Beautiful Dreamers... (aw)

[tealver]

Tealver panted heavily, nudging Arri to move on. The little cub gave a feint squeal of protest, not wanting to go any further on her tired little paws. Tealver huffed and put the youngest cub, Tailen, on the ground, picking Arri up and continuing on. She made a head count on all three girls, making sure that Kureo and Tailen were still fallowing moments later. Finally she came to it, a small shelter of an area just perfect to keep the cubs nice and warm.. as well as away from would be predators. She looked along the canyonish maze, not happy about its many paths that could lead to no were.

"Please tell me you know your way around here Ed..." she said softly as she tucked the cubs in a scraggly bush, within the small oasis like spot. She slammed her paw down, catching a squealing mouse's tail with one pad.

"And better prey then a mouse..." she said as she snapped the small beasts neck and ripped it apart, delivering bits of it to the cubs.

[Vox]

|occ| : I'll be playing Kureo from now on, even if Lithium does come back. Let's say she's the oldest, just for memories sake.

A jaw cracking yawn, both pointed and unintentional stretched the bored looking lions mouth as he padded forward to the female. For conversations purposes, he called her his 'mate', but he couldn't honestly say he believed it was a reality. If mate meant he had bred her and stuck around, then yeah, he was her mate. If mate meant he dedicated every fibre of his being to her, then he would never be a good 'mate'. A small snarl of annoyance crossed his lips as he saw the cubs. A glint of amusement took over soon enough, however. Not only had he had one girl to raise, but three. Already he had singled out two of them, both more aggressive in character than the youngest. But he had to mind his manners. Tailen was a Mama's girl, and Teal was way to protective over them. Or so he thought. " Little brutes...I'd forgotten how useless they are at this age. " He thought arrogantly as he grabbed Arri roughly by the scruff and trotted her to her mother. Allowing her to do as she pleased as he continued to hold her, he peered around the old maze slowly. Honestly, he had never been here before, but he had an excellent sense of direction and he knew it would be less than difficult to find a place to hide out. Walking forward, in front of his companion, he flicked his tail in irritation as he swept his head around, jostling the little bundle of life he held in his great, steely maw. Fatherhood was not completely without it's merits, however.

He had three cubs who thought he was the greatest thing in the world that he could teach and mold into his own image. Already he had impressed that loyalty to ones Pride and family came second to wandering and selfish exploration. Kureo, the eldest, padded quickly at her fathers side and Ed grinned as he saw the little cub jump up for her sister's tail. Dropping Arri with a thump, he ignored whatever noise she made and nudged the cubs forward. It wasn't only him though. Everybody but the softies, who ended up dying anyway, treated their kids this way. It was the proven technique, and it had worked with him. Stretching luxuriously, Eddie looked on at the children that, in some way or another, had come to be his own. Green eyes twinkling in what might have been happiness, the chocolate colored male lashed his tail in a bout of surliness and bent to lick Kureo. Tailen would grow, bigger than Arri or Kureo. But it was the weedy ones that had the brains. He knew that, but he wasn't sure the missus would approve if he told her. Kureo looked up, a smile on her small face. Silver eyes flashing, the prince realized how much like Tealver she looked when she looked like that. A frown crossed his dark lips and he gave a small growl of discontent. Moodiness seeped into his thin coat, travelling along his blood vessels in the travasty someone might call a heart. All right, it wasn't that bad. He just seemed to have squashed whatever good part of it was left as he grew older.

Tough times...Had to do what was best. Mh-hmm...As our dearest Valid would say. The little cub gamboled around in her innocence, small paws padding softly on the dusty earth. Dirt rose and fell in the air and Eddie felt the tightness in his lungs. A small cough rose up in his thorax and he managed to rasp something out though his panic. "Hey! Kid! Stop it!" Was the bark that resounded through the air, as a large, heavy paw batted her aside. Even the prince was amazed at how lightly he had tapped her. It had meant to be harder...None the less, she had tripped and skidded aside. Shock and surprise creased her young face, and the male grimaced and turned away. He felt the sympathy. He couldn't let that happen. That was how people died, you know. Pitying others was not a safe thing to do, and he didn't plan on making it a habit. Green eyes closing, he heard Tealver speak and allowed the wave of annoyance that it caused him to bubble out in a low growl. Looking at the sun, he was prepared to yell for it to give it a rest before he felt a nudge on his leg. Kureo purred and rubbed herself on his paw. Jumping back with a cough, Ed hacked out a bit of dust and phlegm and turned to the lioness. "Would you like me to go hunting, or should I...Baby-sit?" He asked devilishly. True, he needed time to clear his head, but he also wanted to teach Kureo, Arri and Tailen how to fight. And it would be a great oppurtunity if Teal didn't see him using fighting moves in front of them. Not on them, of course.

He needed them strong and tough. Cocking his head to the side, Ed turned on the charm. Purring, he ignored his daughter and glided over to the female. "I had almost forgotten how beautiful you are..." Nuzzling her cheek, he allowed his masculine odor to waft over them both, the musky smell as strong and unjaded as he. Virility and power rolled off his thick muscles, defined and rugged. His dark mane and beard were thick and black, although they still had the same feel of Arabic descent to them. His tall, slight build made it so he could easily overpower the shorter yet bulkier female. But he wouldn't do that now, would he? Nope. He was a right gentle-beast this one. Pink tongue sweeping suggestively over her shoulder, he even managed a genuine smile as one of the few moments of contentment washed over him. Kureo, looking like her mother's double, eyed them curiously. Ed's heart leaped as he saw a hint of resentment in her eyes. " Already she loses her innocence...Good. Very good... " The flash was gone though, and as his head draped over Tealver's back in a comforting gesture, he knew she could not possibly have seen. Her multi-colored coat was soft and silky on his face and his purr became more sonorous as he licked it steadily. Would...It be so terrible to stay with Tealver forever? To be faithful for once? To train his children the right way, with love and patience? Doubt entered his confident posture, and he pulled away a little. Maybe he should stop being deceptive and arrogant and try the harder challenge: try not to be an ass and be a good man. Like Truth. Be like your father, Ed; his heart whispered...

[/blockquote]

[tealver]

//hunh? I didn't edit it...//

[tealver]

//hunh? No I hadn't.... But continue on! //

[Vox]

'Tis finished now!

[tealver]

~Tealver~
Tealver couldn't help but growl softly when Eddie dropped Ari and then proceeded to yell at the other cub for kicking up dust. Obviously he was a bit harsh with cubs and not in the best of moods. She licked the top of Tailen's head, her exact in mirror imaging before looking at Kureo. She to looked like Teal if not darker and a bit more gold in her eyes.

When Eddie asked her a question she wasn't to sure about letting him stay with the cubs. But it was her job to hunt and feed her family, down to the very last cub. Even though they weren't yet weaned she would introduce them to a bit of meat today. Just the simple pleasures of Ed's love reassured her and she sighed, licking his back with a light scrape of her tongue.

"I will hunt today, it is my job to provide for the family... but remember love, be a bit more gentle with the cubs. They are tough but need love and care as well. If not they will turn out sour and rather a disappointment to the bloodline, no one wants moody and pissed off cubs." She said smoothly, licking him once before trotting off, reassuring her cubs that she would return before leaving.


~Tailen and Arri~
Tailen mewled pitifully as her mother left, but she was rather ok with it, even if she was a mommy's girl. She grunted as Arri jumped her from behind, a bit upset about it she rolled and pushed her sister off. When Arri proceeded to jump her again Tailen hissed angrily and whipped her sister down, pinning her harshly on the ground, bitting the neck of her older sister.

Arri mewled in surprise, pawing at her little sister's throat as she tried to escape her grasp. Finally Tailen released and sniffed the air, her mother's scent still heavy upon the wind. With a soft huff she turned to her father and walked up to him. She cocked her head to the side and looked up at him expectantly.

Arri growled, depressed at being defeated by the 'runt' of the litter. She huffed and charged Kureo, trying to regain some sort of dignity back among cubs, not wanting to be the weak one in the litter and all.

~Tealver~
Teal prowled through the canyon, marking every corner she turned so she could always make her way back. Soon she came to an opening were a famished beast was lying, to tired to search for more food. Just the site of it made Tealver a bit happy. The Gazelle bolted up in surprise, its legs quivering as it bolted down the canyon.

Tealver bolted after it, her paws swift upon the hunt with the ease of a huntress with mouths to feed. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she chased the gazelle down a straight away, a slight stumble in his step.