[PRP] Replacement Lovin'

[Asparegus]

Laini'Ukunga out of the scattered Oasi and down to the large river. It was a while away from the Oasi and towards the danger zone. As a matter of fact, it was the dividing line from the danger zone. Out there was death. But it was away from the temple and away from the vultures. She didn't want to be attacked by them again but nor did she want to be pushed to attack them. They were an aggravating force she couldn't wait to be rid of. How were they to start a new life with vultures trying to control it? She channeled her frustrations on her walk, a heavy trudge that took out most of her energy with each walk.  

[Storei]

Despite the desperate attempt to get away from the vultures that seemed to haunt Laini, there was still one to be found. By the riverside, underneath a withering tree and its enclave of roots was another black winged vulture. It's wings were raised up as if attempting to curtain its prize, a small lump of red and black. From underneath the vultures tattered wings, a little body writhed, crying out with desperate mewls.

It was hot, this thing was attacking it, and there was sand clinging to his sticky fur. But it was so young...Just a day or so from the womb, just big enough to squirm and big enough to force cries of discomfort and fear.  

[Asparegus]

Laini heard the noise suddenly and instantly set off in that direction. She had no clue what sort of baby was making that sound, associating it with a couple of baby animals. She didn't even expect to make it there in time to save whatever creature it was. Nope. She just hoped to give what was attacking it, unmistakably a vulture, a piece of her mind.

Laini spotted the tree and the large black creature beneath it. It lifted its ugly head to see her charging. Yes, they were old enemies. They squared off with their eyes but with her speed and headlong charge, the vulture saw itself beaten and flew a comfortable distance away to watch for her next move. She slowed and padded over to examine the creature it had attacked. It was a red and black mess of limbs. Laini sniffed it carefully. It was a cub. A cub much like the ones one of the priestesses had back at the Oasis. But its colors were much too foreign to belong to anyone at the pride.

She gently ran a paw over its body to ascertain if it was still alive.  

[Storei]

At first, it didn't seem like the little body would stir. But, with the flick of his ear, fate was sorely proven wrong. With another forlorn mewl, the cub blinked open his sensitive golden eyes. Finally, the big black thing was gone...But in its place, another thing appeared, even larger than the first! It leaned over him, obscuring the blue expansive sky. Struggling to lift his head even more, the little cub gave another sound as her paw gently passed over his body. Little paws reached out and batted at Laini's paw in response.  

[Asparegus]

She withdrew sharply, really exemplifying how she didn't think it'd be alive. She poked it, trying to see if it could get to its feet. "You ok, little thing? You have a name? Probably not. What are you doing all the way out here anyway?" She didn't think any lion or cheetah would come all the way out here unless they were part of the DW. But this thing clearly wasn't. She doubted it could even speak, much less that it had a name.

Well what exactly was she going to do with it? She couldn't exactly leave it here now that she had found it and the vulture was waiting close by to finish it. Clearly, everyone in the world as adept at viewing crossbreeds as unwanted. That was probably even what the vulture was expecting of her. But no, she'd prove it wrong. She had thought her son to be a disappointment, his disease a major let-down. And look what had happened to her. No, maybe this was a sign. She was given a misfit by Mkodi to make up for the one she had perhaps created in her son.  

[Storei]

Just like she thought, this little thing had no words with which to speak. It only had enough time to glimpse at the mother that bore him before she ran away in utter terror from him. She didn't spare any time to teach him anything but confusion and hurt. His mother hadn't even given him a name with which to call himself. She called him "monster", but this little cub didn't know how to tame his tongue into repeating that word yet.

Forcing out some sounds, the little thing retaliated at the poking, trying to bat at her paw. His ears laid back against his head and he gave an even greater howl. Then he paused...And became quiet. A set of twin golden eyes focused up at her and the small red cub's chest heaved quickly with the effort.

But those eyes, those eyes watched her, as if they were waiting for her decision.  

[Asparegus]

She looked down at the poor thing abandoned by its mother surely as she had abandoned Ori by sleeping when he disappeared. He was red which meant he stuck out like a sore thumb. There was no way she could leave him all by himself. Not that it would have been any less cruel if he was sandy brown.

No this boy was a sign. He was red. He was war. No, she would not take it as a bad omen. It was a good one. They would win. Not exactly caring what his response would be, the poor thing, she picked him up in her mouth by the scruff of his neck. He wouldn't squirm or cry if he realized this was best for him. She wondered what Matifu or Muroki would think of him. Or even the priestess Mdimu who had cheetons like him.  

[Storei]

It was only natural for the little cheeton to give a sound of surprise and anger as he was suddenly changed from his sprawled position on the sandy bank to hanging suspended in the air from the soft maws of this strange lioness. Or was it him who was strange? He mewled loudly, but after getting over the fact that there was no hurt in his joints for being picked up (this was his first time suspended in air, after all), he became silent. The little one's golden eyes were bright with curiosity and wonder.

So with the curl of his lower body, the red little orphaned cheeton watched the world changing around him.  

[Asparegus]

Laini went almost cross-eyed trying to look at what the cheeton was doing in her maw. But noticing he had calmed down, her mouth snaked into a smile, as best as an occupied one could. Hopefully this cheeton would be able to grow up, be a healthy young thing, and never know grief again. The vultures still existed but they would be removed before this little guy could stand on his own. Laini would see to that personally if she had to and even if it meant she had to die. She did truly think there were things worth fighting for, worth sacrificing oneself for.