Black Spots & Sweet Kisses

It's difficult raising a cub on the plains. At least it is for the female cheetah. The male cheetahs are only there for conception and then leave as soon as they are done. What's worse is that they travel in groups so they can hunt better. They offer no protection to the young they just helped create.

Other felines also have it better. The lions travel in prides meaning their young is safe from potential predators. Lions that encounter cheetahs will kill them. This may be to steal their food. They will kill cheetah cubs to eliminate possible competition.

Not just felines, wildebeest will trample cubs, so will elephants.

The most annoying are the predators who cannot compete against a fully grown cheetah but will wait for the adult to leave her young in order to hunt and pounce on the easier cub. It makes hunting incredibly difficult for the mother. On some occasions, the mother will have to leave her kill for the hyenas in order to save her cubs.

For Chloe, hunting time had just begun. The previous day had been a struggle to get food for her cub, only managing to catch small rodents. Today she would need a good kill in order to make up for it.

She had looked in the pool of water earlier this morning at her reflection. She looked tired, almost panting. She wasn't standing strongly like she used to. Her majestic coat looked almost out of place compared to the rest of her exhausted body.

Gazelle were her target. Actually, they had been her target. She had selected one of the frail ones near the back of the pack as a potential meal. It was small but she only had one cub to feed so it would do.

Unfortunately, her cub had been chosen as a target by one of those annoying types of predators. Hyenas, four of them specifically. Normally, even four hyenas would not attack a cheetah. The cheetah can outrun them and give them a run for their money should a fight occur. It is not worth the effort.

However, a weak looking cheetah with a small cub were much better victims. Even if Chloe put up a fight, there was a good chance she would lose her cub. If she were to die, her cub would get eaten regardless.

Chloe looked down at her cub. Emily looked right back at her. The thought of running away to save her own skin never entered her mind but it was so hard looking at her young one knowing that it was about to die and she would soon follow. She rubbed her nose against Emily's forehead in order to calm her.

Chloe would fight. That was certain. It was the outcome that worried her.

The hyenas had surrounded the pair of them and were slowly circling, waiting for the opportunity to strike. The grass around them made only their heads clearly visible. What looked to be the pack leader approached.

It had spots similar to a cheetah but the fur was a sand like color. Hyenas have never given off the impression of intelligence, this one in particular was drooling a lot.

The mother observed the movement while maintaining awareness of the other potential threats. As the hyena got closer, she hissed loudly and swiped the air as a warning. The hyena was undeterred and continued to move towards them.

The failed scare tactic had given the other hyenas enough courage to also approach and Chloe found her safe area becoming smaller. Emily now seemed to realize the danger they were in and began to whimper while pressing herself against her mother's leg.

One of the smaller hyenas, in an act that Chloe would describe as stupid, lunged at her only to be viciously swiped away. Blood and a scar the only things to show for its effort.

Her victory was short lived as the other hyenas looked to be strengthened by the incident. Chloe had failed to kill the attacking hyena which told the others that they would only come away with a scratch and that this endeavour was worth undertaking.

The lead hyena seemed to be awaiting the opportunity to pounce first. Chloe prepared herself for the attack. If she was successful against it, she may scare the others into running away.

The pounce came moments later, the hyena baring its teeth, ready to bite.

A bite which never had the chance to connect as the hyena was sent flying along with the object that hit it. The other hyenas and Chloe turned to look at the hurtling ball made of dust, hyena and another creature.

More tussling occurred as the ball stopped, kicking up further dust. The other hyenas looked on apprehensively. Chloe still couldn't run away, she would be able to get away but Emily was still in danger. She held her ground.

Hissing could be heard from the fight. She recognized the hissing, it was that of another cheetah. Possible a male. Solitary males were rare and would have detected that she wasn't looking to mate. Why would he help her?

The dust finally cleared to reveal her saviour. Chloe was surprised. It was another female. She didn't look nearly as frail and had a scar running across her face. From the look of it, it was caused by a lion. The cheetah was a strong one, despite being slightly smaller than Chloe. It was made apparent with the speed at which she had hit the hyena.

Female cheetahs don't tend to help each other. Taking care of cubs is hard enough work without needing to worry about the offspring of other mothers.

This only made the sight before her stranger. In the female's jaw was the neck of the lead hyena, now completely limp. Blood poured from wounds on its neck. She spit out her opponent and hissed sharply at the other hyenas. The look in her eyes was fierce. Chloe noted that there was not a single scratch on the cheetah. The pack leader was a larger hyena and should have gotten at least a few hits in.

Those other hyenas scattered within seconds, not even checking on the condition of their fallen leader.

Apart from Emily, Chloe could see no other cubs in the vicinity. This female had no need to fight the hyena.

She was now looking at the pair of them, the ferocity from her eyes had disappeared. Chloe held her ground, still worried for her child.

The female just turned and started running away. She barely even acknowledged them.

Acts of kindness were non-existent on the plain. That was just a stroke of luck from a very strange cheetah. Chloe chirruped out in appreciation, the sound probably not even reaching the other feline.

Despite her exhaustion, she continued onwards to look for food. It was probably best to follow in the direction of the other cheetah, she would at least ward away other predators in her path. Perhaps they could eat the remains of her kills.

Chloe moved in said direction, remaining observant of the other hyenas. Emily was still frightened which meant their pace was rather slow. The small cub needed reassurance and Chloe wasn't sure she could provide it. The gentle licks and nuzzles weren't doing their normal job.

Emily had tears in her eyes. Much like her mother, she looked frail. Chloe had failed as a mother. She couldn't provide food, she couldn't protect her cub and she wasn't doing a good job of teaching the young one to hunt herself.

Chloe let out an involuntary whimper at the thought.

Emily seemed to notice it. She looked up at her mother. She hissed at her before biting into Chloe's leg and tugging. Her teeth were small and could not do any damage to the older cheetah but she understood the sentiment. Emily wasn't giving up and she didn't want her mother to either.

Realizing that she wasn't moving her mother that way, Emily turned and started running towards their destination, egging Chloe to follow her.

The maternal cheetah found the sight heartwarming. Emily was the reason she was doing this. She ran after the cub, a little more energy in her step.

When she reached Emily, she knocked the little one's butt. Emily tripped over her feet and fell to the ground.

She looked at her mother again, this time cross, not amused at her humor.

Chloe pressed on, pretending her prank had been an accident.

They travelled for a while with no sign of prey. The gazelle from before had fled and their window for hunting was getting smaller. Once night came, the lions would begin hunting as it was easier for them. This would mean that Emily would be in danger and any kills Chloe did make would be taken by the lions anyway.

The path led them to an area of the plains that contained more trees on the edge of a mountain. This was good. It provided Chloe with an opportunity to sneak up on beasts before striking. It would also help hide her cub. There were a few more boulders than before and the grass was taller, still yellow though. Where there was sand on the ground, there were foot prints. Impala frequented this area.

A familiar sight greeted them between a pair of trees just ahead of them. It was the cheetah from before and she was looking directly at them. She didn't look hostile so the pair approached without much hesitation. Besides, she looked to be waiting for them.

Chloe stopped once they were in front of the other cheetah.

The female looked at the mother and her cub for a moment. Emily tried to look intimidating which Chloe found delightful.

Finally, the cheetah looked directly at Chloe.

"Come with me," she said before turning around and walking away from them.

Chloe was confused to say the least. Judging by Emily's expression, so was she. Still, she didn't appear to pose a threat to them so Chloe followed. It was the direction they were heading in anyway.

During the journey, the female cheetah didn't say anything, occasionally looking back to make sure they were still following. Chloe took the opportunity to study their companion. It appeared that this cheetah was used to combat. The facial scar was just one of a collection. There was one on her torso and cuts on her tails. Her ear twitched slightly and looked a little strange compared to the other one, like it had been crushed. Despite the scars, this cheetah's beauty shone through. There was something striking about her.

Her scent was also rather pleasant.

They arrived at a large boulder that was situated next to a tree. Just a few feet from the boulder, the trees became sparse again leading to a flatter area of the plains with shorter grass.

Below the tree, next to the roots, Chloe could see the reason for the trek. An impala lay on the ground. The blood trickling from a wound on its stomach indicated that it was dead.

Once the three were next to it, the female cheetah looked towards Emily before gesturing for her to start eating which she did almost immediately having not had proper food for a while. She then turned to Chloe and did the same.

When a cheetah successfully kills something, they will have to consume as much meat as they can. This is because other larger predators such as lions and leopards will easily take it from them. They don't even have to be other predators, scavengers such as vultures will come in flocks and overwhelm a cheetah to eat the kill.

For a cheetah to kill her target then walk away from it so that she could feed a mother and her cub was insane.

"Why?" Chloe had to ask. The other cheetah seemed to be startled by the question.

"I cannot eat it all myself. It would be a waste to not share it with you," she said.

Again, cheetahs do not concern themselves with waste. From the way she said it, Chloe got the impression that this cheetah regretted killing the impala.

"You are most kind." She still didn't understand this creature but she appreciated the gesture. "May I ask of your name?"

"Beca."

"Yours?"

"I'm Chloe."

Beca stood to the side while Chloe and Emily ate. The mother instructed her cub on where the best meat on the animal was as well as how to tear through the skin to get to it. Apart from the kill wounds, the impala had no other cuts or marks indicating that Beca had yet to eat from it. Chloe made sure to leave a good amount of meat for their saviour.

Once the pair was full, Chloe pulled Emily away to clean the blood off her coat. Emily looked lethargic from the meal and would become sleepy soon. It was good to see her in that state.

Beca ate from the impala quickly, taking half the time of the other two. Once she was finished, she too cleaned herself and looked towards them. Chloe had stayed nearby as it was safer. The sun was beginning to set and they needed to find a place to sleep.

"I had expected more cubs, is there only one?" Beca asked.

Chloe hadn't forgotten their faces yet. "There were four at first." It was still difficult to discuss this, it hadn't even been a month since the incident. "I lost three to a pride of lions. I had hid them as best I could but they were still discovered."

Beca looked genuinely saddened by Chloe's words. "I'm sorry for bringing them up, it wasn't my place."

"No, it's okay. I've already shown you that I'm a bad mother today, more detail won't matter now."

"You consider defending your cub against a group of hyenas an example of a bad mother?"

"A good mother wouldn't have gotten them into that situation in the first place," Chloe argued.

"You're blaming yourself for things that are outside of your control." Beca moved towards Emily and patted the little cheetah's head with her paw.

Emily was looking up in awe of the cheetah. Beca's expression changed to a much softer one, momentarily distracted by the cub. She was looking lovingly at another mother's cub. Another rarity.

Chloe thought about Beca's words. She was right. It wouldn't help her or Emily to dwell on what could have been. She could confidently say she did the best she could. It was just unfortunate that things turned out this way.

Once the food had settled within their bellies, it was time for Chloe and Emily to leave.

"Beca, thank you for the meal, we must leave to find shelter for the night."

Beca was hesitant.

"There's a safe place nearby. I could show you if you wish."

Chloe nodded.

Beca guided them back into the denser area of the plains. The terrain becoming rockier with more shrubbery. It would provide good protection. The sky had gone a beautiful shade of orange as the sun set. This was Emily's favorite time of the day, she would continue to look up into the sky while walking towards their destination, only stopping when she tripped over something on the ground.

Their sleeping location was a space created by two boulders next to the cliff. It was behind a few bushes and a large tree. Chloe checked the area to make sure there were no creatures in between the boulders before settling Emily down to sleep.

Once Emily began to yawn, Chloe went back to Beca who was waiting outside the alcove.

"I wanted to thank you again." She licked the other cheetah's cheek. It was a way of showing affection.

All at once, the strong and independent cheetah became bashful.

"It was nothing," Beca stumbled over her words. Chloe found it adorable.

She managed to give Beca one more gentle lick before she departed. Chloe had asked her to stay but she wasn't interested.

Chloe liked Beca's presence. She had initially been intimidated by the other cheetah but as their talk had shown, Beca wasn't as cold as her outward appearance would indicate. She had provided for strangers, asking for nothing in return and even managed to make Chloe feel a little better about herself.

Returning to the alcove, Chloe found Emily still awake.

"Is Beca gone?" she asked.

"Yes, Honey."

Emily's eyes dropped. "I liked her."

Chloe sighed. "Me too, sweetie."

The sound of birds awoke the pair of them the next morning. The sun had just started beaming into the alcove indicating it was time to get up. Another day of hunting awaited them. Thankfully they had the energy to do it this time. Chloe felt revitalized, raring to go. Emily looked far more jovial as well, although still yawning.

The extra energy meant that Chloe could spend some time teaching Emil hunting techniques, something she had been neglecting due to their food problems.

Stepping out of the small space, Chloe found a recognizable creature sleeping on the ground. It was Beca.

The mother cheetah approached the sleeping one and attempted to wake her. Beca yawned, flashing her sharp teeth and bright pink tongue.

"Wake up, Beca."

The cheetah stayed where she laid, only turning to look at Chloe to acknowledge that she had heard.

"What are you still doing here?" Chloe questioned.

"I got the scent of hyenas as I was leaving so I came back to make sure they didn't come to attack you."

Chloe was incredibly happy to see Beca again. She didn't like being solitary for so long. Sometimes it felt like everything around was trying to kill her and Emily so it was nice to have a companion.

"Beca, I'm running out of ways to show my gratitude. You didn't have to do that." Chloe continued to be taken aback.

"I wanted to," Beca said. "I did tell you this was a safe place so it's my duty to guarantee it."

Emily had managed to stand on four legs, always a struggle for her in the morning, and exit the cave. She spotted Beca and quickened her pace, running up to the bigger cheetah's feet. That look of admiration had returned, along with excitement.

Beca knelt down until she was level with the small feline. "Good morning, Emily."

"Goo morning." Emily still had trouble with certain words.

"What are your plans for today?" Beca asked.

"Mommy was going to teach me how to hunt, it's what we usually do first thing in the morning."

Strengthening the cubs was meant to be a social activity usually with other cubs. Chloe had been doing it with Emily in absence of them. Every morning, Chloe was reminded of the others.

"We'll let your mother rest today. I'll teach you some things."

Despite how intimidating Beca had initially been, she was much calmer and friendlier than Chloe had expected. There was even a level of shyness which was making it hard to feel intimidated by her. Just watching her interact with Emily was a sight. The mother cheetah had anticipated a cold, uninterested reaction to her cub.

Speaking of Emily, Chloe had been almost inundated with questions last night, all about Beca. The little cub had found a role model.

"Are you sure? I don't want to bother you with this" Chloe couldn't help but ask.

Beca looked at Emily. "Hear that Emily, Your mother thinks you're a burden."

Emily responded by poking her tongue out at her mother.

Chloe looked disapprovingly. "I will not have you gang up on me with my own child."

Chloe relented shortly afterwards, not even willing to put up a fight. Beca was beginning to show her true colors. She was a big softy.

The first thing Beca did was strengthen Emily's running technique. A chasing game was organised in front of the alcove. Chloe watched from the side as Emily tried to catch Beca's tail. The older cheetah would let Emily get really close before jolting with a burst of speed. Soon, the smaller cheetah became tired of being teased.

Next, Beca showed Emily biting technique on a log. Beca could easily get her teeth around the log. She gave Emily a smaller branch to practice. The young cheetah was uninterested in the branch and wanted to try the log. Beca looked towards Chloe, indicating that the outcome would be somewhat amusing.

It was. Emily tried for a few minutes before reluctantly going to the branch. Neither Beca nor Chloe made any comments.

The sun was at the highest point in the sky meaning it was midday. Hunting would need to begin again. Beca offered to help with the hunt as well, saying that it would make it easier for the both of them.

Looking out into the plains, it appeared that zebras were the order of the day. Usually a single cheetah was incapable of taking down a zebra. They were larger than impalas and gazelles meaning they took far more work.

A herd of them were grazing on the grass currently, unaware of the cheetahs. The two adults scanned the pack for any weak links. There were a few younger targets that would be easy to catch but they wouldn't provide much sustenance. The vast majority of the herd was healthy. Usually the older and thereby weaker zebras were situated in the middle for safety reasons.

Emily watched from a distance, safe from the view of other predators as Chloe and Beca began moving towards the herd. Stalking was made easier by the grass that was just tall enough to hide in. They had their sights set on an old male zebra, quite large but walking with a bit of a limp, in the center.

Cheetahs can run at a much faster pace than a zebra. However, they cannot maintain that speed for long. Even this old zebra could beat them in a game of endurance. The two of them had about ten to twenty seconds to catch up and take it down once they are spotted before it outran them.

Once within acceptable range, Beca signalled Chloe to flank the herd.

Beca began sprinting towards the zebra, it passed others who were only just becoming aware of what was happening but they needed to stick to the plan. Last minute changes would mean they would walk away with nothing.

Beca was gaining quickly and Chloe began her sprint, coming in from the side. The zebra was currently unaware of what was happening.

The mother cheetah took the opportunity to lunge, landing on the side of the zebra. She clamped into the flesh of the animal with her claws and started biting the neck. The action caused the zebra to stumble, allowing Beca to catch up and land on its back, pushing its back legs into the ground and bringing it crashing down.

Beca got up and quickly moved next to Chloe before biting the neck.

The animals last moments were struggling on the ground, hopelessly trying to shake its attackers off.

The body coming to a complete stop indicating that the creature had passed. Chloe and Beca chirruped in unison for Emily to come over.

The three ate quickly, a few vultures had come to rest next to them, waiting for them to move on. If too many showed up, they would pushed off their food. Plus, where there are zebras, there are other carnivores and they didn't need to risk getting caught by lions. Emily had no chance of outrunning them yet.

The two adults finished first. Beca's face was a little bloodier than Chloe, having bitten down on a major blood vessel.

"You have some blood on you, here let me," Chloe said.

She moved closer and began cleaning the blood with her tongue. Beca purred, the rich tone reaching Chloe's ears. It was a pleasing sound and it appeared to be an involuntary one from the other cheetah, who stayed motionless, letting Chloe do her work but not looking directly. It was almost like Beca was embarrassed.

The blood was completely gone but Chloe wished to elicit more purring from Beca, she moved her tongue from the cheetah's face to the neck. From here, she could feel the sound reverberating through Beca.

It was nice to be the one doing the helping for once, even if the task was minor.

"There, it's all gone."

Beca's response was quiet. "Thank you."

Hanging around the corpse wasn't in their best interest so once Emily was finished, the three of them made their way away from it and further into the plains. Herd animals like gazelle, wildebeest, zebra and impala tended to move to fresher pasture often. It would help to go in their general direction.

They kept a slower pace. It allowed them to watch as Emily played. They were in no rush, having had far more food than expected. The young cub was currently chasing after birds. She had no hope of catching them but she was having fun.

Chloe was finding her companion captivating. She was an oddity in a place where every individual's role was set in stone. Beca bucked that trend and appeared to flourish.

"Beca, may I ask where your cubs are?" It had been a question that had been on her mind since yesterday.

"I don't have any."

"Were none of the males interested?" Chloe asked.

Beca hesitated. "More like I wasn't interested in them," She said. "Is that weird?"

"You mean you didn't find the idea of being fucked ungracefully in the middle of the plains and then having to take care of a bunch of cubs on your own while the so-called father messed around with his group, off to fuck another female. I can't imagine why." The humorous tone hid the bitterness that Chloe felt about the situation. The father of these cubs was a face she was happy to forget.

Beca laughed. "It was that and I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

Beca looked towards Emily. "Of being a mother. A bad one"

"So far you've managed to feed and shelter Emily. I consider that to be the characteristics of a good mother." Chloe added an action to her words, nuzzling against Beca's side. Another involuntary purr indicated it had done the job.

They looked over to see that Emily had stopped. She was at the edge of a stream. Across it was a small hill. Further down, a herd of wildebeest were attempting to cross the stream. They were falling from a great height and splashing down onto the stream. Undeterred by the drop, they would trudge on across.

Death by trampling. That was the current danger. The three of them would have to wait for the wildebeest to finish crossing. Chloe and Beca came to rest at the edge of the stream next to Emily. The next few minutes were spent laughing at the wildebeest too dumb to control their fall and landing on their heads.

It was a surreal experience. The constant need to keep moving in search of food and shelter defined Chloe's life and the lives of all the creatures in the plains. To drink from a clean stream and laze about because you've gorged yourself on zebra earlier was an uncommon luxury.

She looked over at her companion who had rested her head against the wet sand. She was staring into space. Her eyes displaying sadness.

"If you don't mate, what do you do?" Chloe asked.

The other cheetah huffed, forcing a fly that had rested on her nose away. "What would you be doing if you hadn't mated?"

Chloe pondered for a moment. "I'd be hunting and waiting for the next mating season."

"If we don't mate, our lives are purposeless. I'm basically a defect."

The maternal cheetah shook her head. "I disagree. Everything living thing out here is trying to get by. If you have the will to live, you're not as defective as you think you are."

"I guess."

"Is that why you look so saddened."

Beca nodded.

Chloe had heard enough. "Get up," she said. "If the only thing you achieve in your life is helping my daughter reach adulthood then that's more than can be said for half the cheetahs on the plain. It might not mean much but your 'defective' ways have meant that Emily and I have a little more hope."

Beca got up as instructed. Chloe had more to say. "I am eternally grateful for what you have done for us. If you don't think highly of yourself and my opinion doesn't matter to you, at least take the view that my daughter has of you to heart," she said. Emily had fallen asleep, unaware of the conversation.

Beca glanced at Emily but no more was said on the subject. The wildebeest had cleared so it was time to move on. The sun was beginning to set once again and they needed to get off the exposed area of the plains. The lions would be hunting soon.

Their resting location was on the edge of the plains. It was a small hill overlooking the vast landscape in front of it. The hill was covered in short, dry grass. At the top, a tree stood, its canopy covering about half the hill. It was a good spot for rest. Herd animals would have difficulty getting up there so lions were unlikely to frequent the area.

Chloe dug a small burrow at the base of the tree for Emily. Beca stood guard, watching over the plains for any lions. The cub spent the time asking Beca questions. The topics ranged from how many kills she had made to asking about the scars. Chloe was eavesdropping and liked what she was hearing. Beca didn't gloat. She talked cautiously about her experiences and treated them like lessons.

"Mommy says I will have to leave her one day to off on my own," Emily said.

"She's right."

The cub frowned. "But I don't wanna."

"You know she's not trying to get rid of you right? Leaving you on your own will be the hardest thing she will ever have to do but it's something she has to do," Beca explained. "She won't love you any less but she has to let you live your life by yourself. No child should be defined by their parents. When other cheetahs see you, they need to see Emily the cheetah, not Emily, Chloe's cub."

Emily looked a little tearful. "But I'm not ready."

"Of course you aren't. You mother won't leave you for a good while longer, not until you're ready." Beca lifted her head off the ground and licked the tears away. "Leaving doesn't mean goodbye. You'll still see her around."

Emily moved under Beca's chin, the sound of her sobbing slowly fading away.

"Are you staying with us?" she finally asked.

"Should I?"

"Yeah, mommy likes you a lot. She told me last night." Chloe, who had been observing quickly looked away, pretending to continue digging.

Night came soon after. The mother cheetah tucked away her cub into the burrow. Beca had already laid down on the patch of grass, her eyes scanning the plain. There was no sign of danger.

Chloe came down and took her place next to Beca. Night was her favorite time of the day. She liked looking out at the stars. It was one of the few memories she had of her youth. Her mother would complain that she wouldn't go to sleep because she was busy looking for patterns in the sky.

It had been years since she last got a chance to do this.

"You never answered her question," Chloe said.

"I wasn't sure it was my decision."

"Well it is"

Beca looked away. "Chloe, there's something I should tell you."

"I'm listening."

Beca faltered for a second, making Chloe think she was going to back out. "The plan had originally been for me to share that impala with you and depart. But something happened."

Chloe couldn't recall anything strange about the event. "What?" she asked.

"You did. When I first caught sight of you, I wasn't able to speak. When we met for the second time, it was all I could do to form a complete sentence," Beca said.

The maternal cheetah looked at her with concern, allowing the other cheetah to continue.

"I've been thinking about why that happened and I think I've come to a conclusion. I just hope you won't hate me for it."

"Just say it, Beca. I don't think I could look at you any differently." Chloe wanted to reassure her. For such a self-reliant cheetah, Beca worried a lot about Chloe's perception of her.

"I'm attracted to you." It looked like a struggle to get the words out. "I've always been a little, let's say eccentric but I never expected this."

Beca huffed before continuing. "Anyway, I thought you should know. I'll leave as soon as possible in the morning." She paused. "That is, unless you want me to leave now. I'd understand."

"It's mutual," Chloe replied. Beca eyes turned to meet hers almost immediately. "The attraction. It's mutual. I felt the same thing when I met you. The difference is I wasn't disgusted with myself as you appear to be."

Chloe gave a few kisses to Beca's neck. The purring began anew.

"Beca, it's your decision of course and I know my opinion doesn't matter to you but it would make me really happy if you stayed with us."

It had taken Beca's confession for Chloe to understand what she was feeling but it hit her hard when it did. She had initially thought that she enjoyed Beca's presence because of how solitary life is on the plains for a mother. Chloe had found the other cheetah beautiful as soon as they had met but had thought nothing of it. It was the way Beca had presented herself that intensified her attraction. Beca was caring and soft but more than that, she was filled with doubt and insecurities. The small glimpse Chloe had gotten of this unconventional creature made her want to find out more.

The need to lick her face clean and hear her purr made much more sense now.

"I will."

Chloe didn't hold back, going in for more kisses. She managed to get around two before she felt something on her neck.

Beca had kissed her and now she was beginning to understand how involuntary purring could be.

The pair watched the night sky for a while. Chloe showed Beca all the different patterns she had seen when she was younger. The other cheetahs had never been interested in her findings but Beca listened and watched, occasionally offering her opinion.

Beca was the first to fall asleep. Chloe checked on Emily once more, deciding to break the good news to her in the morning before returning to Beca's side. She gave one more kiss to her sleeping saviour.

"I hope you'll still be here in the morning," She whispered.

She fell asleep soon afterwards, resting comfortably next to the other cheetah. Worries of food, shelter and properly raising Emily out of her mind for the moment.

The morning showed that her wish had been granted.

Thank you for reading!

This was perhaps the hardest thing I've had to write and after spending so long with it, I can't even tell If I like it or not.

As always, I'm going to promote my ongoing fic 'I'm Glad You Exist'. If you liked this, you should check that out even though they are completely different.