[Caoilainn & Family]
Yawning softly she rolled over and peered up at her father. The huge lion was stretched out beside her, though he didn’t seem to notice the warmth of the day, instead his head was up and eyes trained on the mouth of the healer’s den where both his mate, and one of his daughters, were hidden away. It had been this way since the night before when Saoirse had suddenly taken sick with one of the worst bouts she had suffered. Unable to breathe Sliabh had carried her to his mate and the pride’s Master Healer, and settled her down in the thick fur bedding of the healer’s den. Since then he had settled to his vigil outside the mouth of the den and not moved. Caoilainn had accompanied him, but had eventually left some hours later to retire to her own den and sleep, so as to not be in the way. Sliabh was big enough that even him alone outside took up more room than was really sensible, and his eldest daughter was not small herself.
The next morning she had gone out to hunt early, knowing her father wouldn’t leave while two of his women were in danger, Saoirse from her illness, and Eva from over work. So she had caught a small buck and brought it back all the way across the pride’s territory to where her father waited. Being immune she was as fit and as healthy as any lion in the pride and it wasn’t a strain to her to hunt and fetch things, not like it would have been to many of her siblings and half siblings. So she had brought the carcass back and between them they had eaten a good half, leaving the rest for her sister and mother.
Now it was midday and the heat was getting to her, making her sleepy despite the tension that sat thick in the air around the den. Inside they could occasionally hear sounds, sometimes it was Eva’raja, other times it was quite clearly Saoirse’s, who’s cough seemed to be getting worse rather than better. Sometime around midday Sliabh stood and entered the den, leaving his eldest outside to stand guard, or at least that was the chore she gave herself to keep her occupied. Sitting up she shook off the heavy weight of sleep and blinked her eyes. Not that she really expected an attack, but if she was needed to go run an errand or fetch another lion, then she wanted to be awake and aware.
Sighing softly she rubbed a paw over her muzzle, both grateful and guilty that she was immune to the sickness that struck so many of her pridemates down. Suddenly the deep, familiar rumble of one of her youngest brother’s voices broke through her thoughts and she looked up to see Lochlan padding over to her. Smiling she dipped her head and bumped him on the shoulder as he settled beside her. He was one of their father’s last litters so far and was one of a pair of twins, a fact that she thought contributed quite a lot to how long it had taken him and his brother to finally mature. Or maybe that was just because she was that much older than the litter in general and she suspected quite a bit less tolerant of their mischief than she had been at a younger age when her other half-siblings had been brought into the family. Still, he had finally grown up in mind as well as body and had, surprisingly, turned out to be a very stable and grounded male. He was a hunter, not a very glamorous position and one not often acknowledged, but his work as vital and she was very proud of him for choosing such a path. When he had gotten ill as a juve, the whole family had thought that was it for the young ruffian, but by the time he reached adolescence, he recovered and while his voice was forever changed to the slightly deeper, huskier tone it was now through the damage his brief sickness had cost him, he was almost as healthy and hale as she was.
Returning his gruffly rumbled greeting she leaned her shoulder into his muscular flank and reached over to tug on his ear, just like she had done when he was a cub. “No news yet...” She said softly, catching a worried glance at the den’s shadowed entrance. Lochlan licked her ruff and smiled gently. “Don’t worry sis... Saoirse is a fighter. A silly cough like that won’t keep her down for long. Besides.. she has that handsome man of hers to fight for.” Caoilainn smiled faintly but the worry didn’t ease. “But didn’t he vanish into the roguelands? I’m not sure he’ll return...” After all, she had been out there and it had been hard sometimes to return after seeing the comfortable, easy life other prides enjoyed. She herself was a spy for her pride, and spent a good deal of her time away from the Kitwana’antara, but she wasn’t sure Yezekael was, in fact, she was fairly sure he was a bard... but that didn’t mean he would eventually return, though she hoped so, for her sister’s sake. It was obvious her sister had been in love with the buff-coloured male since they were juveniles together, and she had pined for him ever since his departure, not that she told anyone or even really let it show, but little things betrayed her. Like the fact that she spent a lot of her time out on a certain hill overlooking the direction he had originally gone, and that she hadn’t even glanced at the many eligible males that tried to catch her eye around the pride. Caolainn knew her sister was beautiful, delicate and slender like her rogue mother and lacking the ridiculous height their father had shared with most of his offspring, Saoirse was both slender, and with fur as white as pure snow, decorated with a delicate butterfly wing pattern, she was the envy of more than a few pride females and a prize for the males. Yet not a single one had even gained her attention, and Caolainn knew the reason.
Suddenly Sliabh stepped out into the cool evening light and gave his children a small and tired but relieved smile. “She is going to be alright.” It was all they needed as the small family quietly rejoiced. It was one more miracle in a pride that was so desperate for each small crumb of happiness. For today at least, sadness and grief would not hold sway.
(Words = 1,109)
