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 Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:37 am
Mleli had not been in a good mood the last couple days, her belly seemed to be at peak size and she could not longer easily or safely climb the tree in which she lived. This inability to climb comfortably contributed to her mood, and the fact there was less room there, but mostly it was the fact that she knew it wouldn't be much longer now. The leopardess was resting below the tree in the evening when she started to feel sharp pains that amplified as time passed and the harder she triedf to ignore them and delay the inevitable.
Soon she could no longer ignore it, and with a growl she lifted her head and looked around to see where Ajali and Kifuno were at. Part of her hoped they were not around, but another part of hoped they were. She had a feeling she might want to kill something before this was over, and snarling at someone might be the only option.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:50 pm
Ajali had been having mounting concern for her sister and soon to be neices and nephews. With Mleli's inability or planned out not being able to climb the tree it put Ajali on edge, after all leopards slept in trees, right? She eyed her sisterdistress warily unsure of how to ask if she was alright. The growl was a clue that she was not, but would she really want to climb down off of her low limb to ask if she was..? Mleli's temper matched with her hormones was well...terrifying!
"Kif, I think..well maybe.." she gestured with her head towards Mleli.
Kifuno was as lazy as they came, his species sleeping so much was only natural and he was curled around the low Branch Ajali and chosen and was curled against her soft side fur. He perked up looking towards Mleli with mild concern, she was just being grouchy...right?
"Mleli..how are you doing?" he risked asking the question, acting as Ajali's voice.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:01 pm
Mleli was quite happy being on the ground where she was, except for the fact that it was easier for the others to keep away from her now. If the little mishap with Limbuko proved anything, it was that she did indeed enjoy some company- though just not when the company did what they could to.. well, make this happen. When she caught sight of her tree-mates, she was only reminded of how much they'd avoided her lately. Resentment coupled with the pain, and she struggled to her feet and grit her teeth against the pain.
"Oh, I'm just fine," she snapped, wobbling a bit as a fresh wave of pain hit her. She might have wanted to walk off, but she wasn't going to make it anywhere.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:07 pm
"We know you're not fine," Ajali broke in shooting Kifuno a long glare, "Is there anything I can do to help?" She lept gracelessly to the ground stumbling against branches. Once regaining her footing leaves clinging to her mocha colored fur Ajali looked at her sister worry in her eyes.
"I know that you always assume I'm overly cheery, but I mean this with the utmost seriousness, I'm here for you."
(I'm assuming with Mleli's reponse and Ajali's glare Kif'd stay silent this moment.)
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:51 pm
As much as such an offer might have been appreciated, Mleli couldn't help but snarl and glare over at her sister. If she wasn't in such pain, she might have laughed at her. Mleli didn't care to think of the many ways of offering support, to her no one could really help her except for herself. Kifuno being a stupid jerk wasn't helping.
"Help, ha!" she snapped, her legs steadying as she had a less intense moment, "Find the damned god who did this and hurt him!" Oh, how her hate for Limbuko intensified as she was forced to put up with the pain. However, the mere thought of him had her resolved not to be such a wimp about this. That decided, she turned around to go back to her spot beneath the tree- which wasn't much of a walk thanks to the pain.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 9:16 am
Kifuno was baffled at the entire experience his naive ways and ideals were slowly being tainted by the angry leopard, and he was unsure exactly...what was going on. Surely she was giving birth, but didn't younglings come from eggs?
"I'm afraid I'm not poisonous, or I would seek revenge for you." Kifuno watched the light brown leopardess move.
"Now, now, that is the father of your children, you'll have to stop that speak now," Ajali frowned and started to pace slightly, what to do, what to do, "besides, for these babies you HAVE TO calm down, it is not good for them. Start thinking of something happy...like trees and hunting..and uhh...lion killing?"
Ajali was starting to think that this birth would have more verbal complications than phsyical ones.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:09 am
Mleli settled herself into a laying position on the ground, and had time to shoot a glare at Kifuno for his comment before Ajali spoke, hissing, "Useless!" Immediately her eyes shot to her sister as she scolded her for speaking in such a way of the father of her children- clearly in no mood to listen, and of course having little intention to do so in any other mood.
"Father of my children, he doesn't deserve to be called such," she hissed, and added on before Ajali could argue with logic, "Fact or not." With that, Mleli groaned and turned her attention momentarily to more pressing matters. As much as she hated to agree with Ajali right now, calming down would be best for everyone- the cubs and, most importantly, herself. Oh, to get this over with..
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:35 pm
Kif frowned and started to move towards Mleli, "I think it would be best if I left...I hate to be something to cause you discomfort," slithered quietly away befor she could answer. This was a matter for mother..and well...aunt to the younglings, he had no rightful place here. He would come back when he assumed all was safe, and all was well.
Ajali growled, "Father he may be to them, you'll have to except that, now calm down. May I get you some water? Will walking help with the birthing problems? I saw a lioness give birth once..I know that it could help you imensely to slow your breathing and erm..well what ever you thinks best." She was not sure exactly how to handle this, yes she had seen it...but to help someone she loved go through it? The multicolored mocha lion halted her pacing and looked at Mleli, "They'll be beautiful..." she hoped that would help, "Look just like their mother."
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:36 pm
Kifuno's decision to leave didn't make Mleli any happier, and she growlled in the direction he slithered off in. She didn't really get much chance to worry about him, though, for Ajali soon started offering advice and help- and being veeery careful not to make her more upset.
"Breathe slowly," she repeated, making a very laboured effort to follow that. She didn't want to feel this pain, she was so angry and almost sad- but for that she would blame the hormones. The idea of her cubs looking like her hadn't occured to Mleli- her first reaction was to sneer, but then realized the other option was to have them look like him- and that certainly would not do. She didn't get to dwell on the idea before another wave of pain hit and instinct took over.
The first cub was here, and Mleli knew she wasn't through yet. For one, she couldn't be that lucky but otherwise it just seemed like something she knew. She got a chance to look at the tiny creature now at her middle, noting how he looked conveniently more like Ajali than herself.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:21 pm
Ajali was about to come to her sister to give her a nudge of encourage meant when she realized the first beautiful child was born. The gods have truly blessed her for having them, I hope she remembers that.
"He's darling...sort of looks like..me?" She chuckled happily and stepped forward looking at Mleli warily, she wanted her as comfortable as possible and was afraid to upset her by being too near, "You're doing a lovely job my dear, better than anyone I've ever seen give birth!" Okay, so that was a maximum of two, but encouraging words seemed to help a little? "A wonderful mother," she added.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:38 pm
"Imagine that" she mumbled through her attempts to continue breathing slowly and carefully. Except for the horrid purple, he might be so bad looking- Ajali was right, and looking like her strange sister wasn't as bad as looking entirely like Limbuko. To Mleli, anyway.
Her breathing picked up quite suddenly, and before long there were two more cubs resting at her side.
There two were less like Ajali and more like their mother. Mleli couldn't help but admire the one that looked a lot like a miniature version of herself. When she realized, quite suddenly, that she didn't feel much like she was finished, Mleli groaned. How many, how many?
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:48 pm
Ajali smirked at the little cub that looked so much like her sister, this could be a key to things! She was sure that Mleli wanted leopards that looked just like their mommy...would a hybrid mini Mleli count? She purred happily looking at the three of them and a pang of jealousy rose within her, she wantd to be a mother, so she vowed to be a great aunt to them, until one day she could have her own...less freaky babies.
"Such a good job," she cooed quietly to Mleli and then turned her atention back to the little ones, "didn't your mommy did a goood job?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:59 pm
"We're not done yet," she pointed out, sounding somewhere between frustration and panic. This wasn't planned, this wasn't expected and certainly not something many would nominate her for- how many cubs would she be responsible for? Mleli felt suddenly grateful she'd found her sister, she would always have someone to help when things inevitably got out of control. She groaned again when a familiar wave hit her.
One more that appeared to take after Ajali, though this time he looked to have taken after his mother as well. He looked like a real part of their family, and that offered the mother some comfort. So far, they weren't too hideous- and that was something to be thankful for.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:07 pm
"Wow is he lovely, dear!" She grinned a chesire cat's grin and took the risk, she placed a paw on Mleli's shoulder. She was a touchy feely creature and couldn't help but show support for her sister in this manner. Besides, it seemed that the birthing pains had end, was that it, the count was up to four, certainy there were no more?
"He looks so much like you and I, can we keep him?" She giggled at the thought of giving them up and then stopped--Mleli hadn't wanted them...she wouldn't toss out kin? Surely not after being an orphan herself? Of course not...
She was partial to the ones that looked slightly like she did, they were by far more beautiful in her eyes because she could recognize bits of the family in them. That's of course not to say she did not love them all, she was instantly attached to them, they were so cute. But, the ones with purple and markings she did not know made her feel awkward..who was their father really?
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:21 pm
Mleli nodded, having to agree that the latest cub was quite handsome- certainly like the pair of them, and that was lucky for him. She was a little surprised to hear Ajali stop laughing at her own joke about abandoning the cubs, but it wasn't as surprising as her own reaction to it.
"Don't be stupid," she growlled, her breathing picking up again, "No more- no more orphans in our family." On this point she was certain, and that was part of what was so surprising. She and Ajali had been lucky to find someone to care for them, so many other cubs might not be so easily placed in another's care. Suddenly, she growled again as proof they were not finished yet came about.
Two cubs, born very close together and not giving Mleli much time to take notice of their patterns until afterwards. With her head resting on the ground, she suddenly felt an odd sort of relief- they were finished, and she wouldn't have expected any less now that she'd had six cubs. She found it difficult to tear her attention away from what she felt was a well-deserved rest, but did lift her head to check out the cubs and make sure they all appeared healthy. Her nose wrinkled when she realized the colors of the two youngest, and immediately she rested her head again. They all were alive, she could rest.
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