[PRP] Lazy Day

[Sergeant Sargent]

Jaha-mnamo-Ukosa cautiously traversed the dry areas of the swamp, of which there were precious few. When she first arrived in this strange place she worried that her foot might slip on a patch of moss, sending her tumbling into the water or against a sharp rock, and of course it happened. The experience was different than she imagined. Only one of her paws slipped and she managed to catch herself easily without any damage. She felt slightly more confident about herself now. Still, she preferred the dry areas to the wet.

“I suppose I’ll get used to it eventually,” Kosa sighed to herself. She lifted her eyes to the trees, watching the shadows of birds pass through the canopy, scattering light with their wing beats. Kosa smiled and hummed a soft little song as she wandered.

Before long she came across her cousin sunning herself in a dry clearing. She silenced herself, listening carefully to the sound of her breathing. Sometimes it was hard to tell when she was sleeping or merely relaxing in the sun. She padded over quietly, whispering so that her cousin need not wake if she was dreaming, “Mind if I join you?”
 

[Sergeant Sargent]

“Yes, it is,” Kosa replied as she laid herself out beside Tamaa. While not as old as Tamaa, Kosa was an aging lioness who still took pride in her figure. Now that she was in the swamp her daily cleaning ritual was more exhausting than ever before. Still, she felt determined to keep herself in good condition. Even an old lioness must keep her dignity.

“It’s nice to find a dry place in the marsh,” she sighed, flicking her white tail. “I can only imagine what it must be like to grow up here, with the water and the bugs and the reptiles everywhere.”  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Kosa nodded, looking a bit overwhelmed at the thought of others outside her family. Ever since her name quest… no, she shouldn’t be thinking about that. There was more to the problem of living in such a big pride than her wise distrust of outsiders. She hardly ever felt talkative when it came to strangers.

“I suppose with the queen gone the pride is busier than usual. Everyone is probably on edge.” That was how she felt when her father passed away. The world almost seemed to end that day. “Hopefully everyone will settle down soon. I’m glad Dama and Bangili have this chance to see the swamps while they’re young. Maybe they’ll adjust easier. How are your children doing?”  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Kosa smiled lightly even though the subject of her family often displeased her. And yet, in some ways, she found herself eager to gossip about them. She never truly spoke her mind, afraid that some other members of her family would find her opinions undeservedly harsh; even she thought so sometimes, but she never let that get in the way of her bitter feelings. Whenever Makali'kondo or his mate grew irritated with her she always claimed that she was hard on them only because she wanted the best out of her offspring. Sometimes she even believed that herself.

Her feelings toward her brothers were quite different. Even though they had their squabbles as cubs (what siblings didn’t, after all?), now that they were all adults she treated them as equals. She even envied them for not having children of their own. It must be so nice. As for Tamaa and her side of the family, Kosa felt nothing but love and affection.

She spoke of her family with warmth tainted by a faint cynicism that almost resembled fondness. “Makali hasn’t said much about it, you know how he can be. I’m sure Min Zira is as neurotic as ever. Bangili, well…” Her eyes softened to match the warmth in her voice. “She seems to be having a little trouble with the change. I’m sure Dama will make it easier on her. Once they make some friends it’ll be like we never left home. What am I saying? We are home.” Kosa chuckled.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

“Can you believe it? Everywhere I go I see dozens and dozens of little ankle biters,” she said jokingly. That was how it sounded. “I’m surprised Bangili hasn’t managed to make any friends yet. Sooner or later she’s bound to find someone with something in common with her.”

Kosa did not give a thought to whether she would ever find someone special in the swamps. Once the crowd seemed less daunting she might run into one or two lionesses who would gossip with her and they could become friends, but she would always keep a comfortable space between her friends and her emotions. The great number of males in this pride took up most of her worry.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

“We haven’t?” Ukosa turned to stare at her. “That’s funny. It always felt bigger to me, but I suppose that’s because of all my cousins.”

She rolled onto her back, allowing the sun’s rays to soak her belly. “I’m doing everything in my power to avoid meeting new lions. I’m sure they’re all very nice, Tamaa. I’m sure. It’s just that I don’t feel ready right now.”

The last time she met someone new he died before she could introduce him to her family. That was the way she explained it when she came home from her naming quest with new life squirming in her belly and ever since then, whenever a strange male would wander by the family, she would become reclusive. She used to say it was because of the rouge that killed Huri. Sometimes she said that she wanted to remain a widow out of respect. They might question her feelings, but they never questioned her story about Huri, the male who fathered her only son.

They would never know the truth. No one would.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Ukosa smiled as Tamaa recited the family tree by heart. Being with her sometimes made Ukosa wish her mother and father were still alive. Now that they were gone she was expected to be the matriarch of her side of the family, and while it might seem like quite a glamorous role she felt undeserving and unprepared. At least Tamaa was always looking out for her.

“Probably….” She reluctantly agreed that the pride would expect them to socialize. Her grandparents put an enormous importance on family, so she expected the pride where they were born to do the same.

When Tamaa finished she smiled brightly. “I’d like that very much.”

((End?))