FSE

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The savanna was calm as the orange radiance of evening slowly set into the dull purple of twilight. The long strands of dry grass swayed in the light breeze, like rippling waves of silver over the ocean of parched vegetation. Above, the stars began to creep out, small specs of light fading into reality as if they were holes suddenly pricked into the canvas of the darkening sky. Birds flitted across the growing gloom as shadows began to pool like liquid between the isolated trees and boulders, while herds of zebra, gazelle, and wildebeests began to gather at the water hole below the gentle slope for the night.

All were watched by a pair of hungry eyes as the lone lioness lingered upon the shallow ridge. The front of her body perched on a fallen log, as she regarded the prey. Her shoulders rolled under her dark brown fur, the glow of her coat like chocolate fire in the sunset glow. Yet for all of her hunting prowess and strength, her tummy growled and ached with hunger.

Serena had not been able to hunt properly for quite some time. Her claws had grown dull, her instincts blunt all while a certain issue in her midsection had swelled larger and larger. To say she was showing her almost full-term belly, was an understatement. The lioness was pregnant and fit to burst any day now, her belly the size of the vast moon slowly rising on the opposing horizon. The weight of her cubs alone was a huge pressure on her spine, regardless of the odd hiccups and flutters she could feel as her body prepared for labor.

The sensations only added to her apprehension. They were her first cubs, and she didn't even have any idea how many were in there, let alone what would happen when she finally popped. Nevertheless, nature wasn't so kind to the expectant mother, the fact her belly made it far too hard to hunt, had left her needing. She was starved, and as soon as the cubs were born, she'd have to catch something for all of them.

Maybe I really should have thought about this all before I let him do this to me? She thought as she leaned away from the log, huge gut rocking from side to side like a sack of flour between her legs. He was just so sweet and handsome, no wonder all those other lionesses wanted to be with him.

She was well aware now, of her mistake. The father of her cubs was the leader of another pride, a pride that she wasn't a part of. She'd always been alone, and the other females her mate courted had been very swift to chase her off, leaving her isolated once again, well... Almost isolated.

"Oof!" The shrill sound left the lionesses' mouth before she could think as a small kick jabbed at the taut walls of her tight belly.

She paused mid-stride; one forepaw raised stiff as a statue as she glanced back at the small bump rolling in her bloated midsection.

"Oh, are you guys still hungry too?" she asked, ears folding as she frowned, only for her babies to squirm again. "Aww, I know, I know, I'm sorry, but I can't catch food right now."

She felt a new weight of shame fall over her as she drooped. Like there were millstones tethered to her neck she dragged herself over to a tree and set down with her back to the rugged trunk. Her belly was hard as a rock under her sleek fur, the odd ripples and light shudders she could feel lancing through the taut mass assuring her the time was soon coming for her to be a mother.

"I don't know if I can do this," she sighed, running a forepaw up and down her bump. "Me and my stupid decisions, I never should have let this happen."

It was the first time she'd ever felt genuine regret on someone else's behalf. She didn't know where her new soft side had been summoned from, motherhood had forced her sympathy to bloom like blossoms in spring as she regarded her tightly packed tummy. When she'd first realised she was pregnant, she'd detested the swelling bump slowly ruining her sleek figure. Yet when her babies had ballooned too large for her to move properly, she'd become very glad to have the constant company of kicks and wriggles deep inside her.

Now all she could do was think about how her recklessness had led to hardship for not just herself, but her cubs too. The thought almost made her cry as she attempted to get up, yet the weight rolling between her legs made it very difficult.

"Right, guess we're stuck here for tonight, great," she huffed, glancing around as birds flitted from the undergrowth. "I just hope we don't get caught..."

"My, my, what do we have here?" The sudden sound of a stranger's voice had Serena on edge, pinned by her belly as she may be, her eyes darted towards the disturbance, her teeth bared as she wobbled forward awkwardly.

"Whoa, whoa, now. Don't get up!" added the stranger, as the lioness focused to see her standing upon a rock to the right of the tree.

She was a cheetah, Serena knew one of the smaller, faster cats when she saw one. The true solo hunters of the savanna, they were far quicker than she was, especially in her gravid state.

But if she'd wanted to catch me, she'd have done it by now? The mother to be wondered, narrowing her eyes at the other cat. What does she want?

She asked as much, voice dropping into a low growl as she made extra sure to display her far larger teeth to her fellow feline. In response the cheetah pressed a speckled forepaw to her slim chest, her look softening as she responded.

"I don't want anything that needs you to be so defensive," she assured, eyes lingering on Serena's bloated tummy as she added. "You look like you could pop any second, maybe you need some help?"

Her, help me? Why? The pregnant lionesses' eyes were still sharp as daggers as she ran a forepaw over her belly and asked bluntly.

"I can deal with my own issues, thank you." She really had to wonder if that was true as the cheetah gave her an oddly motherly look, head tilting curiously. "Besides... Ah...!" She was cut off by a strong kick, wincing as she forced. "W-Why would you help me?"

"Because I know how it feels," she admitted, turning to the side to reveal the small cub on her back.

"Mommy, why is she so big?" he cooed, jabbing a forepaw at Serena's tummy. "She won't need food if she's so fat!"

"Now, now, we don't go calling others fat, okay?" the smaller mother told her cub, and he blushed, pressing his face into the back of her neck timidly. "Sorry, he's never seen this before."

She's a single mother too, just like me...? Serena's thoughts began to wander as she felt her belly grow a little tighter. Maybe I should get her help, for my cubs' sake?

"Okay, okay... But... Why?" The lioness shifted uncomfortably as her belly shuddered, grunting. "You can just have all the food to yourself."

The cheetah smiled knowingly.

"That is true, I could." She lifted a forepaw, flexing each claw as if to count. "But for one, I could hunt all I want and have some bigger predators take it from me, or..." She flexed a second claw. "I could help you, and in return, we help each other eat? Two is better than one."

"Funny talk from a runner like you," Serena observed, cocking her head in confusion. "I thought you all rolled solo?"

"We often do, but..." The cheetah stretched and lay down, her cub nuzzling into the crux of her neck. "I was never one for tradition, if it meant I could give him a better life." She nodded back to him as he yawned.

That's exactly what I want, isn't it? The mother to be thought, rubbing her trembling belly_. I'll do it for them, to make up for my mistake._

"Okay fine, you hunt, and I'll protect you, we have a deal," she agreed, hiding just how much relief she found in the revelation as she nodded. "I just don't know... Oof..." She cupped her bump in her forepaws. "How good I'll be at that right now."

She shifted and shuddered, unable to get comfy as her tummy twitched and wobbled, gurgling hungrily.

Meanwhile, the cheetah pressed a forepaw to her muzzle and giggled, while unable to hold back, Serena frowned, asking sourly.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing." She waved the idea off with a flick of her forepaw as she chuckled once more. "Just with the way you look, I don't think we'll have to wait on your cubs for too long."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Serena muttered begrudgingly, shifting to the left as she felt another tight kick. "Gah... Why are they suddenly kicking so much!?"

"They're excited to meet their mother, of course," The cheetah remarked, before she lifted her head proudly and added. "Or they just love the sound of my voice."

Great, so she's kind, motherly, and sarcastic! The full-term lioness thought, shooting her new companion a deadpan look. Isn't this going to be the start of such an interesting relationship?