Rain. She needed some rain right now. It was hot, dry and over all miserable. Lela hated the dry heat like this. She wanted rain so the arid smell would go away, replaced by the smell of life that always followed. It wasn't so much that she liked the rain, it was just that ....well, she wanted it. Like she had thought in her head so many times. she had hunted today, brought the food to the food pile and settled in her favorite place under a dying tree. It hadn't rained in a while. The tree offered little shade for her overly heated body. Black fur in the sun was horrible. Lela doubted her twin was fairing much better than this.
With a sigh, she closed her purple eyes and just thought. Willing it to rain. Was it horrible of her to not go out of her way to interact with the other lions of this pride? Probably, but she didn't feel overly social. Only today had the longings of conversation prickled at her brain. Cracking one eye open, she was pleasantly surprised to see that there was black clouds coming this way. They looked thick and heavy, just waiting to drop their buckets of water on the unsuspecting pride. "Finally!" Her voice was so loud it echoed and startled her.
Esti had been so worried about bringing the pride here but they had seemed to settle quite well. The cave was den for all the lions and it was big enough that everyone had their own space, the streams from the mountains went right through their territory and all in all the land was perfect for them, but then the heat came. Esti hadn't expected the heat to have such an affect on the others but then she hadn't expected it to get quite this hot.
She had just finished moving all the prey in to a mini cave they had found to try and keep it cool when she heard the dark female call out. Esti wondered for a moment or two who the female was talking to. When she noticed no one was there she thought she would wander over.
"Looks like the rain is finally coming." She spoke quietly as she reached the female. Making a mental note in the back of her mind to make sure the youngsters were inside before it rained. The rocks on the mountain would get slippery and she didn't want them falling and getting hurt.
"Isn't it great? Not that I care too much for the rain, but at least the trees and grass will start turning green again. Guess the gods decided to give us some slack after testing us." That's all Lela thought it was, a true test of will to the newcomers of the pride. Maybe to weed out who was going to stay for a while and who was just here for a free meal or two.
Those purple eyes turned to see who she was talking to, exactly and then grinned. "Oh, Esti! I haven't seen you out and about in a while." Though, the said could be said about Lela. But, Esti knew from their first meeting that Lela didn't always want conversation, despite how playful she was. "Think it'll last long?" Her eyes turned back to the clouds, watching them make their lazy way over here.
For Lela, it was fun watching them roll and get bigger and darker. Somewhere in her mind, warning bells went off. If they got to dark and heavy, she would have to go into a den with some of the litter ones to help their mothers calm them down. Lela was good with cubs; always had been. "Hope it does."
Esti smiled as Lela turned and realised who she was talking to. Esti didn't mind though, she made sure she spoke to everyone as often as she could she wanted to be someone that everyone could approach easily enough.
"It would be nice if we had rain for a while. I am not sure Kanti would agree with her new little one and keeping Sharubati inside could be fun but we do need the rain." Everyone was already so tired so to get some rest probably wouldn't do anyone any harm.
"The den is still rather cool though thankfully. The entrance doesn't face the sun at all, it helps keep it rather cool in there. I have been thinking of collecting some grass or something to make bedding though. Winter might get a little cold." She flicked her tail as she thought, watching those clouds getting closer.
"Do you think a thunderstorm is coming? Those clouds look slightly threatening." Esti hoped not, it would scare the prey away.
"I could help you fetch the grass, if you want. There's a lot of really tall stuff around." But Esti would know that! Still, she liked offering her help, even if it wasn't needed. Offering never hurt anyone, did it?
"As for winter, it might be a little cold, but the littler cubs could stay inside with a female or two cuddled up to them for warmth. Take turns swapping who stays inside with them. Or we could possibly save some pelts from our food and make a pile of warmth over the grass beds." Lela's head tilted to the side in thought as she tied to find the best way to do this. Since they were near a mountain, their winters would surly be cold.
"Possibly a thunderstorm. If I remember right, those are the right clouds for it." Lela studied them well enough to know that they weren't normal rain clouds. Her and her twin brother used to watch them all the time, and go dance in the rain. "Hey, Esti, do you think we could take some of the bigger cubs outside if it isn't too horrible? To go play in the rain." Her childish urges were kicking back in again.
Esti smiled, oh how she loved her pride! She really had been blessed with such thoughtful lions. It made her job so much easier!
"That would be a brilliant idea! Could I leave you in charge of making sure the pelts are saved? I might send Kanti out with the youngsters to collect some grass, would keep the two of them busy." She looked up at the sky and sighed. "The grass will have to wait though until this rain has been the dried again. Wet grass won't help anyone." Esti let out a soft sigh she was so eager to make sure everyone was comfortable the idea of waiting, it just frustrated her somewhat.
"You can get my daughter if you want. I don't know how much she would like the rain but it won't do her any harm. Unless Kanti needs her to help with Faara you can take Sharubati for sure." She smiled, glad that it would at least keep her daughter occupied for a while. It was hard only having Faara and Sharubati in the cub, they wouldn't be on their own for long. Esti knew that Tulia had a liking for Mkhai and so she hoped more cubs would arrive soon.
So she was in charge of making sure the pelts were saved. That wouldn't be too big of a task. But she felt a sense of pride and responsibility well up in her, like a cub that has been asked to go fetch something for their mother for the first time. She couldn't keep the goofy grin off her face. And everyone knew of Tulia liking Mkhai, and even Lela was looking forward to seeing their cubs, if they had any.
But, unlike the rest of the pride, she didn't have a motherly instinct. "...I have a serious type of question. ....What if I never have cubs from any of the males here? Or cubs period. ...I don't think I have the instinct, and I've been told, before I joined, that I'm too much like a male to have a mate or cubs of my own. I'm too immature.." Her mother had told her that before she set off and never came back.
"I know it's expected of me, but what if?"
Esti smiled at Lela, the same way she smiled at her daughter when those kind of questions were asked.
"What people tell you about yourself isn't always true. Personally I believe you would be a great mother, you interact with the youngsters and they love you for it." She smiled softly. "You will never be made to have cubs and we will think of you no less if you did or didn't. In the end it is your choice." Esti wondered why the female thought like she did but then everyone had their history and Esti wasn't going to pry.
"In the end don't say never, a male may come and bring out the little girl in you. Then again it may not happen. You will find out in due time." Esti spoke gently and softly. She wanted everyone to feel at home and though yes it was expected for a lioness to breed, if they didn't then it wouldn't be the end of the world.
"If you do ever have your own cubs it will change you. There is nothing quite like the love between a mother and her children."
Lela listened to those words and took them to heart and to consideration. Well, she knew she wouldn't be forced to breed, but she didn't know if she'd be a black sheep or not. Esti made her feel like everything would be fine if she couldn't breed. So this relaxed the black lioness quite a bit. A grin was back on her face at the thought of the little ones running a muck in the mud that was bound to come after the rain.
"Thanks.. Really. That.. eased my mind quite a bit." She laughed and got up to stretch out as she heard the first rumbles of thunder. "Smell that? It smells so good...' Khahlela knew it was fixing to pour, and that they needed to get back to the den, least they get soaked and cold and possibly sick, but she was reluctant.
Was it wrong of her to think she could settle down with another female over a male? That was a question she wouldn't voice just yet. "It's going to be a long night, I think."
Esti smiled and rubbed her head against the female.
"It does indeed smell good but come on we should head back. You can let everyone know about the pelt's as well." Esti smiled and stood up, stretching a little. She felt a spot on her nose and shook her head. She wasn't keen on getting wet.
"I will race you back?" Esti smiled, a cub like look on her face. She might be leader but she still knew how to have fun.
Lela rubbed right back with a soft purr before flicking her tail this way and that as she laughed. Well, that was nearly out of the blue, but Esti had a point. "Go it."
Without warning, the black lioness took off and let out a loud laugh, racing like her life depended on it. At least they were both having fun now!
