Umoya flicked her tail as she stretched, smiling as her bright green eyes met a new day. So, it was finally happening. Well, hopefully it would happen. There was no way of telling until it actually did happen. But the important part was that she was finally taking steps in her life to make it happen… cubs. Wouldn’t that be wonderful, to birth a litter? She felt excited and confident… and yes, even a little scared. She’d raised Chi from a cub and she had done that with her missing leg… she could raise a whole litter of her own too. Well, she would have help with that any how. The pride was full of resourceful lionesses, her sisters who would not hesitate to help her with anything she needed. She smiled up at the sun before starting out of her den, noticing that Chi was not present. She wasn’t surprised, she knew her daughter liked to rise quite early, even before the sun, to start off her day with a dawn hunt.
Some weeks Umoya felt like she hobbled all around, though since Chi had come into her life those weeks and days were far and few between. She stood proudly on her three legs… and today? Today she walked with a sense of purpose, her pace quick as she headed for some of the spots she knew her daughter to be particularly fond of. The sun had not made it far in it’s journey across the sky when she caught her daughter’s scent. Her smile lingered as she came closer, and soon she was able to see the brown lioness in the distance.
She paused in her journey to simply watch for a few moments, her daughter was basking in the sunlight. She was strong and proud, fierce. Umoya felt another surge or pride as she moved forward, ”Catch anything today?” She called out, laughter following her words.
The day already felt long, her muscles already aching with the hunt she’d gone on this morning. A few chases, but nothing had been secured. Chi was alright with that, sometimes that was just the way of the hunt. Many days brought plentiful bounty, other days not so much. She knew her sisters would take down enough to feed those who were in need, so just being able to tag along was enough for her. Tomorrow was a new day, after all. Perhaps her favorite thing about hunting, catch or no, was being able to find a quiet spot to sit and bathe in the beautiful light offered from the sun above. The time spent in the sunlight let her unwind from morning activities, it warmed her aching muscles and soothed her soul. The peaceful quiet accompanying the sun’s warmth also gave her every opportunity to review how her hunt had gone, what she could be doing better and even the things that she had done particularly well. Today though, it seemed as if her time was to be cut short. She heard her mother’s voice and her ears flickered, a slow smile stretching across her maw. She waited a moment before slowly letting her head and gaze turn toward the approaching female, her purple eyes drinking in the form of her mother. She was so thankful for all that Umoya had done for her… often she wondered if her mother realized that as much as Umoya claimed Chi had saved her… it obviously worked the other way around too.
”Mother… something is different about you today.” She stated in way of greeting, her eyes glittering with mischief. She wondered if it had to do with many of the conversations they had been having over the past few moons. She knew her mother wanted to finally birth cubs of her own, and often she had to reassure her mother that not even a tiny bit of insecurity had passed through her mind. She knew she was Umoya’s daughter, that being born from someone else did not change that. And Umoya seeking to have cubs of her own? That did not change it either. ”You seem… determined.” She laughed more, happy when her mother’s laughter joined in.
Umoya shook her head lightly as she made it to her daughter, rubbing her head against the others before taking a moment to slowly settle herself next to the female. A low purr rumbled from her chest almost instantly, able to spend time with Chi. "Observant as ever, darling." She winked and shifted, leaning over to groom at her adult child. For a while she was content to do just that, despite Chi's fussing and insistence that she was fully grown and could groom herself. Umoya nipped her ear playfully when she was finished, brimming with excitement to be able to share the news. "I've picked Budek." She stated, really it was the only words of explanation that she needed. "...Of course, it is too early to tell but I am meeting up with him again later today." Her tail flicked and she chuckled, feeling slightly awkward still. She knew it was common practice in their pride, but it was still all very new to her.
"Just think... maybe soon you will be a big sister." Her gaze glassed over as she stared out to the horizon, thinking about it. Though just as quickly her eyes became slightly troubled. "Of course, there is always the possibility that you will never be a big sister." Her words were coated with worry.
"Don't be silly, mother." Chi said quietly, nuzzling into her mother's side before beginning to return the favor of grooming. "Budek is a good choice, though I hear talk that his litters are ripe with males." She smirked, her words teasing. "Even still, I think having little brothers wouldn't be so bad." Chi had started to think of her own motherhood, and if that was something she wanted right now. She had determined that really it wasn't... she was content hunting, and content taking care of her mother. First she wanted to see Umoya's happiness, and perhaps then she would think more on the idea of becoming a mother herself. She was still young, she had time.
Umoya continued to purr as her daughter groomed her, feeling calmer with Chi's reassuring words. "Still, it is a possibility that I have to keep in mind... you never know what can happen in this life." She shifted her amputated leg as a way of reminding her daughter. "It does one no good to take life for granted... and even if I can not birth a litter of my own... I already have a daughter I am very proud of." She met Chi's gaze, a warm smile offered to her daughter. Whatever happened, that was what would be meant to happen and Umoya would be happy either day. Chi had taught her a lot about being content with her situation, Chi had reminded her how to be happy again when her life had been... less than so. "Boys would not be so bad." She agreed, smirking. She sighed contently, eyes shutting. "Of course, I hear it is hard if your litter is chalk full of the little monsters." It wasn't really something she needed to be concerned with right now, though. "For now I suspect I should just focus on actually getting pregnant, right?" She laughed and shifted closer, snuggling into her daughter's warm body. "Actually, right
this moment a nap sounds better than anything." She ignored her daughter's teasing that she'd just woken up. Some days it was okay to be lazy, especially when she had plans to be particularly active later on. She needed to store up her energy, she insisted.
A nap with her precious daughter, and hopefully dreams filled with good tidings to come.
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