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 Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:08 pm
 Tanaka had remained at Kiuma's side every step up the rock and into the den. The trek seemed to take an enternity, and though he he wanted to get Kiuma inside as quickly as possilbe, he did not want to cause her more pain by rushing her. So he had simply stayed at her side, letting her walk at her own pace, his head lowered in a reassuring touch every so often.
Water streamed through his white fur, falling to form puddles on the stone floor of the cave. Normally he would have shaken the water from his hide, but his concern kept him from noticing just how wet he was. Slowly he approached his mate, but stayed a short distance away unsure of how close she wanted him.
He looked up, his gaze settled on Sarabi, his ears flattened against his head, the normally proud tail hanging limply against the rocky floor. A strained growl rumbled in his throat, but it was not a growl of aggression. It was a growl of worry and concern, an unspoken plea against his mate's pain.
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:17 pm
Kiuma moaned softly as she flopped over on her side, claws shooting from her paws as they scrabbled in the dry grass. When wave of pain passed, she opened her eyes to look up, hearing the familiar growl. The look on Tanaka's face made her heart squeeze, and suddenly she didn't want to look at him anymore. She couldn't bare the pain she was causing him as he watched her pain. Forcing her rotund body up again, she growled and bared her fangs.
"Tanaka, get out! Go wait by the den entrance or something till after this is over." She snapped, another wave of pain making her sound sharper than she'd intended. "Hovering around like that only makes it worse... and it bothers me. This is hard enough with out you hanging over me."Sarabi, finding it the time to be tactful and not argue with her daughter, stepped up to Tanaka and bumped him with her head to his shoulder. "Come on now... You heard her. You can't do anything for her here but upset her." When she looked up at him, her gaze spoke volumes of sympathy for the both of them, and understanding.
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:57 pm
Tanaka nearly jumped, flinching for perhaps the first time ever at his mate's sudden agression toward him. He just looked at her for a moment, startled and confused, she had never looked at him like that before.
"What? No, I won't leave you."
His words trailed off and he quickly looked away, his eye focused on a rock on the other side of the cave to hide the incredible helplessness and hurt he felt at that moment. He wanted to stay with her, to protect and comfort her, to share it with her, but it seemed he was denied that.
But he wouldn't give up that easily, and though he turned to walk some feet away before laying on the cold stone floor, he refused to go any further. She may not have wanted him 'hovering' but he was not leaving her alone either, he just couldn't.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:05 pm
Kiuma groaned as she rolled back onto her side, the contractions almost constant now. These cubs were coming, whether their mother was ready or not. She spared only a fleeting thought for her mate, trying not to take to heart the pain she saw on his face. She'd make it up to him later.Sarabi, after seeing Kiuma's reaction to having Tanaka so close, chose to sit by her daughter's flank. She could see what was going on, but wouldn't make the other lioness feel crowded. The last thing Sarabi wanted was to banished like Tanaka. Kiuma was young and inexpirienced... there could be problems that only an older lioness would reconize, though the queen sincerely hoped there wouldn't be. Lightning lit up the interior again, followed more quickly by a roll of thunder outside. Kiuma labored on her bed of grass in the back of Priderock, her body shuddering with the pain that rippled through her. Long moments passed in virtual silence, interupted only by the storm outside. Suddenly, a roar split the red lioness' jaws as she arched up, her face a mask of strain as she produced the first of the litter: Curling herself about, Kiuma pulled her sodden new daughter to her chest with a deep, rumbling purr and began to wash her clean, looking over the tiny body with a strange fascination.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:18 pm
Her very first cub was sucessfuly born and healthy, and it was a daughter. Kiuma couldn't believe how lucky she was, and it made her heart ache in her chest. Was this what mothers felt, then? It would take some getting used to.
Her cub cleaned and cuddled up against her side, the lioness whinced as the pangs started agian. Good, there was atleast one more cub to be had from this bloated body... Kiuma's litter had been large, and she rather liked the idea of having a large litter.
Claws scrabbling against the floor, Kiuma tensed as she brought another cub into the world to join the girl, a low cry of pain torn from her maw: This time, though, there was no pause for the poor new mother to rest in, the second cub coming fast on the heels of the first as though not wanting to be left behind: Once again, Kiuma curled to pull the cubs closer to her, her red eyes widening as she cleaned birth fluids from fur of a startling blue color. It brought up memories of another lion, a relative to her mate that lay close by on the floor of the den. Mrost... it seems that these boy cubs took after him in color, but unlike him, she didn't hate their color. They were hers, not his, and Kiuma loved all her cubs with a deep ferocity.
The fact that the two were twins brought a painful squeeze to her heart as she pressed them closer to her warmth. Would these two be like her and Uumi? It was a terrible thing to think about, though there had been a sort of love when they were young.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:26 pm
From the first moment the small white form tumbled into the world it would be clear that she took after her parents, though perhaps more than they would have liked. Taking her first breath, the white cub hissed at the sudden rush of cold air, tiny paws reaching out to swat at whatever had distrubed her peaceful sleep. What was that that was touching her now? go away! But the touch was warm, somehow comforting, well then she'd tolerate it...for now. Tanaka watched in silence, trying his hardest to not worry, or at least to look like he wasn't. The last thing he wanted to do was invoke Kiuma's wrath against him again, so he had stayed laying on the stone floor with his head on his paws, an ear turned toward his mate, sneaking glimpses at her from the corner of his eye.
A new sound met his ears and the white lion's head snapped up, worry for the moment hidden behind curiousity and exitement. That hiss...it had been small, the voice unheard before this moment, but yet somehow familuar. It was one of their cubs, he was sure of it, but he couldn't see...not from here. Ever so slowly, sneakily, Tanaka crept forward, slithering across the floor as silently and subtlly as a large lion could.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:29 pm
Thunder vibrated through the walls of the den as Kiuma lay with her three little cubs, the birthing pangs receded to give the red lioness some respite. She drunk in rest like water, slowly regaining her strength while she listened to the beating of three little hearts in the bodies beside her own. She already loved them beyond description, and in turn, the lion who had given them to her. Her life would be so much different with out Tanaka... a darker, lonelier place.
But it seems her cubs were not yet done with her, and the pangs started up agian as painfully as before. With a great heave and a yowl of pain, Kiuma produced yet another cub: This one, like his sister, was exactly the sort of colors that Kiuma had been expecting when she imagined her cubs. Red and white, just like his parents. Her broad tongue cleaned that bi-colored fur, seperating the red of blood from the blood-red of his coat as she purred in pleasure. Another strong, handsome son.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:45 pm
This was turning out to be a very big litter after all... already, there were four little bodies beside her, making her fear to thrash too much and accidentally injur one. Much as she loved the idea of many cubs, Kiuma was getting tired of all the pain, and the effort it took to birth the cubs. She was more than ready for it all to just stop and let her go back to feeling normal...
Such was not the case though, as yet more pain rippled through her shuddering body. Another one was coming, born to the roar of his mother's pain and the crash of thunder outside: Kiuma groaned as she pulled herself around to pull this cub towards her. He wasn't as much a suprise as his twin brothers, but he was certainly the odd-ball of this little family. He took strongly after her parents with his shades of brown. Curious, that little V marking on his forhead... Kiuma's tongue lingered over it for a moment before she tucked him in next to his sibling and settled back.
Exhausted, the red lioness flopped over on her side to pant hard, her eyes drifting to catch sight of her mate slowly creeping closer. Too tired to care anymore, and some how sensing the ordeal was finally over, Kiuma closed her eyes again and relaxed, letting him come as close as he cared to.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:57 pm
The large white lion sneaking closer and closer every moment had been about as subtle as a bull elephant despite his best attempts. But as the minutes had worn on Tanaka found his curiousity and desire to be next to his mate too much to bear and his pace had hastened. Though he still crawled across the floor, he had forgotten to be sneaky.
But now he could no longer hold back and daring to rise to his paws he crept the last few steps toward Kiuma's side, his green eye first moving over her form then falling to the mass of wriggling fluff at her side. Lowering his head, he leaned down for a closer look, a soft purr in his throat as he saw his 5 small children for the first time. He was rather surprised at the pair of blue cubs, a blue that was all too familuar to the white god. But like Kiuma, to him it didn't matter, these were their children, and that was all that mattered.
Looking up to Kiuma again, a small smile crossed his maw and he lightly nuzzled against her, a comforting touch that he hoped spoke of how much he loved her and their children, and of how proud he was at that moment. He only hoped she wasn't still angry with him.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:52 pm
Kiuma growled tiredly as Tanaka came in to nuzzle her, reaching to baf him weakly with a soft paw. She'd told him to stay back, the big lout. Still... a smile pulled at her muzzle as she lay back, her red eyes slipping closed. The pain was over, the cubs finally nestled agains ther side, and the red lioness was exhausted beyond belief.
Her paw settling back into the dried grass, Kiuma struggled not to fall into sleep that threatened to overwhelm her. "Tanaka... what do you think of them?" She asked softly, her voice almost a croak. She wanted a drink badly, but sleep would come first this time. Kiuma held on, waiting to hear her mate's thoughts on the miracle they had produced together.At her side, unnoticed still, Sarabi sat looking down at the cubs. Her grandchild, just five of many, yet her heart swelled with love for them like it did for all of them. Seeing her daughter relaxing, and in the care of her devoted mate, the queen turned and slunk off, leaving them to their intimate moment with their new cubs. Besides, she was almost as tired as Kiuma after all the excitement and running about. A nap would do nicely, lulled to sleep by the pounding of rain outside.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:10 pm
Tanaka met the growl with a snort, his head butting against her paw with a touch of play that said he knew she wasn't really mad at him. Purring, he nuzzled against her neck, his gaze focused on the newborn cubs resting at their mother's side.
"They are perfect, just as you are."
At that moment he couldn't have been prouder. It seemed so long ago that he had felt such pain and darkness, that he had met a young, bold lioness who had become his compainion, his light, and then so much more. A gentle smile on his maw, he licked her cheek before laying at her side, his head resting peacefully against her paw. He knew she must have been exhausted, so he would lay here quietly and let her rest, silently watching over her and their new family.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:45 pm
Kiuma smiled at his attempt at placating her. "I'm not perfect... but I'll let you think what you want." Another yawn cracked her jaws, baring sharp fangs to the darkness. The rain outside poured down as hard as ever, but the lightning had stopped. An omen, almost, if they had taken it as such. Would the cub's lives be as momentous as this storm? Only time would tell.
"I'm going to sleep now..." She grumbled, struggling to stiffle another yawn, her words starting to slurr with exhaustion. "Think up some names for them for when I wake up..." Giving in to the pull, those red eyes drifted shut and the lanky body relaxed, melting into the floor as sleep claimed her.
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