Sukanya moved slowly, cautiously, through the unfamiliar lands. She kept Ishara close to her side, despite the young leopon’s protests. Despite the fact that Tega had come to fetch her from the edge of the pride’s lands, she still felt anxious about being inside their walls. She knew that they kept slaves – though it didn’t appear that they mistreated them. As a pride for hybrids, being a full leopard, Sukanya felt uncomfortable intruding. But she had to speak to her son, and it wasn’t fair to ask him to leave his responsibilities behind. She was proud of him, he had a mate who he loved, a pride which kept him safe and job that he enjoyed doing. It was all she could ask for her son! She could only hope that someday her other offspring found the same joy. “He’ll be really happy to see you,” Tega murmured to her as they walked, he was keeping up with her slower pace, walking shoulder to shoulder to show others that she was being escorted. She would not be taken as a slave if he could help it.
“It’s all he can talk about right now,” Sonali remarked cheerfully from where she glided just above there. “He can’t wait to meet little Ishara.” The bird cast a fond glance at the tiny leopon who padded along close to her mother.
“He’s my brother, right?” Ishara clarified and got a nod from all present. “Just checking. I know Mum’s talked about him heaps, but I just wanted to make sure.” She peered at Tega with a look of contemplation. “So what are you to my brother?”
Tega chuckled, somewhat nervously. He and Makosa rarely used titles, they had just been together…for what seemed like forever now. “I am his mate,” he explained cautiously, unsure how Ishara would take that information.
The small leopon stared at him for a moment, before shrugging. “Ok. I suppose we can’t have cubs anyway, so why not mate a member of the same gender.” It didn’t bother her, but at her current stage, she thought that all relationships were weird, not just same-gender ones.
“You don’t know if you can’t have cubs,” Sukanya reminded gently. “Not all hybrids are infertile.”
“I don’t want cubs, they’re nosy,” Ishara protested, crinkling her nose in annoyance. “Boys are stupid anyway.” As the only girl in a litter of 7, Ishara wasn’t entirely fond of a big family, and her experiences with other boys her age rather put her off the whole ‘mates’ thing. Maybe her opinion would change some day, but right now, she was less than impressed at the whole thing.
Sukanya, Tega and Sonali all chuckled at the youths protests, and Sukanya ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Give it time, love, you might change your mind someday.” She had never thought of cubs before she had gotten pregnant by Al-hattal, but since then, she had realised that she actually loved being a mother. Though going from 1 cub to 7 had been quite a shock. She rather hoped her next litter might be a happy medium of the two. She had always struggled with Makosa, but that was due to his gift…which it appeared that Ishara also inherited.
She was nervous about it, and thus she had sought out her eldest to talk to him. This unfortunate required him to walk within the hybrid pride.
“Are you sure it’s ok that I am here?” Sukanya sought clarification again. Tega glanced at her, and gave a reassuring look.
“I am with you, Miss Sukanya, you won’t be hurt or captured while I am with you. Makosa would not allow it, and neither would I,” he assured gently. He understood her worry. Most purebreds who walked within the pride were practically property, not really ‘pride members’ but that didn’t mean that she would be. He would make sure that she got to her son and that she got out safely. As a guard, he was in the best position to do so.
“I just don’t want to cause a stir for you and Makosa,” Sukanya explained. “You two have made such a life here. I don’t want to ruin it.”
“You couldn’t ruin it,” Sonali protested lightly. “You can only improve it, after all, Makosa is half you. You are part of this life that they have built.”
She smiled. “I like that thought, thank you Sonali.” She knew that the bird had grown up with Tega, much like Adelai’e had grown up with Makosa. It was nice that they appeared to have makeshift parents with the birds as well. It soothed some of Sukanya’s anxiety about her son being so far from her.
Tega cleared his throat nervously, and knew that he would have to bite the bullet eventually. “I know that your son will likely talk to you about this as well, but I just wanted to express my own intentions to you, and hopefully gain your support for this.” He paused, and drew the group to a halt while he met Sukanya’s gaze. “Your son and I have decided that we would like to have what you have – a family of our own. As the gods have not gifted us the ability to have cubs naturally, we will be seeking the use of some of the breeding purebloods-“ he purposefully avoided the use of the term ‘slave’, knowing that might ruin the mood “-in order to give us a family of our own. I hope we have your blessings.”
Sukanya began to smile, a broad and cheerful smile. “Oh Tega! Of course you do! I am so pleased for you and Makosa. Oh, I will have grandcubs? How exciting! Isn’t it exciting, Ishara, you will have nieces and nephews!”
The young leopon crinkled her nose with a look of confusion. “But they’ll just be younger than me. That’s weird.”
“It may be a while before we find someone willing to help us,” Tega rushed to explain. “It may not be for a while yet. You might be a lot older, Miss Ishara.” The young female contemplated it for a moment, and shrugged.
“Congratulations,” she said instead, knowing it was the correct thing to do in the situation.
Tega grinned. “Thank you, both, it really means a lot to us that you are supportive of our hopes.”
Sukanya smiled back. “Oh please do send word when the cubs are born. I will come visit again and hopefully impart some wisdom on you two as new parents.” It would mean coming back into the odd pride, but cubs were worth that, especially for her beautiful Makosa and his mate.
“I will fly as fast as my wings can carry me,” Sonali assured her, flapping her strong wings as if to say that it wouldn’t take her long. The bird was thrilled for her boys of course, and it would be so exciting for them to finally have a family of their own. For now, it was important though, that they kept moving.
“We should keep moving,” she said gently. “We don’t want to dawdle and keep Makosa waiting.” Also, she didn’t want to be approached by any of the pride members. It wouldn’t be hard to explain the situation, but it would be far easier if they simply didn’t explain, and just kept moving.
“Good plan,” Tega agreed swiftly, and motioned to keep going. “We’re not too far from Makosa now.” He hustled Sukanya and Ishara along, and continued to smile. Their family would be complete and Makosa’s family supported them! It filled him with excitement and he couldn’t wait to find the surrogates that would gift their dream to them.
- Fin
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