New Start, New Heart (Private for TheWhistlerify)

[LeopardessGracie]

Gracie herself hoped the cubs wouldn't wake as she left to hunt for Roark yet again. Over the time that had passed, the cubs had recieved verbal and physical abuse, such things cubs should never experience. Many times she had stepped in front of them and protected them, and when she was there Roark wouldn't dare touch them.
---
Chaka opened his eyes from his long night sleep, and noticed his mother was gone. This wasn't unusual, she often went out hunting in the morning or in the evening. He yawned and stretch his small legs. He also noticed that his father was asleep, and so was his sister. After a while he got bored, and poked his sister's side with his paw to wake her up.

[TheWhistlerify]

Unknown to Chaka, Roark was trying to fall asleep but he was not asleep yet. However Chaka poking his sister did not cause any noise, yet. Shani woke up after a few moments, yawning and then looked at her brother with a sleepy frown, "What?" she asked, her voice a whisper. She still remembered the last time their father lost his patience with them.

[LeopardessGracie]

"Yes, you're awake!", he said in a normal tone. He knew she was scared and he rolled his eyes, "Old grumpy guts over there is asleep! Wanna play?". He nibbled on her ear playfully, they hadn't got the chance to play in ages.

[TheWhistlerify]

Roark's ears twitched slightly upon hearing Chaka's annoying and shrieking little voice. Shani didn't notice that, but she was still worried. "I don't think we should... What if he wakes up?" she didn't know this, but the one thing Roark did like about her was the fact that she unlike her brother was at least being careful around him. Hopefully for the male cub he'd listen to his sister.

[LeopardessGracie]

"Naa, even if he does, I'll protect you. I can be all big and strong, watch!", he said and he pounced her playfully.
--
Meanwhile Gracie had only managed to bring down a reasonably sized warthog.
"It will have to do. Any food is a blessing", she thought to herself as she sat for a moment to regain the strength she needed to drag it back.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shina stared at their father once more before suddenly being pushed over, "Chaka!" she frowned, forgetting to keep her voice down, "Your in for it now!" at this Roark lost the last bit of patience he had and got up with a mighty roar, causing the two cubs to gulp and shrink into tiny little hairballs. "Never heard of the meaning of the word quiet before?!" growled the older lion, obviously angry.

[LeopardessGracie]

Chaka, shaking violently, didn't expect the lion to roar and shout like he did. Once he regained the power to even put one paw in front of the other, he stood in front of his sister, like he said he would, to make sure she wouldn't get hurt.
"I-I-I'm sorry....I t-thought you were a-a-asleep. It's m-my fault, n-not hers".
---
Gracie was no where near home and she still heard Roark's familiar, loud roar. She panicked then, had he hurt the cubs? Was he going to? She picked up the warthog and made her way back as quickly as she could.

[TheWhistlerify]

Roark was way too angry in order to listen to any sort of excuses, not that when he was in a better mood he would be any nicer. "Well guess what, 'Old Grumpy Guts' was not asleep!" nothing about what went on in this lion's head ever seemed to be making sense. He was probably the only lion in the world who would raise a paw on his own cub. He stroked the cubs little head, with his claws, grinning at the terrified look on the cubs face. Shani was already looking away by that time, she already knew what Roark's anger could get him to do. After a few moments she heard the strike, and after another few moments it was her turn. "How many times will it take for you squirts to get the message huh?!" he seemed to be somewhat calmer after he "took his anger out" so he went back to his sleeping spot, leaving the two cubs weeping on the floor.

[LeopardessGracie]

As the lion stroked his head, Chaka shook violently again, he knew what was coming. As soon as the paw finally came down, Chaka had yet another fresh scar over his face, he could feel the blood trickle into his mouth and he was too scared to move at that point. He gave a quick glance to Shani, the sorry look in his eyes that he had got them both hurt.

When Gracie did arrive back, she saw both her cubs huddled together, still staring at the monster in the other end of the den. As soon as she saw the red liquid on Chaka's face and on Shani's, her eyes widened in anger. This time Roark wouldn't get the better of her. She ran over to her cubs, and like a mother would, panicked.

"Oh god, Chaka, can you see out of your eye?", she asked worridely. Chaka gave a weak nod, and then she turned to Shani. She looked to terrified to speak. Gracie stood up, and with whatever strength and courage she had left, stood in front of Roark and glared at him.

"How dare you lay a claw on my cubs...", she growled at him. She didn't care what he did to her, but her cubs were her only thing she had left. She waited for whatever reply he had, no excuse could change what he did.

[TheWhistlerify]

Roark rolled his eyes as Gracie arrived. The cubs left him in no mood for her either. He got up, growling back at her and even louder. Were they really going to go through this again? This was probably how it looked like every day, she'd stand up to him for maybe a few seconds max and then life would go on as usual. "Give me a break will ya?" in his point of view, he was the one who gave Gracie those cubs. And he could take them with the exact same ease with which he had given them to her.