Hunted (Private)

[Ruby_Fehu]

"He does care about you and he will come back. He always does, he just needs to have space to mourn in his own time." Lailah frowned, going over to the lioness, "Give him another week and if he's not returned I'll go looking for him."

[Deleted]

Wasana hardly heard her. She had lost herself in the eating ritual, the only thing that made her forget the loss of her mate and her cubs.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Lailah sighed heavily before walking out of the cave to go and tend to her own cubs, leaving Wasana to her thoughts. She hesitated slightly in the cave mouth however before starting to leave once more.

[Deleted]

Wasana didn't look up at Lailah. She merely ate. Being in the real world caused her far too much pain. The life she imagined for herself - as a mate, and as a mother - was gone now. It didn't matter how much pain it caused her, she continued eating until the pain made her stomach heave. When it did, she panicked, but indicated to the nearby humans to bring her a herb, which she chewed, and the gag reflex eased. With her stomach so full she felt nearly pregnant again, and that was good. Only then did she stop and sleep, only to start again the next day and the next, and the next, until...

(sorry:P. Wasana's pretty depressed right now).

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel paced outside the cave he knew Wasana to be, his expression contorted into one of confusion, he didn't know what to do. He wanted to return to her, but he couldn't bring himself too. Heaving a heavy sigh he slunk into the cave and lay by the mouth, making sure he was a slight distance away from Wasana before he looked out into the open area, watching the humans go about their daily business.

[Deleted]

Wasana was asleep: she often slept in the middle of the day now, or at any time she became exhausted - which was often. She dreamed too, of happier times, with Zeke and Lail and their own friends. She dreamed she was playing with them and chasing them, but as usual she was too slow to catch any of them. But the game seemed to go on for hours, and she was exhausted. She could hear them speaking - and she could smell Zeke - but whenever she tried to go to him he would run away. "Zeke," she cried out in her sleep. "That's enough. Stop it. I'm tired... Zeke! Come back! Come back..."

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel looked around when she heard Wasana cry out, biting his lip he stood up and tiptoed to her, nudging her gently, "I'm here Wasana. It's just a bad dream." He whispered softly.

[Deleted]

"Zeke..." Wasana opened her eyes slowly, coming out of the dream, fearing the reality of being alone in the cavern. There was Zeke, and at first she didn't believe her eyes, but then blinked: he was still there. "Zeke! My Zeke... are you really here?" She reached out to touch him, but he was just out of reach.

[Ruby_Fehu]

"I'm here." He said softly stepping closer to her and nuzzling the back of her neck to prove it. "I promise, I'm back." He continued with a small smile.

[Deleted]

"For good? I've been so alone, Zeke. You... My babies... Our cubs, Zeke." Her eyes welled with tears, and she covered her head with her paws. "I'm so sorry!"

[Ruby_Fehu]

"For good." He confirmed, giving her a small smile, "The cubs weren't your fault. Sometimes these things happen, you're fine and that's what I care about." Ezekiel said gently.

[Deleted]

"They were my fault. I would never make a good mother," Wasana said. "I'm not even a good incubator. If I had better self-control, I'm sure our cubs would be alive and well. I can't even groom myself anymore, Zeke. She gazed at him with her big blue eyes. "What are we going to do?"

[Ruby_Fehu]

"We're going to help you lose weight. Just enough so you look the way you did when we first became mates. No slimmer though, or else you wouldn't be the same Wasana I fell in love we." He nuzzled her gently, "We'll get another chance for children."

[Deleted]

"I doubt I can lose even that much weight," Wasana said, "but I'm willing to try. For you, my dearest." She stroked one chubby paw through his mane. "Would you hold me close for a while?"

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel just nodded and lay down with Wasana, wrapping his rugged form around her and placing his head on her back, "We'll manage." Was all he said softly, as he started to nibble her neck.

[Deleted]

Of course, Wasana was far too wide now for Zeke to be able to reach around her. Nevertheless she smiled when he started nibbling her neck. "That tickles, silly. Stop it!" She tried pushing him away, but of course he was far stronger than she, especially as she'd spent the last several months lounging on her litter.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel smirked and laughed as he continued to nibble on her neck before he licked her nose briefly then resumed the nibbling playfully.

[Deleted]

Wasana was gasping for air in a number of seconds, and her usually pink nose had turned to a bright red. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she laughed too hard to say more than "sto... sto..."

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel frowned at the sorry state his mate seemed to be in and stopped nuzzling her carefully.

[Deleted]

Wasana panted, then smiled with relief. "Thank you, Zeke, my Zeke. It's so good to have you back."

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel smiled softly, "I've missed you."

[Deleted]

"I've missed you too, and your touch," she said, smiling up at him gently. "Come back here and touch me, but this time, be firm with me. Otherwise it's like being tickled with a feather." She rolled onto her side and raised an arm to accommodate him.

(btw I know the stripes and tail are wrong, but I thought this was a fairly decent image of what Wasana probably looks like right now: www.furaffinity.net/full/7330916/ ).

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel cocked his head to one side with surprise before going to her side and laying down, he wrapped his paws around her waist and lay on his side watching her with a small smile as he hugged her tightly. "Better?"

[Deleted]

"Much better," Wasana said. She closed her eyes, smiling.

[Ruby_Fehu]

Ezekiel smiled softly and nuzzled his nose into her neck, draping his tail over her hind paws he allowed his own eyes to shut.