[PRP] Family (Meshach/Runa/Yue'shi/Meztli Ayaka)

[Painted Moose]

The moon hung heavy over the lands that so closely bordered the Mwezi'Johari. Soft rays of celestial light clung to the sparse plant life in the area that Yue'shi chose to explore that night. She clung tight to the shadows as she was taught...for the most part. As a young adolescent, though, she was more prone to venturing into areas that she didn't belong.

How could something that her parents spoke of so fondly be so close, and yet so far away? Yue'shi made sure to keep her tracks downwind so that the Guard would not catch her scent, and that was just fine with her. For all of the mystery of the Mwezi she wanted nothing to do with it's strife. In truth, she was terrified being so close to it's borders, and wished they could go back to traveling.


Runa watched her daughter for a while before making herself known. For all of Yue'shi's cautiousness, the girl was really too curious about the world for her own good. Normally she would encourage such behavior, but here...."This is the third night you've come to this spot. Are you looking for something in particular?" They were far enough away from the border that Runa didn't need to keep her voice down, but out of her respect for her jumpy spawn she was less forceful than usual.

Turning around, Yue'shi's eyes widened and she lowered her head sheepishly. Busted.. "I didn't think...I-I just..."

Shaking her head with a bemused sigh, Runa moved closer so that she could wrap a paw around her daughter. "I don't mind your little adventures, but you have to tell at least your siblings when you leave, alright? I won't be able to track you all the time, and you're still too young to take on an enemy on your own."

As much as she would like for her cubs to grow up in a safe environment, the facts were that that wasn't a possibility for them. Some day they would know that comfort, but not yet.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Painted Moose

When her twin decided to sneak off without her, Ayaka knew she was going to follow. Yue couldn't have all the fun! Ayaka waited a couple of minutes, then creeped out into the night. Her twin still hadn't quite gotten the hang of this sneaking stuff. Ayaka was good, but not as good as their parents yet. Her paws occasionally brushed against a twig or grass, but it was soft enough most would probably think it a mouse or rodent. She followed her twin to a place near the pride. Off in the distance she could hear the guard. Her sibling wisely kept downwind, so she didn't need to provide a distraction.

Their mom was even better stalking than her! Ayaka startled a little bit, but managed not too make too much noise herself when her mom revealed herself to Yue. She grinned as Yue got a guilty look. Unfortunately for her twin, Ayaka wasn't on the path to being subtle. She popped out of the scrub brushes where she'd been hiding. "Hey Yue and Ma! What's going on? Is there good prey nearby?" She looked back and forth with a wide grin.









He was coming back from a long night of keeping tabs on the pride. Meshach was tired and ready for a long nap. However, when he arrived at the current den he found his mate and both twins missing. Immediately he headed back out to track down his missing family. The purple male was confused as he identified the tracks of his mate and both daughters heading back toward the pride. Diligently he followed.

Eventually he heard voices. He perked his ears up and picked up his pace. The voices were familiar and didn't sound concerned. Meshach strolled up to the group. "Well! What are all of you doing out here? Here I was thinking to come home and relax with my lovely girls, but no one was home." The male looked expectantly between his family, hoping for answers. He wasn't annoyed yet, but he was much closer to the pride then he liked to be with his family.
 

[Painted Moose]

magnadearel

Runa couldn't say she was surprised to see Ayaka as well, but the look on Yue'shi's face was priceless. The little pout, a curl of the lip...After all this time, Yue'shi still thought she was the better 'stalker' of the two, and Runa let her believe it. So long as she was that ignorant she deserved to be surprised every once in a while. It would help her to shape up, and hopefully show her where her faults lay.

Now if she could get the two of them to stay hidden and not jump out of bushes, then she would finally be able to breath. "Honestly, Ayaka. You had the upper hand and you dashed it." Runa chided. "Whatever prey was in this area has probably left."

"Papa!" Any distraction from the loving wrath of her mother was welcome, especially when it came to her father. She padded closer to him, siding up to him with a brush of her shoulder. It was no secret was she was doing; as happy as she was to see him, Yue'shi was trying to save herself from her mother's discipline by kissing up to her father. Not that she was in much trouble this time to begin with.

Runa smiled instantly at the arrival of her mate. She then clucked her tongue, "Oh, and spending time with your adolescent sons doesn't sound relaxing? Surely you could nap just as well around a pack of hyenas as you could the boys." That's what she called them; hyenas. The appetite of her sons seemed to go on for days, and they scrapped among each other as boys did. It was amusing to watch, but terrible to rest around.

Looking between her daughters, Runa raised her brow. "Well? Which of you wants to tell your father why we're out here? Shall it be the lone adventurer, or her shadow?"

Being the repeat offender, Yue'shi looked to her sister for help. She gulped. "Uh...well, urhm..."  

[magnadearel]

Painted Moose

She gave a sheepish grin as Runa chided her. "Aaww there wasn't anything for miles anyhow with that guard tramping about." At least they were moving quietly unlike that pridemember. Plus they wouldn't hunt this close to them anyhow. If them pridemembers sensed a kill nearby they'd come to investigate which was the last thing their father wanted. Ayaka made sure to do all her hunting, when she was really hunting and not stalking her twin, far away from the pride.

"Daddy! Welcome back." Not to be left out, she bounded over and nuzzled up to the scarred male. He was often worried about stuff she could tell. Ayaka tried to do her best to ease her father's mind when he was home.


Meshach chuckled as both twins came over. He gave each an affectionate lick. His cubs were the pride and joy of his life. Each one was a treasure. The purple male grinned at his mate. "Going to come over and join in the snuggle?" He reached out a paw for his mate to join the group. Meshach flicked an ear as Runa asked the girls why they were out here. "Well girls?"


Ayaka heard her twin fumble for a reason. She perked up and looked Meshach in the eyes. "We were practicing our stalking and gathering intell daddy! We were gonna come back and tell you who was on border guard tonight." The young female puffed out her chest for the reason. It didn't really occur to her that her father might already know of his own forays.  

[Painted Moose]

magnadearel

heart

If Ayaka was meant to soothe Runa's worries she was doing a poor job of it. She looked over her shoulder in a quick sweep to see if she could spot the guard, or a fresh trail. When neither became apparent her worries became internal. What if her girls had been caught? They were young and female, which was something, but while that may have played on the sympathies of some it would only sweeten the pot for others.

Caught in her distractions, Runa gave a rueful smile. "If I must." She made her way over to her mate, and snuggled close.

Yue'shi brushed up against her sister in the sweetest of ways. She was trying to lay it on thick. Of course the family cuddling could only serve as a distraction for so long. Thank goodness for twins!

"Ayaka's right you know. We were going to say who was on patrol, where they were and where not to go." She nodded as if the information had come from a pit of knowledge instead of lies.  

[magnadearel]

Painted Moose

Ayaka was pleased with her little white lie, and didn't notice her mother checking out the area. She eyed her parents as they snuggled up. She was just about that age to start thinking about boys. The female knew her parents, particularly her father, would want to be very careful of any boy she met. With her parent's devotion in front of her, Ayaka wanted something akin to that.

Her attention turned to her twin who brushed against her. A grin swept across her muzzle, knowing she'd saved Yue's rump from the fire of parental displeasure. "We want to help you too daddy. You've taught us to be very careful." She looked between her parents. Now all they needed to do was to keep from getting into any further trouble. "Do we have enough food or should we go hunting?" Ayaka asked her parents innocently.


Meshach rumbled a bit too loud when his mate came over. He dampened the noise but did give Runa an enthusiastic greeting. "How has your day been my dear?" The purple male eyed his twins sternly. "You're still quite young. If you are really interested in helping, then don't go out without our permission and letting us know where your going. If you'd gotten into trouble we wouldn't have known were you were." Fear of what might have happened, or might happen, wanted to choke the loving male.

He firmly suppressed it. "Now lets go home." Meshach turned his family toward the den, with a glance to Runa about the need to hunt. She'd know better than he would. If they needed meat then the four of them could head out for a quick hunt and pull down something substantial.
 

[Painted Moose]

magnadearel

Yue'shi nodded along with her sister. "You've both taught us so much, so it's only fair that we get to help you. After all, there are five of us, plus you two, Auntie Rona, and the cubs..." She tried to count them all on her toes, but that wasn't going to happen. At some point Yue gave it up. Leave it to Yue to bring up all of the ones she would have risked exposing just by gallivanting around the border.

Runa heard the rumbling, and couldn't help giving him a teasing grin. She leaned up to n** at his ear before snuggling close to his mane. When females in the Mwezi had talked about what it felt like to press their faces against the soft, plush fur she had been sure they were mad. Now she knew they were onto something. "Very drab until now." She admitted with a grin, before turning a rather stoic look to her girls.

"Well I...Yes sir." Yue'shi clammed up, screwing her mouth into a mixture of a frown, a pout, and something akin to shame. She wasn't going to fight her father on this. Maybe later, when her mother wasn't looking at her with all the fierceness of a demon.

"We should stock up, just to be safe. I'm sure the boys have run through what we have left already." Even if she was doubtful that they had been THAT hungry, Runa couldn't help bending a little to her girls. She was going soft. "Ayaka, Yue'shi, you'll lead the hunt." Maybe this way they could boost their confidence as well as show their parents what they claimed to be so knowledgeable about.  

[magnadearel]

Painted Moose

Ayaka head-bumped her twin's shoulder reassuringly. "We'll be grown up soon, then they'll really let us help," she whispered for her sister's ears only. She pulled her attention back to her parents as her mother told them to lead the hunt. Yes! "We'll show those lazy brothers of ours how it's really done." Her eyes twinkled with joy. Tonight started out great and was only getting better. Alone time with her twin AND her parents. Nothing was better in her mind.

"C'mon Yue! We've a long way to go to get out of range." She was on her feet and flagging her tail at her twin. Hopefully they could impress their parents tonight and bring down lots of meat. She'd make sure her ma and pa were well fed, then she and her twin. After that then her lazy brothers.


Meshach affectionately cuddled his mate, letting her ruffle his mane. The youngsters were a paw-full and he didn't know how she handled them all the time. Maybe it was just a mother thing? "Maybe you think you know a lot now, but there is always more to learn." He cautioned his young girls. Meshach chuckled at her comment. Their crew usually knew how to liven up a night.

He arched a brow at Runa when she declared the twins could lead the hunt. For sure he would tease her on it later. "Trying to get some alone time with me?" He couldn't resist a bit of teasing now though. When he saw how excited Ayaka was, he slowly rose to his paws. The twins would surely leave them behind quickly if they weren't on it. Despite being out most of the night already, he was game for a hunt.
 

[Painted Moose]

Yue'shi really hoped so! She was tired of being treated like a kid, and wanted out on the front lines with her parents. Watching, waiting, prepping for the right moment to strike....It all sounded so cool and she bristled at not being a part of it. Shaking her rump, the young lioness bounded after her sister, getting close enough to playfully swat at her before popping into a full run.

"We should catch a few snakes, too." She laughed. "We can drop them in the den while the boys are sleeping." Now, wouldn't that just be a lot of fun?

"For now, they'll be fine." Runa chuckled affectionately. Right now their cubs were stuck in a place of cubhood and being adults. She wanted them to play for a little while longer, but the time was coming where they wouldn't have that option anymore. Sidling up close to her mate, the stout lioness turned her head, raising an eyebrow with an evil grin. "And what if I am? Let the girls have their time to hunt. We can catch up...slowly." It would give the girls more autonomy and let her have a few stolen moments with her mate. These days, what with the rebellion and just having a young family in general, she didn't get those chances often.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

Painted Moose

Ayaka felt the swat on her rump, then saw her sister surge ahead. No way was she letting Yue get there without her! The young female increased her pace until she was on the other's haunches. She snickered at the suggestion of catching a few snakes. "Only if mother and father don't see." Ayaka gave a conspiratorial wink at Yue.

Looking around she noticed they had gotten a good lead on their parents. They'd need to slow down soon before they scared all the prey out of the area. Ayaka kept her eyes open for likely options even as she slowed down just a bit.


Meshach watched with youngsters charge ahead and gave a shake of his head. "Did we ever have energy like that?" He gave a wistful sigh, thinking of times lost when they'd been in the pride and happy.

The male gave his mate a devil-may-care grin. "Still conniving. I'm sure we'll catch up eventually," he stretched the last word. "Maybe they'll have the hunt all done by the time we get there." Meshach walked slowly, enjoying the time with his mate.
 

[Painted Moose]

magnadearel

Fin?

"They can't see what they can't catch!" Yue'shi laughed and kicked it into over drive. It felt so good to just be out and about with her twin, having some much needed girl time. "I know just the spot to find them, too! Come on; we can hunt for snakes and good prey. We've just gotta be quick about it."

Where as her sister was keen to slow down, the Gods themselves couldn't have stopped Yue'shi. She was on a roll now and nothing would stop her!

"If we did I've long since lost it." At their age she had been staying in a den by herself, mourning the loss of her sister. While she and Rona may have joined together as cubs, their classes had separated them and neither had taken to the isolation well.

"I'm sure they'll be goofing off for a while anyway, so why don't we do the same?" She reached over to n** at his ear. Today was getting better and better by the moment, so there was no sense rushing through it.

Better to enjoy it while it lasted.  

[magnadearel]

Painted Moose

Fin!

She snorted at her twin's continued head-long dash. Maybe she had a point. Ayaka gulped a deep breath and drove forward with a powerful shove from her hind legs. Let it never be said she wasn't willing!


He nodded in sorrowful agreement. Time had taken much from them, but not love. Now he laughed. "Aye, they'll manage to keep busy until we show up I'm sure." With a mock growl for the n** on his ear, he pretended to herd her toward a sheltered spot from prying eyes amid a grove of trees. This is how every night should be spent.