[PRP] And to You I Give the Gift of Life (Haba birth RP)

[Kimaria]

Pain. Pain in her sides, her stomach.

Hababuu's eyes flared open, the name of her dearest friend on her lips. Kemu. But he wasn't here. He was gone as quickly from her life as he had entered it. Oh she missed him terribly and despite the fact that she was glad she had returned home to birth her children, a part of her wished she had stayed with him.

She'd been feeling a little down lately, maunly because she hadn't managed to find her brother and against all her words and promises, she had returned home without him. Why was it that all the men in her life seemed to walk out of it?

Her brother. Her friend.

The pain again. She grunted and shifted on her belly, pulling herself out of the den to take a walk. The movement of the cubs in her stomach had been on and off for a few days now and usually a nice little walk settled them again, almost as if the motion rocked them back to sleep.

So, without hesitation, the mother-to-be plodded out into the early morning sunshine. It was waking hour, or perhaps just before, the time when all the sleepy eyes opened to face another day. Hababuu had always been a morning person.

In pregnancy she was not huge. In fact her tummy was certainly round, but not overly so. It was probably because she was going to have a small litter - though she wasn't aware of that yet.

Midstride, another pain shook through her, halting her steps and bringing a pained cry from her maw. Ouch, that one really hurt.

Syeira had heard that her daughter had come back home, though she had yet to come upon her. Her duties to her nephew and to her pride had kept her busy, but she had made a point to make time this morning and go see her. She had heard no news of Damu, had not yet had a visit from him, and that meant that Habu had returned unvictorious. Knowing their bond, their connection, she could only begin to imagine what Habu must feel like. Of course, what Syeira hadn't heard through her many connections was the rather 'fragiel' condition her daughter was in.

As she made her way across the lands at this early morning hour, Syeira had a lot on her mind. Her brother had left, her half brother had gone in search of him, and her nephew as in dire need of training so that he could take the throne. The matter of his queen still needed to be settled, and at home she was having to deal with her own problems with Uumi. Her eyes were as alert as ever, settled on the landscape, though what she took in took quite a few moments to process. As it were, when she finally noticed the crumpled heap laying on the ground, she didn't even recognize it as a lion at first, let alone her own daughter. Once she did, however, realize that it was Haba - well, she did what all good mothers would do.

"Haba!" came the panicky cry, her legs carrying her in a quick burst of speed, until she fell into a hunch at her daughter's side. For a moment, she couldn't understand what was wrong, and her mind blurred in worry that something terrible had happened. Of course, then her eyes communicated what they saw to her brain, and the swollen stomach became all too apparent to her thoughts. "Oh Haba," she said softly, a weak smile on her maw. Though it was not the way in which she wished her daughter to give her grandcubs, it was still a miracle of life, and a process as old and natural as the earth itself. "Sshh, calm down." She leaned in, pressing her forehead to her daughter's, eyes closed, "Take a deep breath."  

[Kimaria]

What was happening to her? Was it her babies? Were they...on their way? Hababuu had always been motherly sort. Raising cubs in the pride she adored was a simple dream but it had been her dream. It didn't matter to her that Kemu was around. In fact, to her, being a single parent was almost a normality since a lot of her friends had been in the same situation as she found herself in now.

The prospect of being a mother didn't scare her. But the pain did. Ever since the dissapearance of her brother she had certainly been more fragile than usual and now that physical pain was placed alongside the emotional pain, she felt almost as if she were being shattered.

And then from nowhere came that familiar voice. A voice she loved but had not heard for so long. Her mother's voice. She lifted her head, smiled at seeing her mother's approaching form. Joy was mixed with the pain, helped break her shell of panic.

"Mother!" She blurted, nuzzling against the older lioness with deep affection. She wasn't sure how she should feel about her mother finding her in this way. Ashamed? Happy? Embarrased? All she knew was that she was relieved she wasn't alone.

Besides, mother had been through this too, many times. She would know what to do.

"It hurts mother. Is it supposed to hurt or are they frightened?" She looked across at her stomach. "I don't know what to do." And then remembering her mother's advice she paused and took a deep breath.

Syeira had no right to lecture her daughters for getting with cubs with or without a mate - though she had Uumi now, it had not always been her intention. He had followed her after the birth of their son, found her, and it was much later that they had developed a relationship. Good for Haba that he had, of course, it the beautiful lioness likely never would have been born. She knew that cubs were a gift, that lionesses chose many reasons to have them, and she would not scowl at any of her children for doing so - though she might give the males a good thump for leaving any behind.

"I know it hurts, darling," she said softly, trying her best to smile for her daughter. It was not an easy thing to see her offspring in pain, and it pulled at her heart to know that there was nothing that she could do to ease it. "I'm afraid it's only going to get worse," she said softly, "but you can do this, I know you can." She nodded at her daughter, reassuringly, and nuzzled her once before shifting slightly.

"I'm hear, sweet heart, and I'll be here until it's over, I promise," she nodded, staring down at her daughters eyes. Leaning down, she gave her daughter a lick across the forehead, gentle and comforting, before she moved away again, "just breathe deep.."  

[Kimaria]

She nodded, somehow comforted by her mother's words despite the warning. Giving birth was something she had never thought about. Only the result. Cubs, she loved cubs and now, soon, she'd have her own.

"Thank you. I don't know what I would do if you--" She winced. "Weren't here. I'd probably have panicked." She smiled. "I think I can move. Shall we go back to--my den?" She paused, took another deep breath, felt the cool, fresh air seep through her, calming her.

Odd. Breathing did help.

She prepared to stand, wincing but managing it all the same. Her legs trembled, but luckily she wasn't too far from her den. Somehow she knew she shouldn't be out in the open like this. She felt vulnerable even with her mother watching over her.

"I think I can make it." And drawing in another breath she moved slowly back, pausing only when the pain returned. And whilst she walked, she spoke to pass the time, to try and concentrate on something other than the pain.

"He wasn't just some random boy, mother." She felt she should justify herself, yes, but she also wanted to tell someone about Kemu. He hadn't just been any boy. He had been sweet and kind and he had brought her hope.

"I met him when I was out in the rogue lands looking for...well...you know." She let her ears droop slightly. "I was so scared, I was jumping at my own shadow. And then he appeared. He gave me courage to continue and he came with me." Another pause. "He was so cheerful and bright and he made me smile even when I felt low."

She sighed softly. "I don't know if it was love, but I do miss him and...he does know about the cubs. He's a true rogue, mum, a free spirit. I couldn't bear to tie him down. Part of his beauty is that he is free." She laughed. "Is that silly?"

Syeira pushed herself up as her daughter began to move, nodding as she took a place at her side. Moving close, she brushed her shoulder against Haba's, allowing the female to use her for support if she needed to - the last thing she wanted her daughter to do was collapse back down. She walked along, her mind on the trial to come, silent as she let her daughter set whatever pace she needed. She had not yet had to guide a daughter through birthing cubs, but she couldn't help but be reminded of her own mother, and on some level it made her smile and frown all at once. She had done this very same thing for her once.

"I know you can make it," she said reassuringly, pulling her thoughts back from her memories, glancing up at her daughter as she continued to be her support. There was no time to dwell on her past, not with her future, her daughter's future, at hand.

As the den got closer and closer with each step, she gave her attention over to her daughter and what she was saying. Her smile widened, a slight nod given over as she listened to the story. "I never said that he was just some random boy, sweetheart, I never judged you for this at all, and I never will," she leaned in to give her a nuzzle and simply looked back ahead of them. She couldn't judge anyone, not with her original intentions of having Taabu, not with what she had originally wanted for herself.

"No, that's not silly at all. We all love, or adore, for different reasons. We are all attracted to different things," she said softly, eyeing her daughter from the corner of her eyes, though they flickered back towards the mouth of the den to judge just how much longer it would take. Her daughter would tire of this quickly. "AFter all, many others question why I love your father, and I do not think them silly for that. It is always a matter of opinion and taste, although I must say that I think you were very brave for letting him go."  

[Kimaria]

Haba wasn't sure what she would have done without her mother their supporting her. To not be alone through such a terrifying time was a wonderful thing indeed. She purred when the contractions weren't hurting her.

"I know you didn't." Haba nodded. "But, I just felt like I should tell you anyway." She laughed. "I've been wanting to tell someone about Kemu for ages." And who better than to tell than her mother?

"I guess, I don't know how I feel about him. I do care deeply for him but the cub thing was...an accident, though a nice one. I guess I never really thought about what would happen..."

She smiled. "You and father are different but, I think that's why you two work." She nodded. "But, you know, even if Kemu found someone else I don't think I'd mind all too much. I adore him, and I'll adore his children but, looking at him, I couldn't bear to see him tied down."

She sighed softly and thenthe contraction rippled through her and she gratefully slipped into the den, flopping onto her side. "They sure are eager..." She grunted.

"I know," she said softly, smiling down upon her daughter. She was reminded, for a moment, of Jini. She too had spent time with her mother recently, although the situations couldn't have been anymore different. Jini, trying to snare a male, make him see her for who she was, with no thought of cubs in the slightest. And here was Haba, letting her lover go because that was what made him so beautiful, and bearing their children alone.

"I am proud of you," she said finally, as her daughter collapsed into the den. She paused in the entrance, staring down at her, blocked the sun somewhat from the inside. "I am proud of all my children, for you all do many great things, but you are doing something truly wonderous, darling. To raise cubs is a great deal, and to do it alone takes courage." She smiled, leaning down to press her forehead against hers, "letting him go is something I do not think many lionesses could have done, and though I hope one day he comes to find his cubs if only to meet them, I will be here to help you with my grandcubs as much as you need me."

She smiled then, giving her daughter an affectionate lick, and finally moved to walk around and sit at her side. "I'm afraid the worst has yet to come, but in the end, it'll be worth it."  

[Kimaria]

She smiled. Her mother's words were beautiful and she knew this was the greatest thing about having children. Raising them, teaching them and caring for them, watching them grow into something beautiful and setting them free when they were ready to take lives of their very own.

"I won't be alone, though. I have you and I have the rest of my family. That's why I wouldn't have wanted to birth my cubs anywhere else. There's family here and I want them to grow up knowing their grandparents and great grandparents." And not only them. Their cousins too.

She fell silent, listening to her mother continue, and tears filled her eyes, tears of joy and love for the mother that she adored.

"If I kept him with me, he might grow to resent me. Better to let him go with the hope that he will return." She nodded. "And he will return, even if he doesn't stay."

And then she let her head down to rest, trying to keep her breathing even and calm. Somehow, despite the pain, she felt happy, she felt she was about to enter in a new and better stage of her life.

She whispered through her breathing. "Thank you."

And her mother was right. The worst was yet to come. And after what seemed like an eternity, two tiny little cubs lay nestled at her side.

One charcoal male.

One golden female.

Perfect.

Exhausted beyond belief but content in knowing that she was now officially a mother, she glanced up at her mother.

"Do they look okay, mother? They're awfully small."

Syeira stared down at the two little cubs that lay nesteled against their mother, eyes shining with joy, a joy she had shown at the birth of her first grandcubs, at the birth of her own cubs. Her family was growing, expanding, more and more every day. These were her grandcubs, her daughter's cubs, and she would be here to watch them grow. She would be here with them as they too grew up to have their own lives, their own families.

"They are perfect," she said softly, staring down at the little cubs, a bright smile upon her face. The darker pelt was from her own mother, that was easy enough to recognize, but she was willing to bet that their father, this male Haba had been speaking of, had been orange - like the little girl. She was precious, beautiful, they both were. "They are perfect in every way, Haba, congratulations," she said softly, leaning in to nuzzle her daughter softly.  

[Kimaria]

Choked with love, fatigue and an overwhelming emotion that she couldn't even describe she brushed her tongue against her children's fur, reassuring them that she was here.

She'd protect them with all her strength, keep them safe and sound and happy.

And at her mother's simple words, a tear slid down her face, a tear born from pure happiness.

"Thank you mother." And Syeira was right. The charcoal cub did indeed bare similarities to Syeira's mother. And he had the same eye shadow markings as herself, coloured orange the same shade as Kemu.

But it was the girl who most resembled her father, beautiful. They were so perfect and they were hers. She leaned into her mother's nuzzle, purring loudly.

"The boy, I'll call him Bae." She smiled. "And the girl, she is Mwujuzi. What do you think?"

She smiled down at her as she told her the names, icy eyes taking them in, their scents, connecting names to faces and commiting it all to memory. This was her family, more of her family. Some days she simply couldn't believe it all. To think back to when she and Uumi first met, when it had just been she and Taabu, and Uumi trying and failing so miserably at being a father - how could she have ever believed she would one day see all this?

"I think those are very beautiful names," she said with a nod, smiling at her daughter, a gleam in her eyes that wasn't often there. She had to leave soon, tell Uumi, check on her own cubs, but she would be here to help her daughter whenever she needed it.

"You'll be ok with them for a little while by yourself, won't you?" she asked with a smile, tilting her head with a little purr. "I'm going to go see if I can get your brother to come stay here tonight with you, darling, just to keep guard, as long as you don't mind?" She was weak, the cubs were young, and it was an easy target if a predator happened to slip in from the forest. She would worry if she didn't have someone here to keep her safe.  

[Kimaria]

Beautiful names.

She nodded and yawned, resting her head back down on her paws and curling herself tighter up around her children. They wriggled and mewed and she thought it the most wonderful sound in the world.

"Thank you for staying with me, mother." She replied sleepily. Then she nodded. Her brother.

Her brother...

But not the right brother. Not Damu. Not her twin, the other half of her soul.

But she pushed thoughts of him away, for now she was going to be happy. She had two others to take care of now and somehow she felt that wherever Damu was, he was okay. She would know it if something happened to him. She was sure.

"I'd like to have someone watching over me..." She yawned again, and not able to keep her eyes open a moment longer she fell asleep. And she slept happily.