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Have you ever been in love? It's been so long, I can barely remember what it was like- wisps of obsession, of pure and complete trust come and go. It was magical; that much I know. When you get to my age you realise that you'll never love like your first love..
I was not born here, rather bought by the queen when I was but a cub: I never saw my mother or siblings, it is usually said to be best if a cub is taken directly and fostered to a litter in thier new pride. I love it here dispite it all; so peaceful and so connected with the supernatural. When I was five months old my foster mother took me to visit my birth pride- it was busy and the atmosphere chaotic.
I met him when we were both but a year old. He was quite popular then- before his heritage was revealed. The doted upon little heir, pure white with strange but flattering tusks of ivory in his jowls. Always out playing with that familar of his, a short zebra. It was a sweet little thing and my own familar, Jewel, quite liked to play with it when the oppertunity arose.
He and I went out one cold night to look for some strayed cub and something about the moonlight on his short snowy fur- or prehaps the dew forming on my whiskers- wisked us both away.
We courted for prehaps a year before being wed.
He never did grow, however: remained the size of an adolesent. I knew about his origins, the rare and dangerous meat one mother ate and the unnatural ability to produce offspring with females the other mother possessed. Something about the combination stunted his growth but trebled his 'abilities', the spiritual calling he like all of his bloodline carry. His was communication with the dead: he saw them as clearly as you or I. Normally it comes only in dreams or whispers, but his powers were so strong.
All was well the first two years of our marriage. We could not have cubs: it just never happened. It broke both our hearts but we powered on. We loved each other too much to let it break us.
Then it all fell apart in an instant. The eastern king dropped dead and Darling claimed the land and disclosed her affairs, including that which produced my love. Then she bundled them all off deep into the woods and said Tiptoe, his baby brother, was heir. The majority of the mistresses vanished into thin air.
I searched for him day and night. For three days I treked the woods without rest wanting only to be by his side once more.
He was hiding with his sisters; his two other brothers had been killed and buried- Darling claimed a genetic illness had taken them. He was heartbroken but glad to have his sisters safe. They accepted me into the fold and for a year we lived in peace. It was cold, we were endlessly hungry, but we were together.
Once more fate came calling: five lionesses, including some lady claiming to be the queen of the east and Darling's mate, dragged me away. They bought me to this cave I have not left since.
I grew lonely, as you do. The other lionesses were far older or younger then I, and tales of my dear husband- Sixty- dying out there and his sisters fleeing ran wild. I've always been open to both lions and lionesses, and after a few years I began to fall for the mighty queen Darling. She may have been the cause of my sadness, but if Sixty had died, prehaps she had changed and had no chance to make up for her mistakes?
Only a year ago I bought forth a cub with her, Sleepy. My heart feels full at last with a cub to nurse, though his face haunts me. I live with a new kind of love, and shall never forget him...
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