|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:06 pm
She was definitely not ready for cubs.
Not now.
Not ever.
...
Okay, that was a lie, and it was the exahustion talking, but by Munga, those cubs could really take it out of a young lioness. It had been several days since there birth, and all the cubs were happily named (after much arguing with Kauli about it), and were already running rampant in the little patch of land Takawa had come to call home.
There was the water pool, half full because of the lack of rain, and the scrubby grasses. There was the large rock near the pool, that hung over it like a looming predator, a perfect spot for sunning and relaxing. And there was the large tree to the left of the rock, which offered ample amounts of shade. And this was where Takawa hid now, with the cubs curled up and happily asleep near by.
Of course, that happy silence might not last for long, so the young lioness tried to soak up the peace as long as she had it. Maybe they wouldn't want to run around to much, what with it being evening and cool out...oh who was she kidding? The cubs were always running around, and always getting dirty, and complaining about another cub picking on them.
But...
Takawa eyed the lumps of fluff and life, life that she and Kauli had brought into this world, even though it was forbidden, and smiled, sighing happily. They were her cubs, and she loved them. She loved their traits, already showing so early, and their attitudes (even if they were rascals). And she loved that they were here now.
She remembered the look it Kauli's eyes as he led her to the pool, and she remembered the fear, and it sent shivers down her spine, because it hadn't felt like an act when he had agreed to killing her...
But it was. She told her self, all an act.
So, to brush off the sense of fear she felt, the small lioness slowly groomed herself, her eyes drifting closed as she ran her tongue along a paw, then the other...
They had a new life here.
A new chance.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:19 pm
Ichtaca liked to think she -wasn't- a rascal, though to a special degree she was, a sweet adorable mass of fluff sort of rascal. The feeling of something moving nearby was enough to bring the little cub to squeak and spread her paws out in front of her in a sort of stretch, yawning.
A baby yawn, a little mewl escaping from her quiet little mouth, complete with a show of little baby teeth and a little baby tongue which curled oddly inside of her small little mouth, before she stirred, curling back up into a facade that mimicked sleep and whined through her paws.
She nuzzled her nose into her fur, growing comfortable for only a minute before the little green cub twitched again and rolled over again, nuzzling the top of her head and neck against her mother's stomach in an adoring, or sleepy without knowing the obstacles about her, manner. Following this, there was another yawn, and she slowly opened her eyes, just a crack, far too young to go on any unruly adventures, before she let out a whining mewl through a crack of her mouth.
A 'Good morning, mommy!' from a sleepy little girl.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:22 pm
With a little yawn, completely with a tiny noise, one little cub had started to wake up. Tiny black and green shifted among her siblings as she wiggled away and stretched out her front paws not mindful of the others around her. Opening her green eyes, she was already looking out for something, just didn't know what yet.
Not hungry, she knew that, so what did she want to do? Seeing as her siblings were asleep, she'd leave them alone. After all, she was done with sleep, so they could have it since she didn't need it anymore. Mother's tail caught her eye a moment and she decided that would be what she would get that moment.
Stalking her prey, still on wobbly cub legs, she got closer and just plopped on the tail she sought, mouthing with no intent to cause damage. Hers, the victory was hers and now she had the tail too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:26 pm
Kauli sprawled next to Takawa, pretending to be asleep.
Perhaps when the little demons awoke they would spare him and take the lioness instead.
He had never known the extent of the hyperactivity of cubs.
He and Taka were generally present at their birthing and naming, and then after that they rarely saw cubs. When they did, the cubs were forced into some semblance of order around the two Holy ones.
Never had he seen this outright . . . chaos
In the days since their birth Li had been playing nonstop referee.
"Leave your sister be" "Stop hitting your brother" "Go eat your supper" "Let your sister HAVE some supper" "let your mother have some rest"
On and on and on.
But they weren't demons, not really.
Li loved them all with every fiber of his being. They represented everything to him. The past life, their future, their struggles and their freedom.
They were pure and bright and full of life.
Each day with them, the fear in his stomach of being found grew less. His tortured dreams had dissipated entirely.
He opened one eye and glanced at his beautiful Taka, quietly grooming herself with eyes closed.
What was running through her mind?
Was she happy here?
He shifted his gaze to the cubs . . .
Argh! He took his gaze off of them for one second and now two were awake. He watched one pounce her mothers tail and he quickly closed his eyes. Asleep. He was asleep. Daddy was not to be disturbed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:41 pm
With a mewling yawn, the very pink ball of fluff rolled off her mostly-black brother, whom she had fallen asleep on the night before, and blinked up at the world from where she lay now on her back. Hana looked around for a moment more before rolling over and stretching with a little growl. She shook the sleep from her body and looked around her at a different angle. Mama was awake, so was Papa and Ichi and Kito.
Bright-eyed and busy-tailed, the largish cub padded to her mother's side and nuzzled her in a "Good morning!" gesture and then walked away. She stopped a few paces away and stared at the water. It was a very curious thing, the water. One moment showing her and the world she was in, the next showing a completely different world. And it was very very cool.
But she wasn't about to play in it, not unless Mama or Papa said so, and playing was more fun when Vry was awake, anyways. She liked tumbling with him. So instead, she walked over to her Papa and crouched low in a baby-stalk. She crept from that point and lightly poked his nose with a baby-claw.
"Papa? You 'wake?" she whispered the question and poked at his nose again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:48 pm
Surprisingly enough, Vryheid had actually been sleeping, all sprawled out next to one of his siblings. The key-word here is ‘had been’. Past-tense. As someone shifted slightly, the little dark cub opened his golden eyes and blinked a few times, taking in the whole world. Yawning hugely, it took Vry very little time to wake up. Before long, the fearless cub was walking all over his siblings, unaware that he might actually hurt someone with such actions. Right now, he was focused on one of his sisters…
After all, he was the one who heard ‘Leave your sisters alone’ more often than any of his siblings. In particular, the dark male was focused on Ichtaca, his ‘favorite’ sister. It was hard to tell sometimes. Lowering his front half to the ground, Vry began a very awkward stalk, his butt and tail held up high in the air. It was less of a ‘stalk’ and more of an awkward sort of… crab-thing. If crabs wandered about with tails and butts up in the air, that is. It was a bit of a miracle that he managed to walk two feet.
“Rawwwrrr!” it wasn’t much of a roar either, but the pounce was even more hilarious. At some point, Vry had forgotten to get his butt back in gear. Instead of a graceful pounce, he sort of landed in a crumpled heap with Ichtaca. Not that he really minded. So long as he was able to chew on her ear, everything was fine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:55 pm
Takawa smiled as her third-born, and smallest cub, awoke. Ah, Ichtaca, her sweet darling daughter. The green cub was the most gentle of her brood, and she happily leaned in, touching her nose to her darlings, her eyelids lowered to half mast in her lazy pleasure.
Ichta was the calmest, and the least stressful cub of the litter, and Taka enjoyed the time her daughter spent with her, mewling and chatting and questions, like all cubs do. Of course, she wasn't to sure as to what was normal and not for cubs, since, like Kauli, her life had been mainly based around Munga and being a holy idol before they escaped...yes escaped. That place had been a prison.
The mother smiled a little wider then, and opened her mouth to reply, "Good --AAH!"
The small lioness nearly jumped from her skin when she felt the sudden surprising pressure on her tail. It wasn't painful, just a scare, because she was almost sure all the other cubs were sleeping. Almost. And of course, when she looked, she noticed that one sly large black and green cub was gone. And sure enough, the playfully bright eyed Kito was happily holding her tail hostage.
And then things happened rather fast.
First, Hana awoke, and happily greeted her, before padding off to the water. The mother gave her child a wary glance, and was about to warn her about the water when she was distracted by the small roar of her other son. Oh bother. She was lucky she had lifted her head to glance at Hana, because Vry came flying through the air at her daughter, and the two went tumbling. And she opened her mouth to tell Vry 'careful', as she usually did, when Hana's voice sent her head snapping to the side.
Good girl, Hana, she thought with a smirk, wake up Daddy, so he can help me before I go insane.
"Good morning, darlings," she sighed, and then nudged Kauli, "Time to get up, you big faker, and help me with these rascals. And praise Munga, Vry, be nice to your sister! She is much smaller then you!" and then she glanced back, and gave her tail another teasing flick, to keep her other daughter entertained.
So was her life now adays.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:20 pm
Kauli moaned and rolled over.
"No." He proclaimed. "Daddy is not awake."
Nevertheless, Li got to his feet and stretched out, opening his mouth and yawning hugely, displaying rows of teeth. He nudged Hana with his forehead. "Good morning."
He turned and licked Taka on her shoulder. "I love you" He said in that hopeful voice of one scorned seeking to be forgiven.
He gazed around at his cubs. The perfect angels of moments before had been transformed into the psychotic demons . . . No. Li still couldn't lie to himself about that.
They were still perfect angels.
Just more awake and playful and stressful . . .
He watched them play and mew and pounce and wander about.
Adorable really.
He knew he would be thinking differently in an hour or two.
"Are you hungry?" He asked Taka.
Since the cubs he'd only been hunting twice. he hadn't strayed far, fearing for the cubs and Taka. Usually twice would be more than enough, but Taka had just given birth to five cubs. . . and nothing large had been found nearby.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:39 pm
Hana narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips a bit.
"Sleeping Papa doesn't talk," she said rather matter-of-factly and pawed at him when he sat up and nuzzled her Mama. She stuck her itty-bitty pink tongue out at him and looked over to where Vry had just pounced Ichi... again.
She really didn't get it. Ichi cried whenever Vry did that and He got in trouble. But she she liked the game and only cried when he really hurt, and yet Vry always went after Ichi. It was very confusing, indeed.
She heard her Papa ask Mama if she was hungry and knew that meant he intended to go hunting. The little lioness perked up at that and rounded on her father, an excited look on her face.
"Can I come, too, Papa? Please oh please oh please??" she asked and pressed herself close, gold eyes still looking up at him hopefully.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:08 pm
Taka purred at her mate, openly returning the affectionate lick with a glare, "I love you too, darling, but that doesn't mean I won't get you back for trying to skimp on parenting duties." she laughed a little after her little threat, because they both knew she was teasing, and then glanced out at the savannah.
Back with the Mtoto'Munga, there had always been food, and she had, over the last couple of days, felt what it was like to go without food each day. She had been afraid the first day Kauli had left for food after the cubs were born, but he came back soon, but the prey was small. It was hard for a single lion to catch food, especially when food was scarce. And she felt bad every time he went, because he took such a small part of the kill, because he wanted her to eat for the cubs.
But what if he died from the little food he got? She shouldn't be sending him out to hunt so often...
But she had to nod her head, because yes she was hungry, and she needed to stay healthy for the cubs (and Kauli's) sake. "Just a little," she mumbled, and leaned against him for a moment, and watched Ichta and Vry warily, and kept then glanced at Kito as well, since the cub had since left her tail alone. Ashiki was still sleeping like he was dead to the world, and then she glanced at Hana, who was bouncing around 'Papa' like a surprised hare.
"No, Hana," she said with a sigh, because she had a feeling her darling mate might be soft enough to let the pink fluff follow him. She was big, that was true, but not big enough to leave their little 'home'. "Maybe next time."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:44 pm
It was true, Kauli very likely would have taken the cub with him.
But Taka was right for saying no. He shouldn't have even considered it.
He promised himself that he would take her hunting for field mice later.
"Your mother's right Hana. Perhaps you and I can go later." He smiled at Taka and her playful threats. He then licked her forehead lovingly and turned and trotted away from his home.
He glanced back at Taka and the cubs.
They really did have a nice life here. When The cubs were old enough to hunt or at least to come along and be quiet, he and Taka could take down bigger animals and they would be able to eat well.
He turned around before he caught the attention of any more of the cubs and loped off in search of food.
His stomach growled at him. He hadn't been eating much. It was all for Taka. he wondered if he should stay out longer and get more food . . . but the fear in his stomach was sharper than the hunger. He couldn't stay away long
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:43 pm
For a moment Icha had thought it was -her- whom had made her mother scream in surprise, making a rather apologetic expression and lifting a paw to meekly press against the dark lioness's stomach, before said lioness spoke to another of her siblings, causing her to turn and look.
Observe, observe. She needed to make sure she kept an eye on her siblings or-
The thought was hacked off at an odd place as one of said siblings suddenly pounced upon her, causing her to squeak awkwardly and sprawl out with a sort of 'squsih'. It didn't feel all too great either. It didn't feel bad, just not good.
She turned her little black-masked face up to look at her brother, Vyr, and made a rather unpleased expression. "That huuuuuuuurts.." she whined with the perfect tone of childishness trying to play at a tone of maturity (which, at her age, was not a plausible feat. She did play the curious coy and overall calm one, but she was not above calling her siblings 'Poopy-head' should the need have arised).
Icha tried to wiggle out from under him in vain. "Get ooooofff..." she complained, then looked helplessly towards her mother. "Mommy, make him get off... ;w;"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:28 am
The little green cub had gotten tired of the tail, allowing her mother to have it back. Paying little attention to her father or Hana, it was two of her other siblings that had her attention now. Vry was messing with her squishy sister, and that was not going to be allowed without permission that had not been given.
Walking around her mother, she very awkwardly climbed onto the lioness's side then back. While not out to hurt, the claws were in, the cub saw her as an obstacle to get over and acted like it. Success came with a little jumping, and she was on her furry, boney perch.
Basking in it for only a little bit of time, the cub got into pouncing position, butt in the air. She however, had it go down with her as she leapt from her mother's side and went front paws first towards her brother, fully intending to hit him clear off of her sister. Really, he should have asked, now she was going to have to rescue her squishy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:30 pm
There was something to be said about sleep.
Like, “it’s glorious” for example.
Or maybe: “being woken from sleep sucks.”
Indeed, the latter of the two was what with Ashiki found himself agreeing. There had been strange colors and lovely sounds. Images he couldn’t describe and things he wasn’t sure he had ever seen before which, given the limited span of his life, was of no surprise. New and bizarre though it had been, he could not deny the wonder of it all. The absolute beauty that came with the unknown. How delight mingled with terror to tingle the nerves and birth butterflies in the stomach. All of which he could never appreciate when awake from his sheer fear of just about everything. It clouded that wonder. That delight. Churned it and made it something of a more vile nature.
So, all in all, he was rather displeased to have his special escape from reality and its horrors taken from him.
There were invaders from the real world. Movements and tiny paws knocking against his body. Dust up the nose. Everything and anything seemed to want to conspire against him at that moment, mounting a unified attack to get his a** up. And, sad to say, it had worked. With a sneeze the cub opened his fledgling eyes, blinking several times to adjust to the real world.
Those lovely colors- where had they gone?
Imbittered, the boy sat himself up, looking around at the herd that was his family. Had he been the last to wake up? Such a hassle.
Mornings, that is.
“Good morning mommy,” the boy offered softly, allowing a yawn mid sentence and causing the words to hum together in an almost incoherent slur, “I’m still sleepy…”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
