[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

A son that would look just like him? As much as it made Delano feel rather... embarrassed, it also felt quite uncomfortable. "I... I don't know... that would seem very weird," he said quietly, "maybe not exactly like me... perhaps a bit of you too. But exactly like me? That would just be... strange." How else could he explain that he wasn't very much liking the idea of having a clone for a son?

---

Umeme looked up at Kato from her rest. "Yes, Kato? What is it?" She was somewhat curious as to what he might want to ask that he would want to do it, from the looks of it, when Muroki wasn't around, or at least, awake enough to hear.

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina couldn't help but giggle at her mate's reaction to her rather girlish fantasy. "I meant as in your, well... colors... Of course he won't look exactly like you..." At the same time, though, she understood Delano's reaction. "But I suppose it would be weird... Still, you can't really blame me..." She licked him across his muzzle. "After all you're auper cute... A smaller version of you would be just adorable!" She giggled once more. "But that probably won't happen." Their cubs would most likely look like both of them like Delano had suggested.

~~~

Kato didn't really know how to ask what he wanted to ask. However, at he same time, he couldn't think of anybody else who might be able to give him an answer. "Er... This might sound like an odd question..." he started nervously, rubbing one of his paws with another. "But do your parents, um... I dunno... Do they like Muroki? And Delano?"

[DGFone]

Hearing that Lina also understood his discomfort and that she didn't want a cub that would be exactly perfectly like him, Delano relaxed a little. "Oh, well, I am hoping that they will get a bit of your coloring in as well. They are going to be part of both of us, you know. Not just me." He reached out and hugged Lina. "Just another one of those things we need to wait to find out, is it?"

---

Umeme wasn't expecting this question to say the least, and it caught her off guard. "Why... of course they do. Why do you ask?" Why would the prince of all lions ask if her parents would approve of Muroki and Delano? She got an idea, but she wasn't sure if it was even close. After all, Kato was still fairly young. "Is it about Desta?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina couldn't help but agree with what her mate was saying. As cute as a mini Delano would be, she also wanted their cubs to inherit some of their looks from her as well. Then, whenever she would look at them, she would remember that they belonged to both of them. "I wish we didn't have to wait that long..." she said, resting her head in Delano's mane as he hugged her. True, they'e already gotten through 2 months, but a month still sounded felt a lot of time...

~~~

Kato tried to think of how to explain his reasons for asking such a peculiar question to Umeme, but the lioness seemed to have put the pieces together fairly easily and without his assistance. "Y-yeah, it is..." he admitted, sounding apprehensive. "We've only grown closer ever since I told her I loved her and I couldn't be happier... But her parents aren't very fond of me, especially her father..." It wasn't pleasant to say this, but he was feeling rather lost. "I just can't help but worry...It's no secret that we're seeing each other..."

[DGFone]

Delano didn't say anything. He himself would rather wait and see how Umeme's and Muroki's cubs would be like before he himself would be forced into taking care of newborns, but since that was going to happen anyways, he didn't see any point in potentially ruining Lina's mood by telling her that he still could wait.

---

Umeme frowned at Kato's news. "But you're... the prince! What kind of parents wouldn't want their daughter to be in love with someone like you? I mean... I doubt you won't be lacking in opportunities where you will be able to prove yourself as someone who is suitable for her. Perhaps all you need to do is wait until they warm up to you..."

She wanted to say something else, but she was interrupted by a very strange sensation coming from her stomach. A mix of eagerness and horror reached her when she realized what it was. "Lina... get me in the den! I think it's time.."

[TheWhistlerify]

As much as there was a part of Kato that wanted to agree with what Umeme was saying, he had a seriously hard time taking comfort in her words. Desta's parrnts have known him since he'd met their daughter as a cub. That seemed like more than enough time for somebody to warm up to somebody else. He was about to tell her just that when the lioness suddenly called out to her sister, telling her that she thought it was time. For a few seconds he simply stared at her obliviously before realizing what she was getting at.

Lina was happily caught up in her moment with Delano that it took her mind a few moments to comprehend what Umeme had just said to her. "N-now?" she asked, sounding a little concerned as she rose to her paws and walked over to her sister. The look on her face told Lina that she dubted there was any room for mistakes. "Oh dear!" What was she supposed to do? Yes, help her sister into the den, but then what?

"Should I call my mother?" asked Kato, already up on all fours as well.

"Do you remember where our parents live?" she asked, getting a silent nod in response as she began to help Umeme walk into the den. "It's closer, could you go there?" Not only was it closer, but there was no guaranteeing the the prince would be able to find the queen back in the royal den. Kato once again nodded and then took off. As she and Umeme entered the den Lina looked over her shoulder and was surprised to see that her brother in law was sound asleep. Just how tired was he? "Wake him up for crying out loud..." she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice, looking at her mate briefly before disappearing inside with Umeme.

[DGFone]

Umeme groaned as Lina helped her in the den, but not because Lina was doing anything particularly wrong. "Thanks, Lina," she muttered as her sister helped her lie down on the ground in the den. "I'll be fine. I think I can wait for mom and dad to get here... You don't need to stay if you don't want to." Umeme wasn't sure if Lina wan't to stay or not, but somehow doubted that her sister would want to do so. After all, she already seemed quite nervous.

---

Delano was only frozen for a moment, but hearing Lina's annoyance got him moving instantly. He rushed over to Muroki's side and began to shake the sleeping form of his brother. "Come on, Muroki! Wake up!" His brother must have been very tired, because it took some time for Muroki to start complaining about being shaken. Delano finally pulled back, giving the other lion room to wake up. "Umeme's in the den," he said, "She uh... she uh... cubs..."

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki was not only sound and peacefully asleep but was also having a very pleasant dream, so he was obviously quite annoyed when he suddenly realized his slumber was being interrupted. He groaned in annoyance, hoping that whoever was shaking him would just leave him alone, but waking up was now inevitable. The lion opened his eyes, rolling onto his stomach and looking up at his brother. For a moment Delano's words seemed to have no effect because of how tired Muroki still was, but his eyes widened in shock as they finally sunk in and he immediately ran into the den.

Even though Umeme told her that it was okay for her to leave, Lina found herself having difficulty to do so despite how uneasy it was to see her sister this way. She didn't want to leave Umeme on her own but, luckily enough, Muroki came rushing inside, allowing his nervous sister in law to take her leave (but not before briefly rubbing her head against Umeme's and wishing her good luck). "Umeme!" Muroki immediately lay down beside his mate, holding onto one of her paws with both of his and worryingly licking the top of her head.

"Are you alright?" He didn't know what else to say, really, nor did he know what to think. It was time, and despite having waited for this to happen for so long it was difficult to grasp that it was actually happening. It didn't look like his mate was in any big pain or discomfort. Yet... "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere." he promised, licking her once more. The lion didn't care whether it was according to tradition or not; he wanted to be there by his mate's side and support her as much as he could while she delivered their cubs.

[DGFone]

Umeme was starting to feel rather bad now, but for some reason, seeing Muroki walk inside the den did not help her. If anything, his presence made her mood even worse. "Muroki dear, I know I love you and all, but..." she took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself. "Would you mind leaving the den? Like... RIGHT NOW! LEAVE!"

Just about screaming the last part, Umeme didn't mean to get angry. It just slipped out. Still, she couldn't help but feel better as Muroki just about ran out the den, obviously scared by her outburst.

---

Outside, Delano waited in silence by Lina's side. She had looked quite worried when she had left the den, and only to have Muroki run out soon after going in didn't seem to help things at all. Looking at his brother nervously, Delano wondered if he should go and talk to Muroki and try to calm him down as well or not.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki was so startled and taken by surprise by Umeme's reaction that he couldn't stop himself from fleeing out of the den almost as soon as he'd come in when she yelled at him. He stopped a short distance away from his brother and sister-in-law, not saying anything to them as he simply stared at the den with a very worried expression. As much as he wanted to be there with her, she clearly didn't feel comfortable about having him around. But was it a good idea to leave her in there like that? She shouldn't have to go through that alone...

As if right on cue, though, Kato suddenly returned, followed by Moto and Fadhili. Umeme's mother wasted no time in making her way into the den while her mate and the prince remained outside. As much as this was a relief to Muroki, he was still far from calm down and appeared to not even be aware of the fact that he'd started to walk back and forth in order to distract himself. What if something went wrong? He simply couldn't let go of his worries.