Jasper's Litter

Ch 1

A cold breeze drifted in through the den as Jasper curled closer to her healthy litter of four. The cubs were mewling and purring as they snuggled with each other and their mother until their mother got up. The group glanced up to Jasper, mewling at her. Jasper simply glanced down to the cubs, smiling and chuffing to the group. The feral gem licked her cub's cheeks before deciding to leave to go and get food for them. It was awfully chilly outside but mostly because it was winter. Jasper's small layer of fur and insulating fat was there to help her keep warm but her four cubs didn't have their small layer of fur or insulating fat. Mostly because they were only three months old.

Jasper padded out of the den, her paws scrunching in the snow beneath her. She opened her mouth, whiffing in the scent of the air. She caught the small scent of a hare, glancing around. The large quartz noticed a tiny white hare, staring at it. She focused on the hare, pressing lower to the ground as she began to creep toward it. It wasn't long before she pounced at the creature in which it began to run for it's life that was soon no longer as Jasper caught it in her jaws. She proudly wandered back to her den to feed the hare to her squealing and chirruping cubs. The quartz dropped the hare beside her four cubs who immediately began to fight for the share of the food. Jasper smiled and she left once again to go out and continue hunting for more food for her cubs. Luckily, she lived in an area where food was plentiful, especially in the spring.

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Seconds passed. Minuets passed. Hours passed. Days, and then months. Finally, spring was known and Jasper's cubs were following their her out of the den to watch her hunt. The cubs were growing in size but still, they weren't as big as their mother. Or as strong. Luckily, they had their small layer of fur and their insulating fat to keep warm but not warm enough to survive a winter alone. They all still depended on their mother. 

Jasper ushered her cubs to get down as they were nearing hunting grounds where deer were. The large gem smiled and she turned away, carefully creeping towards one of the largest deer of the small group of three. The quartz carefully stood still before taking off, beginning to chase the deer. She snarled, pouncing onto the large creature as she furiously bit at it's thigh and scratched at it's shoulder. The deer fell to the ground along with Jasper, the cubs rushing behind as soon as the two hit the ground. Jasper pushed herself up and she smiled sweetly at the cubs before beginning to feast on the kill. The cubs happily joined in with their mother who proudly began to purr. Soon enough, Jasper stopped eating to let her cubs have the rest. She began to groom herself, closing her eyes and delightfully sighing. "Mrrrr..."

One of the smallest cubs glanced up to her mother, wandering over to her after she finished eating. She sat beside her, smiling gently. Jasper glanced down to the cub with a purr, leaning down to begin grooming her. Soon enough, all of the cubs surrounded their mother before they squealed and squeaked to be groomed too. Jasper carefully groomed each of her cubs who smiled in delight. They continued to scream and squeal at their mother happily who continued grooming them before pulling away and laying down. She was going to rest for a bit until it was time to head out to teach her cubs how to start hunting.

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One of the largest cubs had finally caught her first squirrel in the early spring. The others were beginning to catch their own prey as well but the smallest cub—the runt—wasn't doing all that well. Jasper had to still assist her in hunting while the others were growing much more independent as they aged. Most of them were around 15 months old and they seemed ready to leave their mother to go out and find a mate for themselves. However, the runt of the litter didn't want to leave her mother.

Soon enough, the three siblings decided to leave their mother after saying their goodbyes. The runt simply stood close to her mother, glancing up to her and whimpering gently. Jasper glanced down to her, slowly blinking before pushing her aside as she tried to tell her to go. She then turned away, padding away from the young cub as she made her way back to her den. The runt longingly watched her mother with wide wet eyes. She followed her mother, only to be growled at. Jasper tried to drive her cub away to go out and find herself a mate. The runt let out a pitiful whine as she backed up, watching her mother wander away. The runt decided to continue following her mother, desperate to join her and stay with her forever. Although forever wasn't going to last. 

Jasper glanced back to her daughter who whimpered, lowering her head and submissively nuzzling against her mother. Jasper's look softened and she leaned down, licking the runt's cheek as she began purring. The two stuck close together before Jasper simply glanced away and then headed into the den. Her daughter joined, laying close to her mother.

"Mmrramm.." The runt chirped.
"Prrrr.." Jasper simply responded, licking the cub's cheek and laying her head down. For now, the two would rest and maybe adventure in the morning.