Itta

Itta hums as her back arches in a stretch, tail high in the air as her joints crack a little. She wasn't that old yet, but it seems age was getting to her joints first before coming for her mind.

She was the only lioness allowed to laze about in the cave due to her gradually advancing age and her most recent injury, but she doesn't like being idle. She helps replace the reeds and dry grass when they get soaked during the rains, and she helps Chesha with the cubs when they tend to get to be too much as they grow older. Especially since the younger lioness was watching after her only cub from her, probably last, litter.

Cheetu's rumble of greeting pulls her out of her thoughts, and after a bow of her head and returning his greeting, he lays in front of her, conflict in his eyes. He always comes to her for advice, as he was much younger then her. She doesn't mind, after Cheetu dispatched the old king, things have been much better for their little pride. She listens for a long time as he spills out his troubles and worries, and eventually she was grooming his thick mane while murmuring little bits of advice. He was always so tense and worried about being a good leader, there are things that are just out of his control so he needs to not stress too much about it.

She would know, at times of peace like this, there is no need to worry about the little things for longer then necessary.