Dawn

Chapter 5

Simba

"We are all connected in the great circle of life."

The red haze in the sky was growing by the day. It has far past the horizon now, creeping into the sky like a permanent sunrise before a storm. A tear rolled down Goldenstar's glittering cheek as she watched from pride rock. It was night and clear, moonrise, but smoke from the fires of battle had polluted the air. She could smell death reeking from the battlefield. So many horses, and so many clueless peasants had been lost. The scent of fresh kill wafted over into her territory, though the battlefield was miles away from the dark castle. It further solidified her decision to send that declaration of war. It was but a warning, but even in her childish mindset she meant every word. How long would it take the humans to realize that every action they took affected everyone else around them? And their own young. Her disgust at human beings grew with each passing moment. Oh she knew that she should remember her own human past, but after two thousand years of being what she was, she had left humanity behind. Just like Merlin said so long ago, there was a reason why she almost went to Starclan, the underworld…or the upper world…of animals.

Her love however still remained with the Spinner and his family. And everyone else like him, poor and destitute, who Rhuel Ghorm had left to suffer. But for some reason she felt compelled to be near him. She knew the truth however…he wouldn't want to be her friend. He'd be terrified. After all, she was a little monster. But knowing his wife was with child she watched over them from afar, and had spoken to Merida to keep a watch over him. Goldenstar had offered the woman help in making sure the pregnancy was healthy but like everyone else, Milah ordered her to leave and called her an evil witch. She didn't want dark Magick near her or her child. Goldenstar didn't have much time to explain that she practiced in the light before a bottle was thrown at her like a typical alley cat, and she had to dash out as Milah threatened to call upon the local trapper in town to perform animal control. The imp did not see what Rumple saw in Milah. Surely Agatha had raised him with more self respect than to stay with that mouse brained shrew. Goldenstar knew things about Milah that no one else seemed to notice. That as soon as Rumple went to war, she ushered another man into their cottage. Or that she was obviously drinking during pregnancy. No one else in this world was advanced enough to know that it was terrible for a baby. She wasn't even sure the baby was Rumple's, but for the sake of the child and the possibility that the spinner was the father, she told the strays of the village who served as her spies to keep an eye on her.

Goldenstar was lost in her thoughts, sitting on pride rock, grateful that her cloth diaper provided some cushioning against the stone. She laid her head on her clawed and paw gloved hands as she stared out into the horizon. She felt helpless. The war was too big for her to stop on her own. Only if the dark one were here, they could join forces. Instead he was the one aiding in this disaster. Instead he wanted nothing to do with her. Instead of being allies, they were enemies. There was still a tiny little light inside of her, the hope that one day he'd come to love her. One day he'd come home. How could anyone love her.

"BLAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" she heard a sheep bleat in panic as the fluffy white cloud of wool raced towards her. She was snapped out of her reverie and quickly bolted to her feet and to her crutches. Eyes wide and turning into slits, she limped down from pride rock with concern brewing inside of her. The imp knelt down with a pained grunt towards the terrified distressed sheep's eye level, as she did with all of her subjects and touched her forehead to hers, looking into her eyes. Her translated voice spoke with worry. "Dearie, what's wrong? Ye look like someone came at ya with a sickle. Are ya alright friend?" the ewe shook her head. She was huffing and snorting. "Your majesty, my name is Cloudflower. I belong to your friend the spinner." Goldenstar immediately began to panic, her hackles raising in her hair, tail puffing. "What's happened?! Is he…did he…" the ewe bleated again and shook her head, nervously pawing at the ground. "It's not him, it's Milah! She's kidding, but it's going all wrong! The midwife can't get her lamb out and she keeps giving up! The lamb came too early! The same thing happened to my sister a moon ago, both her and her lamb didn't make it! The human midwife doesn't know what she's doing, you must come immediately!"

Goldenstar didn't even think, or feel, she acted. She knew the problem already. It sounded like a breech birth, but with the little knowledge of their own bodies that humans had this could very well end in tragedy. Now Milah she wouldn't be arsed about. That woman was a bitch and clearly she never loved her human. But she did cakre about the innocent babe. The wee one never hurt anyone and unlike her mortal motherkshe wasn't going to just stand back and watch an innocent die knowing she could help. The umbilical cord could be wrapped around the man cub's neck. There also could be complications that could come from the babe coming early. And no one would know how to help except her. She thought of the fastest cat on land and immediately knew what to change into.

A cheetah with golden glittering fur under its black spots, a scar running across her eye, a twisted leg and a doctor's bag could be seen running through the glen. She knew she was out of place with the local highland fauna, but she didn't care. She was faster than a horse. She bounded into the village, her sleek fur reflecting the red sky. She finally reached the hovel, heart hammering as her paws pounded the ground. She changed back into her impish self, clicking on her arm crutches as she hobbled inside. It was worse than she thought

Milah was drenched in sweat, panting and slavering, groaning in pain. "I won't…. I can't…" she whispered weakly. Goldenstar almost felt sorry for her. Almost. The midwife pointed towards the door. "You! Get out! You demon! The holy Spirit compels you!" She splashed holy water at the imp who just stared at her unimpressed before producing a low growl in her throat. "Really dearie. Enough of this foolishness, twoleg. I came to save the baby. Now get out of my way. Move dearie, or ye will be moved." The midwife was not backing down. Now she had to show her beastly nature, which she hated doing but she didn't have much of a choice. First she roared to express her urgency. She then rolled her eyes before giving the midwife an unceremonious nip on the ass. "I said MOVE." She roared as she gave another nip and the midwife immediately ran off squealing saying that she needed to cleanse her soul.

Milah was weak, but she fought her too. She tried to kick at the cat demon with her feet. "N..no! Get away!" Goldenstar sighed and grabbed a hold of her legs gently. "Milah. Please. This time ya gotta trust me, dearie. If I don't help ya, you're gonna die and so is your baby. Do ya know how dying feels? It's not fun. And it hurts. Trust me, I know. Ya don't want that." Milah shook her head again and her face twisted in both agony and disgust. "I don't want this. I don't want to be lashed to the village coward, and I don't want to raise his child. And what do you know anyway? You've never had any….arrrggghhh!" Goldenstar's tail lashed angrily. Surely the woman was in so much pain she didn't even realize what she was saying. As far as she knew, Rumple was on the front lines. But concern began to brew for the baby. What if Milah rejected the child. Surely once she saw him she'd change her mind. But her own parents had rejected her. What made this babe any different? But there was no time to think it over. Milah was becoming weaker and she finally capitulated as another cry of pain left her. "Imp, Get this thing out of me…"

Looking around her, she realized what an unhealthy environment this was for the child. The hovel was small, cold and dirty. The child was already at risk. She knew what she had to do. She had to take Milah somewhere warm or the child would never make it. She needed to surround herself with life. Life fueled her with power and her instinct told her to take her to other female animals who could protect her. Closing her eyes in concentration, she moved to Milah's neck, grabbing her by her thin wool shawl until her teeth had a good hold on her clothing and her. She held her hands out before her as if she was planning to jump. Leaping up on her crutches, she jumped into the air like a leaping cat, holding the birthing woman by the scruff, jumping into a glittering cloud of green mist. When she landed, they were no longer in the hovel. A pinkish twilight now had settled as dawn approached. The long grasses covered the land in gold. She had brought Milah to the Pridelands, the area of the Kilimanjaro where Goldenpride lions and several species of Goldenherd grazers from the original Savannah of Africa had lived since she had been queen. Pride rock loomed over them as the warm air of the magically protected Climate surrounded them in a ray of heat. Right away, she could feel Milah's body relax from the change in climate from frigid cold to the warm plains.

Where she had brought Milah was a plain where members of the animal kingdom, especially the big cats had been born for centuries. The birthing grounds were downwind and by a stream, near a place where the queen could watch over and protect the mothers as they brought their cubs into the world. Though Milah had no need to fear the animals of the Pridelands or any of the animal kingdom it was instinct that Goldenstar would never be able to explain. She was going purely on instinct. Once Milah was safely laying down on a bed of Savannah grasses Goldenstar let out another yowl mixed with a roar into the air. Help was coming over the horizon. Thundering footsteps shook the earth gently as large grey bodies like moving mountains came towards their queen. A herd of female elephants came towards them. Lifting their trunks in unison, they trumpeted as one and bowed. Goldenstar had told them many times before that such respect would never be necessary with her, but they did so anyway. She felt dwarfed by their size. The imp knelt before them as well with a painful grunt. Their matriarch came forward and intertwined her trunk with the imps arm. "Goldenstar, your majesty. What can we do to help?" The old elephant rumbled.

As Milah once more began to scream and writhe in pain, the imp's urgency came back. "Orchid Goldenherd, I need your herd to surround this woman. She is giving birth. With the war being what it is…I just…and as always I trust ya to help me." The matriarch nodded and trumpeted to the rest of the females. On instinct, the hulking handmaidens formed a wall around Milah and Goldenstar. Tawny bodies ran towards her. The she imp lifted her head, worry in her eyes as Sarabi met her gaze. With her there were four young male lions, strong and powerful and ready to protect. Sarabi joined Goldenstar by Milah's side and roared to the male pride members. "Mujisa, Nuka, Kovu, prowl around the outer ring to protect the human and the queen. This is your chance to prove yourselves ready to join the other males in the guard." Goldenstar's ears twitched. What ring? She looked up to find that the elephants were no longer alone in protecting. A herd of zebras were surrounding the elephants in a dizzying ring of stripes. Around them, wildebeests and antelopes surrounded. And around them, the male lions along with leopards, hyenas, golden wolves and African wild dogs prowled protectively. It was as if the entire circle of life was protecting and surrounding her. She could feel her power growing inside of her. She dipped down in between Milah's legs.

Goldenstar blushed behind her golden skin. As much as she had been a midwife for thousands of years she could never quite get used to going inside to maneuver the baby. There was a reason behind her asexuality after all. Mentally bracing herself, she pulled leather gloves over her clawed hands before gently inserting them onto Milah's bleeding womanhood. "Oh gods this is so disgustin'..." Her collar translated a gagging reflex and her mouth opening like a cat that had smelled something unpleasant. As Milah cried out in pain, she felt the wee ones behind meet her first. The lad had gotten himself twisted in the cord. Any longer and it would have been wrapped around his neck. Carefully, she freed him with her long nimble fingers and claws, and managed to slowly and carefully get him into a position where he could pass through the birth canal. But once she did, that baby was on the way.

He was coming at a speed Goldenstar wasn't expecting. "Push, Milah!" The woman screamed in pain as she bore down with all her might. "Again!" The she imp yowled as she began to see his feet come out. Her screams were echoing across the Pridelands. There wasn't a moment to lose if he was to be born safely. Human babies were designed to be born head first. His first instinct would be to breathe. All she needed was another big push. Milah started crying as she shook her head. "I can't…" the imp sighed and looked right into her eyes. "Yes. Ya can. Life always finds a way. Ya need to dig down into the earth and summon the strength within. Look around ya. Life is everywhere. And it comes no matter where it is." her inhuman gaze met hers. "Let your babe be born into the pridelands. Let your cub join the circle of life." Milah looked into her eyes and she gave her a catlike slit eyed stare and nodded as she took her hand. Suddenly a common and not unlost connection stirred between them, the one that existed between elephants on the Pridelands, helping each other calve, deer in the forest helping each other each spring…they were both female. And no matter how many differences there was between them, they had one thing in common. They were both daughters of the moon. No matter how she felt about Milah, she was a she human, a female..just like her. She took a deep breath. Like whispers in her ear, she could hear the soft sounds of all the mothers that came before Milah, the deer, the wolves…every mammal who had ever grown life within. The imp took her hand in her paw and closing her eyes, she began to chant a protection spell that she had learned from lionesses in her care.

"Ingonyama nengw' enamabala,

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala,

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala,

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala,

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala…"

With one clawed hand down to catch the baby, her other hand gripped Milah's. She felt him come into her claws as Milah let out a primal scream of pain. Goldenstar hurriedly took off her cloak and caught the babe within her grasp. At first, there was silence. The child was barely moving. Her heart sank. Had it all been for not? Did she get there too late? There was only one thing left to do, no Magick required. The imp began to lick the tiny barely breathing babe with her sandpaper tongue, never minding the fluids but just enough to stimulate him just like a cat would do when the mother of the kittens was too weak. Though she had never had kittens, instinct told her exactly what needed to be done. She felt the rising sun warm her back, filling her with the power that her ruling star gave her, surrounding her with a halo of light. "Come on laddie…please…" tears fell from her eyes as she pressed her palm to the boy's forehead and then…

The little boy's screams and wails echoed through the land as his little pink face came to life. He immediately started flailing in her arms, his screams indicating the strongest set of lungs that she had ever heard. Members of her cat clan had killed things that didn't scream that much. It was as if he was stubborn at birth, fighting her as if telling her to mind her own business. She started giggling and crying all at once, purring with pleasure. "It's a boy! It's a tom!!! A strong healthy squealing boy!" She held him up to show his mother and for a moment,a bright smile passed across Milah's face, and tears fell from her eyes. Goldenstar lowered her nose to his to give him a good sniff. She could read the DNA within with just one scent…her heart kept with joy like a thousand aurochs. He was Rumple's! He was the spinner's son! Milah asked with a weak but almost trepidatious voice. "Goldenstar." She spoke weakly. "Who's the father." She looked up with a raised eyebrow, the she imp perhaps coming off more judgemental than she meant to be. "Why your husband's. Of course." Her sarcastic high pitched Scottish accent snapped much more than she meant it to.

In that moment, Milah's face changed. To one of sadness and disappointment. It was as if her entire demeanor turned cold. She could feel the temperature drop. Goldenstar's senses could tell her that something wasn't right. Something in Milah's face when she looked upon her son…she didn't like it. It reminded her of her human mother's stare towards her. Turning away from her for a moment, she met Sarabi's face. "Like Zira." The lioness spoke in a hushed growl. Goldenstar remembered well the story of the former Goldenpride lioness that had birthed Nuka and Vitani Goldenpride. She took one look at her cubs and tried to kill them. Goldenstar exiled her before giving them to Sarabi to raise. She only looked back to her for confirmation. "What shall ye call him?" Milah spoke, staring off into the Savannah with her scowl not going unnoticed. "Baelfire."

Goldenstar tried not show the look of disgust in her smirk. "Well that's the stupidest name I've ever heard." She mewed and rolled her eyes as she lowered the volume of her collar so that she could only speak under her breath. When she got back on her crutches and to her feet, she looked towards the laddie after he was wrapped up. Using her teeth, she pulled the bundle by the blankets into her arms once more. She looked into the human kits face. She knew how to treat babies, because deep down, she was one. "Baelfire." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Don't worry lad. I'm gonna give ya a better name." She fought hard. This was the name that she and him would only know. A secret to humans, but it would be his name to the rest of the animal kingdom. The lad roared like a lion when he came into the world. And that was what she would call him. The Pridelands tongue name for Lion. She was giving him an animal name, as if she herself was an older sibling. Taking a bit of moon water mixed with pomegranate for long life, she smeared a red mark across his forehead with a gentle bean. "Simba…." she whispered solemnly giving him his true name. She held him within her arms for many moments just staring into his face. As the light one gently cradled him against her golden pelt and her tartan, the baby opened his eyes and cooed, his little sweet eyes looking into her inhuman gaze that was no less soft. Bae also known as Simba touched his tiny hand to her eye scar. She closed her eyes, her own watering.

She was getting tired. It was time to go home, but she felt uneasy. The way Milah looked at him…it had brought up unsettling memories. Maybe she was wrong. All mothers acted a bit off after birth. She hobbled back over to Milah to give her her baby. "No. I can't." Goldenstar began to growl. "Milah." A deep growl entered her throat. "Take. Your. Cub. NOW." Her tail began to lash. "He's that coward's. And he looks like him. I can't bear the sight of either of them." Fear began to settle deep within her stomach. She was rejecting him. And what have Rumple done to earn that name? From a distance he had always been kind and gentle.

One of the antelopes came closer. "Light One, have not you heard? Rumplestiltskin deserted the war. He injured himself and ran." Goldenstar's eyes went wide in fear. Milah was not going to raise this boy. And his father, his only hope…and also her favorite human…was out there. Alone. Injured. And it was the middle of winter. She forced Milah to take her son before she turned into a lioness, and taking one last glance at the boy, she ran into the world of the humans, hoping she wasn't too late. Sarabi roared behind her in warning but she yowled back to her to help Milah home and to make sure she didn't harm that child. Her paws pounded the dirt as dust billowed behind her golden fur. "Please don't let me be too late." For Goldenstar was quite sure that if Rumple died, then Simba would die with him.