Dawn. Just another dawn in the savannah. The sunlight washed over a tall cliffside as a young grey lion lay on the edge, watching the sun shine over his kingdom. He stood and yawned, heading down the rocky side. He passed numerous animals that were starting to awaken as well, some with new young ones curled up beside them. The young lion sighed a happy sigh, thinking of the new cub that was due in his family as well very soon. As he made his way to the pride borderline, he realized he wasn't the only one who knew about his happy event. Although it was clear the other prides weren't too happy about it as a tawny lion stood at the edge of the border, his eyes narrowed at him. Although Ugumu was noticably smaller in size, due to a back injury that left him scarred from flank to flank and prevented him from growing any taller as an adolescent, he could make an enemy back down if he really wanted to. This time, that did not happen. the larger lion simply laughed. "Well, hello there, Ugumu. still keeping watch over this dump you call a kingdom? pitiful. Hey, I hear there's a cub on the way. Could you tell me what you were thinking? Mating with that.... lioness wannabe?"
Ugumu growled and continued to walk, the opposing lion continuing to ridicule him until the small grey lion lashed out, leaving the tawny lion with a bloody cheek. Ugumu quickly retreated, angry roars echoing over his lands as he reached a small cave in the foot of the cliff. "Alfajiri..." He called quietly.
Not soon after a gentle-looking tigress appeared out of the shadows, purring. The two felines nuzzled. "It's about time you returned, my love."
"How is my little one?" Ugumu chuckled, playfully nudging her side.
Alfajiri smiled. "I believe you'll see your child any day now."
Ugumu purred with excitement. if there was one thing he loved as much as his mate it was cubs. "I can't wait."
Ugumu's heart pounded with excitement as he raced across his kingdom towards the cave he and his mate resided in. Today was the day. A roar that echoed across the lands carried the news he had been anxiously waiting for for many moons. As his paws carried him across the savannah his cub was being born. A roar of excitement escaped his throat as his cave came into sight. He slowed dramatically as he came to the entrance and walked in quietly, shudderring with excitement as he heard the squeal of a newborn echo faintly through the cave. A wide grin spread across Ugumu's face as he neared his mate. His heart almost stopped as he saw the small form next to his mate's side. He crouched down to see it. It was a male. It looked a lot like a lion from it's build, yet the tiny cub's pelt clearly showed that it had the fur of a tiger, even under the newborn spots that came naturally on a lion, that gave the cub a strange appearance indeed. Alfajiri groomed the young cub before resting her head on the paws of Ugumu, who had layed down beside her. Of course, even with all of their joy, the pair knew that this cub, Kosa, their little abberration, wouldn't live a peaceful life. especially with one lion in particular living out on the savannah. A lion by the name of Akili, who wasn't at all in favor of mating outside your own species.
Up until Ugumu met Alfajiri, a runaway tiger from a cruel place the hairless primates called an 'animal sanctuary', Ugumu and Akili were pretty close friends. Of course, being raised the way he had, Akili was outraged when he heard that Ugumu had chosen to take a tiger as his mate. Akili had tried to tear the two apart, even by attempting to slay Alfajiri once. But once the news that the two were expecting a cub got out, Akili's rage got the best of him and the two prides became sworn enemies.
Ugumu blinked his eyes quickly. He had been daydreaming again. He didn't know what had snapped him out of it until Kita, his meerkat majordomo, began tugging on his ear. "Sire!! Sire!! it's Akili! He heard you roaring and is coming fast!"
Ugumu sprang to his feet and raced outside the cave, growing as he saw a large golden form come into view. The lion stopped in front of Ugumu and grinned a devilish grin. "Well.... hello, Ugumu. Heard your demon spawn has arrived."
"Well then you must be a little hard of hearing. Kosa is not..."
"Kosa, is it? You certainly named that little ball of fur inaccurately. That thing's not an abberration, it's an abomination!" Akili yelled, catching sight of the cub being carried by his curious mother.
"Kill it."
"What!?"
"I said kill the cub, Ugumu! it should be put out of it's misery. And if you don't do it, I will. along with the REST of your pathetic family!"
Ugumu roared with anger and leapt at Akili, only to be knocked away just as fast. "You've had your warning, Ugumu." With a snarl, Akili sauntered off onto his own pridelands.
Ugumu shuddered and stood up, favoring his right front leg as his left bled from a gash caused by Akili's claws. He soon gained control of himself and limped back inside the cave, mutterring and growling, with Alfajiri and tiny Kosa behind.
Ugumu growled and continued to walk, the opposing lion continuing to ridicule him until the small grey lion lashed out, leaving the tawny lion with a bloody cheek. Ugumu quickly retreated, angry roars echoing over his lands as he reached a small cave in the foot of the cliff. "Alfajiri..." He called quietly.
Not soon after a gentle-looking tigress appeared out of the shadows, purring. The two felines nuzzled. "It's about time you returned, my love."
"How is my little one?" Ugumu chuckled, playfully nudging her side.
Alfajiri smiled. "I believe you'll see your child any day now."
Ugumu purred with excitement. if there was one thing he loved as much as his mate it was cubs. "I can't wait."
Ugumu's heart pounded with excitement as he raced across his kingdom towards the cave he and his mate resided in. Today was the day. A roar that echoed across the lands carried the news he had been anxiously waiting for for many moons. As his paws carried him across the savannah his cub was being born. A roar of excitement escaped his throat as his cave came into sight. He slowed dramatically as he came to the entrance and walked in quietly, shudderring with excitement as he heard the squeal of a newborn echo faintly through the cave. A wide grin spread across Ugumu's face as he neared his mate. His heart almost stopped as he saw the small form next to his mate's side. He crouched down to see it. It was a male. It looked a lot like a lion from it's build, yet the tiny cub's pelt clearly showed that it had the fur of a tiger, even under the newborn spots that came naturally on a lion, that gave the cub a strange appearance indeed. Alfajiri groomed the young cub before resting her head on the paws of Ugumu, who had layed down beside her. Of course, even with all of their joy, the pair knew that this cub, Kosa, their little abberration, wouldn't live a peaceful life. especially with one lion in particular living out on the savannah. A lion by the name of Akili, who wasn't at all in favor of mating outside your own species.
Up until Ugumu met Alfajiri, a runaway tiger from a cruel place the hairless primates called an 'animal sanctuary', Ugumu and Akili were pretty close friends. Of course, being raised the way he had, Akili was outraged when he heard that Ugumu had chosen to take a tiger as his mate. Akili had tried to tear the two apart, even by attempting to slay Alfajiri once. But once the news that the two were expecting a cub got out, Akili's rage got the best of him and the two prides became sworn enemies.
Ugumu blinked his eyes quickly. He had been daydreaming again. He didn't know what had snapped him out of it until Kita, his meerkat majordomo, began tugging on his ear. "Sire!! Sire!! it's Akili! He heard you roaring and is coming fast!"
Ugumu sprang to his feet and raced outside the cave, growing as he saw a large golden form come into view. The lion stopped in front of Ugumu and grinned a devilish grin. "Well.... hello, Ugumu. Heard your demon spawn has arrived."
"Well then you must be a little hard of hearing. Kosa is not..."
"Kosa, is it? You certainly named that little ball of fur inaccurately. That thing's not an abberration, it's an abomination!" Akili yelled, catching sight of the cub being carried by his curious mother.
"Kill it."
"What!?"
"I said kill the cub, Ugumu! it should be put out of it's misery. And if you don't do it, I will. along with the REST of your pathetic family!"
Ugumu roared with anger and leapt at Akili, only to be knocked away just as fast. "You've had your warning, Ugumu." With a snarl, Akili sauntered off onto his own pridelands.
Ugumu shuddered and stood up, favoring his right front leg as his left bled from a gash caused by Akili's claws. He soon gained control of himself and limped back inside the cave, mutterring and growling, with Alfajiri and tiny Kosa behind.