1. Ming was actually happy for the most part, her and Koran were finally getting along like old times, her cubs were becoming more self-seficiant and they were growing up. Somehow that made her at ease. And perhaps it was Koran, she hadnt really been happy until he showed up, however she didnt want to tell him; but he really began to pull her out of the depression, the hate she had and felt.
She began to wonder what was going to happen between them. She said as she laid under the shade provided by the den with her eyes closed. She was day dreaming much like when she was a cub, something lin taught her; it was her own little escape from reality.
2. It was the coolest day, and it was the toughest day for food. After about three hours of chasing prey and not getting one kill. Then he turned and headed home. But at least by then, he had already hunted food early this morning.. On his way back, right before hand, snagging some Flame Lilies from his hunt. Trotting back, he remembered how much he ached to want to get in to the den. Now, he could freely come and go..
Not only to something real, but a place that felt.. right. But even happiness was work. Guarding the boarders at night, he didn't want to let anything come near them... Not even if predators were starting to lurk near.. If she didn't want to leave he would fight to defend this place til she did...
All that work, coming home... He met his eyes with her sitting under the shade.. It took him a minute to absorb her presence before he came up to her.. With a muffled voice. "Nice isn't it..." Placing the flowers in her forepaws..
3. Ming opened her eyes to see Koran, she smiled, "Yes it is nice." She looked down to see what he had given her. "What are these?" Said said with a smile, she knew what they were. she really meant why. But either way she could feel her face get warm. "Thank you i love them. Casre to join me?" She said looking at him hopefully; she felt a but bad about him doing all the work, maybe they should leave like he wanted; but where would they go. "How was hunting?" She asked as she smelt the flowers; but for a moment she thought of Lin; she wondered how she was doing. She quickly shook of that thought to return to what was happeneing now.
4. "For you" He took a few closer before dropping to the ground and on to his side. Like any exhausted cheetah, laid out with his ears padded down. "For you and only you.. and beat as I am.. the hunt was unsucessful with only that being the fruit of my hunt. For that I am sorry." Sticking his tongue out and landing his head in the flowers, but ubruptly retorted back when he felt the petals fly everywhere. "Sorry! Oh man~! I'm really sorry.. wow.. I can't beleive I did that!" Lowering his head... "I'm really sorry, I guess the hunt ended up as bad as I thought.." Sighing. "How was everyone elses's day.. "
5. Ming smiled he was so sweet. "Thats okay, you are trying your hardest perhaps i should hunt for a few days you seem tired." She said feeling bad about th whole thing. He was doing so much and she wanted to help it was her family. When he landed on the flowers she couldnt help but laugh, he was really tired. "Its okay you can always pick me more tomorrow." She said in a joking tone.
6."If I go off with flowers, and you do the hunting, doesn't that make me a monkey's uncle?" Lifting his head up to hers and purring softly in chirps. "But I wanted to be the knight~~~" He whined and rolled over to her and rubbed against her. That significant touch, thats all he ever needed.. Til in a not so long of distance, a brown cheetah watched.. then frowned. Then left in to the den..
"I remember when we used to day dream and roll on flowers all day. I thought it was girly, but even when we did it.. I didn't realize how much I missed it when we left you.. you know. It was just as hard, even harder leaving our games than it was to leave my pride. Back then I didn't know what it all meant.. You know. Unity, and family.. Didn't think I'd have my own neither." Sighing happily as he laid his head across her forearms. "I even Miss Ubi.."
7. Ming smiled cuddling next to him, she knew how he must feel. When she realized she was going to have cubs she felt her whole world flip upside. "I know i miss Lin too. But one day im sure well see them again." She nuzzled against him, she hasnt ever been so comfortable with anyone else except her family, and well now him.
"You know, im glad let you stay." She said laughing, she knew even if she wanted him to go, he would have stayed. "Im sure one day well see our family again; and maybe you'll have one of your own." She said as she felt her face grow hot again.
8. "You LET me stay? Hun, I would have stayed even if you choked me to death." He laughed and lightly pawed at her chin before turning on his back and pulling her in close. Lightly, he grazed his tongue over her snout in a grooming fashion before pulling her in to a kiss. "What are you talking about... you are my family..." Nuzzling her before purring more.
9. "Mother." Finally Shun couldn't take it and made her presence known. "Can I talk to you?"
9. Mings face grew hot when he kissed her, she had wanted that to happen ever since they were cubs. She smiled who knew her prince was always in front of her. "Koran.. I...lo..."
Ming was about to tell Koran something that she always wanted too, Something she felt even as a cub.But when she was about to say it she turned to find her daughter interupting her. She sighed and got up "Of course Shun." Ming walked out of the den, she assumed that shun wanted to talk in private she she walked out of ear shot before asking, "Whats the matter honey?"
10. "For so long you wanted him gone..." Her ears were stuck on her head, and she looked rather upset but she wouldn't tell her mother this. Not completely anyways. Looking away and softly shaking her head. "I just.. kinda .. don't want.. Arg.." Troubled teens. "Why now? you just let him come in the den now, I've heard stories. You treated him like that after all that?" What she was planning probably wasn't going go her way. "I just don't know..How could you?" A slight hiss...
11. Ming was appalled at what her daughter was insinuating. Why was she being like what? She was doing nothing out of the norm, at least for her; and Koran certainly hasn’t said anything about how she’s been acting. “Honey, I don’t understand. Treat him like what? How could I what?” If Shun wanted answers then she needed to start making sense. Maybe she was uncomfortable with Koran living with them now.
If so she would figure something out because she didn’t want to lose him again, but she didn’t want to upset her children. “Is it Koran? Does him being around make you uncomfortable honey?” She asked trying to make sense of the idiosyncratic babbling her daughter was doing.
12. Shun was all sorts of out of whack, especially when Koran was.. Had he.. No. She .. she wanted him! But mother.. The mostly quiet cub looked at her mother- a conviction of seriousness in her eyes. ".... Do you love him." The question that was making her chest tight, did she 'love' him like she did? Did she care for him like she did? Was she putting her cards all on the table like she did? No. Everything was seemingly wrong- she had tried so hard for Koran to see her. Leaving food for him when mother ignored him. Brought him leafs to use as 'shelter' when out on the den all this time.. And NOW- mother decided this, just out of the blue?
Sure he spoke kindly of their mother but he was a knight- thats what knights DO! She was finding it hard to breath and just looked at her mother with eyes of want to hear that it wasn't true. That her eyes were decieving her.
13. She looked at her daughter, and when she asked that question... she felt her face get warm. It was ironic she was about to answer the same question she had been trying to deny in herself just before Shun interupted her. She thought about if for a brief second... "I do." She said with the biggest smile she's had since the day she found out she was pregnant.
She felt like she was a cub again with her cub crush on him. Something she tried to hide because she was afraid of getting hurt again when he was something... someone she could always trust. "Yes Shun... I really do love him."She said once more looking at her daughter with a twinkle in her eye and a smile across her maw.
14 . Thump. Her heart had fallen straight from her throat- to the bottom of her stomach as she swallowed hard after hearing those devastating words. Slowly she took a step back, and retracting a paw against her chest. Clinging to the fur which hurt so badly. "...." Tears started to roll down her eyes as she kept starring at her mother. Her heart shattered at that moment.. His feelings- were being returned.. When she finally thought she had a chance. It was gone with just to two words 'I do'.
Her ears fell back and when she saw the twinkle in her mother's eyes.. Everything.. fell apart.. and she tossed her face away then bucked out in a full out run.. She could feel the tears rolling off her cheeks as she glided through the air.. Death would be sweeter than the immsense feeling that had come over her..
- Hours later -
15. That same night, after consoling and trying to reason with Ming.. he even felt exhausted and worried. He didn't exactly know what went down, just that Shun ran away from Ming, and that was a BIG deal. In his book, it was something he didn't know how to describe as a HUGE burden on Ming, which he tried to show that he too could help her carry it. It was quiet, and too quiet in the den now and he rubbed his face against Ming's before he headed out. "I'll take a look one more time, and grab some food while I'm at it." A soft ginger smile, trying to lighten Ming's mood. "Give her time." He whispered in her ear, and slowly he made his way out of the den.
It was yards now out of the boundaries that Ming had set. That's where he did most of his hunting, outside that circle of protection to further help lead other predators away from the family. They needed to move- and Shun leaving like this was NOT a smart idea, but likewise he could only do what his two paws had in front of him. Time rolled over to hours and he was at least able to take down a lone gazelle.. It was a catch- especially at this time at night, and as soon as he turned around..
16. "Koran..." Her soft voice played so softly out.. One could tell that she had been crying profusely since that moment up until now.
17. "Shun!" Dropping the dead corpse and running to close the gap between them. Bumping his forehead against hers and pulling her in to a tight hug. "Do you know how much your mother has been worrying over you?" Pulling her away a moment to look in her eyes. "What were you thinking! It's dangerous out here!" Grabbing her face with both of his paws. "You had me worried- the whole family is." His voice softened, and softly lifted her chin up to look in her eyes.
18. She starred at him for a long long while, before she started to cry again and rub her face in to his paws, holding a paw up to hold it against her cheek. Just a little bit longer, these touches were so simple, and yet had satisfied her no matter how gentle and feelingless they were against her.
"... So you..chose her." A gulp, and the tightening again started. "I... Love you Koran.." Looking away. "...I can't stay quiet anymore.. it hurts so much to breath. I can't.. I can't stand the thought!" Of losing.. of losing what she thought was special and precious to her. Him.
19. He was, dense about this. Had she 'loved' him in the way he had loved her mother? His brows went forward and he looked at her, softly letting go of her face and straightening his posture. He needed to show her, strict yet loving... dealing with children, he was always careful. Since they were little- the girl he taught to hunt.. was now in front of him pleading to him her love.. when he could only have seen her as a daughter. No matter how much she pleaded to him.
His chin stiffened and eyes were settled in to hers. "...I love your mother." Ears fanned back. "I ..apologize I can not return your feelings.." But he softly dipped his head and gave her another head bump and softly rubbed his pad atop of her head.. Sweetly.. Kindly. "I have.. hopefully helped raised you.. You are the children of the love of my life... The love I have for you is eternal.. but different then what I have for your mother.." Picking up her chin once more.
"Come home Shun."
20. He was too kind, and her body could feel the immense pressure that made her shiver in response. How distraught she was, and how hurt.. But the kindness was the biggest stab in her heart. If he was cruel, it would have been easier.. But he offered her a love, a kind of love that she wouldn't understand.. Not now anyways. Tears started up again.
"I'm ... sorry.. I.." Shaking her head and when he backed off of her- she felt his warmth leave.. and the feeling was so.. empty. "I just can't..I'm sorry.." Slowly getting up on all fours and backed off more.. slowly putting distance on them.
21. "Please- Shun- No~" Taking a strong step forward. "Don't do this- it will break everyone's heart. Come home, we can fix this- we can mend this.. "
22. "IDon't follow me. By my last request. Just Don't. I'm sorry....! I just can't!" Turning and fleeing. Her heart had lost the purpose, the openness.. .
23. He was about to forego and follow after- but her words. Those final words.. Koran wondered if his parents felt this immense pain in their chest when he 'left'. It felt tight, constricting and felt like drowning but his feet stayed in place.. Like stones etched in to the ground.. How could he break the news to Ming.....
After he could no longer see the shadow of his once, adopted child.. he found it finally inside him to pick up the gazelle he had hunting.. and literately dragged himself, and the prey beast to the den.. But once there- he straightened and toughened up. The strength and the way the family would hold out from here on out-.... will be up to him.
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