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 Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:13 pm
Ipentshisi gritted her teeth as she forced herself to take another step, her eyes shifting around the lands in an attempt to find where her air-brained sister had gone. Not that she could blame her for being air-brained, or for knowing that she needed her, but it was certainly inconvienent at the moment. They had stopped once they reached the pridelands, settled in a cave somewhere a distance outside the border, and Shisi had planned to wait out her pregnancy here.
Of course, it didn't do any good to keep her sister around if she couldn't find the girl when she actually needed to. "Ainra!" she called out, taking a deep breath and gritting her teeth immediately afterwards. She screwed her eyes shut, a shuttering breath making her body quiver, and decided to stop where she stood. She had already gone a few paces from the den, any farther and she wasn't sure she could turn around and make it back.
As expected, Ainra had wandered off in a daydream, skipping along with a song humming in her throat. These lands were beautiful and exploring them was such an adventure that she spent almost all her time scouring the area.
Luckily, she was never too far away and she heard her sister's distant cry. It took her a moment for her to realise that it was her name being called.
Was something wrong?
"Sis?" She turned, head up, ears forward, whole body rigid and alert. And then, she lowered her head and ran full tilt back to the den where they had been staying,
She hadn't really understood the situation with Shisi. Other than the fact that she was getting 'fat' and that this meant she was having cubs.
She was actually extremely excited about this. More cubs to play with and teach games too! This was going to be wonderful!
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:21 pm
Shisi took a deep breath as she finally saw her sister coming, relieved that she would have her near. She wasn't quite sure why she needed her, or that she actually needed her at all. In fact, Shisi was sure it was more to do with comfort than anything else. After all, she had to do this by herself, but at least she could have Ainra there for comfort.
"It's time for the cubs to come," she said with a little frown, although it wasn't because of anything Ainra was doing or saying. She was in pain, and she wasn't about to sugar coat her words for the girl right now just to make her feel better. "I want you here with me," she said slowly, quietly, and then, furrowing her brows, she let out a rather exasperated, "I'm scared."
This, most of all, seemed to confuse her - and without another word to her sister she began to make her slow and careful way back to the den, simply confident that her sister would follow her.
Seeing her sister frown, Ainra instantly began to worry. And then came her matter-of-fact words. The cubs were on their way. Yay, she was going to be an auntie! It took a lot of effort to force away her excitement.
She stepped forward, purring softly. "I'll be here for you Sis." Ainra whispered softly. And then her sister's next words...they took her by surprise. She was scared? Shisi had always seemed so brave and strong. She was so amazing in that way. Ainra's eyes softened and she moved to her sister's side so she could aid her if she needed it.
"I'll be right here. Don't worry, I won't let anything bad happen."
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:34 pm
Shisi nodded at her sister, hearing her words, mildly encouraged by them although she honestly couldn't have said why. She leaned into her slightly as she walked, not ashamed to use her right now as the pain stabbed at her. She knew this had been coming, and though she was glad it was nearly over, she wished there was a way to avoid it at times and still get what she wanted.
"I know you won't Ainra, I know you won't," she said softly, and as she reached the den, she made her way into the entrance, towards the back, before she let herself lay down against the cool rock. She glanced up at her sister, waiting for her to sit next to her.
Ainra hesitated at the entrance, unsure how much space she would need. She was unsure how this whole childbirth thing worked. Hell, she didn't even really understand all teh details of how one could get pregnant. She knewit involved a boy, but after that, magic could be involved as far as she was concerned.
She blinked and smiled a little at seeing her sister's expectant glance. Then, slowly she slipped into the den, settling herself beside her.
"I can't believe I'm going to be an aunt!" Some of her excitement was escaping. "Um..are you comfortable here? Do you need anything? Um..." She gave her sister a sheepish look.
"Sorry."
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:41 pm
Ipentshisi raised an eyebrow at her sister, though she hardly ever reprimanded her verbally for anything and she wouldn't now. Ainra had been excited over being an aunt since the first day she had told her, and she had expected no less when this time came. Of course, she would have to have a talk with Ainra soon about the things that needed to be done, but that could wait for now.
"It's alright," she said, although as soon as she was done speaking, her claws found their hold in the floor of the cave and her eyes screwed shut. After that came a long, hard process and more than a few growls and groans of pain and suffering, but in the end it was simply worth it.
Settled before the two sisters, curled against their mother, was a little group of cubs. Four in all, they had taken after their father much more than they had their mother, but who was to blame them for that? Shisi had found their father quite attractive, and his cubs were beautiful. The white one was a surprise, but she was beautiful none-the-less.
"There are your nephews and nieces," she said softly, tired eyes blinking slowly, her mane tuft sweaty and matted slightly to her head.
"Shisi?" Ainra saw the pain in her sister's face, felt it like a stab in her own body. Oh her poor sister. She never realised that such pretty things like cubs could bring so much pain to begin with.
She couldn't settle. She shifted and shifted and turned her eyes from her sister to the den's entrance. And she couldn't speak, she could only purr in encouragement, and occasionally give her sister a comforting nudge with her snout.
By the end of it, Ainra felt exhausted too, though not to the extent of the new mother.
Ainra cooed lovingly over the children, seeing the colours of their father in their pelts. He must have had strong genes, and she would have said so if she'd known what genes were.
"They're beautiful Sis. Truly. You made cubs with such a handsome male! Look at them! Such cuties and sooo tiny! Can you believe we were ever so small? They're all fuzzy. Don't you wish they could stay like that forever?"
She curled her toes excitedly. "Congratulations!"
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:49 pm
Ipentshisi smirked over her sister's excitement, her tail flickering slowly behind her as she stared down at the little cubs. "They can't stay small forever," she said softly, "they need to grow and be big and strong." Of course, she did not elaborate on why they needed to grow to be big and strong, and the way she said it probably wouldn't have even caused any sort of remark from Ainra. They did need to grow though, they couldn't help her if they stayed this small forever.
"Thank you," she said finally, tail curling around them, though her eyes drifted up to her sister. "Would you like to help me name them?"
"I suppose." Ainra sounded dissapointed, almost as if she would try and find a way to keep them small. "They'll need to get bigger so we can continue our travels, right?" She smiled.
She couldn't take her eyes off of them. So tiny. So delicate. Precious little life that needed them for protection. Her heart swelled with pride and love and for the first time, Ainra felt important, as if she could really make a difference.
She wasn't good at much but she'd try her best to become a great aunt.
"Name them? Me?" She gestured at herself with a paw. "Really?" Would her sister really let her do that?
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:58 pm
Ipentshisi nodded at her sister's question, her little crimson-toned bob of mane shaking slightly now that it was drying out. "Yes, they have to get bigger so that we can travel again. They're too tiny right now, it wouldn't be safe." That was something she had thought long and hard about - they couldn't travel until the cubs were much older, otherwise they risked being exposed, risked them getting injured. Best to stay here, where the den could offer shelter.
"Of course, I trust you, as long as you give them good, strong names." She nodded, looking down at the mass of dark colors that curled against her fur and pawed at her belly - all but the little pale one, of course. "I think she should be named Inuaghaidi," she said softly. That was a pretty one.
Ainra couldn't describe how happy she felt at that moment in time. Her eyes glistened and for a moment she was at a loss for words.
And then Shisi gave the first cub her name. The pale one. The odd one out. The airhead dreamer paused a moment to think of a good strong name, just like Shisi had said.
"I think..."
She pondered. She wanted to pick good so that her sister would be happy. Naming a cub was important, it would carry the title for the rest of it's life!
"Tituba; for the other girl. What do you think?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:05 pm
"I think that is a perfect name for her," she said softly, staring down at her little girls. Inuaghaidi and Tituba. Those were two perfect, strong names for two perfect, strong little girls. She could see them both growing up with those names, growing into those names, and fufilling their namesakes. "They're both perfect."
"Now," she said with a smile, flashing it at her sister before turning it down to her two sons. They were both dark, but both had the red of her mane, the red that made Ainra's own markings. "Ikhtiyari, for this one," she said with a confident nod, brushing a paw across the wings on his back. She glanced up at her sister, waiting expectantly for her to name the last little cub, the one that carried the strange markings along his foreleg.
"That's a nice name." Ainra agreed. Her eyes flicked to the last boy. He had odd markings on his leg. In fact a lot of the cubs had odd markings. She wondered what the father looked like and whether he had many, many different markings.
She wanted to meet him, though it was a topic she tended to stay away from.
"The last one. Tukwana." She flicked her tail and glanced up at her sister with a smile.
"If your happy with the names, you should get some rest. Don't worry. I'll stay here and watch over them.
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:58 am
"Tukwana," she said softly, laying her head down upon her forepaws as she stretched them out before her. "I like that," she said with a nod, then glanced down at the cubs as they squirmed and wriggled at her side. Her heavy eyelids began to droop, her body and mind exhausted, though she fought that even now, at least for another few moments.
"Thank you, Ainra, for being here to help me," she said softly, offering her sister a smile, a warm smile, before she let her eyes slide closed. She was content to sleep, to rest. She had done a good job in delivering her cubs safely, and tomorrow marked the beginning.
And Ainra settled close by, shifting her gaze from her sister to the cubs. She was excited, yes, excited about the prospect of helping her sister raise cubs, excited about being able to teach them things and share things. It was like having your own cubs, but better!
Because she could come and go when she pleased - not that she would, mind you. No, when she wasn't daydreaming she'd certainly be helping out.
"You're welcome." She whispered, shifting herself into a more comfortable position. There she lay and watched the new little lives at her sister's side, hardly believing that such cute creatures could instigate such an unusual emotion in her sister.
She sighed softly, realising how lucky she was that her sister had allowed her to tag along on this adventure.
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