Ayida hadn't had an easy life, that was a given. It was only now, on this particular day, that she started recalling her younger days on purpose as she lounged beneath a sickly tree.
The furthest back she could recall was in her childhood, the first time her mother had ever gotten angry.
From what she could remember of that woman, she didn't show any signs of love for her children. The closest she'd ever gotten to expressing anything was when she comforted her children after beating them senseless over the most idiotic things, like chasing bugs or leaving her sight for more than 2 or 3 seconds. She had been a rogue, all of them had at that time, but their mother would always complain about a pride that had forced her into being one of many brides to a male lion, their supposed father.
That had been, of course, only when they actually SAW their mother. Most of the time, they were watched over by a lioness their mother found wandering the rogue lands, and it was never the same lioness twice in a row. It disgusted their mother to see her offspring with a man she hated. At least, that's what Ayida came to think.
But anyway, from a young age, Ayida was the sort to wander. And her nannies were the type not to really care, every so often. And her very first nanny just happened to be that sort, and Ayida had slipped out without so much as a second glance from the older lioness. She prowled around, in awe at every sight and color her young eyes could absorb from the land around her. When her gaze fell on a tiny grasshopper, she froze up,amazed something so tiny compared to her could be a living, breathing creature. It hopped and she dared to follow, pouncing after it and giggling.
For how long she'd followed the tiny green jumper,she didn't know What she did know, however, is that she'd ventured well away from home, and sounds from nearby told her she was in pridal lands. Lionesses and lions alike were laughing and having a fun time nearby, and in her curiosity Ayida lost her grasshopper and chose to get closer to them. Silently she'd crept forward, ears and eyes alert at the movement that slowly came within her range of sight, and she'd gasped. Like magic, they were dancing and singing to each other in a colorful display, one that made Ayida's eyes water with just how happy they were. She stepped forward, thoroughly absorbed into the going ons that she didn't notice they had spotted her, and that a larger lion was approaching her with a soft smile on his face. He had offered her the chance to join them, but something behind the small cub had forced him back, eyes widened in surprise. Ayida dared to turn and look, and the expression on her mother's face was enough to make the young cub fear for her life. Without a word, her mother stepped forward and grabbed Ayida by the scruff, the look in her eyes of a burning hatred for the other lions as she retreated,not a word uttered from her lips. It would only come to Ayida now,the familiarity she'd seen between her mother's pelt and those she had encountered. Those had been her aunts and uncles, maybe.But at that time, she had been the utmost example of afraid of what was to come.
And she had every right to be, because no sooner had they returned, Ayida had been beaten to the point of knocking the young cub unconscious. Her mother, before killing her only female child, had stayed her paw. Or, at least, that's what Ayida's brothers told her.
When she'd come to, her mother was facing the back of the den,shoulder hunched like a defeated person. Ayida, even with excruciating pain, approached her mother and curled beneath her forelegs, rubbing her chin against the older female's paw with a soft sigh. In that instant, Ayida had been patted lightly for the first time, but the female couldn't bring herself to show anything more and she quickly brushed off her daughter, fleeing to the front of the den and out into the sunlight of the day. Ayida tried to follow her, but stopped just before taking a first step in her direction and layed herself down, succumbing to the tiredness she felt in her body. The last thing of that day had been her brothers comfort as they lay alongside her, cushioning her pain and attempting to ease the feel of the cold den floor against her pained body.
Ayida sighed, her childhood pain still lingering in her mentally rather than physically. Nothing had ever gotten any better, either. She would have to endure similar abuse as she continued to stay with her mother, and it came heavier towards her for being the only child that looked like her father and his family. Her mother, in a fit of rage,had once told her that her existence was only for his benefit because she was a daughter and worth something to him,but would never be anything to her. It had hurt, yes, but time spent with this same talk had left Ayida hardened to the threats. As an adult, Ayida was as optimistic as ever, always trying her best and striving to do everything her mother had forced down her throat as something she couldn't do. She had her family now, a pride that she could do her best for and didn't beat her down when she couldn't perform as well as everyone else.
But at least now, she had all the room the world could offer to grow and learn from experience, rather than be suppressed by a higher power. What else could a lioness like herself need from life?
Well, then again, there was always the option of having cubs of her own....
[Word Count: 1000]
