Far From Fine

Mkali

Birds chirp in the warm morning air, dew drops cling to every plant, mist fills the sky, and the round yellow sun pokes through thick layers of clouds. The sounds of animals in the savanna fills the air.

I walk to my very pregnant mate, we were expecting five cubs, and she was due soon. She basked in the sunlight, soaking it up.

"Hello darling" I dip my head in greeting. She turned around and smiled, "Jirair, I wasn't expecting you so soon, how was the hunt?" She starts to lick her lips in anticipation.

I hung my head low, "The herd has moved west near the shallow river, to far for me to hunt." I paused, "I'm going out to see if I can catch a bunny for you."

Mkali frowned, "And what would you eat?" She flicked her tail getting rid of flys that was bothering her.

"I'll eat tomorrow, you are supporting five unborn lives, you come first."  I smile, letting her know that I'm okay.

She moans, "I don't like it, you putting me first." She stood up, dust falls from her fur as she shakes her head, "I'm coming with you."

I look at her surprised, in no way could she hunt, her stomach swayed by just standing up! 
" Let me think about it, okay, how about no." I shake my head with disapproval, "Your too pregnant Mkali, I want to do what's best for our cubs."

"Jirair, it's okay, I'm a better hunter then you anyways." She smiled, she stepped over some bones we had ate days ago and walked over to me and rubbed her head against mine.

"Mkali-"

"I'm bored Jirair!" She growles, " I've been stuck here for weeks, I want to hunt, I want to feel the wind in my fur, feel skin rip beneath my paws, feeling  free as you hunt." She flicks her ears in annoyance.

"I'm just worried about you and the cubs."  I sit down with a great huff. I sighed, "If this is really what you want I guess you can come."

"Wait really?" She jumped up and giggled, "Okay let's go!" She ran off ahead of me laughing.
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Grass sway as I get low to the ground, Mkali right by my side doing to same. I stretch my claws eager to sink them in flesh. I signal to sneak forward.

I glance over to my side to check Mkali is in the right position. She was about ten feet away from me near some tall grass next to a log, that's where she needs to be.

We creep forward some more and we're about a five feet away from our prey, a lone zebra. It's back leg was messed up so it'll be an easy catch.

I flick my tail letting Mkali know to attack and drive it to me.

Mkali roared and chased the zebra in my direction. The zebra ran with a limp slowing it down greatly.

I jump out and attempt to grasp its hurt leg but fail. I growl with anger and chase after it.

The zebra twist and turns trying to escape, Mkali hides in the tall grass as I drive the zebra to her, hopefully she'll make the kill.

The zebra slows down as we get closer to my mate, as I get closer to Mkali, she jumps and and bites the zebras neck killing it.

I slow down and walk over to her, "Great catch!" I pant. I sit down as Mkali feast on our food. "Save some for me." I chuckle.

"Sorry." She answers with a mouth full of food. She gulps the food down and sits back. "Aren't you going to eat?"

I nod as a eat a little, I wasn't very hungry and I wanted Mkali to eat as much as her heart desires.

I step back after I got my fill and let Mkali eat the rest. She ate the good parts in the fastest time I've ever seen, I guess that's what happens when your expecting five cubs.

" Oh my gosh that was the best food I've eaten in so long." She lays down on her back letting her stomach spill out on her sides. She let's out a little burp and sighs. "We need to do that more often." She smiles at me, and closes her eyes.

"We have to head back soon, we're kinda far from home, it's going to be dark soon." I whisper as I lay down next to her.

She nods and she falls asleep. I chuckled a little and started to groom her belly. I could feel the cubs moving underneath her skin. I can't wait until I'm a father. I'm going to teach my sons to be the greatest fighters and my daughters to be the slyest hunters, just like their mom. I smiled as I let sleep take me.
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Mkali shook me awake, it was nightfall. "Jirair!" She panted. "Wake up!" She moaned in pain.

"Mkali?" I slowly woke up. I scrunched my eyes, "What's wrong?"

"The cubs, there coming!" She whisper yells at me.  She let's out another deep painful moan.

I spring up and look around, "Do you think you'll make it home?" She shook her head no.

Okay, okay, don't freak out, everything's fine, we're just in a strange terrain which we don't know if it's dangerous and we could die. I shook the thought off and sat down, "Whats going on?"

Mkali pants, "Pain!" She screams.  She scrunches her eyes as she waits for it to pass.

"I'm going to make a little den." I say quickly. I stand up and walk to the log in the tall grass and start digging. Dirt flys everywhere, in my eyes, my main, even my mouth but I didn't stop, Mkali continued to moan with pain, I could tell she was close. "Mkali, it's done." I look at the makeshift den I had put together, it was under the long and big enough for one fully grown lion and newborn cubs.

I walk over to Mkali and help her to the den. She laid down quickly and started to push.

"I'm going to be right outside, I'll be the lookout." I dip my head and sit outside.

The night was bursting with life, fireflies danced around, frogs croaked, trees swayed in the wind.

I start to pace around wondering if everything was okay. I hear a little cry in the den, I smile widely when a hear two cries then three, then followed by two more. There all okay.

"Mkali?" I whispered. I glanced in the den, she was laying down her back facing me, she turned her head and smiled, "Three boys and two girls."

I chuckled, "That's perfect."