New Day

Hours before dawn, the young queen of the Lowlands was torn from her deep sleep by sharp pains. Immediately, Nyota knew that it was time for her litter to make its appearance, and she had woken Duara to alert her of what was happening before slipping out of the den on her own. While she wished Duara could be there with her while she gave birth, Nyota had decided to seclude herself, unwilling to let anyone, not even her closest companion, see what she had to go through to bring new life to the jungle. She had chosen the base of a mountain, where a private cave was hidden, rather than their usual den, hoping that no one would discover her there.

It was a frightening situation for the lioness, but not nearly as agonizing as Nyota had expected. From the stories she heard from the lionesses in her pride, the pains of birth were said to be the worst one could experience. As the hours slowly slipped by, Nyota was certainly uncomfortable, and the pain was occasionally intense, but it was still not as awful as she had imagined it would be. She didn't scream out in pain, or cry, only remaining patient as she waited for her first cub to arrive. The first cub to be born was a soft brown color, a few shades lighter than Nyota's chocolate pelt, with white undermarkings. The queen was strangely relieved to find that her firstborn was a female, with a trio of pale markings under both eyes just like her mother.

Maybe it was a mother's bias, but Nyota could not remember seeing as adorable of a cub as the one she had just created, and she was in awe of her little daughter, instantly smitten. After the cub was cleaned up, Nyota worried that she would be the only one in the litter. A single cub would prove to be problematic when the father, the king of the Coldlands, came to see his offspring. But shortly after, the labor began once more, and soon another cub made its first appearance to the world. Nyota felt a pang of guilt as she tended to the second cub, for he looked so much like Ismahel, it was uncanny. The boy was almost pure white, but with a soft tan underbelly undoubtedly inherited from his mother.

The litter was complete with only two cubs produced, which didn't surprise Nyota. Her own mother had small litters herself, so she hadn't expected half a dozen babies at once. It was a relief to see that there were at least two. One she would keep, but the other would be raised elsewhere. It was clear which of the cubs Ismahel would claim. The boy cub was practically his father's spitting image, and most monarchs would prefer to have a male heir, so Nyota knew instantly which of her children she would have to part with.

Nyota didn't want to grow too attached to the white cub, because that would only make it more difficult when it was time to let him leave the jungle for the Coldlands, where he was destined to live. Still, maternal instincts were impossible to ignore, and Nyota would care for the male just as well as she cared for the female until his father came to collect him. Thinking of the cold kingdom, the new mother uttered a soft sigh, and she decided she would give the cub a name, even if it would later be changed: Sakitu, meaning "white frost," a name that even Ismahel was bound to appreciate. There was a name for the female cub that Nyota had been considering, but she decided to wait until Duara came to see before she would bestow the name upon her. Duara would no doubt arrive soon, if she wasn't already waiting outside of the cave, so Nyota rest her chin on her forepaws, finally allowing herself to relax.

Duara could remember her dreams of endless fields and sunny days, before she was awoken several hours before dawn by Nyota, and was quickly informed that it was time for the lioness to give birth. This had immediately made Duara wide awake, and she had wanted to stay with Nyota, but the Queen had requested to be alone. Duara could understand this, for it was something that many lionesses did when they gave birth, and Duara would respect this.

However, that did not stop her pacing outside of the cave for the entire day, and she barely noticed how hungry, thirsty, hot and tired she was. The sun beat down on her fur, and she did not recognise the feeling of agony from the heat. She felt nothing over than worry for Nyota, and she hoped that she would be okay. Her worst fear was that she would not survive the birth, and Duara would be without her. This thought was slowly driving Duara crazy with worry, and she contemplated just checking up on Nyota, but she would not.

Many of the Pride approached her over the day with questions of their Queen, and Duara rather harshly told them that she was having her cubs and requested that they leave the Queen alone. It was frustrating, agonising, and when she heard Nyota's yelps of pain Duara's resolve almost crumbled. Once they had stopped, Duara moved to step inside but they started up again and Duara paused. She waited until these two had ceased, and she heard no more cries so rather hesitantly she entered.

Duara moved over to Nyota's side swiftly, seeing the tired look upon her features. The sandy lioness sat beside Nyota and bent her head to nuzzle the lioness, before she admired the cubs. One was a boy, the other a girl, and they were both the most beautiful creatures to have ever existed. She knew instantly which one would be taken, the white one whom looked identical to his father, save for his under-pelt He was beautiful, nonetheless and she would ensure that he was safe and happy whilst he was at the Lowlands so he would always remember them fondly.

Duara's eyes moved to the other cub, the one she thought of as most adorable. She looked like her mother, except with a white under-pelt. The three marking under her eyes made Duara smiled, and she wondered what Nyota had named her. The girl was beautiful, and Duara knew that Ismahel would not be allowed to take her. It seemed wrong in Duara's mind to have favourite's, but this cub was so beautiful and she was a girl, so that was the one they would most likely keep. Besides, she knew that lions preferred a male rather than a female legacy.

Thankfully, it was not long before Duara joined the new mother within the den, and Nyota beamed with pride as her friend approached to see the new royal litter. Her head lifted to watch Duara inspect one cub, then the other. For a long, lingering moment, neither lioness said a word, which felt appropriate for such an important event. The cubs were still too young to the world for the reality of the situation to fully dawn on Nyota, it still felt like a dream. It was surreal, and she could sense that Duara felt the same.

Fully aware that Duara had likely been sick with worry the entire day, Nyota licked her cheek reassuringly, finally breaking the awed silent with her low tones. "It wasn't so bad, really. I have no desire to do it again, though." It was a true shame that the litter had not been larger. After Ismahel claimed his son, the Lowlands would be left with only one heir to the throne. Still, one heir was better than no heirs at all, and in spite of the effort and drama that had gone into creating the litter, Nyota was pleased. It appeared that both of the cubs would survive, for both looked strong and healthy. For this, their mother thanked the Great Spirit.

"The boy we will call Sakitu. As for this little lady..." She turned her mis-matched eyes to focus on the little light brown cub, and leaned her face down to nuzzle her soft fur, inhaling the newborn's scent with a content smile. "I wanted to be certain you liked the name I have in mind. It is important to me." The last comment was spoken quietly, as if it was more to herself than to her companion. Duara had had very little influence in the creation of the litter, which was disappointing, but it wasn't like the two females could have done it on their own. Regardless, Nyota wanted the other lioness to feel like she was a part of the process, in some way. The queen would rely on her as a second parent, after all, it was only fair that she be a part of the naming process.

"How do you feel about Nyima?" It was a word that meant "deny," and may have seemed like a random choice, except that it sounded somewhat similar to Nyota's name. She would make certain that her oldest cub would always remain a Lowlander, denying any other pride before her own. Nyota's life would now be dedicated to her pride, Duara, and her daughter, and she vowed to herself never to allow anything bad to happen to little Nyima. Both cubs were the product of not one, but two royal lineages, and the jungle queen would do anything to protect them while they were in her care. Sakitu would live elsewhere when the time came, but Nyima would be a jungle lioness for life, if her mother could help it.

Duara decided that Nyota looked awfully tired lying upon the floor with her litter beside her, and she didn't want her to strain herself to much. Carefully, she laid herself down and moved herself so that Nyota's head rested on her shoulder. A purr rumbled in her throat as she placed an affectionate lick on Nyota's cheek before she returned her eyes once more to the litter that Nyota and 'The Devil' as she came to refer to him had created. She admitted that Sakitu was quite an attractive cub, but she tried not to dwell on the thought of it. She knew that the white lion would most likely take the male.

"Im glad, I wouldn't want you to suffer through such pain anymore." Duara responded with a small laugh, very glad that Nyota held no desire to do so once more. She'd barely been able to handle the fact that Nyota had done it at all, but her doing it again would have angered the calm-ish lioness. She would discourage any thoughts Nyota had of ever mating again, it was a most un-welcome idea in her mind. She went to comment that the one that looked most like Nyota was beautiful, when said cub made an attempt to walk, but ended up stumbling over her brother. She laughed once more as the cub righted herself and walked blindly around, before collapsing and curling into a ball.

"Nyima, it is perfect," Duara did know the meaning of such a name, and she found it wonderful to describe her. "I most definitely like it, for she will deny all who try to enter the Lowlands, or take her away from them." She murmured, her eyes resting on the white cub, Sakitu, once more as thoughts of Ismahel filtered through her mind, but they snapped back to Nyima almost instantly. She was beautiful, and the three dots beneath her eye clearly stated that she was Nyota's cub. Though it made her guilty to think it, she knew she would refuse Ismahel if he wished to take her from them. "She is perfect." Duara added softly.

A small part of Nyota was disappointed that the litter had been so small, and though both the Lowlanders and the Coldlanders would now have heirs for their respective kingdoms, there would be no additional 'spares.' Nyota herself had been a 'spare,' with two older brothers that most assumed would be leading long before their little sister had her chance, should tragedy strike the family. Even though the jungle was calm now, the serenty that surrounded them was a slippery thing, and likely only temporary. She tried to remind herself to be happy that day -- and she was genuinely happy, and the volume of her purrs increased as Duara settled in beside her to act as a pillow for Nyota. Looking at the cubs, the future of the Lowlands, while breathing in Duara's familiar scent seemed to have a calming effect on the new mother, and she exhaled a long, contented sigh.

She had fallen quiet as Duara approved of the girl cub's name, still smiling wide as she nodded in agreement that the cub was perfect, and Nyota secretly hoped that her daughter had inherited her mismatched eyes -- she would soon see that she had not, but no matter, Nyima was still precious. Thoughts of Ismahel were now pushed far away. As much as she loathed the fact that he would return, he had given her the gift of her litter, and in the end, she would not be able to bring herself to hate the white lion from the mountains. But the worries of a queen never seemed to fade in Nyota's mind. Even on her happiest of days, she was unable to stop thinking of the troubles that accompanied such a high position in the jungle.

"Should anything happen to me in the future, you will be the only one who will be able to help the pride until Nyima has grown. Should the worst happen..." The thought trailed off into silence, for Nyota did not wish to spoil the day with the harshness of reality. In a way, Nyota felt guilty for thrusting the responsibility she had inherited onto her companion, but what choice did she have? There was no one else there who had the faintest idea what duties went along with being in charge of an entire territory and a pride that needed to be protected. Duara had seen first hand the troubles Nyota had already gone through since the passing of her male relatives during the wars, and there was no one else in the world the queen could trust. "I know that you will never leave. This alone should comfort me enough, but I do worry about what will happen."

It wasn't as if the two could become mates. Nyota had never heard of such an arrangement within a pride. There were countless prides that existed with a lone monarch, a king who had never chosen a lioness to take as his queen, or who had a whole harem and had no preference amongst his lionesses. She couldn't put a name to what she shared with Duara, but it meant the world to her, and she nuzzled her face against the other's tan fur, enoying her closeness.

Duara growled at the mere thought of any harm befalling Nyota. She was almost certain that she had more than platonic feelings for her lioness friend, and she wasn't afraid to show said feelings. Nyota was precious to her, and she knew that she would do whatever she could to ensure that Nyota was safe. "No harm will ever befall you whilst I am around, I assure you." Duara took a moment to calm herself and she looked down at Nyima as the newborn cub mewled when Sakitu climbed blindly over the top of her. This sight instantly made her anger vanish and she smiled at the little cubs. She knew that Nyota would give birth to beautiful cubs, as the lioness herself was truly a sight for sore eyes.

Duara frowned as Nyota expressed that she worried, for this did not confuse her. There were many things to worry about in this day and age, most definitely of Scar discovering their whereabouts. She was also concerned for Shani, whom she knew was pregnant. Of course, Nyota did not know this and she worried that she would be angered with Shani. The chocolate lioness was still so young, but Duara had to admit she was a little disappointed in her. "We all worry, Nyota. But where are you heading with this? If you need help relieving yourself all these worries, then leave it to me. I shall patrol for you and make sure that we are safe and if someone does discover us, I will see and we will have a plan to put into action. We can use the jungle to our advantage, also." Duara smiled softly. A purr rumbled in Duara's throat as Nyota nuzzled against her, and she sighed in contentment.

[[OOC: Sorry for shortness, writer's block!]]

As Duara spoke, Nyota heard a songbird above the new family, chirping a happy, simple tune. Suddenly, an idea crept into the queen's mind, something bigger than passing her duties temporarily to Duara. "When we were young, I remember my father had alliances with many of the jungle birds during times of war. If they saw danger heading towards the pride from their vantage point, they would offer us sufficient warning, enough time to prepare for a battle." As serene as the jungle was in the previous months, the war had not been over for long. The memories of death and spilled blood still haunted Nyota's dreams. It was her duty as queen to keep them all safe, and it was time for the young queen to get creative. The local birds offered their cheerful songs in the morning and at dusk, adding to the beauty of the verdant territory, but perhaps they could do more for the Lowlanders. "Perhaps if we could work with them again, it would be to our benefit. No lion shall harm a single nest in the kingdom, no eggs disturbed, if they will watch the borders from above."

Alliances would be the saving grace of the pride, Nyota suspected. Wasn't it far better to have friends than enemies? With the danger of Scar looming, she knew that the other prides would be nervous of his activities, not just the Lowlanders. But with the cubs being so young, it would be impossible for their mother to slip away on pride business. Nyota would be to anxious to send Duara, even to prides that she knew to be friendly, and Shani... Well, the younger lioness had shown signs of her own restlessness in the following months, often disappearing mysteriously, and Nyota wondered where her loyalties truly were, unsuspecting of the trouble Shani had gotten herself into. The queen watched as Nyima now tried to climb over brother, which seemed an impossible task for one so small, but she scaled the cub, only to tumble right off again and into her mother's side. This seemed to calm the princess, who curled up next to Nyota to nap after such a tiring feat.

Nyota smiled at the sight, but even so much cuteness was only temporarily distracting from her worries. "In the future, if the situation worsens, we may consider paying visits to some of our neighbors. I have heard no news from the desert pride in many months, but they are generally accommodating. Perhaps if we traveled together, it would be safe and effective." Try as she might, Nyota really couldn't forget about official duties and concerns, and she silently cursed herself for being unable to stop and simply enjoy the moment. She had enjoyed it, and Duara's soft purrs made her feel blissfully happy, but she could never ignore the gnawing sense of responsibility that her parents had instilled in her. Even if they had never imagined their daughter would be in charge, she was a proud lioness. She had too much to lose to simply relax and forget.