[PRP] A Gift From the Heart (Madakata, Kakalina)

[Talencia]

Mada padded along one of the well-worn pathways that led to a favorite place with the cubs. It was a low, gnarled tree, perfect for climbing, pouncing, hiding, and playing games. There hardly was a time when a small body wasn't scampering underneath or up in the old tree. Mothers lounged nearby in the tree's shade, watching their children play. It was quite idyllic most of the time, and today was no exception.

She'd heard that a litter of cubs had been born to one of the lionesses in her clan. In an attempt to keep connected with the people she ruled, she made sure she knew about births, and introduced herself to the cubs one at a time. Today it was Kakalina's turn. As she stepped into the tree's play area, she returned a few nods, but said nothing. It was rather hard to make conversation when she was carefully carrying something in her mouth.

Gently she laid her small burden down and raised her head. "Kakalina," she called, raising her voice to be heard over giggles and laughter. The little ones were neither intimidated nor over-awed by the Queen. She made sure that she was a familiar sight to all Sikukuu, not just those of the Vuli. Her eyes scanned the small bodies, looking for the deep red pelt that would mark the daughter of Elikapeka.  

[LexThetaSigma]

The dark red cub was lounging on one of the lower branches of the low tree. Up here she could see almost all around her. She had climbed up there after getting tired of wrestling with her sisters. Thankfully they both had found other cubs to pounce on for a bit.

She lifted her head off of the branch and her ears twitched when she heard her name called. She first looked to her mother to see if she had been the one to call for her but noticed her attention directed elsewhere.

At the sight of the other lioness, Kakalina started to work her way down the tree. She dodged a couple of the cubs as she made her way over to the female. She looked up at her curiously, "Hi."  

[Talencia]

She soon caught sight of the cub, working her way through the others. Such bright green eyes peered up at her as she said hello! Kata's heart melted, as it usually did with cubs. So small, so soft, so sweet... as yet untouched by life's perils and trials. How she longed to have a litter of her own! But it was not the time, not yet. Who knew when it would be, but she knew she would, someday.

She laid down, putting her face at a more comfortable level with Kakalina's, her paws curled around the small something she'd brought. With a smile, she bowed her head gravely. "Greetings little one. I am so glad to meet you finally." She chuffed softly and gave the cub a lick on the forehead, a very maternal gesture often offered to the youngest of the pride. "I am Madakata, the queen of the Vuli clan." She leaned closer to whisper conspiratorily, "But you can call me kata, or even Aunt Kata, if you like." She sat back up again, her smile still warm and affectionate. "Do you know about the clans yet, little one?"  

[LexThetaSigma]

Kakalina looked at her, slightly surprised, when she laid down. She thought the other lioness would keep standing. When she got licked, she smiled shyly at the older female and decided to attempt rubbing her small head against hers.

She leaned towards her and whispered just the queen had done, "It's nice to meet you Aunt Kata." She wasn't too sure what an aunt was, but it seemed like a good thing to be.

Kakalina sat down with her tail swishing lightly as she stated proudly, "Mama said we're the Vuli clan."  

[Talencia]

How Kata's heart swelled with love at the gesture of affection! A brief throb of purring vibrated her throat, showing her pleasure at the cub's head-butt. Oh yes, she wanted some of her own! She pulled her mind from thinking of tiny warm bundles of black and brown fur, focusing in time to hear the small one's answer. She beamed approval before replying. "That's right! That's my clan, and we make sure fun things happen when the leaves fall." She cast a look up at the leaves on the branches shading them, to draw the cub's attention to what she was talking about.

"They all turn pretty colors, like yellow or red or orange, and then come fluttering to the ground, like feathers. Then they grow crunchy and make wonderful crackly noises under your paws." She lifted a forepaw and set it down as if savoring the imagined sensation of dried autumn leaves under it. "But we are not the only clan," she added solemnly. "Do you know the other clans?"  

[LexThetaSigma]

Kakalina's little eyes widened tremendously when Kata nodded up at the leaves hanging down from the tree. She couldn't imagine them falling or changing colors. The idea made her excited; she couldn't wait to see what the tree would look like when that started to happen. And they changed colors! Maybe she could find some that would match her and her mama's coat or Kaipo's!

She looked back at the queen. "There's other clans?"  

[Talencia]

She nodded at the question, privately delighting in the cub's reaction to her description of the falling leaves. "Oh yes. There are four clans altogether, and each does important and fun things during their season of the year." She settled more comfortably and gathered the cub close to her, setting aside the hidden and mysterious thing she'd brought, so that it was out of sight. "There is the Mrao clan, who enjoy the bracing cold time called 'winter'," she began, eyes going distant like a storyteller's. "When the world is covered with fluffy white everywhere, called snow, and sharp teeth of frozen water hang from the branches, that is when the Mrao frolic and create games to play in the ice and snow."

"Then there is the Demani clan, who love the time of growing things, which others call 'spring'. New plants shoot up from the warming ground, and flowers of all colors bloom and make the world into a living rainbow. That is when the Demani help us to celebrate new life!" She gently touched her nose to the cub's tiny nose, wrinkling her face up in a silly scrunch. "After that comes 'summer', a time of heat and sunshine that the Kaskazi clan adore." She gestured to the world around them with one paw, keeping the other curled around Lina's small form. "See, right now, it is hot, and the sun beats down fiercely. But the Kaskazi find ways for us to play and keep cool."

It was, of course, a very simplified version of things, but plenty enough to capture a cub's attention. She smiled down at the little female. "Each of the clans has a king or queen of their own, who they look to for help and protection." Again, simplified in the extreme, but one could not expect a youngster to grasp such intricate details ad politics and the ins and outs of daily life's demands. "What do you think?" she asked her brightly, leaving the question open-ended on purpose, to let the cub express whatever thoughts she might have on this revelation.  

[LexThetaSigma]

The cub curled up close and listened as Kata described the other three clans. She looked out around her and couldn't imagine the land covered in whatever snow was.

She grinned and crinkled her nose when the female tapped her's against Kakalina's tiny one. A living rainbow? She wasn't sure what a rainbow was yet but it sounded exciting.

She wasn't too sure how to respond to the question just yet, the only word that escaped her mouth was "Wow!"  

[Talencia]

Kata chuckled at the cub's response, giving the small one another affectionate lick. "I couldn't have said it better myself! However, you are not Mrao, nor Demani, nor Kaskazi." Lina's mother knew the queen would be coming to give the cubs a gift, each one at a time, so this wasn't going to be a problem. "No, my little one, you and I, your siblings, and your mother, we are all Vuli." She said this with a great deal of pride and happiness. It wasn't just the season that pleased Madakata, but the clan itself. They were hardworking, good-hearted people.

"And because you are in my clan," she added, her voice taking on a mysterious, soft quality, "you get a gift from me." She drew forth a tiny crown. It had been woven of very small, very light grapevine tendrils, and was sized for a cub's head. In it were twined leaves that were just starting to go from green to yellow. They weren't true Vuli leaves just yet, but they were close enough to create this gift from. In the end, the effect was of a leafy crown that stood out starkly against Lina's dark fur. "Everyone in the clan is important, not just the queen," she said quietly as she settled it on the little female's head. "Even a cub your size has something to contribute, and is a queen in her own way." She beamed down at the darling cub. "Do you like it?"  

[LexThetaSigma]

Lina stared slightly wide-eyed at the tiny crown. So the leaves really did change! The greens weren't completely green! "Wow!" she whispered softly, amazed by the small trinket.

She didn't know what she expected when the lioness had called her over but the affection and gift hadn't been anywhere near her thoughts. She was glad that her clan was ruled by someone so nice.

She looked at her mother quickly before turning back to the lioness and ducking her head shyly. "It's pretty. T-thank you."  

[Talencia]

"You are very welcome, little one," she replied warmly. "If you ever need anything and can't find your mother, you can always come to me." It was important to her that the cubs grew up knowing this. In fact, she'd had one or two who had grown to move to a different clan, and they still came to her once in a while when something was troubling them. "I will always keep you safe, and I can keep secrets," she added with a wink. "Now go play. I'm sure I'll see you again soon." She released the cub and gave her a nudge with her nose. "Don't forget to say hello if you see me!" she added as Lina scampered away. She watched the youngster go, heart full of pride, love, and longing. Her day would come. It had to. It didn't matter to her that she wouldn't necessarily be passing her queenhood on to her own child. Just having children of her own to love was what she desired. Someday.... someday.