The Great Journey to Refuge

The Birth

Two weeks have passed... Everything was ready. Thando will officiate the wedding (he will marry the two), it will take place at the oasis at sunset... Everyone was anxious, including my father, who was nervous.

As the sunset began, the ceremony also started.

Jafari and Nubia, first God put you on the same path and now He blesses your eternal union! Congratulations and best wishes on your wedding! I wish you both a life of love with God in your hearts and minds. Nubia, do you accept Jafari as your husband, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, in happiness and sadness, until death do you part?-Thando asks.

Yes... I do...-She says, smiling.

Jafari, do you accept Nubia as your wife, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, in happiness and sadness, until death do you part?-Says Thando.

I do...-He says, smiling.

Then, I declare you married.-Thando says.

After he says that, they press their foreheads together and let out calm and low roars. Everyone who was there roared loudly, including them.

After it was all over... My father and she went to a secluded part of the territory where only they were. No animal stayed there, they would spend 5 days there, but from time to time, they would have to leave to search for food.

After 2 weeks... They discovered that Nia, Maha, and Layla were pregnant, but Nia was the most excited... It seemed like something she wanted more than anything in the world.

After 3 months, 7 cubs were born...

3 were born to Nia.

2 were born to Maha.

And 2 were born to Layla.

They were all females...

After some time, they found out that my mother was also pregnant.

My father was speechless... He didn't know what to say, but he was still excited...

He didn't leave her side for a moment, he didn't do patrols or hunt, only when necessary.

Since she couldn't hunt, he hunted every other day. In one week, he didn't hunt much because the region was a bit scarce, but he managed to get 1 zebra, 2 gazelles, and 3 hares to eat.

It was very challenging, but he managed to do it.

3 months passed... The other cubs were already talking and excited to see their new cousins.

Now that the day of the new family members' birth had arrived, everyone was excited, but they wouldn't meet them so soon. She had distanced herself from the pride; it's an instinct lions have, but my father followed her. He didn't want to leave her alone, he would worry.

As soon as she started going into labor, my father became worried. She was exerting herself a lot. He tried to calm down a bit, but he was still worried...

After 2 minutes, 3 cubs were born, almost at the same time. The first one was the largest among them (me, in this case), but she continued in labor... After a while, 2 more came out, and the last one was the smallest of the 5... In total, there were 4 females and 1 male... She was tired but fine. She just needed time to recover.

Aren't they beautiful?-My father asks happily.

Yes, very much so.-My mother says, tired and cleaning us...

Do you want to choose their names now?-He asks.

I'm not good at choosing names...-She says.

Then... Let's wait a bit to choose their names... What do you think?-He asks.