Everybody was out of the den when Ahnik returned home from an adventure into the rogue lands with three surprises. Tabia knew where he had gone and what to expect when he returned, but she had to stay back to keep an eye on things around the den because he still had his doubts about trusting Kikimu and Anju. He decided it was best they were not here yet, and that they were likely to keep quiet now.
He stood before the entrance of his den, guarding it carefully and watching out for any sign of his family to return to him.
It just so happened that Mihr was the first to come home. He'd gone off with his mothers and siblings but he hadn't been doing very well int he games they played and so he had decided he didn't want to play- and as long as he promised to go right home, he'd been allowed to go off on his own. He wasn't expecting to see his father standing by the den when he arrived, though, and he picked up the pace excitedly.
"Dad! You're home!"
He ran right into Ahnik, bumping his head into hid father's leg affectionately before backing up to smile up at him. It was more fun when dad was around.
Ahnik, despite what Anju liked to think, was a good father and he was just as happy to see Mihr when he came running up. He chuckled, lifting up a paw and ruffling up Mihr's little mane before giving him a playful shove back. It didn't have to be all about strategy but perhaps it was good that one of the cubs was the first home.
"Mihr, I assume you'd been taking good care of my banu for me while I was away," he said with a grin down a the enthusiastic pesar.
He yelped as he was pushed back but stayed on his feet. Mihr made a face and scrambled to push back at his father but he simply didn't have the size or strength to do any damage. Play fighting with someone so much bigger than you was hard! He settled for a useless shove and hopped back a couple steps, putting himself out of range of his father's paws but still able to talk easily.
"Of course! Mama, Mama Anju and Mama Tabia are all out to the waterhole with Sohrab, Lufti and Ewa, everybody is getting along but we've all missed you while you were gone!"
He had no idea of the relationships his father really had with his mother, Anju or Tabia. Everything seemed perfectly peachy from his perspective-- the mostly avoided arguing around the cubs.
Ahnik laughed as the young lion reared up and pushed against him but made no move to retaliate. He listened with a smile as Mihr explained where everybody was and said they all missed him- it was doubtful, of course, but he was as insistent as his banu about keeping the cubs out of range on any disagreements they had.
It was still a nice thought, though.
"I've missed you, too," he said.
Wriggling, Mihr took a seat. He didn't know where his father had gone or for what reason, and he was going to ask-- and he was hoping it was going to be a fantastic story.
"Where did you go? Mama said not to ask questions," he tattled on himself as soon as he asked his question, but he hoped his father would tell him anyway. Mama was a banu, she had to do what she was told but dad could say whatever he wanted.
"Did she? You ought to listen to your mother, Mihr."
No matter a banu's position in the pride, she still had what was best at mind- and certainly Kikimu was a good mother, and smart to say not to ask questions when she didn't know the answers. Tabia probably said the same thing to all of them.
"However, it so happens I have something to share," he continued with a grin, "I was out to the roguelands and I brought back a surprise."
Mihr frowned and muttered something that sounded like an apology but it didn't last very long-- just as he hoped, his father was still going to tell him. The idea of a surprise was very exciting! He was back on his feet very quickly.
"A surprise? What is it! Can I see?"
His mind ran over all of the possibilities but there was only one thing that really came to mind when someone spoke of the roguelands: banu. He knew when he was bigger, he would have to journey into the roguelands to find himself a banu. Another member of the family as exciting an idea as any, luckily.
"Of course, of course!"
Ahnik laughed at the excitement in his son. He was a smart boy, he must have figured out what it was. Family was a very dynamic concept in the Ukuucha'wafalme, it was good to see changes met with such excitement.
"You have to calm down, though," he warned with a small smile, "I brought back not one but three banu, and they are not for me, they are for you."
Still fidgeting in his excitement, he managed to stay in one place, at least, when his father told him to calm down- until Ahnik mentioned that he had three banu and then he was shuffling around again. He leaned over to try to see past his father.
"For me?" he squeaked.
"Not just you, Mihr!"
He knew he had used tricky wording, but he had done it intentionally. He was still smiling but it was becoming more important that Mihr calm down now. He knew the three girls he had brought back were listening and he knew that they were nervous.
"I brought them back for all of you," he said, "I promised Ewa some sisters, for now they are to be her's."
"Oh."
It was significantly less exciting knowing they were for Ewa, Ewa couldn't really have banu anyway! That wasn't very fair! But his father hadn't even said they would be Ewa's banu, they were her sisters.
"For now?" he asked, tilting his head.
"I brought back three, that is one for each of you boys," he explained with a smile, "Ewa and I will decide who gets which one when the time comes."
Ahnik was still grinning. It would be fun to have them competing against each other to win the rights to a banu. And, as he had it figured, it would be a way to assure they came home after they were sent off to find a banu when they were adolescents. If Anju were secretly trying to convince them to escape or get help.. or if they met family who might convince them of it whiel they were out.. they would have someone waiting here just for them.
"They are sisters," he continued, "Zoza, Bima and Oga. Would you like to meet them?"
"Yes!"
The let down of them being for Ewa now had calmed him down and while the prospect of getting to keep one of the banu his father brought home was exciting, the calm and careful tone his father used- even with that grin- was enough to keep him quiet.
"Won't Sohrab and Lufti be jealous! I bet they like me best."
Ahnik turned himself around, ready to lead Mihr in to meet the girls. He gave the youth another quick shove before nodding for him to go ahead.
"Go on, then," he said.
Mihr didn't make a noise as he was shoved, assuming it was for being a bit too arrogant but he was already in the competitive mind frame. Maybe he could win them all! It didn't matter that Ahnik had said one for each.
"OK!"
Zoza, Bima, Oga. He repeated their names in his head once before walking into the den to meet them.
Still smiling, Ahnik looked behind him and off into the distance, wondering when his banu and sons would join them. They were all in for quite the surprise. With a small shrug to himself, he followed after Mihr. It was going to be an interesting day.
Fin!
