Strolling about, Mzuka was quite content for the day. The lands seemed to be blooming with young ones as of late, and it made Mzuka wonder if she, too, should try and bring new life to the pride. It was so nice to be surrounded by those who were like her, who were often treated as outcasts by either side of their bloodlines. She knew that some children of half-breeds like herself ended up taking on more full-blooded qualities - like some of her brother’s offspring - but she was honestly glad that her own brood ended up more like her - a mix of two worlds. She feared that if she ever had a full-blooded child that she wouldn’t know how to treat them; they would know such a different world, and have different expectations and opportunities afforded to them. Part of her feared that if she did, those children would choose to leave this place, going far from her. And for Mzuka, who held family so closely, it seemed devastating to think about.
But, if Chozi could do it, then so could she. There was no sense in worrying about things that were so far off in the future - if they ever happened at all. Her paws treaded softly, her eyes tracing the ground absent-mindedly. She tried to clear her mind - it wasn’t like her to be so caught up in trivial things like this. When did she get so domestic? Once she had been a lieutenant, entrusted with the safety of a whole clan, and now here she was worrying about...children? Mzuka gave her head a shake, again trying to push the odd thoughts away.
Hiding in the grass, Haneul’s eyes were wide, her back paws delicately shifting back and forth excitedly. She had been watching an adult for some time, and had decided that it was the perfect time to practice her hunting skills. Usually she was seen immediately due to her bright blue pelt, but this adult didn’t seem to notice. Squinting slightly, she recognized who it was - miss...miss...miss Mzuka? She was one of Haneul’s favorites! She always came around to play with her and her siblings, as well as all of the other little ones that played by the dens. Biting her bottom lip, her excitement grew, and she quickly ran over her strategy in her head: wait til she’s close enough, keep quiet, and then pounce!
Shifting her weight, the adult’s paws were almost within range; she was really going to pass by without even noticing her! This was perfect! As miss Mzuka came in range, Haneul felt a burst of energy, leaping up and wrapping around the adult’s leg. “I killed you!”
Mzuka was not expecting the sudden pricks that she felt on her leg, accompanied by a small weight. She looked down, confused as to what had latched onto her without her knowledge - ah, little Haneul. She was one of Yu’s cubs. Had she really been there in the grass this whole time? Man, she must really be distracted if she didn’t notice an inexperienced cub just a few paces away. Plus, Haneul was bright blue - how did she miss that?
“Oh no, I’ve been attacked!” Mzuka took a few dramatic staggers to the side, trying to appease the small cub’s excitement. Even if she probably actually made a bunch of mistakes, Mzuka still thought it was good to encourage the practice. “And by such a vicious creature, too!” The hybrid slowly lowered and rolled onto her side, careful not to pin the small cub.
“You shall be my next meal, prey!” Haneul took a few playful bites on miss Mzuka’s leg, but made sure not to bite too hard. If miss Mzuka hadn’t noticed her, she must really be improving! “You didn’t see me at all! I’m gonna be a pro hunter some day!” She stopped taking small bites of the adults leg, resting her chin on it instead. Her paws dangled gently over the sides, just barely touching the ground.
“I believe you will be, little one.” Mzuka smiled, glad that she was excited about the practice. Some cubs never took to hunting, and it ended up making their lives a lot harder when they became adults. “Now where is your daddy, Haneul?” She glanced around - usually one of her siblings would be out playing with her, or the other pride nanny, or most likely her father somewhere. But none were to be seen; probably part of the reason why Mzuka hadn’t noticed her presence at all.
The small cub bit her lip for a moment, eyes sliding up towards the sky in thought. “Papa went on one of his adventures.” Haneul knew her father was a little...funny, compared to other adults. Sometimes he saw things that they didn’t see, but he was the best at playing pretend! And he always had the best cuddles and she loved him the most. “Papa left us with the other miss, but I wanted to go hunting by myself so I could get better.” She grinned, proud that she had done this all on her own. She knew to stay close to certain landmarks, but needed some space for practice.
“Oh, I see.” Ah, so he was having another episode. When Yu had come to the pride, everyone was concerned that he was entirely insane - but they slowly realized, with the help of his daughter that stopped by every once in awhile, that he just had an overactive imagination that had taken up permanent residence. Some days were calmer than others, and he never posed any threat to anyone. Sometimes, it was just difficult to follow a conversation with him, and sometimes they’d see him off doing strange things by himself. But, he loved his cubs, and always had a plan set up for them. As one of the few nannies in the pride, Mzuka often watched his cubs, but she hadn’t been notified today. “Well, Haneul, now that you’ve taken down your prey, how about we go back and find everyone else?” Mzuka slowly shifted, starting to get up.
“If you say so miss Mzuka. But I could stay over here and practice all day!” The small cub only protested slightly; she had achieved her main goal, and was thus content to return to her siblings’ sides. “I’ll follow you!” Haneul came to her feet, giving a small bounce before following after miss Mzuka.
"You can practice more with them." Coming to her feet, she took a few steps, making sure that Haneul was following after. She wasn't necessarily worried for her safety, but it was best to keep her within sight of an adult while she was still so small.