Sadiki had been thinking long and hard about how he would approach Bubu and suggest that they have cubs. They'd been sharing a den since her arrival, but nothing had happened; it was merely nice to have someone to curl up against in the middle of the night, and Bubu seemed to radiate heat during the cooler night hours. She'd taken to the pride like a fish to water, making friends here and there, and had delighted in watching after the rambunctious cubs there were under her care. He really couldn't ask for more, he supposed.
Watching the cheetah female from afar, he came to a decision. Just asking her outright would be the best idea, Sadiki thought. She would appreciate that more than him beating around the bush trying to offer suggestions so that she might figure it out on her own. Bubu's mind didn't work like that; if presented with facts, she was much more able to understand her options and go from there.
Sadiki couldn't say that he loved her; he didn't, but he did admire her tenacious nature. She'd accepted her role in life, adored her pride, and never complained about this and that. Joto had even agreed that sometimes you had to sacrifice certain things in order to ultimately get what you wanted out of life. Sadiki wanted cubs; he wanted to experience fatherhood, and more than that he wanted to give back to the pride that had helped him throughout his life.
Rising to his feet, the cheetah padded towards his mate. It felt weird to give her a title; companion suited them much better, but mate would work as well. She was surrounded by cubs no doubt regaling them with some sort of story that awed them. It was the usual sight when Bubu was amongst the cubs; they loved her stories and her laughter. It couldn't have been a better fit, in all honesty.
When she spotted him, her eyes glowed. She was devoted to him, and Sadiki knew that. It was an odd feeling, one that he'd never experienced in his life. Bubu was different, he agreed, but she had a heart of gold and only meant well. Excusing herself from the cubs and giving a nod to another cub-sitter that sat nearby, Bubu moved towards Sadiki.
"A pleasant surprise, Sadiki!"
"Hello, Bubu," Sadiki replied, "Would you walk with me? I have something I've been meaning to ask you, something quite important and it will deserve some deep thinking on your part. I can't expect a reply right off the bat; it's a huge event, a huge decision, and you deserve all the time you need in order to make the best choice." He was doing this backwards. Sadiki closed his eyes.
Bubu watched him, confused. "Of course, Sadiki. Shall we?" She gestured foward with a curt nod, and Sadiki led the way. A few moments passed before Bubu glanced towards him, her pink eyes filled with concern. "What troubles you?"
Sadiki glanced back to make sure they were far enough away from the cubs before he spoke. "Bubu," he began, unsure of how to proceed. He grit his teeth, stared at her for a moment and then just said, rather bluntly, "I think we should have cubs."
The strangest emotions flickered over Bubu's face. At first there was shock. A smile flitted across her features next. Then a frown, which merged into a scowl. Finally she just sat back on her haunches with a thud, glared at Sadiki, and said, "Why?"
Well, he hadn't been expecting that. He'd been expecting a straight answer and he wasn't prepared for this inquisitive and very justifiable question. Why indeed. How did one answer that without offending the other party? Sadiki paused for a moment before sitting himself before Bubu. He looked at the ground for a long moment before raising his gaze back to her adorably angry-questioning face. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly before answering her question.
"This pride has given me so much, Bubu. I owe my life to these lions. They are my family. It is a good pride, and one that I would like to raise cubs in. I can't give you another reason other than that, a better reason, or something that you might want to hear. It's the reason I brought you back to this pride."
Bubu had always known that he hadn't loved her, or intended to truly make her his mate. She wasn't stupid. She knew that others thought her weird and different, but here she actually fit in. Learning more about the pride, hearing stories about lions driven mad by their visions... it was utterly fascinating, really. Bubu loved it here, she loved taking care of the cubs but really she'd never thought what it would be like to actually be a mother. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea, though.
"Sadiki, I will bear your cubs. We will raise them here, together, in this pride. I love it here, and I am quite fond of you as well." She paused, watching him carefully. "This is a commitment we are agreeing to, Sadiki. It will place us forever in one another's life. I know that some lions think I'm strange because I can hear what the world around me says, and our cubs might have the same problems." It didn't bother her, but she wanted to make sure that Sadiki understood.
"No cubs of ours will be made a mockery of, Bubu. I am fond of you, and I think we will be great parents. I do. I am prepared to make this commitment to you and to our future cubs." He looked into her eyes earnestly, his gaze full of emotion. She knew he meant each word he spoke, and for her, that was enough.
"Very good. I suppose we've come to an understanding then?" Bubu raised a brow at Sadiki, raising from her seated position back to her feet. "I have to get back to the cubs. I'll see you tonight?"
Sadiki nodded. Mission accomplished.
