It was a dark and cool night in the desert. A calm breeze slightly kicked the sand up into the air. There is total darkness except for one lone lantern. A Mau slowly trudged through the desert. His cloak along with his dark black fur kept him well hidden from anyone that would pass by. But then again, who would wander to dangerous desert at this time at night? He kept his dark pale eyes focused on the on the path in front of him clutching the lamb with one hand, and a basket of herbs in the other. Just a little further now! He thought as he made it to the ruins. Hidden behind a large slightly curved sand dune that acted as a shield and a barrier from the rest of the world.

"ASIM!" A voice called from the edge of the ruins. The ruins of a once great civilization. As Asim looked down he could see the elder Bast. Her once brown fur now white, her body riddled with age. He slid his way down to the old Mau.

"Is she alright?" Asim asked. One of the femmies (female Mau) were going into labor. And not just any femmie, his femmie.

"She is fine, for now at least, did you gather the herbs I asked?" Bast asked.

Taking the basket from under his cloak he handed it to the elder. "Yes. It is all here."

Looking through the basket, quickly making sure everything was there, once everything was checked she rushed towards the opening of the cities large catacombs. After the destruction of the city above, the large and extensive underground chemicals were the only thing that kept the tribe safe a sheltered from the elements as well as outside forces. Asim quickly followed down the marble steps. What if something went wrong? What if the kits did not survive? What if his partner did not survive? What if one of the kits was born blind? Or Deaf?

His pace quickened as his anxiousness began to rise. He tried to calm down, but could he not have some sense of worry? Such tragedies were so common due to the harsh conditions they had to suffer.

"She will be fine Asim," Bast reassured him. "You have brought me the herbs, now let me do what I was put in this world to do."

He nodded wordlessly as he turned the corner passing more rooms and hallways filled with his clan members. Once them made it to the birthing chamber, where all laboring femmies were kept, he quickly made his way over to his beloved.

"Lapis, are you alright?" He asked as he took her hand.

She opened her intense blue eyes, for which she was named, and turned to him giving him a crooked smile in an attempt to ease him of his obvious worry. "I am well. This is nothing my dear."

A ghost of a smile made its way onto his lips and he squeezed her hand tighter. Bast took the leaves he had gathered and made a tea out of them. She gave the tea for Lapis to drink, so it would ease the pain. Then she mashed up some berries and used the juicy to make the process easier. Other maus were already preparing warm water and blankets. Asim readied himself for what would be a long process.

HOURS LATER

After hours of hard labor four kits were born. Two femmies and two mauli (male maus). All were decently healthy, even the runt. Asim was ecstatic. What were the chances that they would have so many, and all healthy at that! The eldest, a son, looked almost exactly like him. Fur black as night with pale green eyes. The second, a daughter, was the same in fur but had her mother intense blue eyes. The fourth, as son, was the spitting image of his mother. But the third caught his attention. She was the perfect balance of her parents. She her mothers brown fur, but her father pale green eyes.

"Fawning them already Asim?" Lapis teased as she sat up. She smiled brightly even with the tiredness in her eyes. He smiled in return.

"This is a cause of celebration you know," Bast commented as she packed up the extra herbs. "We shall organize a small feast as soon a possible. Every mau in the catacombs would love to hear of the good news!"

"That would be delightful," Lapis agreed. "But we can not celebrate until we give them names."

"I agree."

"I about I name the first and the second, then you name the third and the fourth?" Lapis suggested.

"Very well," Asim agreed as he picked up his eldest son, and eldest daughter.

She looked to her son. "I shall name you Jabari for I have a strong feeling that you will be one known for having a brave and fearless heart."

Then to her daughter. "And you shall be Rashida. For you will be a strong and righteous warrior one day."

Asim smiled. These were very fitting names. Slowly and carefully he picked up his second son. The young kit laughed and reached out with his small paws. "You shall be Aten for you are bright like a ray of son. And as for you." He took a pause to look at his youngest daughter. "You shall be Mie. And I expect great things from you."

"All lovely names. I can't wait for these for to grow up to be exceptional maus!" Bast exclaimed. But that was to be expected. In her long life as an elder she has seen much pain and suffering, but to see a miracle such has this seems to have boosted her spirits. "I will speak with the others and see to it that we do have a celebration for this!"

With that the perky elder left the family alone.

"We really did a good job huh?" Lapis said joking as she coddled her newborns.

"Indeed we did and I have very I hopes for them." He replied coming closer to his mate.

"As do I" She agreed.

With their eye lids growing heavy they curled up next to each other and fell into a deep sleep, with their arms still around their children.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

YES! I finally got this done and I'm so excited! AHHHH! I've got a lot planned, and I can't wait to show more of Mie's culture as well as her clan. So to keep this simple every chapter is going to be another part of her life. Of course it's not going to be day by day, but I will skip years every no and then. But can't wait to share more with you guys. Stay tuned!