"I'm pregnant."
A series of sudden gasps echoed among the gathering crowd of lionesses, listening in on Kopa and
Kuwinda's conversation. Word spread like wildfire from lioness to lioness, followed by even more
gasps in the distance. These words shuddered through Kopa's body, forcing a shiver of dark coldness
through every cell of his body.
Did she really say that? He looked into her now soaked brown eyes. He could see the dishonour, the
fear in her eyes. He slowly licked the side of her face, causing her to brush her head into his mane.
"It's okay, Kuwinda." Kopa gently whispered. "We'll find a way to make this work." The pair
continued to embrace one another, with Kuwinda slowly calming down with every brush through
Kopa's mane. She could feel all sense of dishonour ebb from her body, replaced with a sense of
place, a sense of pride.
But this would not last...
"Kopa?" Karimu, who until now had laid in the shadows, watched as her mate caressed and
comforted the younger lioness with just as much affection and love he had shown for her. She slowly
approached the pair, leaving her cubs sleeping, huddled up to one another for warmth and comfort
unaware of their mother's departure from their comfortable embrace. "Who's this?"
"Oh!" Kopa departed from his and Kuwinda's embrace, standing between the two lionesses. He
could see this situation falling into complete and utter chaos. "Karimu, this is Kuwinda. Kuwinda..."
Kuwinda interrupted him. "Karimu!?" She slowly stumbled backwards, her voice cracking under the
revelation of who stood before her. She started to tear up once more. "He... He found you!" Karimu
now sat beside Kopa, gently brushing against his scarred side. Kuwinda could feel the love pulsing
between the two, what Kopa meant to the slightly older lioness.
It was at this moment that the two cubs, Ulinzi and Amani, realised their mother had moved away
from them. Waking up, the cubs pounced onto their parents, cuddling up to them as they both fell to
sleep on top of each other. They snuggled in between Kopa and Karimu, using their body heat to
comfort them.
Kuwinda's tears only heightened as she saw this scene. How could she break up such a beautiful
family? Karimu was Kopa's first mate. She was the princess of an entire kingdom. But Kuwinda? She
was nothing. Just a worthless lioness who just happened to mate with him. She didn't deserve such
love, such affection. How could she even deserve the honour of bearing his cubs? Kopa was a
legend. Everyone else was right.
These thoughts poisoned Kuwinda's mind. With every passing thought, every passing second, an
unprecedented level of fear, regret and hopelessness flushed through her body. As Kopa looked back
up at her, Kuwinda turned, ready to sprint away from him. Her entire face soaked in an explosion of
tears.
"Kuwin-Ughh" As Kopa leapt to try and comfort the lioness, she kicked him in the jaw sending him
flying backwards a few feet. He could only watch on as his love sprinted through the crowd of
lionesses, disappearing into the horizon. Half of his heart, his soul, fell into complete darkness. He
looked up to see Karimu standing above him, snarling her teeth as Kuwinda ran away. However, she
quickly diminished this, realising the younger lioness wasn't a threat.
She could feel the fear in her heart, the unworthiness. A sense of empathy, sympathy brushed
through Karimu's heart. She knew all too well. What it was like to be close to Kopa. It was like
standing next to a god. Even the greatest lioness would find it hard to feel worthy of such an honour.
"Kopa?" The young princess nudged her mate to his feet, licking his chin as he did so. She could feel
him shaking in shock. How could Kuwinda hurt him so much? Kopa didn't reply to Karimu's embrace.
Instead, he shot to his feet, sprinting away further down the canyon in the opposite direction to
Kuwinda. Karimu sprinted after him, shocked by his reaction to such a thing. Her mind flashed with
questions.
Who was Kuwinda? Did Kopa truly love her? Did they have history? She needed answers. And so, she
sprinted after him, following the trail of salty tears left behind in his wake.
…
After following Kopa’s trail, Karimu came across a sight she never liked to see. In the corner of a
shallow cave, she saw Kopa, huddled up to himself, glistening in a beam of light. His emotion-rich
sobs echoed through the cave's opening, bellowing out into the land beyond. To see such a
powerful, loving and caring lion in such a state. It broke her heart. She slowly approached, silently
and steadily. She found herself at his side, where she belonged.
"Kopa?" Her breath stuttered. She saw the claw marks burnt into the walls of the cave, slicing
through solid rock. Signs of Kopa's anger, sadness and rage. It wasn't the first time she had seen it,
but it had been a while. As she slowly approached his face, hoping to give him an affectionate,
stress-relieving lick, he shot up, seemingly ready to strike. His once cuddly, handsome mane ignited
with bright white, yellow flames before a tint of green flickered through it. She also noticed a scar
burning across his eye, illuminated in the same greenish flame.
"RRRAAAAAHHHH!" The young lion lunged at a boulder nestled nearby, his claws smothered in an
unknowable flame. With one slash, the boulder split into two, falling down to the floor with a mighty
crunch. The cut itself bubbled, its molten surface disintegrating as it cooled.
Karimu shot back in terror. She had never seen Kopa act in such a destructive, aggressive mood
before. Her fear kept her away from him. Yet, she couldn't help but feel empathy for the young lion.
She knew some of the things he had been through, had seen. It was enough to kill most creatures,
but not him. It only scarred him, in both mind and body.
"I'm sorry." Kopa slowly cooled down, his mane returning to normal he arose to his paws, walking up
and down the cave. "It's just... stress." Karimu didn't reply. She just let her mate continue to stroll,
watch him pace up and down, thinking. "Everyone is looking at me for answers… about Scar." He
turned to face her, his cheeks soaked with his tears, a rare sight indeed. "And I don't have any."
Karimu finally gained the courage to approach him. Her body still shook with the fear that he could
easily kill her if he wanted too. But her love for him was too much. She didn't like to see him like this
and wanted to help. "It's not your fault, Kopa." She brushed herself against his cold body, warming
his heart with her love. He released a series of small hums, acknowledging her presence.
"It's okay. We'll find a way." Karimu promised him. The very same promise that Kopa had made to
his other love before she ran away. A part of his mind still played through this event, etching it into
his memory. It only confirmed something that he had thought about for years now.
"I'm a terrible mate!" Kopa cried into Karimu's shoulder. "I never deserved you, or Kuwinda." He
rubbed his ears through her fur, before removing his head from her embrace. As he did, he hid in the
corner of the cave, refusing to look at his mate.
Karimu wasn't having any of this, however, and grasped his muzzle with her paw. As she did, she
dragged him out back into the opening. A fiery feeling burst through her heart, as she put her
beloved in his place.
"Kopa, you are worthy." She gently started to lick his face, cleaning it of the dust and dirt that had
gathered over it. "I've heard the stories of what you've done." Kopa looked into her eyes as they
watered. "I couldn't be prouder of you." He could sense every tremor of pride, every tremor of love
in her voice.
Maybe he did deserve her. But Kuwinda? He knew he couldn't have her now. He had to let her go,
even if he loved her just as much as Karimu.
"But I cheated on you." Kopa whimpered, his ears flopping down to the side. He broke free of
Karimu's grasp and walked around, before turning back to face her. "I slept with another lioness and
now she's pregnant."
"And?" The young lioness shrugged her shoulders before slowly approaching him, brushing her body
past his. She looked up into his warm if unusually broken and nervous eyes. "Kopa, my father had
three mates and he was a tenth of the lion you are." She gave him an affectionate lick across his face
once more. "It's natural for this to happen. It's why we have prides."
What Karimu said was true. The Uasiland's rulers always did have multiple mates in case one died. It
wasn't unusual at all. But in the Pridelands, where Kuwinda and Kopa were brought up, it was rare
and frowned upon. You were betrothed, at a young age. Most of the time, your betrothed would
become your only mate and you would spend your life with them.
But wait! Kopa's mind sparked with a new revelation. Something Karimu's father had said on his
deathbed, as he died in Kopa's paws after Scar's attack on the Uasilands. Coughing up his last breath
of blood.
The old king had said "Find Karimu, and together, forge the Pride anew..." It had taken all these
months for Kopa to truly figure out what he meant. He was guiding him, them, back to the Uasilands,
to reclaim the throne. To regain the Uasi Pride. But the Uasilands was always ruled by two. A king
and a queen. Karimu, by all rights, would be queen. But the king?
The stone had dropped into water. Ripples of possibilities grew out in its path, flushing through the
very fabric of reality itself. Kopa knew what had to be done. What they had to do. He looked back at
Karimu, a strength returning to his body like no other. He slowly approached his mate and, without
thinking, gave her an affectionate lick across her muzzle. She opened her mouth, allowing him to
enter. Their kiss lasted a few minutes, before Kopa departed, both lions breathless.
"Thank you.” Kopa smiled at his mate, as she looked at him, bewildered. "We need to go."
"What?" Karimu shot back a bit, stunned by his remark "Where?"
"Home." Kopa looked back at her, his smile impossible to ignore. He slowly approached her once
more, brushing against her own side. "My queen." He bowed before her, watching every inch of her
face swell with confusion. Until it hit her. The truth of their situation.
"The Uasilands?" Her eyes erupted with a hazel sparkle. All she could think of were the lush green
plains and succulent, snowy mountain peaks hanging over the life filled land beneath. It would be
perfect, for both them and the animals now made homeless by Scar. Besides, a secret, unknown
power lay at its core…
"It's not as... pretty, as it was." Kopa turned away from Karimu but quickly gained her eyesight once
more. "And it's not going to be easy but it's our best hope." Just as he stopped talking, he felt Karimu
pounce on him, pinning him to the ground in pure excitement. She couldn't contain her excitement
and love.
"You're amazing, Kopa." She licked his face once more, seemingly never losing her affection this
action gave. "We can invite the Pridelanders to become a part of the pride, we'd have a strong
connection with the Pridelands." Her excitement knew no bounds. "This is the best idea ever!"
However, there was still something bugging Kopa. He still cared about Kuwinda and wanted her to
be a part of this, like he had promised. With her hunting skills, the Uasi Pride wouldn't need to worry
about food or defence. She was strong, capable and apparently a great leader.
"What about Kuwinda? She could be our Lead Huntress?" Kopa asked, receiving an understanding
smile from Karimu. She turned away slightly, apparently thinking of his proposal.
"It would put her in contact with you? And it would be nice for her cubs to be raised by their father
too?" Her mind clicked until it came to its conclusion. "She can come." Kopa leapt at this, his heart
fully healed once more. But Karimu wasn't finished talking just yet.
"But! I wish to see her first. I need to get to know this new mate of yours if we are to share our
'responsibilities' of handling you." She gave him a flirtatious look, brushing his chin with the tuft of
her tail. He instantly knew what she meant and returned the grin.
"Besides, if you are to be my king, we need to 'become one'." She grinned as she turned around,
wandering off as Kopa sat there, questioning what she was on about.
Did she really mean…? Oh...
He followed her, eager to show his loyalty. But she halted, placing her paw on his muzzle once more.
"Not now, big guy." A small, cute giggle escaped her muzzle. "Tonight, under the stars." She released
his muzzle as she heard the small pitter-patter of cub paws running towards them. Their cubs, Ulinzi
and Amani, galloped towards them, trying to knock each other over as they ran towards their
parents.
Amani leapt at her mother, snuggling into her warm, comforting fur. Ulinzi, however, cuddled up to
his father, brushing his small head through that magnificent, almighty mane. A maze of fur ready to
cuddle into. Kopa looked at Karimu, who cooed at the sight of her son, bonding with his father.
"I'll go and see Kuwinda, tell her the good news." She flicked her tail across her mate's chin as she
crossed him, ready to head off down the canyon. "Could you watch Ulinzi? Have some father and
son time?" She smiled down at them, happy to see them bonding in such a way. She knew that she
had made the right choice in Kopa, he was going to be a great father.
"Sure." Kopa looked up at his son, who was now dangling over his father's head, looking down at him
through his mane. Kopa turned his attention back to Karimu. "Just be careful."
"I will." Karimu shouted as she and Amani wandered off down the canyon, heading back towards the
hyena lair where the other survivors rested, waiting for anyone to lead them. The young lion didn't
care about this at the moment, Kopa was content just to spend some quality time with his son, to
take a break from the stresses and chaos of leadership and just be a father. He never thought this
would happen, not in a million years, and as he cuddled and licked his playful son, he knew his plan
would work. It had to.
For the Pridelands...
For the Uasilands...
For his pride...
…
The sun arose completely over the Outlands, consuming the land of all nutrients, all moisture. In the
warmth of day, a lone lioness, along with her infant cub, wandered the land in their search for a lost
sister in Pride, or soon to be at least.
"Kuwinda!" Karimu called, her voice ricocheting off the Outland's rocky, scarred landscape. She
scanned the horizon, waiting for any sign of the younger lioness to come through. Yet, there were
none. It was as if Kuwinda had sprinted off the face of the earth. The soft, sweet body of her
daughter, Amani, brushed against her side as she sat down, watching over the land.
"Kuwinda!" She called out once more. But again, nothing. The young lioness sighed out her
frustration. How could she find a fellow lioness that didn't want to be found? As she felt a pair of
small teeth nibbling her tail. Karimu looked down, watching her daughter play and learn.
As she sat there, a strong, eastern breeze blew through the land, howling through the many cracks
and caverns etched into the land. Alongside this, a shallow, seemingly moan-filled cry hummed
through its howl. A sweet, feminine scent brushed her sensitive muzzle, definitely of a lioness. Could
it be Kuwinda?
Karimu arose to her paws once more, following the breeze and the scent it carried. Her daughter
followed suit, pouncing onto her back before laying down, falling into a deep nap. After a few
moments, they arrived at a cave nestled in a deep canyon. Its walls stretched all the way to the sky.
As she slowly entered the cave, she instantly recognised the sound of heavy sobbing. Etched on the
wall a shadow of a strong, capable lioness boomed. It was clear she was heartbroken. Her body had
curled up, shaking in fear and agony.
As Karimu turned the corner to see the lioness in the flesh, Kuwinda's light brown eyes shot open
from the depths of her paws. Her cheeks flooded with tears, absolutely soaked in their salty
presence.
"Stay away from me!" The young huntress screamed, curling up into the corner of the cave. She tried
to cower back into the wall as far as she could, hiding her from the approaching lioness and her cub.
Karimu slowly approached, leaving her daughter behind, but still within visual range. She could see
that Kuwinda was scared, nervous. She could attack at any moment. The young huntress was
stronger too, so this could end pretty poorly for the soon to be queen. But Karimu remembered her
and Kopa's pan. They needed Kuwinda. Kopa needed Kuwinda.
"It's okay, Kuwinda." The lioness cooed. "I'm not here to hurt you." Now within nuzzling distance,
Karimu brushed her neck against Kuwinda's feeling the huntress' strong, muscular, yet cuddly and
soft neck. "Kopa sent me to bring you back."
"Kopa?" Kuwinda's ears flickered up at her love's name. Her head raised from the comfort of her wet
paws, staring at the slightly older lioness before her. "...wants me?"
"We both need you." Karimu smiled down at her. "We've found a way to make this work." She
nuzzled the lioness further, forcing her to her feet. The pair looked at each other as a wave of sisterly
affection slowly grew between them. Karimu couldn't help but notice the power of this young
lioness before her, held within her body. No wonder Kopa had fallen for her.
Kuwinda did the same, looking up at the lioness before her. She was stunning. The very definition of
a princess, of a queen. She may not have been as strong as Kuwinda but she knew that Karimu could
easily defend herself, or anyone in her care. She looked over to see a single cub laying at the corner
of the cave, looking on as the pair snuggled up. Karimu noticed this and called her daughter to join
them.
As Amani joined their cuddle, Kuwinda felt the glow in her pelvis grow. She looked down at the small
cub, who had nestled herself beneath her. She was Kopa's cub. His first daughter.
The young lioness closed her eyes, remembering the visions she had for the past few nights of the
two lioness cubs who called her mother. She tried to hold her emotions, knowing that thoughts of
her uselessness still plagued her mind. How could she bear Kopa's cubs? Karimu could see the
uncertainty in the young lioness' eyes.
"We're thinking of reviving the Uasi Pride." She brushed herself into Kuwinda's neck. "And Kopa
wants you to be our Lead huntress." She looked into Kuwinda's predator eyes. She certainly had the
required traits. But the fear of motherhood still stained them.
"Look, don't worry about bearing Kopa's cubs. You'll do great, I'm sure." Karimu tried to calm her,
but it couldn't help. Not fully.
"But I have no experience with cubs!" Kuwinda cried. "I don't even know how to pick one up let
alone raise them." She cowered under paws once more, the feeling inside her pelvis glowing with a
fiery pulse. It was as if they were arguing with her, telling her not to just give up. Not to surrender
their lives to sorrow and regret.
As Kuwinda lay there, broken and dismayed, she felt a soft, cuddly lump hit her side. Looking up, she
saw Amani, Karimu's cub, staring at her, placing her paw on the lioness' leg. She looked up to find
Karimu looking directly at her, a stern look adorning her muzzle.
"Pick her up." Karimu's facial structure never changed. She was serious. Kuwinda, on the other paw,
cowered once more. Pick Amani up? Kopa's daughter? No! She would hurt her, or worse, kill her. It
was in her instinct. She felt her body lose itself in her predator instinct, falling back into her
darkened thoughts.
As she did, Karimu lowered herself down over her cub, her voice not changing. "Open your mouth."
She demonstrated, opening her mouth above the cub's neck. "Pull back your canines, behind her
scruff." She continued to demonstrate to a carefully watching Kuwinda, who lay there, startled by
such an action. How could this not hurt the cub? She watched as Karimu seemingly dug her teeth
into the cub's neck, before lifting her off the ground, her small body dangling in her mouth.
"And voilà!" She grunted through her cub-filed teeth, before gently letting her go near Kuwinda's
mouth. "Your turn."
Kuwinda hesitated at first. How could she do this? What if she hurt the little one? But, looking into
Karimu's strict, tutorial eyes, she knew she had no choice. She rose to her paws, raising her head
above the cub's neck. Her heart beat with the strength of a wildebeest, but she kept calm as she
lowered her neck.
She placed her mouth around the cub's neck, feeling with her predator, flesh-tearing canines for the
nape of the cub. Finding it, she slotted them in place behind it, providing a solid, seemingly natural
hold on her. It was strange to feel how natural this was. She could have easily killed the cub, ripping
her throat open, but this position, it just worked. Lifting her head, the cub's paws left the floor, rising
into the sky.
"Well done!" Karimu looked on, shocked at how far Kuwinda seemed to have developed. She
seemed so comfortable as soon as she grasped Amani. Kuwinda dropped the cub on the floor,
gently, and brushed herself against them both, giving them both affectionate licks in amazement.
Kuwinda even replied with her own licks. All sense of wrong dissipated from her body. Maybe she
could be a mother after all.
"Thank you, Karimu!" She brushed her neck against the future queen's. "How can I ever repay you?"
This question caused the older lioness to back off slightly in thought. She really wanted to spend
time with Kopa but there was no one to look after the cubs. But now, Kuwinda would be perfect for
such a task.
"Well, could you watch the cubs tonight?"
"Sure!" Kuwinda responded, lying down beside her new friend. "I could use the practice anyhow."
This brought a smile to Karimu's muzzle who gently brushed across Kuwinda's.
"You won't be alone." The soon to be queen continued, thinking about what she could do tonight.
"You'll have Jicho to help you too, and she looked after me and Kopa, so she has good experience."
The young huntress started to giggle. "Yeah, I bet Kopa kept her on her talons." The pair laughed
loudly, only stopping when they heard a flutter of wings outside. A shadow of a bird of prey spanned
the walls, slowly shrinking as she approached them.
"Speaking of the devil." Karimu murmured as Jicho turned the corner, seeing the lionesses huddled
up to each other, the small Amani clambering over them. The eagle seemed relieved to find them,
exhausted with the strength of a hurricane.
"Karimu, my lady!" She fluttered towards her; the eagle's wings spread wide. "Thank the Great Lions
I found you!" The sharp eagle panted, catching her breath in the cramped cave.
"What's the matter, Jicho?" Karimu queried. Kuwinda arose to her paws, standing before them both,
curious.
"Nothing really." The eagle fluttered her wings once more, re-arranging them into their normal,
resting form. "It's just Kopa was worried about you both." Both lionesses didn't seem surprised by
this, especially Karimu. They both knew that Kopa could get worried too quickly. Not a word was
spoken between the two, just a few nods and nudges, but they decided what to do.
"It's okay, Jicho." Karimu replied. "We're coming back now." The pair rose to their paws, ready to
head back to the camp. Kuwinda, rather amazingly, decided to pick up Amani, doing so with ease. As
she did, Karimu led the way. Jicho perched on her shoulder as the pair talked, discussing the plan for
the evening as all three ladies walked into the Outlands once more, reunited as a team.
Meanwhile, Kopa continued to lay with Ulinzi playing all over his large, bulky body. The lion cub had
decided to clamber into his father's mane, becoming lost in that giant ball of fur around his neck. He
loved being so close to such a magnificent figure. He could feel the amount of power his father held,
which only seemed to add to the fun. He could spark a fire within his father at any second. What else
could be more fun, playing with such fire?
"AWW!" A sudden, howling voice boomed across the opening, forcing Kopa to raise his head. Ulinzi
shot over his father's body, trembling behind him as the figure approached. It was Kwaheri, the
monkey friend of Kopa's that had stayed by his side through all his life. "That's adorable!" The
monkey cooed, slowly approaching the father/son duo. Ulinzi raised his head hearing the monkey’s
coos, and his father's sudden smirks.
"Don't you start!" Kopa giggled watching his son clamber over him once more. The young cub
watched as Kwaheri approached, reaching pouncing distance before shaking his small rear, building
up power to pounce. "I have enough with the Pridelanders."
"Yeah, I be- ahh!" Kwaheri's speech was cut short as the young lion cub pounced, knocking his 'uncle'
to the ground. Both of them laughed it off, Kwaheri laughed and started to play with Ulinzi. Pouncing
and leaping around like a small kid again. Ulinzi loved this. Finally, someone active to play with.
Kopa couldn't grin more, even if he tried. To see his son, and best friend, play together, it was
amazing to see. He couldn't wait to return to the Uasilands, for all of this chaos with Scar to end. To
spend time, like this, with his family. As he lay there, he dreamed about what it would be like. What
his cubs, both Karimu's and Kuwinda's, would be like when they grew up.
These thoughts were broken when, from out of nowhere, a lion cub shot across the Outlands,
towards them. He paused, looking at Kopa and then Ulinzi. Upon seeing the other cub, He smiled,
slowly approaching him. Ulinzi caught eyes on him too, unaware of what to do, instead choosing to
cower from him. He had never seen another male lion cub before. What should he say to him? Was
he friendly?
"Hi." The lion cub asked, a nervousness brushing through his high-pitched voice. Ulinzi didn't reply.
Instead, he stopped cowering and looked at the cub standing before him. "What's your name? Can
we play?" An eagerness shot through the cub's voice.
"I'm... I'm Ulinzi." Kopa's son replied, looking at his father as he did so. "And I guess, erm?"
"Vibaya." The cub replied, a smile beaming across his muzzle. "My name's Vibaya!" He slowly
approached the royal cub, nudging his paw against his shoulder. "Tag! You're it!" He shouted, before
running off as his tail bobbed up and down, then side to side as he ran away.
Ulinzi's nervousness disappeared, turning into full-on joy as he chased after him. Finally, another lion
cub to play with, who wasn't his boring sister. The two boys played and pounced on each other for a
while as Kopa, and a now knackered Kwaheri watched on.
The pair watched as the two boys played. Kwaheri continued to pant heavily, knackered from his
time playing with Ulinzi. "I'm really... not... as fit as I... used to… be." The monkey continued to pant,
flopping down beside Kopa.
"You can say that again." Kopa giggled. He couldn't help but laugh. Seeing his monkey friend pounce
and play with his son, it was too good.
"Vibaya!" A single cry broke Kopa's laughter. Looking up, he saw a lioness, the same one from earlier
in the morning, sprinting towards him. She turned to the young cub, who currently had Ulinzi pinned
to the ground.
"What I have I told you about-" Her rant was blocked when she saw the cub beneath him, and the
lion who lay nearby. Her ears folded down. "Oh! I'm so sorry about this, Kopa."
"It's okay." Kopa replied, smiling back at the lioness. "We can watch him if you want, erm…?" The
young lion queried as the lioness slowly approached.
"Ema." She replied sitting some distance away from Kopa. She slightly bowed her head at such
magnificence. "I'm Vibaya's aunt." A small tear began to roll down the side of her face as she talked.
"His mother..."
"I know." Kopa replied, lowering his head in sombre. "I saw her body." As silence fell between the
two. Both cubs also zipped their mouths, lying beside each other, their tails entangling with one
another.
Seeing his son with his new friend, Kopa's heart, and attitude, reignited. "As I said, we'll look after
them. We won't be long anyhow." He smiled at Ema, hoping it would be enough to convince her.
"Alright." The young lioness rose to her paws, turning around and slowly brushing up to her nephew.
"Behave yourself, Vibaya." She slowly walked away, back to the survivor's camp.
"I will!" Vibaya shouted, causing a smile to spread across her face as she disappeared into the
horizon. He stood there for a while, before being pounced on by Ulinzi once more.
As the two cubs continued to play, Kopa and Kwaheri continued to rest, watching over them like
paternal guardian angels. As they did, Karimu, Kuwinda, Jicho and Amani returned.
The lionesses especially noticed the young cub playing with Ulinzi. Amani, seeing her brother's new
friend, wiggled out of Kuwinda's grasp, forcing the lioness to drop her. She ran up to the two boys
pinning them to the ground.
"Karimu! Kuwinda!" Kopa called, bounding towards them both. He snuggled up to his mates,
welcoming them back. As he snuggled up to Kuwinda, he licked her face, tasting the saltiness from
her tears. "I've been so worried about you."
"I'm sorry, Kopa." Kuwinda snuggled into her mate, loving the warmth of his mane. "For running
away."
"It's okay." The young lion continued to snuggle up to her. Meanwhile, Karimu watched her cubs
playing, with their new friend. Her belly rumbling with hunger. She could hear her cubs' bellies doing
the same, the pair falling to the ground with their new friend by their side.
"I think we should head back." Karimu turned to Kopa, snuggling against him. "Grab something to
eat." Kopa felt the hunger of his mate and his own belly started to rumble. In the chaos with Scar
and the Pridelands, he had forgotten to eat. It hadn't hit him, until now.
"Agreed." He agreed, turning to head back. "I bet the Pridelanders have already found something or
the hyenas." As he turned, he noticed two figures in the distance, walking towards the survivor's
camp. Two figures he hadn't seen since yesterday.
Jasiri and Janja.
The way the two huddled close to each other, nudging and licking each other's faces. They had been
up to something. He couldn't help but think of what. ‘I bet they 'felt the love' last night!’ His mind
giggled.
Karimu called her cubs to her, who was followed by Vibaya. As they galloped towards her and
Kuwinda, she followed Kopa, who led them back, as they did, she snuggled up to Kopa's side, just
enough to whisper in his ear.
"Remember. Tonight, you and me." Her voice softened with a velvet, longing voice. Kopa felt his
knees weaken subtly. His heart skipped a beat.
"How can I forget?" He replied, his own voice as flirtatious as his mates. Karimu brushed up against
him once more, before Kuwinda joined the fray, sandwiching Kopa between the two most beautiful
lionesses in the savannah.
How did he ever get so lucky?
One thing was for certain. They were a family. Kopa, Karimu, Kuwinda, Ulinzi, Amani, Kwaheri and
Jicho. They would survive anything the savanna threw at them. They would bring back the Uasi
Pride, bring stability to the land.
But more importantly, for Kopa, Karimu and Kuwinda.
They would become one...
