[PRP] Settling Down (Udaka x Umkhombo)

[SilverLutz]

Ever since she had joined the Bonelands lionesses in their trek across the plains, Udaka had been a nose to the grindstone, business-like lady. She took things seriously, she didn't slack off, and she prided herself on her ability to become one of the trusted females within the pride. Indeed, she had proven her skills during the hippo hunt to earn the title of Enkulu, she had gone with a selection of cubs and adolescents on their Inqina, and she had seen Abaholi and Inselelo come and go. She was no longer an outsider of the pride striving to win the approval of those that surrounded her, she was an upstanding example of what ever Bonelands lioness should strive to be.

The one thing she had yet to do was have cubs of her own and now that their little migration was over, she felt like it was as good a time as any. Taking a page out of the traditionalist's book, she sought out Umkhombo to request his assistance. He was the darkest of all of the breeding males and she did wish to carry on the spirit of the Bonelands. There were females now who were looking to breed with males not within the lands and, while that was certainly their choice to make, she did feel like some of the colorful choices they were making were a bit detrimental to the pride as a whole. A blue huntress could easily be spotted hiding in the brown grass, after all.

Udaka padded along, brown eyes searching for the Umholi. He had to be around here somewhere.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Things had been fairly quiet, by the recent standards of the Ithambo'hlabathi, since they had completed their migration...some time ago, now.  He and his compatriots had settled in, as had Sayilmaz, an unexpected but welcome addition to the Inselelo rank.  Kuhasa had finally lost his position to Bazazi, who had subsequently lost it to Budek, but such shuffling around of Inselele was the norm.  There hadn't been a great number of cubs recently, but there had clearly been a boom right after the drought, so it wasn't entirely surprising.  The three Abaholi were secure in their positions so long as they maintained their bond with one another and didn't do anything to greatly upset the females, so there was plenty of time for cubs.

Umkhombo did have one set running about these days, which was a source of many conflicting emotions for him.  It was a reminder of the loss of his mate, survived only by Khazine.  He'd taken a primary role in raising his daughter then, but here in the Bonelands, he was expected to be fairly paws-off when it came to his offspring.  It was difficult, but also something of a relief, as Khazine could rest assured that her position as firstborn and favorite was secure.  Of course, she was old enough now to consider having cubs of her own, which he was not prepared for, and he found himself eyeing his friends with some suspicion.  It would be entirely her choice if she favored one of them, but...

That was a thought he tried not to entertain, and grimaced as he shooed it away, turning his attention to the horizon to scan for any potential concerns.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

It wasn't too difficult to find the dark lion once she caught his scent. Although Udaka didn't particularly concern herself with getting to know the males that normally came and went, she did know the new Abaholi since they wouldn't be leaving any time soon. At least, she hoped not. The males that hung around the pride but didn't breed were well known to her, but they didn't really could as true males in her book.

Finally she caught up to where Umkhombo had set himself to keep an eye on the borders - rogue lion linage was showing up more and more frequently within the cubs that were being born, although it was hard to keep a grip on the borders of the land while migrating so Udaka could let it slide - and cleared her throat to announce her presence. Moving downwind of a lion on guard and approaching quietly was certainly something only a foolish lion would do.

"Any disturbances, Umkhombo?" she asked, her voice deep and neutral as usual.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Ears flicked back even before the lioness cleared her throat, but it wasn't until she spoke that he turned his head to regard her.  It had taken time to get to the point now where he could recognize everyone on sight, but it was vital to be able to do so.  This was his pride now, and he had to know on sight who belonged and who didn't.  That, and it would just look bad if he didn't know someone's name.  He risked causing unnecessary offense if he failed to remember, or worse, called them the wrong name.  He might not know any other details about them, and he may or may not have some idea about to whom they were related, but names were a necessity.  Within a moment, he placed name to hie company and greeted her with it and a nod. "Udaka."

"Not today," Umkhombo answered, "Although there's time for that to change." Things had been blessedly uneventful, overall; there were always occasional rogues to be chased off, but very few of them ever posed a serious threat.  Some of the Bonelands lionesses evidently liked to roam beyond where the Abaholi patrolled, but that was their prerogative for now.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Once Umkhombo had noticed her, Udaka sat down a few paces from the male, facing towards the rogue lands but with her attention on him as he spoke. She nodded, glad that nothing seemed out of the ordinary as of now. She was glad the migration was done with and they all seemed to be settling into their 'new' home quite well. It was the first time she'd been here despite her time with the pride so she'd certainly have a lot to explore.

"Hopefully it doesn't," she said with a soft snort. Although some of the other lionesses enjoyed shaking things up and change, Udaka was of the mindset that boring was safe. Ever since she had lost the sight in her right eye thanks to a hunt gone wrong she was much more cautious than she was in her younger days. She was still fierce and powerful, but she didn't take unnecessary risks.

"Now that we've made it to our destination I feel like another surge of cubs will be on the way. I was hoping to ask for your assistance in adding to that number." She had a feeling a lot of the cubs would be from rogue fathers which, while good for keeping the gene pool fresh, didn't hold to the Bonelands values. She wanted the darkest Umholi to sire her children, and here he was.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

It was not the first such request, nor would it be the last. Far from it. If everything went according to plan - not that his life had ever actually gone according to plan - there were years of such requests ahead of him. It was what he'd wanted, once. He'd been full of such notions and youthful bravado when he'd ventured off as an adolescent to grow and become strong enough to take his place here. Before the desert. Before Aribak. Would there ever be a day he didn't think of her? Would hearing a request for cubs ever not bring on a sense of disquiet, of guilt? He gave no outward indication of it, ever, but there was a part of him that felt like he was betraying her, every time. But coming to the Bonelands and becoming Umholi had been the best way he knew to keep what was left of her safe.

"It is a good time for cubs," he said finally, with what could be taken as an approving nod, "And I will assist, if that is your wish." A serious, professionally distant answer for a serious question. Udaka needed cubs, and in a way, so too did he. Every litter would add legitimacy to his reign with further proof that he was well-suited to all his duties.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Umkhombo's answer had Udaka nodding in reply, glad that he had taken her up on the request. She knew that although the females were the ones that decided when, where, and with whom they wished to have cubs with, the males could always deny the request. It would be looked upon strangely for certain and perhaps with distrust, but the males were never forced into a situation to produce cubs.

"I feel as though the pride has strayed from the traditions a bit," she admitted as she glanced back in the direction of her pride sisters. "So many are finding males outside of our Inselelo and Abaholi to breed with. It brings in fresh bloodlines, yes, but it is also a little concerning. I hope to lead by example," she added, glancing up at the dark male. Hopefully she would have a strong, dark litter to further the Bonelands traditions and beliefs, even if they were a bit superstitious. Udaka knew that the color of a pelt had nothing to do with strength, but perhaps it was this old preference that made her find darker males more attractive.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"I had noticed that my predecessors seem to have been quite...permissive," Umkhombo noted, deflecting possible scrutiny of himself and his partners by pinning the blame, if it could be called such, on Andhaka and Bangizwe. "Perhaps because they came to power in such an unconventional manner, they deemed their laxness wise.  Although there's not much to be done for it without being unreasonably extreme.  I doubt that even the most conservative of the Abazingeli would approve if I took us back to the days of Matifu." His paternal grandfather had usually killed illegitimate cubs, as well as most legitimate males.  Some females had been wont to do the same, and culled their own litters of any undesirables.

Not that he could ever do such a thing, even if it weren't sure to cause an uprising.  It was well before his day, in any case, and for all but the most extremely conservative, best left as nothing more than an unpleasant memory of harsher times.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Udaka had to snort softly at the mention of the former Abaholi. They hadn't been bad, persay, they had just been fairly lax in their rule. There had been some colorful Inselelo during their reign - quite literally colorful - and there were unnatural colors within the pride now that there hadn't been before. Again, it was still mostly natural hues and there was nothing inherently bad about unnatural pelts, but it certainly made hunting harder when trying to blend in with the brown grass while sporting bright blue fur.

"Oh no, nothing quite that severe," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm sure there'd be an outcry if things returned to that state." She glanced off into the distance for a moment before shifting her weight to begin to move.

"I'll see if there's a decent spot close by. Don't rush," she added, not wanting him to abandon his post for her sake. "I'll call out when I am ready." Turning once more, she plodded off slowly in search of a slightly secluded place.

Meepfur

Last from me!

 

[Meepfur]

It was odd - one of many odd things - to now be so concerned with appearance after so long. He recalled, albeit vaguely, when the blue orphans had been brought into the pride, and how his mother and Nolaka had carried on about it, and remembered promising himself that when he was Umholi, he would allow no such thing. And yet, now that he was...he would. Maybe not to stay forever, for their own sake, but he could never leave a cub to die, no matter what it looked like. Not when some of his own would have been, should have been purple. Khazine was lucky she'd inherited his color, or she'd not have received the reception she had upon arrival in the Bonelands.

As the conversation was brought to an end, he simply nodded to Udaka as she ventured off to find a 'decent spot.' With any luck, he'd have fished his mind out of the past and what-ifs of his life by then.

SilverLutz