Will started to say something else, but as he opened his mouth he retched slightly. He lurched his head towards the wooden bowl just in time, puking into it was a disgusting splash. He threw up once more and continued heaving, getting anything extra out of his system. The golden lioness wrinkled her nose. The other watched with concern. "I thought he was sick," she said. "Now you're over here making him throw up? Pardon my wondering, but how's that any better?"

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Luna's head moved slowly toward the golden lioness, her dead, angry eyes staring directly into hers. Her movements were unnatural in this moment, like she wasn't entirely flesh and bone, but rather stilted like wood. After a minute of her silent stare, her head snapped back to Will.

With an utmost professional expertise, she squished the juice out of a fruit she took out of her bag earlier into the second water-filled bowl.

"It is important for the patient to get every ounce of poison out of their system before it has a chance to be absolved" She finally answered without looking at the golden lioness, waiting until Will stopped vomiting. "Are you able to drink it yourself, or do you need help?" She asked Will once he stopped heaving, directing his attention to the bowl.

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The golden lioness met her eyes. Her own, clear white, glimmered with light and youthful hope. She didn't flinch, and she didn't look away, not faltering once as she looked into the soulless eyes of the medicine lioness. She watched like a curious cub, and looked away as soon as Luna did.

Will looked exhausted as Luna gave him the juice, but he croaked out, "I'm fine, I can drink it." After giving it a weak effort, though, he flopped his head back down. "I might need some help," he told her, not meeting her eyes.

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Luna sighed quietly. Still, she would fulfill her duties as a Healer. Years of dealing with annoying and sometimes rude patients taught her how important patience was in her role.

She lifted the bowl with one of her paws up to William's muzzle. It took some maneuvering on an almost athletic level, but she managed to hold up his head, so he wouldn't spill anything. Every last drop of the mixture had to be drank for him to feel better. As she was helping the elderly lion, she noticed the sudden silence in the air. Her ears perked up in an effort to hear any screams or shrieks coming from afar, but all was silent. Was Bastet out of labor? Were her and the cub safe?

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Will slurped down the juice, dribbling slightly but getting most of it. As he did, the golden lioness seemed to also notice the silence, and perked her ears up as well. Will finished the juice and realized that Bastet had stopped screaming. "Do you think it's over?" he asked, lifting himself up slightly. He shook out his mane and dragged himself to his feet, looking in the direction where Bastet was.

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Luna did not respond. She stared into the distance where Bastet was supposed to be, every part of her body itching to jump up and run there.

Meanwhile, Jewel woke up. She couldn't tell when exactly she fell asleep, in another pride's territory nonetheless. The silence surrounding them was surprising to her. She felt like there was something supposed to be going on right now, something very important. Then it hit her. Quickly she got up from the ground looking around for a way to get back to Bastet.

(I added Val to the clan. They are wondering if they could make a discord server for the clan members. They seem to be really excited by that idea)

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Will starting moving towards Bastet, feeling strong enough to walk now, and quite concerned about the sudden and alarming silence. The golden lioness didn't hesitate, but stood and moved next to him so he could lean on her if need be. The other sprung up and hurried to get his other side.

Horizon had fallen halfway asleep, nodding off slightly, and her brain took a moment to register that something was odd. She lifted her head a moment before Jewel move up in confusion. Jewel stood, and Horizon shook her head and stood as well, looking around. The night was quiet. Crickets chirped and the spring bubbled, but beyond that she couldn't hear anything. "It must be done . . ." she said quietly to herself. She saw Jewel trying to figure out how to get back and brushed her side with her tail. "This way," she said, starting back towards Bastet.

(That's absolutely fine with me!)

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"You should rest and let your body heal" Luna said to Will, her usual monotone voice was back "Don't put to much strain on yourself." She walked closer to the other lions, although she made no attempt to stop them.


Jewel sighed in relief once she noticed Horizon Red was awake. She was glad she wasn't the only one who noticed the silence. She quickly followed the broodmother, making sure she didn't step on any lions that were still asleep around her.

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Will turned his head slightly, showing that he was listening to Luna. "I feel better already," he told her. "And I have Prairie and Turquoise with me." The two lionesses next to him nodded. "I need to see what's happening with Bastet." He continued forward slowly, and soon was emerging from the den-like structure, headed towards Bastet.

Horizon padded quietly, feeling like she would disturb Bastet if she was too loud. It didn't take them long to arrive at the location where Bastet was giving birth. "Are they born?" she asked the two medics as soon as they came into view. She flicked her ear and turned her gaze to Bastet.

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The medic stared Will down, her brow furrowed slightly. She couldn't understand why this lion, who had nothing to do with her daughter, and barely even knew her, has taken such an interest in her. Still, she followed the lions, taking slow steps behind them.


When they arrived, one of the Healers, Zikoni was sitting in front of Bastet, who wasn't in pain anymore, but was laying on her stomach, gently grooming something between her paws, while the other Healer was packing up the supplies she had apparently brought with her. She looked exhausted, but smiled at Horizon as she approached.

"See for yourself" She flicked her tail towards the svelte piebald, encouraging the broodmother to approach her.

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Horizon stepped forward, practically glowing with excitement. "See, now, no need to worry," she said to Jewel, beaming. "Let's go see the precious little babies!" She strode over to Bastet just a little faster than she had intended to, looking like she might start bouncing up and down. She was already cooing over Bastet and the cubs - well, cub - before she had set her eyes on them.

As she was doing this, Will, who had slowly made his way over, finally arrived on the scene. He looked quite content to see that Bastet looked fine, and stopped a short distance away, sitting himself down. Turquoise moved forward to have a look at Bastet's little cub, while Prairie stayed behind with Will.

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Bastet looked absolutely exhausted but happy at the same time, as she groomed the little cub. Only one cub was born, and it was pretty small for a newborn. It had the same mutation as it's mother, while it's pelt was a shade of pink and purple, which blended together like the colors of twilight. The little ball of fur squealed every once in a while, being so cute it could make everyone's heart melt. Jewel emitted a little "Aww..." as she stepped closer to see the cub.

"It's a girl" Zikoni said, not lifting her eyes from the newborn and smiling warmly for the first time since she arrived there.

Luna stopped right next to Will. She couldn't bring herself to walk up to her daughter, although she desperately wanted to be there. Still, she barely allowed herself to show her excitement.

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Horizon Red was totally absorbed in the cub, looking like she was so happy she was going to cry. "She's so precious, she's so tiny," she murmured, looking at the itty bitty cub. "She looks so much like you," she said. "She's so beautiful. She's gorgeous! Oh, Bastet, congratulations, it's such a special feeling to have a cub, she's so tiny!"

Turquoise's eyes had lit up, and she bounded over to have a look at the cub as well. "Not much I can say that Horizon hasn't," she laughed. "Oh my, but she's pretty."

Will turned his head slightly, looking just as happy as the others, and he spotted Luna out of the corner of his eye. "Going to go say hello to the new cub?" he asked, not picking up on any discomfort or complicated emotions regarding Luna and Bastet.

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Bastet chuckled and closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them again. Her gaze was glued onto her daughter, filled with warmth and love for her special little cub.
"Thank you," She said to the lionesses, her voice hoarse from the hours of labor "I'm truly lucky I was blessed by the Ancient Ones with such a treasure."


Luna shuddered slightly at William's words, as if not expecting him to say anything to her.
"What about you?" She asked, moving only her eyes to the side to look at him.

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Horizon and Turquoise continued lathering praise on the tiny baby, but Horizon managed to cut herself off and stepped back. "You'll need some rest now," she said, looking a bit more calm. "It's exhausting giving birth, and you need to recuperate. She'll be safe here, and of course-" she turned to the medics "-you're all absolutely welcome to stay the night and as long as you need tomorrow. Will won't mind." She didn't bother checking with him, knowing he would say it was fine.

Will tilted his head as Luna shuddered. He wanted to backtrack, feeling bad for whatever he had just said wrong, but she asked him a question. "Me?" he said, shaking his head. "I hardly know her, and I don't think she wants lions swarming around her. I just wanted to make sure she was alright. The worst does happens sometimes, you know . . ."

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