They were at the forest again. This time, no one was fainted and no one was playing any cruel jokes.

The mid wife demonstrated what she wanted Mira to copy and the healer was giving Mira leg massages, the kinds she saw doctors do on tv to coma patients so their muscles do not shrink. Mira swallowed.

"Ready?" The healer asked.

To walk? Are you kidding? Mira thought. She nodded instead and said, "Yes, I am."

The healer helped her up Ming Tao’s back, holding Mira’s hand. The healer used her body as a support to Mira’s posture. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Now take a step forward." The healer said.

Mira almost stumbled to the ground but the mid wife came to her side just in time. "You’ve got this." The mid wife said.

Mira shifted her head to the side to face her. "The last time someone told me that, I pooped put five more babies." Mira said flatly. The mid wife’s face paled. This made Mira laugh. "You’re doing just fine." Mira added immediately. The last thing she wanted was another quivering situation.

Mira tried to push her leg forward. Moving it forward was not the hardest part, it was stabling it on the ground.

"That’s good. Now take another step forward." The healer said after Mira’s foot rested on the floor. The mother of the tribe’s movement was unstable but progress was progress.

Mira tried to take another step forward at their guidance and the support of their bodies at both her sides. Now, she knew how new borns felt like taking their first few steps. Every single step felt like she was about to fall and she had only managed two.

"That’s good. Now take another." The healer stated.

Mira listened. It felt odd. She felt no pain on any part of her body yet she was immobile. This time, taking a third step was easier.

"And another." The mid wife spoke this time.

Mira took a fourth step. Now a fifth. "I think I am getting a hang of this!" She commented excitedly.

"Think we should let go?" The mid wife asked.

"Bad idea." The healer responded.

"No, I got this. Let me go for a second." Mira suggested. The two of them took her weight off theirs and when Mira took another step forward, she saw the earth grow taller.

Her body fell to the ground, cheek to the dirt soil. So the healer was right, that was a bad idea, Mira thought as she sat up. She could not even put the blame on anyone.

"Again!" She beamed. The mid wife and healer helped her up.

"We can take a break if you want." The healer suggested.

"Are you kidding? I’m just getting started." Mira said. Now they assumed the earlier pose as they directed her to walk over and over again till the day was way too dark to see without torches. And Mira could not walk on her own.

"Ying Hua and Xin Yi thank you for your time, my wife and I will take it from here." Jia Hao said.

The lionesses had relief written all over their faces at his words. They were worked and tired to the bone and Mira seemed like every second was a good second to learn.

They immediately let go of Mira. "Yes, my king. We shall leave you to it." They chorused and bowed at the same time, now they fled scared he would change his mind or the wife would call them back.

Ming Tao held Mira in their stead. Now, it was just all three of them that remained in the darkness.

"Those ungrateful lionesses! They left me without a second thought." Mira complained, her voice a sing song.

"To be fair, I would bolt too if I was in their shoes." Ming Tao said.

Mira tsked. "You are in their shoes." She corrected.

Ming Tao chuckled. "I know. Same thing."

Mira smacked his shoulder. "I do not give you the permission to speak, you!"

"Yes, supreme leader."

This seemed like a mock. Mira squinted. She knew she told Ming Tao to call her that but now, it seemed like sarcasm.

"Mira, do you perhaps think you should take it easy on them? People who work need breaks and time to eat." Jia Hao stepped in.

"You have been there all along, you did not say anything or complain before." Mira huffed.

"That is because I am your husband. I don’t quite have a choice."

Mira sighed. Now that she thought about it, if she was working under an employer like her, she would quit the very day and tell the employer to suck on it. "You’re right. I wanted to walk so badly that I did not consider the others. Think they would come again tomorrow to help me?"

"Don’t bet on it." Jia Hao said.

Mira sighed. Jia Hao laughed. "A complimentary thank you present would help. I mean, you did cause one to faint on the first day." Jia Hao said.

That did not seem too bad. Mira looked up to face him. "I will consider it!" She snapped. "Thank you." She added.

"It is my pleasure." Jia Hao said. Now he was by her side. "Now, I want to release Ming Tao of his duties and be your legs." He added.

Jia Hao stepped to the side Ming Tao was at behind Mira and put his arms behind her back and at the back of her knees then scooped her up the ground.

Ming Tao mouthed a thank you as he stepped to the side. Jia Hao nodded. He noticed something about his wife. She was something else while pregnant. She was fixated on getting what she wanted no matter what it was and did whatever she could to achieve that and she always did. And, she could be so absorbed with achieving something that she would forget normal reasonings and conditions while trying to achieve that. And she hated stupid things and responses. That and many more. The list was long yet it intrigued him to want to find out more the more he spent time with her.

Mira wrapped her hands around Jia Hao’s neck. "I wanted the one who took me back to wash me, so thank you for offering to relieve Ming Tao of the stress." Mira said. She saw Ming Tao mouth the words to Jia Hao. This was her own petty way of revenge.

Ming Tao’s eyes widened. "I don’t need to be released now, Jia Hao, I can take it from here." The cheetah said.

Jia Hao shoved him off. He stuck his tongue out at Ming Tao then mouthed ’you got the breasts earlier, now I get to see everything else.’