Harribel

Harribel lay in the mouth of the cave as the cubs and other females chased each other in the falling rain. The wet season had finally arrived, which was such a joy after the long, dry summer. They were already splattered with mud, some of the cubs black with it, but that didn't seem to deter them. Not even when one of the youngest went tumbling head over tail down a little hill.

She half rose to her feet, concern marring her expression, but in true cub fashion, the little one was on her feet again, racing back into the fray.

Harribel lay back down, her ears flickering a bit as she caught a snippet of conversation. "We should ask Harribel to join," squeaked a little male cub. His cohort blinked, looking over his shoulder at the queen in the den. "She doesn't know how to play," he said. "Come on."

The two bounded into the mud, and Harribel's heart sank a bit at that.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say someone died," Aconitira said, flopping down next to her. "What has your tail in a knot, Hari?"

Harribel hesitated. "Am I too mean?"

Aconitira blinked, looking over at her. "You're joking, right? You? You who refuses to let us go for newborn prey animals even though they're easy prey? The one who will sing cubs to sleep while their mothers are hunting? Have you hit your head recently?"

Her ears folded back as she grimaced. "You know what I mean, Aconitira," she said quietly. "Do I come off as cold?"

The older lioness considered that a bit. "I.. I wouldn't say cold... but you do distance yourself.." She turned, considering Harribel before she headbutted her gently. "Don't let it get to you," she murmured. "You're fantastic the way you are."

She got to her feet before she trotted out into the rain.

Harribel sighed heavily, but before she could think further on it, one of the youngest of the cubs nudged at her paw. She blinked, looking down at the little one's large blue eyes. "You pay now?" she squeaked, and Harribel smiled a bit. "I would love to play," she murmured. The cub's expression instantly brightened, and she bounced happily as Harribel got to her feet. "C'mon!" the cub squeaked, hurrying back out into the rain with Harribel on her heels. There was nothing wrong with a little play, right?