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 Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:34 pm
((RP open to friends of Lefika and Koda, and any passerby in the jungle, as soon as the cubs are out. Their den is in a cave in a rock face on the side of a hill.))  She had come to like the little cave despite herself. She hadn't expected to care much for living in a hole in the ground, but she did. To think she had once felt claustrophobic in the jungle, only to now call a hole in the ground in the jungle her home. She and Koda had lined the floor with leaves and grasses to make it comfortable, and she herself, when she'd had the energy, had brought in bright wildflowers for a splash of color. Now she was too tired and too heavy with child to go much of anywhere. It made her miserable; she hated having to lie around all day.
Currently, Koda was out hunting, leaving Lefika to herself to rest. Idly, she arranged flowers along the walls of the cave, making patterns. It made her happy to bring some brightness into the otherwise dark cave. Suddenly, she felt a cramp. At first she ignored it, but then another pain came, this one sharp and overwhelming. Lefika gasped and doubled over, and she could feel that her water had broken. The kids were coming.
Now.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:48 pm
For a moment, in the midst of the pain, she was scared. Terrified. She couldn't believe she was going to have to bring her cubs into the world without her beloved, their father. She didn't know how she could possibly get through this ordeal without her Koda. The thought, coupled with the birthing pains, dizzied her.
Then, a voice spoke up in her head. No, it commanded, Don't you give up on yourself. Love has turned you soft; you're not yourself. Lefika is a strong female, Lefika is independant, and Lefika can do anything by herself. You can do this. DO THIS.
And it was true. She had gone soft ever since she'd been with Koda. The old Lefika had spent an untold amount of time doing everything on her own, shirking any help that may be offered. This was nothing! She was more than capable of bringing these kids into the world on her on. So, she narrowed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and pushed...
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:54 pm
Lefika's fur bristled as she strained to bring her children into the world. This first one was giving her an awful lot of trouble. She marveled at it. It was almost as though the child was defying her, refusing to come out. No matter how hard she pushed, he didn't seem to want to come. Shaking her head hard, she choked out, "Oh no you don't," and tried again.
Finally the cub emerged, slowly at first, but with great force, Lefika got him out into the leaves and flowers. Panting, she turned to look upon him.
Why, the child was practically the spitting image of herself, but male, and with his father's eyes. She beamed with pride at the child and leaned down to lick his earth-toned fur and clean him off. Once clean and free to breathe, she gently picked up and moved the little cub to make room for others.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:02 pm
She barely had time to catch her breath before the next child came. This one was vastly easier to birth. In fact, she barely had to push. Just a little coaxing brought his little head out, followed soon by his tiny paws tumbling after. He landed softly on his back amidst the flowers, and Lefika turned again to clean him off.
This little one, a bit smaller than his older brother, still bore much of Lefika's own markings, but with the colors of his father. She smiled at the wee cub and moved him now next to his brother.
Well, that was it. She was done. Two little boys, her sons, healthy and alive and welcomed to the world. As she nudged them gently towards her stomach to feed, she marveled that two little cubs could weigh so much. Finally she let her head drop and rested her weary body.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 5:43 pm
Koda was nearby, after hunting a few ratels to give to Lefika, maybe that would cheer her up from all the current stress put in her body. He bounded towards the cave happily, the lunch of the day in his mouth. His ear twitched as he heard a funny noise near the den. Worried, he rushed inside to see if his mate was okay. To his suprise, he came at the perfect moment. In shock, the pair of ratels within his jaw were instantly dropped to the cave floor.
Smiling warmly, he came closer, but still giving her some space to herself. After all, he didn't want to upset her. He turned back around and grabbed the rodents and wandered back to his mate. "Lefika, eat. You need the strength right now. I can wait to eat."
He turned to the pair of cubs at Lefika's side. Admiring them, he returned his gaze to his mate. "They look ... ... amazing. I'm just sorry I wasn't here to witness it. I'm amazed you did it all on your own." He laid down beside the lioness.
"Thank you for bringing our beautiful cubs into this world, love."
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:53 pm
Sighing happily, Lefika let one eye slide half-open to look on her love and half-smiled at hm. She was far too tired to do much more than half of anything; all her energy right now was devoted to catching her breath. "Thank you, love," she yawned. She wasn't sure if she even had the energy to eat at that moment, but she knew he was right. She'd never regain her energy if she didn't eat something. So she propped herself up gently and nibbled at the flesh of one of the ratels Koda had brought her.
Koda's overjoyed gushing made Lefika giggle. Just like Koda, always full of joy and wonder. He had a knack for bringing out the light in her. "You needn't appologize for anything, dear, you were hunting for us: that's important," she reminded him. "I know, aren't they just wonderful?" she whispered, leaning her head against Koda as he laid down. "Two beautiful little boys. Our sons..."
Small, blind, and helpless, the cub who would be called Sepoko marveled at the world upon arriving in it. Sensations came at him from all directions, new, overwhelming. What light cascaded through the cave opening illuminated his eyelids, and he felt the touch of fur and grass and dirt and air. On arriving in the world, his very first action, tellingly, was to let out a long, terrified mewl before being cleaned gently by the tongue of his mother. He warmed to this touch and knew, knew without knowing anything else, that yes this was his mother. He was placed beside his older brother and his mother's belly, and he wasn't entirely sure what to do with himself. The idea of feeding had not yet occured to him, and so he nudged curiously at his brother's side with his nose, examining.
It was perhaps the last time he would ever be so aggressive.
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