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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 4:30 am
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 3:34 pm
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Even though it was harder adjusting to the pride's new migration, Ezino didn't have it in her to complain. She knew that despite the occasional aching paws, she was fine; only hurting this way because they had stayed in one place for so long. On top of that, the drought had been hard on them all. It only made sense that they might be slower to recover from various injuries and ails. The muddy-coated lioness helped her sisters wherever she could, but on the whole, they did not seem to need it. This made Ezino happier than she knew how to say. Mixed with the new blood that had come in after the whole, painful business of the drought was over, their pride - her pride - seemed to be growing and doing so much better than before.
None of that even touched on her personal favorite addition to the pride: the cubs. Now that everyone was eating properly and healing from their wounds, it seemed that they had remembered how to be comfortable again. And with comfort came families! The beginnings of dozens of new beginnings, dashing around the pride, crying out in adorable little voices. Ezino loved being around them, watching over them. She adored seeing to the needs of their mothers, tending to the strain and stress that bearing the little darlings could bring. And then - and this was her favorite part - she loved watching them afterward, all awash in the afterglow of motherhood. (cont.) A slow, easy smile rolled over the lioness' face just thinking about it. The urge to check in on the pride's mothers again welled in her, and she had to laugh at herself. It was a quiet kind of chuckle, sweet and rueful. She'd just been there with them! The whole reason she was out walking along the edge of the pride's new stomping ground was because no one needed her - well, that and putting some strength back into sore paws. She wasn't the only one out exploring, though: Ezino would know the scampering of a little one anywhere. The gentle female couldn't help her smile widening as she came up behind the little scout. "Be careful," she warned softly. Goodness, but the cub was so cute, mounted on her little perch!
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 3:34 pm
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 7:35 pm
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Such a dear! Ezino's heart warmed to hear the little one take her admonition to heart. As the cub moved closer - Ezino's eyes never leaving her as she picked her way down along the stone - she would find her head equal to the lioness' all the way down. It was darn near second nature for the motherly creature to lower herself to the level of the cub. By the time they were both on the ground, Ezino was stretched out along the earth, the dusty markings of her pelt all but an extension of the land around them. Her paws were folded neatly inward, instinctually making the lioness a bundle of harmless, soft curves, smiles and welcoming eyes.
"What a lovely name, Inkedama." Her warm, slow drawl could have been an extension of that disarming image - but for many adults, the slower speech was off-putting. "I am Ezinothuzi, and I am so happy to meet you." Cubs tended to be more hit or miss, and that was admittedly one of the things Ezino liked most about them. It seemed easier for the sweetly young to accept that the way she spoke simply was. No need to fix it.
"What were you doing atop the rocks, there?"
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 7:35 pm
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 9:01 pm
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 9:01 pm
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2018 7:40 pm
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2018 7:40 pm
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 7:12 am
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The cub's smile earned a matching one from Ezino. What a bright young lady she was! "That is exactly it," she assured in her slow way. "Without family, they are defenseless. So are we - but you do not need to worry about that." Both ears flicked forward before the lioness smiled, gesturing Inkedama closer with a flick of her paw. "We are all your family." That was something she definitely wanted to make sure that all the pride's cubs understood. They were loved, and they were never alone. Ezino took comfort in knowing that many of her sisters would take the role of aunts and mothers too, whenever the need arose - and cubs like Ink would grow up to become pride-sisters in turn.
Something that the little one understood, judging by her choices. "I am sure you will make a masterful kill one day - or inspire your sisters to do so." She smiled. "I have always wanted to do just that. Here, I can support all of my pride-sisters, just like you." Her eyes crinkled at the corners, quickly filling with unspent laughter. She couldn't help being amused: Ink's snarling stomach reminded her of the attention span of young ones, too. "That includes feeding them when they are hungry. Come. Let us return to the others." Shaking out the dull ache of standing still for so long, Ezino turned back the way she had come. A kind glance was given to the cub from the corner of her eye, making sure that she was following close behind.
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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AstoriaFallen
AstoriaFallen
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 7:13 am
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