Mirai was a curious cub. She loved asking her father questions late at night when she was supposed to be sleeping. It seemed her brain was most awake at night. Unfortunately for her, Pulan, her father was a little less truthful when he was eager to sleep. So when Mirai’s favourite night time question became the question of why she looked different to others, Pulan’s answers were… Rather unique.
“Why not? Don't want to be the same as everyone else” He replied the first night, hoping it wouldn't come up again. Mirai wasn’t to be dissuaded though. The question soon returned. But this time Pulan had a new answer.
“One night, when you were even littler a radioactive bat bit you, and so you became a bat lion, ready to defeat evil and be a true superhero.” That placated her for a week. It also made her do more chores and be kinder, after all that's what superheroes do right? But soon the novelty began to fade, as it does with young cubs and so her dash of good deeds settled to a more normal level.
“Ok I lied.” He said seriously before his face split into a grin. She didn't return it, sulkily watching her father. She was teething, her fangs a little sore and so she wasn't as impressed by her father's stories. “You bit the bat, not the other way around.” He laughed, laughing harder as she tried to keep a straight face. It didn't work for long.
A month or so later Mirai asked about her mother. After all, the other two cubs in their small pride had mothers, where was hers? Pulan for once wasnt sure how to answer. He had fallen in love before, but nothing had come of it. He thought for a moment before answering.
“I kissed a bat once, don't kiss toads though, you don't want to know how your brother turned out.” He had joked another time. That scared her though, worried about this lost warty toad sibling. Pulan had taken that lie back before the night was up.
“Well each of your little spots is a kiss I gave you when you were young… Oh you meant your wings and horns?” Pulan rolled his eyes and Mirai head butted him fondly. “Oh, come on how was I supposed to know, the first thing I always notice is just how cute you are.”
Mirai often knew her father was lying to her. Though she hated the connotations that came with lies, her father's answers were often a lot more like stories.
Stories that had helped her become the lioness she was now. They made her feel like she could be a good lioness, that she was loved and appreciated. When she was young she had worried this wasn't the case. Cubs and parents alike in the small lion tribe had pulled away from her and made strange gestures. But her father was always there and he never once pulled away or got annoyed at her.
As she grew up and things started to change Mirai started to wonder if she had imagined cubs and parents avoiding her. It didn't seem they did so now. Mirair was often a favourite in the pride as she had such a strong moral compass. She never spoke out of line, always tried to help others and worked hard.
It helped that every lion was important for the small pride, no one had the luxury of slacking off or being rebellious. They became more tight knit the harsher conditions got. And so Mirai’s flaws suddenly didn't seem so important, as long as she helped catch prey.
And catch prey she did. Being able to fly was easily her greatest strength, she caught birds and made for excellent ambushes. And when even birds were scarce she used her super powered ears to discover prey under the ground or hidden in tree trunks, be that rodent or sometime insects. Mirai was invaluable, so after just a year of her being huntress she became well respected, any superstition left on the back burner. It didn't seem to matter so much when Mirai was so obviously on the pride’s side.
So while Mirai knew she should hate how her father felt the need to lie to her it only made her thankful. She never felt unloved or unworthy. She always knew she could be just as helpful to the pride as any other cub, if not more helpful.
But of course, all good things must end. Pulan fell sick, his body racked with coughs even as the harsh winter warmed up. His days were numbered and the pride-
The pride was falling apart. They were no longer a close knit family. Instead sickness, rivalries and fighting over the last few resources had torn the small pride apart until one by one they went their separate ways. A couple of families had even offered to take Mirai with them, one mother even begging her to give up on her ailing father.
Even Pulan himself had told her to move on. But Mirai wasn't like that. Superheroes didn't do that, renown huntresses didn't do that.
“You should've gone with them, f-fangster dear.” Her father croaked, laying down and shivering despite the many leaves she had covered him with. She was on the lookout, without a pride you never knew when some hyena’s might linger too close.
“I'm not leaving.” She said, more steel in her voice than Pulan had heard before.
“They could have helped a new pride accept you.” That made Mirai take more notice. She came closer, laying by her father's side and lay a wing across him. He smiled softly at her, eyes filled with love as they always were.
“What do you mean father? I'll be fine, Ill just show them how valuable I am.” Pulan shook his head sadly.
“They won't give you the chance. I think it’s time I told you the truth.”
“Dad?”
“You're adopted.”
“Dad please you've been listening to too many stories again.”
“No, Mirai I'm serious this time.” He raises up onto his front paws as much as he can, watching as Mirai now paces. “I stole you from some demons, they were trying to make you like them.” Mirai’s world was crashing. None of this was right. Mirai couldn't be a demon! They were evil, cruel, their only purpose was destruction.
“I- No that can't be right, please Dad tell me you're lying.”
“I couldn't keep lying, but know this. You always make your own truth.”
Word count (1097/1100)
Username: minifun990
Lion name: Mirai
Lion gender: Female
Pride link: Mystic IslesPride Status: Lost Inom
Prompt: (Above : ))
