Son

A couple of years ago, Empusa gave birth two two cubs; a daughter, and a son.

And yes---he is that son---and he is unfortunate to have the name 'son' to keep.


It wasn't planned that way. When they were young cubs, Empusa enthusiastically talked up their father to them---made them excited to meet them---and she'd told them that she'd saved the decision of what their names would be for their father, so that when they met him at last, they would leave with the special gifts of names, from the father who would surely be proud of the cubs he'd sired. And oh, how they had waited eagerly for the day she'd take them to meet him.

Who could have forseen the crushing disappointment that would come, when their father had simply...passed them by?

Empusa took them there, but he hardly spared them a glance, even as Empusa stated that she'd hoped he'd give them names. Instead, he'd moved on without so much as acknowledgement, leaving all three lions with stung feelings.


She'd brought them home, and had apologized for the hurt, and promised to come up with names for them, as she should have done long ago, rather than leaving it to their sire, whom she'd hoped would bond with them.

But he chose to keep the name 'Son'. It wasn't her fault his father wasn't interested.

And it wasn't his fault, either, that he had no time for cubs. He was a popular, busy king; and while he hadn't acknowledge them, he hadn't chased them away, nor refused to accept them as his kin, so---he could set his feelings aside, and live out his days with his admittedly odd name. He did vow one thing, though; if he were ever to sire cubs of his own, he would acknowledge them and work with their mother to find them names that fit who they were.