chapter seven
Alani felt better after her nap. She sent Zenka to collect Jahari from Nadira. A few minutes later father and son returned.
" Jahari, your father and I have some news." She began and Jahari's green eyes lit up, " You found your mother?"
" I'm afraid not, the search was cut short." Alani explained, " You are going have a baby brother or sister soon."
Jahari stared at his mother. " Really?"
" Yes. You'll be a big brother. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Jahari made a face, " No." he muttered.
Alani looked at him surprised, " No?" she repeated, " Why not?"
" Because once the baby is born, you wont have any time for me." Jahari blurted.
" That's not true," Alani said, " But if I am busy with the cub, your father will be here for you."
Jahari glanced over at his father dubiously, " I want you." He told her and his parents exchanged a worried glance.
" Son, it's normal to feel jealous of the baby but we'll love you both equally." Alani tried to assure him.
" I won't like the baby," Jahari said pawing at the ground with his front paws, " I won't!" then he turned and ran off.
Alani started after him but Zenka stopped her, " Just let him go. He'll get over it. He's gotten used to being the only child and now that a new cub is on the way, he feels as though this won't be his territory anymore. He's jealous."
" I know that." Alani frowned at Zenka before going after her son.
" Jahari?" Alani found the cub near the waterhole sulking. He was lying under a shady tree and refused to look at her.
" Jahari darling, look at me." She urged and he finally did so, " Can I let you in on a little secret?" she asked him.
" What?" Jahari demanded grumpily.
" I was just as surprised as you are about this new cub." She reflected, " I didn't want anymore cubs after you. So this one is unplanned."
Jahari raised his head and looked at his mother hopefully, " You mean, you don't want it?"
" No." Alani said bluntly, " And there's nothing I can do about it either."
" Are you gonna tell Dad?"
" I don't think we need to tell him about my feelings do you? He's pleased with getting a new cub. He says he wants a girl."
" Maybe he can look after it and then I can you to myself," Jahari suggested.
" It doesn't work out that way." Alani nuzzled the youngster, " But no matter what, you'll always be mummy's little boy okay?"
" Okay." Jahari grinned and watched her walk off. Once his brother or sister was born, he was planning to make his or her life miserable.
* * *
The lioness stayed hidden in the long grass and watched the two of them by the waterhole. How quickly the young cub was growing!
Tamali was worried about Alani's limp. It was getting worse by the day and what will Alani do once the colder weather settles in? She wouldn't be able to hunt.
If only I could be there for her. The lioness thought and I'd love to meet my grandson. She smiled to herself, and if my eyes aren't mistaken, it looks like there will be another little on the way.
Once the young cub left the waterhole, the lioness stood up and ventured away. She decided to see what Alani's sister was up to. She knew Annalina had two cubs, one boy and one girl. The boy seemed to have some kind of disability and Tamali couldn't work out what it was….
Alani felt better after her nap. She sent Zenka to collect Jahari from Nadira. A few minutes later father and son returned.
" Jahari, your father and I have some news." She began and Jahari's green eyes lit up, " You found your mother?"
" I'm afraid not, the search was cut short." Alani explained, " You are going have a baby brother or sister soon."
Jahari stared at his mother. " Really?"
" Yes. You'll be a big brother. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Jahari made a face, " No." he muttered.
Alani looked at him surprised, " No?" she repeated, " Why not?"
" Because once the baby is born, you wont have any time for me." Jahari blurted.
" That's not true," Alani said, " But if I am busy with the cub, your father will be here for you."
Jahari glanced over at his father dubiously, " I want you." He told her and his parents exchanged a worried glance.
" Son, it's normal to feel jealous of the baby but we'll love you both equally." Alani tried to assure him.
" I won't like the baby," Jahari said pawing at the ground with his front paws, " I won't!" then he turned and ran off.
Alani started after him but Zenka stopped her, " Just let him go. He'll get over it. He's gotten used to being the only child and now that a new cub is on the way, he feels as though this won't be his territory anymore. He's jealous."
" I know that." Alani frowned at Zenka before going after her son.
" Jahari?" Alani found the cub near the waterhole sulking. He was lying under a shady tree and refused to look at her.
" Jahari darling, look at me." She urged and he finally did so, " Can I let you in on a little secret?" she asked him.
" What?" Jahari demanded grumpily.
" I was just as surprised as you are about this new cub." She reflected, " I didn't want anymore cubs after you. So this one is unplanned."
Jahari raised his head and looked at his mother hopefully, " You mean, you don't want it?"
" No." Alani said bluntly, " And there's nothing I can do about it either."
" Are you gonna tell Dad?"
" I don't think we need to tell him about my feelings do you? He's pleased with getting a new cub. He says he wants a girl."
" Maybe he can look after it and then I can you to myself," Jahari suggested.
" It doesn't work out that way." Alani nuzzled the youngster, " But no matter what, you'll always be mummy's little boy okay?"
" Okay." Jahari grinned and watched her walk off. Once his brother or sister was born, he was planning to make his or her life miserable.
* * *
The lioness stayed hidden in the long grass and watched the two of them by the waterhole. How quickly the young cub was growing!
Tamali was worried about Alani's limp. It was getting worse by the day and what will Alani do once the colder weather settles in? She wouldn't be able to hunt.
If only I could be there for her. The lioness thought and I'd love to meet my grandson. She smiled to herself, and if my eyes aren't mistaken, it looks like there will be another little on the way.
Once the young cub left the waterhole, the lioness stood up and ventured away. She decided to see what Alani's sister was up to. She knew Annalina had two cubs, one boy and one girl. The boy seemed to have some kind of disability and Tamali couldn't work out what it was….