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 Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:45 pm
Nyesha had had a hard night. She was hiding out in her mothers' den again because when the time came to give birth to her cubs, it was where she felt safest. She hadn't exactly asked anybody, it was just where she went. Now the cubs were here and all four of them, mother and cubs, had spent the night trying to recover but sleep didn't come easily. Now that the cubs were finally sleeping, Nyesha was laying curled around them protectively, exhausted but unable to fall asleep herself. Her symptoms had been minimal during her pregnancy, in fact she had surprised even herself with how well she looked and felt throughout.. but giving birth seemed to put right back to where she had been- uncomfortable at best.
She wasn't ready to give up her optimism yet, though. She was thinking about what she wanted to name her cubs now that they were here- three was far more than she had been prepared for and now none of the names she'd thought about before seemed good enough.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:50 pm
 Tarafa had been out later than she wanted, talking to one of the older (and sicker) pride members, trying to cheer him up before the end came. It was her duty, and she had been trying to conceal the fact that her heart wasn't in it that day. Finally the old lion had asked why she was humoring him when there was clearly somewhere else she wanted to be. The Bard had gracefully accepted the escape for what it was and left. Now she was just about back to her den. It was quiet now, dark, and very late out. In fact, in not too much more time, the horizon would take on the grey light that preceeded dawn. Padding quietly into her home, Tarafa stopped in surprise, seeing Nyesha curled up around three small cubs.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:54 pm
Tarafa was standing before her before Nyesha realized someone was coming home, her mind was in so many different places she just didn't hear her mother coming. She lifted her head slowly, knowing the way she felt meant vertigo was a risk if she dared to move too quickly, offering a small smile and hoping her mother wouldn't react so badly.
"I guess they wanted out earlier than we thought," she said, sounding almost as tired as she looked.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:58 pm
The older lioness smiled and came over to sit next to her daughter and grandchildren. "Children do as they will, and it's wonderful to come home and see them here," she told Nyesha. The Bard gazed at the sleeping cubs, etching the scene in her memory.
"I am proud of you, Nyesha. They're beautiful." She peered at the three, trying to determine genders. This would probably be easier once the sun rose and even simpler once their eyes opened and they became active. She'd know soon enough, one way or the other.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:06 pm
Nyesha shifted herself around a bit so she could lean on her mother once she was seated by them, she was glad she wasn't alone with the cubs now. She could have all the confidence in the world but faced with actual cubs that she was responsible for.. it was intimidating.
"One of them looks like you," she said, smiling and looking back to the cubs before her, "But I think there are stripes on his nose, it'll be easier when they're less fuzzy."
She wasn't positive on genders, either, but she felt boy was as good a guess as any when talking about them. And everything was a guess in this dim light. Her guess on the stripes was, of course, based on something other than just the bluest cubs' fuzzy face. She knew what their father looked like.. and she was privately pleased to see more of her blue than his purple.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:09 pm
Tarafa smiled. "If any of them looks like me at all, it's mostly because you take after me," she replied. She supposed boy was as good a guess as any for now, but she'd make certain later.
"Have you decided on names for any of them yet?" the older lioness asked. She'd waited until she was certain of her children's genders to name them, but others chose to give names much sooner, and often used gender neutral ones as a result.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:18 pm
She smiled when Tarafa pointed out it might be because she took so much after her mother herself. Still, she knew one of them was all blue and white- with the dark blue belly like her mother. She'd made a point of figuring it out when they were more active than they were now.
"I want to name the purple one Ua," she said, looking from the cubs to her mother. In the shadows it was harder to tell exactly what colors the oddball was but Nyesha had a fair idea. And, even without knowing for sure if it was a boy or girl, she thought 'flower' was a perfect name.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:24 pm
"A good name," she agreed. "Or at least, I'm assuming it's a name that will go with the cub's coloration, since I can't really make that out right now." Flower was a good choice, though Tarafa privately hoped the cub in question was female. Otherwise, the poor kid might have some fights about his name...
Well, if that was the case, then perhaps Mittere could be of help. It would certainly be one way to get her mate to connect with their grandchildren. This was a worthy mission in the older lioness' mind, as the pink lioness' few comments about Nyesha's pregnancy had been short, to the point, and profane.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:31 pm
She nodded- a bit too fast at first, making her pause more abruptly than she meant to. Simple but an easy enough sign that she was back to herself- though it was easy to hope, too, it was from exhaustion.
"It should, their father was purple," she explained, looking back at them and doing another search for obvious traits from their absent parent. Aside from the apparent color difference in the oddball, sleeping as they were there was nothing noticeable.
"I thought you might like more pink or purple in the family," she added quietly, almost afraid to mention that the color was a conscious choice. Though perhaps it was more of a happy coincidence or perhaps a deciding factor in following through on her plan .. but she would never tell which.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:37 pm
Nyesha probably couldn't see it, but Tarafa's eyebrows had gone way up at the fact that her daughter had intentionally chosen a purple or pink male to father her children. There was something that was likely to further irritate Mittere. Though the Goddess knew the pink lioness was almost always irritated by something or other.
"It will certainly be interesting to see how your other mother reacts," the lioness replied dryly. This could, by her reasoning, either be very good or very bad. Bad in that now the pride would have a visual connection between Mittere and her not-blood-relations. Good in that perhaps Mittere would feel an emotional connection with her grandchildren. But only one lioness could answer that question, and she'd been avoiding the den as much as possible of late.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:45 pm
Nyesha nodded again, this time more carefully. This was something she had been worrying about since Mittere first found out she was pregnant and yelled at her for it. She loved her mother, of course, and she was familiar with her personality and attitudes.. but she was supposed to be happy, even a little bit, about cubs. At least not outwardly angry and aggressive towards them.
"Don't tell her that," she said, frowning, "That it was on purpose."
She paused, looking back at the cubs.
"She's not going to be mean to them, is she?" she asked, sounding genuinely worried, looking back over at her mother. Mittere had had very little to say to her lately and she could deal with it just fine but watching the innocent, happy cubs she imagined her's would be faced with it made her stomach twist.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:05 pm
Tarafa nodded. "I wouldn't dream of it," she assured her youngest daughter. Mittere need never know that the girl had knowingly chosen a male with colors similar to her own.
She certainly didn't blame Nyesha for being worried about how the pink lioness would react. It was a fear Tarafa had as well.
"I do not believe she would be outwardly cruel to them," the older lioness answered carefully. "But we both know that she can be harsh even with those she loves." The Bard wanted to reassure her daughter and to know that her grandchildren were safe from her mate's wrath, but there was absolutely no guarantee, and she would not make false promises that could not be kept.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:11 pm
Her mother spoke carefully and though Nyesha knew it was the better, truer answer but she almost wished she had lied. She wanted to hear it would be OK. Instinctively, she curled up a little closer to her babies.
"Can you keep her away until she's ready to be nice?" she said, not even thinking about how she had actually taken over her mothers' den at the moment. Somewhere in the back of her mind she felt certain Mittere wouldn't come near unless she was sure she could control herself but knowing Tarafa was helping would make her feel better.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:15 pm
"Sweetheart, she's been avoiding the den ever since she found out you were pregnant. I don't think you have anything to fear here," Tarafa pointed out. Still, Nyesha looked nervous and perhaps it was justifiable. The older lioness sighed. "But, if it makes you feel better, I can work on keeping her away."
Sometimes she wished her whole family could get along. Then the Bard realized how stupid and pointless a wish that was as long as she loved Mittere.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:24 pm
She had known Mittere had been avoiding her but she didn't realize it was the den too. Thinking about it, maybe that was part of why it had become so apparent. It made her feel a little bad, knowing her mother didn't want to come home because she might be here.
"We won't stay long," she said, "I've been trying to find my own den, really- I just felt better coming here for this." Despite her determination to have cubs, she was less keen on being completely independent from her parents just yet. But she really ought to, especially if it was uncomfortable for anybody else.
"She can come home," she murmured.
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