New Life

Shani had left the Coldlands shortly after her time with Shinikizo, promising that she would return to deliver the cubs. Within the Lowlands, she had scarcley been seen by the other lionesses, only Duara whom she had informed of her pregnancy. The co-Queen had been disappointed, but accepted this information nonetheless. The awakening of Shani early in the morning was due to the excruciating pain that ran through her. She gasped and curled into a tighter ball, clamping her mouth together to keep from letting out a wail of pain. She had writhed on the floor, before the pain subsided momentarily and she realised that it was time.

With both excitement and dread coursing through her veins, she had made her way out of the cave where the others were peacefully sleeping with a pained expression. She had frozen at the sound of movement, but had relaxed when she realised that it was merely Nyota's new born cub, Nyima, shifting in her sleep. With haste, Shani fled the Lowlands and kept running even through the pain. On occasion, she would have to stop and wait out the labour pains, until they became less painful and she was able to run again.

She had originally planned to go against what she had said to Shinikizo, but she was scared and she needed him now. Once the cubs eyes had opened, she would take them back to the Lowlands where she knew she could possibly be exiled. She hoped Duara would manage to calm Nyota enough to make her see reason, that this poor chocolate coloured lioness filled with innocence had fallen in love with a handsome lion from the Coldlands. She continued running until she had reached the borders of these colder lands.

She didn't know where to go from here, her memory wasn't working and so she aimlessly ran past the Ice Fields where she had first met Shinikizo, her eyes blazing with pain as each breath, each step became even more painful. She reached a spot where the sun shone, and the beauty of the valley made her collapse in a heap as the contractions began. After several hours, the sun's full beam was over-head and Shani welcomed the warmth eagerly, her eyes shut. Much to her relief, and dread, the first cub made its way into the world. She went to breath a sigh of relief, when there was another one. And then another. Shani looked down at her litter so far, three cubs! It amazed her, at how she was so small and yet held so many inside. She shifted her weight and moved to examine the cubs further, when she let out another gasp of pain and after two more cubs, the pain stopped altogether.

Shani looked at each of her cubs in the order they had been born. She would wait until she next saw Shinikizo to name them. The first born was of a completely white coat, and she wondered how that had come about. She didn't remember ever having any white lions within her bloodline, so she suspected it was Shinikizo's bloodline. The next born was a girl, with a beautiful brown coat like her own and an under-pelt that matched Kizo's. She loved this little girl already. Following her was another male, of a darker coat and a light under-pelt. She quickly was falling in love with each of her babies. After him, was the most beautiful male cub she had ever seen. He looked just like his father, except he had her tail colour for the tuft on his head and his own tail. The smallest of her litter, was also a girl. She was beautiful, with her fathers under-pelt except for her coat, which was a mixture between them both. She could not wait to name this girl, and breathed the name 'Sakina' to the girl.

Shinikizo had been lounging around in the den, thoughts of Shani on his mind. It had been around three months since he last saw his mate and he wondered if he would ever see her again. The last he heard of her, she was pregnant with a litter of his cubs, not Ismahel's, but his cubs. His plan was working, soon he would have heirs for himself! It was only a matter of time before he would finally attack Ismahel and claim the throne. His children would be royal! But there was something that he had to worry about, Ismahel now had a son that looked exactly like him sans his underbelly. No matter, he would use that to his advantage.

Then, he heard one of the border patrol state that they had seen a chocolate brown female rushed into the lands. Kizo's eyes snapped open and he snuck out of the back entrance of the den. It was finally time, he was going to be a father! Shinikizo rushed, following the scent of Shani into the sunset valley and to his shock, he saw her with a litter of five cubs. She had given birth out in the open and it scared Kizo slightly, they had to move the cubs or else they would be killed off easily by the elements. He wasn't going to let that happen to his mate or his new children.

"Shani! We have to get the cubs inside!" Kizo was worried, but relieved when he saw a secluded den mere feet from them. He would wait for Shani's approval before moving the cubs, not caring which ones he picked up or carried into the den; only doing so very very carefully. Once all five were in cover, the male would help Shani into the cave and next to the sleeping cubs. But with the sound of their parents walking into the cave, they cubs seemed to spring to life, mewing softly for cries of their mother's milk. The light brown male smiled, he was finally a father, and he had one of the best mates in the world.

A lick was given to Shani and he embraced her softly, "You did amazingly my dear, they are beautiful," Finally after the short embrace, the male went to go see his new children. The first one to catch his eyes was the pure white male, it scared Kizo because the only white lion in his bloodline was his mother, but Shani hadn't been in contact with Ismahel, so this cub was just as his mother was. As the male inspect the cub, he found to his delight that it was a male as well! He would surely be staying here with him. Next to the white cub was yet another male and Kizo's heart soared. The cub was much darker than it's parents and he seemed to be very very active.

Shinikizo almost didn't care about the other three squirming cubs, he knew he would be responsible for these two males. But because he was a father, he decided it be best to see the others. Next to their brothers were two females, one looking drastically like her mother and the other being a mixture of both pelts. But the last cub made Shinikizo uneasy, it was a male but he looked exactly like his father. Sans a few shades darker, this cub was one that Shinikizo feared. He knew this cub would turn out to look just like him, and he didn't want to see that. Disregarding the cubs momentarily, he turned to his mate and smiled, "What are their names?"

Shani's head had dropped after the inspection of the cubs, the cold air whipping against her fur. She wished she had found Shinikizo's den, or she had stayed in the Lowland's but she had panicked and now she might loose her cubs. She looked at each of them and managed to move herself so they were shielded from the wind. She heard their tiny mewls, and hushed them yet they would not silence. Shani feared she would die here, and her cubs would not survive without her. "Oh my poor darlings, I am so sorry." She whispered to them, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Shani's eyes were shut, and her body lay still as she held the cubs close to her, not allowing them to play and run around as they wished too. Relief washed though her as she heard Shinikizo, and she looked up at him with pure joy. She looked around and also noticed the secluded den nearby. It would be perfect to keep them out of the harsh wind, and she nodded her approval. "Yes, I know." She said, and made an attempt to stand as he carried each cub inside the den.

Shani leant heavily against Shinikizo as he aided her into the den, and once inside she collapsed once more. A lioness of her small size whom had only just reached adulthood was not all that suitable for having such a large litter, and so she was near passing out from exhaustion. However, having Kizo near her gave her strength and she nuzzled him as he embraced her. She watched with thoughtful eyes as Kizo inspected the cubs. He looked far more joyful with the first two males of her litter than the last three, and he regarded the one that reminded her of him with a fearful look.

When he turned to her and asked the names, she searched her mind for some. She had waited for him, and now she would give their names with his approval. She pointed her head at the white cub with a smile. "Ziko," she murmured. It was a name she knew to mean 'located', and she wasn't sure why exactly she had named him that. He looked like a Ziko. She yawned and managed to lift herself a moment so that she could be closer to the cubs, before she laid down beside them. She rested a paw in front of the darker one.

"Jabari," for he was active, and she could not help but think of him as her little warrior. He mewled and stumbled blindly towards her paw, placing himself on top of it. She giggled at how small he was and licked the top of his head, causing him to topple backwards with a playful growl. She nudged him back up with her paw and moved onto her daughters. "Sakina, and Malaika," she pointed to the smallest for Sakina, and the normal for Malaika. Finally, her eyes trailed to the last one. In her eyes, he was the perfect image of his father save for his tail and mane hair, which were identical to hers. She remembered that time three months ago, when Shinikizo has said 'Upendo'. With her mind made up, she brought this last cub towards her and smiled. "Upendo."

Shinikizo listened to their names and smiled at each one except for Upendo. But the new father did not frown, but he beamed, he couldn't contain his happiness! The young cub had technically been named by his father and he knew that he had to be sent with his mother. Especially since his name meant love, it would be ideal that Shani had him to remember that Kizo loved her dearly. "Shani, they're amazing,"

It then hit the new father that he would have to come up with yet another lie to get Shani to be alright with splitting up the litter. One quickly formed in his mind and he turned to his mate, "I think Jabari and Ziko should stay here with me. I can convince Ismahel to let them live due to their colors and activeness," Shinikizo's eyes shifted toward Jabari when he mentioned activeness, for the little cub was so energetic even for only just being born. "The girls can't stay, Ismahel might kill them or worse, force them to breed without someone they love,"

But what came next was truth, "As for Upendo, I want you to have him. To remember me by, because I will always love you Shani," Kizo honestly didn't want another him running around, but the way he was named was a good way to see him off. Yes he would always be his son, but at least there wouldn't be a constant reminder of how much Kizo was a failure running around the Coldlands.

Shani beamed at Shinikizo, glad that he seemed to approve of the cubs. She would have been distraught if he didn't not care for them, and she sat up using as much strength as she could so that she could nuzzle her head against him. She soon felt her legs ache from holding her up, and she slowly slid back down to the ground and watched the cubs stumble blindly over one another. "I am glad you like them." She murmured. When Ziko was stepped on by Jabari, her motherly instinct kicked in as the white cub let out a whimper and she pulled Jabari off with a frown.

Shani's head snapped up and she had to return her gaze to the cubs momentarily to keep up her calm façade. Now, it was time for Shani to lie and scheme, for she did not wish to let the cubs go. She had always known Shinikizo would keep some, but now that they lay in front of her she fiercely wanted to keep them close. She turned to him with an understanding look and nodded her head. "Of course, that would be a wise move. I would not wish that upon my daughters." Shani mumbled with a yawn.

Shani beamed as she was informed she could have Upendo. Instantly, she drew Upendo closer and placed an affectionate lick on the top of his head, much to his growl of annoyance. She smiled at Shinikizo and let Upendo stumble and crawl back over to his now lightly dozing siblings. "And I, you." She responded, resting her head on her paws with an adoring look up at him.