New Start, New Heart (Private for TheWhistlerify)

[LeopardessGracie]

Gracie was thinking the same thing as her daughter, remember the months she was left on her own to look after the cubs before Roark met them, they were good times. As the sun set on another day, Gracie did as she always did, place the cubs in the corner of the cave after giving them some milk. She licked them both on the head and whispered,
"Good night sweet-hearts".

She then lay nearby, knowing Roark would probably do what he always did before going to sleep in the night. She realized she had been pretty out of order to him, for good reason, but he wouldn't see it that way. She hoped, and prayed to the Great Kings once more that he would say he was going away tomorrow.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shani smiled, cuddling closely to her brother like she always did before going to sleep. "Goodnight mom." as soon as the two cubs were asleep Roark came over and did what he did every night, this time without even saying a word to the lioness. After he was done he held himself back from not hurting her so to not risk waking up the stupid cubs. "Tomorrow I will leave in order to look for members for our pride like I've said." with that he walked away to his corner and fell asleep.

[LeopardessGracie]

It was worth the moments of pain to hear those words come out of that evil lion's mouth. She rolled over and turned away from him. She smiled widely, put her head down, and fell straight to sleep, purring quietly as she had the most wonderful dream of a life without him.

(-Time Skip- Next morning, just before Roark leaves)

[TheWhistlerify]

Shani was sitting in her mother's paws rather excitedly. Today was the day their father would be leaving for who knew how long. Hopefully he'd break his leg or something on the way. As soon as she saw Roark stirring she forced the wide grin off her face. The lion came over to the three and, after looking the two cubs over, looked at Gracie and then left without saying a word.

[LeopardessGracie]

Gracie stood up when he walked out of the cave, she padded slowly to the entrance and watched him walk away into the horizon. Her face glowed, however, she hadn't thought of the possibility that he might catch up with them, anyway, the matter on hand.

She turned around to her cubs and gave a wide smiled,
"Right then, off we go!". Chaka gave an excited mrow and jumped up and down around his mother's legs. He was over the moon to be leaving for a while.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shani let out an excited scream as soon as her mother gave them the sign of approval, "YAY!" she said, getting to her feet and jumping around the den with excitement before running over to her mother. "Let's go!" she'd have to come up with a way to convince her mother that they should never come back. Unknown to her, that was just what her mother had in mind.

[LeopardessGracie]

Gracie contained her excitement to jump around with her cubs. She grinned at them and in reply to Shani, she said,
"Yes, let's go!". She began to walk with a spring in her step out of the cave, and into the opposite direction Roark went. She didn't know where she was going, but she could make a make-shift den in different area's until they found a pride.

She could hunt for her cubs easily enough, that wasn't a problem. Gracie knew that they'd get hungry soon, so decided to keep walking until they came to a waterhole to make a den nearby. Another thing she hoped would happen is that she'd be able to join a pride. The cubs hadn't met anyone they're age, and she hadn't seen another lion for ages that wasn't Roark.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shani couldn't help herself from showing her excitement. She would run forward and then back to her mother, she would jump around her mother in circles and she would engage her brother in short wrestling matches. This was the first time in a long time in which she was feeling happy.

[LeopardessGracie]

Chaka, like his sister, was the same. Weaving between his mother's legs and bouncing in front of her. He happily play fought with his sister, happy to be out in the open with the whole day ahead of them.

Gracie watched the two, making sure they didn't go too far. At the rate they were going, they'd be tired out by the afternoon. She looked around, and the lands were a little greener in the distance, meaning there was water nearby.

"Thank the Great Kings", she thought. She estimated it would take the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon to get there, but that was ok, if the cubs were tired she could carry one while the other walked slowly, and just swap every now and again. She doubted they would, they were just too happy.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shani simply never grew tired, probably because of the huge amounts of energy that built up inside her while she was unable to play when Roark was around. Now she was looking happiest than ever before. While she wasn't growing tired, she was starting to get thirsty and hungry from all the running around she was doing. "Mommy," it has been a long time since she was able to call Gracie 'mommy' instead of simply calling her 'mom'. "Is there any food or water nearby?"