“What are you?” She asked, unable to hold back the question.
The male looked startled, both at her being there and also at her question. It took him a moment or two to respond and then he laughed. “I am a leopon, Miss. Half Lion, Half Leopard. Are you aware you’re quite close to the Koti borders?” Sonali, who was flying overhead, looked amused at the female’s question. She swooped down, landing on Tega’s head with a gentle flop.
She frowned. “What is a Koti?” She asked, distracted by his odd stature. He was stocky, like a lion and had a mane, but his tail was most definitely a leopards. It was such a strange image that she was instantly fascinated. The bird sitting on top his head was less fascinating, as she had seen many avians in her travels, but she supposed the bird was still pretty.
“It is a colony of hybrids, like myself,” he explained. If she had been found by an adolescent on their quest, she would probably have been captive already, but he didn’t feel like taking an unwilling slave. That wasn’t his business. He was more interested in finding a surrogate than a slave. After all, he wanted cubs for his mate and him, he didn’t want to ruin someone’s life.
“What other hybrids are there?” She couldn’t help but ask, curious.
“Cheetons, which are cheetah and lions, and leotahs, which are leopards and cheetahs,” he explained patiently, peering at her with a look of curiosity.
Sonali fluffed her feathers while perched on his head, peering at her as well.
“Have you never met a hybrid, miss?”
“Well, I’m sure I must have at some point, but I don’t think I ever noticed, really,” she responded. “What’s it like being two species?”
Sonali laughed a little at the question, but quietened her giggles. She didn’t want to be offensive, but really, that was an odd question. He smiled, amused by her. They were all innocent questions, and blatantly curious. “It’s not dissimilar to being all one species,” he said with a shrug. “I was born this way. The only downside is that most hybrids cannot have offspring of their own,” he couldn’t help but make mention of it. She seemed sweet. Sonali looked sad at the mention of not being able to have babies, she knew it hurt Tega that they couldn’t have their own offspring.
“Oh, that’s so sad!” She gasped. “My fathers were very lucky when Papa had a fling and got to keep some of us,” she murmured.
“You were raised by two fathers?” He was surprised to hear it.
“Well yes,” she said smiling. “It was lovely. They are wonderful people. Why?” She frowned. “You’re not against same-sex couples, are you?”
“No, no!” He rushed to reassure. Sonali was amused at the lioness’ defensiveness about her family. That’s how you should be! Stand up for your family! “My partner and I are both males! I couldn’t imagine my life without him, to be honest.”
Tandotti smiled happily. “Oh! That’s so cute!” She squealed. “Oh, that must make it so hard for you guys. If you can’t fling and have babies of your own, and being both males, oh your chances of having a family are so small,” she murmured, sounding so mournful for them. Sonali flinched, she knew that the female wasn’t intending to sound cruel, but she did just highlight all the issues that the duo had with babies. It kinda was a bit cruel, but unintentionally so.
He smiled, somewhat sadly. “Well, yes, but we are still holding out hope.”
She smiled back. “Well I wish you all the happiness and luck then!” She said to him cheerfully. “My name is Tandotti by the way!”
“I am Tega,” he introduced, with a low bow. “And this is Sonali. It is a pleasure to meet you, Tandotti and thank you, we welcome all well wishes.” Sonali fluttered her wings at the stranger, in a form of a wave, but didn’t really speak up, knowing that the pair were enjoying their conversation. She wasn’t a huge fan of lions anyway, too many bad experiences of almost getting eaten.
“Do you both live in the Koti?” She asked, curious.
“Yes, we have since my partner and I were young adults. It seemed like a nice place to start a family.”
“Is it only for hybrids?”
“No, there are purebloods, like yourself, as well but they are mostly there to tend to the hybrids,” he said, trying to avoid the term ‘slave’. “Hybrids are not as plentiful as the purebloods in the rogue lands, and many think that they are an abomination. Many have to flee for their lives,” he explained sadly. He had always found it sad that hybrids were not loved like purebloods, in the outside lands.
“That’s sad!” Tandotti frowned. “Cubs are cubs, doesn’t matter their heritage or their bloodline!” She huffed. People were so stupid sometime. She peered at the male, contemplative. “You know, I could help you and your partner,” she suggested calmly, as if she was simply remarking about the weather.
He blinked. “Wait…what?” Sonali was also stunned, that was unexpected! Sweet, but unexpected! She couldn’t be serious, could she?
“I mean, I’m not doing anything,” she said with a shrug. “I left my fathers to find a home and have yet to find anything interesting. I have no mate, I have no pride. I could help you and your partner have a family.”
Tega’s mouth was hanging wide open. Woah. He was just expecting that he could warn her off, or take her back to the pride as a slave if she was willing, but she was willing to surrogate for them? “I don’t know what to say,” he said, eyes wide.
“Is she crazy?” Sonali whispered to Tega, but was shushed. Seriously though, who in their right mind just offered to surrogate out of the blue like that?
She smiled. “Don’t say anything! I won’t take no for an answer! I will help your partner and you have a family!”
He blinked. “You would have to come back to the pride…you wouldn’t be a full member, you’re not a hybrid,” he wasn’t sure why he was trying to convince her otherwise, but perhaps it was ismply because he couldn’t believe that she was actually willing to do this for complete strangers. “You haven’t even met Makosa.”
“He picked you, he must be an OK guy,” Tandotti assured cheerfully. “Look, I have nothing going for me. You have a mate, and you can’t have a family without someone being willing to help. I am willing to help,” she smiled. “Let me help.”
Tega shook his head, utterly stunned at this female. “I can’t believe you’re willing to do this.”
“Neither can I,” Sonali added quietly, but was again shushed.
“I can’t believe you’re so surprised,” she said back jokingly. “Look, am I allowed to leave someday, if I want to?” She asked, realising perhaps she should have asked that before she agreed to do it.
“Of course! We will allow you to leave if you ever want to,” Tega rushed to assure her. “My mate is quite high ranked in the colony, no one would hurt you.”
“Then I don’t see a problem with it,” she said cheerfully. “I think it’s the best idea I’ve ever had, actually.” She grinned. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier!” Tandotti loved her childhood, and had always been so grateful to her fathers. The idea that she could give her children the same sort of childhood, by giving them to someone who couldn’t have cubs, well that made her feel amazing.
“I suppose I should meet your mate,” she remarked and bounced a bit closer to him. “Shall we?”
He continued to stare at her with a disbelieving expression on his face. “Ah. Yes. I…yes. Let’s go.” He was sure that she would change her mind. No one was that selfless. She would meet Makosa, and then realise that perhaps she didn’t want to give her babies away to strangers.
Sonali shook her head in disbelief, but fluttered up, leading the way back to the colony. “Adelai’e is not going to believe this,” she muttered to herself, amused but stunned still.
He just hoped that she would change her mind before telling Makosa what she planned to do. If she told him, and then backed out, Tega honestly feared that it might break Makosa’s heart. He wouldn’t let that happen. He would give his mate a family, some way or another.
[1510]