Lioness Tales
Tale 1: Njano's Secret
Chapter 9: Secret Exposed
As days went by, Safi had managed to keep Duni's secret, even though he was dying to confront Erevu about it. He wanted to scold him for putting Duni in such a difficult position, and, driven by a bit of jealousy, he just wanted to cuff him hard.
Erevu also kept quiet, and continued acting as if nothing had happened. He would still joke about going to find the lionesses' hideouts, and he would still deride Duni's looks, making Safi's blood boil with anger. Safi opted to keep his distance, as he was not sure he would be able to control his temper around Erevu anymore.
Unfortunately for Duni, the time came when she was no longer able to hide the fact that she was with cub. The Pride happened to notice one morning, as Duni walked away in the direction of the lake.
"Say, hadn't we all agreed not to request mating until Nura was of age, and until the drought was over?" Chiku asked.
"Huh? Yeah, why?" Etana replied, wondering what had brought this up.
Chiku motioned with her head towards Duni, ahead in the distance. "Take a look at that and tell me what you think."
The lionesses all stared in Duni's direction, and growled slightly.
"Of all lionesses, of course it had to be her..." Damisi exclaimed.
They all turned to Adla as if waiting for an explanation.
"Is there something you're not telling us, Adla?"
Adla herself was staring at Duni with a shocked expression. "It can't be... She went to hide the moment she felt her season coming, she warned me about it. I even went to check on her that day to make sure she was okay, she was definitely not around any one of the males."
"How about a rogue then? Maybe she met one there?" Faiza asked.
Adla shrugged, looking as confused as the rest of the Pride. "I guess, but her hiding place is not outside the borders. I think Safi and Erevu would have spotted the intruder if that were the case."
"Isn't it obvious?" Damisi interrupted, "Safi spends a lot of time with her lately. If you ask me, he might have given in to her request."
The lionesses pondered about this, and agreed that the theory made sense; Safi and Duni were indeed seen together quite often.
"Still... One more mouth to feed in this drought won't be easy," Chiku replied, "We're barely surviving as it is. If she didn't think about the consequences then, she'll have plenty of opportunities to think about them now. I, for one, refuse to give Duni part of my meat share, just so that she can keep producing milk to support that cub."
"Wow, that's harsh, even for your standards, Chiku," Bahiya said, baring her teeth for a moment, "She's a member of the Pride, and as such she is entitled to our help. We all know that a lonely season can be rough. Giving in to a passing male could have happened to anyone of us."
"Yes, but we can take care of our own cubs. Duni? Not so much! How is she going to keep an eye on it, huh?" Chiku snarled.
"Why don't you ask her?" Adla replied, "she's coming back from the lake."
Chiku turned to see that Duni was already making her way back to their resting place, unaware that she was about to be ambushed and bombarded with questions about her delicate condition.
All eyes were on Chiku, who simply muttered to Adla, "You deal with this. She's your problem, not mine."
Adla shook her head slightly and took a couple of steps towards Duni. She knew that Chiku had never fully agreed to keeping the blind cub around, and she was having a lot of problem lately in keeping that hostility in check.
The lionesses were oddly silent when Duni joined them under the shade of the trees. She could smell a lot of tension in the air.
"Duni... Could we ask you something?" Adla finally asked.
Duni could pick up a hint of worry in her voice, and she feared that they had finally noticed she was pregnant. The lioness simply nodded in reply, as she sat down with her head down, looking submissive.
"It looks as if you're carrying a cub inside you. Is there something you'd like to share with us?"
Duni let out a deep sigh. "I... I was weak, I'm very sorry. I couldn't say no. I tried, I swear I did..."
Chiku snorted, "Yeah, I bet you did."
Duni looked up, sensing a lot of anger coming from her. She tried to look for reassurance, but everyone was quiet and tense, as if expecting an explanation for her actions. Even Adla's scent had failed to comfort her.
"I don't know what you want me to say... I regret what I did, and I can apologize to you a thousand times, but that won't change the outcome."
"Sweetie, this is very serious," Bahiya told her, "The hunting party is working overtime to try and find food, and with this new cub-"
Bahiya interrupted herself as she saw Safi and Erevu making their way towards them. She looked at her Pride-mates, wondering if they should cut this conversation short, but Chiku whispered, "Let him be a part of it, after all, this concerns him as much as it concerns her."
The two lions arrived and just as Duni had done, they could see and smell the tension all around them.
Safi looked at Duni, who was doing her best to be submissive, and he feared that the lionesses now knew the truth as well.
"What's going on?" Erevu asked nonchalantly, having failed to read Duni's body language.
"We've just been notified that our Pride will increase in numbers soon. Duni is with cub," Adla replied.
Erevu felt the blood rushing to his face. "Oh... Um... That's..."
"Disaster, that's what it is," Chiku interrupted, pacing to and fro, "Just what the hell were you thinking?"
Safi sat back, enjoying seeing Erevu in trouble for what he had done.
"I... I think that-" Erevu started to say, but Chiku interrupted him once again, "Don't try to defend him, Erevu. Let Safi speak for himself."
It took Safi a second or two to realize what just happened. Seeing all eyes on him, he got to his feet again. "I beg your pardon?"
"You know how difficult the situation is, not to mention the risk of more blind cubs... I repeat, just what were you thinking? Why couldn't you leave her alone like you did the first time she came to you?"
Safi glanced at Duni, wondering if she had fed them a lie and told them he was the father, but Duni appeared as shocked and confused as he was. Erevu on the other hand, looked relieved, probably thinking he could actually get away with this.
Duni in the meantime was expecting Erevu to say something. She couldn't believe that he wouldn't stand up for his own cub, and that he would actually prefer to let his friend take the blame rather than admitting to the Pride what he had done.
Safi remained very quiet, while he did some quick thinking. Exposing Erevu would have been incredibly satisfying, but Duni would still be in trouble if he were to take that route. He could just say the cub was his, and then take Duni away with him. That would settle everyone down, and would be the easiest way out. He was seriously considering this option, when Duni finally spoke.
"What do you have to say about all this, Erevu?" she asked, gazing in the direction of his scent.
Erevu became slightly nervous again, but tried his best to hide it. He was certain that Safi cared for Duni, and thus he hoped Safi would stick to this improvised version of the events, just to spare Duni -and himself- all the trouble. "Um, well... As long as he helps you take care of that cub, I guess I don't mind."
Duni actually bared her teeth in anger. She couldn't believe his cowardice. Erevu was only trying to save his own hide. He didn't care about their cub at all, and it made her extremely upset.
Safi took a deep breath and decided he would personally deal with Erevu later, in private. For now, the lion cleared his throat as he addressed the lionesses again. "Everyone, calm down. Of course I'll make sure the cub will be well cared for."
Duni gasped out loud. "Safi, no..."
"So now go on about your business and just leave Duni alone," Safi added, standing next to Duni protectively.
While Duni admired Safi's noble gesture, she could not let Erevu off the hook that easily.
"I know what you're trying to do Safi, and I really appreciate it, but I want them to know the truth," she told him softly, and then, addressing the Pride in general, she told them, "Safi's not the father of my cub. Erevu is."
"What? But we had agreed-" Etana said, but Duni interrupted her.
"I know what we had agreed! But Erevu went to my hiding place, and he stated his intentions pretty clearly. I didn't lead him on in any way, I even reminded him about Nura... Look, I'm sorry my willpower is not as strong as yours, but it takes two to make a cub, and I think Erevu should take responsibility for this as well."
The lionesses turned to their young leader, who looked very uneasy and nervous. "She's lying! Everyone knows I don't like her at all, come on, you can't possibly believe..." he stammered, but the lionesses' piercing stares were more than he could handle. They were all much older and experienced than he was, and could see straight through his lie.
"I- I was with Safi! We chased those cheetahs away from our lair! Remember?" he asked in a pleading tone, hoping Safi would help him out.
But Safi had had enough. He did not appreciate Erevu placing the blame on him either, and he would not help him further. "You were with me, until we went our separate ways. I went to the lair, you went to the lake. I have no idea what you were up to in all the time that you were gone, or the days after."
Erevu finally gave up under the Pride's pressure and looked away. "Okay, okay, so I mated with her, are you happy now? Anyway, it's my right, as leader of the Pride!"
Chiku stood up and faced him, baring her teeth slightly. "This is not about rights and what you think you deserve, Erevu. This is about putting more pressure on the huntresses! Now we will have to split the hunting party to leave lionesses behind in cub duty again, since the mother obviously can't care for a cub. And as if things weren't difficult enough, the cub might be blind too!"
"Back off," Erevu snarled back at her, clearly intimidated by the strong and fierce lioness.
Adla stood between them to try and calm then down. "Okay, everybody, just try to stay calm!" She waited until Erevu and Chiku had stopped snarling at each other before continuing, "We all knew there was a risk of this happening, whether with Duni or with any other lioness, considering how young Erevu was when Faraji passed away. I can't really blame him, in the sense that he's just coming into adulthood, and we all know how impulsive we can be at that age. Erevu probably wasn't even thinking clearly about the consequences of his actions. What actually makes me really angry, is the fact that he lied to us, and he didn't come forward to tell us the truth when Safi was blamed for this."
The lionesses glanced at Erevu, who now looked like a big, guilty cub, while being scolded by his mother.
"Fine, all right! I messed up!" he admitted in the end, "This whole thing just took me by surprise too... You see, Duni never told me she ended up pregnant. I had no idea how you'd all react..."
Adla nodded, confirming just how inexperienced the young lion still was.
"It is clear that our young Erevu here still has a lot to learn, and with Faraji gone, it's up to us to keep on teaching him how to be a good and fair leader."
"You're right," Bahiya replied, "he needs some extra guidance."
"We know several rules were broken here, but I think the solution is simple," Adla went on, "Since Erevu is the father, and he was the one who went in search for Duni to request mating, he will have to make sure that the mother and cub are well taken care of. This means Erevu will have to join the hunts too, to bring in as much food as possible until the drought is over."
"What? And who will patrol the lands?" Erevu asked incredulously.
"You will, of course. Perhaps you will have to sacrifice your afternoon naps and leisure strolls to make time for hunting and patrolling, but I am sure that can be arranged," Adla said, in a tone of voice indicating that she was not willing to negotiate further.
The lionesses looked at each other and nodded in agreement, finding this a fair punishment.
Erevu groaned for a moment, but in the end he just mumbled, "Fine... I'll do it... Now get off my back, all of you." He turned around and walked away, looking very sulky, just like he used to do in his younger days.
The lionesses quietly watched him leave, and finally Nura asked, "I understand the whole waiting until the drought is over, but why is it so important for you all not to request mating until Erevu and I get married? Is Duni, like, Erevu's wife now, or something?"
Bahiya shook her head. "No, no sweetie. It's just a tradition, meant as a sign of respect towards you, the future leader. As you can see, it doesn't work out well all the time... But you're not angry at Duni, are you?"
Nura shook her head, glancing at the blind lioness, who was still staring at the ground, looking very miserable. "No, not at all..." she replied, nuzzling Duni reassuringly.
Duni gave her a little smile, and she could only hope that the hostility of the Pride towards her cub would fade in time.
Safi whispered in Duni's ear, "Wanna get out of here and go somewhere quiet?"
Duni nodded gratefully. "Yes, please..."
Safi turned to the Pride and told them, "Just so you know, I'll keep an eye on the borders while Erevu goes hunting with you, so you won't have to worry about that. Also, even though I am not the real father, I stand by what I said earlier; I will gladly keep an eye on Duni and her cub. I'll bring her to a quiet place now, where she can get some rest."
The lionesses nodded, understanding now that Safi must care very deeply for Duni, if he was willing to invest time in a cub that was not his own.
"Later..." Duni muttered to the lionesses, and followed Safi, glad to be able to get away from that oppressing atmosphere she had just experienced.
Duni's pregnancy went by with no major problems, and when she began to feel slight pain, she knew the time had come for her to give birth. The lioness then retreated to the same spot where she went to hide during her season.
Adla had already warned her about what to expect, so Duni was prepared, and looking forward to it. The slight pain she had felt made way for a much more intense pain that made Duni roar and cry, despite trying to be strong and keep quiet, but it only lasted a few seconds. As the pain subsided, Duni could feel that her cub had been born. She lovingly cleaned it and dragged it close to her chest to keep it warm.
The cub immediately started nursing, as Duni let out a few tears of happiness. She could only hope that she was born healthy. So far, Duni could not feel any abnormalities, but given the size of the tiny cub, it was hard for Duni to determine if the face or the eyes were normal.
It even took Duni a couple of days before she could identify the cub's gender, but she eventually discovered that it was a lioness.
"So it's up to me to pick a pretty name for you, little one. Have you got any ideas?"
The cub would usually respond to her voice in raucous whines, ensuring Duni that at least her ears were working just fine.
"How about Njano? Do you like it?"
The cub simply snuggled closer, and Duni took that as a sign of approval. "Njano it is, then."
Duni finally decided to return to the pride after a couple of weeks, only to find the lair deserted. The lionesses and Erevu were away hunting, and Safi was keeping an eye on the borders, as promised.
Duni waited patiently for them to return, while she nursed Njano, feeling both excited and nervous, wondering if the lionesses would react in a friendly or a hostile manner.
The hunting party finally made their way back home. Duni pricked her ears and listened to them as they walked nearer. From what she could gather, their spirits were down. The lionesses were trying to encourage each other, stating that they would find food tomorrow.
At the sight of Duni back at the lair, Chiku let out a soft snarl and muttered, "I can't deal with this right now, I'm going to the lake." The lioness turned and walked away.
The rest of the hunting party continued on their way to the lair, and they welcomed Duni back half-heartedly. Except for Adla and Bahiya, the lionesses sat down to rest, feeling tired and hungry, and didn't even approach to take a look at the cub.
Adla walked to Duni and nuzzled her gently. "Glad to see you back, sweetie."
Duni sighed deeply. She remembered how the lionesses had been all over Erevu and Nura when they were born. Their distant attitude now worried her. "They're still angry, aren't they?" she whispered.
"They're in the worst mood you can imagine. We were too hasty and let the prey escape. Just give them some time, I'm sure they'll come around," Adla whispered in return.
"Can we see the little one?" Bahiya asked.
Duni smiled and moved her paw aside, revealing the tiny cub that had nested against her chest. "Her name's Njano."
Adla and Bahiya examined Njano closely to determine if she was healthy or not.
Duni whispered, "Tell me... Can she see? Is her face okay?"
"Her face is fine, don't worry," Adla replied, feeling relieved, "She's a beautiful lioness. As for her eyes... It's hard to tell right now if she can see, she's sound asleep."
"Could you please check? It's almost time for her meal anyway..."
Adla hesitated for a moment, but nodded in the end. "All right, let's see..."
The lioness nuzzled the little cub gently, and then pawed it carefully, trying to wake her up. It was actually a distant roar from Erevu, who had gone straight from hunting to marking his borders, that managed to wake up the sleepy cub.
Njano opened her eyes slowly and then stared up into Adla's face, who was examining her up close.
Adla waved a paw in front of Njano's face, and smiled when she saw both of the cub's eyes following the paw intently, and she let out a triumphant laugh when Njano playfully swatted at it.
"Oh, she can see all right," Adla exclaimed, as Duni relaxed considerably, knowing that the Pride would be more willing to accept Njano now.
Seeing Adla and Bahiya cooing at the cub piqued the interest of the rest of the Pride, and they eventually also came to take a look, grateful that the cub was healthy and would be able to hunt normally in the future, if she managed to survive the drought.
Erevu and Safi also returned to the Pride later in the evening, but Erevu couldn't hide his lack of enthusiasm. To him, this cub represented a reminder of his mistake, and nothing but trouble. Njano's presence meant that he had to hunt along with the lionesses, and even Safi had challenged him to a fight, for trying to blame him and for having put Duni in such a difficult position.
Erevu was no match for a strong and full grown lion as Safi, and the young lion was humiliated even further as he lost the battle, realizing that Safi could easily take over his Pride, if he wanted to.
As such, Erevu was resentful towards the cub, and even knowing that Njano was healthy and strong didn't seem to matter. Erevu remained cold and distant. He would hunt for her because he had to, but he didn't feel like looking for contact, much like Faraji had done with Duni in the past.
Safi, on the other hand, enjoyed spending time with Njano and would allow the tiny cub to climb all over his mane and bite his ears and tail. He was very patient, and would often describe each and one of Njano's actions to Duni, so that she could at least imagine what the cub was up to.
Duni had never felt happier, and she couldn't wait for Erevu to be in complete charge of the Pride, so that she could go away with Safi and Njano, and start a new life together.