WC: 1,795
"Aunty!"
Kata almost yanked the living skin out of her child, pulling him back as he almost darted for the queen. "My Apologises My Lady..."
"It's alright, he's just a cub, here- Come Niyebe." The Queen's voice was soft, and the cub came running and tackled her arm. "My aren't you handsome. So tell me... have you choosen your path yet?"
"Such a strong choice shouldn't be taken lightly you know, my queen. They are still-"
"Entertainer."
"Oh?"
"WHAT."
"Yes!" Niyebe smiled greatly. But Kata wasn't the least bit amused.
"I'm sure you need more time to think on it- you know because they are so young and impressionable." Trying to save herself the humiliation, and speaking in a tone in which Ni should have known that mother was getting angry but he quickly disregarded it.
"Oh stop Kata, let them seek out." Looking at Niyebe and lowered her head as she softly brushed his chin up to look at her. Everything about her was tender and gentle although she looked strong and vicious at times. "What made you choose that rank."
"Well I love making others smile. And Entertainers make everyone smile with their performances, and well it's amazing. Dancing- singing- and making others feel good about themselves. It's....it's...... like I'm their gift. I can make them happy." Then he leaned up against her. "And their smiles will be all because of me- mine." Giving her wink.
"Well isn't he the charming one."
"Hardly." Kata snapped back.
”All of us are gunna be entertainers. We’re gunna make a club, and all of our guests will be always happy all the time. I mean who can compete with us right?~” He started laughing and snuggled in to Emi…
It didn’t gratify Kata one bit. ”I hope not. You will be right hands like we were- like the family is. To do so, our blood line has a great privilege to care for the Bosses. ”
”Course, the bosses will be happy in the club too.”
Which of course caused Emi to start laughing. ”Oh? So you have this all planned out huh.”
”Yes mam!”
”I’m sure you all will be wonderful…” But she then felt Kata’s eyes on her. ”With whatever you pick, you still have time. But if you decide to change, it will be harder later on. See, you would have to start from step one. So you need to choose wisely, just because entertainers seem like the best choice. Go find out what the other ranks have to offer. Take the time to learn, then make a decision.”
FINALLY. She didn’t irritate Kata so badly, finally maybe some sense will seep in to his big headed brain. She pondered on the thought of having all of her cubs as entertainers and it devastated her. All of them will soon realize that being an entertainer can literately break you- way ,more than any rank. It meant giving up the parts of you that should be soully for the one you love, and share it with the others. It wasn’t an uncommon practice to have to share your mate with another if they were entertainers, but if you were one. You weren’t really suppose to have a mate. Unless you retired. Then that would mean a different story, but she couldn’t even think that Emi would be ok with having Kata’s bloodline go in to being entertainers. What non sense was this!? Didn’t she want her cubs to be protected, didn’t she want her family to have dutiful, and strong right hands? Yet she is so willing to give them off.
”But all the others are boring!!!” Niyebe whined, then cuddled some more. It was disgusting how cute he was, and his eyes were so vibrant.
”Well maybe you’re not giving it a chance. Here. For me… it would make me happy if you spent a week in each rank. Just to observe of course.. Then you let me know. Deal?”
Niyebe didn’t seem too happy about the idea but he slipped in to her arms and against her stomach. Something that her cubs used to do, and it warmed her heart. Maybe now that her cubs were leaving and becoming adults, maybe she should ask Buluu if they should try again.
Kata sighed and plucked the boy right out of her arms. He was so much different than his other siblings. Not even taking as much white, he was gorgeous, like Kata was a fiery blaze like the sun and Niyebe was like a ice and they seemed to act the same way. ”I think it’s time we head out my lady.”
”No.. won’t you stay for dinner. You know I hate eating alone, or- well with body guards just standing over you. You know, like you used to do.” She laughed and smiled at Kata… They were inseparable and became so close. More than Janja’nyoka did with Mana, her father. They were also friends, and thus why she was the aunt and if ever anything happened to her. She knew Emi would take care of her young as if they were her own. But for now, she was NOT gunna be happy about her son going to an entertainer. She had almost forgotten when Emi was in love with Ajani, an entertainer that she cared deeply for.
An entertainer.
Niyebe looked up at his mother, slightly pissed and annoyed that she snatched him away from his aunt but TRIED SO HARD to look cute and not irritated… Kata dropped him down without even some slight motherly remorse and rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Kata wasn’t the least bit amused yet again with either of them but she went on to go through the tunnels with Emi’s lead. Having Niyebe stay to her side, until he quickly darted up to the queen and slipped between her legs and ended up right between her front paws as they walked. While Emi thought this was funny, Kata wasn’t. ”Ni-“
”He’s fine Kata…”
”You know with you babying them they will become spoiled and- rotten-.” The last part she emphasized.
”Are you saying I’m a bad aunt.”
”No. Just you give them too much leeway and then they think they can get away with murder.” Which was amusing because that was what half of kata’s and her mate’s job was. Killing.
”You have to let them be cubs too. You have to let them find their own path. Especially like a pride in this one, there are so many avenues, that they need to be able to explore. Also, they should be able to have fun. I love watching cubs play in the water or play tag- it reminds me that this place isn’t always bloodthirsty but we have cubs, we have feelings, we have unity and we have family. We have something to protect and we function quite well. So when it comes to cubs, I think we should let them have fun. We as adults often forget that having fun makes the soul happy.”
”That might be in your new fantasy branch of the pride but for us- we have no souls. We need to keep this pride running smoothly. It doesn’t have to do with getting to know one’s soul nor and for SURE not playing around. My cubs have the blood of my father. I don’t want him to not be proud. I sure as hell don’t want any of them as entertainers. Jeez the shame on my family would be enormous.” Which all of this was course said in front of Niyebe.
Which had to disagree because he always disagreed with his mother, in silent. Otherwise he did sort of feel bad. Grandpa… He thought, he hadn’t seen him. Not that he could remember. But he was said to be the best right hand to the first Queen. Emi’s mother. Which of course made him think he was also royal, but his mother. Sometimes her words did hit him, and it sometimes hurt. He would always play with dad though, why had mother been so uptight all the time. So strict, maybe it was her upbringing, and she clearly made that clear with her statement.
”Not everything is fun…” Niyebe finally said. He looked up to Emi. ”We have to learn and play. That’s what dad says. There is a time for everything.”
Which surprised even Kata with the words coming out of his mouth.
”I seen what the grown ups do. They are constantly training, constantly getting hurt and dragged to seek care. But that’s another reason why entertaining suits.. because all those that word so hard need to remember that there is also time to smile and be reminded that they are important. They are here- and are alive.” For a cub, this was a tad too complex of a thought, but he was the oldest. He thought about this stuff all the time and refined his way of thinking constantly. ”Sorry…”
Emi was astounded, he was so intelligent, he could really fit in to any of the ranks, she was sure of it. ”No- why would you say sorry honey…”
Kata had nothing to say, it shut her up entirely and she wasn’t exactly sure if she could say anything. He was… surprisingly smart for his age and it totally had to have been from her side. She was at least glad that he took in to account, his surroundings.
”Because I know I am but a cub in your eyes. But I think of things. A lot of things… sometimes it just.”
”Becomes vomit.” Kata added.
Niyebe looked back, his mother was an amazing cheetah, he couldn’t tell anyone different. Something he would never tell her, but he was very happy to have her as a mother. She knew him better than most. If not more although she was always appalled by his ‘entertainer’ talk. Maybe one day he could show her..
And as soon as they got to the room, two gazelle’s were laid out on a stone. Guards guarding every enterance. ”Alrighty- dig in.” Her voice sweety said then looked back at Kata, taking a step away from Niyebe, letting him sink his teeth in.
”He is .. gunna be an amazing addition to the family.”
”Yea well he is something else. A pain.”
”You don’t have to be so hard on him.”
”So not being hard, will cause weakness and I can’t afford that.”
Emi looked away, sighed. ”You are the mother.” Then slipped by her and started to eat with the overly excited cub.
”Can I take some to my brothers and sis?”
”Of course-“
”Awsome!” With no regret now- he dug in.
Kata didn’t participate. Instead, she sat back and watched them… Thinking…