[PRP] I've Got a Surprise (Jugnu x Joto)

[nessiaing]

Jugnu had a bounce in her step and a twinkle in her yes. Her eyes were scanning the pride's lands for one in particular. She smiled happy to see the pride numbers were growing and soon they would be more, young ones, the first to be born into the pride since the avalanche. Jugnu beamed the gods had chosen her to be the one to brings cubs to the pride first.

A frown crinkled across the white and green lioness' brow. As excited as she was for the lives that were growing within her she wasn't so sure her mate would feel the same way. Her mate was older than her and had already raised children, and then grandchildren. He even had great grandchildren now. This though was Jugnu's first litter and she couldn't be happier.  

[hibi-tea]

Joto was sleeping on a rock in the sun of the day. Or at least he was attempting to. The winter was transitioning into spring, and his hips were beginning to ache again with the changing weather. It was just another reminder that he was now an old man, and that no amount of bluffing or gruff words would be able to hide the limp he was beginning to sport as he walked. He also might have outdid himself the other day when he went hunting with his great-grandsons.

"Rocks should be softer," He grumbled, as he eventually settled on a position on his back that was easiest on his hips.

He ground his back into the roughness of the stone to scratch a bit before he settled out like the old man he was, legs splayed and his lumbering paws sealed over his eyes so the sun was blocked out as he tried to nap. The rock was cool, but the sun was warm and he was finally comfortable.  

[nessiaing]

hibi-tea

Jugnu had all but given up when she spotted Joto up on a rock, taking a nap. She shook her head she shouldn't have been surprised but she was. She found a smile pass over her lips and she began to make her way over to him. As she moved closer she found her excitement growing bit by bit. She was concerned that Joto wouldn't take the news well but she was so excited that hopefully her excitement about it would spill over to him.

"Hey you." she said softly climbing up onto the rock beside him. She was careful on the ways that she moved, she knew now that slips and falls could be dangerous. "I've been searching all over for you." She told Joto as she gave him a nuzzle in an attempt to knock his paws from his eyes. She wondered if he would know as soon as he saw her but she knew that was a silly thought.  

[hibi-tea]

nessiaing

"Hiding in plain sight clearly did not work," Joto grumbled, his paw being knocked out of his face and a grimace spread across it as the sunlight hit his eyes.

He grabbed Jugnu's head with his heavy paw and pulled her towards him lazily, stretching slightly to lick the side of her face and return the affection before he plopped back into his space and stretching.

"I have doted you with my affection, now what is so important that you would rather wake me from my nap then nap with me?" Joto asked, clearly joking about the importance of her task, but also not joking about the fact she should come nap with him. In fact, he had already made up his mind that by the end of this conversation she would be napping next to him.  

[nessiaing]

hibi-tea

The white and green lioness purred as her mate gave her affections. She was surprised by how much she counted on his love and affection. He could be a bit of a crusty sort but he was all hers.

Jugnu resisted the urge to lay down next to Joto as a nap did sound absolutely wonderful at this point but she knew that she'd want to be able to see his face when she told him her news.

"I have been waiting to tell you till I was sure, but I need to let you know that the pride will be growing again soon." Jugnu had a coy smile on her face she wondered if he would pick up her meaning right away. It was kind of fun to let it drag out a little bit.  

[hibi-tea]

nessiaing

Joto's ears pinned to his head in mild annoyance as he pulled his paws from his face to look at his mate, "Speak plainly, woman. You know I hate propheticals. I get that enough from the Grandchild."

Having to hear Safura daily in her cryptics was enough for him to tire of it. But what could he say? He didn't raise the girl. His tramp daughter, Kizuka, did. So it couldn't be helped she came out a little off. Especially with that sight of hers. But so far her prophecies had come to pass, and as they continued to come to pass he would just deal with her nonsensical speech. If he needed to, he'd just tell her to speak plainly. She was a good child in that she didn't argue back and simply accomodated him. That's how things should be.

"The pride is already expanding. How can it be expanding anymore?" He questioned.  

[nessiaing]

hibi-tea

Jugnu clucked her tongue, "You are no fun my love." She shook her head, she shouldn't have thought he would be any different but Jugnu was having a great time at this anyways, she knew the news and was excited enough for the both of them.

"You and I will be expanding the population, ourselves." It should have been clear enough for the male to understand but just to make sure, she finally said it in plain english just for him, "We are pregnant, we are going to be parents, we are going to have cubs, I am with child." Jugnu rambled out a bunch of different ways to say so she could be certain that he would understand in no uncertain circumstances what she was trying to tell him.  

[hibi-tea]

nessiaing

Joto's ears flicked from their pinned position against his head to attention quickly as soon as Jugnu started rambling all the different ways in which she could think to tell him plainly (as he had requested) that they were going to be parents. Joto was a mixture of panic, but also elation. His tail flicked back and forth sporadically as he tried to process the realization that in his old age, he could still sire cubs and that soon there was going to be some of his own roaming around their reclaimed pridal lands.

He rolled over, groaning slightly as he hit a bad join on his side and lifted himself up onto his paws, "You are sure?"

It was a hard pill for him to swallow, considering his age, but he was not unhappy that Jugnu was pregnant. There would be some more properly upbrought pride members being added to their numbers now, and who better to raise them then Jugnu.

He didn't wait for her to respond, before he was nosing himself at her stomach and pressing ears against her to hear for himself the life that was now growing within. It didn't take him long to feel something move, and he jerked a tad as he pressed his ear closer to her.

"And here I thought you were just getting pudgy," He commented as he switched ears to make sure what he heard was right. Sure enough, the other ear picked up on the moving sounds from within Jugnu's growing stomach, "Do you know how far along you are?"  

[nessiaing]

hibi-tea

Jugnu moved so that Joto would have an easier time of nosing at her stomach and listening to it to see if he could hear those growing within her. She had to let out a laugh, "Yes my darling I am most certainly sure, and thank you for noting my size." Jugnu said deciding it wasn't going to bug her that he had called her fat, it was all a part of the giving life experience and Jugnu was happy to be doing it.

"I would say about half way now, still another month and half to go five or take." She wished that it wasn't such a long time before they would meet their young but that was the reality. Really she had suspected for awhile that she was going to have cubs but she had waited till she was sure that she could feel their movements within her before she wanted to worry Joto with the news.

"We are to have the first litter since the rebirth of the pride, we are being blessed." she told him her yes were shiny with tears of pride. She hoped that Joto wold feel the same way, even if being a father at his age may prove to be a challenge.  

[hibi-tea]

nessiaing

Joto stood there for awhile listening to Jugnu's stomach while she spoke. He did find it to be a blessing that it was them that would have the first litter into the rebirth of their pride, and not anyone else. Perhaps he could get the goddess to bless Jugnu's pregnancy so that things would go smoothly for her.

"We should present you to the Goddess. Have her bless the pregnancy," He suggested, pulling his head away from her stomach and coming up to meet her gaze. "But now, you will nap."

Joto plopped back into his original spot, extending a paw to urge Jugnu to rest next to him. He was quite adamant about this, knowing now that his mate was carrying cubs. She needed to rest. It was what was best for the babies.

"You are carrying my cubs, and have been through enough. Now you will rest. We can make my grandchildren hunt for you. Enjoy this," He stated.  

[nessiaing]

hibi-tea

Jugnu smiled when Joto changed his tone. "Yes a blessing would be good." Jugnu would love her children no matter what but she truly hoped that they would be blessed with site, and hopefully more powerful than she was.

"A nap sounds perfect" she said as she slid in next to Joto snuggling into his fur. As he spoke she began to drift off, and when she heard him tell her that she should enjoy this she felt her smile grow, "Yes I will." she told him. With that she drifted off as her cubs did summersault within her belly.