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 Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:16 pm
Over the steely-gray waters, the moon hung, juuust a little off of being full. It was waning now, growing smaller by the day. All around it, little stars sputtered in the night, challenging its glow, but always doomed to lose.
Sometimes Thili felt like that, especially when trying to fight back drama in his new family. Drama, drama, drama! Just a few weeks ago, Thili had been certain---absolutely certain!----that settling down would make his life easy forever. No more traveling, no more worrying about whether or not the next lion he meets would be nice or not, and no more constantly angsting over how his family was doing at home. But, now that he was actually here, the black lion knew better. He sighed softly, and closed his silver eyes for a moment as he relaxed on the beach. In a rare moment of tranquility, he had taken the opportunity to simply relax on the beach. Actually, he had been relaxing for almost an hour, just watching the waves.
Oh, and the little beach critters. For now, his main focus was on a little crab that had wandered between his big paws. Ha. Crabs again. It had been a crab that pretty much led him to this family to begin with, and a crab that had led to Motsu’s anger issues. Or revealed them. He still didn’t know the whole story, and still hadn’t asked. There was plenty of time to ask about these things. Or at least there would be plenty of time if they weren’t always having new drama in the family. Sure, he’d known that there would be… issues, when deciding to be Senatla’s mate, especially considering her litter of leopon cubs… but, he loved her. And the cubs. They were practically his anyway. Even with the drama, the baggage, and all the angst, Thilivhali truly did love his family. It was his family.
As the little crab began to skitter away, the black lion heaved himself up from the sand and gave himself a quick shake. Little golden grains fell away from his thick fur, but there were always more hiding in his mane and fluff. Sitting still never had suited him much. It was time for a quick walk.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:55 am
 He had been running for some time now. That encounter had left him shattered, his already jumbled mind now splintered and impossible to piece back together. At least, that was how he felt. Trauma had a way of making him even more of a failure, his confidence all but obliterated after making contact with a seemingly friendly lion who had suddenly betrayed him.
Panting, he collapsed. It had been the same for endless days now. He had lost track of how long. Running until his body could not go on, falling down and letting unconsciousness sweep over him. When he woke he was rested, yet he always managed to avoid nightmares and dreams by passing out rather than sleeping. And then he would run again. He lost all sense of time and distance, his body falling into a mechanical rhythm.
Except his young frame could not take the abuse of this new routine. Dirty, scruffy, thin and dehydrated, the awkward lion had not been taking very good care of himself. He was near his physical breaking point which, to him, only seemed fitting. It would at least match his mental state. Daring to move his paws over his face, he covered his eyes miserably and let out a forlorn moan.
If only he had not been cursed with these visions. If only he had never run into that deceptive lion, and had never been forced to see a terrifying future. It was not even his own, and yet he could not bear even knowing something so cruel could happen to someone else. He had no way of helping them, only knowing the evil perpetrator and not the intended victim. He could not even guess when it would happen, or if it already had. Trembling, he heaved another sigh, so great his rib cage shuddered, and tried to think about something else.
Then something brushed his nose and he instinctively opened his eyes. Half afraid it was Hak, back to cub nap him as he had tried that terrifying night, Hadaya jerked himself upright. His legs buckled and he fell down again, flat onto his stomach. Blinking, he spotted what had touched him and tilted his head.
He have never seen a crab before, and the strange creature captivated him. Glancing around once it scuttled off, his mouth fell slightly open. Sand and water were not unfamiliar to him, but he had never seen so much of either, and never together like this. His eyes were drawn from the marvelous sight, however, when he spotted a large black form moving in his direction. Returning to his previous position, paws over his head, he cowered and hoped his yellow-brown fur was still an apt camouflage.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:40 pm
It was a close thing. The golden brown grass that lined the edge of the beach was a perfect hiding place for a golden-brown juvenile. With the night limiting visibility, most lions might have missed the cub entirely. Even Thilivhali almost missed it. Trotting past the hiding place, he paused, suddenly noting that something was… off. The black lion took a few steps back, and studied the area, trying to find whatever had bothered him. It wasn’t a huge thing, he knew; it was something small, a tiny little piece of the puzzle was out of place. And there it was! A few bits of grass were bent strangely, as if they had recently been crushed by an unwary paw. And there! The grass was bending against the wind…
Finally, those silver eyes managed to make out the shape of a cub nestling in the grass, and Thili’s heart stopped; the only cubs he knew were his… and they were all supposed to be at home, safe and sound with their mother. This land was still dangerous to a lone cub, as sentries had yet to be assigned to repel any rogues with less-than-noble intentions. Then again, none of his kids were golden-brown. This was a different cub…
“Ah… hello?” he asked, voice full of concern. “Are you alright? I can see you, you know. Come on out. It’s perfectly safe here.” He approached the hiding cub, and stopped a few feet away, to allow the new cub as much personal space as he needed for now.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:19 pm
"Please don't kill me!"
It was out of his mouth the moment he heard the first word out of the stranger's throat. He did not look up to see what it was, though he knew from the sound of his voice and the weight of the presence that loomed over him now that it must have been something big. A lion, most likely, or a very large leopard. Shuddering at the very thought of being eaten like a prey beast, he curled into himself even more desperately.
The concern in the voice, however, was enough to prompt Hadaya to peek out from his paws. He was young, after all, and desperately craving a friendly face, even if it had been why he had gotten in trouble in the first place. Sort orange eyes focusing in the darkness, he could barely see the black lion against the night, only knowing he was there by the reflection of his eyes under the moon. And, of course, his voice.
Frowning, upset that his hiding had not done him any good, he timidly did as he was asked to, crawling forward ever so slightly. His belly did not leave the floor, his legs barely doing anything more than shuffling as he dragged himself closer. Looking up, terror and exhaustion visible in his eyes despite the darkness, he trembled relentlessly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." he said, not sure what he was apologizing for. "If... if I'm not supposed to be here... I-I can go..."
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Thili wasn’t a particularly large lion. Being raised in the forests and jungles meant that his pride in particular had adapted small bodies, ones that could easily weave their way around trees. Among his own pride, Thili had been considered oversized. But the way this cub was looking at him, Thili might as well have been a thousand feet tall, with horns just to complete the demonic image. Actually, it reminded the black lion of a particularly shaky and nervous female cheetah he had once met… well, encountered, anyway.
“You’re in the Simbafutaji lands,” Thili explained gently, keeping his voice perfectly free of any anger or menace. He had gotten awfully good at that over the years. As it turned out, some areas were really quite superstitious about black lions. “We’re generally a traveling pride… this is simply our permanent grounds, where we raise our cubs. You’re more than welcome to stay here. It’s very safe.” The last part was emphasized; if the poor cub became any more anxious, he’d probably have a heart attack. Actually, now that Thili looked at those eyes more closely, he thought the little cub would die of exhaustion first. Poor thing looked as if he hadn’t slept in weeks!
“My name is Thilivhali. Feel free to call me Thili.” Hm. Actually, he thought the ‘cub’ was closer to a juvenile. That was about how old his own cubs were… not old enough to be out alone, but this one was very, very alone… no parent would let their child get into this sort of state. If they did, then they didn’t deserve to be called ‘parents’. “Ah… where are your parents, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Well, might as well ask… then, at least, Thili would know if he had to harm someone for failing to look after their child.
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:08 am
Hadaya, his trembling ebbing, blinked at the male lion. Pushing himself up into a position that wasn't quite sitting up, his head low and his ears flat against his skull, he listened as Thili explained where they were. Hadaya still had no concept of how far he had come, though he was surprised to be inside the lands of a pride. He imagined that was frowned upon, and he frowned at the grounded miserably.
Safe. That was a word that Hadaya liked to hear. Particularly now, when everything seemed so dangerous. He found himself wanting to stay already, without knowing anything beyond the few things this relative stranger had just explained. Silently admonishing himself, he knew he should not let himself trust others so easily, as he was either destined to be abandoned or betrayed by them or, more likely, disappoint them.
He looked up again after Thili asked him about his parents, looking pensive. Shaking his head slowly, he heaved a rattling sigh and said, his voice low, "I don't have any parents. They left me when I was a cub. If they're still alive, they're not interested in me. I take care of myself... mostly. I'm sorry for trespassing in your lands... I didn't know there was a pride around here. I don't think you want me to stay here... I think I'm bad luck."
He frowned. He didn't know what else to call it. He knew he messed everything up, but it seemed this ability was growing in strength. Before, when he focused on living alone, he was the only one that suffered from his ineptitude at life. Now he was meeting friends, and letting them down. Not to mention the visions he could never use to help anyone. He couldn't help but think that by seeing these things, he was somehow to blame for them. The responsibility was crushing.
Stranding up, head still low and tail between his wobbly legs, he shot a downcast glance around the area, looking for the direction he had come from. It did not sit well with him, the idea of going backwards, but he did not want to cause any more problems for any one else. If that cruel lion had been following him, then the danger might spread into this apparently friendly place.
His knees buckled and he sat down, though the action had not been premeditated. Blinking, he decided to take a moment, though he still did not look up at the black lion. "I'm sorry. I'll go in just... a second..."
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:10 pm
Just as he had suspected… Thili sighed quietly, a huge gust of air exhaling from his lungs. Such a sad thing, when parents would abandon their offspring. Oh, sure, he had heard the arguments about it. ‘We can’t possibly feed another mouth’, or ‘we just can’t handle him anymore’. Such things struck him as pitiful excuses. If you wanted a cub, you went through the motions. If you didn’t want a cub, you didn’t. Simple as that. Admittedly, his logic was a little bit skewed as it ignored natural events like diseases or natural disasters that might make it more difficult to care for a cub…
“This is an open pride,” he said, voice still soft and gentle. He could repeat this forever, if necessary, in that same soothing tone. “It’s not trespass. These aren’t my lands, really…” it wasn’t easy to say whose lands they were, honestly. If they were anyone’s lands, he felt tempted to say they were Senatla’s, since she was the highest ranked individual currently here. The others were off traveling, naturally, leaving Thili and Senny the only adults for the time being. At least, as far as he knew. To him, that meant any cub that entered the lands without parents was his responsibility, one he would gladly accept. Especially a cub as… as sad as this. The poor little guy could barely stand! Couldn’t stand for very long, even. If Thili didn’t help him…
Well, that wasn’t even an option, honestly. “There are plenty of safe dens for you to stay in. And I can get you some food. You really should stay… it’s really only me and Senny here. And our cubs. So, there’s plenty of room for one more.” Hmm… was it morally right to cubnap a cub who clearly couldn’t take care of himself? Thili had to wonder about that, as he watched the little cub struggle. Cubnapping in general was a clearly reprehensible thing, of course, but…
Letting a cub die would be even worse. “I don’t believe in bad luck. I believe in making your own luck.” That was a minor lie, but the black lion honestly didn’t think that this cub was dangerous at all. If anything, he was a danger to himself! “Since you’re going to stay here for now, you might as well have a meal while you’re here.” And Thili would have to come up with some sort of explanation for the cub’s appearance. He was reasonably certain that Senny would notice if an extra cub showed up for din-din, especially since all of their cubs were leopons.
“What’s your name?”
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:41 am
Hadaya nodded, knowing he had forgotten something important in his last speech. Shaking his head, he tried to argue against the invitations to stay. There were not his lands. He knew no one here. He was an intruder and just another hassle. He wasn't worth the time. But, ultimately, he wanted to stay somewhere safe, and this felt like it could be the place.
Looking up at Thili, he offered a thin smile, which was about as shaky as his legs were, "I'm Hadaya. I should have said that earlier, but I forgot." He seemed to be getting over his shyness, watching the adult lion with rather curious eyes now that he decided Thili was not to be feared.
"Not much of a pride, if it's just you and someone else and some cubs," he said, offhandedly. He snapped his mouth shut, ears folding down apologetically as he shook his head. He had a way of just saying what was in his head, rather than thinking about how that particular string of words might sound to someone else, "but I'm sure it's nice and... nice."
Clearing his throat, he made another effort to stand, this time accomplishing his goal and maintaining his position for longer than three and a half minutes. Nodding, a small gesture of praise to himself, he looked around.
"If it isn't too much trouble for you and your... Senny... I really wouldn't mind a place to sleep. I haven't... I haven't had a chance to slow down and... I'm tired." He nodded, trying not to think too hard on why he had not allowed himself to truly sleep. Maybe a comfortable place, with the idea that someone might be looking out for him, would help stave off nightmares. His stomach growled rather audibly, and he frowned, pretending not to speak its language.
"Thank you for being so nice to me, Thili..." he looked at the ground, scuffing his paws sheepishly. He didn't feel like he deserved any special care or attention, yet it was nice to shown benevolence every once and awhile. "I appreciate the offers and everything..."
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:01 pm
Thili simply chuckled at the young lion’s words, finding them endearingly adorable. There was just something cute about that sheepish little grin. ‘Cute’ in a ‘I want to cuddle it’, sort of way, mind you. Not cute like Senny. And it looked like this Hadaya was starting to get over his shyness a little, so that was a good sign. “Ah… well, there are others in the pride… but, it does travel around quite a bit. Senny didn’t want to keep our cubs traveling, however, so she decided to settle down here. This is the one permanent bit of the Simbafutaji pridal lands. It is very nice, having the entire beach to myself and my family, although there’s always room for more. I think Senatla’s sister and her mate will come by soon too.”
At least, he hoped so. He still needed to get to know them, since Senny had made it perfectly clear that family was extremely important to her. “And it won’t be any problem at all. There’s always room in the dens for a cub in need.” Although, now he would have to explain the cub’s appearance to Senatla. Somehow, he couldn’t see her managing to miss a brown lion cub amidst the red, black, and white leopons. Ah well… Senny had always said that she would adopt a cub in need. Hopefully, she hadn’t just been saying that because Thili had said it… somehow, the black lion couldn’t imagine his mate agreeing with something just because he said it, but it was a vague possibility.
Once he saw that the cub was ready to move to the dens, Thili got up and stretched, pausing when he heard the cub’s stomach growl. Well, that wasn’t good… no wonder Hadaya could barely totter a few steps! He wasn’t just falling over from exhaustion, but the little guy probably hadn’t eaten in days. Well, Thili knew what to do about that. Since Hadaya clearly couldn’t even stumble three feet, letting him walk the fifty feet to the dens was out of the question.
“Try not to wriggle around too much. You were falling down, even when you were already sitting down, so I’m going to carry you.” This would be a little awkward… but, Thili still plucked Hadaya by the scruff of his neck and began carrying him back towards the den, ignoring any wriggling. Trotting quickly, he approached the den he shared---occasionally---with Senatla and their cubs. “Shenny? Shewello?” he asked, trying to speak around a mouthful of cub. This was more difficult than he expected.
It looked empty... that was a bit odd, but it would work. He went to the very back of the den, where his family had gathered together pelts and feathers and other soft things to make a sort of bed and deposited Hadaya there. "You wait here... I'll go get you some food."
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Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:30 am
Nodding slowly, he watched Thili's expression curiously. Not able to read thoughts, he couldn't imagine what the older lion was considering. As far as he knew, Thili's mate and cubs were lions, his tired mind not willing to expand on any other ideas, the simple conversation he had been engaging in almost too much effort for it to keep up with. Blinking, he tensed as the lion moved closer, out of instinct and mild distrust.
Yet he did not move as Thili picked him up by the scruff, dangling without moving. He let his limbs go as limp as they could without falling off, thankful beyond reason for his weight to suddenly be taken off his paws. A small, lanky lion, he did not have much bulk to make things more difficult, his weight comparatively light to what it should have been.
Dangling, Hadaya felt him self relax. It was more relief than he had experienced in the last few days, and he was obligated to revel in it. Feeling sleepy, comfortable, despite hanging from a lion's jaws by the scruff, he let his eye lids droop. Nodding off quietly, the trip was even shorter than Thili's quick pace had set. He did not stir as Thili called for his family, flopping down uselessly when he was set down on the bed.
Purring, he curled against the comfortable things around him, not opening his eyes as his paws wrapped themselves around a pelt and hugged it to him. He was smiling, breathing deeply and slowly as he absorbed the warm, safe atmosphere he had been brought into. Opening one soft eye, he bleary looked up at Thili, the stupid grin on his young face not fading, despite his consciousness telling him to be more appreciative and awkwardly careful in his manner.
If it was rude to take advantage of the generosity of others, Hadaya's body did not know it. Still purring, he nodded as Thili offered to get him some food, even as his voice struggled to valiantly express his instincts.
"You don't have to, if it's too much trouble..." he said dreamily, his words stumbling into one another, "I'm okay."
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Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:04 pm
The black lion rooted around the den a little, knowing how little Sewelo could be all sneaky and hide behind rocks. The black and white leopon simply loved to catch his Daddy by surprise; at times, Thili swore it was the cub’s greatest joy in the world, even as he grew older. But, alas; it seemed that the cave was devoid of leopons for the time being. Perhaps Senatla had taken them all out for a walk, or a practice hunt. Good. That would give Thili time to practice his, ‘Hey, honey? Remember how we talked about adopting cubs sometime? Crazy story…’ speech.
And find a snappier name for it too. Perhaps it would be a better idea to open with, ‘Have I told you lately how much I love you?’ or something like that. It was a bit of a cliché---or a lot of one---but the reason clichés became clichés was because they worked. Right? He didn’t, for one second, think that Senatla would turn Hadaya out. The red lioness had a temper, occasionally, but she certainly wouldn’t turn away a young cub in need of a home. At worst, Thili would just get another lecture on ‘making decisions together, as partners’. He was starting to get used to those. Senny was never really angry with him. Not truly. She never yelled. She just spoke in that sad disappointed tone that was somehow a whole lot worse.
Hadaya’s soft voice brought the adult lion back to the present, reminding him that he had more immediate things to deal with right now. A hungry cub was very important, after all. “Alright. Then if you’re completely fine here on your own, I’ll go get some food.” Yep! Like most lions, Thili would develop incipient deafness if he felt it was necessary. Hadaya was less of a lion and more like several pounds of bones held together by fur!
He fussed around Hadaya for a moment longer, just to make sure the poor kid was comfortable before leaving him alone for a quick hunt.
~.~
It didn’t take too long; by now, Thili knew the hunting grounds surrounding the beaches like the back of his paw. Better, actually, since he didn’t actually look at his own paws too often, whereas when he was hunting, he had to look around all the time. The black lion returned with a young warthog trailing from his jaws, carefully holding it up off the ground so it wouldn’t get all sandy. Or trail blood on the nice soft bedding. That would just be gross. The kill was placed not too far from where Hadaya was resting, so he could eat when he got hungry enough. Thili guessed it wouldn’t be too long. “Are you still awake?” he asked, very, very softly just in case the answer was, ‘no’.
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Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:54 pm
All the cubs were playing; she had seen to it that they were all fine. It seemed so strange to her, they were growing up so fast. At the same thing, they were her babies. Slow steps brought her back to the dens while Thili was away hunting.
One could imagine her surprise when as she followed the scent of her mate, and found a cub she didn't know. Tilting her head to the side, she kept her distance. It wasn't fear or mistrust that kept her away. The cub didn't need to turn around and see some strange lioness staring at it first thing. Puzzling over whose's cub it was, she heard the sounds behind her. Dragging, a kill was made. Rather then look, she made her way around and into the grass.
Watching, she observed Thili return. Setting in, she watched with a warm smile. He had brought the cub, such a handsome little line cub indeed. Waiting a few minutes more, so that there was time for the two to speak, her entrance was planned. There was no helping the cub inside was always there. If Thili was bringing food to the cub, obviously they knew each other. Feeling it was safe, less chance of scaring the poor cub, she stood and stepped out of the grasses, sanding stalks parting as she stepped forth, that smile on her muzzle and shine to her eyes.
There needed to be no speech, the cub was there, she didn't question why, just what she could do for it. "So what is his name?" Her question was spoken in her normal warm tone, she'd find out if he was staying with the after she knew who he was.
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:09 am
Hadaya slept soundly. It had been a while since he had been able to catch even a few moments of pure sleep, and he reveled in it. If he had a choice, he would have remained in that pleasant, warm, dream-filled place for an eternity. Yet his stomach had other ideas. The moment the scent of blood hit his nose he was forced awake, his stomach speaking louder than Thili.
"I'm up," he said, more to his roaring gut than his new friend. He groggily pushed himself up, stretching his lanky arms and letting loose a terrific yawn. His jaw creaked and he shook his head, which translated into a shake that moved down his thin body until it vanished in a twitch of his tail. Sniffing, one eye only half open while the other refused to reveal itself, he smiled dreamily at Thili.
"That smells good..." he said, half thinking he was still asleep. He was trembling from anticipation, his body in dire need of some sustaining food. Swallowing, his mouth watering, he dragged himself out of the bed and moved to the kill. He sniffed at it only to recognize what it was, and then, as if suddenly understanding that this was for him, and he was starving, he pounced on it.
At first he didn't notice the stranger enter the den, too busy ripping voraciously at the kill to be able to take anything else in. Chewing on a piece of meat too large for his mouth, though he put up a valiant effort to get it in there, he turned his head in his struggle and only then noticed there were not one, but two animals in the den with him. Pushing himself away from the kill, scrabbling to his feet, he looked wide eyed and worried, ears flat against his head. The slab of flesh fell from his jaws and he shrank back, apologetic and disconcerted.
"I'm Hadaya," he chimed in, raising a paw to wipe the blood off his chin and face, and only managing to smear it around, "I'm sorry, I was... sleeping... and eating... I hope that's okay? Uhm. I can... he said... uh. Hi." He lowered his eyes to the floor.
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:52 am
As Hadaya tore into the new food, Thili took a moment to just think about what could be done. The boy seemed like a nice enough sort. A bit jumpy, but living alone could do that, especially if he had seen his parents or siblings die in some sort of an attack. A family would do the kid some good and Thili’s family was always open to orphans. Well, at least he hoped it was… it would be horrible to offer the kid a home and then take it away if Senny felt too stressed by her current litter to take in another cub. Somehow, Thili couldn’t see that happening. Oh, he could imagine Senny being stressed, but he couldn’t imagine her putting her own welfare above that of a cub.
Which reminded him, he’d have to get her to eat. She’d been neglecting herself again… the lion momentarily closed his eyes for a quick nap when his mate’s voice entered his thoughts. Silver eyes quickly opened again and he scrambled to his feet. “Senny! Um… have I told you how much I love you lately? And, um, gosh you’re pretty?” Not the most winning repertoire around if he was trying to sound innocent. Now, if he was trying to win the Most Incriminating Words Ever award, he’d be a sure thing!
Hadaya stole his attention back soon. “Hadaya, this is Senatla, my mate,” he explained kindly. “She’s very nice.” Actually just saying ‘nice’ was a little… well… it didn’t fully explain how sweet and kind and wonderful Senatla really was, especially to cubs. “Go on and eat. You’re safe here…”
Turning back to Senatla, he gave the red lioness a slight nudge to urge her out of the den. Some things had to be said, and he wasn’t sure if he ought to say them in front of the cub. “I found him wandering around the grasses; he doesn’t have any parents.” Now his eyes went all big and pleading, silver pools of... well... begging. Why, yes, Thili was an expert with puppy-dog eyes.
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:03 am
It was cute watching the unknown cub attempt to eat more then there was room in his mouth. Cubs always seemed to eat with their eyes first, forgetting their small mouths. Her amused smile dropped sharply and she backed up as the cub reacted the way he did. She instantly felt guilty for showing up. He looked so scared and awkward like he expected her to be angry. Most of her being wanted to go right in there and cuddle away the cub's every problem. Thankfully, it was tempered with the understanding that would not be a good idea.
Starting to attempt to comfort the cub, she spoke, "Thats fine, Hadaya, you may eat and sleep as much as you wish.." She'd never deny a cub anything they needed. There was every intention to speak more to the cub, but Thili just had to be a silly fluffy head. With a lopsided grin, she shook her head softly in amusement. Four days of not eating and still having sand in her coat form her activity the night before did not leave her looking her best. Which was the funny part to it.
He couldn't incriminate himself anymore; he already looked like he was hiding something. However, she didn't mind it; the something was obviously the little cub. Echoing what Thili said, reaffirming it, "No one is going to take your food, there is nothing to fear here." She was starving her bones off, but besides the weight loss, she didn't show it. Later she would hunt and get the food she needed, until then, cubs first.
Leaving already seemed like a good idea, so that the cub could eat in peace since her being around wasn't doing him any good. It really irritated her to ignore the drive to claw the food into more manageable bites. Of course, she really couldn't go in when she was being nudged out. Backing out further, she moved to the side of the den and sat.
If only Thili knew how much he was over doing it, all she needed to know was the cub had no parents, "I'd love for him to stay with us. I think I distress him, but I don't take it personally." She worried that he would be too distress by her being around, that it might mean losing Thili again so the cub could sleep and not all alone and cold.
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