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 Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:22 pm
Her cubs were growing and though it appeared a few of them had some sort of trouble they were ultimately very happy. She had never told them that she was sick, never told them that she was dying and yet the questions had started to come.
~Why aren't you like other mummys?~
~Why won't you play with us? We want you to play!~
~You're always tired...Buu's mama isn't always tired~
And though she loved them dearly it hurt to look into their faces, to look into their eyes and see Zenoni staring back at her. She had done little in her life except hurt and abandon people. First her family and her brother and friends then Zenoni and the other slaves. Now she was going to abandon her own children too, her own little babies.
It broke her heart and every morning she battled to open her eyes from where her tears had dried them shut.
Now, however, the light was fading and she knew that her life ebbed with the sun. Breathing was too difficult to bear, each one a crushing pain on her lungs. Her body refused to move and ever since the birth she had stayed in the den, taking scraps offered to her every now and then. In fact if it had not been for Uumi's daughter she doubted she would have even survived the birthing.
A few of her children stirred in the den, curled up in sleep, but Kiburi did not want to wake them yet. She was waiting, waiting to speak to an old friend.
Rocky...
She wanted to see him, his bright red fur, his kindly - if not grumpy - eyes. She wanted a face from the past to be there with her when she made that jump into the next life. For though she had accepted death long ago she did still fear it...just a little.
In her dreams her mother came to her, beckoning for her to join them. She had fought it, telling her mother to wait. Yet last night she had almost crossed over. Almost. Now she knew that when the dream came again she would not be able to deny it. Her mother needed her and so did the poor dead cub.
A tear slid free from her slate-blue eyes and dripped against the cold, dank earth and she continued to wait.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:48 pm
Uumi moved slowly after his daughter with a worry still growing in his stomach. When had Kib gotten to these lands.. why hadn't someone told him sooner? Hababu had said only that papa's friend was here, and the only friend he could think of was Kib. But something about it made him feel unsure and confused, and something told him something was wrong.
But at the same time it was very good news, he was quite lonely these days. Sure he had the kids... and grandchildren even! But his precious Sye... where had she gone to? Her mother passed away.. and that was the only thing he could link her disappearance to. The elderly scared him... he wasn't aware of his own mother's death. No, he hadn't seen any of his family in a long time. He'd grown mature enough to wish them well in their lives though.
His tail lashed back and forth, his breathing shallow and uneven. He realized how fast they'd been going and what it was doing to his poor lungs... but for some reason he knew they shouldn't slow down. "This is the right way darling?" He muttered softly, crimson eyes floating over his little girl.
Azima wasn't really paying attention to where they were headed or why, he just knew that Hababu was trying to steal their father from him! They'd been having so much fun, it was selfish of her to call his attention away!
Well maybe not... so much fun... Uumi just rested while Azima hunted crickets but Azima loved every minute he could get with his father and he alone. "Right way?" He repeated slowly, finally looking around.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:09 am
There was an urgency in Hababuu's step that depicted the situation at paw. Kiburi's weakened voice had begged her to find Uumi, to fetch him there to the den. Somehow the little juvenile could not say no. Instead she had turned tail and fled and had found her father and her...brother.
At Uumi's question she curved back her head and nodded, "Yes daddy~" Her voice always seemed to maintain it's 'princess tone'. Then she turned to gaze at her red-pelted brother and shot him a glare. He was always so grumpy! Now was not the time to be so grumpy!
"It's not far now!" She called, and even as she said it the den came into view. She opened her jaws and gave a mewling call of greeting to the female lying inside. "Hurry, hurry!" She squeaked to her father.
Inside the den Kiburi's ears perked up and she felt movement at her side. Her eyes turned downwards to gaze at the tiny bundle of fur at her side. Little Pomoka...whose eyes glittered with the hues of her father's. She sighed and moved slightly to lick her between her ears, then she returned to her slouching position.
Finally...Uumi was here. Then she could rest. Finally rest.
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:17 am
There was a strange quiet about today, but she knew not about what it meant. The white creature shifted in her sleep, feeling the huddled bodies of her brothers and sisters beside her. Mother was awake, and she could feel that... but there was something... was someone coming? Ya shifted, and crossed her paw.
She was a quiet soul, so she didn’t ask any questions. With the end of her paw though, she nudged Pomoka, and peeked out towards the den’s opening. There were noises outside- but she couldn’t see anyone yet.
“...?” The white creature’s head tilted, and she settled back down- doing what she did best: listening.
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:42 pm
Azima rolled his eyes at his sister but as they got to the den opening he slowed down and wrinkled his nose. There were a lot of scents in there, and almost as if there was some sort of wrong scent in the cave. He didn't think he knew the lions that lived here. He hung back near the entrance, suddenly feeling a bit shy.
Uumi glanced at his son and nuzzled him lightly before slipped slowly into the cave. "Kib?" He said softly, tail flicking as his eyes slowly began to adjust to the dim lighting of the den. His nostrils flared and the famaliar scent of his childhood... 'friend' entered his nostrils. As did the scent of little ones, which he could only assume where the peach lioness' children.
His eyes widened slightly as they finally fell upon the form of his friend, they had avoided the cubs completely. She looked so... so wasted away! His heart seemed to skip a few beats as he came closer, though his actions were careful and unsure. "Kib... it's Uumi.." He breathed out. Wow, she looked bad! And her looking so bad... made his heart hurt.
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:54 pm
Pomoka felt her sister's nudge and almost instinctly snuggled closer to her quiet sibling. The pink-eyed girl was not usually so quiet, in fact she was always full of questions about the world. However, since her mother had taken the turn for the worse she too had seemed to deteriorate.
Surely that was only to be expected though, having a dying mother was not exactly the best way to be brought up. Even Hababuu couldn't replace a mother. The brown female was more like an elder sister than anything.
"Mother?" She whispered fearfully as she realised that it was no longer just she and her family. She tried to grab Ya by the scruff and tug her closer to mum's belly, but of course, failed to do so. She staggered, fell to the ground and released a pitiful mew, eyes blinking fearfully at the red lion who had just entered.
Hababuu hung back too, moving to stand beside her brother. Though the two never seemed to get on too well - due to their disagreement on twins - she seemed to want to be beside him now. She suddenly wished her twin was here with her. He always knew how to cheer her up.
"I think she's dying, Azima."
Kiburi smiled softly at her cubs as they shied away from the red lion. Releasing a soft purr in an effort to calm them she turned her eyes up to her old friend. She remembered the first time she had met him, as cubs.
He had kicked stones at her.
Strange that such an act could draw her to him. She had always considered him a best friend, even if he had not. Now that he had a family, she hoped he had softened his heart a little. It was not natural to remain so cold to those you love.
"Rocky..." She croaked, "I waited for you." She paused and looked down, almost shyly. "I'm s-sorry I couldn't come see y-you myself." She continued, "I don't t-think I have the strength to s-stand anymore." As if trying to ease the atmosphere she smiled anew.
"These are m-my little ones. Jini'ponoka and Ya." She directed him to the two girls who were awake. "there are f-four others, fast asleep..."
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:00 pm
Ya shifted against her mother as Pomoka rose up and started to stumble. The white creature stretched a paw our to try and stabilize her sister- but before she could touch her, the little female had tumbled over at the sight of a figure appearing. Ya peeped curiously and pulled back a bit, pressing her head into Kiburi’s shoulders. Who was that? A purple eye cautiously fluttered to the side. Mother...
What did she mean she couldn’t stand? She known mother had been not well but...mother had always been unwell! Nervously, Ya bit her lip and decided to continue listening in on the conversation.
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:07 pm
Uumi smiled sadly down at his friend, slightly heartbroken. She was dying... and it didn't take a genious to figure it out. His eyes swept over her cubs and he tried to put on a friendly face. "They're beautiful Kib.." She must know about his own family from Haba.
He almost groaned from how troublesome it was to come up with anything to say. He didn't know what he was supposed to say or even how to act around someone who was dying... especially someone who was close to you who was dying. I mean, it was not like Kib knew so much about him. But he felt as if Kib knew everything about him.
"I am glad... that you've waited." He muttered softly and in a sudden and rare display of friendliness and love he moved forward, leaning down and lightly touching his head to hers. "I just wish you had come here sooner.." He whispered, not asking her to explain why she'd never visited him or where she'd been.
Azima's brow wrinkled and as he tried to listen to his sister and the adults at the same time he huffed, turning his full attention to Haba. "Dying?" He repeated, almost as if he was confused. "Like grandma?" He said slowly, quietly. He wasn't so sure how bad death was, but everyone seemed sad about it. He didn't feel sad, just curious. He wondered if this was wrong to feel?
His eyes flicked back toward his father's friend at her mention of daughters and other cubs or whatever she'd said. Were they Kusini members? His tail flicked.
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