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 Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 9:57 pm
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 There really couldn't have been any worse timing for these cubs, Nehanda thought to herself as she walked slowly, her belly swollen to an uncomfortable degree. Painful, really, if she had to be honest, but she wasn't thinking about that right now. All she was thinking about was that the pride was still migrating and there were new Abholi and something wasn't right with this pregnancy. There had been a rather awful outcome from her last one as well, losing two little girls despite the three healthy cubs that she did manage to raise. That pregnancy had never caused her so much trouble as this one had, though, even though the litter seemed smaller.
Her breathing was labored by the time she reached the small den that the two lionesses had helped her find, the both of them trailing her. She was thankful as always for the help and she truly felt that she would need it this time. It was with a relieved sigh that she settled down on the soft dirt, rolling to her side to try to get comfortable. It wouldn't be long now before the cubs were here and she prayed to any god in the area that they would be healthy and well.
"Thank you," she said to Nomvula and Mazuri, both of whom would help her in the following days to make sure her and her cubs didn't want for anything. They'd make their way back to the pride once she was rested and the cubs could keep up and she prayed for a litter of females if only so the new males wouldn't try to force them out at a younger age than she would like.
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Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 10:39 pm
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Nomvula had been thrilled to have been asked to join Nehanda on her trip to have cubs. A well-known lover of cubs and mothers alike, she shouldn't have been so surprised when she had been asked, but she was. She went along happily, until she realized the toll that this pregnancy was taking on the older lioness. She saw it when they went to find a den with the lioness and their second companion, a younger female called Mazuri. Mazuri's eyes were concerned, but whereas Nomvula was there for the safety and comfort of the mother-to-be, Mazuri seemed to be focused on keeping the older lioness at ease, or as relaxed as she could be given the situation.
"Your cubs will be so beautiful, Nehanda." Mazuri was saying excitedly, her flank brushing up against the pregnant lioness."They're sure to be the talk of the pride for seasons to come. And," She added, "Since the drought is long since over, there will be prey aplenty for them to eat! And for you, too, dear, while Nomvula and I are here." She added to the mother with a purr.
"That's right, lovey." Nomvula put in, her voice soft and warm. "Speaking of which, do you need me to fetch anything? I'm here for you, Nehanda-dear, we both are. Just say the word." She said, ready to carry out any task she was given, if it would help the cubs arrive safe and sound.
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Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:57 pm
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Nomvula was happy to see that Nehanda looked better having laid down. When she replied to Nomvula that she was alright for the time bieng,
but that she or Mazuri could go out if they needed anything, Nomvula shook her head.
"I'm quite alright, thank you dear. The only thing I need is to stay close to you today and help you with the little ones."
"That's the same with me!" Mazuri went on to add,
laying herself down around her pride sister and giving a happy purr. She was going to see cubs being born today! It must be today, she thought, for Nehanda's belly looked so round. Of course, Mazuri would stay with Nehanda for however long it took her to have her little ones and very likely, a long time after that. After all, like it had been proved with Mazuri and her sisters, the entire pride had a paw in raising the cubs and Mazuri was definitely eager to be one of their mothers. It would be good practice for when she eventually had cubs of her own!
While Mazuri beamed beside Nehanda, Nomvula fussed over the mother, stooping in the den to lick Nehanda kindly between the ears.
"How are you feeling, Nehanda-dear?" She asked.
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:53 pm
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The enthusiasm of her pride sisters made Nehanda smile just a bit once again as she shifted her weight, easing more of it onto her side rather than her stomach. They were both quite ready for what was to come even if she herself wasn't sure she'd be able to handle it. With these two by her side she felt a bit more confident at least.
"Nervous," she admitted, turning to look at her bulging stomach. "Things feel different this time." Of course, perhaps this was just a normal pregnancy. Her last time with cubs hadn't been easy, and while this time was just as hard things were definitely different.
As if on cue, a sharp pain ran the entire length of her body, making the small female grimace in pain. Another contraction. They were getting closer together, indicating that the cubs weren't far from being born. "It will be soon," she said once she could speak again, claws slightly extended and digging into the soft dirt of the den floor.
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Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 2:40 pm
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At the notion of her charge being nervous, Nomvula herself got a little tense, just from hearing it. Her gaze moved to Mazuri, who was settling down contentedly and licking Nehanda around her ears and nuzzling her cheek and so forth. Comforting things, Nomvula thought. Good on her.
"Well, we're here to help you through it." She confirmed. "Differences and all." She had to repress a shudder when Nehanda grimaced, but her tail flicked in anxiety. "Easy does it, Nehanda-dear, it'll be alright. How about you lay down with Mazuri there and I'll see about getting you something to bite down on when the contractions really start. Mazuri? Call me if anything further... progresses." She told her companion and then ducked out in search of a bit of bark or a small scattered branch that the lioness in need could use as a distraction.
Mazuri didn't quite like the idea of being left alone, especially after Nehanda started showing definite signs of discomfort, but she put on a brave face and went on licking her companions' ears.
"What do you imagine your cubs will look like, Nehanda?" She asked,
keeping her tone conversational and her eyes bright. She also did her best to keep thinking of things to say-to distract the lioness. "You've had another litter before, right? Have I met them before? What are their names?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 5:54 pm
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The contraction was painful and slow, but it passed as they had before and she leaned heavily against Mazuri as Nomvula left to try to find something to help her through her pain. The grooming was soothing and the questions helped keep her mind off the unsettling feeling within her mind that something still wasn't right. She could get through this, she told herself as she laid down. Everything would be all right.
"Oh...I hope they are healthy. That is all I could wish for," she said softly, closing her eyes for a moment as she thought back to her other litter. Two females, one male. Two of them had been rather pale - but given her coloration and Jasiri's it was to be expected - but one had been wonderfully dark. This litter was certainly going to be interesting given just how pale their father was. Nehanda had some very dark browns on her family, though, and she hoped that they might shine through.
"I'm not sure...they've all grown now," she murmured, opening her eyes to look up at Mazuri again. "The darkest of them all goes by Siph, she has- ah!"
Another contraction cut her off, although this time it was a pain she had never felt before. It was as if someone had bitten down hard on her stomach, pain lancing in from every nerve. She curled up around herself, clawing frantically at the dirt as the pain only continued.
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Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2017 11:45 pm
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Nomvula had found a small stick, but it was thin and too easily broken, when she heard Mazuri's call. Her pride sister sounded so frantic that Nomvula darted back, stick still in her maw, only to see Nehanda curled up and clawing at the ground. The stick would surely not help now and Nomvula dropped it as she approached the other, taking deep breaths as she sat close to Nehanda's hindquarters, where the cubs were to arrive from.
"Alright, Nehanda-dear, I know it must hurt, but you must uncurl yourself to make things easier for the cubs to arrive." She told the other lioness,
forcing herself to sound calm, despite the waver that came into her remark.
"Try taking slower, deep breaths. With me, now, alright? Listen. In," She inhaled and then exhaled, "And out." She repeated this, speaking softly and watching the lioness closely. "We can get through this, Nehanda-dear." She hoped she sounded more assuring than she felt. Nomvula loved cubs and their mothers, but this was her first time, too, having actually been witness to a birthing. Was this how it was normally supposed to go?
Mazuri nodded and licked at her fellow lioness' ears, comfortingly. This whole thing was new to her, of course, but she wanted to make her that Nehanda got through this alright.
"I'm sure they will be. Your cubs will not want for anything, Nehanda. Between your love for them and our pride sisters looking out for them too, they shall be the happiest and healthiest of cubs." She was saying when suddenly the lioness beside her spasmed violently and Mazuri scrambled to her paws, turning away.
"Nomvula!" She called, glancing about wildly, unsure of what was happening. Nehanda looked to be in so much pain! Were all births like this? She tried to repress a whimper and then suddenly Nomvula was next to her, breathing hard, a small stick in her maw. The two lionesses exchanged a frightened, worried glance before Nomvula moved, discarding the stick at Mazuri's paws and moving towards Nehanda's hindquarters. Mazuri then went over to lay down in front of the mother's front paws as Nomvula spoke,
listening to the older lioness and trying to do her best not to panic, though something was telling her, very strongly that something was wrong.
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Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 11:17 am
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Nehanda was blind and deaf to the lionesses around her, barely registering their touch. All she felt was pain, fear, and dread. This wasn't right. Something was very, very wrong. She needed to get the cubs out now while she still could. Focusing on nothing but the little lives in her paws, she tried to block out the pain and began to push.
---
Some time later there were three still forms within the den and four moving. Nehanda and two tiny, under formed cubs lay motionless on the ground, all signs of life gone. There were, however, two lively sisters wriggling about, mewing softly, seeing the warmth of their mother. One was the same color as the deceased lioness, an almost twin to her mother aside from the grey tufts of hair on her head and tail, as well as the pale striped markings on her paws. The other sister was grey all over in various shades with her mother's dark tail tuft. She sported a few more markings than the peach cub, but they shared the striped paws. Both looked fairly healthy, if a bit small, and were clearly full of life.
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Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 8:49 pm
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Apparently, that was not how normal births went, though Nomvula as she stared at Nehanda's body in shock. Her body, which had been just earlier alive and moving and well, but now it was cold to the touch, much like two of the cubs that mewled beside their mother.
Nomvula felt her cheeks dampen as she continued to stare. She couldn't speak,
couldn't make a sound, except for the quiet sniffles that accompanied a heaving chest. This had been meant to be a celebration of life, so how on earth could it have gone so wrong?
Mazuri, too, was shocked. She hated that Nehanda had been in so much pain and that neither she nor Nomvula had been able to help her. She hated that she couldn't have seen any of this coming and that they hadn't just lost Nehanda, but two tiny cubs as well.
However, at the cries of the little cubs, Mazuri straightened and ever so gently, picked them up and placed them at her own belly. She could not provide milk for them, but she could give them warmth and comfort.
"Nomvula, we have to take care of what she had to leave behind."
She whispered to the older lioness, who finally looked at her and the cubs at her side. "We need to protect them. We'll tell the others about her death,
but I think it may be best that we leave her and the cubs here." It broke her heart to suggest leaving Nehanda's body there, but she went on. "It would be no different as though she had gone on her Ukufahamba."
She looked down at the little cubs.
"We should try to bring these little ones to the pride. Not now, of course,
but when they open their eyes, we can hope they can make the journey.
Neither of us can provide milk for them, so we will have to make due with what we have." She licked the cubs' heads gently and purred next to them,
her tail curling around them.
"And names," Nomvula added. "They must have good, strong names, to get them through trying times."
And so the lionesses sat together, watching over the two cubs and morning their friend, deciding between the two of them that they would always be there for the daughters of Nehanda, through whatever may come at them.
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