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Astraea had been one of the core members of the pride longer than any could remember, with the exception of the pride's storyteller, Nyota. However, none, not even Nyota, knew of her beginnings; no lion had ever really questioned them, and Astraea had never told. No lion, that is, except Cassiopeia.
Cassiopeia was the last daughter of the great huntress, and she shared her mother's dark pelt and light eyes. While other cubs preferred to practice stalking or pull pranks on the elders, Cassiopeia was always immersed in though, a pensive expression lurking in her eyes. Other cubs raced through life as fast as their four paws could carry them, but Cassiopeia always stopped to smell the flowers, breathing in life's every gift. Astraea, whose other cubs had long perished, particularly treasured the cub, spending hours grooming her under the shade of the baobab trees and whispering the oldest tales known to the lions of the savannah. Cassiopeia was always quiet, always listened, but she never spoke. One day, however, as Astraea was telling her of Apedemak, the celestial god, Cassiopeia ventured a question of her own. Quietly and shyly, but firmly.
"Mother, did you come from the stars?"
Astraea had received comments regarding her celestial beauty and resemblance to a starlit sky. Never, however, had she been asked so odd a question. Chuckling, she had replied.
"I suppose I do look a bit like a celestial lioness, yes."
But her cub was not satisfied. Pushing further, the cub spoke louder and more firmly.
"No, mama, I'm asking if you CAME from the stars....Did you?"
Chuckling even louder at her cub's innocent question, the lioness stopped to reply truthfully, but then decided upon indulging her cub's fantasies.
"Yes, my darling, I came from the stars."
The expression of wonder that crossed Cassiopeia's face upon hearing those words warmed Astraea's heart, and the lioness then stooped to groom her cub, who whispered another question so softly that Astraea almost did not hear.
"Does...does that mean...I came from the stars, too?"
Not replying, the lioness simply smiled at her cub, continuing to groom her. Upon seeing her mother's gentle smile, the cub soon smiled widely and became immersed in thought once more.
A year had passed since that incident, which Astraea remember fondly. Cassiopeia had been so young, then! Astraea doubted that she could remember.
The lioness had been getting older, age starting to claim her more and more. She had retired from her duties as a huntress, and she now spent her days resting in her den, appreciating her last few months of life.
This day, however, was different. She could not bring herself to eat although she had not eaten in a long time. Fatigue weighed her down, trapping her in her den, unable to rise or to speak. Her vision began to fade, and dizzy spells came and went. Night soon fell, and the dizziness grew even more persistent. Astraea struggled to cling to life with each passing minute. Just as she stopped resisting, she heard a voice, sweet and melodic.
"Mother?"
It was Cassiopeia; it had to be. Breathing heavily, the lioness tried to speak, tried to tell her daughter everything that she had wanted to tell her, but she stopped. There was nothing to be said; both knew what was transpiring.
"Oh, mother...."
Her daughter had begun to cry softly, aware that these moments were the last she would spend with her mother. Astraea simply rubbed her head against Cassiopeia's leg, trying to comfort her daughter the best she could with the strength she had left. Then, Cassiopeia whispered a question so softly that Astraea almost did not hear.
"Are you...are you going back to the stars, Mama?"
In the last moments before the darkness claimed her, Astraea simply smiled.
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