“Will you keep an eye, or ear on them …with the thing that you have?” the mated pair did not speak much of the gift that Gebali’moyo had, or the reasoning that he had it, but sometimes desperate times turn to desperate measures. Gebali and Baridi were laying quietly in their den, this was the first official night without any of their offspring, they were old enough to move on…go on the journey that hard turned Hewa into Gebali, and that had brought Lala..and Pipi into the Swamp pride. The den felt too quiet, and far too cold.
--
“The thing, eh?” he mumbled back, nearly a grumble and he slid his body close to hers, it wasn’t just a “thing” it was one of two gifts that his biological mother had given him. He had…well he didn’t know, visions would be what most would call it. There were times when the spirits spoke to him, it had stopped when he was far from the Swamp lands, after he had met Lalakesha, and it had not started again until recently. The white lion had told his mate they started, but not what they currently pertained to. The other gift was the fear of water, which he’d overcome, until recently, his head felt different recently.
“I can try, but you know that the ‘thing’ doesn’t work always when I want it to, or the way I want it to.” He stopped speaking let out a low sigh and then continued, “I will know if something happens, maybe. But you and I both know that nothing will happen. I will only be able to tell that they are alive.”
--
“Which of course they will be,” she cut him off not allowing him to say anymore; she did not want to think about it. Nothing should, nothing could happen to her four beautiful babies. Alright they were not babies anymore. Perhaps she was having what the birds called empty nest syndrome, her children were not going to be living in this den again, when they return they will be adults and have lives of their own.
“Just..just try, and that way we can say we did our best.” Baridi’ini laid her head down on his, hiding her face in his mane.
--
His eyes widened, was she thinking that they did not do their best with Bato, Teke, Boko, and Meta?
“We have always done our best, unless you do not believe so? All of us in the Swamp lands do the same, you know that. We raise our children right and then send them into the world to find themselves, find their true names.” He turned his head slightly trying to get a look at her but he did not want to move her.
“They will find out who they are, their names, and maybe, maybe bring back another.” He was thinking of finding Lala, remembering ‘rescuing’ Indu.
--
“No, no,” she shook her head raising it away from him, “I think we did the best we could, I think that our children are wonderful. I’m just worrying for nothing, I know.” But she also knew there were bad things out there in the world. She remembered the stories of cub napping, Mufasa’a death, the deaths right here in her own pride.
“I like the idea of them finding love, especially if they bring back a partner.” She grinned and set her chin down against him again.
“I know I’m being silly, just thinking of when they were little, and seeing Kisuli’s beautiful cubs.” She laughed, and she was sure he could hear the edge in her voice.
--
Ahh, so that was it, Baridi was thinking of cubs, particularly their four as cubs. The idea had crossed his mind more than once that they could try to have another litter, it wasn’t uncommon, especially when mothers and fathers started to feel the effects of having an empty den, and more time on their hands than usual.
“Why don’t you spend time with your sister?” Gebali suggested, “Spend time with the cubs.” He was fond of them, they looked like Pipi-Kisuli and although they started out roughly; due to the fact Gebali had taken Baridi to a pride where lions were being murdered. He really loved.
“You know, Lala,” he used her pet name, “We can always try…try for more? Never to replace our own, but to add to our family.” More cubs, was he really thinking
--
“It’s not just the idea of more cubs, Gebali,” she didn’t return the pet name, his baby name. “I’m worried they will not return, or that something horrible will happen to them.”
That would be the worst part, even though she knew it was just a part of their growing up to discover themselves…what if she never saw them grow up entirely? She’d left home in her adolescence, so did Indu, and Gebali. But she never returned, and presumably Indu did, and obviously Gebali’moyo returned to his home land. What if one of the four didn't return, or all of them decided that coming home wasn't in their future. Baridi did not think she could handle that, never knowing if they had been hurt or if they were just taking their time while on their quest for a name.
“Tell me I am worrying for nothing, please…and maybe we could work on having more, another family to raise.”
She slunk to her feet, untangling herself from him – his smell, his warmth and paced down the length of their den and then back, and then paced again.
--
“Miss, Lalakesha-Baridi’ini, you have nothing to worry about. Our family is growing up, they will grow just like we did, and nothing horrible happened to us. I will ask the spirits, I will try and keep my ears open and use the ‘thing’. But there is no need, my mother didn’t use her gift when she raised me, and I came back. With a beautiful lioness, I even had cubs.” He stood and wrestled with the idea of what would comfort her.
“You are right to feel this way, I am feeling worried too, but..” what Gebali couldn’t say was he worried too, worried that he’d never see them grow old, or see his grandchildren, “but I just know with my whole heart. And I trust the spirits, and fate.”
He walked toward her and rubbed his shoulders down the length of her, inhaling her scent and closing his eyes.
“Have a little faith, my love.”
(fin..because bowchicka-wow-wow is what’s going to happen next, aaaand I don’t rp that.)
