Tempting Fate (OPEN)

[Raivu]

THE HIGH CAVERN

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of the Highlands.
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The young, blonde lion cub paced around the entrance of the royal high cavern, his large paws padding over the terrain of loose rocks, sometimes upturning some and listening to their sharp edges clack and scatter over eachother. Raivu had lived in the foggy Highlands all his life, never once leaving his home land, though surely he had lied about the great deeds of rebellion before. Raivu was always known for telling wild tall tales and stories, and he could be quite entertaining.

He was only idling and playing around, entertaining himself by pawing at the rocks or trying to run quickly over them, though that always ended quickly when he slipped and plopped onto the ground. He wouldn't mind playing with other cubs of course, but he didn't have a clue where any of them were, and he was far too lazy to go looking for them.

Oddly enough, the usual misty fog that surrounded the Highlands wasn't as thick as it should be this morning, especially in the early hours after dawn. The sun was already beating down on the Highlands, the fog becoming very thin and almost nonexistent.

Raivu looked around questioningly and wondered where his mother Jiraa was, or even his father, Maliki, who was probably patrolling the borders of the territory.

[Jiraa]

It'd been a couple days since she had seen Raivu. During a time of prosperity she wouldn't be as concerned, but the drought had driven most of their prey away. The seasonal rains hadn't come, which heightened Jiraa's worry. There had only been a slight rise in heat so far, but it was enough to cause the fog to dissipate early. With the Highlands hunting grounds offering nothing thanks to the weather, Jiraa could not feed Raivu, even with all her skill.

She called to him, her deep roo echoing throughout the territory. She was currently following his scent in the direction of the cavern. All of her senses were alert, her ears perched high and her eyes scrutinizing the terrain as she trotted after him. She knew he liked to tell stories of running off into unknown territory, but so far they had all been bluffs. He wouldn't really run off, would he? If there was one thing Jiraa loved more than anything, even her brother, it was her son.

He had been an unexpected surprise, really. Jiraa was known for her distrust of nearly everyone who wasn't a Highlander, especially by birth, but somehow that golden male...had done more than intrigue her. It had been a quick fling, but what more could one expect from a vagrant? Maybe that was why she had done it. She was so afraid of getting hurt by anyone she let close, that it felt good to be free and careless with someone she knew would disappear. If he was gone, he wouldn't be able to get to know the real her; she could still keep her insecurities and dreams to herself. But Jiraa was not the lead huntress for no reason. She knew that her act of treason would cost the life of her unborn cubs, so to hide her betrayal she had done something she thought she would never do-she mated with her king. Of course, she said it was because of duty. Maliki had had no heirs as of yet, so the perfect cover-up was to mate and tell him the cubs were his.

So far, it seemed her plan had worked, for Raivu was now six months old. But if she didn't find him, he wouldn't last much longer. She called again and again; finally, she spotted him. He was playing with the rocks of the cavern as she breathed a sigh of relief. Albeit, playing with sharp, pointed rocks wasn't exactly safe, it was better than finding his tiny body. |Jeez, I worry too much...|

[Raivu]

The small cub suddenly whipped his head around as he heard his mother calling, a huge grin spreading over his face and his heart seeming to flood with joy and excitement. He had not seen her in days, and he had of course missed her. He was also pretty hungry too, he thought about that and looked down at his stomach.

He turned around quickly and in doing so, he slipped on his somewhat clumsy paws and landed on his side, but he scrambled his body up in a matter of seconds and ran down the mildly steep climb it was to meet his red and brown mother. Though he had bigger paws than most other cubs along with his small body, it only helped him balance better in the rocky territory of his pride lands and he easily sped down the rocky hill. Besides, his big paws also assured that he would grow to be a bigger lion.

Still grinning, he ran up to meet his mother, "Mather, mather! I misses you o' lots! Did you bing any foods fo' me, Mather?" he said in a joyful voice; he was clearly happy to see her. His pronunciations of words were still quite off, but he would soon grow out of it.

[Jiraa]

Jiraa drew in a sharp breath as Raivu fell, and her body remained tense even after he got up and scampered to her side. As much as she wish she could satisfy his hunger, this morning she could not. She gave him a warm smile, happy to see her cub, but also hiding the fact that her failure meant more than she would ever speak.

Careful, little one. You don't want to hurt yourself, she said, nuzzling the top of his head gently. His question was innocent, but it angered her still. She had failed this morning and failure did not sit well with her. A slight frown crossed her face as she looked off in the distance, hoping for something, ANYTHING, to come over the hills so she could gain another opportunity. But nothing came. She would have to bare the burden of his disappointment. No little one...I have not.

She waited for the questions that were to come.

[Raivu]

Raivu looked up at her adoringly as she replied, "No, little one.. I have not," his head drooped a bit as he tilted his head. Hnn.. So.. there no food, Mama? It-it's okay," he smiled up at her reassuringly with his large green eyes, sort of picking up on her disappointment of not having anything to give him. "I has not starve, I been eatsing tha ittle bittle lizards; easy for cub to hunt," he hoped that hearing this may have cheered her up a bit, as that had actually been what he kept his mind to in the time she was gone. He figured he did need the practice in hunting for later on... and also to practice on his not-so-fine motor skills.

The small, golden cub sat down carefully on his haunches and looked down to claw at the dirt, swaying his tail back and forth. He could feel the sun was already warming up the savannah. A small frown came over his pale muzzle as he thought of the clearness of day without it's fog.. He had grown up with it almost always being there, never once seeing a day without it, and if he had, it was forgotten.

[Maliki]

Maliki had been patrolling the boarders like he did every morning. But as he walked the tough and unforgiving terrain of his home, he began to realize the importance of being a father. It had been six months his the love of his life, Jiraa, had given him a clumsy son. Maliki still found himself extremely proud to have been given a son, but his birth could not have come at a worse time. The rains that blessed the lands Maliki and many other lions called home, had yet to come. Rumors had spread that most of the prey and game the lions hunt have moved on. Today he would see if these rumors were true. He had faith that Jiraa, being the lead hunter of the pride, would bring at least something small home. But at the king made his way up into his spacious cave, he saw Jiraa empty handed. He did not show his disappointment or worry on his handsome maw, instead he just smile at his son. He bent down and gave his son a loving lick on the head, knowing it might irritate him. He sighed and took a few steps past them, slumping down on one of the larger slaps of rock. The king did not worry about his own belly being filled but that his son and other pride members would go hungry. "I have some bad news," Maliki growled, his face now revealing the worry and weariness of a king who had not eaten or slept in many days.

[Raivu]

Raivu had been paying attention to his mother, but he quickly turned his head to see his father stepping up the rocks towards them. A huge grin came over his face once more as he was excited to see Maliki, the great king of the Highlands, and his father.

The king gave his golden cub a huge lick on the forehead, causing Raivu to furrow his brows and put his mouth in a line to scowl at him. His irritation lasted only but a few seconds as Raivu quickly smiled again and jumped up to follow his father as he laid down on the large slab of grey rock.

Raivu laughed and jumped up to his father's back and laid across it on his stomach, his head and tail resting over Maliki's brown sides. He tilted his head and looked at him curiously, not being able to see his face from that view, but only his bushy mane. "Aheh, what is wrung, Dad?" Raivu's question was innocent and ignorant, but his tone was vaguely serious and grave. The young cub knew something was not right in the savannah.

[Jiraa]

She couldn't help but offer a small smile at her son's attempt to ease her mind. He was so young, yet perceptive. She looked into his emerald eyes, the ones that mimicked her own; she saw so much of her own youth within him. She slowly lowered herself to the ground, wrapping a paw around him in a loving embrace. Her tail flickered back and forth.

"You must show me your progress then Raivu. I'm glad to see you've been busy in my absence." She was genuinely curious to see how he would do. Jiraa wondered if he had inherited anything else from her besides her iris color. She wasn't the pride's lead huntress for nothing. He would soon outgrow his awkward phase, where his paws were too big and his words came out before he could fully form his thoughts. He would grow big and strong, she could tell. He would be a formidable force if her skills were passed on.

As she settled down, preparing to give him a bath, her ears perked and she tensed. A familiar scent made her nostrils flare and her heart raced for a moment. He was here. She turned her head as the wind changed, watching a large figure appear on the horizon. She had grown up alongside Maliki, never once caring what he did or where he went. He was just another cub to her, although more immature than most it seemed, with his tail chasing ways. But now his presence made her nervous, especially around Raivu. Her deepest fear was he would discover her secret and her son would pay the price. He had been so suspicious when she'd brought him home...her eyes never left his form as he licked the cub, much to Raivu's dismay. Although Maliki put her on edge, his words peaked her interest.

She furrowed her brow, thoughts racing. Before Raivu, they had often discussed pride issues and politics. The earlier drought had been a huge cause for concern. What could be the issue now? She stood up warily, taking a protective stance over Raivu. "What is it Maliki?"

[Maliki]

At the sound of his child's question, he sighed lowering his kingly head. He was silent for a moment, seeing if Jiraa would be interest in what he had to say. When she spoke his heart raced and his head spun a little. He had always been a flirt and a play boy, but as he grew up and watched Jiraa mature, he realized he was truly in love with her. He would still go after females in the pride but he only hopped to get her attention. And after such a long time, he got her attention. And Jiraa had given his a wonderful son. He could not get over how much he loved Raivu.

"It seems that the Highlands are not the only ones who are having trouble with this drought. The Highland, Lowland boarder's river is drying up. The water is the lowest I have ever seen it. I-," Maliki stopped himself. He did not wish to worry his son. He slowly shifted, making sure that Raivu would not slip of his back and found a more comfortable position. He gave the beautiful red lioness a look, hoping that she would understand his hint. He wanted to speak to his lead huntress alone, he would allow the other pride members to hear what he had learn from his own lips, when he was ready. He smiled at his son again, beaming proudly.

With that in mind, the king wondered how he would tell the others, that hopes for rain were weak, their prey and game were migrating out of season in search of water and healthy fields. This very thought kept him awake night and day. He could not rest, not with this knowledge heavy on his heart. He looked at Jiraa, masking that fact that he was scared--scared for his pride.

[Raivu]

Raivu sighed and tilted his head downwards, studying the tiny rocks around his large paws. Mh.. But.. Dun't we needs ta water? We needs the water to live right? And the aminals needs water to live too? Dand we needs ta aminals for food to live," he said quietly in his little awkward voice. He didn't seem like it, but he was smart enough to know what life needed to survive. "Daddy, what will we do if ta aminals die?" he asked, raising his eyebrow quizzically, though it made him look a bit silly.

He rested his head on his father's fluffy brown mane and sighed once more. His green eyes were lowered to the ground, his eyes narrowing as he looked at his paws carefully. The golden cub could see hints of darker fur spreading up his legs from his paws. Raivu was deep in thought for a moment as he thought about his parents. Why didn't he have darker fur like they had? Maybe when he was older, darker fur would grow in.

((OOC: I think I will have his fur fade darker as he grows older, because it isn't uncommon in nature, actually. Little kids may have blonde hair but it turns dark when they grow, sometimes even really dark to black sometimes.))

[Jiraa]

Jiraa knew far too well what the implications were of the evaporating river. The lack of a physical boundary meant they were exposed to the Lowlanders; if they ever felt like causing trouble across the border, now would be the time to do so. Her frown deepened as she made the move to nuzzle her only cub.

There was a time when Jiraa would have welcomed the chance to fight against their neighbors, feeling their flesh on her tongue as she fought with an intensity unmatched by her pridesisters. The Lowlanders had been the reason she had lost her parents, so long ago; they deserved to pay for what they did, and Jiraa had intended to make them all regret stepping foot in Highlands territory if she got the chance.

But things had changed. She had been fine with throwing her life on the line without ever giving it a second thought, until six months ago. She looked at her son, her heart beating faster than before, her mind racing. If the Lowlanders were to make their way across the river...it would be an act of war. And Jiraa now had something to lose. Batu could easily fend for himself, but her son, her only child...

Yes Raivu, we need the other animals for food, she interjected before Maliki could answer. She wasn't sure what would happen if the prey moved on for good. The signs were already showing that trouble was brewing. She loved her homeland, but if everything was lost, decisions would have to be made. Decisions that would either make or break the Highland lions. Don't you worry about that. It's our job to worry about that, if the time comes. Your job is to play with the other cubs and practice those hunting skills of yours. She gave him a warm smile, hopefully dispelling any concerns he might have had. He was too young to have such a burden on his shoulders.

[Maliki]

Maliki nodded at Jiraa's explanation. He envied her way with their son. They seemed to be on a connected level that was much deeper then his own. He licked his son's head, wishing deeply that the rains would come. He would give life and limb for his son, but it was his duty to do the same for his pride. He was their leader after all. What would become of his pride when the river dried up? He had already seen the weary faces of his lead huntresses. They had come home empty handed. He would never blame them for their lack of prey, but when the pride came to his asking all the hardest questions--would he be able to answer them?

"Your mother is right Raivu," Maliki agreed, "When the time comes, we will all have parts to play in this. Until then, keep on playing and practicing your hunting skills." He licked his son once again on the head with a loving smile. The weary king stood, slowly enough that Raviu could safely slip off of his tall and muscular body. He made his way to the end of his cave, looking over his land. In a few leaps, Maliki was a top a ledge that gave the perfect view of the Highland territory and a bit beyond. The land was beginning to change already, the fields were growing thinner, the rivers were growing shorter. Maliki closed his eyes, the fear and realization of this situation starting to sink in.


The rains would not come.

[Raivu]

RAIVU

The little golden lion listened to his mother's word as well as his father's in turn. As most young lions should be, Raivu was an intent listener to those above him; he knew to follow their instruction or it could be his life as risk or worse. Even if he was a little rebellious and childish, he would probably grow out of it. He nodded towards his parents, "Well, okaaay, I wen't werry about at at all, I'ill pley wit my cub fwends. And I'ill trey to... im..prooove my huntig skeels, I'ill make ya pr..owd. Prowd," he said clumsily.

His green eyes widened for a moment as his father carefully lifted his body from the ground and set Raivu down on the rocky soil next to his mother before hiking briskly up the rocks to a high perch over the land. Raivu smiled up at his father who proudly sat there, Someday I hope I'll be as great of a king as my father is, he pondered in admiration, not noticing his father's look of dismay.

Raivu flopped on the ground beside his mother and laid with his back against her warm belly. Despite the persistent heating of the day as it continued in its brutal intensity, the closeness of his mother was comforting. He gave a quick look to his belly as it grumbled quietly in small hunger; the last thing he had eaten was a lizard he caught early that morning. He wouldn't dare complain about it though, and he didn't blame his mother in the least for his hunger or care to burden her about that, he knew she was probably stressed as it was. He only hoped she wouldn't remember to bathe him. Raivu grimaced as the thought passed.