"My little darlings."
Chapter 1
"Golden days."
"Slow down Shibann!" Shira laughed, calling after her older child.
"No time momma." The little tiger boy, yelled back. "If I stop now…the rabbit will get away!"
The elder tigress only smiled at her little hunter.
He looked so much like his father.
They shared the same colored coat and eyes, the only thing he got after her were the black stripes on his back.
Not that she complained.
Her second child, Sheira, had a striking resemblance to her, with only her father's eyes being the difference.
The small girl was playing with a rock, nearby their den. Laughing and cheering whenever it jumped away.
"Sheira, dear!" Shira called to her daughter. "Come see your brother hunt!"
"Okay Mommy!" The tiny tigress chirped back and walked over to her mother.
In the meantime, Shibann was desperately trying to catch a running hare. Today was his parent's second anniversary and he wanted to give them a one of the kind gift.
"Get back here you, Easter bunny!" He yelled at the rabbit as it picked up its speed, getting further and further out of the young tiger's reach.
Growling, Shibann made his paws run faster, not caring where he was heading for.
"Shibann dear, watch out for that-"Shira cried, but it was too late. All she could do now, was watch in hidden amusement as her son trips over a rock and hits the ground, head first.
"Ahhh!" The tiger boy screamed as his head made contact with the hard floor. He rolled like a rock for about a second, before stopping on his stomach.
Shira was immediately at his side. "Shibann! Are you okay dear?! Does your paw hurt?!" Questions never stopped flowing out of her mouth, accompanied by Sheira's cheerful laugher.
"Boy Shib!" The younger tigress laughed. "You are terrible at that!"
With cheeks flushed with hot embarrassment, the young male growled at his little sister. "Shut up Sheira!" He yelled. "I didn't see you run around like crazy, to get mom and dad a present!"
Shira's heart melted, when she heard her child say that. She leaned forward and licked her brave, little hero on the nose. "Don't worry honey." She purred into the young man's ear. "You'll get him next time."
That seemed to cheer the boy up a bit, even if he was disappointed in his own performance today.
He really wanted to give his parents a self-caught gift, it was both to show them how much he learned on his lessons and for them to realize that he isn't a little kitten like Sheira anymore.
And it wasn't just any rabbit. It was the fastest one in the valley and the young Diego-look-alike, was determinated to be the first one who ever caught him.
Now…all his efforts were in vain. The blasted jumper was still, just a tad bit quicker than he was.
"Actually, you can still catch him today." A strong, male voice said making the rest of the tiger family, look up in surprise.
There stood Diego, with a dead antelope next to him and a certain hare, trapped between his paw and the floor.
"Dad!" Both younglings yelled happily, then ran to greet their father.
"You caught him!" Shibann stated, looking down at the squirming rabbit. "Wow."
"Actually son." Diego stated, smiling. "You. Caught him."
The youngster blinked. "What? How?"
"Well, for starters if you didn't wore him out just like you did, I wouldn't be able to get him." Diego ruffled his older child's tiny mane. "Looks like somebody isn't a little kitten anymore." He added smiling.
Shibann laughed and looked up at his father, smiling. "Really dad?"
"Really son." The older male's voice was full of pride, as he answered his boy's question.
He was truly proud of them.
Both, Shibann and little Sheira.
For tiger cubs that were raised outside a proper pack, they were doing very good.
Shibann was growing into a great hunter and future leader. Diego had no doubt that in a couple of years, he'll leave their den, find a female and create his own pack.
Sheira was becoming a copy of his wife Shira, growing into a strong independent female, who won't let a male take the lead in a relationship.
Yes. He was happy to be their father.
"Alright kids." He said, after the sound of bickering brought him back to the present. "Who wants diner?"
Two pairs of amber colored eyes, were immediately on him. "Me! Me!" They screamed, jumping like rabbits.
Shira laughed. "Okay children. Go wash your paws in the river, while I and daddy prepare your meals."
Without as much as a squeal in protest, both cubs were already rushing towards the nearby stream.
"They're growing up fast, aren't they?" Shira asked, rubbing her head against his neck.
He nodded. "Yes. That they are." He admitted in a sad tone.
The female felt the slight downfall in his mood and decided to take his mind of that idea. "Come on." She pulled his ear playfully. "We still need to prepare that diner we promised."
Diego sighted but followed his mate.
He remembered how painful it was for him to leave his parents. He didn't want his children to go through the same.
"Don't worry honey." Shira purred into his ear. "Whatever happens, we will be with them every step in the way." She assured.
Oh how wrong she was.