[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Delano chased after Lina, but he still had a hart time keeping up with her. He hated to admit it, but even if he got faster these past two weeks, Lina then must have improved as well. However, he also knew that he would be able to eventually outrun Lina and catch up.

About half way to the waterhole, he noticed Lina starting to slow down. Grinning, he ran after her, finally starting to close the gap between them. When she slowed to a stop, he finally started to get a feeling that something was wrong. Lina was panting from fatigue, but she looked like something was seriously wrong, rather than a playful smile that he was expecting. "Lina?" Slowing down to a stop as well, Delano moved to her side and placed her head on his shoulder. "Lina, are you alright? What's wrong?"

---

Umeme let out a content sigh in reply. "I think I'll stay here for now," she replied, giggling as she did so, "then I think we can go somewhere. But for now, shut up and don't move." Nudging Muroki to a more comfortable position, Umeme didn't feel like leaving his warm and comfortable mane. Yet.

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina was so caught up in her confusion about what was going on that she completely forgot the race she'd challenged Delano to. She also forgot about him being there, so when he arrived by her side and gently moved her head to rest on his shoulder she became confused for a short moment before suddenly recalling everything. "I..." She took in a somewhat deeper breath in between her heavy breathing, which somehow helped ease her headache a little. "I don't know..."

Once again feeling sick to her stomach for a brief moment, the lioness went ahead and sat down next to her mate, her head still leaning on his shoulder. "I just got really tired all of a sudden..." she looked up at the sun for a brief moment, but seeing its intense light directly only made her head hurt even more and she looked back down again. Perhaps she hasn't been drinking enough water recently? It would make some sense, and she didn't want to become dehydrated...

"I need some water..." Lina eventually said, after a short silence. She really was feeling thirsty, so it looked like a drink would fix the situation. They were just on their way to a waterhole anyway. The lioness then began to head in the direction of her and Delano's waterhole, this time walking at a rather slow pace instead of running. She still felt a little bit dizzy and was grateful when Delano quickly joined her side and allowed her to use his body for support. She didn't have to lean against him too much; just a little bit to help her keep her balance.

---

Muroki took Umeme telling him not to move as well as her nudging him into a somewhat different position as an indirect way of telling him to stop bathing her as well, so he did just that despite obviously wanting to continue his display of affection. Not saying anything else, he continued to lie there and to use his mane as a pillow for Umeme, smiling at the soft sound of her purring.

[DGFone]

Delano took Lina into a hug. "Hey, it's going to be okay. You're... just sick, that's all. Happens to everyone." He agreed with her when she mentioned needing water, so he helped her up and walked with her towards the waterhole, supporting her in case she would start feeling dizzy again and needed to lean on him.

When they reached the water, Lina eagerly dunked her head into the cool liquid, drinking up the water quickly and eagerly. Delano sat down next to her, waiting for her to take in the water. "Feeling better?" he asked, examining her. While he didn't think that it was much, he couldn't help but feel worried for Lina.

---

Umeme purred contently as she rested on Muroki's mane, but as she woke up further, she started to get bored of being in the den. It wasn't like she was going to miss this place, seeing as soon enough she will be stuck in here again. Raising her head and yawning, she grinned at Muroki. "Let's go pay Delano and Lina a visit. I feel like moving around while I still can."

[TheWhistlerify]

Even though Lina wasn't feeling worried or anything, seeing how all animals could get sick from time to time, she still took comfort in Delano's hug. After all it's not like she was feeling good, so it was nice to get a reminder that he was right there even if nothing bad was happening. The walk to the waterhole took what felt like forever, but they eventually got to it. Lina immediately began to drink, feeling at ease as she felt the cool liquid run down her throat.

Despite having thought that drinking so quickly wouldn't go well with her sick sensation, it actually did not bother her at all. After a few seconds she began to feel her headache and dizziness fade away before ceasing altogether. It seemed like water really was all that she'd needed, but it was also the rest that helped. "Yeah, I'm better now." she said with a smile, giving Delano an affectionate nuzzle in order to thank him for his help.

---

Muroki must have gotten rather sleepy as a result of lying there next to Umeme (he was in a pretty comfortable position) because, when his mate suggested they went to pay Delano and Lina a visit, he couldn't tell just how long they'd lain there without doing anything. "Alright..." he said with a small smile and a yawn of his own. He knew that, technically speaking, the pregnant lioness would be able to move even a day before the cubs were born. It was just that, the more the birth drew closer, the quicker she would grow tired of any effort she would make - even walking.

He waited for her to get up before getting up as well, not wanting to make her uncomfortable by moving while she was still leaning against him. Whatever Delano and Lina were up to, Muroki thought, it probably wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but it's not like he and Umeme had anything they planned on doing. The two of them then made their way outside, with Muroki stopping to stretch for a brief moment before making his way back to Umeme and walking alongside her.

[DGFone]

As Lina finished drinking, Delano helped her up on her feet again. Even if she looked much better, he didn't want to take any chances with her. "Come on, let's get you home," he told her, "let's give you some rest. I don't think taking a day off would hurt you." He once again stayed close by her side should she need to lean on him as they began to walk back. "I can also go and fetch your parents after we get back," he told her as they walked, "you know, just in case. They will know better if this is anything to worry about or not."

Looking at her, he wanted to kiss her again, but stopped himself. Lina probably wouldn't approve of him making himself sick as well just because he wanted to show some affection. He can wait until she would get better for that.

---

Umeme waited for Muroki to stretch before they began to walk over to Lina's and Delano's den. "You think they even left their den yet?" she asked. "normally they would already be here you know. I guess they didn't want to visit us today? would they mind if we came to them?"

[TheWhistlerify]

As much as Lina wanted to stay by their waterhole (after all it was what they'd originally planned on doing), she had a feeling that there would no changing Delano's mind about this. Besides, she didn't really have a problem with where she and her mate spent their day as long as they were together. It's also been a little while since she'd last seen her parents. "Okay." she said with a smile and a nod of her head as the two of them began to make their way back to their den. She didn't feel like she needed to lean on him this time around, but she was glad to know that he was right there in case she would need to.

The walk to the den was spent without any incidents, however, and Lina was about to lie down inside the den when she suddenly felt Delano's side pressed against hers for support. She chuckled and looked up at him. "I'm okay now, you know." she said with a smile, giving him a short nuzzle before lying down. "But thanks anyway."

~~~

Muroki walked alongside Umeme, making sure to keep the same pace she was walking at so to not accidentally go any faster and get her to overwork herself. "Maybe Lina's sleeping in." he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "They could have gone somewhere else as well." There wasn't a day where he and his mate didn't see the two, whether Lina and Delano came to visit first thing in the morning or sometime later during the day. "I suppose they might be planning on coming later, but I don't know."

[DGFone]

Delano felt himself turn red when Lina reminded him that she didn't need his help to lie down again. "Right, uh, sorry..." he muttered, retreating towards the exit of the den. "I guess I'll just uh, go fetch your parents then!" Walking backwards, he almost tripped over his own feet, but he managed to keep his balance before finally leaving the den and turning around. He broke into a run, not wanting to stay away from Lina any more than he had to.

---

Umeme also shrugged mid stride. "Guess we'll see when we get there." Together, she walked with Muroki in silence for the rest of the way, and they finally reached the den of her sister and brother in law. "Lina? Delano?" Poking her head inside, Umeme saw her sister lying on the ground, but Delano was gone. That being said, Lina didn't look like anything bad had happened.

"Hey, Lina. Where's Delano?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina couldn't help but giggle as she watched Delano almost trip over his own paws while walking backwards. It was just too cute of a sight to ignore. "Hurry back, cutie!" she said with yet another giggle, blowing a kiss in his direction just before he left the den. Knowing Delano, he was probably sprinting in the direction of her parents' den. The only thing that might prevent him from coming back as soon as possible was the pace in which her parents would make their way over.

Deciding she might as well get some rest while waiting, Lina went ahead and placed her head down on her paws. However, it was about merely a minute or two afterwards that her sister and brother in law came into the den. "Hey, you two." she said, looking at Umeme and Muroki with a smile. "Oh, Delano went over to mom and dad."

"Delano went over to your parents?" asked Muroki with a raised eyebrow and a joking smile. "Alone and out of his own free will?"

Lina laughed a short laugh, knowing that her brother in law was just kidding. "Who would have known, huh?"

---

Meanwhile, in their own den, Fadhili and Moto were both enjoying their peaceful morning together. It seemed rather obvious that Umeme's mother would like to visit her daughter every day now that she was pregnant and proceeding even further into advanced pregnancy, but she also knew that Umeme and Muroki needed to have a little bit of freedom from her and her mate. Especially from her. She gave her mate a somewhat suggestive smile and a lick across his muzzle, but all of a sudden Delano came running into their den. Talk about the worst timing in forever.

"Delano?" The two were obviously surprised to see him there, but Fadhili's slight annoyance did disappear when she noticed in how much of a hurry her son in law appeared to be. Had something bad happened to Lina? Or perhaps Delano was there because something had happened to Umeme and Muroki had wanted to stay behind by her side? "Is something wrong?" she asked, deciding not to jump to conclusions right away.

[DGFone]

Umeme also laughed. She did find the idea of Delano willingly running over to their parents as somewhat on the absurd side. "What got into him? Why would he do that?" She raised her eyebrows at Lina, knowing that her sister was the only one with a clue as to why Delano would even dare such a thing. "Must be quite a story then, is it?"

---

Delano skidded to a stop just outside the den before rushing in. It took him a bit of time to recognize the fact that Fadhili spoke to him. "What? Oh, uh, maybe, I don't know..." He took a few breaths to calm himself down before explaining everything. "Lina... she well, she's not feeling well. I think she might be sick, so I was wondering if you can look at her, because I don't know if she is or not... And I'm not sure how to figure out what's going on if anything is."

Waiting for the older pair to follow him, Delano rushed back out as soon as he was certain that they were behind him.

[TheWhistlerify]

Still smiling because of Muroki's antics, Lina shook her head slightly. "I don't think so..." she said. True, it really was confusing how she'd suddenly felt sick after running for not nearly as much as she was used to and how now she was suddenly feeling perfectly alright, but she doubted there was anything out of the ordinary about what had happened.

"You see, we were racing towards our waterhole when all of a sudden I started to feel really tired and even a little sick." she explained to them. "Which was weird because we'd barely started running..." She stared at the ground for a moment, deep in her own thoughts, before looking up at Umeme and Muroki with a smile. "But I'm feeling perfectly fine now. Still, Delano insisted on calling mom and dad over..."

~~~

Fadhili exchanged a short glance with her mater before rising to her paws and following their son in law outside. From what Delano had told them it was really almost impossible to tell whether they should be worried or whether it was just something ordinary that would pass before they knew it. "Calm down, will you?" she asked with a chuckle as she noticed that her daughter's mate was just about to break into a run again. "Why don't you elaborate on that a little more while we walk back to your den?"