Welcome to Gaia! ::

Samm's mouth was dry, he and Dene, and their parents had come down for a drink but Sam had held back a little at that precise spot, lost in thoughts of one thing or another. He smiled and shook his head, clearing whatever thoughts had been in his head. He sighed and took a drink from the watering hole before waiting for the right moment to pounce on his father's tail. It had been twitching and had drawn his eyes to it. It never hurt to practice hunting skills, "Gotcha!" he said triumphantly to his father, glancing towards Dene.

Rashida watched her eldest son curl into tall grasses. His eyes closed she knew he was taking the nap that he truly couldn't deny himself. He was a beautiful cub, as were all her babies, and she felt proud that her and Azrael had produced something so..so.. miraculous. Though when she took her eyes from Dene, her eyes fell on Samm. She held back a chuckle, not wanting to alert Azrael to their sons impending pounce. What a good boy Samm was.

Azrael was lying on his belly, stretching out his paws and letting his claws scrape across the earth. It was a beautiful day, not that he was very aware of it. The male was usually the brute of the family, reserved and making sure that he wasn't making a fool out of himself. After the family he had been raised in, he simply didn't have time for nonsense. So when Samm pounced his tail, Azraels golden eyes flicked angry at first, but softened when he realized who it was. He pulled his tail away and huffed a little.
"Samm, my boy, don't you have better things to occupy your time?

Samm's proud grin turned upside down at his father's huffing "I'm sorry dad, i... i was practicing hunting and pouncing" he said, hanging his head a little, his ears going back. He knew he shouldn't have pounced his father's tail, the male was.. well not uptight.. but not the parent that was eager to play with his cubs. Samm stole a glance at his sleeping brother and wished he'd pounced him instead. "Sorry dad"

Rashida shook her head, and stepped closer to the two males. "Oh Azrael, you fuddy duddy. You are fine. Why can't he play with you?" She asked, nuzzling her redhued boy with love. She was the picture perfect mother, or so Azrael thought. She would do anything for her children, then again, she would probably do anything for anyone, even if it was in bad taste.

He looked between the two and sighed. "Rashida why do you indulge such useless behavior?" He asked but knew the answer. This wasn't useless, and Rashida's knowing look made him nod.
"You're right. I'm sorry Samm. Maybe your mother would like to play with you." He grinned up at Rashida, who rolled her eyes.
"You are intolerable." She responded, and he sat up with a smile.
"Only for you my dear." And with a large paw, he patted Samm's shoulder.
"Maybe you should teach him to hunt soon, Azrael. I bet he'd like that. Wouldn't you dear?" She asked, tender blue eyes looking down at the youngster.

Samm leaned into his mother when she nuzzled him, his frown turning into a happy smile, his mom always made him feel better. He didn't blame his father for being so stoic but he got frustrated sometimes, especially when he got scolded for just being a cub. He listened to the loving exchange between them and sighed, it might not be perfect but he loved his family. He beamed when his father patted his shoulder with a large paw, used too roughly it could have sent him sprawling but his father's touch was gentle. His eyes grew wide and he looked between his parents, a huge smile on his face when he looked at his father again "I would! I'd like it very much, i want to hunt and be big and strong like you dad"

Once upon a time, Rashida was all that Azrael had cared about. He would defend her against even the kindest of companions. He hated her seeing others, because he feared what happened to his own mother would happen to her.. But then his cubs came and it was a shock to the male. He didnt know how to behave, he didnt know what to do when it came to caring for more than just the one person. He had tried hard to be the same loving male he was to his mate, but it was hard. He actually had to try. But he was determined to be better than his own father.
"But you are strong like I am, my son." He said, a proud grin bearing his features.

"Maybe we can do that later on this afternoon, my dear." Rashida's voice broke through the soft male ones. She lay on her belly, bringing herself to Samm's level. Though she wished that he would be kinder to his cubs, she still saw the good in him. She saw the good in everyone.

Sam looked up as his dad with wide eyes, "Not yet dad" he laughed "But i will be and i'll help keep everyone safe" he said with utter conviction, even though he was just a cub. He loved his father despite the fact he didn't show his feelings in the same was his mother did. He was very happy when he saw the proud grin on his father's face and he charged him, giving him a hug before pouncing on his mother, tugging at her ear "yes please!" he said eagerly, using her as a climbing frame to jump on Dene from "DENE ... Deeeeeene!! Wake up! Dad's taking me hunting later!!! DEEEENE!" he bugged, grabbing at his brother's scruff.

"I do not doubt that. Start by keeping your family safe. That is all that matters. Your family after all." He didnt add that his mate was the most important, and he wanted her protected at all costs.. Probably because he knew he could protect her if worse came to worse. He watched his son tackle his mother, and he felt himself want to stand to defend her. But quickly he scoffed at himself. What harm was a cub going to do to his mother? He needed to lighten up..

Rashida grinned when she was pounced, and she giggled in her oh so feminine way. She gave him a soft, loving look before looking to see Dene. Dene grumbled, rolling over to kick at his brother.
"Dont you know that some people just want to sleep?" He asked, though one eye perked at the thought of getting to go hunting.

"Is it true momma?" He asked, turning that one opened eye in her direction.
She nodded, smiling gently. "Yes my dear. Later today, we will take you all hunting."

Samm grinned "I told you Dene.... pff... just take my word for it next time.. i didn't lie" he playfully huffed, rolling off and away from his brother. He sat for a moment before the itch in his paws began again and he jumped at Dene again, aiming for the scruff once more to take between his sharp milk teeth. "Mom.... can we go soon?" he asked, trying to pin Dene down while lifting his head to look at her "I'm hungry" he added, turning to headbutt Dene

"Lying is bad." Rashida said with a chuckle. "That, and I've never heard your brother tell a lie yet." She grinned when Dene glared at her and shook his head. He was the tough guy of the group, more like his father than herself. Samm, however, took a lot after her. He was sweet, loving and kind. Azrael looked up at her, and she smiled, nodding her head. He stood up, and put his paw between the boys. When he got them to both look up at him, he smiled the charming smile he had always been capable of, though it didnt quite reach his eyes. He was never a truly happy lion, but he tried to fake it.
"Are you ready to go?" He asked, and waited until Rashida stepped closer to him before he moved a little in front of them, leading the way.

Dene pushed at his brother, glaring but pouncing his tail, and biting. One thing about Dene, was he never did anything lightly. If he bit, it was a bite, if he tackled, he was bulldozing into you.
"Yeah. C'mon Samm, lets see who is better."

Samm wriggled with happiness, Mom praising him, Dad taking them out hunting, Dene awake and wanting to go with them... He was so happy he didn't even notice that the smile their father held was a superficial one. He was about to leap away and follow exactly in his father's pawsteps in the slightly damp ground but he was gripped by pain in his tail, he yowled and turned but it was just Dene. He licked the offended tail briefly before tucking it out of the way "I'll beat you to it anytime Dene" he laughed, racing away in front of the slightly stockier cub.

When the cub pulled his tail away, Dene grinned and narrowed his eyes. However one look from Rashida and he frowned looking down at his paws.
"Don't go hurting your brother, Dene." Her tone was warning, and it caused Azrael to turn around and look at him with stern golden eyes. Dene sighed.
"I was just playing. You guys act like I was going to tear into him or something.."
"Save it for the hunt, Dene." His fathers voice came to his ears, and he looked up to see Azrael continue walking. He bounced back up and started walking alongside his brother.

Rashida walked alongside her mate, as Azrael would have never continued if he couldn't see her. He was so protective of her, that if she didn't enjoy the defensive nature ofh im, could easily be seen as smothering.

Samm was sad, he'd gotten Dene told off, he hung back and walked bside his brother "It's ok Dene... it didn't hurt, why don't we hunt together, that way there's twice as much chance at catching it" he said, giving his brother a friendly nudge, though Dene was the elder, Samm was slightly taller at the shoulder than Dene but more awkwardly proportioned, Dene was a 'proper' stocky cub, sometimes Samm felt odd being built differently to most of his siblings but with Dene and Cas, it never seemed to bother him. He watched his parents walk side by side and felt slightly left out but the feeling didn't last for long before he was shoving at Dene again in cubby playfullness.

"It's not your fault, stop looking like you killed somebody." Dene said, though he smiled a little and shouldered into him. His parents were so intune to each other, that sometimes Dene felt the need to be close to his siblings moreso. Father gave them little attention, and mother doted on them when she wasn't busy with father. Dene was the eldest brother, and he had to take care of them. Even their sister, who was always out to push their buttons. He was happy she had hung back, leaving Castiel with her. Though Cas, he thought, wouldn't mind as much as Dene would have.

"Hunt together? How do we know who is better if we hunt together?" He asked.

Sam sighed "I know but... i yelled and you got told off when we were just playing....." he said lamely, wondering WHEN they'd get to where their parents were going to give them today's lesson. "Dene, you know i'm better at running, you're better at grabbing" he said, grinning then charging ahead of the parents "Catch me if you can turtle face!" he laughed at Dene as he rushed past Azrael.

Dene was about to ask where the hell turtle face came from but before he could, Samm was already running. He propelled himself forward, and took off. He ran around Azraels ankles, and hte older lioned growled in surprise, stepping back as if he didn't want to step on what it was that was darting around him. Rashida chuckled, nuzzling into her mates mane.
"Come now, Az..They aren't hurting anything, and you used to be a cub once." He sighed, and relaxed his shoulders. He supposed she was right.

Dene was stockier than Samm, so he was slightly slower, however he had alot of muscle behind that little pelt he had.
"Im going to get you!"

Samm laughed as he ran, he didn't slow down to let his brother catch up, he didn't need to and he knew Dene would be mad if he tried to 'let' him win at anything anyway. "No chance you big ol' snail" he panted, he was a cub, boundless energy but still only small despite being sleeker than his brother, in the end they were pretty evenly matched for the moment. "Come on Mom! Catch us?!" he teased as he turned his head back to check on where their parents were, taking his eyes off his brother for the moment

Rashida smiled, and began trotting towards Samm. She didn't run full speed, because she would no doubt catch them easily. What fun was that? She chuckled, her paws moving slightly slower than was normal for her.
"You are in for it now." She teased, and swiped gently at them, claws sheathed. She missed of course, but she still played around.

Azrael hated games. Not because he was unable to get into them, but he had been raised to believe that they were frivilous. He had not let his children know his father, and he didn't even hate him. But he was screwed up from the not being good enough all his life thing..

Dene pounced, catching his brother and letting them roll away in the ebony and brown colored ball that rolled until Dene pinned him to the earth. He grinned proudly.
"Look ma. I caught a hare!"

Samm laughed as his mother joined the game, he felt a small pang of pity for his father who never played, so he didn't really have fun at all but the game was in his mind and the pity was swift and replaced by a laugh at his mother.....Well.. it would have been a laugh if Dene hadn't pounced, sending them both into a rolling tumble. He was pinned but he brought his back legs up to kick feebly at Dene "haha, I'm not a hare.... " he laughed

"You might as well be!" Dene grinned, and when Samm brought his back legs up, Dene jumped back out of instinct. He loved his family, even his grumpy father. If anything, he respected Azrael more than someone would think possible. He was strong, brave, and he tried his best to stay calm, even when he wanted to lash out.

Rashida grinned, patting her boys on the head. "Come now children. It's time to begin your hunting practice." She said, and her face took on a serious look as she began heading in the direction where the herds were known to be.
She would show her babies, how to hunt, and how to survive.