to whine for a while, before stopping and looking down at her, smiling and shaking her head. "Alright, alright.." she complied, sighing a bit, before looking down at her cubs adoringly. They were so small... had she been that small once? It was hard to think such a thing... so.. small. So... dependant. Poor little things. Turning her attention from the newborns to the little one that was at her stomach, the lioness smiled again. Yes. She was like this one once upon a time too.
Smoothing down the fur she'd paused in the middle of cleaning, it having remained sticking up, the lioness seemed to have taken note to something, and decided, quickly, to remedy it.
"So, my little friend, do you have a name?" she inquired, laughing then adding; "I have one that I am called by. Leboya. Perhaps even 'Lebby' will work as well."
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:08 pm
She sighed a breath of relief as she felt the lioness’s claws rank down her fur somewhat before stopping abruptly. Iola stared up at her in confusion, when the older lion was doing something that actually felt nice she stopped , and so suddenly…. Although; apart of her was glad the elder female stopped. The cub knew it’d take her hours to get the scent off her body. Of the saliva. The cub's ears twitched as the female asked her for her name. She then sounded out the name of the lioness before she tried to say it. “Lay-booooyaa.” The cub knew she killed the name just now just trying to say it; for now she decided Lebby would just be easier for her to pronounced. Iola paused for a moment eyes looking up into the darkening sky. She knew she had a name…at night the words would drift into her sleep by a shadowy figure. Those words repeated in her head. “Iola…Iola…greet the day, young one.” The cub was silent for a moment. Forming the word in her head. “I-I-Io-la!” At first the cub’s tongue tripped over the series of ‘i’ sounds so she licked her lips before repeating the word abit more clearly. “Iola…my names that!” The cub beamed feeling proud of the name, not even knowing what it meant. Tossing her head she puffed her chest, tail swishing side to side. (Means: Violet colored dawn) “Soooo, what are your babies names…?” Iola asked her gaze breaking from Lebby for a moment toward the cubs.
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:56 am
"A lovely name." she complimented, then looked down to her own young-ones, heaving a content sigh, looking over the tiny bodies. "My young ones.... are named, Kijuvo, Neoni'liga, Hlatswana, and Nyemelewa." she introduced, nuzzling each child in turn, then leaning back, resting her head back onto the ground tiredly. But at least she was regaining strength. But she had to wonder..
How long was she going to be out of it like this. And... she had to be able to hunt around taking care of these little ones. Ah... just... urgh. Now all the problems she was going to have to face were starting to come up in her mind in a rush. Now, she only wished, that she had one older child to help her out. But for that to be the case, she would have had to have been much older then she was currently.
Man, she felt old.
"Where's your family, little one?" she then inquired, phasing out of her own thoughts, and looking over to Iola.
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:46 am
Iola nodded and she looked on, the names seemed to fit each cub perfectly. She was getting worried, the lioness sure did rest her head a lot. Maybe she was tried? Iola was shaken from her thoughts when the elder addressed her, asking where her family was. “M-My family…?” “I don’t know.” Iola lowered her eyes onto the ground, they began to sting. “I think I got lost…or somethin’ cause my mom would never leave me! She loved me…they both did......my parents would never abandon me!” The cub retorted angrily as if the female asked if she were abandoned. She obviously has had this kind of conversation before. She hung her head curling her tail around her body. “They didn’t abandon me…” She muttered under her breath. The thoughts rolling around in her mind day in and day out. She could hardly remember what her mother looked like, it was a darkened blur in her memories.
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 6:39 pm
Leboya simply allowed the young cub to insist her denial of what had become of mommy and daddy, nodding and agreeing without saying anything. "Of course, little one, of course. I'm sure your mummy and daddy are out looking for you right now, and are worried sick." She heaved a bit of a sigh as she watched the cub become more and more distressed, before lifting a paw and pulling the child to her chest and nuzzled her a bit, attempting to soothe her nerves.
"It's alright.. it's alright... mummy didn't abandon you, everything will turn out alright, you'll be okay." she insisted, heaving a little sigh, then smiling. "I'll take care of you until your mummy finds us. How's that sound?" she offerred, hoping that it was a suitable offer, as she hated so to see a young one burst into tears and be so sad. It broke her heart to see such a thing.
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 8:56 pm
The cub nodded as she sniffled. Leaning her head against the lioness for comfort, staring into the ocean of fur. “They are looking for me…” She mumbled, they just had to be. And even if they did leave her; there must have been a good reason. For a moment her body trembled as she fought to hold the tears back. Until she heard the lioness’s offer, lifting her head Iola stared into Lebby’s eyes. A smile on her maw and with eyes brimming with tears, “R-really? You’ll take care of meee?” The cub nuzzled the elder female's neck purring wildly. “Hmmmm…together.” Was all she managed to say while purring. Alteast she wont be alone anymore. Thats what really mattered to her.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:26 am
Leboya smiled at the young cub, allowing her to sort out her thoughts without further imput from her. Just watching her think. Oh, how she wished when she was younger there had been one for her to sniffle into the fur of and be taken care of by.
But no. She'd been alone.
"Yeah..." she confirmed, nuzzling Iola's cheek adoringly. Yes, she -did- look like she could be of her own lineage, didn't she? Ah.. this one could get away without questions, she was sure. "Do you like the beach?" Leboya then inquired, her head turning towards the pride she'd been heading to, frowning a bit.
Oh, how would they take her leaving alone, and returning with a lovely mass of cubs with her. Furthermore, she had to wonder how Mlinda's children were growing, they'd been so small when she left.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 10:24 am
“Beach…?” The cub had lived out her few weeks of life in the savanna, she’d never seen where the land and waves joined. The closest thing to a beach she’d ever seen was a watering hole. Iola looked thoughtfully bringing her paw to her mouth, “I don’t know what that is.” She answered tilting her head to the side, ear flickering. “Is it…yummy?”
Iola turned her direction toward the new born cubs, they had stopped feeding and where round as balls. Iola grinned, she was tempted to press her paw down on one to see if milk would sprit out. The cub yawned lazily, it was getting late and the sun was going down. Leaning against the warm mass of the lioness, Lebby made for a great pillow. Her eyes grew heavy as she stared up into the darkening sky over head.
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Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:06 pm
For a long time it had been dark and warm. He'd been aware of little beyond the thrumming of life around him and the presence of his siblings. They'd always been with him, and he couldn't imagine awareness without them.
But even these comforting memories were fading fast, sucked away by this cold, hard reality. He whimpered and searched blindly for comfort.
Then something nudged him, warm and soft against his cold fur. His shivering slowed and stopped, replaced by a soft, faltering purr. Small paws kneeded and he was filled with a new warmth that drowned out the aching in his body. It was dark, but no longer lonely, and he curled tight against his mother's side.
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