There was rarely silence in Phye'li's world. Some mothers, perhaps, would have become frustrated with that fact, but not so the brown lioness. She embraced it, accepting the noise and banter that came with the raising of her brood of grandchildren. One of her sons had left her when he was still small in her eyes, and the other had long since flown the proverbial nest. Now...she had a new litter of young ones to look after whilst her mate roamed the world...resting now, however, as she knew that the growing cubs were either napping or close by, she rested her head on her forepaws, bright eyes half-lidded as she dozed in the sun...lazily content...and truth be told, she'd never been happier.
Ekun trotted forward with her new friend in tow, bright smile on her face. "Mama! I brought a friend~" Her voice was sing-songy, as it was want to be lately, but not too loud. She didn't want to jostle her Mama, who was napping from the looks of it. But she did want Phye'li to meet Usiku. She stopped not far from her mother, sitting with her tail swishing excitedly behind her.
Usiku was trotting along behind the little lioness, crimson eyes curious to see this mother of Ekun's. When he saw the brown and white lioness, he smiled brightly at the pleasant colors, warm, earthy, welcoming...he couldn't imagine being afraid of a mother like that, and surely, to raise a girl like Ekun, she had a temperament to match. "Hello..." It was soft, respectful.
Phye'li yawned softly, blinking lazily at the two cubs before her, raising her head to regard them. "Oh, Ekun...who is this?" She turned her gaze to the male just beyond her granddaughter. "I thought it would be a few months yet before you started bringing boys home, but ah well..." She murmured, half to herself.
Ekun blinked, a bit confused by her Mama's half-murmur. "This is my friend Usiku'mgeni!" She grinned again. "Usiku, this is my Mama Phye'li!" She looked rather proud of herself...after all, he was the first friend she'd brought to meet her Mama. "I met him cause he liked my singing."
He gave her his best smile, teeth flashing in a distinctly friendly fashion, and he ducked his head politely, "Pleased to meet you, ma'am!" He piped, the tip of his tail flicking to and fro. Seeming a mite embarrassed, he tossed Ekun a glance. "Well...your singing -was- pretty."
Phy rumbled bemusedly, "Well met then, Usiku...from where have you come to grace us with your presence?" Oh yes, starting young, these little ones, perhaps their father's genes had some presence, she only hoped they'd be a mite tamer than her dear son...gods above that boy... "It is always good to meet your friends, Ekun."
Ekun bounced. "Wait until we pass by my other friends again! I'll introduce you to all the ones I can!" She especially wanted to tell Kamau there was a GOD for clouds! She blinked and looked a bit embarrased. "Thanks, Usiku." Coming from her family, such compliments were somewhat expected...from others...well, she was a proud cub, but not immune to being humble.
Usiku beamed at his new friend, "You're welcome." He wanted to have good manners like his mother did, after all...perhaps if he could become more like her, she'd accept him completely. "And I don't come from anyplace in particular. My mum and I wander, kind of like you guys do, I guess." He pawed a foot into the dirt and grass, glancing down. It would be nice if he had a home...or a momma like Phye'li, not that he didn't love his mum, quite the opposite.
Phy smiled pleasantly, "I'll look forward to meeting them. You're quite the little socialite." Really, she had to do her best to quell the protective mother inside her. Cubs had to grow up sometime, as much as she would wish it otherwise.
Ekun purred and nudged Usiku. "One day, when we're bigger, we can travel together! See all sorts of things only grown-ups can see!" Nothing would stop Ekun from seeing the whole world once she was grown up! And if she had friends with her, that was even better.
She giggled at her mama. "Can't stay scared forever...don't learn new things that way!" She was rather proud she wasn't always scared now.
