[FIN] Down the Line [Dark/Rise/Cue/Heat/Death/Cry/Cubs!]

[Jun D]

When Far had dragged the first cub back, Dark had assumed he'd merely found it somewhere, like she had found him (or he found her, as it were) so long ago, much smaller then. The Great Flood had washed so many down from the plains that stray cheetahs, small and big, were no longer a rare sight confined to the flanks of their kiokote masters. The mewling thing was a rosy dawn, and she had not stopped to think its yellow spots and rings particularly familiar. It was only when he'd retrieved the second, a rather brilliant - and now increasingly familiar - green, but with the red of the first staining its tail, and stood behind them, looking as sheepish as a big cat could manage, that it hit her.

"Far..." she started, then faltered and tried again, "Cat! You've gone and...dallied with a girl cat!" she finished, rather prudishly as was her wont. The cheetah slunk a circle round the damning evidence and hung its head again.

This turn of events astonished her - but after a moment's pause, she felt rather guilty for that. Why should it? After all, she had gone and...dallied with a buck herself, and her children full-grown already - certainly Far was old enough a cheetah for that. And the cubs, bright-eyed and curious, chirping at her like their father had so so very long ago, were...oh, she had to smile. They were certainly worth the union. "I can't keep you," she said, with some regret. Far and her, they traveled so long now, a cub would be hardpressed to keep up. She wilted, a little, as they pawed at her hooves. "They're cuter than you were," she informed her own, "but you were always a reprobate." What should she do now? She would have to find them homes. Where should she go?

"I'll take you to Rise," she concluded. So many came to the store, surely he would know where they should go. Carefully picking one up by the scruff, she strolled until Far followed suit, then set off at a brisker pace. There would not be long to run.  

[Maxx D]

Rise was, as expected, at his shop, anchored to it these days now that his wife mate was pregnant and he was probably the happiest impregnator ever. At that moment, he was delightedly chatting with Cue, all excited about anything to do with the prospect of children. " - thank you Cue, I must say I could never imagine being this...this...happy." He sighed, and continued, his voice raising in its joy, "I'm not sure it would've gone so well if you hadn't gifted us that cat, really!"  

[Jun D]

"Shhh - shh, yes," Cue said urgently, or as urgently as she would show, "not so loud now, you wouldn't want to disabuse her of the notion that it was entirely your...thoughtfulness."

To be honest, she had never been as surprised in her entire life when Rise - Rise himself - had left the shop to find and tell her that her 'plan' with the owlcat had worked. That his beloved lady was now 'with child', and without a doubt, the ownership of the cat had spurred her maternal instincts, and it was all due to her genius, all due. Especially surprised, since she had been deliberately lying low, sending her regular supply in through her brothers, expecting only tales of horror about the monster she had visited upon them. She had to come and take a look for her herself, and - indeed, his lady was 'with child', and, she had no choice but to conclude, Rise was definitely mentally deficient. There was no way on this good earth that the terror that was currently...currently. Currently doing unspeakable things with a half-pickled carcass atop a tree. Could be responsible for maternal instincts. Perhaps it had stirred within Grey the desire to procreate so that she may inflict misery upon helpless creatures the way the owlcat inflicted misery upon the shop, she did seem more like that sort of doe. And misery upon the shop indeed - as far as she could tell, the creature had been dubbed 'Bloody Cat,' with the honourable prefixes, 'The', 'That', 'That Damned' occasionally in use. Every inhabitant of this wretched place looked to be adorned with rather more scrapes and scratches than she remembered of her last visit.

Not that it mattered to her. The good buck Rise had, as promised, breathed not a word of her involvement. She almost had to smile.  

[Maxx D]

"Oh but you know," he solemnly stated, "I wouldn't mind giving the credit to you at all. After all, you were so thoughtful, and that cat is just so," a look back at the grey-blue animal shredding meat, "so suitable for her. Such a sweet child you are," he said, all giving and all loving, again that soft spot for the associated youths of their shop, "to find such a special creature. Hopefully one day you'll let me tell her, maybe when our children are born."  

[Jun D]

"Oh, no. No. Imagine how hurt she would be to learn of this deception. As far as I'm concerned, I had nothing to do with the affair. I congratulate you on your impending children." The several very sombre nods she imparted, she hoped, impressed him with her sincerity. It was about time, she considered, she found an excuse to depart.

...And who was that she espied coming towards the clearing now, the most perfect excuse she could imagine? And...what was she carrying? Was that...?

"Mother," she blinked, actually taken aback, "...cubs?"  

[Jun D]

Dark put the little creature down gently in front of the inquiring gazes. "Hello, Cue," she replied - how nice, she thought, rather in a sentimental mood, it was to find her daughter here, "yes, it seems Far had found himself a lady cheetah, he brought these two back to me this morning. I can't keep them, you know how I run. But I thought Rise could find a home for them?"  

[Jun D]

Cue nodded pleasantly enough, stepping back for the conversation to unfold, but privately she thought, it was just like her mother, to have come so far and not once worried her pickling boss would think of pickling them instead.  

[Maxx D]

"Hullo Dark!" he greeted, full of gratitude for the source of Cue who was the source of his lady's pet who was the plausible cause for babies. "Oh, cheetah cubs!" Like daughter like mother, he thought, bringing such fine pets to the shop. Since Dark, her daughter and the reminder of the joy of pet ownership and parenthood were foremost in his mind this fine day, he miraculously did not think of eating them. Instead, he thought for a while, then said, "we probably could find a customer or two to own them...but since you have children, why not give it to them for company?" He tilted his head towards the owlcat, now having thrown itself upon the floor and having some kind of cat tantrum, "if our cat...um...brought back some kittens," they had no idea what sex it was, no one had dared bothered to check, "I would surely give them to my children, it'd be so special."  

[Jun D]

Dark had to pause in awe before nodding in appreciation. The genius of this buck! Why had she never considered that? To give the cubs of her cheetah to her own, well, cubs, in a way - what a lovely thought! Certainly, this was the sort of genius that only a kimeti who set up this fine enterprise around them could come up with. "Of course - of course! Oh, Rise, I knew I had to bring them here to you. You've never steered me wrong before. That would be such a wonderful thing for me."  

[Jun D]

Privately Cue thought they were all insane.  

[Jun D]

"Well, then," Dark turned to the natural choice, being that it was right in front of her, "would you like to pick a cub, Cue?"  

[Jun D]

Cue stared in growing horror as they beamed expectantly at her. Rise, in particular, had an expression that suggested he found it an irrefutable truth that first came pets then came babies. The dread that bubbled in the pit of her stomach was an unfamiliar one - she was so used to being the hunter, it was a strange and terrible feeling to feel like...the hunted.

"Er, no," she said, desperately, then recovered her customary smoothness, "no, thank you, Mother. So kind of you, but you know how I am. No pets for me, I'm afraid. They're very cute." she added, helpfully.  

[Maxx D]

He shook his head sagely with a chuckle, knowing that this sweet little girl would one day take her own advice, and own a pet, and perhaps become a mother herself. After all, he too, had been unsure, but the happiness he'd experienced since then was unparallelled.

After one last knowing smile at Cue, Rise then said kindly to her cub-laden mother, "I suppose you're off to find the rest of your children then, Dark. Have a safe journey!"  

[Jun D]

Dark returned the smile, not quite as knowing, but with a slightly confused sense of solidarity. "Yes, I'll find one or two of mine who'll be glad for the company, I hope. Thank you for your advice! As helpful as always. Cue? Might you come with me to find some of your siblings?" she said, before once more picking a cub up and inclining her head, waiting patiently for a reply.  

[Jun D]

Cue considered her options. She wasn't, as most grown children could likely empathise, exactly sure she was keen on spending the rest of the day with her mother. On the other hand, it would make a perfect exit, and she was mildly - very mildly - interested to see which of her brothers and sister might end up saddled with a pet. With a perfunctory nod that served both as reply and farewell to Rise, she picked up the other and left with the little party.

It was ages - ages - later, many many silent paces later, much, much deeper into the swamp, when she finally gave up, spat her burden onto the ground, and asked, "Where are we going and who are we looking for, anyway?"