Makosa paced nervously. They had chosen a discrete meeting place, not wanting to draw the eyes of the entire pride at least. Still, it felt like forever since Sonali had told them that Sukanya was on the edge of the pride, and Tega had gone to see her and escort her to him. He knew that he would have been foolish to go and fetch her himself but he still wish he had. He adored his mother, and while she had struggled to raise him, he wouldn’t have changed anything from his childhood. Well, perhaps he would have liked siblings, but that was ok. He had gotten by. “Stop pacing,” Adelai’e scolded gently. “They’ll be here.” The dark avian fussed, landing on Makosa’s mane and beginning to groom him. Makosa paused, for no other reason than he didn’t want to knock the bird from his perch.
“I just hope they are ok,” Makosa murmured quietly, sitting on his rump with a huff. “I want to see her.”
“And you will. Tega will look out for them, and they will be here soon,” the male soothed. He kept his eyes trained on the horizon and it wasn’t long before a familiar figure appeared. He smiled. “Here comes Sonali. They’ll be here so- OOON.” The hybrid rose to his pause quickly in excitement, almost launching his companion to the ground. Adelai’e took to the sky with a huff, and rolled his eyes. He too had missed Sukanya but really, Makosa acted as if he had never laid eyes on the leopardess before.
“Mum!” He called out in excitement, racing to meet her when he spotted the familiar blue on the horizon. He barrelled into her, sending them toppling over in a pile of purrs.
“Kosa!” Sukanya squealed in excitement, nuzzling his cheek. “Oh I have missed you, my darling boy.”
Sonali laughed above them, swooping down to land with Adelai’e on a nearby perch. “Hello again,” she greeted, nuzzling her mate with affection.
“Hello dear,” Adelai’e said, amused as he watched the pair. Tega and a small leopon stood off to the side while the mother and son chatted excitedly. “Is that his sister?” He asked quietly.
“Yes,” Sonali confirmed. “A sweet girl. Very critical. Sukanya is worried for her.”
Adelai’e frowned. “I hope all is well.”
“Perhaps its simply a mother’s worry, nothing more,” Sonali tried to reassure, but both were uncertain if that was truly the case. The pair had risen to their paws and had included Tega and Ishara into their conversation as well now. The avian fluttered over, landing respectfully on their companions head.
“It’s beautiful here,” Sukanya complimented, though her nervousness was still present. She felt safer, now that her son was by her side but it didn’t sooth all of the anxiety.
“Thanks Mum,” Makosa was glad that she liked it. “You must be Ishara,” he turned his gaze to his sister, with a grin. “It’s nice to finally meet you!” She looked a little bit like their mother, her base black similar but the markings were unfamiliar. Probably her father.
“You look lots like mum,” Ishara pointed out, instead of responding to the greeting. She was looking at his markings. “Like mum’s colour all faded out.”
Makosa grinned. “Dad was all grey. That’s pretty much what happened. I like your markings. You have mum’s blue in them.”
Ishara glanced down at her coat and nodded. “I do, but dad’s markings came through more than mums. Pippit looks just like mum though.” She liked her markings though, they made her stand out in the big litter.
“I’m looking forward to meeting them all someday,” Makosa admitted, glancing at his mother. Sukanya didn’t show any indication that she would bring the others to see him, and he frowned a little.
“Can we talk, Kosa?” Sukanya asked, slightly nervously. Makosa nodded, and glanced at Tega.
“Ishara and I will stay over here,” Tega assured, smiling at the girl. “You can tell me about your siblings and the rogue lands.” Ishara didn’t seem all the enthusiastic about the choice of topic but seemed to realise she was getting babysat for some reason, so didn’t protest.
Makosa and Sukanya walked off from them slightly, just enough to give them some privacy.
“What is it, mum?” Makosa asked, nervous. His mother looked serious.
“She’s like you, darling,” she said quietly, concerned. It took Makosa a moment to realise what she meant, and when he did, he glanced over to the leopon.
“Oh, she Sees as well?” He said, understanding her concern suddenly. When he was growing up, it had been incredibly hard for him to understand his visions and they had scared them both. Sukanya understood more now, and Makosa was a lot more comfortable with his gift now, still, to have to go through it again. “Are they strong?”
“She cries out at night. I think they are only in her dreams, at the moment,” Sukanya admitted. None of her other cubs had shown the gift yet, that she had seen. Ishara’s night terrors were getting worse though.
Makosa winced. He had, at least, had them when he was awake and so he had come to the conclusion on his own. Telling Ishara that she was a Seer might come as a shock, if she thought they were only dreams. “What are you going to do?” He asked.
“Can you talk to her?” She begged. “Just…ask her, talk to her about them. I don’t know what to do but I want her terrors to stop.” It was unlikely to happen, as she would likely be a seer until she died, but perhaps if she came to understand it, they would ease.
“I’ll try, but I’m not sure how much help I will be,” he said, nervously.
Sukanya stared at her paws for a moment. “I think…I may send her here…when she is older. I think she needs structure, and you said there are others here like you and Tega.” She was grasping at ideas, trying to think of something, anything, to help her little girl.
Makosa was surprised at the idea. “Mum…well…If you send her here, me and Tega will look after her. She won’t be bound to stay here, but the other Seers would give guidance that she might otherwise lack.”
“I hope so,” Sukanya admitted. “I want her with me while she grows. I won’t send her away and let her feel unloved.” She was firm on that idea. It would all wait until Ishara was older, when she felt more secure in herself. It wouldn’t be fair to send her away now.
“Mum, I am sure Ishara will always know that she is loved, she doesn’t need to be a seer to see that.”
Sukanya smiled at her son. “Thank you, Kosa. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Makosa grinned. “It would have been a pretty boring life so far,” he joked, pawing at her lightly. “C’mon, let’s have a nice dinner together. As a family. I’ll talk to Ishara afterwards.”
Sukanya smiled, eyes soft and her posture relaxed for the first time in a while. “That sounds wonderful, Kosa. That sounds wonderful.” For the first time in a long while, Sukanya felt that things would turn out alright. Makosa and Tega were starting their lives together, taking it to the next step, Ishara would have guidance while she grew, and she was happy. She could do this crazy thing called parenting after all.
[1249]