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 Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:04 pm
Once again, Asali'jua had disappeared from her pride's sanctuary at the heart of the swamp, seeking a den for herself. The hollow old tree, twisted with exposed roots, was the same she had chosen before. But instead of birthing five cubs, this time there were six - two boys, four girls, all beautiful and wonderful.
The pride they were born into was small; half a dozen youths had been sent to find their names and had not yet returned, a lioness had fled with her cubs of ill omen, and Sehani had long wandered away with one of her sons by her side. Remaining in the swamps were the Noble's other three children, a pair of pale lions seeking a home, and of course Asali'jua's Consort, Jabali.
These cubs would add a welcome bustle to the humid thrum of the swamplands, and be a balm to their mother's heart. The lioness yet pined and worried for her first litter, wishing always for their safe and swift return, even now as she herded the six cubs of her new litter out into the world, soon to give them the names they would carry as they grew.
Asali's heart swelled with pride as she nudged them all gently out of the hollow tree that had been their warm home until now, when all their eyes had opened. She followed them out, keeping a careful eye on her half-dozen offspring to make sure they all made it back to the pride.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:15 pm
The first of the four daughters clambered out between and over roots, blinking in the unfamiliar light. As soon as she was over the rough, bumpy wood of the roots, she came to the softness of damp soil, which she found a great deal more appealing underneath her paws. Filled with happy wonderment at the nice squish, she crooned with pleasure, a high and mewling sound from her young throat.
She was quite happy to stay right here, thank you, and so flopped down to have a bit of a roll in the dirt, only to be picked up and set back on her feet by her mother, who licked the top of her head fondly.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:44 pm
One of the two little males followed his sister, creeping with wary curiosity between the tangle of roots. The sunlight was bright to his dark-accustomed eyes. He squinted and half-fell to the damp ground outside, but quickly regained his balance. Soft wet earth under his paws! A new sensation, new light, new scents everywhere.
He poked his nose into the damp loam, getting a smudge of mud across his muzzle, darker than his rich brown fur. The dirt and vegetation tickled his nose. Sneeze! He blinked in astonishment and wobbled further afield, inexhaustibly curious.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:19 pm
Following after her brother, another cub emerged, her eyes crinkling in vague irritation at the new sensation of bright light hitting them. Taking a moment to adjust, she didn't even hesitate when her paws sunk slightly into the soft, spongy soil, plunging forward, as was quickly becoming her habit, without any hesitation.
Slipping in a particularly slimy patch of mud, she fell, emerging a short moment later looking like something out of a swamp thing movie, with globs of mud clinging to her fur. Shaking herself off awkwardly, she looked around, trying to take in all the new sights and sounds, her ears swivelling to and fro with blatant curiosity.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:39 pm
Trying to appear prepared and failing utterly, a fourth cub followed the tread of her fellow offspring. She was heavy-footed and green as an ancient toad, ears constantly rotating at any noise with interest and perhaps a measure of uncertainty as she scoured the newness of everything with critical thoughtfulness. It was in eyes that seemed to capture the sun's light and the splash of muddy-brown along her back legs that she was declared her mother's daughter; beyond that, she bore little semblance to the rich browns and elegant paleness of her brothers and sisters.
The tumble from the warmth of the hollow where they'd been packed like grub to follow the lioness' behest and join the rest of the world had been less frightening than she'd anticipated, and she determined that the worst of it was over. The green cub bumped shoulders with her siblings, encouraged by their collective presence for the moment as she drank in the warmth and watched them mingle with their surroundings, reluctant to acquaint herself with everything just yet.
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:50 am
The fifth and last cub gave a huge yawn. He'd been enjoying his nap too much to really be in any hurry about keeping up with the others, an unusual turn of events. His mother's prod were becoming less gentle though, and he took the hint.
Sliding forward on his belly, he stumbled and made an inelegant roll hind-over-head; his first meeting with sunlight was in a sprawl on the ground. Bathed in warmth by the light, he flickered an ear curiously before rubbing against the dirt. Maybe it was time for another nap...
But no, there was his mother again urging him forward. Ears angled back and his tail lashed a few times. Did this really have to happen now? The lioness was insistent and he drooped slightly.
Movement caught his eye and he stared after his brother and sisters. Well, if he had to be awake, he might as well be fully awake. Paws like springs sent him chasing after his siblings, his unlucky target... someone's twitching tail!
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:27 pm
Chaka slipped out somewhere between her brother and the other sister, silently trying to make her way forth with as much caution as possible, eyeing the mud slicked ground warily. She seemed to bear, perhaps the most resemblance to their mother, and already at this tender and young age took great joy in that fact. She didn't want to muddy herself up just yet.
Pale paws carried her forward, careful to keep her footing until she realized she was being left behind. Her ears perked in surprise, and she scampered quickly to regain lost ground, slipping a bit with a tiny squeak in the mud-- but thankfully she regained her balance before she could bump into any of them.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:55 pm
A grin touched Asali's silent lips as she watched her children discover the world for the very first time, but unfortunately now was not the time for exploration. And so, with utmost care and watchfulness, she herded them along towards the heart of the swamp, watching like a hawk to make sure none took a tumble into water too deep, or got left behind.
It was a slow progress, but after a time they came to the swamp's center, an island surrounded by water with only the smallest of land bridges to breach the gap. It was towards this she moved the cubs, encouraging them to cross. On the island waited the rest of the tiny pride, comprised of father and cousins to the young ones.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:58 pm
The cub with darker brown like smudges of mud under her eyes was the first to be nudged onto the little strip of land, where she stood wide-eyed for a long moment, staring at the gathering of lions ahead and the murky swampwater below. It took another push from her mother's nose to get her moving again, and finally she began to toddle across, tiptoeing towards her destiny.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:21 pm
While waiting for the line to keep moving, Chaka crept silently closer to Asali, curious. Who were those other lions waiting for them? When would it be her turn to cross?
Affectionately, she rubbed against Asali's leg, arching her back briefly in doing so while her eyes remained trained on her siblings. This new world was certainly turning out to be an interesting one so far.
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