Laini hadn't been back home in a long time. With both daughters full grown and settled in the pride, he had felt that seeing him again would have been more of a distraction than anything. But over the past few moons he had started to hear bad tidings from the direction of his old pride. So the big male, no longer a lion in his prime, had set back out into the roguelands on the path that he knew would lead him all the way to the bonelands, the pride of his birth. Many days later he finally came to the pride's boarder, and his heart had been in his mouth for at least the last few days. The land was barren. Dead grass lay lifeless where it hadn't simply been blown away, the dust that had once been fertile soil lifted with the wind leaving the roots exposed. He hadn't seen anything for hours, no lions, no hyenas, no prey of any kind. Only the odd vulture circled high above but he didn't know if they were the Cingas companions or if they were wild and just looking for food. With his concern building he hurried on.
Kala yawned and stretched slowly, her skinny frame sore and stiff from laying still so long. She longed to go for a walk, even if it would make her more hungry than she already was but between the lack of food and water and with two cubs to feed, she hadn't moved very far at all for the last week. Shifting onto her side she stretched out, seeking what shade the dead scrub-tree could afford. The two balls of fur curled up against her belly stirred with her movements but soon they both settled again. Blue and silver fluff intermingled with her own blue coat. Her eldest daughter had inherited Kala's completely blue coat with only little bits of the father's grey appearing here and there. It was this one Kala was most worried about as she now knew the kind of life that would await her precious cub. Her younger daughter was a little luckier... Having taking Emrys' silver coat over Kala's blue, though her traitorous hue curled in shimmering swirls and leaf patters over her second daughter, marking her irrevocably as Kala's offspring. The blue busisa refused to consider her third cub. The daughter who had never lived. Closing her eyes she struggled to rest despite the arid heat that beat down on the dusty landscape.
Anashe stirred as her mother moved. Despite the heat that radiated from the furry flank of her dam, the little cub still instinctively pressed close. But once disturbed, her sleep refused to return and she gradually awoke, squirming further until she had accidentally rolled herself away from her sister. Yawning heavily she blinked open bleary eyes and looked around. She had actually rolled into a patch of deeper shade and she instantly felt both cooler, and more alert. She was hungry, but she had been hungry for the entirety of her short life so she didn't pay it much mind. Instead she rolled onto her back and laid with her paws stuck uo into the air, enjoying the slight breeze through her toes.
The big male had begun to jog, his anxiety for his daughters and mother growing with each mile. Nothing but dust and bones surrounded him, the utter deadness of the land seeming to mock him as his heart raced faster and faster. Finally he caught a flash of bright blue in the otherwise brown landscape. It could only be one of two lionesses, his daughters.
Picking up his pace he made a beeline directly towards the blue figure sheltering under a stubby skeletal tree. As he drew closer, he could tell that it was Kala, his eldest. But his concern hadn't yet abated as he saw the condition she was in. Too thin by half, her fur was dusty and dull. Anger at the pride rose sharp within him. She was as much a bonelander as any of them! Her bloodline went directly back to Matifu! Just because she was blue didn't mean they could leave her to starve to death!
Suddenly all his thoughts skidded to a halt as he spotted something next to his daughter. Two somethings to be precise. Twin balls of blue and silver fluff. His heart, which had previously been thudding along in his chest heavy with concern, now shot up into his throat with a mix of excitement and nerves. Was he a grandfather?
Kala had been half asleep but was aware when one of her babies rolled away. Lifting her aching head she peered down at where her blue daughter was still fast asleep. Blinking heavily she felt a spike of fear as she was unable to spot her other cub, but then saw the flash of silver fur she sought. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief she half though of returning her stay offspring, but Anashe seemed to have found herself a cooler spot to lay in and looked quite content playing with the wind, at least that’s what Kala assumed she was doing as all four stubby legs waved slowly in the air.
Just as she was about to lay her head back down she spotted a large, dark shape running towards her. She didn't even feel a trace of fear as she instantly recognised the large frame and that distinctive stripped mane. "Dad!" She called out in delight, stiffly rolling onto her tummy, while being careful of her still-sleeping daughter.
The little silver cub wiggled her toes, enjoying the coolness of the breeze against her paw pads. She had been daydreaming as was her habit when she was too tired and hungry to actually play, but the sound of her mother's voice calling out to someone instantly caught her attention. Rolling over she peered at her mother, then followed the direction Kala was staring in with her own gaze. The sight of a huge dark lion bearing down on them frightened her and she cried out, scrambling on unsteady legs to hide against her mother's quivering flank.
Laini finally started to slow as he drew close to the small family. "Kala!" He called, excitment and concern rich in his voice. His daughter hadn't stood by the time he reached her but he didn't care, leaning down to press his cheek against her's before slinging a thick foreleg carefully around her narrow shoulders. Instantly he felt how terribly thin she was and he choked back a sob, gathering her closer to himself as he groomed her mane just as he had when she had been a cub herself. "Oh my daughter." He whispered, throat closing as he leaned back, dropping down onto his belly to be on a level with her. "What has happened to you?"
Her father's approach didn't faze her as she welcomed him in, weakly wrapping one of her own front limbs as far about him as she could reach, which wasn't particularly far at all. As he groomed her fur and held her tight she let out a shuddering breath. His absence in her life had weighted on her more than she had ever let him know, but now he was here she knew they didn't have much time. Carefully pushing back enough to make him look at her she grinned. "Hi Dad. I'm well, thank you." Her playful chastisement earned her a bashful grin and she leaned into the big male again, relaxing with a soft puff of breath, "It's good to see you Dad. How have you been?" A shifting against her side brought her attention back to her cubs and she beamed shyly. "I should be calling you Grandpa now..." She offered softly, gently easing to one side so he could see his two grandcubs.
Anashe shrank against her mother as the giant lion came close and grabbed at Kala. Her tiny cub-cry lost under the deeper rumble of the stranger's voice as the two adults greeted each other. It took a long moment for Anashe to realise that it was a friendly embrace and not one designed to kill. Still scared but slowly calming her franticly beating pulse, the tiny cub stared up at the giant dark lion that was her grandfather.
As her mother shifted to reveal her two daughters, Anashe fought the urge to hide again and instead stared boldly back at the giant. He was huge! And so dark. She couldn't see how he was related to her mother, but the two did seem very close. Shifting nervously she glanced at her mum before going back to staring at the lion.
Since first catching sight of the little balls of fluff he had been transfixed, barely able to utter a response to his daughter's gentle teasing tone. When at last she moved so that he could see the tiny face peering boldly back at him, he couldn't help the involuntarily gasp of delight. "Oh Kala, they are beautiful!" He carefully reached out, gently scooping the little grey fuzzball up and brought her against his thickly maned chest. The other he left sleeping, not wanting to disturb her rest. As the grey fuzzbutt wriggled in his arms he beamed at the tiny cub. "They are perfect. What did you name them?" Dipping his great head he sniffed at the tiny bundle, and while he noted that they were incredibly small and thin, they seemed otherwise healthy and this one was at least fairly energetic.
"That one is Anashe." She replied before pointing at the second still-sleeping cub and naming her too. She didn't mention her third and last cub, that pain was still too raw to be dragged out into the open. Instead she pushed it to the back of her mind where she could mostly ignore it, and focused on the silver and blue shape that looked so tiny in her father's grasp. She couldn't help the upswell of emotion that closed her through as she watched her father nuzzle and groom his granddaughter. He was so big and yet he was so very careful. She could remember being that small and held between those loving paws. She had felt so safe and protected, even as she and her sister had been slowly starving. Though it had been no fault of her father's, the big male had done his best to provide for two cubs that had lost their mother far too young. Longing stabbed through her, longing to have Laini stay, to have the safety of those big arms around her once again. But she knew it was impossible, and worse, that even if he risked everything and stayed, he would be just as vulnerable to this drought as she was. His size would be nothing but a disadvantage in this time of famine.
Anashe was shocked when the giant reached out and grabbed her, pulling her away from her mother and into the thick brown fur of his mane. She struggled for a moment until she realised that he smelled familiar. Instantly she settled down, the scent of family calming her. While the giant male was a stranger to her, his gentle manner and familiar scent were enough to allow her to relax, and soon the long soothing strokes of his tongue as he groomed her started her back down the path towards sleep.
Laini couldn't get over the shock and joy of holding his very first grandchild. The silver female was so very perfect in his eyes. Yet even with the tiny bundle curled up contentedly in his arms he also couldn't stop his concern over his daughter. Kala was much too thin anyway, and to be raising two young cubs... He met her warm-eyed gaze as she watched him with his granddaughter. "Kala, what has happened here?" His question was broad and searching. He needed to know what had befallen the pride, and the state of Kala's situation. Was she safe? Were his grandcubs safe? She wasn't eating enough, but why? Was it just the pride pushing her out as resources became more important? Or were the entire pride in a similar condition? Who was the father of her cubs?
Kala could see the worry gnawing at her sire and smiled tenderly. The big male had always spent his time worrying about her and her sister, and it seemed that trend was not going to fade away any time soon. In fact she reckoned he would only worry more, now that he had two new lives to fret over. When his blunt question came she wasn't surprised, and was willing, if not happy, to answer his any queries. For several hours they talked, Kala catching her father up on all that had happened to the Bonelanders recently, from the drought and subsequent lack of food and water, to the hunting accidents and the more recent fight with the crocodiles over the few remaining water sources. She spoke of Emrys and her late pregnancy, and of the new Inselelo who could apparently communicate with the dangerous reptiles. She knew she wasn't alleviating his concerns, but it was the best she could offer him. She knew her father would try and help and truthfully, so long as he didn't get hurt, she was desperate enough not to argue.
A huge yawn had escaped as she listened to her mother and grandfather talk, and she felt the rumble of his laughter against her back, through the thick warm fur of his chest. He is nice... She decided groggily, as her empty belly and the comforting strength all around her soon had her slipping into the dream world. She fell asleep listening to the deep rumble of her grandfather's voice, the safety of her mother near by all that the young cub needed to trust the giant stranger who had appeared out of the dust-filled landscape.
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