Chapter 43: Baby feeding
Baby feeding was over. Jia Hao was with the cubs and Mira had all the free time to do whatever.
She did not spend it monitoring the lions arranging for the ceremony, she could not care less about that, they surely knew their tradition. Mira was going to do something else. Swim.
She wanted a taste of the river and fresh air in her lungs while walking with her two feet. She also wanted to have fruit she handpicked personally for herself. Lions did not eat fruit so she was not sure if all she had during isolation was their lack of knowledge for fruit or her need to taste something different. She had to find out for herself. The pride land was rich with resources and today was a good day to go fruit picking.
Under a disguise. Mira was not wearing the typical clothing the clan royals and council members and those with high status wore. She did not want to be recognised as the lion king’s wife. Maybe that was the cause her bad luck before birth, both times, people knew who she was. And everyone knew who the Lion King’s wife was too.
And everyone hated the lion king’s wife. With several people from different clans and divisions making their way here, Mira was worried someone may want to do something terrible to her. After all, the old Mira was poisoned by her own people and everyone else wanted her dead.
Mira let out a sigh, today was not the day to feel this way. She was finally free and putting all the facts in check, she would not be leaving the lion territory so she would be okay with a disguise. Mira made her way to a riverbank first. She heard chatter coming from it and decided to blend in with the people there. Lionesses. Five lionesses. Mira had lived long enough in the pride to have their scent. She was sure no one would smell a fox.
"Hey, what do you think about the ceremony and the lion king’s heirs?" One of the women said. This caught Mira’s attention immediately.
If Mira did not want to stay here before, now she would. She wanted to hear about what the adults in the pride talked of when it came to her.
"There is nothing to think about. We still do not know the validation of the story." Another one said.
Well, excuse you! You were not the one who had to pump out SIX cubs! Mira thought.
"It can not be false." The one who asked commented. "The Lion King won’t joke about something like that. And there were midwives to validate the claim."
"Well, I do not deny that. But do you really trust that fox? The one who is his wife. For all we know, she could have put her behind onto anywhere." The same doubtful woman said.
Mira scoffed, her mouth sneered wide open. First off, rude. Secondly, the only ’anywhere’ her behind would be on would be against five dicks and all five belong to her husbands!
"I do not think she is that bad. She did risk her life to save our young. Multiple times." Another one added.
Good. See? I have fans, Mira said to herself.
"And my cub says she takes good care of them during their time together. She was all he could talk about during her isolation period." The third woman also chipped in.
"Then she feeds them and teaches them common sense." One added. This one had not said anything before.
Mira grinned. Her hard work was paying off.
"That is if she did not get them into the danger in the first place. And since when did that fox know how to do anything but hate on people? For all we know, it could be some black magic voodoo she’s using on everyone to suddenly forget her past and like her."
Mira’s smile faltered. Okay, that one lioness was a hater.
One of the lionesses laughed. "You just do not like her."
"Can you blame me? She had Patricia ran into a mess."
"Patricia caused that for herself." The one who laughed said. Her facial expression was solid now. "She put a cub danger knowing the punishment for treason. You cannot be that foolish and expect to get away with it even if you’re a lioness." There was genuine distaste in the tone of the speaker. Now that Mira thought about it, she needed to learn their names.
"I cannot believe someone like what was lurking around us and pretending to care. It scares me to wonder how I would have felt if the endangered cub was mine. Tragic."
The hater sighed, agreeing to their talk. "True." She muttered. "But that demon is no better. Mother of the tribe my buttocks!" She spat.
Although Mira wanted to stay hidden, she found this as a chance to showcase herself. "Oh really? I do not really think she was that evil. After all, she did save the tribe from extinction." Mira walked to the women. A few heads turned and once they saw her face, gaped. She signalled for them to not speak by placing a hand on her pressed together lips. The women obeyed, uncertainty and wariness now obvious in their faces.
"It could have been anyone." The hater responded, still faced to the river. She had not noticed the quietness in the environment.
"But it wasn’t." Mira said. "I mean, you could give her that credit." If interspecies childbirth with a clan leader was that easy, this world would not be close to extinction.
"You all can trust her as much as you want, but I see her for what she is. A self centred, good for nothing fox who is waiting for the right time to reveal her true self to us one day. And when she does, do not say I did not warn you."
Mira almost laughed. This lioness did not know who she was speaking to. "Her true self? Even demons are capable of change. What possibly could that fox accomplish on her own?" Mira asked, she had her hands folded across her chest and a wide grin on her face. While the children were fond of her, the adults weren’t so much. Some just acknowledged her presence as the king’s wife and the mother of the tribe.
"Anything, really. That fox also caused more harm by herself. It would be dumb not to-" the hater turned around to stare at the person she spoke with only to be met with shock. Her words hung in her throat and her mouth dropped.
There it was. The realisation Mira waited to see.
The lioness immediately bowed. Her head pressed to the floor and she was on her knees. "Forgive my loose tongue, mother." The hater pleaded.
Oh? That was it? So she was all talk and no action? Mira’s chin tilted and she lowered her gaze. "I find your opinion quite spectacular. Please, do go on. It is exciting." Mira smirked.
The lioness shivered. Never in her life had she felt more stupid. No wonder the others went quiet, she thought.
Mira giggled. "If you give me a chance, lioness, maybe you will find out there is more to me than you think." Mira walked away. She would go fruit picking in a different part of the pride. When she was not too far from the riverbank, she heard the lionesses laugh loudly.
"Why didn’t you tell me she was here?!" Blared through the forest.
There was still so much work Mira needed to do here. And so much more past breeding.