[PRP] The day ends, bring forth night.

[wooga Paes]

Night.

It was a wonderfull time, when the darkness shrouded the jungle, hiding many things from view, yet making up for it by sparkling dots in the sky, stars. A leopardess sat on a rock, ignoring the thundering of the nearby waterfall. She was perhaps fat-looking, now, even though this leoaprdess wasn't one to overfeed.

This was explanatory, she was pregnant. This pregnancy would end soon, as well. Not that Karama knew how long this thing lasted, she was relyig on instinct to tell her when, but as usual, it was silent.

Not that it ever talked much, though. Now here she was, waiting for the stars to come, unknowing of wherever her companion was The white male Keone was the father of the cubs, or cub, that she was on the brink of giving birth to.

The red in the horizon had died away, and stars where begining to peek out from behind the dark cloak of night. She had learned how to find shapes in the stars from Keon, but she had barely begun to look upon them as the pain in her abdomen grew stronger. Of course, this was startling to the leopardess, she hopped a bit and slipped of the fortunately small rock.

Annoyed, she slid up again, only to feel it come even stronger once more, and cringe. "Stupid.. " She muttered, ears flattening. She didn't like the looks-- er, feel of this. Maybe she should sleep, it might be over in the morning. With a grudging look back up to the stars, Karama slid off her rock, only half fell down again as another jolt rushed through her, then another. A few steps towards her hidden den, and another.

Strange, they were comig much more close to eachother, even though she had grown used to small, random pangs, this was strange. And Keone wa snowhere to be seen. She had forgotten why he had gone off anyways, maybe fish or chase mice or something-- maybe she had asked him to hunt. Either way, she hoped he'd be back soon, the white male was good at comforting her, and he had stuck around with those random mood swings and.. Need of more food.

(Not that she liked eating like a warthog. )

She pressed through the litchen, stumbling ungracefully into the dark den, barely recovering oly to lay, carefully as she'd gotten used to, on the dried grass and fur nest she'd managed.

Oh, Keone better be back soon.

(( Crap tastic.  

[wooga Paes]

Claws kneaded the ground inside the cave uneasly, she had no idea what was happening, other than it hurt alot. Ears pinned back against her skull, Karama's breathing had become more hurried in the while that it took for her companion to arrive.

Must be it. Was the only thought that might make sense now. Thoughts were interrupted at a familiar voice, and ears lifted, perking foreward towards the entrance of the cave. His white fur made seeing him much easier in the dark, even though shecould see well, feline eyes were usefull at night.

"Y-eah. "

She hesitated now, the while male would probably freak out with her sitting here giving 'birth', or whatever everyone called it. That really, really wouldn't work. But she didn't want to be alone through this either, it was, or seemed, much worse. "Keone.. " She said, blinking at him. She could smell fish, and could see he carried it and a flower in his mouth.

"Do you.. Do you want to.. to stay? " Yes, let him choose. And let him freak out for not having any idea what the heck was going on; his problem now. She herself barely did. How the heck was she supposed to do this stuff?!  

[wooga Paes]

How were you supposed to remain calm if you had to explain to someone that something was about to come out of you? Simple. You didn't. For once, she panicked. This stuff hurt like hell, Keone was like a dead weight right now, he just stood there and stared! How did that help? She groaned; now wasn't the time to explain these things! And see this, she was probably looking like she had run for days nonstop. Well, maybe not that much. Or perhaps. Did it really mater?

"Keone.. " She wanted to say something, but lacked any idea of what. "Remember? Cubs.. " Maybe he'd get that, or it'd just create more hell in the white male's fuzzy head. She gaped at him, orange eyes searching his expression for any sign that he might have understood, or if only partially, what was happening.

She didn't like this, he was sitting here, basically not doing anything, here she was in labor, and all she wated to do was to bury her nose into Keone's fur and wait for it all to pass. She knew she couldn't, she had to do this. But she wished she knew how. Karama wished she didn't have to rely on instinct.  

[wooga Paes]

Oh, yay. More panic. And as soon as he seemed to calm, he panicked again! "Calm down, will you? " She snorted, feeling frustrated. He had iteasy, she was the one that had to get some bloody thing out of her! She attempted to calm herself, trying to take in a deep breath between all the hurried ones.

Now he was pressing his nose against her shoulder, what a drama qu-- king. She lickedhis ears feebly, as if reassuring him that everything was fine. "Calm down, " She said, as calm as she could. "Everythings fine. "

She couldn't hold on much longer, though. What a wonderfull moment chosen to freak out. "It's going to.. be okay, " She hesitated. She wanted to say 'at least I hope it will', but then Keone would panic again, leading to he rpanicking, and him panickeng and a cycle of panics! It boggles the mind, doesn't it?

She whined and recoiled as more and more pain struck, each time stronger. She had to dothis, but not with Keone like this.  

[wooga Paes]

She forced a smile. She was almost starting to beleive in his idea, this stuff hurt like hell. She would say something else to him, but now she felt out of breath. She blinked, biting her tongue to hold back a squeak. "Keone-- " She was cut off by a groan, her own. She wiggled away slightly to get a look at him. She wanted to think on wha to do,but instinct took over. A cub was comming.

Subconciously, she began to push, breathing hard. Whatever was in there had to come out-- now. She continued going, wincing at the pain. Yet, like many times before, Karama thanked instinct. She wouldn't have known how to do it, and she remained that ways. Probably one of those times you did stuff, but not sure of what you were doing.

"Cub.. comming. "

Soon was one of the most awkward and painfull feelings she'd ever had; 'it' as defined from not knowing what gender, was comming out. Front paws first, then hed, and after that it seemed to go faster. (Of course, to her it was still ian eternity). Now something wet flopped out, and the pains calmed a bit. She twisted herself to see whatever had just came out from under her tail.

She was right, tiny leopard! Much smaller than she had been; Karama had never seen a newborn. Only it wasn'texactly looking good yet-- it was slimy and.. Instinct hit again. Gently, she pulled the tiny thing over, and it squirmed as she licked it clean. It apperently handn't been breathing earlier, for now it let out a wail, causing her ears to flatten even tighter.

She remembered something now. Now, she just found something else, while cleaning her newborn.

"A son, " Sh murmured. A little boy!

She seemed to have forgotten all about Keone untill now, and the cub was left to squirm and wail between her paws, snuggling up to the warmth of her chest. "Keone-- you're a daddy. "

Something was odd though, this was it. She thought she had more than one! Though, maybe that was best, this stuff hurt like hell.

(( I suck at birthing, yay me. 8D ))  

[wooga Paes]

She blinked as he started to speak, or tried to, anyways. She purred with a bit of amusement, he always looked so silly. Only Keone looking silly would have to wait, as a tiny squeak sounded from between her paws.

She felt funny, and tired. She lookd down at her newborn son curiously. Dark, he seemed to look more like her. All his spots were blurred, giving him the impression of spotless; theonly visible marking, for now, were three, skinny lines on his back. He also had a white one on his tail, wich was rather cute, in her opinion.

Then again, she couldn't not love this tiny ball of fluff, even if it was blind. Wait.. it was blind? She gaped, clearly having no idea that cubs were born this way. She nudged the unnamed curiously, then picked it up and put it away from her, as if to see if it found its way back.

Cold, cold, cold!

It had been so nice and warm, just a few moments ago! The tiny thing wiggled its paws in panic, letting out a wail. Sadly, he couldn't hear his own wail, and it wasn't very loud either, his throat had never been used untill a few oments ago, afterall. He could barely lift his head, too.

He could, though, smell and feel. So, the nameless newborn wriggled and squeaked, and wriggled more, seeking out the warmth of his mother, probably instinctively rather than conciously. Of course, there being two 'warm' stuff around, he had no idea wich way he was heading, untill he was picked up again by his mother and set close to her. That was better.

The newborn leopard had wiggled around, and being first, and only born, he did seem healthy. Karama looked at the tiny thing, snuggling up against her side, and covered it slightly with her tail tip. He might be blind, but she was darn proud of this tiny thing that had came out of her!

Keone hadn't said anything about him yet, or maybe he had and she didn't listen. But this was Keone's son, she had to know what he thought.

"Your son, " She murmured, though not taking her eyes of the cub. "What do you think? "  

[wooga Paes]

"Slow.. slow down! " She blinked, finally looking away from her newborn as Keone stuttered over and over. He looked quite funny, actually. She ignored his question, because she would not give him 'the talk', especially if the cub was already born anyways.

Karama didn't feel like thinking much, she really wanted to just roll over and sleep. But she knew she had something else to do. Keone himself actually showed her that with hs remark. Calling the cub simply 'cub', 'it', 'he' wouldn't do. He needed a name.

She also had to calm Keone, and that should probably come first. Carefully, she pulled herself off the ground, though instinc was practically screaming at her not to leave the cub right now. She shakly paced over to Keone, headbutting his chest then laying next to him.

"Everythings alright. " She said, looking up to him, smiling lightly. "Things ill be different, but it won't be bad.. You'll see. " She looked back at the newborn, now wiggling away, probably evoiding the cold that came from the cave entrance. She moved back to him, but simply picked him up and returned to Keone, putting the cub beside her where he might be warmer.

"He needs a name, though. "

Whyyy did the warm stuff stay moving around?! The cub subconciously moved away from where it had gone to, though. He could tell it was coldish there, because of the cave entrance. As it seemed he would never be nice and cozy again, though, the nameless was picked up again, and once move placed next to his mother.

Once more moved by instinct, he wriggled close to her belly. After finding a teat, he began to sucle greedly, curling up and poking hispaws at the sides of his nose, as if to keep this stuff rom moving away. This tasted good!  

[wooga Paes]

She rolled her eyes. "And how would he have one? " She teased, headbutting his leg affectionately. She'd have to think of a name, then. Keone wouldn't know many either, would he? Afterall, he did say he'd never had a family. Karama wasn't very keen on names either, but as a rogue you got to meet some quit odd ones.

"What about Eusi? " She said to herself, then shook it off. The cub didn't look that dark. Besides, what if his fur got a bit brighter when he grew? He looked almost black now, but he might get a bit clearer.

"Usiku? it means night. " She murmured. He had been born at night, but night was also pretty dark. Both names suggested had been from random rogues she'd met, at least some that weren't annoying, like most.

"Wich one do you like best? "