chapter 1

Leona was in complete despair seeing all the mother's with their cubs. She and Claudius had been wanting a cub more than anything. Claudius could feel her despair. He hugged her tightly. Leona was a very good wife and queen but without a child to inherit the throne the royal bloodline would come to an end.

However Leona wasn't feeling like herself. She felt all stiff and her appetite was very active. Claudius wondered what was going on with his wife. He even rubbed her back which had gotten sore lately. "What is wrong with me?" Leona said.

"I don't know and I hope you will be okay I'm going out next week to the tiger clan village to discuss somethings with my friend Javan the tiger chief." Claudius said.

"I'll be okay," Leona said.

"Good," Claudius said.

A week later Claudius left.

A few days passed and Claudius was going to return soon.

Leona was reading in the library when she suddenly gasped. Jaga was with her and heard her. "Are you okay?" Jaga asked.

"I don't I just," Leona said then groaned. "It hurts Jaga." she said.

"What hurts?" Jaga asked.

"I feel this really strong cramping in my stomach." Leona said.

"Let's get you in bed." Jaga said helping her.

Leona was walking and could barely stand straight. "Go get the palace doctor the queen seems to be ill." Jaga told a guard.

"Yes sir," the guard said running off.

Jaga laid Leona in bed. Leona was crying out and getting sweaty. Then she felt wet between her legs. "I think I just wet myself." Leona said.

"It's going to be okay Leona." Jaga said.

The doctor came in and saw the queen writhing in pain. He felt her stomach it felt rigid. "I feel something and what ever it is, it's starting to come out." the doctor said.

Leona felt herself start pushing. The doctor saw what she was doing and looked between her legs after spreading them out for a good few and hopefully get to root of the problem. What he was a baby's head. "What's going on?" Leona asked.

"Leona I don't how say this but you're having a baby," the doctor said.

Leona was shocked. "But I'm not pregnant!" Leona said.

"Trust me you aren't the first woman I helped give birth to a surprise baby." the doctor said.

Jaga saw a couple of his clerics watching. "Don't just stand one of you get hot water and other get a small warm blanket." Jaga said.

They nodded and rushed off.

"Leona keep pushing." the doctor said.

Leona kept pushing after fifteen minutes of pushing the baby was born. The cub was crying loudly screaming at the top of his lungs. Many of the servants, guards and clerics heard the baby's crying. Panthro and Grune were nearby and they heard it too. The two soldier's ran to investigate.

The doctor cleaned the cub up in the hot water that the servant's brought and wrapped it in the blanket. Then gave the cub to the queen. "Here is your son my queen." he said.

Jaga used his magic to look at the child. "He is definitely you and Claudius' child, sorry for sounding like accusing you but it's the job of the head cleric to make sure the child the queen bore is the king's" Jaga said.

"It's alright, he's so beautiful." Leona said. She looked at her son he was perfect. His little face was sweet and innocent. His little eyes were shut tight and they would soon open to see the world.

Everyone came in and saw the queen looking exhausted and beginning tended to by the doctor. In the queen's arms was a baby. "Leona you are fine the birth went smoothly and you will be up and walking again by tomorrow." the doctor said. Then he took the baby and gave him a check up. The cub was making a big fuss about it. When he finished he smiled. "Your surprise son is very healthy. He is roughly 6 and half pounds a very normal newborn weight." he said and then gave the cub back to Leona.

Leona was relieved and kissed her little baby. Everyone in the room greeted the little prince. The baby prince started to get all fussy. "Okay all of you out, it's time for the breastfeeding lesson." the doctor said.

Once they had some privacy Leona started to feed the cub. She was amazed by how it felt. "Does it taste good?" Leona asked her cub. Her son contently suckled. He let go and made content sounds.

Leona then carefully burped him. She held him close to her chest.

Jaga went over to Panthro and Grune. The two soldiers were have a conversation. "Panthro and Grune go tell the king what happened, it's very important." Jaga said.

"We will," Panthro said.

"But Claudius is a good few days trip away." Grune said.

"Don't worry we keep specail mounts for emergencies like this." Jaga said. He showed them the mounts he was talking about. "Nothing can run faster then Bolt mount." he said.

They hopped on the mounts and rode to find Claudius. They saw the king and they brought mounts to a stop. "Panthro? Grune what brings you here I was heading back," Claudius said.

"Claudius we have something important to tell you," Panthro said. "Apparently Leona gave birth to a surprise child. Your son," he said.

Claudius' jaw dropped. "I must hurry back." Claudius said.

"Luckily for you Jaga gave us three more Bolt mounts for you and the two soldiers that came with you," Grune said.

They hopped on the bolt mounts and rode to Thundera and made it back in record time. Once at the palace Claudius ran into the royal bedroom and saw Leona in bed with a baby in her arms and Jaga by her side.

Jaga smiled and let the king take the place by the side of his queen. Claudius was amazed by his son. "He's perfect, our miracle child." Claudius said. "You know we need to give him a name," he said.

"I have a name in mind," Leona said.

"What's that?' Claudius asked.

"Lion-o," Leona said.,

"Lion-o it's perfect." Claudius said. "Lion-o prince of Thundera!" he said taking his son into his arms.

They announced Lion-o's amazing surprise birth to Thundera the next day. All of Thundera was happy.

Claudius announced when Lion-o's eyes open there will be a party and all the cat clans were invited.

Everyone was looking forward to it.