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 Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:22 am
She was lying in the shallow den that she had discovered close to the side of the river, her body half in and half out as she lay basking in the sun.
Her swollen belly had been acting up for the past few hours, confining her to the den until it went away. The muscles along her stomach seemed to ripple and a shiver ran down the length of her spine.
"What's w-wrong little ones?" Her whispered voice spoke to the unborn lives dwelling within her. "You w-wanting to escape?" She smiled, her eyes glittering, Just like mummy. She thought pleasantly to herself.
Would she have as much as seven cubs or would the number be far less? She wanted to believe she could birth that many but in her weakened state she was beginning to fear.
What if she didn't survive labour? What if her babies died because of her weakness?
A sharp pain caught her unawares and she released a silent roar, edging further back into the den. She wanted to get away from the light, away from prying eyes. She wanted to hide in the dark, hide until the pain had gone away.
Again a lance of agony rattled her ribcage and she collapsed at the back of the den, panting heavily.
Something...something was happening!
Terror gripped her and a wave of heat enveloped her. Her breath rasped between her dry lips and a small cry rumbled free from her throat. Pain, so much pain!
She didn't want to be alone!
"ZENONI!" His name would never be stuttered on her tongue and as it tore free from her lungs she wished that somehow he would hear.
But he wouldn't.
She knew deep down she would probably never set eyes upon her beloved mate ever again. Would he even see his cubs? Oh she hoped so...someday.
"Zenoni..." She whispered his name and the next stab of pain almost had her blacking out. She writhed, rolled and landed on her side again, panting heavily as if she was slowly being suffocated.
She didn't want to do this alone...but she had no choice. With no mate, no true friends and no family close by she would have to battle by herself. No encouraging words, no calm faces. Just the dark walls of the den and the movement of her unborn cubs.
A contraction tore through her fragile frame and again she roared, the ear-splitting sound echoing around the den.
"P-pl-please...make it st-stop."
She was afraid.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:37 am
Hababuu had been walking the length of the river, wondering eagerly where it was going to take her. She knew never to leave her lands and she didn't really want to, but she did wish to know her Pride's lands well.
The way the valleys curved, the random holes covered by grass. It would be nice to know everything about the place you lived. Especially with danger in the air.
She had never met her grandmother but it still hurt her to think of her mother's mother being killed. She knew she would be devestated if Syeira was to be killed. And she definately didn't want her beautiful fur to be ruined by a scar! No way!
The sound of a shrill roar broke her concentration and the little juvenile almost staggered into the river, catching herself just in time. The roar had been unfamiliar and yet she had heard it once or twice before. If it had been a rogue then it would have been chased off by now. Maybe it was a timid member?
Habu was never one to hold back. She was a busy-body, always poking her nose into other peoples business. This time she had a reason though. That roar sounded full of pain and the juvenile couldn't help but think that the murderer had struck again.
The brown girl blinked her crimson encricled eyes and crouched, crawling forwards on her belly. For a few meters she remained in this position, moving as slowly as her untrained paws would allow. Then appearing in front of her was the secret entrance of a den. A den that reeked of a strange lioness.
Why would a Pride member live on the borders like this? What was she afraid of?
Hababuu clambered up to the den's mouth and peered inside, squinting her eyes to make out the pale shape inside. And as the gloom seemed to fade she recognised the shape of an outstretched female.
She would have been beautiful once. All that creamy fur glistening and clean, but now Hababuu saw a lioness that was all bones. Her fur was streaked with grass stains and mud and her ribs jutted out with such startling profile that she could have been a corpse. Yet it was that swollen, sunken belly that had the brown girl confused.
How could she be so thin everwhere except her stomach?
She crawled carefully forwards, her eyes intently watching the elder female whose sides heaved with each struggled breath.
"Pl-please...stop h-hurting..."
Hababuu's ears instantly perked up at the female's weakened voice.
"Who's hurting you?" She replied as if on reflex.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:45 am
The female flinched at the voice and turned her head up to see who was at the entrance. The face of a stranger loomed down at her and a hoarse whimper broke free from her throat.
There was a beast here! A beast who was trying to steal her babies!
Kiburi released an almost savage cry, pulling herself to her paws and dragging herself to the back of the den. Another flash of pain sent her sprawling against the floor again and she looked up pitifully.
She wanted to hide, wanted to dissapear. She wanted her babies, her beautiful unborn babies.
"Pl-pl-please...pl-please do-don't hurt my cubs!" Her words were practically blasted from her mouth, each word forced as if they were hard to come by.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:51 am
Staring with widening eyes the twin gave a small tilt of her head, wondering why on earth this creature was so afraid of her.
Something chilled her heart and she drew in a deep breath, catching the scent of the pregnant lioness and something else that hung in the air. This den reeked of something else and it seemed to have enveloped the entire area.
Death.
It was the same smell she had caught on the air when her grandmother had been killed. Had someone died here? Or...
"I'm sorry." It was the first time the little girl had ever apologised to anyone in her life but somehow she felt she should. This female was so timid, so afraid, so horribly disfigured. The scars that rippled down her muzzle seemed to burn and it was clear the ones on her shoulder had caused some damage to her walking.
Yet as she collapsed Hababuu began to realise. The stench of death was coming from her.
"I'm Hababuu, daughter of Uumikaji and Syeira." Maybe this lioness would know her parents?
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:01 am
The name of Hababuu's parents seemed to calm the female instantly and a glint of recognition shimmered in her dull eyes, seeming to bring them to life.
The flower the Goddess had given her was working wonders despite the pain she was feeling. Her life had been boosted - or for a short while anyway.
She squirmed a little and with another burst of pain came the sensation that drove her to push.
Her muscles bunched and eyes squeezed shut, every inch of her energy being forced into bringing life to her little ones. The ones she would die for. The ones she would love for all eternity no matter where she was.
The feeling came to an end but somehow she knew that one push was just the beginning. It would take many more to birth just one child, let alone the others she might have been carrying.
The slight dip in pain allowed her to speak.
"Your par-parents...I kn-know them very...very well." Tears filled her eyes at the thought of the striking red cub...Rocky... "Y-your father was m-my best friend, y-you know. I c-came here to see h-him but I cannot b-bring myself to go any further. N-not until my ba-babies are born."
Another burst of pain cut off anything else that might have been said.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:06 am
Hababuu nodded, lost for words as she watched the poor lioness writhe in agony. What was happening? The girl was talking about cubs but she saw none and then suddenly it hit her.
Were the cubs...inside her?
Was that the reason she looked so fat in the middle?
She drew forwards a little more, an instinct rising in her that perhaps one so young shouldn't have. Then need to mother, the need to offer tender affection to those weaker than herself.
"My father is here. He isn't too far. Should I...should I get him for you?" She was unsure whether that would be the right thing but what if Uumi could so something that she couldn't? She didn't know how cubs were made or how they came into the world. She couldn't be of any use!
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:13 am
For a moment Kiburi was lost in her own world. Something was stirring, the cubs seemed to be wanting to get out too fast. She struggled, gasped for breath and gave another push. A pain erupted inside her and fear caught her by the teeth.
Did the cubs tear her insides?!
She released a strangled cry, opening one eye a slither to see Hababuu. Without even hearing her words she knew what the cub was saying.
"N-no...please, st-stay with me..." She groaned and shifted, her tail thrashing as she gave another push. "I d-don't want to b-be al-alone." The words hissed passed clenched teeth and slowly she came to realise the first cub was well on it's way.
"I d-don't know w-what to do!" Tears flooded down the curves in her furry face, but Kiburi was not aware of anything but the fiery pain that was erupting inside of her.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:17 am
Hababuu wasted no time in moving to Kiburi's side, nuzzling at her muzzle in the way her mother often did. What else could she do to comfort the obviously distressed female?
"Shh, shh don't cry. It'll all be okay." It was strange tos ee the juvenile talking to an adult this way, but the girl wasn't sure what else to do. She could only repeat the actions her parents did when she or her siblings had been upset.
"It'll be over soon and your cubs will be here." She turned her head to glance at Kiburi's swollen and shivering belly. What did it feel like to have living things inside of you? Hababuu could never imagine!
"What's your name?" She asked, hoping that answering a question would distract the lioness from her pain.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:28 am
"K-Kiburi...m-my name's Kiburi." The pearly lioness seemed to push again, the strain quite evidence on her face. She never would have imagined this was the pain that one had to go through to create something as beautiful as life.
She grunted again and suddenly a huge contraction struck her. The female's body went rigid as she forced with all her might. Aware now that something was definately shifting she gave an extra shove and felt movement again.
Hot liquid soaked her back legs but Kiburi paid no attention to that. Finally after hours of discomfort the lioness felt something fall down by her hind legs.
A cub?
She forced herself up, craning her head back to see and her eyes met with a tiny, wet ball of pearly fur. For a moment it didn't move and her heart clenched, moving to seize the cub by it's scruff.
Instinct drove her on, rasping tongue brushing the liquid from the cub's mouth and nose. Then finally the body moved and a high-pitched squeak filled the room. Kiburi didn't stop washing though, not even when she felt the contractions pick up again.
She cleaned and cleaned and cleaned until the cub was dry and fluffy from her efforts.
The first born was pearly - just like herself with a stripe of brown along her back. It was the dark brown mask that captured Kiburi's heart however and she briefly wondered what colour eyes it contained. The father's or the mother's.
She wouldn't know until they opened.
She had already thought up many names before now and as she stared at her new daughter she could not help but whisper one that she adored.
"Jini'pomoka..." The name was not stuttered, "Spirit b-be broken." She turned her eyes up to Hababuu and smiled. "Not a fact, but a d-dare. T-this one wi-will be st-strong...I know it."
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:34 am
Hababuu said not a word as the birth began to proceed and her eyes flickered over to glance at Kiburi's hindquarters. Perhaps it was just female intuition but somehow the little girl knew that something was going to happen any second.
A soft pat filled the room and suddenly the elder female was pushing herself up.
Hababuu held her breath as Kiburi picked up the cub and watched in wonder as the female began to wash the little pearly child. Then after a heart-stopping moment the cub wriggled and gave a cry, shifting across the ground to find a source of nourishment.
"That is a beautiful name Kiburi. She seems strong to me." She blinked, "are there more?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:44 am
Kiburi smiled and nudged her firstborn over to her stomach where it soon latched on and began to feed. One tiny little life now relied heavily on her, but how many would there be?
She paused to nose affectionately at young Pomoka, a smile curving her features despite the urge to push again.
"A-atleast as couple more I th-think." She spoke, before throwing her head back in agony. This contraction had come from nowhere and was now forcing her to push. Again her body tightened, every ounce of her strength being used for one sole purpose; to push.
She mumbled a few words that were inaudible, perhaps a prayer or two, then slowly the body of the second cub began to be revealed. Sensing the approaching birth Kiburi gave a small huff, lay herself down and concentrated solely on releasing her second child.
She was unaware of anything else going on, she was unaware of Hababuu, or Jini and of the outside world. All she knew now was that her second cub was half-way out.
Half alive.
A small whimper left her throat as the second cub slid free and fell to the ground with a soft sound.
Again the weakened female pushed herself up, grabbing the wriggling cub by the scruff and pulling it up against her chest. Again she began to wash, cleaning the liquid from it's golden fur, pausing only to announce proudly.
"A-another girl." She smiled, "looks like the s-sun." She continued to wash her second daughter, tongue rasping at the fur between her golden ears.
"What d-do you think of the n-name Wamuhu?" Kiburi asked of Hababuu, "It me-means, born of ashes."
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:52 am
Hababuu could hardly believe what was happening to her. She had been exploring, just like any other day, and now she was witnessing the miracle of life!
She blinked and glanced at the two newborns being urged to feed, smiling as she watched their tiny bodies wriggling. Their eyes were closed but they seemed to know that they were somewhere safe. It must have been nice to have someone depend on you so desperately.
"Beautiful." Hababuu agreed, her eyes taking note of the colour brown and black on the cubs. Had they gotten that from their father?
"Kiburi...where is their dad?" She asked, turning her eyes up to glance at the new mother.
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:42 am
Kiburi seemed to release a tiny cry at the mention of Zenoni and sank back to the earthy ground with a longing look. Then slowly she forced herself to glance into the juvenile's face, sadness so strong in her eyes that Hababuu was almost forced to look away.
"I-it's not his f-f-fault." She stuttered helplessly, "He doesn't k-know where I a-am. He's tr-trapped and he c-can't get here." She grunted as another slither of pain wracked her body and she rested her head down against one paw, straining against another contraction. Oh it hurt so very much but she knew she couldn't stop. If she gave up on the battle now her babies would die inside of her and in turn she would die. And with no mother to care for the two daughters already at her side then they too would have no chance at life.
She had to continue for their sake or else all of her little ones would join her in the stars before their time. She could not allow that and so she would battle until she had nothing left to give.
"Ahh!" A strangled cry leapt upwards from her throat as she heaved herself into a new, more comfortable position and then slowly she began again. The labour was taking it's toll on her and as she struggled to keep a control on the situation she felt herself losing strength. Each push was slow and sluggish and the pain was excruitiating, yet she continued and when she thought nothing was going to happen she heard the sound of another cub flopping down onto the ground at her hind legs.
Trying desperately to breath the young mother tipped back her head and struggled weakly to get up. It was only when she realised that she was possibly too weak to even reach for her third born that she began to struggle and writhe, somewhat desperate to wash and tend to her cub.
From this angle she could just about see the streak of black that her third cub had been blessed with. The colour of her mate's mane.
She gave a pitiful cry and tried to shift again, the cubs already feeding at her sides giving squeaks of annoyance at the disturbance.
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:52 am
Hababuu blinked sadly at Kiburi's words and shifted even closer, moving so that she could nestle up against her side. She couldn't bare to look into that grieving face and into those eyes that seemed dead already. She wondered what this poor lioness had been through to have endured so much. Who could have done this to her? Was it the same lions who had her mate trapped?
A slither of regret slipped into Haba's soul as she thought of her helplessness. She was just a little lady with no means to fight.
Her thoughts turned briefly to her twin but she knew that she didn't want him to get involved with any creature cruel enough to do this. She comforted Kiburi with quiet words as the female again turned her attention to birthing.
Time ticked on and with each strain of Kiburi's body Hababuu could not help but wonder if this was the end. Then suddenly the sound of a cub being brought into the world caught at her ears and a relieved smile spread across her maw.
"Well done Kiburi!" She replied, only then realising the mother's distress. "Hang on, hang on. I'll get your cub." And with that she slipped out from beside the petite adult to pick up the tiny ball of black fur. "See, here you go. Your baby is safe and sound." The black ball seemed to wriggle then but fell still as it was laid at it's mother's chest.
"Such dark fur!" The pelt proving that Kiburi's mate must have been a mix of browns and blacks. If she could do anything for her newfound friend it would be to keep a look out for her mate and bring him to her, though she doubted he would ever cross this way.
"What will you call this little one?" She asked.
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:03 am
The relief poured into Kiburi's expression and she gave a longing sigh as she stared down at the black cub snuggling against her chest. Then slowly she lowered her head and washed the gunk from the little one's fur, taking great delight in cleaning every speck from the downy fur. They were indeed all proving to be beautiful little girls. So many daughters!
But Kiburi didn't care. She had wanted girls and she had got them, though she hoped that she had atleast one boy. One boy to look out for the girls when she was gone...
With a small sniff she rose her head and glanced at the juvenile contentedly. "Her name...h-her name will b-be...Valon'elusi." And with that she picked up the newly named girl and placed her next to her siblings.
And as Kiburi half expected the contractions never ceased. They continued their rampage on her broken body, forcing her to once again concentrate on pushing. With renewed strength at having birthed three healthy looking girls the young mother forced herself to battle onwards.
Her breath caught in her throat and halted as she gave an extra strong push, feeling movement. She was glad that it seemed each cub was coming out easier - though perhaps it was because they were becoming smaller. The black cub did look as if she were a little smaller than the others, though Kiburi assumed that was natural. She had been smaller than Mchele, though that was possibly because she had been born the wrong way around.
"T-there's going t-to be four." She gasped, casting her gaze to Hababuu briefly.
Then another push and the fourth child slid free from its prison to land on the ground beneath it. This one's fur was a deep chocolate brown with a white chest that looked distinctly like the markings of the so-called grandmother Jasiri - though Kiburi had never met her.
Pushing herself up again Kiburi glanced at the cub wriggling at her hind-legs, glad to see that it seemed well and that it also didn't look much smaller than the last. Perhaps she was doing well after all.
"I know h-her name already." Kiburi spoke up as Hababuu brought her the fourth daughter, "Kizalia'buga."
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