[BORDER] Get away from my baby! (Obi/Mihika/Zarine/Hu/Sche)

[Painted Moose]

"Follow me, it's this way!"

Zarine could have found her homelands in her sleep. Under normal circumstances she would take more care to look around the thick trees that she passed through, but now she was running for all the might her cheetah heritage could give her.

Her grandparents wouldn't have stood a chance navigating the dense undergrowth, but Zarine knew the pathways by heart. There had been a time that she had lived here, on the edges, waiting for a moment that she could spend with her mother, and no matter the time that had passed since her last visit she would know the terrain.

She slowed to a bounced on a flatter piece of land, twirling in a circle as she waited on her family to catch up. The young leotah was anxious. She had to get to her mother, and fast!

Within the confines of her den Scheherazade moaned as she woke. Her body ached from the recent birth of her cubs, and though it had been a few days the kinks had yet to work themselves out. When she twisted to stand the mother hissed, doubling over for a second to catch herself. She took a few deep, calming breaths and looked down at the cubs now squirming for the warmth that had been their sleeping mother.

It was the early hours of the morning, just before the sun truly would break through the tree tops. Before the young ones had come upon her Scheherazade would have been in the tree tops, watching the patterns of the stars. Now she could barely force herself to shift around the bedding before giving into sleep.

Which she found herself doing once more. She shifted some of the cubs around and nestled back close to them. So many girls, and only one son. Move over, Hu junior. Mama needs to stretch.

Sabra Knight

Velveteen Angel

 

[Velveteen Angel]

Obadias was not a small lion. He wasn’t even a ‘big’ lion, but he felt massive barrelling through the forest, following his leotah granddaughter (yeah, it was confusing to most people but he loved her. Who wouldn’t? She was adorable). He was breaking tree branches, breaking thick shrubs; he was just essentially bulldozing a path towards his daughter.

He had had a vision of his darling girl; his Scheherazade; in absolutely crippling pain. He had left Parvana in the rogue lands, taking off with Zarine and Mihika; because there was no way he could have stopped her from coming with him when he mentioned it was one of her daughters who were in trouble.

“How much further?” He called to Zarine; his body hurting slightly from all the broken branches but he wasn’t slowing down.

Hold on Sche, Daddy’s coming to save you!




Oh Mkodi, Hu thought, sitting in the doorway to the den, watching the sun rise. There was…so many cubs in his den. So many. He couldn’t even count them. He thought that Sche had said seven but he might be delusional. Maybe there was twenty. That sounded possible.

He had never had cubs of his own before. Ua was his in spirit but not from his blood. And there was only one of her. Oh god, there was seven? How could there be seven? That was too many cubs. That was…so much labor for Scheherazade. It hadn’t been easy for her, her body put through it’s harshest test in giving way to that many cubs. How had she carried seven cubs? She wasn’t a big leopardess.

He turned to glance into the den, spying her stretched out and the cubs all nestled close to her.

She was beautiful. They were beautiful.

But SEVEN?

Sabra Knight

Painted Moose

 

[Sabra Knight]

Scherazade! The name rang clearly through the leopard's mind as she rushed through the trees after her family. Her beloved mate Obadias had another one of his visions, but this time it involved her daughter. What could have injured her to make him so frantic with worry?

I'll rip my claws personally into whoever has hurt my daughter. There was nothing like a mother's fury especially with Mihika who was as ferocious as any predator. Following Zarine she didn't even seem daunted as they continued moving through the trees. Each leap was taking her closer to her daughter who she was determined to save.

Truthfully it was a maze and Mihika was thankful for Zarine's presence to guide them, "Where do we go from here?" She asked quietly trying to hide the worry gnawing at her stomach. They had already lost so much she couldn't bare think of losing a daughter as well. Surely she will be okay. Feeling burdened she looked towards Obadias for strength before looking forward again.  

[Painted Moose]

"It's not much further now!" Zarine called back to her grandfather. When he was close enough for her to practically feel the branches breaking she took off again with her grandmother at her side. "It's a straight run the rest of the way, with one right turn near a big, thick tree at the end. Follow me and you'll know which one." After all, at the speed she was running Zarine was sure to be the first one to reach it. With her pale pelt in this jungle they wouldn't be able to miss her.

She kept running, pumping all of her energy into each paw step and sailing over as many obstacles as she could. Others, like exposed roots and branches, slammed into her but she never gave up. Her mother was in danger! At the last possible moment, Zarine swerved to avoid the large tree and came up short of her mother's den. She slid to a stop, eyes wide as she saw a Council leopard outside of the den. What was he doing here? Was he investigating, or was he...?

Scheherazade knew there was some sort of commotion going on outside of the den, but she put it out of her mind. It was normal for others to pay their respects at a birthing, though honestly she didn't want to see anyone. She hurt, dammit. All she wanted to do was nap with her little ones with her mate by her side.

He, on the other hand, seemed to be in shock about the whole thing. It gave Scheherazade a little devilish grin when she thought about it. This wasn't her first litter, and it had been a far easier pregnancy than the first despite the size, but dealing with Hu...that was new. If the Gods had been merciful the labor would have been easier so he wouldn't have to worry so much. Unfortunately, it had been excruciating for everyone involved.  

[Velveteen Angel]

"We'll find her, darling, and she will be safe," Obadias assured Mihika gently, seeing the look of worry on his mate's face. He continued to follow Zarine though, uncaring of her directions and simply following the leotah like a bulldozer. He didn't care where they were going, just that he would find his precious daughter and make sure that she was safe.

As Zarine slid to a stop, Obadias slid to a stop behind her, panting heavily, his eyes wide. This was where his daughter was? There was a male outside. Was he responsible for the pain? Obadias was not one for violence, but he felt his mouth pull back into a snarl as he stormed passed Zarine towards the male outside the den.

"What happened to my daughter?" Obadias growled dangerously, knowing that his coat was more than a bit intimidating in colour, his red eyes flashing dangerously. Sometimes looking scary was an advantage.



Hu had been just about to go back into the den, perhaps even lie with his mate, but a familiar looking leotah appeared out of the trees, the cracking of branches making him tense up before she appeared. He blinked. Oh, it was Scheherazade's daughter. He had forgotten her name but he did remember her...

What was really surprising was the dark lion that appeared behind the leotah, and looked angry and like he was about to kill. Hu tensed up, rising to his paws and unconsciously stepping in front of the den, protecting the newest members of the pride.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Hu snapped back, his voice gruff. Was this going to end badly? Probably.

Sabra Knight

Painted Moose

 

[Sabra Knight]

Mihika gave Obadias a slight nod of appreciation. As calm and collected as the leopard normally tried to appear any danger to her cubs made her heart race. Even now as she scurried after Zarine's directions her mind was elsewhere on the possible dangers that her daughter could be in. A part of her was thankful that Amani wasn't nearby to have heard the news else he too would have been racing like a bullet at her side. I should have found him as well...

As they stopped running Mihika looked around the area. This seems to be an interesting place. As Obadias snapped towards the stranger the leopardess pulled up. Her gaze was just as alive as her mate's as the male declined to answer, "You don't know?" Her voice was soft, not gentle but more of a warning tone, "Our Scheherazade is in pain and you don't know what we're talking about?"

Her tail lashed out behind her, "Tell me where she is right now else I'll shake the memories out of ya." The rogue blood was burning hot within her. She would find her daughter and save her even if she had to tear through this whole place to find her.

Velveteen Angel

Painted Moose

 

[Painted Moose]

Zarine bristled. She hadn't known her grandfather for a very long time, so seeing the imposing lion step up to the gruff leopard was quite the sight. Whatever wariness she had was met with a fierce protective need. Her grandparents would set this straight! "You...you big liar! Where's my mother? What did you do to her?!" Get 'im, grandma. Zarine was ready to shake him now without even letting Hu speak.

The petite leotah side moved around past her grandparents until she was closer to the den. If they could just distract Hu long enough then maybe she could slip inside...

"Hu?" Scheherazade called warily. Her voice was simply to low to be heard over the others outside. What in the world...? The leopardess attempted to call out to him again, but hesitated. Instead she listened to the conversation. It didn't take her long to realize exactly who was outside, but she had no idea as to why they were so upset.

Gathering her voice, Scheherazade called out, "Mama? Papa?" Her voice was weak, excited, and more than a little confused. It wasn't as if she wasn't happy to be visited by her family, but why the hell was everyone so bent out of shape? As she struggled to shift, Scheherazade found herself more or less pinned to her side on the den floor. What little ones were suckling were asleep on her side, and she simply didn't have the heart to move them.

It annoyed her greatly that from this angle she couldn't see a damn thing besides Hu's striped a**.

Velveteen Angel