Art by Serayia #240386
Art by Spicy Anubis #173424
Born while Kuutamo was away, Bhodi and Eiras birth was quite a shock to the pride. Not knowing what to do, their mother climbed to the peak of the mountain, a place where only selected lions were allowed to go, to beg Khonsu to fix her baby. Khonsu took this opportunity to create a new prophet. Well.. two. He blessed Bhodi and Eira with powers. When the cubs are exposed to moonlight, they become mostly transparent. They are able to hear Khonsu and translate his prophecy’s, and they will never die.
Lmao I bought this cub about a month before hearing about Moon Night with this backstory ready, and this pride has worshiped Khonsu for months before I heard about Moon Night. This was my original idea! But Moon Night is amazing and it was weird for me to watch the show already having my Lioden pride be already intertwined with Khonsu and a conjoined cub be his prophet!!
Bodhi and Eira ran towards their Grandpaw Bodhi and Eira with a lovely ostrich feather in their mouth, only to trip and completely wreck the feather in the process. Bodhi and Eira is on the verge of tears until Grandpaw Bodhi and Eira picks them up and promises to find them all the ostrich feathers in the world.
-`, Story ,`-
Days when Kuutamo wasn’t around made for boring times, but that night in the birthing cave, things were bustling. Broodmothers were rushing about, everyone knowing exactly what their job was.
Phara was in labor, and everything was going smoothly. Her eyes were shut tight, and someone put another pelt under her head. There were lionesses on either side of her purring at full volume to help keep her calm, and the herbalist made her take more medicine.
“It’s alright Phara, you’re doing amazing,” Dawn said. “We’re expecting two cubs, according to the bat.”
“Yeah, it sure feels like more than one in there!” Phara said through gritted teeth.
“We have a head!” Dawn announced, and broodmothers were already on standby to take the cub and clean it.
Phara roared.
“Uh.. we have another head.. oh dear it seems they want to come out at the same time..”
More meds for Phara from the herbalist.
“Well at least you only have to go through birthing once this time around!” Dawn joked to try and keep it light, which Phara didn’t appreciate.
“One needs to wait it’s damn turn!” She growled.
“We can’t exactly push it back in dear, you’re just going to have to bear through, you’ll be alright.”
Finally the cubs came out, and there was silence. For a brief moment, no one moved, the cubs didn’t cry out, but they were alive. Serena was the first to snap out of it and pick up the cubs, quickly carrying them to a nest, and immediately began cleaning the cubs faces until their airways were clear, and they gave out their first cries.
Phara breathed a sigh of relief hearing them. Serena had laid herself between Phara’s line of sight and her cubs. “Bring one to me Serena, I can help clean.”
“No.. I think it’s best that you rest, let us take care of them. You’ve been through an ordeal birthing both at once.. you need to rest..” Serena said, turning her head just enough to see the new mother out of the corner of her eye, not looking at her directly. The other lionesses were still silent, and a silent somber tone filled the air.
“What’s wrong?” Phara asked. She wasn’t dumb. She had picked up on the others moods. And it also wasn’t hard to tell by the way none of them had moved again yet, the lionesses beside her had ceased their purring. All just staring over at Serena and the cubs. “What’s wrong?” Phara said again, more demanding.
Dawn was the next to come out of her stupor. “You.. certainly have two cubs. Phara.. they’re attached.”
“What does that even mean? Let me see them!”
“They’re conjoined.” Serena stated. She had finished cleaning the twins and carefully bundled them up in a pelt. She gently carried the bundle over to an anxious and confused Phara, and set them down, the pelt falling open to reveal the cubs.
Phara gasped. All the other lionesses leaned over to get a better look. Two cubs, perfectly normal until the hips, where they had fused in the womb to form one tail and only two hind legs.
“Will.. will they survive?” Phara whispered, staring at her babies.
Dawn took in a big breath and let it out. “I’m not sure. We can’t see how their insides have formed… only time will tell but.. it isn’t likely.” She ended sadly.
“They look just like me.” Phara said, watching the wriggling cubs try to figure out how to crawl.
“You should feed them, they’ll be hungry.” Serena said, nudging the babies until their mouths were close enough to their mother’s belly to find her teats. They latched on and Phara watched, seeming to be contemplating.
Serena and Dawn ushered everyone else out with a bit of a struggle. Everyone wanted to see! This news would spread like a wildfire.
“Are you okay hon?” Dawn asked softly.
“I’ll be going to see Khonsu.” She replied firmly. “Once the cubs have settled, I’m going to the peak and speaking with him.
“That’s not a good idea..” Dawn said, looking at Serena worriedly.
“Dawn is right, you don’t have the permission.” Serena agreed.
“I don’t care,” Phara gave them both a warning look. “I’ve been loyal haven’t I?” She demanded. “I don’t deserve this!” She said, finally starting to break. It wasn’t fair!
“At least take Buterfly to escort you, she has the permissions, maybe Khonsu will, I don’t know, communicate with you through her?” Dawn suggested. She had no clue what happened at the peak with those who were allowed up there.
“Damn the permissions! If Khonsu is going to kill me for asking for help then so be it! I don’t want to live under a God that doesn’t care about his ‘chosen pride’!”
•~•~•~•
“KHONSU!” Phara shouted and she reached the peak of the mountain. She was feeling tired from the medicine, but she was angry and determined. “Speak to me! Come out here!!”
There was no response. Not even the wind moved. Phara roared. A sound filled with rage and pain that echoed across the mountaintops. She collapsed. The climb to the peak and her roar had drained her remaining energy, and she laid in the snow, crying silently for her lost cubs. They look just like her.
Half an hour went by, and the sound of paw steps approaching behind her made her swivel her ears. She didn’t look up however. “Leave me alone.” She said quietly.
“Phara,” Kuutamo said, his worry apparent in his voice. “Phara what are you doing up here?” He didn’t sound mad, he had pity in his voice. That was worse.
“Khonsu,” she spit the name out, “Cursed me. He cursed my cubs. He bound them together, Kuutamo,” she let out a sob. “They’re going to die, and they’re going to suffer! And he mocks me with his mark on them!”
Kuutamo dropped his head to nuzzle Phara before raising his head to look at the moon, hanging full and high in the night sky. “Phara,” he said, his voice low. “The great Khonsu has a magnificent plan for your cubs.” The king said. “They’re chosen to lead the pride, and bring new followers under His lead.”
“H-how?” Phara asked, sniffling.
“That’s not for us to know. But right now, they need their mother, and they’ll need you to be strong for them. They won’t be without their own hardships, but they won’t suffer.” He smiled, and Phara returned a weak and still sad smile back. Kuutamo helped the new mother to her paws, and led her back down the slope and into the caves to rejoin her cubs.
