Perhaps it was her fear of commitment that kept her out of relationships in general. Or maybe it was her upbringing, her extremely protective father or her lack of an actual mother figure that kept Tiah away from the opposite sex. It wasn't like she didn't want a relationship but a part of her would be lying if she pretended to know what it meant to be in one.
She felt confused... conflicted even, so she went to get advice from one of the few lionesses she knew she could trust, her grandmother Mjrn.
She was aware of her grandmother's sorted past with her grandfather, perhaps that is why she thought to talk to her about relationships in general. She could answer her questions honestly. The red eyed lioness slowed her trail as she noticed the dark figure in the distance. Those colors belongs to Mjrn. Her heart skipped the excitement as she ran towards her grandmother calling out her name, well title was a better word for it.
"Gramma!" She exclaimed her tone overjoyed and full of delight. She was glad to have caught her grandmother before she went off hunting.
"I've been looking for you." Tiah slowed her pace before stopping to stand in front of the older lioness, taking in a deep breath before questioning with another.
"Do you have time to talk, maybe?" As she spoke she nuzzled into her grandmother's chest giving her a big hug in the process. She was thankful to be able to show love this way. It was harder to be close to her grandfather after all. At least she could have one of them closely.
"Of course, You can always talk to me." Mjrn was pleased to see her granddaughter in such high spirits. It was always a joy to be around her family and to know her family was growing larger with everybody brought into it. To be honest she was having cup fever herself, she needed her children to give her more grandcubs to adore. That had to be it.
"What's going on?" She tilted her head into the warm hug before moving herself to sit back, glaring at her granddaughter with green eyes. She was a little worried, what on earth did Tiah want to talk about all of a sudden? She hoped everything was all right and was sure the younger lioness could see the look of worry across her muzzle.
"Sorry I'm a little frazzled. Anyway, I wanted your advice on something a little personal. My father's been giving me a hard time about relationships lately. Mostly about how I haven't found myself a partner yet or had children of my own. I'm not sure how to respond to his words to be completely honest. Is it strange that I've gone this long that a partner? Why does he care about it so much?"
As she spoke she felt her ears drop to her head, talking about this sort of thing was kind of embarrassing and it left her feeling a little small in comparison. What if she was weird, and what if her grandmother agreed that she had wasted time and not finding a mate sooner? She wouldn't be able to live with herself. She didn't want to fail.
"Relax. Relax. I'm sure your father means well when he brings up this topic. Perhaps you just doesn't want to see you alone? He after all had his own sorted romantic history." She spoke honestly and free with her granddaughter, she didn't want the younger lioness to feel isolated. This was a very confusing topic after all.
"I wouldn't rush in to anything unless you were ready. Don't make the same mistakes I did."
She found herself looking away, off in some distance place in her mind, perhaps an alternate timeline, one where she was happy and in-love, one where her mate loved her back. Life had not always been so kind to the darker lioness though, she wanted better for Tiah.
"I'm sure Kadaj is just doing what fathers do; over worry about their daughters." She gave another half-smile and sighed in deeply.
"But you shouldn't be afraid to find someone you like, or someone you love even. Don't let anyone else's idea of relationships prevent you from searching for your own. It's your life, Tiah, at some point you have to live it without standing in your father's shadow. Family is important, yes - but you have to go out and create your own, make the family grow. May that be by finding a male or female to add too our clan, it's really up to you."
"I know." Tiah nodded and sat beside her grandmother, licking at her ear.
"I know you and granddad aren't together anymore... and I know why. Did you love him? Or was it always sort of... an arranged thing?" She had never had the stomach or confidence to ask her this question before, it felt like a good time to get to know Mjrn better though, seeing how she and her grandfather had been apart for some time now.
"I loved Tahka, a lot actually. But sometimes we fall in love with others who don't love us back, not like in the way we need, anyway." As the older lioness spoke she ran a claw against the earth below, leaving behind tiny lines in the dirt.
"I gave him cubs, he gave me a home with his family. At the time, it was all I could want. But those feelings changed when I realized what I wanted from him the most, out for everything else was someone who was in love with me, well, he couldn't give that to me. You see, he was always in love with someone else. He just... couldn't have her."
Mjrn wanted to curse Sarafina's name until the sun went down but she knew it wouldn't ever change history. It was true that the past was full of sadness and regret but she refused to allow herself to live in it any longer.
"I see..." Tiah's words trailed off as she gazed at Mjrn with a sorry expression. She was right, though. If Tiah was going to find love it would be on her terms. Not her families, not her father's. She needed to go out and experience life for herself.
"Thank you for talking to me about this. I know the topic can be heavy. It really does mean a lot."
"Anything for you my dear." Mjrn smiled. It was nice being needed.
~ end at 1,091 words