"Gotcha!"

The little brown ball of fur collided with the back of Ni's head. He had barely time to shout in surprise before he fell forward and his face was pushed into the dust. He sneezed. He felt his baby brother roll off of his neck and heard his mirthful laughter. He pushed himself up and rubbed his sore nose. The little bugger could be so annoying sometimes.

"Well, you got me again. Feel any prouder?"

Of course the cub didn't answer. He was rolling back and forth on the ground, pounding the dirt with his paws every once in a while. Ni hoped he wasn't going into hysterics.

"Hey. Earth to Malka. Come in, Malka." He prodded his brother in the shoulder. The little brown cub calmed his breathing and righted himself, looking up at his big brother from beneath his incipient mane, a tiny tuft of black fur starting to grow on his forehead.

"You shoulda heard yourself! You, like, squeaked. When I pounced on you…you squeaked like a baby! It was so funny…ha haaaa…" Malka gasped and fell victim to a few more seconds of snickering. "I can't believe I got you again! You should get Mum to have your ears checked."

Ni gritted his teeth, but the grimace couldn't help but dissolve into a grin when he looked at his brother. "Sure, go rub it in. I know you love your ears and all, what with those little tufts of yours…"

Malka blushed, his paw straying unconsciously to rub his ear. There were little tufts of black fur growing from the tips of his ears, inherited from his father. They made Malka feel special, as if he were a sleek, clever caracal. There was no way to know if they improved his hearing, but he liked to think they did.

Poor Ni possessed nothing of the sort. His ears were plain and unadorned, like most lions. But the tawny adolescent had the upper paw over Malka. He was older, bigger, and had much more experience. His still-growing mane was dark brown, forming bangs over his forehead and trailing all the way down his neck, where it stopped between his shoulder blades. The area behind his ears was starting to get a little scruffy too, and there was a strip of brown fur appearing on his chest. It wouldn't be long before his mane was that of an adult, full and glorious. But those days hadn't come yet. Most pride members still lumped him with the "kids."

"You could always give me some tips, of course. Wouldn't you love to help your big bro regain his dignity…or rather, lose it." Ni chuckled. "Imagine it. Taking pouncing lessons from my little brother. Oh, the taunts, the teasings! I'd never live it down. I must admit, though," he said, looking Malka in the eyes, "you've been improving really fast. Who's been teaching you? Mum? Dad?"

Malka sat up proudly. "Neither. Kumi's been teaching me. She and Mata and Tomo are all so, you know, good at that kinda stuff. I mean, they're big kids. They can sneak everywhere and surprise anybody…" His voice trailed off in remembered awe. Malka crouched down low and began to creep slowly along the ground, as if stalking an imaginary animal. His expression was one of utter concentration, almost ferocity. Nothing like the bouncy baby Malka that Ni knew so well.

Ni froze, his expression becoming stony. "You've been consorting with those kids?"

Malka sensed the disapproval. His resolve melted and he sat up nervously. "Well…I mean…we've chatted a bit, and they were teaching me how to sneak around real quiet…and they're, you know, respected. Y-you aren't mad, are you?"

"Those three aren't respected; they're suspected. Nobody likes them. The rest of the pride just gives them their own space because they don't want to affiliate with them. Mal, do you even know what those jerks have done?!" He paused for effect. Malka was looking intimidated and guilty.

"B-but, Ni…" he started. "When I'm with them, I feel…brave. They make me feel like I'm worth something, like I'm more that 'That Cub Who Keeps Getting Lost.' Ni, please! You know I can't…" He broke off. "You know how I get so scared when I get lost. I just…I want to be strong!"

He'd played the emotion card. The teenager stroked his little brother's head soothingly, if a little awkwardly. "Mal, it's not worth it. They're not worth it. Trust me in this, Malka! They're snobbish, rude, and flaky, every one of them. In the end, they're not going to help you. I don't want to see you hanging around with them anymore. Am I clear?"

Malka hung his head. "Yes."

Ni sighed. "I just want to protect you. You know that."

"Yes."

"I can't lose you, Mal. You know…you know I love you."

Malka curled up between his brother's paws. "You too, Ni."