[PRP] Sister Bonding (Melokuhle & Nqobile)

[MangoMeow]

She was feeling grouchy today. She knew it, some of the other lionesses probably knew it, and considering the nosy vultures flying overhead, she was sure that everyone within a hundred mile radius knew it. (okay, maybe that last bit was an exaggeration, but that's how it felt) And for whatever reason, the idea of that bunch of gossip-mongers made her even more grouchy. (the problem with having a mostly female-oriented pride, admittedly)

Which left Melo pacing unhappily back and forth. She distantly pondered over how long it would take to wear a ditch in the dirt, but most of her thoughts were centered around the stupid girl she'd gotten into a spat with. Who did she think she was, getting off saying stuff like that?! It was just- She was just-

A hoarse yell cut through the air, causing a few nearby birds to squawk and take flight. The tan lioness didn't care though. It felt good to let off at least a little bit of steam. She didn't stop there though. While she couldn't vent her anger on some poor unsuspecting creature, she could still swipe angrily at other things, like rocks or trees.

And it was an aforementioned rock that took the brunt of her fury, before she discovered that attacking a rock was maybe not the best of ideas. Rocks were hard.... and sort of hurt... and yelling at the sky before lunging at a rock was maybe not the most sane thing she could have done.

SilverLutz

Random other adolescent lioness with no name is who she got in a spat with. Don't really have anyone in particular. xD

 

[SilverLutz]

Nqobile padded along in the shade of a stretch of trees, following an injured bird. She had spotted it hopping along the ground and trying to fly and decided it would be as good a time as any to practice her stalking and hunting. She was of the age where she'd have to start pulling her weight and she didn't want to be a disappointment to the pride, not when she and her sister had relied so heavily on them during their cub days. It was hard growing up with no mother or father - biologically speaking - but the lionesses of the pride had really stepped up to help them grow.

A shout caused her to jolt in surprise and the bird managed to hop its way up a tree, escaping for now. Nqobile would have been annoyed at the proceedings if she hadn't recognized the voice as her sister's. Concerned, she left the bird and trotted in the direction of the noise. She came upon Melokuhle beating up a rock and she paused for a moment to take in the sight before pressing on.

"Melo, what on earth are you doing?' she asked with a hint of amusement in her voice despite the concerned on her face. "What did that rock ever do to you?"

MangoMeow

 

[MangoMeow]

So involved in her attack that she hadn't heard her sister walking up. Melo let out a strangled squeak as the voice spoke aloud, whipping around to stare with wide eyes at Nqobile. Oh crap, had she seen all of that? Her ears pulled back in embarrassment, before letting out a huff and puffing out her chest to try and save face. "I-I'm just... just...."

She paused as the question brought her back to the focus of her rage, and she scowled off into the distance. Right, she was mad! Not even her sister could placate her from this one, she'd decided.

But she didn't want to concern Nqobile even more than she'd already had. Tan paws stomped up and down, before she let out a growled whine. "I'm just... showing it who's boss!" She swiped at it again, "That's what it gets for, for saying stuff like.... like that." The last part was mumbled, even she realizing that what she was saying probably didn't make much sense to her silver sister.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Nqobile lifted a paw to hide her giggle, an amused look on her face as her sister yelped in surprise from her sudden appearance. She really had been into beating up that rock! But when her near twin scowled and looked away her own smile dropped and she lowered her paw, a look of mild concern replacing the once happy face. She approached Melo as her sister spoke and paused to nuzzle her head against her shoulder.

"The rock said stuff...like what?" she asked, realizing almost instantly that it wasn't really the rock that had angered her. That was one bad thing about living in a pride of mostly lionesses - the gossip was awful and you really couldn't escape it. Since they had been cubs whispers followed them everywhere, how awful it was that their mother had died giving birth to them, how sad it must be to not have ever known her. The lionesses that had been there during their birth had helped raise them and Nqobile looked to them as role models, but she knew that it wasn't really the same as having a mother to dote on them as they grew. They had each other, though, and they had learned a lot about Nehanda through stories told to them by the older females as well as their older half-siblings.

MangoMeow

 

[MangoMeow]

Melokuhle gave a huff, looking away grumpily from her sister in an attempt to avoid answering. But the nuzzle against her side softened her resolve, and she found herself reluctantly muttering, "Just.... stuff. Stupid stuff." She wasn't sure she wanted to burden her sister with this. It really was silly, and that other lioness could shove it. She and Nqobile were perfectly fine!

At least, she thought so. The other lionesses also said they were healthy, strong girls. She scuffed a paw against the dirt, before glancing at her silver sister. The look of concern is what finally broke her. She could never hide anything from her.

"... Do you ever wonder... if we'll end up like mom someday?"

It was said uncertainly, and in an unusually quiet tone for the normally loud lioness. And it was immediately followed by her shaking her head vigorously, "I mean, we won't! It's nothing. I'm fine." Despite her words though, she couldn't help but kick at the rock again for good measure.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Melo's shift in mood let the pale sister know that she hit the meerkat on the head with her assumption. She nuzzled back a bit harder as the question was poised and she paid no attention to the quick recovery after. If her sister was having doubts or fears about their future she was going to do her best to right them as quickly as she could.

"Of course," Nqobile said with a little nod, reaching out with a paw to stop Melo from kicking the rock again. She didn't want to see her get hurt. "It's kinda hard not to. But we're not just her children. The other lionesses say our father was very healthy and strong. He had to be to be an Inselelo here, right? And we have perfectly healthy older siblings," she pointed out. "All the older lionesses say mom was sick when she was born, right off the bat. We were both healthy and strong. But," she said, golden eyes holding just a hint of worry. "That doesn't mean we'll stay healthy. Which is why we have to do our best to keep fit and stay active. If we're conscious about our bodies and how we feel normally I think we'll be able to tell if we're getting sick. Then we could try to get help."

She didn't mention it, but she knew there had been a few cubs born at the same time that they were born that hadn't even taken a breath. They had been the sick cubs, the ones that were like their mother, but hadn't survived. She felt as though she and Melo got the good genes, the ones that would keep them healthy and strong.

MangoMeow

 

[MangoMeow]

Melo felt her fur settle back down - weird, she hadn't noticed it puffing out, or maybe it'd been like that since this whole thing started - and she tucked her paws below her chest as her sister spoke. Once she was done, the tan lioness nodded slowly, "That's true...." She perked up, "He was probably pretty powerful, and our siblings are all healthy too." She reached forward to nuzzle her sister, "Just... I hope we don't."

She sighed, glancing back at the rock. She still felt uneasy about the whole thing, but.... her sister had a point. She would just... have to hope that her being healthy would equate to any cubs she might have also being healthy.

There was a pause then, before Melokuhle gave a chuckle, nudging at Nqobile with a paw, "Why do you always know what to say to make me calm?" She huffed playfully, "Maybe I don't want to be placated? Maybe I want to show my wrath?" The last part was said with a low growl, teeth bared exaggeratedly.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Nqobile nodded slightly. She hoped they didn't fall ill as well. She had been told there had been cubs that were stillborn in their mother's previous litter as well as their own, and she hoped - as awful as it sounded - that those were the cubs that would have been ill as adults and that they had escaped that fate. So far it seemed promising, even if they were a bit smaller than the average adolescent.

Melo's comment made her laugh softly and she reached out with a paw to lightly bat at her sister's shoulder. "I always know what to say because I'm your sister, silly," she said with a fond grin. "And you always come to fight off bullies for me when I'm scared. So we balance each other out."

They were nearly twins in markings and Nqobile felt that because they were the only two survivors they shared a special bond. She was more of a thinker and Melo more of a do-er, and together they were a powerful force.

MangoMeow

 

[MangoMeow]

Melo let out a purr, puffing out her chest. "Well, of course I'll fight off bullies." She narrowed her eyes, "I'll take on anyone who would try to hurt you." And she meant that. No one was allowed to lay a paw on her sister. She'd claw their ears off.

Humming quietly to herself, the lioness proceeded to enjoy the comfort of her sister beside her. She was right, they were a powerful duo, and she would protect that with her life. Which... may also mean monitoring any potential males that she may try to mate with later. Just to make sure they wouldn't try to push her into it or overstep their boundaries. Melo kept that tidbit to herself though, knowing better than to let her sister know of those thoughts.

With a content sigh, the adolescent glanced up at the sky and then back at Nqobile. "Hey, let's go hunting. Get away from the stupid rock." She threw an ornery look at it again, though she knew that it wasn't really the source of her previous fury.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Melo's reply had Nqobile's smile widen and she leaned in to nuzzle her sister affectionately. As much as she trusted the older lionesses in the pride to protect and care for them as they grew, she knew that she would trust no one more than Melo. She would be there to defend her sister if need be as well, but when it came down to it she had the feeling the tan lioness would always be her defender rather than the other way around.

She snickered softly and turned to glare at the rock that had offended Melo, sticking her tongue out at it with a 'plbblblbl' for good measure added in. That done, she turned and trotted off towards the tall grass that she had come from, an eager look on her face.

"I know there's a little hole full of field mice over here. I bet we can get one or two to come out if we're patient," she said, eager to practice her skills with her sister. She led the way away from the rock and - hopefully - the thoughts that were now attached to it.

MangoMeow

Fin!