She was becoming heavier, and yet that did not mean 'slower' in this instance. No, Sarafina would rarely be slow. Rather, it would be correct to say that she had slowed to what most would consider a 'normal' pace, and there was likely some worry among her pride the children she bore might be undernourished or somehow deformed by her loathing of rest. Yet the female continued to keep up her pace, hunting with the rest of the lionesses until far into term, and even then she went along with them to the grasslands each day to 'supervise'. The Queen almost never stopped for any thing, not even to make a formal announcement of her pregnancy... the others simply had to observe and assume in order to find out.
So it was that she found herself retreating from a kill she'd tagged along on, after retrieving the heart and liver for herself. Normally such a thing went to the cubs, but since they were not here and this meal was not being taken back to the pride, Sarafina felt due claim on them. Beyond that, the kicking parasites inside of her were demanding them rather loudly. She settled herself in the shadow behind a rock as she consumed the delicacy.
Sukari, unlike many of the others within the pride, was scarcely worried; in fact, she'd have likely bet her life on the fact the cubs, how ever many there might've been, would be born healthy as can be. The queen was healthy herself, and though she rarely rested, Sukari saw no wrong in that. She herself, with multiple young within her, had been strong enough and swift enough to stand up to many in her day. The lioness expected no less from Sarafina, for in more ways than one, she saw that same spark reflected in the queen's eyes.
Being of high rank, she'd been allowed to the kill rather swiftly, and though Sara had taken some of the entrails for herself, it still left many of the sweet, soft places for Sukari to pick from. Needless to say she ripped her share and padded off to the side, allowing the rest to plunge forth upon the kill. Her feet took her near the queen, though not near enough to make either female restless; after all, feeding cats were vicious. They were within a safe distance, and near enough to talk, which was just fine, in Sukari's eyes, "No odd demands from the lithe ones?" she arched a brow mildly as she bit into her share; she WAS indeed surprised Sarafina hadn't asked for odd bits and tidbits to eat.... or maybe she had and Sukari hadn't heard. All was possible.
"Only this," Sarafina replied after a few moments of ripping at the firm muscle. "They will stomach little else, it seems. I'm either raising a finicky hunter or a lilly-livered priss-pot." It was a joke, of course, but said so stoically another might not have caught on.
Sarafina's tail beat against the ground and she took a few more healthy bites before ever bothering to look up. Sukari had kept a good enough distance that Sarafina hadn't felt the need to do so before. "I've asked the stars for boys, no matter how we are in need of females."
"Felines," she said for all answer with a snort; it was a joke too, followed by a snort. It was well known that in the animal kingdom, felines were, above all, finicky. Or at least it was a well-known misconception when it came to lions.
Still bitting at her section, sukari too the time to rip the flesh off the bones, leaving the white surface to chew on and bite. Granted her teeth were hardly like a hyena's, but the inside of the bones... the marrow was worth nibbling away just to get at. That aside, it served for good entertainment while the rest of the pride got their share of the kill.
An ear perked towards the Queen, her eyes straying towards the sky just briefly, "Boys.... is there a particular reason for such a wish?" licking her maw, she took bathed her paws off of the blood and gore they'd been splashes with. It was amusing to note Sukari too had had only boys in her previous litter. The lioness however, had aimed to push aside the memory, as hard as it had been for her. Flesh of her flesh and all that stuff.
"Stronger, faster.. " She replied slowly, licking her chops before she partook of the last of the heart, and began on the liver. When that was gone did she continue, "As amazing as we females might be."
Sarafina cracked a smirk, "A feminine touch is one thing, but Males are easier to mold as well. When they're young, I can shape them into anything I wish them to be because boys typically listen more to their mothers. As good as Sukari's stock is, I don't trust him to properly deal with the affection from a 'daddy's girl'..." She paused, then chuckled, "And as much as I listened to my own mother's stories, I did not listen to much else. I thought, and still think, myself better than she ever was, because I took steps to solve a problem rather than wallow in bitter misery."
Ahhh... true enough; the lioness nodded mildly to Sarafina's words, giving the queen some privacy while she chewed and cracked her own bone. After all, it was rude to watch another eat; in fact, it was considered rude to stare at someone, period. So thus, displaying the great degree of confidence she shared with the other female, she had turned to look away, her ears signaling she was listening intently regardless.
A chuckle was offered finally and Sukari raised her head, "You think?" she drawled back at her; it was no doubt, demonstrated that females were indeed at the top of the food chain, regardless of the fact they had physical disadvantages against males, "Sukari's a sweet thing. Gentle. He's like a big poofball; he'll make a good father,," it wasn't an insult; not at all, though someone else might've thought so. Tell truth, she'd been amused at her friend's choice of mate, however as days had gone by, she'd understood why the big gentle male had been picked.
"Look around you," she smirked, "Got the world at our feet," it was all that needed to be said. Sukari had found she rather liked the pride that had been erected around her.
Sarafina acknowledge the prideful words with a smirk. Oh she agreed, but she would not say as much aloud--but she did not need to in this case. Instead she finished her meal and gave herself a stretch. Turning so that her bulging belly was exposed to the sun, the lioness let herself relax. It was always sleeping time after a meal, though lately she hadn't been indulging in such things. Today was not one of those days, however, and she yawned wide. "He shall... The children shall like him... but they shall respect me." There was confidence in those words, and indeed she did not care if they loved her. Loving would be nice, yes, but respect was far better if it came to a choice. "Are the lionesses doing well?"
Mirroring the way Sara had sprawled, Sukari shifted her frame so that she was both nearer to the queen and more comfortably posed for idle conversation. Now that they'd both finished their meal it was a good moment to socialize ; or at least socialize as much as two souls such as Sukari and Sarafina might've.
Having broken into the core of the bone and finally having eaten the marrow that there resided, Sukari discarded the useless thing and looked up with a smirk, "Of course they will," not like they had a choice in the matter, she thought to herself as she cleaned her arm, her tongue racking over her pelt. Pausing briefly she pondered the question, "They're doing fine; no surprises... they're hardly you, but they'll do."
She snorted and chuckled, "Well that's good. They'll shape up.. and the girls are of age to begin training. As soon as I'm rid of this package I'll help, but until then I would appreciate your beginning with only my supervision."
She smirked as she finished bathing her arm, her eyes narrowing as she looked to the side, unconciously towards the termite mounds where they'd left the cubs; they were old enough to be on their own for a while after all, "Oh, I've no problem with the rugrats... they're quite adorable. Cute little things, that they are," she chuckled then, "Most of them are obidient, amazingly smart, taking into account how young they are, and rather nice to deal with," she paused again, "At least most of them, and specialy your younger sibblings."
After a moment Sukari seemed to ponder something, her tail lashing over the ground, "The only problem I see within our perfection is that most of the lions here within are related," it wasn't a problem YET but could develop into one, "Of course I'll help, darling.... I live to help," it was said so eerily... so darkly that anyone aside Sarafina might've run for the hills.
"I know you do," Sarafina leaned over and gave her 'sister's' maw a lick. There was a grin on her features that might have sent chills up the spine of a lesser creature. "But one should always ask these things, rather than assume, don't you think?"
A sigh and she nodded, "yes.. but we shall deal with that problem when it comes to term. Right now, there is little we can do for it but to encourage pilgrims from other lands... even our old homeland, once they realize how much better things here can be."
"Oh, but of course; decency and class is what we aim for, after all," it was breathed with a chuckle as she closed her eyes briefly, allowing the female's tongue to rack her maw before she shook her head and settled her piercing gaze back on the queen, "Amusement side though, that would be marvelous," it was purred, as if she were already pondering something amidst whatever dark thoughts usually clouded her mind.
"Ah, indeed..." she needed, "Our lands are in a good place," she murmured, "Not too secluded, and with open spaces. Rogues will come and go, and we'll have a go at them in turn," this said she stretched herself the turned to lean her neck and head over Sarafina's back and stomach, almost as if she were about to use her for a pillow to sleep. Despite this however, her eyes remain half open, narrowed, signaling she was not going to sleep, but rather, was protecting her 'sister' in spirit. Anyone that so much as dared look them the wrong way would be on the receiving end of a glare, a snarl, or if Sukari was offended enough, a heavy reprimand, with a slash to boot.
Sarafina in turn laid her head upon Sukari's flank and relaxed into her. The Queen did close her eyes for a long moment. She had ever intention of opening them again, of saying something else, but suddenly the cubs demanded that she sleep. Unwilling to fight them over this, she put her trust into Sukari and drifted into unconsciousness.
As the queen drifted off to sleep, the darker female's eyes narrowed further till a quiet rumble of a purr resounded within her chest, ever willing to protect those what she had learned to accept as her family.
