Cacao - NovaCracker
&
Maisha - Das Tor
Cacao lay out watching the sky quietly, enjoying the sun on her chocolate pelt. Hera was spending time with Rhine, and Epyon... Cacao giggled at the female's pudge in the belly and at thinking of her recent meeting to a kind young leotah whom seemed quite cute with her, the duches smiling as she did so.
Mai had been doing a lot of thinking when he had time to himself. About where he would go after all this. The brief meeting with the seer had left him without his original direction, and...he couldn't stay with the group after things had...settled? Calmed? But he couldn't stay with them forever. They all had their own plans. And Epyon had herself a beau (if it wasn't obvious how SWEET Epyon and Koiboi were together, a person was blind and daft), Hera and Rhine were...well, Hera and Rhine and so very, very odd, and Cacao...well, she was sweet, but Mai could never think of her as more than a very good friend. The leopon's thoughts were interrupted when he came on the last lioness in his thoughts. "Oh! Hello, Miss Cacao!"
Cacao perked seeing Mai, bowing her head to the male.
"Hello Mai! Are you good today?" She smiled, purring softly. Her tail flicked, she felt good. This was nice.
Maisha smiled at Cacao, tail swishing amiably behind him. "I am well! A little lost and a bit envious, but otherwise well." He sat beside her, a movement more like a cub's 'flop' than anything graceful or masculine.
"Confused? Whyso?" She looked to him, still smiling gently.
The leopon sighed, hanging his head a bit. "Well...what I had been looking for...I don't think is an option anymore. So...I'm afraid I'm a bit lost on what to do, aside from something Epyon and I agreed on."
"Zat why she's pudgey?" Cacao blinked, innocently. Her mother clearly had sheltered her... Vastly.
Mai blinked and nodded. "It's...not pudge, exactly." He smiled sheepishly. "Apparently, I am not infertile like most hybrid felines." THAT had been a great shock. Oh it had been a great shock.
“In fertile? I don't understand." The female pinned her ears back, looking frustrated.
He blinked, one ear tilting to the side in confusion. "Infertile. Unable to have cubs. A lot of my family can't have cubs of their own genetics." And because of that...well, he was going to help! Starting with his Uncle Hekima.
Cacao looked thoughtful.
"I don't understand... How does one not have cubs aside choice? Mother said it's normakl."
Mai was more confused now. "Well...when a male and a female spend time together in a certain way...cubs can possibly result." How did he explain this to someone who didn't know? "And if one can't have cubs, like my Mama Luta or Uncle Hekima...one can adopt a cub who has no parents or that the parents agree to let them raise."
Cacao frowned.
"Can I help others without cubs? Not like I'm mated..." She rolled her shojulders.
The leopon chuckled. "Only if you want to. Having cubs isn't easy on the female." He ducked his head. "Epyon and I...we didn't know she'd get pregnant, since we thought I was infertile. But...it'll work out for the best, I suppose. With Koiboi showing up and all."
Cacao nodded, shrugging.
"My mother always raised me with my Aunt Anameleth, even after my sister was stolen by a b*****d... So I know it's hard." She looked down.
Mai ducked his front half down so he could lick her cheek. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I...I wasn't thinking about the raising. I was thinking about labor. I've heard the stories the Mfuma in my birth-pride told. And...well, I don't want any girl to have to go through that even a little unwillingly." It didn't seem right.
"I'd be willing!" Cacao pinned her ears back, pulling closer to him. "I want to help you, Maisha... I... I..."
She looked down, using a paw to shut her mouth.
Mai blinked, confused a moment...and worried. He didn't like it when others were down! And Cacao was his friend, so it went doubly so! "Is something wrong, Cacao?" He pawed her shoulder. "You can tell me...we're friends, right?"
Cacao looked up pitifully, lightly grooming his cheek before crying.
"I love you!"
Mai was surprised by that. "You...you do?" He was more than a little caught off guard. "I...I uh..." He really didn't know what to say. He didn't see her as family...but was he a good enough friend with her to be more than friends? How...how did love work?
Cacao winced, curling back up tightly. He hated her! She knew it!
Mai made a pathetic noise and moved to nuzzle her. "I'm not mad or anything like that, Cacao! I was just surprised. And...and confused." He looked a bit guilty. "You all are the first creatures I see as something different than siblings or aunts or uncles or parents. So...I'm not sure if I return your feelings like that or not, Cacao..."
"Okay." The female remained curled up, still kicking herself. Was this why lions were tsaught to remain with their own kind?
Mai sighed. "I don't mean to upset you Cacao." He looked to his paws, then at her. "I...I can try? And see if I do feel the same? I'm sorry I'm so confused..."
"Trying.. Could work.." She peered out, trying to hide fear.
Mai moved to nuzzle her, hoping to cheer her up. "I'm sorry I upset you." He wished, suddenly, that he'd paid more attention to how his parents, all three of them, acted towards one another. Well...besides 'in love'. "If nothing else, Cacao...you will forever be a valued friend."
Cacao nodded sadly, curling up into him for comfort qand lay her head on his paws.
Mai smiled softly at her, nuzzling more. He would try his best to return her feelings. He only hoped it would be enough...he hoped so very much.
Cacao closed her eyes, taking deep breaths as she felt herself growing tired. Right now... He was enough.
