Power of Lions

Human mother & daughter bonding

The spear sank deep into the bird's chest. It lets out its last squawk as it was pinned to the tree. Blood squirted out of its wound.

Assaggi steps up to the dead bird and grabs her spear. She pulls it out of the tree with the bird still stuck to the tip. Bitterness could be seen in her eyes.

Plucking the bird off her spear, Assaggi sinks her spear into the ground. With such skill, Assaggi plucks the feathers from the bird's chest. After its chest was completely bare, she takes a bite out of the bird.

Blood gushes out and floods into her mouth. Her face is squirted with the bird's body fluids and blood. She just continues eating, not minding the splatter on her face.

"Most women who have given birth would try to lose the baby fat." called out a voice.

Assaggi instinctively grabs her spear, quickly throws it and regrets her throw when she saw it was Nile. But he was quick.

He jumps to the side just before he was speared in the chest. "And I see you are still on edge." he comments with a light chuckle. "This is not a joking matter, Nile. Your cousin killed my father in cold blood!" Assaggi said angrily. She stormed toward Nile till she got right in front of him.

"Assaggi, this is madness! Imamu just wanted to infuriate you! There's no evidence of him killing Ekon!"

"He confessed! Isn't that proof enough?!"

With a growl, Nile grabbed Assaggi by the shoulders and shoves her to the ground. He gets on top of her and holds her down so she couldn't get back up. "Get off me, Nile!" she demanded annoyed. "No!" Nile barked.

Growling, Assaggi wraps her arms around his waist and twists.

Nile is thrown off, and then Assaggi jumps on top of him. Her hands latch onto his wrists and she held him down like he did to her. "I thought I told you, you should never trap a lion." Assaggi said playfully but dangerously.

"Just listen to what I have to say." Nile begged with a wince. He was coughing up dirt that he landed on face first. Assaggi slightly grins at her husband before letting him go. "Fine." she said begrudgingly.

After he sat up, Nile says,"I know your father dying was sad. But declaring war is crazy!"

"In animal terms, we would banish them for their crimes! I can't kill the man unless it is fair." Assaggi's eyes slowly changed to a feral glow.

"How is murder fair?" Nile demanded incredulously.

"You don't know the ways of a lion!" Assaggi snapped. "If we were a pride, he would be banished! Exiled from the lands for what he's done!" she shouted. She stands up and begins to walk away. "Assaggi!" Nile called out behind her.

She was snatched by the arm and thrown into Nile's strong chest. A gasp came out of her when she felt lips on her neck. They slowly ran down to her shoulder. Nile grazed his teeth over her soft yet scarred shoulder. A low, almost purring, moan rips out of her throat.

Nile ran his left hand down her back till he found her skin. His nails scratched her skin as he dug into her back. Assaggi reaches forward and captures Nile's lips with her own. "Becoming more of an animal I see." she purred in his ear. Then the lustful look on her face changed immediately. "I'm still not changing my mind." she says flatly before breaking away.

Smiling evilly, Assaggi walks pass Nile. Her index nail traced the scars over his left breast. The ones that Tau had made months before.

"You are one sneaky little cat, aren't you?" Nile asked with a smirk.

"Indeed I am. Now if you'll excuse me. I have a baby and Pride to take care of." Assaggi excused herself before walking back to the village. Her mate following after her with a shaking head.

**************

Happy gurgles escaped Nyah as she watched Mesi make a dream catcher. She kept making grabbing motions with her hands. Wanting to hold and play with the dream catcher.

Laughing along with the baby, Mesi gave her a hollow rattle that was full of rocks.

The sounds of the rattle caught the attention of Nyah and Assaggi.

"You have never seen a rattle before?" Madge, Nile's mother, asked incredulously.

Taken away from her daze, Assaggi looks at her mother-in-law. "The closest toy I've ever had was a hyena scull." she admits with a shrug, not noticing the gawking looks from Mesi and Madge. She runs her fingers over the soft growing hair on Nyah's head.

"Nyah is a very beautiful baby." Madge comments to change the subject. She smiles at Nyah as she watched her attempt on chewing the rattle. "The closest experience I have with babies are lion cubs." Assaggi nervously chuckled. Mesi let out a laugh but quickly stops when Madge gave her a look.

Finishing the dreamcatcher, Mesi holds it up to catch it in the light. The twine and string was wrapped neatly in the middle. Shells and feathers hung loosely by the strings.

"This should help Nyah from having nightmares." Mesi said. She hands it to Assaggi and away from Nyah's grabby hands.

Holding the catcher in her hand, Assaggi ran her fingers over it. She agreed it was a beautiful thing her sister-in-law made. "It will help us all. After my father's death, I have had nothing but nightmares." she spoke sadly. Her eyes threatened to leak the forbidden tears.

A hand lays on Assaggi's shoulder. Looking up, Assaggi finds that it was Madge. "You aren't alone on this, Assaggi. You have a family that can help you cope." Madge said encouragingly.

Smiling softly, showing her pointed teeth. "Thank you, Madge." Assaggi said.

"Call me Mom." Madge said kindly. Earning an actual surprised squawk by Mesi. Even Assaggi was stunned.