Not in the caves.
The caves were too history-soaked, the stone floors suddenly unforgiving to her paws. Not here.
A hollow.
In the jungle, further back into the mountains from the waterfall, a bunch of tangled overgrowth had been slashed at with resolute claws until the soft hollow at the base of an overhanging rock was visible. She could still see out, across the slope overlooking the Mistweaver lands, which meant thatshe could be seen from above; but the replaced foliage obscured the entrance from below. An afternoon sun was halfway to the horizon from its midday zenith, and dappled hot light spilled into the hollow.
Kinyamkela lay in the cover she had found, back legs askew to the side but her front flat to the ground, paws gripping into the ground as if she let go she would fall. Her brow was deeply furrowed and her eyes squeezed shut, her teeth clenched firmly together. Her snow-and-silver form was stretched out along the ground, swollen sides heaving and streaked with sweat. The bleached, braided leather anklet on her forepaw was dark and tight, and she wished she could release it. But no-one knew she was here... that was best.
Where is Enki? Her inner voice yowled pitifully, in contrast to her instincts.
.................................
He'd just returned from searching for that young mad lion... the one who's senseless had almost called down an outright 'blood' hunt from the normally peaceful Mistweavers. Fortunately for the young lion...they had not found him yet.. and they were looking to warn him. But if he made the mistake of coming back?... there would be trouble..
A chill crept along his spine... where was Kinya?
.................................
Golden eyes, filmed over with exhaustion and strangeness. Her body was reacting so smoothly to this process, the cubs eager to reach the outside world they yearned for. But the process...
Fever visions danced before the lioness' eyes, ears flicking and her limbs trembling uncontrollably. A tall, richly maned lion stood sadly before her, as if pitying her plight.
The past... What good is it now that you have found the Mistweavers, young adventurer cub? If you cannot tell them, they will never know...
They will know! A young grey and white cub looked at her with surprise and then hope, somehow looking down at her before whisking away, tail raised playfully. She stretched out a paw to him. It wasn't right, he was older than her! He would be in his prime, a young lion with a snow-white mane and blue-grey fur, fit for the Stewardship. It was so long since she had seen him... Kinyamkela called out his name, but her brother vanished slowly, his face creased in pain, waiting for some news of her. He would never know what happened, what she had found...
Was it not in vain, young adventurer cub? The tall dark grey lion looked sadly to the skies before fixing her with storm-washed eyes.
When will the rain come?
.................................
"Kinya!? ...KINYA?" He called...he had followed her scent, and dashed to the hollow where she now lay..she was covered in sweat and panting... her sides heaving trying to give to the world the life she had carried within her for so long. It didn't seem as though she heard a word he was saying to her.. all he could do...was pray to the storm god to keep her safe...not to wash her away like the summer floods. He licked her face and behind her ears carefully...whispering softly that it would be O.K.
................................
"En...ki?" Warm breath in her ear, a rough tongue cleaning the sweat from her face. For a moment the lioness relaxed completely, as if a weight had been taken from her. But she withdrew from him, and snapped angrily before growling low and deep. Her body, no longer under her control, heaved and twisted, darkness spreading itself out from under her as liquid stained the dry earth. The afternoon sun caught the earth-brown coat of the small body that issued from her, turning it dappled gold as Kinyamkela caught it instinctively. Sharp teeth never harming, rough tounge rubbing the fur of the cub, the growl changed to a lower pitch, deep in the back of her throat. The kit finally opened its small pink mouth and let forth a lusty mewl. A female! Eyes still filmed over, the time to talk was still not for Kinyamkela; she placed the small wriggling cub at her side gently, and darted one grey-dipped foreleg to entangle it with her mate's, golden eyes tired as she looked up at him wonderingly, in pain.
..................................
Enki's first reaction to something spilling forth from his mate was...unfortunately not a calm one.. his eyes widened and his tail bristled out like he might have been calmer had he ever been witness to a birth before...ever really heard what one meant... but heavens.. even being a father was something of a shock to him. He watched amazed at how calm she was...amazing....so amazing her poise...her instinct.
He gently helped wash the young cub... his child... their child.
.................................
And still her body contracted. The sun was dipping to the horizon now over the jungle, red with sunset promise. The little female by her side had fed to her heart's content, before sleeping, and waking again, so shortly. Small paws padded at her side, and a grey, rune-marked young lion laughed, delightedly. Kinyamkela turned her head to him with puzzlement. Why was he here? Was he?
You think you have found your peace now in the present, young carefree lioness? The voice whispered over her shoulder, and the dark-grey lion leaned back, his paws neatly together and his mane glossy. The rune-marked lion turned, sadness etched in his eyes, and his brother, his cousin, joined him, earth and mist, jade eyes turning to recognise her instantly, face alighting with joy. She knew his name! She strived to call it out, to share her joy. She had a daughter, a girl-cub, he must know!
But can you support them? The voice cut across her, and the tall lion turned, dark blue-grey pelt like the storm clouds, white tailtip like the snow. Are you really ready for this? Can you teach them about this land, can you hunt for them, can you protect them? The tone turned somewhat scornful, and whitehot anger seared her. How dare he? But as if in reaction to her emotion, the lion whirled.
No! Avoid anger. Seek peace, and cleverness! You really think a hothead like you can teach them that, young carefree lioness? He dipped his head almost in disgust.
I WILL protect them!
He looked up. As you say.
But will the rain come?
A snowy bundle, dipped in earthen hues. It coughed, and spat almost immediately; it barely needed the rough but careful washing that Kinyamkela gave it, turning the small body over in her forepaws, muscles shaking with fatigue. A male, mewing pitifully but insistantly. She turned him over with love in her every movement, only her eyes still detached from the scene. He wriggled into place by his sister, taking from her and giving her the energy that she had depleted, the hunger sinking into her bones. But another was here, as the sunset turned into night. Her lower half contracted painfully once more, insides screaming in pain; it was not over yet?
...................................
He brought her water as best he could while he waited...his mouth to hers sometimes though...he simply let it run over her neck and shoulders to cool her fever...sometimes it seemed she dreamed... like he wasn't there at all...that she looked to someone...or something that was not there...could not be seen. At those times he worried most...afraid she was leaving him...that each cub she gave birth to might somehow be taking a part of HER life..
...................................
Lightning crackled across her vision, despite the clear skies and serene moon hanging low above them. She was running, keeping pace barely with the mighty snowmaned lion that had led her; grey ears flat to her head she could think of nothing but the bounding, one paw in front of the other. The future hung around them; more lions now in this valley bowl of jungle and waterfall, black and grey and white of hue, some laughing, some crying. Was it hers that cried? She felt suddenly alone, as if no presence supported her, and the dark grey lion turned back at her faltering steps, and spoke with eyes of thunder, brows low.
Why do you stop, little mother lioness? Should you not be hunting?
Kinyamkela suddenly looked confused, golden eyes darting from side to side, missing something terribly, a gap in her life aching at her side. What was it? She swung her head back to stare at the tall lion in front of her, eyes pleading though she still did not comprehend what for.
And in the real world, forepaws twitched, clung to the sturdy mist-coloured ones in front of her.
And the tall one suddenly smiled a great smile, and let out a roar of laughter.
Perhaps you do comprehend what you need, little mother lioness,, and his twinkling eyes fixed on the lion beside her, and she swung to almost bump into the earth-maned shoulder beside her. Jade eyes ringed with enigmatic black shadows smiled lovingly at her, and she was found.
"ENKI!"
The roar in fever broke through into the moonlit jungle hollow, and Kinyamkela's eyes snapped open, white moon reflected gold in their now clear depths. She smiled in pain, and rejoiced inside as she realised that she was not alone, and that she had support in this strange new land where they would live together, and bring up the young.
And her body heaved the last time, and a grey misted cub tumbled her way into the world, to be caught by large paws and washed delicately, the youngest of the three, born under slender moonbeams.
...............................
"I'm here....I'm here for you.. " He assured her...wishing that he could somehow take away some of the pain...the fever..."I'm not going anywhere...and I'll not let anything harm you or my children..." He licks her face...washing away what he can of her pain..
"I thought...I could be no more blessed than by knowing you... but now you give me three beautiful children...and are still here by my side...one born at noon...one born at sunset...and one at night.. all by their beautiful mother... the lady of storms.. " He whispers the sweetness to her...keep her focused... trying to show his love..
"My beautiful lady of stormy eyes....."
