Looking back into her den, Dauna could see her four sleeping cubs huddled up in their father Kohaku's fluffy orange mane. It had been a long day for the young female; she had finally given birth to her first litter of cubs with no trouble to speak of. The goddesses had blessed them first with a beautiful daughter clad in purple like her father and her grandmother, followed by two boys with a vibrant green coat that Dauna couldn't help but be proud of passing onto them. After all, her clan cherished the color and she knew her mother would be pleased. Youngest was another green clad cub, her second daughter.
She got up to get a closer look at them. They were so tiny, and colorful, they could almost be mistaken for little exotic birds. Her son who was colored almost like here let out a biiig yawn before cuddling back up with his siblings. Dauna couldn't help but have a huge smile on her face. Her oldest daughter yawned and rolled onto her back, exposing a brilliant white tummy. Suddenly the proud Mom's smile looked bitter sweet. However joyous the occasion was, almost certain that her first daughter would be of a low rank. Dauna couldn't get out of her mind that maybe, just maybe it was her fault. She would have been the first to admit that she hadn't always been the best member of the pride. Chatting it up with outsiders, not always taking her duties seriously, letting a male she had only met once into her heart... Kupa, why had he taken a hold of her so strongly?
But no. She had repented by taking Kohaku in and having the very cubs she was worried about. Rank, and even gender was secondary to making sure they grew up to be healthy and strong members of the pride. That was what any mother would want for their children.
The lime green lioness couldn't keep her eyes off of her new family. It was now late into the night, and the moons light made their little coats even more vibrant than before. Everything had happend so suddenly- it seemed like she had just met Kohaku just yesterday and brought him back to her den. It had been awhile since that faithful meeting, and he had been the perfect gentlemen in helping her while she was carrying their children.
Speaking of which... Dauna was finding it hard to connect to Kohaku. Sure he had been of great help, but it was quite clear he knew his place in the family; and that was one of a temporary position. Perhaps she hadn't learned her lesson after all about how to interact with males. But maybe it was a blessing in disguise; Males were too tempting and she didn't want an emotional tie to one ever again. Things could have gone really bad if she had chosen a male who didn't know his place and tried to get close to her. Would Dauna have the strength to say no? She wasn't a hundred percent sure she could answer that question. No matter the short term bliss she would experience by getting close to one, she would pay for it either in her next lifetime or even in this one, if she ever was found out.
It was hard though, she loved the company of males. They were so different, and those fluffy manes. So warm...
No no no. She tried to cast aside her feelings quickly, as the longer they lingered the more she was tempted to try to get closer to Kohaku. For now she knew she must focus on what's important, to make sure her children grow up to be respectable members of her pride. That in itself was at terrifying thought. Not only because she had seen many lionesses leave because their parents hadn't raised them properly, but because she soon wouldn't be apart of her son's lives.
Being from a pride that is so family oriented it was difficult to comes to grips that she would have to let go of half of it. She had already been through the ordeal before, when a lioness who looked as if she was quite important came to escort her brothers away. Dauna hadn't seen them since that faithful day. It was funny to think that when it happened she hadn't thought anything of it at all, but now that she was a Mom the thought of someone taking away these beautiful creatures from her care left a bad taste in her mouth. She knew thought that was just how things needed to be, and she would have plenty of time ready herself for when that moment came.
She knew she would have to prepare THEM for it as well though, as she saw first-hand what happened when Kupa had become so dependent on his family and then taken away.. he left. Yes, all of her fears seemed to steam from the thought of any of her children leaving. Dishonor was the first thing that came to mind. Her mom was the ex-leader of the clan and her sister was the current leader. To have any of her cubs flea would not only make herself look bad, but her entire family. She -couldn't- let that happen.
She looked down and pawed at the feathers on her necklace. Her mom had collected them for he entire family when she was still pregnant. They had lost some of their shimmer over time, but their color seemed just as beautiful as they were on the day Dauna's mother gave them to her. They were a precious possession that she tried to take really good care of, even going so far as to take off her necklace when going into the water. (...even though the feathers were waterproof.) Perhaps she should collect something like that for her children too. Flowers seemed like a good idea, but those would die quickly. Maybe feathers as well?
She let out a huge yawn, it had been a long day. She could go looking for something tomorrow for the cubs, for now Dauna deserved a long rest both in body and mind.
(Word count: 1035)
