Achal frowned, which was uncommon for him. Ban'ma was expecting a litter and it seemed a large one as well, but it also seemed that prenancy did not suit her well. He was worried for she looked restless as well as unrested. It was extremely unsettling for him.
He was currently headed for the lake thinking a dip, would surely melt all his troubles away. He simply needed not to think on it, the cubs would come soon and Ban'ma would be as bubbly as ever. Yes, he though, a bath will give a moments peace of mind.
That was a thought shared by another member of the pride. Farrah had taken to escaping when she had the mind to to the lake, not necessarily for a relaxing dip. There was a tree there, one she had claimed as her own, whether or not anyone knew it. She was already there, laid down beneath the shade the tree had to offer, simply gazing at the water near her in a calm, meditative state. She'd taken to these blank states of mind frequently as of late, using the opportunity for peace and quiet to think on her life's purpose.
It was a heavy sort of concept to think about, but she thought about it nonetheless. Especially today. It just felt like a day to relax under the shade on a less-than-deathly-hot-day, and think.
Achal reached the lake was simply walked right into it. The cool water seeping through his thick fur and washing across his skin. It was very nice and he had to admit he throughly enjoyed the feeling as he sat down in the water, nearly content enough for a nap.
He could hardly keeped his head up as he dosed quietly but somehow he managed for several minutes before he was awoken by the sudden soaking through of his mane.
Splash. Splash, cubs were entering the lake around him. So much for his peace, he thought, though after a moment he smiled at the cubs and rose shaking his fur out and retreating into the shade it drip dry.
Farrah looked up sharply when she heard something paddling into the lake, and it took a minute for her to realize what was happening: Cubs. Damn. She sighed a little, pushing herself up, and spotted something a little too big to be a cub. She smiled a little when she realized what it was. A pad. She wondered if the cubs were his own, or simply the numerous cubs that populated the pride.
Nonetheless, she watched as the Pad slunk out of the water to the safety of the shade. "They're everywhere, aren't they?" She asked just loud enough to be heard, amusement in her tone. "Just when you think you can relax, they pounce." She couldn't help the good nature in her tone; as much as the cubs wore on her patience, she couldn't wait to have a family of her own.
She envied the mothers who were already two steps ahead of her.
Achal nearly startled at the voice, as he had not noticed the young female before, but he laughed lightly at her comment.
"Yes, they can be a lot of trouble at time, but they are simply wonderful and can always make you smile. I am quite certain I see one of my sons in that group."
Achal lowered himself to the ground, shifted about a bit to get comfortable before looking back to the female. "Now where are my manners," he said softly. "Good afternoon to you Banu Farrah. I hope you are well and you father and mother too."
She laughed a little, nodding, and glanced past him to the group of cubs. "I have to agree; my sisters always bring me smiles and laughter." She noted idly, thinking back to the cub she'd met when she herself was only a young thing. Naim'Namir, son of Achal. She had to assume he was on his quest; he must have been old enough by now. She hoped he would have luck in finding a proper banu for his harem.
"Good afternoon to you, Pad Achal." She greeted, smiling at him quietly. "I am... Well. And my father is busy, but he and my Mamas are good, too." She laughed a little. "It's getting a little crowded, but fertility is a gift." Or so she'd been told, and one her family apparently had an abundance of. She looked over at him. "And how are you on this blissfully cool day?" Admittedly, it was still warm. But she had endured far worse heat than this, and considered it quite fair. Almost comfortable.
Achal smiled happy to have the conversation that was lifting his mood far better than his dip. "Yes fertility is a gift. I fear having hybrid children that I know that far to well. It saddens me sometimes, but my cubs seem mostly unbothered, especially Mirage."
Achal laughed lightly thinking on the subject of fertility, when she asked how he was. "I would have to say I am great, expecting a new litter soon, and rather anxious to just see the cubs", he said. It was a half truth, but he had no intention of burdening the young female with his troubles.
"I will also say that im a glad for these slightly cooler days. They are quite lovely."
She smiled a little, nodding. "They have more good traits then I; being without cubs would sadden me something terrible." She confided in Achal. She couldn't imagine not giving birth for her Pad. It spoke of their character, the hybrids who could not give birth and were, like Mirage, unbothered by that. She heard rumors, gossip, that some were even finding ways around it, by letting their Banus give birth to another male's cubs and raising them as their own.
"Oh?" She perked up, and grinned at him. "Congratulations, Achal." She smiled, shifting in her spot to shake some of the dust from her coat without having to rise. "I look forward to seeing more cubs paddling around in our lake." She said with only a little bit of sarcasm in her voice, smirking. "I imagine your banus are thrilled at the idea of having more young cubs in the den?"
"They are." She snorted, shaking her head. "Hunting in that heat was awful; I very nearly offered myself for babysitting just to avoid it." She laughed a little. Though Farrah enjoyed babysitting, it was hunting she relished in. It was a gift from Mzu, mostly; Mzu had been the one to teach her how to hunt, gave her little tips, even took her out a couple times as a cub to hunt. She enjoyed the relative solitude.
Achal looked as though he was far away for a moment and he was at a lose for words momentarily. "It is something the most eventually except. Something that they've known for a while and learned how to deal with. I am sure they will each find their way around it. There is always adoption, cubs are orphaned in the rogue lands quite often."
Achal gave remained slightly far off for a few more moments, but her congratulations brought him out of his thought. "Thank you Farrah. We are all very excited though I must admit that I find myself helping hunt more often now, with my daughter off joining their new pads. I do not mind and as long as I hunt at night the heat is not to'much of a bother. I would truly do anything for my banu, as I sure my sons will as well."
She nodded evenly as he spoke, in agreement. There were a great deal of rogue cubs, she was certain, who needed proper parents. "Some good will come out of it, if a parentless cub can find a cubless parent." She smiled quietly at him, lowering her gaze to her paws as she thought.
She laughed a little at his mention, and nodded. "Any pad would." She agreed, smiling. "It must be odd, though; seeing your daughters joining their pads. Do you miss them?" She asked, looking up at him and cocking her head to the side. Anyone who had seen enough of Farrah would recognize this look, the patient, even gaze and the small warm smile was meant to be comforting. Something to trust in. Her 'psychiatrist's face', so to speak. Her brothers certainly knew that look, she had no doubt, and she wondered if even her father could pick up on it.
She'd have to try it on him sometime.
Achal smiled feeling as though his sons and daughter though some may be infertile could all have good future within the pride. "That is a good way to think of it. You are most wise. Wisdom in the young is always a good sign, though I hope you do not think me old."
He chuckled slightly at her next question. "Odd? ... No I would not say odd. I've always know it would happen and they will be well taken care of, but yes I do miss them being in the den with us. However, I want the best for them and they are near, so I am happy."
"What about you," he asked, " will you be joining a new pad soon. Surely you have many offers."
"Thank you." She would have blushed under the praise, but her dark fur hid that from view. She laughed a little. "I will not think you old if you give me the same kindness." She said playfully, her tone still carefully light. There was a line, precarious that it was, when it came to a playful chat and flirting with a Pad. Farrah prided herself on being proper in the face of others, especially other Pads.
She nodded a little at his response, and frowned quietly as she thought on her question. "Not as many as you'd think, I'm sure." She smiled at him. "At least, not that I am aware of." It was entirely possible that pads had gone to her father instead of her, but she doubted she would have missed them all. "I haven't met my Pad, yet. My father is... selective, he wants us to love our Pads." She appreciated the thought, but it concerned her. What if she didn't find someone in the pride whom she loved? Would she be a barren spinster living with her Mama and her Daddy for the rest of her life?
The thought made her cringe.
Achal chuckled, he could hardly think her old. He had know of litter since the were cubs. They were grown now, but Achal simply would never think them old. "It is a kindness that is easily given", he said feeling very happy and relaxed.
Achal was a bit surprised when she had said did not know her pad,' but at the same time many were questing. There weren't many offers to be made. "How insensitive of me, to forget that many of our boys have not returned yet. You father must love you dearly. I wish love for all my daughters as well and it is far easier than you would think. I wish you much luck. I am sure you will find your pad soon enough."
She smiled at him easily, shaking her head. "No harm done." She promised. "I am looking forward to the days that our pesars return as Pads. If not for the opportunity to find my own love among the throng, but to see our pride flourish with new banus and a promising future." She spoke eloquently to hide the fear that perhaps she would still not find love when the boys came back to town, so to speak.
"And if I do not find love then, I will find it some time after." She smiled at him. "After all, I am not so old that it isn't likely to happen." She winked at him coyly. "And I can wait for the right Pad to come along." She waved it off, and eyed him. "Your sons are on their quest, aren't they? Namir, at least." She remembered the cub when she was young herself, and was curious. "Have you heard of him since his departure?"
Achal could help but think that it would be great if she joined his family with one of his sons. She seemed to be a wonderful banu, beautiful as well.
"Ever the optimistic attitude", he said smiling, "truly the best way to be. The pride will bloosom and among them will be you, in love, and bloosoming too. Just you wait and see."
Achal couldn't help but grin and his ears truly perked up at the sound of his sons name. Naim, he thought, not knowing the pair had met.
"All my boys have gone who are off age Naim included. I have not heard from anything, except Cairo. I am sure they are just fine and I am hoping to have them all back home soon. Why do you ask?"
"Thank you, Achal." She brightened under his statement, and smiled wider. "I'll hold you to that." She smirked at him. "And when I am so swollen with cubs I don't know what to do, I'll blame you and your promise of love and blossoming." She laughed a little, her eyes gleaming as she thought of it. She'd seen some poor banus who could barely walk.
She sincerely hoped she didn't explode with cubs. It seemed undoubtedly uncomfortable.
"I remember meeting your son, Namir." She explained, smiling. "When I was barely more then a cub myself. We talked about our siblings." And how many there were, then. She'd been overwhelmed as a cub, with so many sisters. "I hadn't been aware that they all left, though." She inclined her head, smiling a little. "But I'm sure they'll bring back the prettiest of banus." It seemed like the banus from outside the pride were always so... beautiful. Perhaps it was merely the exoticism of a lioness who was not from their lands, but Farrah envied their uniqueness.
She, herself, was pretty. She knew that. She heard it often enough, and was grateful for the praise. But some of those exotic banus... They were more then pretty. She wondered what new blood would be brought back.
Achal laughed whole heartedly, "I'd have to say blame you pad, or I may find myself in trouble." His chuckles subsided a bit, but he felt very cheerful, very merry. "You will see."
Achal'shiftly slightly as she spoke of an encounter with his son and smiled hoping he left a good impression upon the young female. "Yes, my boys left just after the feast, after some of your brother I believe. Cubs just seem to grow so fast. I must admit I am very proud and looking forward to greet new family members upon their return."
He grinned seeing her good natured envy of outside banu. They were often extremely beautiful, but Achal thought the did not come close to most of the prides banu. "I must say that the prides banu are far more beautiful and poised, yoouself include."
"As am I." She agreed, looking forward to the new members of the pride that would soon join. Fresh blood, so to speak, was always good for the pride. She smiled a little. "I hope my younger family members are fruitful in their hunts."
She perked a little at his compliment, and laughed quietly, shaking her head. "Thank you, but I feel we have a bit of an unfair advantage." She said. "The rogues coming from the pridelands, they weren't raised into this like our very own pride banus were. We are raised to act, behave, and even hunt a certain way. It is a lot for them to take in in a short amount of time."
She was amazed, really, that there weren't more kajira because of how drastic the adaption could be. But Farrah chalked it up to good luck, or some benevolent God watching over their shoulder.
"They will, do not worry. Soon you will be helping new banu adjust to life in the pride. Maybe you will be beybanu of your harem."
Achal grinned. It was true that the prides banu had quite the advantage over newcomers, but it balanced things out that way. It made it easier for them to become banu to males they'd grown up with. "It is a good advantage," he said before rising and yawning slightly. He thought that maybe he should head back to the den soon, but he was reluctant to leave such lovely company and intelligent conversation.
She smiled brightly at that, straightening up a little. Beybanus were honorable figures in all harems; being the beybanu of any harem would be the best thing to ever happen to Farrah. But she was realistic; Beybanus were often the favorite, and she would settle for belonging to a harem where she was loved. She needn't be the most favorite, only loved.
When Achal rose, Farrah pushed herself up so she was sitting, shaking her fur out again as she thought. "It is." She agreed, smiling a little. She noted his yawn, and wondered if he was tired. Having cubs, even only a few, had to weigh on any lion. Instead of asking such a thing, though, she thought of a better way to leave on a good note, without potentially offending the pad. "I should return to my den, I think." She said, as though it were an afterthought. "I am sure my Mamas could use help with my sisters, now." She smiled at him.
"It was nice to see you, Pad Achal." She said as she rose, tail flicking behind her idly. "I hope that we can talk again soon." It was nice to talk to someone who wasn't related to her, to share her views without having to worry about being interrupted for some story about how a rabbit got away from one of her sisters again, or something equally trivial.
Achal smiled and gave a small bow to Farrah. She was truly a wonderful banu and he could not help, but to wish her for one of his sons. "It was very nice to see you as well," he said softly, "maybe we will be able to talk again sometime."
As she made to return to her den Achal did the same knowing his harem would want some time with him before he fell asleep.
