1.It had only been a few days, but already the cubs had touched his heart. Neither thinking ill will against her, nor shameful in his eyes. These cubs were too awsome to be a mistake. No- they were meant to be here and though he didn't particularly like that they were so.. hidden, BUT out in the open. He wanted to protect them already and he almost felt obligated to. Ming was his childhood friend, and these cubs were now growing on him, how could he just leave them? No- the thought never even crossed his mind! Shaking his head from his inner thoughts as he pulled in a small gazelle. Taking it right up to the den and softly chiming. "Food is here~" He had grow acustom to saying, but today it sounded muffled. His tail wagging as he took pride in helping them. His chin up with a mouth full of flowers. If he was to stay, he needed to make Ming a little more happy, at least so she wouldn't keep yelling at him.
2. Ming didnt want him here, she didnt want anyone here. She was shameful, her mom was right she wasnt a grown up; she could feel her throat begin to close, just like it did that night when she woke up alone after it happened.
She heard Koran call that he recived food but she wasnt hungry. She would much rather have her cubs eat, she would eat what was left later. All she could think about was how did he find her, out of all the lands and creatures why her. She wanted to crawl under a rock but that was the problem she was already under one and he found her, does that mean so can others. But then again she was found because of the twins, if they stayed in the den, then he would have never found her. But it was to late, he was here now; and somewhere way deep inside she was happy she didnt have to hide, but she would much rather have stayed hidden.
3. He watched as the cubs, like routine now threw themselves at the food. Bowing his head he watched, and waited. He was waiting for something... But he couldn't put his finger on it.
Shun turned up to him. "Mother is inside. She hasn't come out today. Nope nope." Nodding as she learned over the meat and watched her brothers fight over the food..Then looked at her twin. "Thank you Mister Koran, the food looks delicious." They were the 'good' ones out of the litter. Much smarter.. She leaned down and started to eat her share with calmness and precision.
"Oh?" He gave the cub a nod, without really giving her a second thought. Lifting his body up and almost immediately went to go see her. Lowering his body as he tried to fit his way through the underground den she made for them.. Slowly, as to not scare her. "Ming~" He whispered to her.. His tail padding behind him as he crawled deeper.. "I just got food, there is enough for you all~ Hey.. you ok?~" He couldn't much see her in the darkness but all the sudden he stopped mid way..
4. Ming froze at the sound of his voice. She snapped hear head in the direction it came. She let out a low growl. "Get out." She said her voice cracking slightly. She didnt want to seem weak on top of foolish and shameful she just wanted to be alone why didnt he understand that.
She couldnt help but remember all the time they shared when they were younger, it made her even more sad. "Im not hungry, im fine, ust go~~." She said her tone much more calm, the hatred was absent.... for the moment.
5. When she growled, he jolted his head back. Frowning, he merely stayed quiet as he stood and turned tail. Unlike the other guy, he went up to ground level and nudged the cubs heads and coiled around them. Waiting til they went back inside as their mother told them to do. When did they get to play if they needed to rush back inside so.
"Will you be ok out here Mister Koran." She eyed him, thoughs flowers.. "Were they for mother?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because she didn't seem happy lately, thought she might like them."
"Oh."
She sighed happily and went back inside..
"Is she really that mad at me staying here.." Putting a paw on the small piece that he snagged for Ming. Putting the flowers upon it and sighing. "She has to come up for food sometime.." Lowering his head and resting his chin upon his other paw. Sighing..
6. Once she heard her cubs playing about in the den she figured it was time to eat. While it was that and her stomach was doing flips inside of her. She walked up to see Koran standing there, she almost went back inside but she was hungry. "Have you eaten?" She asked, if he hasnt she would wait.
He stomach let out a low rumble, she didnt think she was that hungry, but that didnt matter. She wanted to eat in peace but ever since she had cubs that became impossible. She looked down to see flowers, what were those for she wondered. "If you havent eaten i'll wait." She looked up at him waiting for his reponse.
7. Once she came out, he looked back to see if it was one of the cubs. But was graced to see Ming. He could only reply with a smile. "Good afternoon." Bowing. "Been there done that." Shrugging the answer off his shoulders as he looked back at the food. "Are you gunna stay mad at me forever." He rolled on to his side lazily...
8. She looked at him curiously, "Im not mad at you." She stated bluntly. She never was she was mad at herself; ashamed of her fling, she was more upset with her own foolishness for trusting males. Thinking about that night almost made her cry.
She guessed she had been a little harsh on him, but she didnt want anyone to see her like this, alone with cubs; she was ashamed.... and she was used. "Whats with the flowers?" Ming asked as she slowly began to eat what was left of the food.
9. "You could have fooled me." He let out an light laugh as he spoke merely just between breaths. Lifting his head as he started to groom his face to pass the time. "Those? Oh, I thought that you might still like flowers. You stayed inside so long, thought you might wanna know there is still an outside world." After a few moments of grooming he looked to her. "How long did you think you all will be safe here..." Lowering his head and then seriously looking to her.
10. Ming looked up at him, then stared off into the distance. "I planned on staying here till my babies were old enough to explore on their own. I wanted them to not make my mistakes...." Was that so wrong, she just wanted to protect them, something her parents didnt do for her... or they didnt do it well enough...
"Why does it matter to you." She huffed the bitterness returing in her voice. She lloked at the flowers, why would he get them for her? After she has been to mean towards him. She felt her heart skip a beat but she ignored it; she wasnt going the let her emotions get away again.
11. "Because I care. Your one of my oldest friends. It is not mere chance that I found you. There is reason for all that is here.. That is the one thing I learned from our Elders. Something I'll never forget." He continued to groom absently. After a while he lifted himself up and turned around so he was sitting in front of her meal. "They won't make the same mistakes as you if you teach them about it.. Being guided in the dark, you will hit every stone in the ground. When there is light, you can see them before they come. " Bowing his head. "I have been here for a few days now and already I can't help but to care. You should know me better, it's almost an insult of your poor attitude towards questioning my stay. You know the answer."
12. Why was he starting to talk about himself, Ming didnt care. Well she did on some level their frendship from her cubhood is still there but that ming isnt, not anymore and now he was telling her how to raise her cubs, her poor attitude; she grew upset fast.
She let out a low growl, "DONT TELL ME HOW TO RAISE MY CUBS!" She snapped at him. She didnt wanna hear about them making mistakes, she never wanted that for them. She wanted them to enjoy life but not be naive as she was. "Koran i KNEW you, time changes and i DONT know you anymore. There a difference." She huffed. "And dont act like you know me! You KNEW me once and that was a long time ago. Im not the same cheetah i was when we were cubs!." She hissed at him. She could feel it all coming out all of her hatred she could feel her throat closing and tearing swelling in her eyes.
13. "I know the lovable cheetah. The one that played with a free heart." He stated after outburst. He couldn't exactly put why she was so upset but merely stood there. Strict in his words. "I'm don't want to tell you how to raise your cubs. I'm trying to help. This place, is out in the open but not. This can easily be compromised. Listen to me Ming, I may not know who you are now. But from your cubs, I know you are strong and smart. This place isn't as safe as you think. Just about it's boarders I saw predators. Heed my words, I care enough to help protect them too and you. No matter who you've become."
14 . "Well that loveable cheetah died, she was killed by betrayal." She spat at him. She was in no mood anymore to be near him or anyone for that matter.
"And i can protect my family fine, i have been so far." She hissed although she was just being stubborn and was still hot headed. She didnt need his help she wanted to be alone with her cubs and that was all. She walked into the den, her heart a bit heavy. Everything he said was right, she just didnt want to accept it... not yet...
15. "Then fine. You know what you need to do then. None can tell you different." His voice was deep and serious as she wanted to make this conversation. It had been the first longest since they met up not so long ago. Only then, he spoke to her kids and played with them.. But now, he didn't want to argue.. He didn't want to put more strain on the single mother. Merely wanted to aid, but he knew then that this was the time to back off. So he did..
Turning tail and walking away from her until a few yards before he hit a full run, kicking dust in the air in his wake. He wasn't so happy to leave her but the only thing he could do now was get out the frustration and watch out for them. Never to leave them.. He didn't come back that day, and waited til the night before bringing back a gazelle. Sprawling it under the rock they had to maintain the food safe from predators before going back to the boarders to sleep... It wouldn't take long for the twins to find him. They would have already known where he laid when 'Mother' was around... During this time, he thought about all the times they had together as children. When they were the twin's ages. Where the world to them was safe, now as adults they had to make it safe.. And the rogue lands though a terribly free place, took work to keep safe.
He found himself thinking more and more over his situation and even pondered leaving.. But he kept coming back to the conclusion.. How much he cared about the cubs.. and even Ming no matter how much she said she changed.. He couldn't just leave.. no. Someone would have to kill him before he did, that's how serious he was about it all. The more he thought on it, the more he was sure. This was where he wanted to be. HIS family.
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