Growing Up -open-

[EmilyColeman]

Tulip
Lioness
1yr



I sat down, yawning, stretching my paws out.
I wondered where Imara was. Me and my sister were quite close now that we were more mature.
Licking some fresh blood off of my maw, peering over my shoulder at the bones of the tiny baby gazelle.
I lay on my side but kept my shoulder propped up, looking around.
Finally, i let my head flop down.

[Deleted]

I M A R A

It had only been a couple of minutes, but I felt good about my walk. I liked having my time alone these days. Growing up with only one sibling was not as bad as having several, so it wasn't like alone time was that rare, but still, I enjoyed my time to myself. However, now I was starting to miss Tulip. It was only the two of us, though we almost had a brother, and we were the same age, so we'd become close. I strolled up to the dens feeling refreshed and happy. Tulip was laid out inside our one of them near a pile of bones from what appeared to be a small gazelle.

"Enjoy your lunch?" I asked her with a grin as I ducked inside. She looked very content and full the way she was lying about. I understood though; a good meal always made me sleepy afterward. Maybe that was just because of the chasing and killing that went into it... I plopped down on the floor of the den with a sigh.

[EmilyColeman]

Zark
Male Lion



I walked towards the young lionesses briskly, tail swinging, head high. I faced the wind, making sure it caught my lucious mane, blowing it attractivley around my head like a sandy-black halo. "Girls" I nodded at them, smiling alluringly.


Dolmio
Male Black Lion

I growled, coming out from the alcove of land behind my daughters. "Another male" I whispered, eyes wide. "Your on my land" I cleared my throat, frowning.

"This is my land as well" Zark said, cocking his head and smirking.
"If you leave my BIT OF LAND now, i'll spare you some scars" I hissed.
"No need to be mean. I'm just talking to these beautiful lionesses here. I take it they're your mates, then?" Zark sat down, getting comfortable.
"Don't sit down as if i'm going to let you stay! They're my daughters" I snapped, stepping in front of them protectivly.
"What age are the little darlings?" Zark asked, but no so eager now.
"We're 1" Tulip chimed in.
"Old enough" Zark growled, smiling.
Tulip got up and coughed awkwarly. She had never been in this postion before and found it cool. "Can i go play with the nice boy, Daddy?" She asked me.
"What?! NO!" I turned on her, roaring. I swiped her, catching her cheek. I never scratched her but it shocked her. "This is a cheeky boy. He needs to be taught never to come on Daddy's land again!" I snarled at my daughters and looked at Imara, frowning to see if she'd ask the same.
Zark growled softly.
"Don't hit them, idiot" He shook his tail angrily.
"I didn't. It was a warning" I turned to him and snarled, furious.

[Deleted]

I watched with confusion as a male lion strolled by, giving my sister and I a strange look. Before we could react, Dolmio charged out and began yelling at the lion. That was strange. The male seemed nice. I tilted my head to the side and watched them argue, the other male seeming confident but arrogant. I furrowed my brow trying to make sense of it. Tulip asked if she could play with the male. I looked at her, startled. Dolmio swiped at her cheek and I cowered back. The strange male spoke up again and Dolmio said he was teaching her a lesson. His eyes were on me then. I shrank back, saying nothing, then looked curiously at the intruder. I wondered if there was going to be a fight, or if the male would leave. The way he looked at me was nice. I felt pretty. He was obviously much older than me, though. I was mature enough to know what his intentions were, but standing here behind my father, I felt still young, as a cub.

[EmilyColeman]

"He's a bad man" Dolmio hissed.

[Deleted]

I had to admit, I was intrigued by the new male. Apart from my friend, Royal, I had never met someone from outside the pride. And my father didn't even know about Royal. Zark was a bit creepy, and I got a weird feeling from the way he looked at me, but still, I felt the urge to talk to him. I wanted to know about life outside my pride. Life away from my father. I loved Dolmio, but I also loved adventure. Dolmio hissed, He's a bad man. I felt that he was telling the truth, but I didn't like that he jumped to conclusions about this male. "What did he do? Do you know him?" I asked curiously. I wanted to know if I was in danger with this male so close to the cave, but also if Dolmio was only judging a male he didn't know because of his comments about his daughters.

[EmilyColeman]

"Inside now, girls" Dolmio ordered, frowning. He turned back to Zark, growling. "Go to your own part of the territory, Zark. Your un-wanted here" I hissed dangerously. I glanced at my daughters and cocked my head at the deep den, ushering them inside. "Your mother is hunting, so go and amuse your selves in there" I said, backing them into the den and waiting until they were out of sight.
"They're too young for you, Zark" I said quietly, eyes down, scared of loosing my little girls. "Soon they won't be" Zark whispered.

[loki]

Sharjah
Female White Lioness

Sharjah padded from her den. Her great sense of hearing picked up a stern voice, and she shied over to take a quick peek at the commotion. She walked up just as Dolmio assigned his daughters inside. I trotted up, tail lowers and ears back, but I didn't see the male until I was out from behind Dolmio. I hissed in surprise and sat right down, my front legs bent ready to run. She couldn't take her eyes off the new male, how could he even think about just walking in here like this? It wasn't even his territory! She knew Dolmio would handle it, so she kept her jaws shut, and eyes the unknown male.

[EmilyColeman]

"Sharjah" Dolmio glanced at his pride member and smiled quickly.
"Beautiful name, honey" Zark tried to flatter Sharjah but got an angry hiss from Dolmio instead.

[loki]

Sharjah retuned the smile, but glared at the big male when he tried to flatter her. She didn't hiss, but she held her ground beside Dolmio.

[EmilyColeman]

Zark rolled his eyes and turned away, walking off.

[loki]

Sharjah felt the urge to follow him, but turned to her den instead, walking slowly back As the hot sun treaded down.

[EmilyColeman]

I growled, watching Zark walk away.

[loki]

Sharjah slid under a small tree in front if her den. The sand was nice and cool as she laid down, sprawling out and sighing as she welcomed her moments out of the sun.

[Deleted]

I watched as Sharjah showed up. She was nice, and I'd liked her as soon as I met her, when I was just a cub. But when Zark's eyes moved to her and he started trying to flatter her, I felt self-conscious suddenly. Hadn't he just been interested in my sister and I? Then I started to think about that. It wasn't really either of us, or Sharjah, he just wanted a female. I felt disgusted suddenly, and gladly obliged when my father told me to go back into the den. I didn't like the way he was treating me either, like I was a little cub and couldn't make my own decisions, but I was starting to understand his aversion to Zark.

After a moment of not being able to hear the conversation, I moved back to the front of the den and watched as Zark turned and started walking away. Sharjah was resting in the shade, and my father was watching Zark as if looking away would allow the stranger to sneak back over here and take Tulip and I away. As if I wouldn't go without a fight. I tipped my chin up in a prideful manner and marched back into the den, happy to see the male leave.