WIP Wednesday: Wildfire's Requiem

 

“I want to thank you again for making time to speak to us tonight,” Raymond Durant announced. He was the only one who hadn’t reached for a bite of food yet. To Pike’s sensitive nose, the lion smelled nervous, sweaty despite how high the air conditioning was cranked in the room.

Nathan paused with a bit of smoked beef halfway to his mouth. “I’m still not sure what any of this is all about but I’m willing to listen.”

Ray drummed his fingers on the arm of the couch, sighed heavily, then drummed a bit more. “Have you heard about the dissolution of the Chihuahuan Pride?”

“Only bits and pieces,” Pike replied when Nathan didn’t, likely because his brother had never been one for keeping up with the news.

“I had family among the pride, half-siblings many of which are considerably younger than me. Normally, it would be easy to place cubs, but in their case, it’s been next to impossible. My brother Troy and I are in the process of expanding our home so we can take in as many of the littlest ones as we can handle. It’s the oldest two I’m concerned about.”

“We are able to offer his sister, Marissa, a place in our home, and a chance to see if she would be the right fit for anyone in our family,” Gene said.

He and his brother Dave sat to the left of Ray. Middle-aged Lions, they ran the pride’s grocery store and had a reputation for being honest, even-tempered, and generous with their time and goods. Now it seemed they were willing to be equally generous with they home. They had several children around Pike and Nathan’s age who were likely looking to do as Nathan and Pike were and begin seeking out mates to begin families of their own with. Even if she didn’t match with one if their family members, they would see to it that she was provided for until she found mates and a home of her own. That was just the kind of lions they were.

“The thing is, I have a brother, Misha. He’s shy and sweet and not one who could be the head of his own household,” Ray explained. “Earl said that you two had indicated a preference for male mates over female ones. I wondered if you might be willing to let him live here with you and see if he might be a good fit. I don’t have much, especially not with the unexpected little ones, but I’ll give you what I can spare to cover the extra expense. I just don’t have the room for him. I’m building bunk beds for the kids, but for now, most of them are sleeping in my bed or on makeshift pallets until I can get them done.”

“If you need a hand, we can be there first thing in the morning.” Nathan offered.

“That would be a relief, thank you.” Ray said, exhaling heavily. That sweaty, nervous smell was beginning to fade, replaced by a calmer, less acidic smell.

Pike knew that to mean the lion had voiced the request he’d no doubt laid awake tossing and turning about.

“No problem,” Pike replied. “As for the rest of it. You won’t be paying us shit. If a lion is living in our home, then they are our responsibility. You save your money for those cubs. How’s your new mate handling this unexpected twist?”

“With the type of ruffled grace that I can certainly appreciate,” Ray said. “She’s gone into the city with her mother and grandfather to try and get everything the kids might need.”

“Exactly how many are we talking?” Nathan asked.

“Eight, including a pair of four-year-old triplets.”

Pike let out a long, low whistle, while Nathan shook his head. “Damn.”

“Exactly.”

“We’ve stocked their pantry, and the Russell’s delivered the two bunk beds they had in stock,” Dave explained. “And rush ordered two other sets, along with a slew of bedroom furniture, but I’m sure you are aware of that.”

“I wondered what that was about, but we’ve already begun work on their order. Our uncles are handling half to ensure it’s finished in a timely manner,” Nathan said.

“I appreciate it,” Ray said. “Our house is barely livable. I never expected to find Libby or any mate before I had it ready to be properly inhabited. I don’t even have the linin closet lined, let alone stocked.”

“It will be alright,” Earl said. “We will make some calls this evening and by tomorrow it will be full of towels and blankets for you and the cubs.”

“Thank you,” Ray murmured. He looked exhausted. Pike couldn’t imagine he and Nathan would look any better if they had suddenly found themselves charged with raising all their younger siblings. What had happened in Chihuahuan, a pride in fragments and lions imprisoned for their beliefs, was one of the many reasons their pride was being formed as many fled untenable situations before it was too late. Pike wondered if Ray’s family had seen the writing on the wall and chosen to ignore it, or if they had been unable to move fast enough with so many cubs.

“You’ll find that we look out for our own, whether they were born into this pride, or adopted into it,” Pike said. “That’s why so many of us traveled so far to build here. So we could create something safe for any lion willing to live in peace and harmony with their neighbors.”

“For that I’m eternally grateful,” Ray said. “To all of you.”

“Please let Misha know he can return home with us tomorrow night,” Nathan said, “we’ll have a room fixed up for him, and an order in at the diner that we can pick up on the way. What are some of his favorite foods?”

Tears welled up in Ray’s eyes upon hearing the question. No doubt relieved that his brother would be well cared for and welcomed into his new home. It would take time to see if he would be a permanent match for them, but Pike found himself hoping he would be, despite not having met the lion yet. Probably just the emptiness of the house and the urgings every lion felt to fill one.