[PRP] You are my everything [Aekea x Jnata]

[Feral Mule]

It was early morning. A couple months after her cubs were born, Aekea had this great sense of time, for some reason. She knew before she even opened her eyes what time it was and that her small family was asleep. Kafele curled up against her back, Jagat, Jiva, and Jnata all snuggled up against her side and tangled in each other. She took a deep breath and gave a sigh. Their scents were mingled together with the lingering scents of their dinner.

Kafele tried to help her hunt, and he was still a useful male, despite his creaky body. Aekea didn't hold anything against him, either, like he was determined she would. She knew he could not always help.

Getting up wasn't too hard, her mate slept hard, and her cubs often fell right back asleep. So, she moved to the mouth of the den and sat there, breathing in the morning air. No dust had been kicked up yet, and the lake smelled so good. Looking back, she could see the outline of her family and headed out, now focused on getting something to drink. The lake wasn't far from the den, either.  

[Dgcakes]

From the cave, after her mother, a sleepy cub crawled. Jnata was still a little drowsy but Mommy was wandering off, and she wanted to see where! The small female was careful to duck behind rocks and be super extra quiet so as not to attract attention. She was stalking Mommy and she was going to surprise her!

Needless to say, Jnata wasn't the best at stalking her "prey", being a little and somewhat giggly cub. She made a few small giggles under her breath and couldn't hide too well, so it wouldn't be too hard for her mother to notice she was being followed.  

[Feral Mule]

Giggles caught her ears and made them turn about, but she didn't turn her head, oh no. Aekea could guess which of her babies was following her instead of snoozing away. It wasn't the first time Jnata had done this, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last.

So, Aekea pretended she didn't hear her and stopped at the edge of the lake to take a long, much needed drink. Her throat was parched because she slept with her jaws barely parted, breathing through her mouth.  

[Dgcakes]

Jnata was easily one of the more rowdy of the cubs - often annoying or surprising her siblings by wanting to play - and was frequently full of energy and curiosity. It wasn't hard to read the cub like a book, which was good because if she were rowdy, excitable, and hard to read, that'd be a weird combination to deal with.

She crept slowly up on her mother, crouching just barely by one of her forelegs. Obviously, preparing to pounce your prey out in the open with them easily able to see you isn't smart - luckily, this was just Mommy. The girl waited till her mother had finished drinking - Jnata wasn't allowed to pounce while people were drinking - and immediately pounced on her, which included half jumping onto Mommy's back. She also was not allowed to do this to Daddy, because he was ooooold.  

[Feral Mule]

At least Jnata took her lessons to heart; don't pounce on people while eating or drinking, don't randomly pounce on the others in the pride, be nice when speaking. But Aekea had a pawful with Jnata. Eve her elder brother, Jagat, wasn't as rowdy as she was, and he was a boy! No, Jagat was more the type of boy to go climb trees, get cuts and scrapes and protect girls; much like his father.

Yes, the cubs knew the limits with their father, but sometimes he would surprise them by rough housing, or pouncing and sitting on them. Aekea would do it, too, but she had more energy than most adults; she was one of the youngest adults in the pride, after all.

When she felt something pounce on her back, Aekea let out a yelp of 'surprise' and spun around in a few circles, attempting to get the 'thing' off of her. Her laughter was rich in the still air, echoing off into the distance.  

[Dgcakes]

Jnata giggled with glee, barely holding on as her mother spun. No clawing at Mommy just because she was spinning, that was a more innate rule she'd figured out after scratching her brother by accident when they were roughhousing.

After a few spins, the cub slipped off, landing on her rear with a little 'ooph!'. But she just giggled more and jumped back up to run between Mommy's legs and chase her a little.  

[Feral Mule]

She wouldn't say her cubs were bad about clawing, but she did have to get on each one a time or two before they got the hint that claws in play fights was a bad idea. Little clawing was fine, but she told her babies to try to keep to light scratches. Of course, accidents did happen and Aekea couldn't control everything, not that she tried too. She just wished there were more cubs around for her babies to play with.

When the cub landed on her rump, Aekea spun around to attack her with tickles, but the cub was already between her legs. She turned about again, getting a bit dizzy and proceeded to try to chase her daughter. It wouldn't be that hard, catching up to her and mouthing her tummy with tickles and licks.

She knew, though, Jnata would be hungry soon, which would wake everyone else up. Aekea hadn't hunted today, but there was still plenty in the food pile for everyone to have breakfast. She'd hunt later. "Ah-I'm guh-gunna get you!" She said, her ever persistent stutter showing. None of her cubs seemed to have it, which was good. Stuttering often led to Aekea's frustration.  

[Dgcakes]

Jnata curled up and tried to hide from the licks and tickles. "Moooooooommyyyyyyy!" she laughed, trying to push her mother's head away with her paws, "Tha'tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiickles!"

Eventually, the girl escaped a little running a bit away and hiding behind a rock, still laughing and poking her head out to see if Mommy could see her.  

[Feral Mule]

When her daughter escaped and hid, Aekea pretended to look frantically for her. She knew her daughter was not good at hiding yet, which was fine. She had a while to learn the basics of hunting. Her eyes moved to the rock and she had to stifle a laugh. There was her brown girl, hiding behind that rock, peeking out like she couldn't be seen.

"W-where... are you Jnat-ta!?" She called out, looking under her paws, as if her daughter was there. Truly, Aekea loved playing with her cubs.  

[Dgcakes]

Jnata giggled again and crouched down behind the rock, her ears pinned back and her eyes up to see any Mommies that might poke their heads on this side of the rock. Her lower lip was bitten but she was still very easy to hear making noise behind the rock. Mommy'd never find her here!  

[Feral Mule]

She laughed at the giggling and followed it, fake 'tripping' on nothing to fall so her face would be behind the rock, staring at her daughter. A paw lashed out and tapped Jnata on the side and she stuck out her tongue and made a silly face, wanting her to squeal with delight. Aekea loved little baby laughs and squeals, hiccups, too. She just found them all so adorable!  

[Dgcakes]

Jnata gave her mother just what she wanted - a little squeal and giggle as she darted forward to snuggle up to her Mommy. "You found me!" the baby purred, flicking her tail and curling up with her mother. Playing with Mommy was fun!  

[Feral Mule]

There it was! That delight filled squeal of joy. Aekea's smile only got bigger as she drew her daughter closer to her and nuzzled against her chocolate colored fur. With a deep purr of satisfaction, Aekea laid down and gave a yawn. She was so tired already! Surly her usually bouncy daughter was, too. There was just need for a nap in Aekea's books. "L-let's nap...." It was a suggestion laced with telling her to nap. Resting her head on one of her paws, her other arm wrapped around her daughter, Aekea watached Jnata, curious as to what she'd do.  

[Dgcakes]

The cub pouted a bit, "But I dun waaaaaaaanna n-n-naaap." the words were intermixed with several large yawns as the little cub curled closer to her Mommy. Sure, she'd say she didn't, but the little one needed the nap too. Especially with how young she was. Lots of naps were needed.  

[Feral Mule]

She hushed her daughter's protest with gentle humming. Aekea knew which songs put her babies to sleep, so she started in on their favorite one and just continued humming it, even as she laid her own head down near her daughter and slipped her eyes closed. When she was sure her daughter was asleep, she let the song drift off into the wind and fell asleep herself. Aekea couldn't have been more comfortable.

[Fin!]