She had been feeling the bug. THAT bug.. That special bug that came into ever young lioness' dreams. She wanted cubs. She knew that Xanthus had had experienced it before.. She wanted to experience it herself. More than that though, she wanted
cubs with Xanthus. Theyd never been apart in the time that they had confessed their adoration of each other. She had never felt like that before, and she still felt the butterflies in her belly just with the thoughts of her mate. She hadnt
discussed cubs, but she felt that it was time. She needed that conversation because she needed that part of life. She wanted cubs tugging on her tail, and calling her momma. Just the thought made her heart flutter. Her paws carried her swiftly to
the den she shared with Xan, and she racked her brain on how to bring it up with him. She hoped he was okay with it.. She really did. What would she do if he didnt? Likely nothing. She'd love him forever.. but she still wanted to have that part of life.
"Xanthus?" She called.
At the sound of her voice calling to him, Xanthus looked down from his perch in a tree, it was a hot day and he hadnt wanted to lay on the ground and simply roast, it seemed his coat pulled heat in and never let it go, but at the sound of her voice, his heart quickened and he found himself leaping down.
"Juno?" He replied, his brows knit with worry that something was wrong, his pace quickly ate up any space that kept them apart.
She hadnt expected him to be on the top of the trees branches.. She jolted when he leapt from the tree but soothed once she realized it was just her mate. He was large, so his size was intimidating.. But she'd grown to feel safest near that big lion.
She smiled, and rushed to him, nuzzling her head under his chin as she began purring, her ears flicking back. She loved him so, and when rushed to her side she beamed. She loved that he would run to her just by his saying her name. That made her heart flutter
even faster.
"Xanthus, Im glad I found you." She said, still snuggling into him. She licked his cheek, and looked into his lovely eyes. She loved him so, he was absolutely the only person she had ever felt anything like this with. He made her happy.
"Darling..." She purred, happy and content to have him at her side. "Of course you did m'dear heart." He said with a light chuckle, the feel of her nuzzling against him caused a deep rumbling purr within his chest, he gazed down at her with nothing but adoring love in his eyes.
He had loved once before, but his love for Juno was unlike anything he had never hoped to have, he nuzzled against her neck before licking at the nape of her neck lightly. "Hmm what is it?" He asked looking down at her.
She was so beautiful, and young he felt lucky that an old goat like him could have someone like her.
She gulped, sitting down with her ears back looking like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar. She wasnt sure how he'd take this, and now she felt like she was being selfish, wanting cubs when he had already been there in his life. She had mixed feelings in what she should do,
but still, she was one to take risks. Juno had never been the type to be afraid of much, the tomboy had always been the strong girl. She wanted so badly to prove that she could be everything he wanted. And damn it she would.. She would show that she was a catch. Smiling, she looked up into his
eyes with her own lime green orbs. They glittered and gleamed with possibilities, and she didnt think she could hold her question anymore. She took one last breath before blurting it out.
"Xanthus, I was thinking.. I really think that Id.. Id like to have cubs with you." She said, looking away as soon as she had said it. She didnt want to face direction, and if she was rejected looking down and not straight at him seemed to make her feel better. She prepared herself though.. She
knew better than to get her hopes up. As she made herself ready, he simply watched her. She looked so small when she got like that, he thought, so beautiful and delicate, how lucky was he to have such an amazing mate, and with a look into her eyes, he only grew more in love with her, his desire for her hummed in his ears.
But at her words his own golden orbs widened a great deal, he had cubs 4 daughters though only two of them had stayed with him. He suddenly felt his age, "I am quiet up there in years you know.." He said softly, he didnt want to tell her no, but he wasnt honestly sure if he could have cubs. She pushed him with a paw and shook her head with a scoff. He played himself off as older than he was sometimes, and she really never saw him as old. He did everything she did, and happily.
She sighed, knowing that she likely wasnt going to get anywhere.. but she knew she had to try. If she never tried, she would never be a mother, and she would never be complete. She felt a pang
in her heart when he mentioned his age. What if he was too old for cubs? Oh she hoped not.. She wanted them so badly.
"We could try anyway.. I mean.. it doesnt hurt." She said, looking up at him with hope in her eyes. She tried to give every ounce of her wish in her eyes, hoping he'd see just how important this whole
thing was for her. She had never wanted to be a mother as a youngster, but the older she grew she knew she did.. That, and having a mate just made the desire worse.
He was caught by the look in her eyes, he couldnt tell her no. He too wanted cubs with her, cubs of himself and her, mingled and mixed together, it was really one of the only things that could bond their love together forever and always.
He smiled down at her, and licked her muzzle tenderly, he'd wait a minute or two before he'd give her an answer, he too hoped that it could be done but he had heard of lions much older than himself having cubs so he couldnt see what the harm would be, and trying was always a delight none the less. The silence was killing her but she attempted to make the best of it. She chuckled, poking him with a toe and giggling. Nuzzling into him, she looked at him playfully. She smiled and felt herself feeling antsy. She knew the only way to break that feeling, was to say something that made her laugh.
She shouldered him, winking a little.
"Come on now. Whats more fun than trying for cubs?" She teased, her tail tickling under his chin. She waited for an answer, but being near him made her happy.. She supposed without cubs she would be okay, but that look in his eyes. She had a feelign that maybe, just maybe, he would give it a go.
Who knew, if they had cubs, it would be against odds, but certainly a miracle! She knew that they deserved a miracle.. After the life poor Xan had..
"I know that personally, Im going to enjoy that."
He laughed, and nipped at her chin before he rose to his paws and nipped at her hip as well, he padded around her for a pondering moment, hmming and Mmming before he paused. "This, will make you happy my heart?" he asked, he had to be sure. She nodded, her head almost looking as if it would nod right off her shoulders. She knew this was what she wanted. She knew that she wanted nothign else! And maybe she could even make Xanthus happy once more with cubs of his own, that would be raised with him and no one else. No he wouldnt have to leave this litter.. He would be able to be around them forever, and that made her swell with pride.
"It would, Xan.. I want to know what being a mother feels like." She purred.
"Well I could I deny you anything your heart desires when you've even me more than I ever thought possible?" He licked her muzzle tenderly. "Nothing would please me more, than to see you swell with our cubs in your belly, the creations of our love." He hoped that she wouldnt regret this, he loved her to much to lose her.
She'd never regret it.. Ever. She loved him more than she loved living. he was everything she wanted.. She smiled, licking his maw after he had licked her muzzle. She nibbled his neck gently, licking it once she felt it had been nibbled enough. She pictured her belly growing the the cubs they created from love.. It was such a beautiful picture that it almost brought a tear to her eye.
"One day, Xanthus..One day you'll see.. We will have cubs of our own. That, I will make sure I do for you."
"Hopefully the gods will take pity on an old lion, and grant my mate beautiful cubs sooner , rather than later." He nuzzled her head longly before nipping along in between her shoulder blades. "Though, I suppose once your with cub I will have to join you in your pride hmm?"
Juno smiled, poking him with a claw but very gently. She looked at him with a grin and she couldnt help but giggle. Sometimes he was silly. Certainly he'd wanna join if she was with cub right? He wouldnt leave her alone. She knew it!
"Well.. Id like it if you did, but never would I force you my darling."
"I know, its just...I havent been in a pride since I was naught but a cub." He said with a rather sad sigh, sometimes he missed the family he didnt grow with, but at the same time he was greatful to those that had help raised him.
"But of course I'd join you, it'd be the only way I could make sure you didnt over-work yourself!" He grinned at her. She smiled, nuzzling into him, and sighed. She loved him so, and she wasnt sure what she had done to deserve him.. But whatever she had done, teh gods smiled down upon her. She closed her eyes, and began humming, a short sweet little song that she had been sung as a child. Whenever she was happy, she usually began humming, and she usually also had no idea what she was doing.
"So its settled. You will come with me, and we will have a family..and be happy Ever after. And I wont let you be alone. You will belong there, because you belong with me."
"Why is it you always seem to be right hmm?" He shook his head and smiled at her with a light sigh, as if he was giving up such a hard challenge. "I will always be with you my heart, though I think Zari will have a heart attack once she finds out that I've been sucked into a pride.." He chuckled before gazing at his beautiful mate. "Though I must say it wasnt a hard choice, specially if I get to look at you all the time." He winked.
She snuggled into him more, and then looked up to see into his eyes. She saw the love there, and she knew that he saw it in return.
"I love you.." She said, and yawned. She was ready to begin her family making and she narrowed her eyes deviantly.
"Lets go get started Xan.. We have some work to do!"
"I love yo---" His sentance stumbled before he roared with laughter and shook his head, grinning down at his mate.
"Well then, what kind of mate would I be if I denied you that hmm?" He rose to his paws and nudged her rump. "Lets go find somewhere...more private."
