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 Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:11 pm
The day had started out slow, just like all others, with the winds sending in a relaxing feel to the heated Pridelands. Palesa, used to wakening before the dawn gave out, already padded around Na-be and made her way to the watering hole. Getting her fill before any drama started, since usually it happened around the area, she caught a quick meal and dragged it back towards the den. Looking to feed Na-be if he still hadn't awakened, she slowly hopped up the rock formation.
Making it up to the den, Palesa looked in silently as she set down the meat from her maw, a yawn stretching it moments later before she glanced both ways and settled on her haunces. Today would be the day she would tell him, and as that thought drifted through her mind, she kept silent. Her lower body was already showing signs of a number of cubs growing, all waiting to be formed and to give life and spread through the lands.
She just had to tell Na before he assumed the worst, or figured it out. Sadly, Palesa didn't know what would be worse. Him assuming she was gaining weight, or him thinking she was hiding it from him.
"Na..."
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Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:33 pm
Na was fast asleep, oblivious to Palesa's movements outside. He was a deep sleeper but an even deeper dreamer, sinking into places most lions never reached when he slept. His dreams were rarely of the days pleasant events, more often they were historical, terrifying and laced with symbolism and emotion.
That night he had dreamt of Red's exploits, of his father lurking in a graveyard, many things. However, it was as he started to wake that the visions intensified. Something big was coming, he could feel it, something that would change things forever.
Na
He opened his eyes at the familiar voice, sliding out of his dream induced confusion and back into the world of the waking. Quickly he pulled himself to sit, mumbling, still sleepy.
"Yuh huh?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:10 pm
Blinking, the pale lioness just watched as Na opened his eyes, sitting up and mumbling. It was entertaining to see Na so tired, because it was the one moment where he wasn't as perky like normal, save for when he was Red.
"Get up sleepy head, it is time to eat," she surprised herself with how perky she sounded, and instead of thinking it over, she settled to just lift the meat up again, and take it to where he sat.
"I brought you breakfast, and I have something to tell you when you finish eating."
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 2:07 pm
Na shook off the last of the lingering sleepiness and, with a stretch, got to his feet, flexing in that uniquely feline manner. He blinked once, Pale's words finally sinking in and a grin spread across his face.
"Breakfast!" he all but bounced out of the den, coming to sit in front of Pale, tail waving like a dog's. "Thankyouverrehmuch." he rambled.
As always he missed the key point in what Pale said, for now unaware that she had anything to tell him.
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 4:18 pm
Seeing his movements suddenly change, Palesa took a step back and let him move in on the food, shifting to the side a bit as well and just watching for his movements. Seeing no comprehension that he got her hint to speak, a sigh soon escaped her maw and she shifted her weight slightly.
"Na..." She murmered again, still trying to keep his attention long enough while he was focused moreso on the food, "...When you are done eating, we need to talk...alright?" She said it with more force this time, trying to get it in his head as the nerves were building in her system.
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 4:40 pm
Na was already gleefully tucking into breakfast when Pale spoke again. He looked up, still holding a bit of food in his mouth. Talking? Talking sounded nice. Maybe they could talk about the grass. Or trees, trees were nice too. He swallowed his mouthfull and nodded enthusiastically.
"Yay! Talking is fun!" before finishing the last of what was left for him. He beamed proudly.
"All done, all done. Talk now." he flopped to sit as usual, his tail waving happily.
"Whassup?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:13 pm
Shifting, the pale lioness found herself at a loss of words as the opertunity was presented. Her weight shifting once more, she just let out a deep breath before sucking in another, a clear stall for time.
"This won't be too fun for you Na...it is actually quite...unfair," Turning her eyes, she let out a small smile before continuing on, hoping to get it all out before he could interupt and string it on.
"It has become slightly...obvious...that things appear to not be as easy as we first hoped. I had a feeling from the next morning, but now it has become clear, and I want to apoligize. Na...I am pregnant...and the cubs will belong to you..." Trailing off, she just waited for his reply.
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:54 pm
Na listened in silence to what Pale had to say, mainly first of all to get the info into his head, secondly, to dwell on it and thirdly to figure out how to react. Despite himself Na felt proud at the news, cubs sounded like great fun to carry on with. But secondly he felt guilty, guilty for putting Pale through that and a bit guilty for making her sad as she seemed.
Still, he decided to just go with what he knew best and nodded. "I'm okay with it. If you are...I mean. It's my fault you are that way but uh..cubs sound like great fun!" he smiled as warmly as he could manage.
"I just hope they aren't hard to...well, grow."
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:07 pm
It was her turn to listen silently, and as always, the silence moved out past Na's words and just settled around the couple. She made no move to respond for a few moments, nearing a minute before finally her maw opened lightly. With words flowing out, she thought over the issue as well, and a smile filtered along with her words.
"I am okay too, surprisingly enough, I don't mind what will be demanded as these cubs grow. And I know you will be there by my side, Na...though don't you dare say it is your fault. Like I said, this is unfair for you, though I hope you will still give assistance in teaching these cubs, I wouldn't ask anyone else."
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:16 am
Na was relieved to see that Palesa didn't seem to mind too much about the cubs. The experience had been no doubt traumatic but for the time being she seemed decently positive on the subject. Na beamed, glad that he could have a chance to help out with the cubs, after all his chat with little Ko not so long ago had been amusing.
He grinned playfully , his tail wagging in it's usual way.
"Of course! I'll teach em all I know!".
That would take about...oh, five minutes.
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:24 am
She just smiled to him a moment as he responded positivly, and pictured just what he would teach. Somehow, she knew that she would be the one to teach them to hunt, to live and survive and be wise with their actions. That was a given with the relationship she held with Na. However, she had no doubt in his skills as well.
Na would be the best friend, the one they loved with all their soul and the one they ran to when they wanted to get out of trouble. He would be their playmate, teaching them games and making them laugh when they feel down. He would be the one who would always support them, through thick and thin, no matter what happened, he would make everything better.
"They will love you Na," She mused from her thoughts, the smile still on her maw as she moved close to him and settled her face into his mane. The soft hairs brushed her own and she just relaxed, still speaking softly into the mane, "I have no doubt in it, they will love you so much, and you will have a family of your own."
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 9:53 am
Na hadn't even thought about that fact, that the cubs would love him unconditionally, wouldn't care if his dreams were strange, wouldn't care for red, they would care for him for who he was. That thought warmed his heart more than anything. He had run his whole life from his father, unsure what his crime was or why he deserved such retribution. He would never allow the cubs to feel that way. He'd love them with all his heart and soul no matter what they did, bad or good.
But Palesa would stop them from becoming as helpless and dependent as he was, she'd make them strong. He grinned and nuzzled Palesa.
"Love. Sometimes I think that's something that only exists here in the pridelands. I hope they like me though, Red says I'm a big lummox but maybe they won't mind as much as he does."
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 9:59 am
She pulled back after he nuzzled her, a warm smile still across her features as she just shook her head a moment later, "Red can say and think what he would like, but it will be you who sees them, not him." She wasn't sure how true that was, becuase Red was half the father as well, and probably would insist on making his appearance.
"I can talk to Red about that issue another time, right now lets just enjoy the good news, and enjoy the good day, alright Na?" She hoped he would agree, because usually he loved days like then, the sun shining and the wind blowing peacefully across the lands.
"The pridelands do seem perfect...they protect us."
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:37 am
Na nodded. "Cubs will be all tucked up and asleep by nighttime. He won't see them." still, Na knew that despite being completely at odds with most of Na's beliefs, Red had also been shunned by Mrost, who in many ways, he had wanted to please. He would not harm the cubs, perhaps only try and influence them. "He wouldn't hurt them anyway."
He looked across the lands with a grin "It really is a beautiful day." his smile broadened and he jumped up and down.
"I know! I know, I wanna go take a dip in the waterhole!"
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:50 am
She just nodded as he spoke, feeling relef that Na felt that way and would help make sure Red would play nice. Hopefully, though, he would be right in the idea that Red wouldn't try and harm them. Of the two she was worried about, Red would probably try and be a good father, but she had no idea how Mrost would react.
Jumping out of her thoughts at his next statement, she hummed in agreement to the idea of how the day was progressing, before she laughed lightly at his next statement.
"Alright, let's head to the waterhole."
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