A Fertile Flower

The Village lies at the center of a great expanse of dry plains, at the foot of a mountain that shields it from the dusty winds, as well as providing protection from would-be aggressors. Within this mountain lies a series of rocky caves, and at it's core resides a natural wellspring whose waters find their way across the caverns and flow all the way down towards the plains, providing the Village with precious water.

It is on this same wellspring that a rare and delicate flower grows; a strange breed of lotus bearing unique properties, some would even say magical. The process to turn the flower into a tonic is long and difficult, but when properly prepared, a drink made from this specimen can infuse the imbiber with an extraordinary degree of fertility. Whether it's a female or male that partakes of the elixir, one thing is for certain: a large litter is soon to follow.

The Den Mother is one of the few within the tribe to know how to grow, harvest and prepare this flower. It is not uncommon to see her making the trip up the mountain (usually burdened with a litter of her own) to procure the rare ingredient. Potions created from the lotus are just as scarce and precious as the flower itself, which is why the Den Mother usually reserves them for the members of the tribe who are known to produce the biggest litters, and yield the greatest numbers...

Kicking off Lion Month with Den Mother :3