Sebore prowled over the border of her territory, her muscles rippling beneath her spotted pelt.
Suddenly, a noise startled her. Sebore growled, a sneer fixed upon her muzzle. Prey.
She padded towards the sound, her black nose sniffing and her mouth lifted to taste the air. Human! On her territory. She would rip their throate out!
She burst into the clearing, her eyes more piercing than her claws, her hackles fluffed out. No human, she looked around and sore something woven with...wood, or vines, it was hard to tell. She knocked it with her head. It was a human kit. It had tufty white hair and big blue green eyes. Sebore growled. Her belly would soon be filled.
Then the baby awakened, laughing and holding out her little hands to the predator. Something in Sebores heart clicked, and her face softened. She licked the babys tufty white hair gently. She smiled sleepily and layed a tiny pale hand on Sebores muzzle. Sebore could have easily bitten it right off.
But she purred and lay with her body wrapped around the basket, feeling a great rush of protectiveness for it.
"Sleep now small one, i will take you and raise you as my own, and give you a chance to survive this world, and i will protect you to my last breath" she whispered. Her heart seemed to burst. She herself was shocked she'd done that.
"Maliki" she muttered. "Because you're the princess of cats, yes, my little Maliki"
Maliki gave a soft little sigh, and burrowed her face into Sabores silky chest fur.
Sebore savored the moment, then, scared she'd fall asleep, she picked up the basket and walked towards her territory, climbed carefully up a tree and into their den.
Maliki rolled out of the basket onto the comfy vines and leafs. The den had walls, a floor and a roof, there was a gap as an entrance, with lichen covering it. This would keep the newborn warm.
Maliki was wearing a tiny leopard print top and skirt. She looked like a leopard kit. Or maybe without the clothes an arctic fox, with her light hair that shone in the sunlight that filtered through the den.
She heard some of the other leopards growling for Sebore to come down and hunt with them.
She poked her head out of the den and shook it. She didn't want to leave Maliki alone, and she didn't want to wake her up by shouting.
Nanda, a black leopard took them hunting instead. Nanda was a close friend and deputy of sebore. Sebore would tell Nanda about Maliki first.
The tiny infant rolled gently to Sebores belly fur, and tried to suckle.
"Sorry my love. We'll get you juice from fruit until you can eat what i eat"
Maliki nuzzled up to her warm fur and started making little purring sounds.
"You sleep my little queen. I'll stay with you all night, and guard you with my life"