((All cub owners please read:
I’m not sure if you are all aware of the plot that is going to involve Ripuka, the mother of your cubs, or their golden pelted brother. In case you don’t, I’ll explain here as briefly as I can.
When the cubs are weaned, Ripuka is going to take her youngest son, Uddhava, who is unnaturally coloured, away from the den to stay with the Motoujamii-Simo. Whilst she is away she’s going to be attacked by two rogues on a vengeance mission. Severely wounded, Ripuka will manage to get Uddhava to the Simo lands where they accept to take him into their care until he reaches adolescent – at which point he’ll be turned out of the pride.
After delivering her son safely into the hands of the Simo, Ripuka will die.
The cubs will perhaps have a few scattered memories of their mother and brother, but probably not much more than that. And, when Ripuka doesn’t return, the cubs will be raised by their father and older sister, Jua.
I’m unsure what action Makaa – the father – will take when Ripuka does not return, as I have yet to discuss this with Andrani. But it’s safe to say that your cubs will be staying in these lands until they are dispersed. When this happens you can either have your cubs go to join the Simo or become rogue and travel together as a family unit until they find their own way in the world.
Important – even though your cubs are born and RP-able, I’ll ask that if you do, to keep them in their young, couple of weeks stage of RP and kept to their den until the plot with Ripuka is complete. (Basically when their father tells them that their mother isn’t coming back.) This is because she won't want to show off her cubs until Uddhava is out of the way.
If you have any questions, catch me on AIM or fling me a PM. I'm not very good at explaining!
And, in case you don't want to read the RP, here's the birth order:
1st - Rap
2nd - Lua
3rd - Kalama
4th - Zapaliti
5th - Ngoma'mwale
6th - Uddhava))
Today was the day.
The day she had both yearned for and dreaded.
There were many reasons why she yearned for this day. She’d finally have a new litter, her mind would be occupied with far more important things than her own doubts, she’d also be able to walk easier on her poor crippled leg. Her leg had grown steadily worse as her condition had gone on. Her stomach had been huge with cubs and how many there were she could not hazard a guess. Certainly more than three, in any case.
Yet she was also fearful of the day that her cubs would be brought into the world. Fearful because she could not get Azarax’s odd pelt out of her head. What if it happened again? What if she bore another unnatural? She’d tried to calm herself with the fact that this time she had a better place to leave it than with the slaves. As the avian had suggested, she could take it across the desert to the rebels.
And it was true…her hatred for Kidondo’s followers was dying.
She was too tired to hate anymore.
Another contraction shook her and with a growl she shifted deeper into the den, turning so her head was positioned to keep a look out at the entrance. She’d used the last of her strength to throw sand up to half-bury the entrance. She hoped it was enough of a sign to Makaa and her children that she wanted to be left alone.
This was a female’s job. Her job alone. No one could help her with this.
She shifted onto her side and let her head rest against the cool floor of her den. It wasn’t the den where she had birthed her first litter; her family den, but it was good enough.
Pain hit her and instinct urged her to push…
* * *
Ripuka bore her first son after a long struggle. He was orange as his father with a tuft of white fur between his tiny ears. He gave a small mew as she washed the slime from his face and moved him over to her side so he could feed. She knew his name. She’d planned it since she’d known she was pregnant.
“Rap. Heat of the Fire.” She nosed his tiny back gently.
And a moment later the first child had a brother.
His pelt was his mother’s fiery red and on his shoulder was a tiny mark that she was sure would be similar to her own; once he had grown and it became more distinct. He had a tuft of black hair between his ears and a rather feisty manner for one so tiny and young. She spent a while washing him, drawing her tongue along his back. Then, with a gentle nudge, he was at his brother’s side.
“You have your grandmother’s pelt, little one.” She whispered. There was fatigue in her voice but it was also filled with smiles. “I’ll call you Lua, in her honour. Simply, the name means fire.”
The pain of her third child came soon after that, a pain that had her gasping for breath. It was a moment before she was able to control the feeling but when she did her third child, a daughter, came into the world. A daughter that was so like Jua in appearance. A dark body touched with a brilliant red. When her tail-tuft finally formed, it would be a flash of flame – like her mother’s own.
“A dark beauty. I’ll call you Kalama, flaming torch.”
Her spirits were lifting now. Three children all of traditional colours. Maybe Azarax had been the punishment of an angered Goddess. Maybe, finally, her faith in Finar-Si had paid off. Maybe she could raise her children with joy and no regret.
She nuzzled her new daughter up alongside her brothers and settled them into feeding, giving them all another lick across their little heads. She’d forgotten that Wakia, Jua and Azarax had been so very tiny. How beautiful they were.
But they had more siblings to join them yet.
Another pain-filled moment brought a second daughter; a tiny white cub with her mother’s marking around a foreleg. She had touches of her father’s orange at her muzzle and on her belly. She was a little smaller than her other sister but as far as Ripuka could tell, was perfectly healthy. She had to admit that she’d been worried her ill health would affect the cubs, but so far so good. They were all wriggling and all feeding.
She set her white daughter next to her sister and brushed her nose against her tiny ears. “And to you I give the name Zapaliti, a name meaning kindle. It suits you, I think.”
But the birth did not end there. Unknown to Ripuka, two more cubs lay dormant.
A few moments of peace later and the pain returned. And this time there was another boy, a boy white like the sister before him. He lay still for a moment and she washed him vigorously. For a moment she feared the worst and then he coughed and gave a hungry mewling. Ripuka, exhausted by this point, set him carefully amongst his siblings. “Ngoma'mwale.” She whispered. “Dancing flame. A fine young boy. Are you the last?”
But he wasn’t.
There was one more cub yet to be brought into the world. It was this cub who was destined to change Ripuka’s life forever.
Her strength waning, a dry choke came forth from her throat as she felt the tell-tale sign of the contractions. She still had another yet to go? For a moment she was tempted to do nothing. To let it stay where it was just until she caught her breath. But a jolt of pain brought her to her senses. It couldn’t stay there. It had to be born.
With a gruff curse Ripuka brought her sixth child into the world. She lifted her head back to wash her latest child…
Her heart came to a grinding halt.
Gold.
Gold…
He was…gold.
“No.” The word was a choked sob. She stared at the cub in horror as it slithered helplessly across the den floor. She caught it in a paw and stared at it through her one good eye.
“No!” She tightened her grasp on it and heard its confused squeal. The cry jolted her from her horror before she could crush it. Then, with hesitancy she washed it free from fluid and left it sitting on the floor of the den. There was no mistaking it. No covering it up. Her son was as golden as the sun and more golden than the desert.
What could she do?
She could leave it there on the floor. Let it die.
Or she could…take it to Azarax as she’d planned.
Letting it die would be easier, but watching it squirming helplessly, calling out for its mother, she knew she could not. She loved him already.
She did not name him nor give him comforting words. She simply gathered him up and set him with the others, watching as he struggled to find the first meal of his fragile little life.
She did not realise it but a tear was sliding down her face.
“How could you, Finar-Si? I loved you. Yet you curse me again.” She gritted her teeth to hold back her anger. “You’ve made your decision, I see. You’ve lost my heart, my loyalty. You’ve chased away my faith. I was a good follower. I did everything expected of me, punished myself for sins. Yet this is how you repay me? By letting rogues chase us out of our homes and cursing us with children that cannot continue our generations.” She laughed, almost hysterically, and curled herself up around her cubs.
“You think I’m a joke, don’t you? A miserable pawn to play with? My life doesn’t matter to you. You couldn’t care less if we died out. We’re of your blood but we are only mortal after all.” Her trembling voice died away.
Then, after a moment of silence, she wept.
