Fuli's Journey [Moved To AO3]

Chapter 7 ~ Here We Go

~Fuli's PoV~
   "Really? Vitani literally declined my father's offer to marry Kion?" Kopa asked hopefully. I nodded in agreement and looks relieved. It had been a week and I've been telling Kopa about my adventures on the Lion Guard.

   "So the Outlanders are now our allies, Zira is dead, the Lion Guard has returned after skipping a generation, the Tree of Life has a new Queen, and your the first cheetah to fall in love with a lion?" He said.

   "Yep! Thaat about sums it up." I said, before collapsing to the ground with a pained groan as my belly clenched tightly.

   "Fuli!" Kopa exclaims worriedly. "What's wrong?" My friends gather around me instantly as I let out a pained cry.

   Imani enters the cave, upon hearing my cry and gasps. She's at my side in an instant.

   "Imani! What's happening? Why is she in pain?" Chullun asks. Imani sighs and grabs a bone from on of the meat pieces she had brought us last night.

   "Here Fuli. Bite down on this when the contractions come." She says biding it closer with her paw.

   "Contractions? You mean... she's giving birth! Now?!" Chullun said, and Pretinha gasps, eyes widening.

   "But she's a whole week early! Will she be okay?" The jaguar asked nervously, then shakes herself. "What do you want us to do? We've never done something like this before?" I yowl and bite down on the bone and Imani leaps into action.

   "You guys will help soon, right now, just talk to Fuli, let her know that she's fine and you're here with her. The first one's coming." She orders. I feel them lie down next to me and I swear I hear voices in my ear. Two I recognize with aching in my chest.

   "You're doing fine my little runner." Mom says in my head. "Just keep pushing and soon the pain will be gone and it will be replaced with joy." Suddenly, a little roar reaches my ears and I crane my head trying to see it.

   "Here Fuli. It might be a few minutes till the next one. In the meantime, start licking your son to clean him and get him warm." Imani said, placing a wet cub in my front paws. As I lick him clean, I note that he has his father's fur color and tail tuft, but has my spots, albeit faint, my face, and my slim frame. Pretinha takes him as I grasp the bone in my jaws again.

   An hour later, six little cubs are at my belly, suckling. I'm barely noticing the fact that everyone is shielding me as Imani argues with her father to let us go so I can raise my family. "You did well young one. Kion will be very happy with his sons and daughters." a voice says.

   'Thank you Queen Jana.' I tell her in my head. 'I miss him so much. I hope I'll get out of here soon and back to him.' I look up to see Imani crying.

   "I'm so sorry Fuli. Once my father has decided he wants someone as a prisoner, they stay one till they die." She says. Turning to the cubs, she smiles. "They're a perfect mix of lion and cheetah. Do you have names yet." I shake my head and she whispers to the others to come over.

   "Let's go in order of birth, okay Fuli?" Winga whispers and I nod.

   "He has the most cheetah-like body frame of them all. Betcha he'll be the fastest of the cubs. How about Haraka?" Kopa suggests. Haraka squeaks and I practice my momma cheetah chirp in agreement and nuzzle the newly named Haraka back to my belly.

   We all look at the second cub. She definitely takes after the lion side of the family with her thicker tail than a cheetah's and her almost spotless coat, but she is perfect. She's like a gift sent to me from the Great Kings of the Past and I know just what to name her.

   "Tumani." I whisper, as she yawns and reattaches to my teat and resumes suckling. Next up is the second and last boy. He has bright, amber fur, a gold tail tip and tuft of mane between the ears.

   "Why not Jua?" Winga asked. "He looks like a small sun in this cave." We all nod and Pretinha smiles at the next two girls. The first is like a lioness cub with cheetah spots. The only difference being she was in shades of black. The one beside her was the oppisite of her; with a mainly cheetah body with a thicker body, and a tufted tail. She was light gray in color with slightly darker spots.

   "And we can't have the sun without his sisters the moon and the star. Let's name the dark grey and black girl Mwesi and the other one Nyota." She suggested and then we all turned to the last one. We all thought I was only gonna have five until 20 minutes after the last one had been born I had another contraction. She was pure white, with not one spot on her(or does she?), little streaks on her cheeks like a normal cheetah and is half the size of her siblings, making her the runt of the litter, but not any less loved.

   "What about Almasi?" Chullun said. "She's as beautiful as one too."

   "Sure Chullun, Almasi it is." I reply, before resting my head on my paws. I feel the others curl up protectively around my babies I think one last thing before drifting off:

   'Kion, I can't wait to show you our beautiful children.'
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     Almasi - Diamond in Swahili
     Tumani - Send in Swahili
     Mwezi - Moon in Swahili
     Jua - Sun in Swahili
     Nyota - Star in Swahili
     Haraka - Flash in Swahili