The pride was starting to really worry and it showed in how all of the lionesses acted, how the Abaholi acted, and how easy it was for small squabbles to occur on a daily basis now. They were always over silly things it seemed like. Like who was going to have cubs next, who was prettier and would get the attention of one of the Abholi next or whose beetle that was. Though, that last one was typically reserved for the cubs.
Cubs..
Umthunzi sighed heavily as her large body rolled, letting the dry brush scratch at her back. A few of the lionesses had shown interest in Tawa, approaching him, trying to earn his favor enough for him to sire their cubs. The thought alone left a sour taste in the ex-Firekin's mouth. He had come here for her, but in doing so he had opened himself up for others.
"What are you thinking about?"
The proper voice shook Umthunzi from her thoughts as she looked at the upside-down image of Gede, her golden coat shining in the dying daylight. Concern was on the daughter of Bangizwe's face as plain as day. The two had never really been friends. Sure they had hunted together, but who hadn't?
"Nothin'."
Gede rolled her eyes at the statement. She knew it was a lie. They both did. However, the Busisa was glad for the fact that she didn't pry further. Instead, she walked to her side and settled down about two feet away and then to Umthunzi's surprise, rolled onto her back as well. And there they laid for was felt like hours. Silence was the only companion between the sound of their breathing and the constant buzzing of the flies though even that died off as the chill of night began to sink in.
"What are you doing here?" The first voice to break the silence was Umthunzi's.
"Waiting on you to tell me what's wrong." Gede needed need to look to know that the pale Busisa was scowling at her.
"I never asked you to do that."
"You did not need to."
"Then why are you doing this? You're not my cousin or anything like that. Hell, we're not even friends!" There was anger now, minimal, but there.
"We are pride-sisters." Those four words doused the flame that had been growing in Umthunzi's voice. "We look out for one another. Besides, I do not want to hunt with anyone who may be compromised. You are large, an asset."
The Busisa's chest dropped as she breathed out into the cold night air, her head tilting to look skyward. The stars were sparkling, some blinking, they were beautiful and a reminder of sadder times. How many night had she spent looking up at these same stars in the same patterns and wondered if he had been looking at them too.
"Fine, I'll tell you, but you have to keep it between us."
"Promise," though Gede wasn't sure how much her word was worth. The golden body shifted, stretched as she rolled onto her side as she looked expectantly. Hours had been spent in silence wearing her down and now she would finally know what had been biting at the larger female's mind all day.
"Tawa'shilah," the name was a whisper and carried quickly away on the wind as silence fell over them for another minute before Umthunzi garnered the courage to speak again. "I knew him from my birth pride, the Firekin. I was seen as being fireless. Huria. All of my siblings were...all six of us. Despite my father being as dark as your vision when you close your eyes and my mother as red as blood...Two of my sisters and one of my brothers were brown. Illi, hah, he was pale, looked like the sand had stuck to him. Psyche was the luckiest. Her pelt was the closest to what our pride considered normal, but even she wasn't exempt from being classified as Huria."
A moment was spared to glance sideways to ensure that Gede was still listening. A wordless nod from Bangizwe's daughter was all she needed to continue.
"I met Tawa when I was a cub. I had slid down a dune and he, as unlucky as ever, broke my fall." Umthunzi laughed loudly into the stillness of the night at the memory of her childhood. "Nearly hit him when he asked me where my fire was 'cause I wasn't red. Made him feel bad, nearly started crying." A smile that ghosted onto her face as the last words fell from her mouth. "We were inseparable at that point. Though my training was more intensive than his and more broad, we spent every moment we could together."
"You care deeply for him then, but I do not understand why you are so distracted. Are you not happy he is here?"
"No!" the outburst was unexpected even from Umthunzi who rubbed her head awkwardly. "No, I'm happy he's here. Ecstatic. He knows just as well as I do that his time here is limited. He's an Inselelo, a temporary position, a guest."
"Then what?"
The question was met with silence. Gede's ears fell back. The silence lasted longer than she would have liked.
"Then what?" she asked again.
"I'm jealous!"
Those fallen ears perked up at the exclamation. "Of what?"
"...the other lionesses. They're all over him, striving for a sliver of his attention. I've even heard a couple talk about wanting cubs with him." The last sentence was laced with venom, a thought she didn't want to think on, but she could not help it. It was the reason she had been silent these last few days, been distracted.
Gede knew who she was speaking of. One of her sisters had been seen hovering around the Inselelo, obviously trying to pique his interest in having cubs with her. Though she was unsure if her efforts were working, she had heard no news of whether or not her sister's ventures had been fruitful yet. Umthunzi speaking again broke her train of thought.
"I..I don't want them to. It's selfish, I know, but he came here for me."
"Then beat them to it." Gede's voice was deadpan, though a grin formed on her face as she saw Umthunzi's cheeks light up.
"E-excuse me?!"
"You are jealous, yes? Of the attention the other lionesses are giving him. There is nothing you can do to truly keep him from them. He is bound to sire cubs with someone here. Someone other than you." The statement, one known by them both, only caused Umthunzi to begin to rumble, a growl forming, in her throat. "Have cubs with him first. At least then you will have that."
The suggestion was viable. No one was showing yet. Hell, Umthunzi didn't even know if Tawa had even been with any of the other lionesses yet. It still seemed silly to be so jealous, so protective over the idea of Tawa only being here for her, no one else, that even the simply thought of him being with someone else set her blood aflame. 'Fireless indeed.'
"You both seem to have quite a lot of history together. It would be a shame if you were the mother of his first cubs if he did truly come here, fight his way in, to see you, to be with you." As the last word hung in the air, Gede rose to her feet, taking a moment to stretch her aching muscles. "Think on it, Umthunzi. I think you would be a fine mother." And then she was gone into the night to likely find something to eat.
It would be another hour before Umthunzi would break herself from her immersion in her own thoughts. She needed to find Tawa.
[word count: 1,300]