CandyLuv99, thanks for the amazing review. I too feel bad for Sarabi and Ocasio, as well as Sarafina. Here's the next installment.
Nalalicious, your review is appreciated as well. As for everything about Lila, you'll find out very soon.
A pair of bright blue eyes blinked opened before looking at her side to frown at the empty spot. A tawny cream lioness sat stood with a stretch before walking towards the cave entrance. Just as she was about to exit a tannish-beige lioness entered. The two lionesses looked at one another before the tannish-beige lioness dropped her head.
The tawny cream lioness tilted her head in confusion before fear instantly crept up. "Kala? What's going on?" But even though she asked, she was afraid to know.
Kala lifted her head with tear filled amber eyes. "Sarafina...I'm so sorry."
The worse thoughts came to Sarafina in waves. She shook her head before running out of the cave to run right into the sight of Mufasa standing on the peak addressing the pride. When his amber eyes landed on her she knew that her worse nightmare has come true.
It's now mid morning and the news of her mate's death really put a lot on her. She was already halfway through her pregnancy and stress wasn't what she or her unborn child needs. A series of mumbles and gasps caught Sarafina's attention. The tawny cream lioness stood and exited the small cave near the slope to see one of her best and most closest friends as well as the queen surrounded by the pride. Sarafina quickly walked over and to stand between Kala and their one of their friends, Kwisi. Sarafina's blue eyes widened at the pale beige cub lying no doubt unconscious between Sarabi's paws.
"Sarabi, what have you got?"
Sarabi narrowed her eyes before almost barring her teeth. "What the hell do you think!"
The pride gasped before mumbling to themselves. Sarafina watched the interaction between the king and queen before quickly looking around, after a bit she saw her sister in law at the end of gathered pride with her head low and ears pinned.
"Sarabi, you're pregnant..."
Sarafina returned her attention to her friends. Mufasa narrowed his eyes and growled but Sarabi wasn't backing down.
"I won't be able to have any more cubs after this one! You heard what Rafiki said, but I always wanted a daughter and now I have the chance." Sarabi cried before narrowing her own eyes. "It's at least you can do,"
Mufasa quickly looked around before focusing on his mate. "Very well. If it pleases my queen then she may stay and become a princess."
As the pride cheered and congratulate the new mother, Mufasa made a hasty retreat. Sarafina quickly walked over and head bumped her friend. The two friends smiled before they headed for the small cave near the slope which is mostly known as the nursery or the recovery den.
...
She opened her brown eyes to snap them shut from the bright light. She waited a bit before reopening her eyes to stare in confusion at her surroundings. She apparently was in a cave, something stirring besides her caused her to look to her side to see a dark beige lioness looking at her with warm orange eyes.
"Don't be afraid, dear one."
The pale beige cub took deep breaths before looking around the cave. "Where am I?"
"You're in the Pridelands, sweetie. I am Queen Sarabi. I found you. Can you tell me your name or where you're from?"
The cub looked down as tears fell from her closed eyes. Sniffing up her tears she lifted her head and looked at Sarabi. "My name is Furaha. I came from a kingdom past the Mountain Region. My home was under attack and the only way for me to survive was to jump in the river. But not before I saw my parents get killed by a large pale beige lion kill them."
Sarabi pinned her ears before pulling the now weeping cub close. "I'm so sorry that happened to you,"
Furaha nuzzled into Sarabi's chest and cried. She wiped her eyes with the back of her paw before looking up with glossy eyes. "What's going to happen to me?"
Sarabi smiled lightly before nuzzling the six month cub. "If it's alright with you...I'll take you in as my own."
Furaha looked up in shock. She couldn't believe how things was turning out. The queen just offered to adopt her. Before she could respond she noticed another presence in the cave. Furaha and Sarabi looked towards the entrance to see a large golden lion apporching. Furaha gasped before hiding behind her new mother.
"Now is that any way to act with your father?"
Furaha lifted her head over Sarabi's side. "Father?"
Sarabi nuzzled the pale beige cub. "Yes. This is Mufasa, the crowned king of the Pridelands and my mate."
Furaha looked from Sarabi to the large lion and smiled to frown at the glare the king was giving her.
Mufasa lowered his head to get to the cub's point of view and growled. "Just don't forget that you are not the heir. You are the older sister to the future ruler of the Pridelands. You are just merely a princess, nothing more."
Rising up, Mufasa ignored the disappointed scowl on his mate's face and gave Furaha one last glare to his daughter. Before turning and walking out of the cave. Leaving Sarabi feeling disgusted and Furaha scared.
...
A few weeks has passed and a lot of excitement was going through the pride. One of Sarabi's friends went into labour. While Sarabi was tending to her friend, Sarafina sat outside of the small cave with Princess Furaha. The pride and animals have accepted the orphaned cub as their princess. It wasn't hard, Furaha had a shine to her. The princess was a joy to hang around. The appearance of her sister in law caused the creamy tawny lioness to snap out of her thoughts.
"Lila, where have you been? You missed the morning hunt and Kwisi went into.." Sarafina stopped at the sorrow look on the younger lioness' face. "Lila, what's wrong?"
The dark peach lioness lowered her head and shoulders as she sobbed. "Sarafina, I'm so very sorry. I...know it was wrong and I shouldn't have b-b-but he was so charming,"
Sarafina was confused until it dawned on her. She pinned her ears back and growled, baring her teeth. "How could you! Sarabi is my friend!"
Lila started crying more as she tried to look at her sister in law. "I'm sorry. But what am I going to do?"
Sarafina narrowed her eyes, "You made your nest, lay in it!"
Just as Sarafina was about to return her attention to a now shaken princess, Sarabi ran out of the cave in tears. Sarafina frowned before looking at one of their other cubhood friends, Kala.
"Kala, watch Furaha for a bit?"
The tannish-beige lioness nodded her head before looking at the princess. "Want to come check on the triplets?"
Furaha watched Sarafina rush down the slope before turning back to Kala and nodded. Kala smiled before leading the pale beige cub to the main cave.
