look k'aaria K'aaria Even in death, her gentle spirit hovers near the side of her only love.. her Jumoja. Although you see nothing..you sense a great peacefulness and a deep love that not even the loss of their lives can ever change. As they promised each other long ago in their grotto..they are together forever, standing proudly in their adult forms...two new bright stars in the heavens above you. look me Jumoja Jumoja no longer exists on this plane, yet you can sense his spirit here, and his love for his K'aaria as even now they are together. He has no form.. but from the corner of the eye you can almost see his outline, a strong adult male standing proudly next to his loving Queen.. then it's gone again. --- Fevra shakes her head, biting back another snarl, at her own pain this time. She lurches, her steps awkward but faster as the ground begins to slope downwards. Mohatu lies on the slope in an awkward position hissing in pain trying to untie his sore paw Fevra goes to the gentle savannah slope. Fevra has left.. The breeze inexplicably brings you the scent of leleshwa.. K'aaria whispers, "K'aaria nods. "Yeah..it is..:/" to you. Mohatu rises wincing and follows Fevra, staggering Mohatu goes to the gentle savannah slope. Mohatu has left.. Lush Grassland At the lower end of the Gentle Savannah Slope, the land flattens to a tree-dotted grassland. The tall grass here is almost completely a bright, healthy green, and this area's moisture reflects its proximity to jungle. The trees grow more thickly further along where the ground begins to slope upwards, surrounding a grassy spot. Mohatu drags himself forward, not really seeing where he goes Fevra hisses between clenched teeth, moving for the line of trees now. She can relax then, maybe. Grassy Spot Downslope At the lower of of the Savannah Slope is this small grassy spot, almost totally enclosed by trees, a shaded, peaceful area. The grass is short, but a healthy bright green, especially near the small spring that runs across the ground. On the other side of the clearing, where the land begins to slope upwards, is an opening in the undergrowth and ground, leading to a (den). Fevra's steps are heavy and stumbling as she pushes through the line of trees. She pauses, breath rasping loudly, looking from one side of the clearing to another. Security or...? In the end she decides a middle course, taking a few more steps before halting at least near one edge of the clearing, with the small spring nearby. Mohatu enters from the Lush Grassland. Mohatu has arrived. Mohatu falls by the entrance, not seeming to see anything around K'aaria slips closer to Mohatu..wanting desperately to touch him and comfort him..but knowing that it's an impossibility. She gives Jumoja a look of helplessness. Jumoja nods softly to K'aaria, encouraging her to be close, hoping perhaps Mohatu will sense her being. Mohatu sighs and opens unfocused eyes K'aaria nods to Jumoja..the soft glow that envelopes her, brightening a little as she leans down and whispers. "Dad? We're here...please feel us..we're right here." Mohatu weakly, "K'aaria? You're here? Where are you?" Fevra seems not to know what to do with her own limbs, head lowered and eyes half shut as she does her level best to concentrate on breathing. Trying to ignore the racking pain, the scent of her own blood, hardly knowing if that is real or merely a fabrication of her fogged thoughts. Jumoja smiles softly and moves closer to K'aaria, then nods towards Fevra. "She needs you, too," he whispers. Mohatu drops his head back down , quite sure his ears tricked him K'aaria looks up, noticing Fevra. "Love..be with Dad...let me go to her" Jumoja nods and settles next to Mohatu, not knowing if he's felt or not, he tries to nuzzle. He doesn't speak, not knowing what to say. K'aaria whispers, "K'aaria slips across the room...standing beside Fevra with a quiet smile." to you and Mohatu. Mohatu feels the strange warmth by his side, tries to snug into it, but the place is seemingly empty K'aaria whispers, "K'aaria looks down at the serval and just reaches out to touch the air above her..a soothing gentle touch. Then, she returns to Jumoja's side..reaching up to nuzzle him. "I think here, beside you is better."" to Mohatu and you. Mohatu sighs, feeling the sudden comfort, not understanding where it comes from You whisper, "Jumoja nods softly, nuzzling K'aaria back, and looks to Mohatu. "He knows we're here, love.. look.."" to K'aaria and Mohatu. K'aaria whispers, "K'aaria smiles gently. "I hope he does. I want him to know we're happy. I want him to not be sad.."" to you and Mohatu. Mohatu whispers, "Kids... Please come.." You whisper, "Jumoja looks to K'aaria, and licks her muzzle once. "Lay here.. I'll lay on his other side..." He moves around Mohatu, settling down, and whispers into Mohatu's ear.. "We're here..."" to K'aaria and Mohatu. K'aaria purrs as she nods her head and nestles down close to Mohatu. "Dad? It's us...we're here with you.." Mohatu tries to touch the spot beside him, "I can't feel you... where are you?" Fevra moans, a low keen as much of deep loneliness as of physical pain. Lost everything, that what she feels she has done, and for the sake of what...so little left her now. K'aaria whispers, "K'aaria takes things into her own paws and..hesitantly nuzzles into her fathers's mane...the scent of leleshwa drifting up to him." to you and Mohatu. You whisper, "Jumoja stays close, and whispers again.. "We're close.. rest easy. Fevra doesn't sense us.. be here for her, and we're here for you." He smiles as K'aaria moves again." to Mohatu and K'aaria. Mohatu relaxes, "I know you're here..." Fateema runs in, "I found him Fev! Here we are!" Fevra tenses suddenly, and in the midst of this desperate, whirling loneliness pushes her firstborn cub into the world. Mohatu turns his head slowly to look at the newcomers Fateema looks a bit shocked, never before having witnessed a birth. "Uh ... is that normal Paj?" K'aaria looks up with a start...her voice little more than a swirl of breeze. "Look, 'moja..the firstborn..." From in between the serval's lengthy hindquarters, the form of a very small and slippery little bundle of life emerges; it -- she -- tumbles blindly to the soft grass. Mohatu holds his breath, looking at Fevra Pajadi unwillingly follows Fateema, doubting any merit in his coming and seeing only more chaos. But at the sigth of the serval in labor his eyes grow wide with a surprised look, not thinking that would be the first thing he saw here. Speechless he just stares at the cub. You whisper, "Jumoja smiles and nods, watching quietly" to K'aaria. K'aaria whispers into Mohatu's ear. "Look..Dad...a new life...." Fevra makes a small kreel, turning to focus on her tiny daughter, seeing and she nuzzles and starts to lick the tiny creature clean of blood that the cub's is coat somewhat lighter than her own. Mohatu smiles quietly Fateema steps back, seeing "Uh .. -that's- a newborn cub? funyy .. I thought there'd be more to it... uh, go Fev?" she tries to cheer on her former enemy. Fevra doesn't even hear the young Leopard's words, circling and lowering herself to curl around her newborn, half crouched protectively. K'aaria's paw slips around her father and touches Jumoja's as she watches with awe. Pajadi watches for a moment, enthralled by the event but turns his head to the side and closes his eyes, "I have no right to be here.." he says softly mostly to himself. Very feeble, very helpless, and with eyes that do not open to the light, the young life makes tiny whimpering noises, writhing limbs that are no doubt as fragile as can be. She senses the warm and protective figure around her, and the comfort it provides draws her to it. Fateema looks over at Pajadi, "And I do? I chased her into a tree, remember? You're the dad, you're the only one who should be here!" Mohatu purrs faintly Jumoja smiles softly, taking K'aaria's paw, staying close to Mohatu, watching events K'aaria lifts her eyes..hearing Fateema's words and finally understanding... Fevra moves a forelimb to encircle the cub, barring the outside world from harming her. But she looks up and over to the male, her eyes soft with reflected wonder. "Pajadi," she breathes. Acknoweleding not only his presence but what lies between them. A dream, for her. Fateema . o O ( So that's birth huh? Yuck! No wonder I don't wanna be a mother anytime son! ) K'aaria brings her gaze up to Jumoja..her paw gripping his as she whispers. K'aaria whispers, "Love? Do you..are you sorry..the cubs? That you and I never had cubs?"" to you and Mohatu. You whisper, "Jumoja looks back to K'aaria, smiling softly. "We would have.. one day."" to K'aaria and Mohatu. Her whimpers are quickly muffled as the cub noses into this familiar figure's warm fur, her little nose already prodding and searching her mother's belly. Pajadi turns his head back to look over the other serval, managing a soft smile through his state of mind, "I'm here. Arrived just in time to see..." he trails off a bit before continuing, "..your firstborn.." K'aaria nods softly to Jumoja's answer, bringing her eyes back to the tiny new life and the mother who brought it into the world. "Oh Fevra..." she whispers. "...your daughter is beautiful!" Fateema smiles slightly ... "It ---it's cute!" she smiles, sitting by herself, a bit out of place at the big-ear-cat convention. "And I was the one who brought Paj! " she beams proudly. Fevra obediently lowers herself further, settling into the soft grass to let her firstborn nurse, breaking her gaze from the male's, focusing for the moment completely on her daughter, not thinking even of the other cubs to come. "Zalirah," she whispers, her voice a caress. This name at least she has know doubt of. Fateema smiles, "Paj's firstborn ... Fev's too, maybe this lil'ne'll make 'em better friends..." Fevra keeps her head down as she replies, any coldness in her tone buried by the half disbelieving joy. "Ours. Remember that. Even if..." She trails into silence. Of course, not an 'if'. A certainty, that the sire of her cubs will have no role in their raising. Zalirah finds a teat -- a search she will endure for many times to come, however unaware she is of this new freedom about her -- and suckles, little lips feeding diligently. Fateema shakes her head, seeing how Pajadi is in the same situation Bai will be in soon. Fevra's exprssion becomes abstracted, at once faraway and centered completely on the cub at her belly. Pajadi sighs softly, nodding to her words, "Ours." he repeats. "Our firstborn.." he says as he focuses on Zalirah, smiling gently at the small thing, "..is beautiful, Fevra." K'aaria, expression wistful, silently watches the pair. Unknowingly, the paw that is not gripping Jumoja's as lightly stroking her father's mane. Fateema . o O ( That's it? I thought furs usually had a few cubs ... did Paj create only one? Or maybe Fev let only one survive... No, not even Fev's -that- mean. ) Jumoja purrs softly, smiling as he squeezes K'aaria's paw back Mohatu purrs softly, feeling K'aaria's touch As if in response to Fateema's silent wonderings, or all this talk of firstborn, Fevra shifts, awkwardly pulling herself half to her paws in the grip of the birth pangs of her second cub. Fateema huhs? Seeing Fev in pain again, she gets to her paws, anxoius to see Paj's and Fev's other cub .. or cubs. Even though her eyes are unseeing, she takes in the scent and taste and touch of her mother at once, despite being released from this soothing thing much too soon. Pajadi tenses somewhat as he sees Fevra stirring, shifting his weight on his haunches as he watches uncomfortably, feeling helpless and yet unable to leave. K'aaria's eyes lift to Fevra's face..a softly breathed.."It will be alright Fevra...." the only sound she makes... Fevra's mouth opens convusively as she pants, her legs tensing as her second born slides onto the grass, and then, her third, born so soon after as to drop and entangle paws with his larger sister. Zalirah flails helplessly at this nothingness surrounding her again, though her tiny cries are less desperate, especially once this strange little figure, which is much like her own, tangles frail limbs with her. K'aaria gasps softly. " 'moja..look, there are three!" Fateema gasps and backs up. "Wow .. they're so tiny, is that normal?" she asks Mohatu. Jumoja smiles softly.. "Three," he repeats quietly, somewhat lost in awe. Jadyyr rolls weakly off of his earlier sibling, eyes closed tightly, breathing slowly Fevra almost panics as she suddenly finds she has three cubs to deal with, dropping her head over each in turn to try and separate them both physically and in her mind. The leaves the elder two for a moment to snout softly at the third, and weakest. Fateema gets to her paws, seeing something odd about the 3rd born cub.... Pajadi watches the two cubs fall from their mother, captivated by the speed at which they came he wonders how many might be left. Gazing softly at Fevra he says, "You're doing fine...it'll be alright.." K'aaria moves closer to Jumoja...resting her head against him with a gentle smile. "Fevra makes beautiful cubs. Jadyyr creel's quietly at his mother's touch, moving his head towards her blindly Jumoja purrs deeply, nuzzling K'aaria softly, and nods. You whisper, "Do you think we could let them see us?" to K'aaria. K'aaria whispers, "I'd like to as soon as the final cub is born..sort of as a farewell..what do you think?" to you. Fevra hushes her son softly, one sort paw curving to bring him close. "Like you," Her voice is quiet enough that she might be talking to her young, but in fact the comment is addressed to Pajadi. "A bit darker, but like." You whisper, "Jumoja nods softly.. "Once they settle down, then." He smiles and nuzzles you gently. "We can't stay here much longer."" to K'aaria. Mashaka has arrived. Jadyyr creels once more before quietening down, leaning into the paw unsteadily K'aaria whispers, "K'aaria sighs softly, nestling against you. I know...:/" to you. Mashaka moves out of the trees and stops as he notices everyone, looking around quietly. Fevra adds faintly, "Can't see why there's three," as she gentles herother two nearer as well. Fateema backs up, o O (Time for my exit, I'm out of place.) Fateema has left.. You whisper, "Jumoja licks your cheek softly. "I don't want to leave, either... but... everyone is waiting for us."" to K'aaria. K'aaria's eyes move up to Mashaka as he moves into view. Knowing he will be unable to see her...she simply sends him a gentle feeling of love...and comfort. K'aaria whispers, "K'aaria nods. "Alright Love...I think you're right. It's time."" to you. Zalirah snuggles close against this thing that impells her to and soothes her little body, already quick to take the warmest place in her mother's fur. Pajadi nods slowly as he watches the newborn son and the other two in turns, "They will take on many traits, I'm sure." he sighs a bit, "Why not three?" K'aaria giving Jumoja a quiet nod, gets to her paws, waiting for him to join her. The time to depart has arrived. You whisper, "Jumoja nods. "Okay..." Mashaka looks around looking for..someone, feeling...something. Fevra says absently, "I didn't have siblings. Nor you." But the question hardly seems to matter now and she gazes at her young, a gentle smile spreading over her face. Pajadi thinks of the extanded siblings and hopes it won't be such a bad thing. Trying to keep with the mood he smiles as well while watching the youngs. Not daring to approach much though. Fevra backs a step from the cubs, quickly and nervously, before she has time to reconsider her quietly voiced offer, "Have a look, then. You sired them." The softest of breezes begins to swirl around all of you, carrying the scent of leleshwa and an oddly familiar scent of a lion and lioness. Out of the corner of your eyes you note a distinctly brighter something..and in it's middle...the forms of Jumoja and K'aaria appear. Standing proudly at each other's sides, they give each of you a gentle smile. K'aaria looks up to Jumoja and nods.. Mashaka blinks lightly and looks at what looks like K'aaria and Jumoja, looking a bit..confused. Jumoja nuzzles K'aaria, and looks over at the group, speaking softly, but audibly. "Beautiful, Fevra, congratulations." :) K'aaria purrs. "You have been blessed. I pray it always be so." Fevra shivers as the passing breeze ruffles her fur. If she had the energy to spare she would shake her head in disbelief. She has never believed in spirits. Jumoja notes Fevra's response, and chuckles softly. "More lion politics, Fevra." He pauses, looking a little sad. "We have to say goodbye." Pajadi blinks his eyes at the gentle apparition, looking from Fevra to the spirits he remains quiet for now. Mashaka moves up quickly and slows down as he nears the group, looking at the sprits closely now. He swallows lightly. K'aaria nods, her eyes moving to Mashaka. "You'll take good care of yourself? And help Fevra and Dad if they need it?" Fevra whispers, "K'aaria...you were supposed to be here. And Jumoja." A gratitute there, for the friendship and support those Lions gave her. Somehow she feels that she will not see them again. Jumoja nods as K'aaria speaks, and again to Fevra, giving K'aaria space to say goodbye now.. Zalirah continues to writhe and squirm about, unaware of whatever heavenly presence she is in (and by no means having any concept of it), only knowing and caring at the moment that her mother's body feels good. Mashaka looks at K'aaria sadly, not saying anything for a while. He finally nods a little. "I'll....miss you K'aaria, sister." he says softly. K'aaria looks around the grassy spot...imprinting it and this scene in her memory. Her voice is soft and sweet as she whispers. "We will miss you all. Never forget we love you. Fevra..take good care of your beautiful new family. They will give you much happiness." Fevra shifts her weight forward, meaning to surround her cubs again, shelter them from the soft unearthly light shed by the spirits she refuses to see, but is halted, a contraction rippling down her sides as her last born prepares to make his entrance. Pajadi takes a step closer to the newborns, watching over them gently he lets out a small sigh as he nuzzles each of them softly in turns. Stepping back shortly after. K'aaria nods to Mashaka..her eyes shimmery. "And I you brother. Be happy.." Jumoja looks around, as well, memorizing faces he knows he won't see again for a long time. He doesn't have any more words.. Mashaka just says quietly, "I'll see you..when I join the circle.." Pajadi raises an eyeridge in half disbelief at Fevra's contraction, "Another?.." K'aaria locks her eyes back on Fevra as once more...she labors to bring a tiny new life forth. Jumoja looks to Fevra, seeing her move again, and leans against K'aaria Fevra says through clenched teeth, "And this had better be the /last/ one." Kwafeli slips free from his mother and flops onto the grass. He lets out a tiny squeak and instinctively leans toward warmth: Fevra's fur. K'aaria's face breaks into a smile as she breaths "Another son..." Jumoja smiles softly, nuzzling K'aaria, but looking a little concerned. "Love... we have to go now." K'aaria turns up to Jumoja and says softly. "Perhaps now..while she is fixed on her cubs...we should go?" Mashaka continues watching Jumoja and K'aaria silently, lost. Jumoja nods, softly. "We've been here too long already." Fevra lets out a harsh breath as the effort ends, shifting back a few pawsteps before lowering herself to the grass. Her forepaws reach to pull her cubs in against her side. Four, all unnamed but one. Hers, and real. K'aaria glances around one last time, and then turns. "Are you ready Love?" Jumoja looks around, again. "Goodbye," he whispers, to everyone. He nods and nuzzles K'aaria, even as the glow that shows them begins to fade. Pajadi says, "Four cubs...they will have siblings at least." Mashaka takes a step foreward as they begin to fade from sight, saying quietly "Goodbye.." Fevra carefully resettles her limbs to shelter her litter. Knowing in a rush of intense emotion that is almost pain that whatever she lost... she speaks, very quietly, as she raises her head to look at Pajadi. "Yes. And they will have me." Defiance of the whole world there, and a deep sorrow behind it. So little else, that her cubs will have. K'aaria turns away..slowly padding off with Jumoja at her side...her last 'goodbye' wafting back over the air. In a moment..there is nothing to see...only tiny flash of light as they step into eternity.