New Start, New Heart (Private for TheWhistlerify)

[LeopardessGracie]

Gracie took Roark's silence as a yes, and stood up. Chaka was about to open his mouth and ask her not to go, when she gave him a look to say 'Don't say a word', he got the message and stayed quiet. As she was about to leave, she prayed to the Great Kings that she'd come back and both cubs were un-harmed.
"Behave", she told them quietly, before leaving the cave and walking out into the savannah, hoping she'd find something soon.

[TheWhistlerify]

Roark looked after Gracie with a rather lustful stare as the lioness left, knowing he'd get better reacquainted with her later. Right now the lion was hungry and not in a mood to even make fun of the two cubs, so he walked over to the back of the den and lay down, not really keeping an eye on the cubs like Gracie asked him to. Shani was grateful to that, because if she was afraid from her father while her mother was there, she was way more afraid of him with her mother not being there.

[LeopardessGracie]

Chaka got up and padded over to his sister, he sat next to her and nudged her shoulder.
"He looks pretty strong, huh?", he whispered and looked to his father. He felt like now wasn't the time to play a game of tag.
---
Gracie, luckily, had spotted a group of impala not too far from the den. The wind was in her favor as she crept towards the unsuspecting group of prey, who were unable to see her in the long grass.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shani didn't take her eyes off her father not even for a moment, not even looking at her brother when he nudged her and addressed her. "Yeah... Strong and scary..." she said, keeping her voice as quiet as she could so to not have him hear her. She didn't want to even begin to imagine what it would look like if Roark lost his temper. Unknown to her, rage fits from him was something unavoidable and it would soon become a regular part of her life, or what was going to be left of it now that Roark was around.

[LeopardessGracie]

Chaka looked at his sister, she did seem scared of their father. He smiled at her and whispered back,
"C'mon, cheer up, he can't be all that bad".
---
The grunts of the adult impala soon died down, Gracie had her jaws clamped around the neck of what she just brought down and certainly wouldn't let go. As the light faded from it's eyes, she began to drag it back, hoping that he'd save some for the cubs. Right now, she didn't care about herself.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shani then looked at her brother, her worry noticeable in her eyes, "Not that bad? Are you serious?" she was starting to regret the fact that her mother introduced him to them. But at least their father wasn't doing anything that might prove her fears, for now at least.

[LeopardessGracie]

Chaka gave a worried look back, he didn't like his sister being upset. He nuzzled her and smiled,
"I'm sure things will look up, I bet mum's brought down something great for dinner". A few moments later, Gracie had arrived back. She dragged the kill over to Roark and then walked away, sitting next to the cubs.

Chaka stood up and licked his lips, he began to move towards the carcass when he felt his mother pick him up by the scruff in her mouth and gently place him back.
"Your father eats first".

[TheWhistlerify]

Shani smiled, feeling somewhat cheered up by her brother's presence next to her. Roark was also in no mood to have those stupid cubs in his sight while he ate, luckily for them their mother already knew him well enough to stop the two cubs from coming closer. Without saying a word to either her or his cubs, Roark simply walked over to the dead impala and began to eat.

[LeopardessGracie]

"Not even a thank you", Gracie thought to herself as she watched her 'mate' eat. Though, of course, she'd never say that to his face. Chaka was also watching Roark eat, noticing that all the good parts were going to go really quick.

His mother bent down and began to groom him, with nothing better to do while waiting for Roark to let the cubs eat. Chaka squirmed silently in protest as Gracie groomed him, she looked at Shani, she was relitavly clean. She kept herself better than Chaka, girls do mature quicker than boys anyway.

[TheWhistlerify]

Roark not only ate most of the good part, but he also took his time eating, regardless of the fact that there were cubs who were just as hungry if not hungrier than he was. Eventually the male felt full enough and went back to lying down where he was lying before Gracie would get back. He'd get what he really wanted from her later when the cubs were asleep or not around, their very presence would take away the pleasure of it. Shani didn't go towards the carcass even after her father was done eating.