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 Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 5:00 pm
{This is semi-orp cause I don't mind if members of the Maziko or Duhushi's family or Amleth's friends (coughNycough) wander in ;3 Woo}
Amleth had been the first to know that something about her wasn't right. She wasn't particularly educated in the ways of pregnancy and childbirth, but she was a fairly sharp little thing, and she fully realised what was going on when it began to happen.
Duhushi had been... pleased. It was all she could do not to wipe that smug little smirk off his face, but maybe that was the hormones talking... in any case, she would be glad to get the little buggers out into the world where they belonged.
And it wouldn't be long, now.
She stretched out on the dirt floor of their large den, which was positioned in one of the bigger skulls on the edge of the graveyard. Trying to make herself comfortable, she called out. "Duhushi?" There was an urgency in her tone that indicated that she wanted him there.
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Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 5:09 pm
Duhushi moved on quick paws to the sound of his name. It was urgent and since it was Amleth's voice, there was only one thing it could be. With a quick leap he had been off towards their den. The growing mane, and the strangeness of it's stripes, lurched around his shoulders as he ran.
He had been so happy when their efforts had been fruitful but in the recent days, Amleth had been getting more and more bloated to the point that he was afraid to leave her side even to hunt. His paws rose dust as he willed them faster. His legs strained with use but this was important and the pain was numb to him. Finally, the bleached white of their den was distinctly visible. A smirk widened on his maw until he skidded to a stop right before the massive tusk.
"Don't worry Amleth." His voice shook with panic and excitement as he climbed quickly up the brittle skull. He padded swiftly to her, watching with a hesitant eye.
"I'm here my love." A gentle sigh came from him as he licked her cheek, nudging her softly.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:39 am
Amleth smiled wryly at her longtime friend and mate, and nudged his head with her own. "Good, you'd better be," she drawled, claws digging at the dirt beneath her in discomfort.
"Any day now..." she muttered, this somewhat irritated comment apparently directed to the tiny creatures in her womb. She looked out of the front of the skull at the dying grass and grey packed earth of the land surrounding the graveyard, flexing her claws again and trying to distract herself from the squirming of the cubs.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:05 am
This was the first time Nyunya had ventured into the Graveyard.
Her own cubs, of which her two old friends knew nothing yet - hence the impropmtu visit - were left at home with their father, her mate (and thinking of him as such still gave her an odd little thrill that she didn't quite understand). Let him deal with their noise all day. She deserved a little peace and quiet after what she'd gone through recently to bring them into the world, she thought. His only job in it had been far from stressful, so Nyunya saw him as owing her this little reprieve. Although... she probably should have told him she was leaving for the Graveyard, alone, before actually going, as he was quite protective of her now that he actually had her. Oh, well. He'll live.
She wasn't really fond of this place. Already she missed the openness of her new home in the Kusini'Mwezi lands, and the colour. This place was rather drab and definitely... creepy. Suppressing an un-Ny-like shudder, she fought the urge to turn tails and head home. She could send a messenger to tell them, after all...
Then a flash of purple caught her eye, standing out against all the colourlessness. A delighted smile graced her face, and all thoughts of fleeing this place vanished. That purple could only be Duhu! Moving damned fast, though. She had to scramble quickly into a run to stop him vanishing from sight, but fortunately for the small femme, what she lacked in size and bulk she made up for in speed and agility. Of course, his legs were much longer than hers and able to propel him along at greater distances, but she managed to keep him in sight - barely.
She was panting by the time he got to the skull and began climbing it. Oh, great. She had to scramble up there after running flat out like that? Gods, they didn't make it easy to visit them, did they? Grumbling softly to herself about the sheer injustice of having to climb like this so soon after giving birth, she navigated her way up the front of the skull. Despite her near-silent complaining, the climb wasn't all that difficult for her. She'd had lots of practice climbing over rocks and up and down steep slopes when she was a cub in the Umande'mfuni lands. She was just still used to milking the birth for Taabu, and so felt the compulsion to bemoan the exertion, even though he couldn't hear and her and would probably tell her it was her own choice to do it if he could.
Finally, though, the petite lioness managed to get to the opening of their den in this damned skull. She didn't particularly want to think of it as climbing up something's skull - that was just not appealing to her - but there wasn't really anything else that had a shape like that. She looked up at them both, grinning, relieved to find them both there so she didn't have to go with Duhu in search of Amleth, but as her mouth opened to speak, to say a greeting, it froze and her red eyes widened. It wasn't like Ny to be left speechless, though, as the little female always had an opinion on everything, and so she recovered quickly, managing to find her voice. Though, what she said was not a greeting. "You're pregnant?"
Immediately, and not seeming to realise she'd done it, her eyes shot accusingly at Duhu, frowning, before she looked back to Amleth, noticing she was rather... close to her time, gauging from personal experience, frown of reproach turning instantly to one of concern.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:52 am
"You know that I will always be with you in a time of need." He nudged her again with his muzzle. "I love you and yOu know I wouldn't leave your side." His voice shook lightly as he watched her belly quiver. Their cubs were certainly eager to be born. Duhushi was more paranoid than anything.
What if something went wrong and her lost her.
What if the cubs were lost?
So many things were running through his mind and not many were pleasant. The thought of having a family had been pushed out of his mind since he saw her. She was so uncomfortable because of him. Of what they had done which seemed so long ago. A soft lick on her cheek was all her could muster. His once proud voice had grown meak and tired. There was no way that he was more exhausted than she but his stomach lurched anyway. A thick feeling of unknowing shrowded everything.
A soft but warning growl rose in his throat at the feeling of somewhere there. He stood over his mate protectively, licking her cheek. He thought for a moment. That voice sounded familiar. The Purple Prince sighed in relief as he turned to her.
"Ny..."
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:58 am
Amleth laughed a little bit and leaned up to nudge Duhushi reassuringly. "I know you will. It's okay," she said warmly, wincing as a ripple of pain washed over her. She smiled once it was over, ears perking at the sound of Ny climbing into the skull. Who would be visiting them..?
The sight of her best friend save Duhushi lit up her face. She almost tried to get up and greet the white-and-salmon lioness before remembering her condition, and slumped back down. "Ny!" the hyena-marked lioness said cheerfully, unable to prevent a look of amusement from crossing her face as Ny glared at Duhu.
"Yes... you have impeccable timing. Come in," she said with another wince.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:31 am
Impeccable timing? Amleth wasn't kidding about that! She padded into the cave more, feeling it to not be taking liberties too much to ignore Duhu right now, since Amleth needed her attention more. She, after all, was the one with the knowledge about this stuff. Because giving birth once before made her an expert on the subject, of course.
"How are the pains?" she asked, with a little smile. "Feel like they're tearing you apart inside yet?" That's how it had damned well felt when she was going through this. She'd never forget that, and wouldn't be in too much of a rush to repeat the experience, that's for sure.
She sat so that she was next to both of her two best friends, and leaned over to nuzzle Amleth encouragingly. There had been a time, not so long ago, that Amelth had comforted Ny through pain of her own, though it had been emotional. Now it was time for the pale lioness to return the favour.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:45 am
Duhu sighed and stepped away, giving Ny room. There wasn't much he could do against the forces of nature. Pain tugged on his heart as he sat closer to the front of the skull. Amleth needed him there but he couldn't help at all in the process.
"I'll just...look out for hyenas."
The Prince looked out of the eye socket, his muzzle quivering.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:54 am
Amleth grinned slightly at Ny. "It's...they're alright, most of the time," she answered, ears laying back as another ripple hit her. She clawed at the dirt a bit, crimson eyes full of patience, and then worry for her mate as he padded away.
"No, Duhu.. stay here," she said quietly, wincing as the cubs began to make their way into the world. She gritted her teeth as the first one slid out, and she leaned around to pull it to her, to clean it. She did this twice more until three tiny cubs had been cleaned and place by her side to nurse. Two girls, both pale whites and greys with Duhushi's purple accents. One of them also had a few of Amleth's spots, but the boy truly reflected his mother's colors. He had Duhushi's stripes on his back and paws and an odd marking she didn't recall seeing before on his shoulder, though...
She licked them softly, purring, before looking up at her mate and smiling.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:03 am
Duhushi kept his eyes forward through everything, even her voice. His breath faltered and shivered as the smell reached his nose. Cubs He turned his head towards the seen behind him and a smile pulled at his lips. He stalk closer on uncertain paws until he reached her side. 2 grils and a boy. Just like his father. Gently, the prince nudged each one, memorizing their individual scents and markings.
He stopped at the small boy last. It looked so much like it's mother. Just like his father though when he saw him. "You'll be handsome won't you..." Nudgiung the boy a bit harder, Duhu saw what he had escaped himself. The mark was blazed on his shoulder in the brown of his mother. Not wanting to alarm her, he quickly moved to the eldest of their litter. The purple brces on her legs made hims giggle.
"Atleast we have some sort of purple in our family besides mine."
Finally, he came to the palest. Her markings and lack of purple reminded him of his sister, Kitengele. A purr rumbled through his chest as he muzzled his mate.
"They're all so beautiful. Just like you..."
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:47 am
Nyunya now better appreciated the position Taabu had been in during the birth of their cubs. She had thought, in the back of her mind, that he really wasn't doing anything helpful besides protecting her with his presence. But now she better realised that there really wasn't anything that could be done in this situation, other than offer support to the one in labour with one's presence. She had hoped to be able to coach her friend through this, but she was not at a completely different perspective and soon realised she had no hope of doing so. All she could do was... be there, really. Most annoying, actually.
But now there were three cubs, one less than herself. So, she was a mother and now an... aunt, perhaps? And all in such a small space of time. She smiled down at them, though, but didn't move closer to nuzzle them, as she felt an urge to do. Let the parents do that first. "Congratulations, guys," she said quietly, with a little laugh. "I didn't expect to find anything quite like this when I decided to come here..."
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Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:19 am
Amleth let out a strangled laugh, reaching out a forepaw and batting at Duhushi's ears. "You're such a poet," she drawled happily, sticking out her tongue. The irony of her acting like a cub when she now had three of them curled at her side didn't escape her.
Turning to Ny, the darker lioness beamed. "Why did you come, Ny? I never thought you'd try to find us here..." She shifted a bit to face her friend, one paw still resting on her mate's.
The male cub wriggled a bit as Duhushi fawned over him and his siblings, pawing blindly at Amleth's side. It sure was loud! He burrowed closer to his mother and made a soft whimpering sound.
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:56 pm
"A poet I most certainly am." He nipped gently at her paw, purring. the Purple Prince batted at her bangs with his own. She was still such a cub at heart and yet they had just stated their own little family. His eyes beamed with pride as he watched his family squirm lightly against her belly. The sight sent shocks of joy up his spine and along his tail, making the tuft twitch and twirl. Things were looking lively in this valley of death.
"Thank you Ny." His attentions finally turned back to their long time friend. She looked different, older rather. "It's nice to see you after all this time." The smile on his face made him look so joyful even with the scars that marred between patches of fur on his face.
"At least we have someone to help us name them, love"
White toed purple paws pressed lightly against her mother's gray stomach. It was dark and yet light. Confusion made her wiggle against the warmth that she would soon know as Mom. Black ears twitched at the sensations of hearing and whiskers twitched with the feeling of fur against her cheek. The small cub mewed wildly, struggling to get a grasp of the new world.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:05 am
[Sorry, sorry, sorry. @w@ Chase me with pitchforks later, 'kay? <3 I'm always so damned tired. x___X]Nyunya laughed, tilting her head in a 'you're welcome' gesture, letting her little self lay down beside Amleth. "It's good to see the two of you again, too. It's been too long since we were all together like this."
Her eyes gravitated to the cubs, and the laughter softened and quieted to just a smile. What excellent timing. If only she'd known while she was with cub that Amleth was, too. She didn't know what she would have done, had she known, but maybe it would've been... nice.
"What brings me here, though, is a want to see both of you, and the news I have to tell you." She lifted her eyes to settle them once more on the parents. "First of all, you will no longer find me on the Umande'mfuni lands. I left not long ago, and found my way to the Kusini'Mwezi lands, and that is where I now live. If you need me, there is where you'll find me.
"The second piece of news is..." Now her eyes fell once again on the three balls of fur at Amleth's side "The two of you are not the only ones with cubs." Her smile turned exceedingly proud just at the thought of her own little ones. The other female had been still and quiet since her birth, trying to assess her new situation as logically as she could with her newborn mind, but as she heard the whimper of her brother, she instinctively pressed against his warmth and offered her own as comfort.
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:34 pm
Amleth's eyes widened at this piece of news. She grinned cubbishly at her friend, tempted to leap up in excitment, but unable to because of the three cubs at her side.
"Really, Ny?" She asked, looking to Duhu to catch his reaction. "I didn't even know you.. you had..someone," she finished lamely, not at all sure of the circumstances of Ny's having cubs, and so hesitant to jump to any conclusions.
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