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Rahima rested back against Sulaiman in their den, her red eyes watching the small bundle of fur that nestled at her side. A lone daughter, as if to replace the one she had lost. As tempted as she'd been to suggest the name Saburi for the pink and black female, it'd been swiftly dismissed. No, this love-child had been given a new name of her own.
It was names she and Sulaiman were discussing now, softly and sleepily, as the world woke with the dawn. Exchanging names of past loves and past children, of parents and friends. This exchanging of histories was a new pasttime of theirs. What had been a quick fling was changing into a truer bond based on love rather than just admiration. Jina had done that.
Jina yawned, her tiny sharp teeth showing against her black fur. She shook her head, fighting the fatigue that started to set over her. She looked up to her mother with her crimson eyes blinking and smiling lovingly. She mewed lightly and snugged closer to her mother's warm fur.
"Good morning, little one." Her father learned over his mate and nudged the young cub softly as he said hello. He adored her. Rahima chuckled and smiled down at her as well.
"Time to wake up, Jina. Remember, we promised to take you out with us today."
She rolled over onto her back exposing her black belly. "I'm up." She said as she stretched her front paws past her head. She rolled back over and stood on her paws. She smiled over to her parent's and jumped up onto her mother, taking hold of her fathers ear. She playfully growled, and shook her head, chewing on his ear.
Sula laughed and turned his head so he could reach her as well while his ear was held by those small teeth. With large swift laps of his tongue, he tried to tickle the cub off. Rahima turned her head to try to see them. Badrani hadn't survived to see his cubs...so seeing Sula play with Jina was wonderful.
She closed her eyes tightly, trying not to give in to her father's tickles. Pretty soon, she couldn't handle it any longer and gave in, letting go of her father's ear and falling on her back in between her parents laughing histaricaly. She rolled onto her paws and jumped away, looking back to her mother and father, her tail swaying from side to side. "Common, lets go!" She said as she ran to the mouth of the den.
Sula chased after her, tail lashing from side to side. He caught her up and nudged her as they ran. Rahima too, followed, the small lionness loping to catch up after shaking out each paw in turn. A quick run and play would be a great way to start the morning!
She laughed as she saw her father advance towards her. She ran faster, her little paws carrying her as fast as they could. She tripped on her tail as it wagged on the ground, and she tumbled forward into the soft grass. She lifted her head, both surprised and oblivious to what happened. She looked back to see her parents coming and she stood up and started to run towards them. She ran under her father, and bounded for her mother, jumping onto her back.
Rahima tilted her shoulders as soon as she felt small paws land on her back, to send the cub tumbling onto the soft ground. When she fell, there'd be a nuzzling muzzle to tickle her further, if she didn't scramble away.
Sula paused to watch them, proud and holding his head high. Rahima was small for a full grown female but he was more on the large size. A quick study of their playing daughter led him to believe she'd be more of an average size. And once more he look in the blend of markings she got from him and the red one. And then there was her nature...oh yes, Sula was very very proud.
Jina giggled when her mothers muzzle came in contact with her belly. She reached her maw up and tried to lick her mothers nose. She looked over to her father, and wriggled away from her mother. "Daddy, where are we going to go today?" She asked as she jumped up and down in front of him.
"Well, your mother wants to take you to visit some of the herds nearby" He paused, shaking his head in a way that made Rahima raise her eyebrows. She was teaching this cub her way of life, just as much as he was. Even if Sula did think Rahima was...well, had he known the word... a hippy.
"Then later I wanted to show you around our home some more. Soon you'll be running about...you need to know the boundries and about our world."
Jina's eyes lit up when her father told her their schedule. She ran back to her mother and ran circles around her. "Can we go now? Can we can we?" She said with excitement
"Say goodbye to your father and we can get going. He's going to go have another nap." It was the red females turn to smirk lovingly at her partner. She found it silly how he stuck to the traditional, typical way of live in which males rarely hunted and spent most of the day lazing in the sun.
Sula padded over to where his girls were, expecting the usual lick on the cheek.
"Bye Daddy!" She purred and bounced up, licking his cheek lightly. Jina turned around, and started to run away from the den. "Come on mom!"
Rahima rubbed her own cheek against the black offered one - we will make this work - and then ran after her child. After a while, she slowed down, expecting it'd get Jina to too. There were the herds ahead, feasting on grass, and she intended to visit them.
And to do that, you needed the right body language.
She looked over to her mother, her smile faded a little. She walked over to her mother. "Why are we slowing down?" She looked up to her mother with her large crimson eyes inherited by her mother.
"Because I'm going to share something with you, Jina. And running will scare them." Rahima purred. "Most lions never get close to our prey because they always look like they might hurt them. But by walking in openly, relaxed, you can meet them Jina. There's a lot you can learn from any of these creatures, my little-love"
"Oh." She said as she looked back to the other pride. She thought for a minute, and closed her eyes, holding her head up high. "How's this mom?" She asked as she opened an eye a sliver.
Rahima chuckled. "That's okay. Now, most zebra and gazelle are smart enough to not worry about a cub like you, so don't worry. Besides, I think this herd belongs to an old friend of mine."
By coming from upwind, so that the herds had a fair warning of the visit, and because the red of Rahima was so visible, none of the nearest beasts started and ran. That would have set them all off. But any wise creature could tell that such a casual walk, and relaxed pose meant the small female wasn’t on the hunt. Harmless. Besides, she had the tiny black one with her and cubs weren't hunters.
She opened her eyes, and saw the large beasts. Excitement came over her, and she lost her composure. She smiled widely and wanted to much to run out there, but respected her mother's wishes and held it back.
"Like it so far?" Rahima grinned down at her cub. She loved sharing this with her offspring. She'd taught all of them about how every animal was equal, prey or hunter, and that they all relied on each other. How to give blessings and say thanks over a fresh kill for the creatures life that prolonged their own. About being compassionate.
A right hippy indeed.
She smiled, "Yeah, can I chase one now?" She asked. She wanted to have a little fun. She had to get rid of her energy some how so she would go to sleep at night.
She smiled, "Yeah, can I chase one now?" She asked. She wanted to have a little fun. She had to get rid of her energy some how so she would go to sleep at night.
"We're not here to chase them love. We ate yesterday. But if we make friends with someone, maybe you'll get to play with the foals." Rahima was amused. Maybe she'd better wait and teach her brand of spirituality to Jani when she was a bit older. For now, just getting on with them would have to do.
"Though, this may be an old friends herd...I'll have to ask. Excuse me -" She turned to address teh nearest zebra plesantly and when it didn't reply tried the next. It was Bront's herd apparently.
"Honey? Can you try to find the biggest zebra here for me?"
Jina sat down when her mother addressed the zebra. She looked up to her mom and nodded, "Okay." She stood up and walked around the herd, looking for the largest. It started to give her a headache. She had trouble telling one from the other. She walked between legs, and looked up. "Excuse me." She said to the zebra she thought was the largest. "Are you the biggest?"
"Nearly. Why do you want Bront, little cat?" The zebra lowered its face and sniffed a few times at Jina. How odd, that a lion cub would come talking and looking for the leader. "You're Rahima's cub? She's here again?"
She nodded when he mentioned her mother's name. "Yup!" She smiled, "She's looking for him." She looked at the others. "Know where he is?"
"Try over there." It tossed it's head in one direction and snorted. "He'll be happy to see your mother is up to her old tricks."
She looked in the direction, and looked back to the Zebra. "Thank you." She smiled happily. She got up and walked over to the direction and looked up. She finally came over a big zebra. "Excuse me." She said and sat down, "Are you Bront?"
Again the animal lowered its face and stared at her, frowning. After a moment or two he raised his head again having seemingly worked who she was related to.
"Yes, I am Bront, little queen. Did you know female cats are called queens? My father always said to treat them as such, which is why you're not being stomped into the ground."
"Mom!" She called behind her, keeping her eyes on the Zebra. She was a little creped out by his comment. "I found him!"
Rahima appeared a few moments later at a brisker walk. The way Jani had called had told her Bront was being mean - as always.
"Greetings Bront." A small bow of the head, another in return. She leant down and whispered in Jani's ear; "An old friend. Don't listen to his threats, he'd only hurt a fly if it bit him."
She hid behind her mother's leg when she came, and nodded when she told her not to worry. She watched the two talk, wondering why her mother wanted to talk to him.
Rahima and Bront chatted for a short while, then her mother nudged Jani out from under her legs so she could sit down. Affectionately and encouragingly, she nuzzled her and spoke softly.
"Now my love. Why don't you go find some foals to play with? Bront's yearling is with a small group over there - " a paw gesture in the right direction. "And see if you can't learn anything from them while you play. You could stay here, if you're scared..."
Jina nodded, and walked around towards a younger group of Zebra. "Hi." She said happily, looking up to the Zebra.
Sula was waiting for them when they got back, stretched out on the ground in the dappled shade beneath a tree. It was near their den and surrounded by the scrub that masked it's entrance.His favourite place to wile away the time, sleeping or playing with Jani while Rahima hunted and went about her buissness.
Jina stayed close to the ground as she quietly advanced on her father. When she was close enough, she worked her front paws into the ground, and pounced! Jumping onto her fathers back and taking hold of his ear.
"Hey there!" The dark lion tugged his head back, in an attempt to free his ear and laughed. He loved this. And he fully intended to have a proper playfight started by the time Rahima reached them, smiling from ear to ear.
She was tossed off of him, and landed on her back, her claws pushed into his chest. "No fair!" She laughed and got back up, pouncing him again.
Sula let her get to him and then nuzzled her off again. His turn to scoop her up rather than be pounced on.
She laughed and struggled to get away, knowing that he'd start to tickle her until she couldn't breath. "Daddy! Let go!"
He chuckled and let her go, ready to bat her lightly or fall over at her next pounce. Jani had his undivided attention, even when his red mate sat down to watch them.
She growled and ran around, attacking his tail. She took ahold of it in her mouth and started to tug on it.
Sula lashed it gently. Ah, so that was how she wanted to play the game!
He vaguely remembered his intentions of showing her around the small area they'd claimed. But why stop now, when they were having fun? Rahima wanted her to be able to amble off soon, and explore their patch of land, make friends....but Sula was very attatched to her.
She squealed when it was tugged from her. She ran back over and jumped into his back. "I'm gonna get you daddy!" She cried as she latched onto his ear.
"Not quite got me yet, Jani!" Sula turned his head so he could see her, and curled to the side a bit so he could reach with his tail to twack her softly with the black fluffy end.
