A/N: Ramenai returns!! I know how many of you were so fond of him… heck, I was sad to see the end of the last story. So, because I was suddenly inspired the other day, here's the story of Ramenai and his cubs, and their forbidden desires in the desert wastelands...
Chapter One: A Family
A low snarl carried across the desert as Ntombi birthed her cubs. They were twins, one coming right after the other. Both strong, worthy little creatures. She lay with her head pressed against the ground, clenching her teeth for a few moments as the pain slowly subsided. Then she turned, maternal instincts kicking in with overwhelming force as she licked the mucus from their tiny, furry bodies. The cubs squeaked angrily as her rough tongue rasped over them, and they cautiously snuggled into her cream-colored belly fur. Ntombi smiled softly, relieved that they had both made it through their first trial of life.
Ramenai licked her ear affectionately, having approached from a few paces away. He gazed down at the two cubs now fighting for a meal and couldn't stop a smile. "They are perfect," he breathed, nuzzling Ntombi again.
"Yes," she agreed. "And I have already decided on names… well, one. The boy is Jelani."
"The mighty warrior," Ramenai mused, thinking it over. "I like it. And the girl?"
"I don't know yet," Ntombi said, looking at the smaller of her two offspring. Ramenai grew thoughtful, scuffing his paw in the dirt. "I like Ramla."
Ntombi cocked her head, considering. "Yes, that one's good." She licked the cubs again, unable to stay away from them. "They're so beautiful," she said, lying back carefully so she wouldn't disturb their feeding. Ramenai licked her exposed neck. "As are you."
"Don't even try anything," she scolded lightly, too tired to actually follow through with any threats. "You do not want to see me angry right now."
He arched an eyebrow. "I'll take your word for it, then." Bending down, he nuzzled the cubs tenderly into Ntombi's belly fur before rising and padding away.
Ntombi sighed heavily, her head falling back against the ground. She had never been this tired… but the cubs were worth it.
A few months later…
"Come on, Ramla!" her friend Yewande squealed. The two cubs raced over a sandy embankment and rolled down the hill, laughing and spitting out sand as they went. Ramla blinked and looked around. "Where's Tendai gone?"
Yewande stood up and shook her light-colored coat. "Dunno. Should we go look for her?"
The cubs were about to set off when a ferocious yowl stopped them in their tracks. Tendai leaped over the sand dune and landed on both of them, and all three tumbled into the sand again, squealing harder than ever.
"No fair!" Yewande gasped, batting Ramla's tail out of her face. "You're not allowed to sneak up! No fair!"
"Says who?" Tendai grinned, flattening her large paws into the sand so she could stand properly. "It just makes it that much more fun!"
"No it doesn't," her friend grumbled. Ramla shook her head at the other two. "You're both crazy."
And that was how all three ended up in a furious wrestling match. Yewande squealed as Ramla kicked sand in her face, and tried to retaliate by pulling Tendai's tail.
"Are you telling me that this is how the next leader of the Desert Pride is spending her time?" a voice said loudly, and the girls stopped. Ramla was on the bottom of their little pile. Squinting in the sun, she looked up and recognized her brother.
"Shut up, Jelani!" she yelled. "I can do what I want!"
He smirked in reply. "I'm just saying, you probably aren't impressing your future husband."
Ramla frowned and struggled out from under her two cohorts. "What are you talking about?"
Jelani stepped aside, and she saw Chima standing behind him. Ramla cocked her head, unimpressed. "D'you know something I don't?"
The pair of them swept down the embankment, Jelani nudging Chima forward. "You might say that," Jelani said, swiping a paw at his whiskers.
Ramla stamped her paws impatiently. "Well, what?"
He sat down calmly, relishing the fact that his sister actually wanted to know something from him. Jelani indicated his best friend.
"Me and Chima heard Dad talking with Zanat and Desta," he explained. "He says you two are gonna be maaaaaarrieeeeed, haha!"
Ramla looked back and forth between the two of them. "He's joking, right?" she asked Chima. He shook his head, although he wasn't nearly as excited by the idea as Jelani was.
"But that's crazy!" she exclaimed. "Marrying Chima would be like… like… like marrying you!" she retorted, tackling Jelani. He rolled her over swiftly, his glee turning ugly in a split second.
"No it wouldn't," he said with disgust. "That's nasty, Ramla. You and Chima aren't related."
"We might as well be!" Ramla shot back. "We play together all the time, he's my friend!"
Yewande and Tendai had sat down to watch. "It would be kinda strange," Yewande said, thinking out loud more than anything. Ramla whirled on her.
"Kinda strange? Just kinda strange?" she yelped. "The entire world would be insane!"
Jelani shook his head. "Ramla, quit being dramatic. It would all be for the best –"
"Best for who, Jelani? Best for Mom and Dad? Best for Chima? Because it definitely wouldn't be best for me!"
Ramla spun on her heel and dashed away in a panic, despising the very idea. How could her parents do this? Surely they'd seen how the cubs played together? She and Chima had never showed any sort of affection for each other besides sibling rivalry and playfulness. What were they thinking?
