Night had dropped onto the jungle. The once quiet land when she arrived now thrived with so many cubs. The leaders had eight growing children, and now a new litter had been born just a few moons ago. Rukopa couldn’t help but smile as she gazed down to her nine beautiful babies. Four little boys, and five little girls. All a beautiful combination of her and her mate Kaym’itan. Soon, she realized, they would be a handful. Not only was it her job to take care of them, but the leader’s eight children as well.
Each of her own cubs already had their own personality, even though they were still so young. It was just a matter of time before they would be wandering around, talking, trying to sneak off and have adventures of their own. Ru did so when she was a cub, she wouldn’t doubt that her own kin wouldn’t try something of the sort.
The female curled up next to her cubs as one of Eyucatan’s cubs nears. Tamal, the dark tiger striped female, was growing up real fast. Soon she would no longer need to be under the watchful eyes of the babysitter. Soon, her own start to her life would begin.
“Miss Ru?” She asked quietly, her ears flickering towards the small newborn cubs cautiously. No longer were her sisters and brothers the youngest in the pride. Someone else had taken those roles. “They’re so little…” she cooed, her cerulean eyes flickering back and forth between each cub.
Ru couldn’t help but chuckle at Tama’s statement. “You too, were once this small, young Tama,” she spoke quietly so not to wake the dozing children. Well, almost all the children were asleep. The white male marked with brilliant blue wing markings was staring, red eye, straight at Tama.
Tama tilted her head. “…why is he looking at me like that?” her ears rustled between pinning back, and perking forward at the constant stare from the young red-eyed male. “It’s kind of creepy…”
The new mom just laughed. “He’s curious, that’s all. I think he likes your necklace.” The lioness stated, referring to the white feather that lay right on her neck.
“…right….If he likes it so much, then I’ll just have to get him one when he is older (and when he won’t think it’s a chew toy!)” She stared right back at the cub, smirking. She could win this contest! When the young male blinked, Tama made a noise of success. “Aha!” she shouted, quickly covering her mouth. “…sorry,” she whispered, forgetting about the other eight sleeping children.
Ru just shook her head. “It’s okay. They pretty much sleep through anything,” she smiled, craning her neck to lick at her still awake son. “You need to go to sleep young one…” she purred, grinning sheepishly at her younger ward. Ru was still new at this.
“What’s his name?” the juvenile eyed curiously. The male cub began his staring contest once more with the female. His beady eyes almost alien like as his small frame swayed back and forth, itself not use to being up for such a long period.
“Hmm? This is Tsyalu’imi,” Both her and Kaym’itan had decided to name their first born with the language of the pride. It was their home, why shouldn’t part of her new life start that way?
“T…syal?” Tamal blinked, trying to say the name. “I think I’ll call him Imi!” Imi was easier to pronounce anyway! “Brother Imi! Do you like that?” She asked, not to her babysitter, but rather the cub himself. The staring male blinked, and yawned widely at the female, smacking his lips as his eyes began to droop. “hah! I take that as a yes!” The bright blue eyed female grinned. “I really like his wings! He should be a priest when he grows up! It’ll be like he is the messenger of Eywa!"
“When he is old enough to know what the different jobs in the pride are, I will let it be his decision.” Though there were certain ranks she wished he would not choose when he is older, she couldn’t stop what he wanted to do. Luckily, this would be a long time from now!
“I think he’s ready to go to bed now.” It was true, the younger male cub was slowly falling over, trying to resist sleep as much as possible.
Ru gave him one last lick as the young cub curled up, paws clinging to his face. Soon he was fast asleep. Such a peaceful sleep, Rukopa only knew this wouldn’t last. The cubs would soon all want to be fed, and of course it would be all at different times. The white lioness was going to soak up all this now while she could, for the silence may not happen again until the cubs are much older.
“Aww…he’s so cute! I can’t wait til we can play with them!” We, referring to all her brothers and sisters. They would have a blast with the nine youngsters. Hide and seek would be twice as much fun with double the amount of players.
“Soon, young Tama. I’ll have to recruit your brothers and sisters to help watch them as they will all be mobile.” Ru was going to enjoy these days as much as she could. Running around Home Tree rounding up cubs was going to be a big task in the future.
“…Right, I’ll help ya!” Though, the little trouble maker probably would help by teaching the youngins’ all her good hiding spots, and how to avoid being caught by their babysitters. “Promise!” Tama looked down at the sleeping cubs one more time. Soon they would be her new friends! They would have some fun times together! Even though soon she would begin her training to follow in her father’s footsteps to become a warrior, she could at least play with the little cubs until she was called away!
“I’ll let you ten get some rest then! I can’t wait til we can play with them!” She stated excitedly, giving one last glance to all the sleeping cubs before bounding away from there.
Ru grinned at Tamal’s last comment. Yes…the ten of them. Soon, her blue Kaym would join them so all eleven would be together as a big happy family. Another chapter was being written in her story that she never wanted to end.
[[END - 1068 words]]
