Author's Note: We were introduced to Griselda and now its time to meet the other lion cub mentioned in the story summary ~ I had fun with this chapter, it feels good to finally write Takatifu out after all these years ~ Please be sure to leave a review if you liked my content, every little bit helps my moral. There will be more new faces introduced to come here ~

The Peanut Gallery: [I will answer any reviews/questions here ~]

Watership's Nightwish Rat: I am glad you like the story so far ~ Hopefully you will continue to follow it and enjoy future installments.

Chapter 2 - [Curiosity]

"How come I'm the only lion here?"

"Takatifu! Takatifu! Oh, where is that naughty cub?" The black leopard trotted through the thick foliage with long strides, green eyes jumping to and fro as she tried to find the wayward lad. Ashera scowled so deeply one would be convinced she had tasted something sour.

She made a thoughtful face as she stare up at the canopy of trees, their thick fronds kept out most of the sun. It left a splotchy amount of shadow through the forest. Some birds flew over head squawking loudly, in this moment Ashera wished she had wings to fly, it would make scouting out Takatifu easier than the far cry from how it was.

She heard a rustling of leaves from a nearby tree and what sounded like a whisper of breath, Ashera rotating her ears in a perplexed fashion. The sound a branch bending under the weight of something moving followed after. Suddenly she felt a weight crash down upon her head and in surprise she fell to the ground, Ashera sprawling out her body out as she wiggle like a tipped buffalo. Bewildered she looked at her attacker and puffed her cheeks out at the audacity of it all.

That little sneak! Ashera thought as she stare at the infuriating little cub.

"Haha! I got you, Ashera. I'm getting good aren't I?" Takatifu stood over her head with a cheeky grin, the brown lion cub clad in spots with a blonde mass of mane sprouting at his crown. His cheery smile was contagious, even if Ashera was doing her best to stay annoyed with the boy. "I'm going to ambush better than any leopard at this rate." He puffed his chest out with pride, bright blue eyes twinkling.

"You little hairball, I've been looking for you all morning!" Ashera exclaimed, getting up so she could gently cuff the cub over the ear. He only laughed loudly, ducking away and reaching a paw out to swat her back. "With those hyenas around lately you should know better than to wander off, Takatifu. Haven't I told you, time and time again that you aren't pardoned from being someone's chow?"

Takatifu didn't look too concerned, he only looked at Ashera with that adorable little grin of his. "Hyenas can't climb trees," he told her with a casual roll of his shoulders. "Sides, I got you to protect me," he told Ashera with warmth to the words, true devotion splashed upon his face. Having raised the youth from infancy, Takatifu viewed Ashera with adoration that a child gave its parent, though Takatifu was well aware Ashera was not his mother. It did not filter the strength of the bond the two of them shared though, even if it was a leopard raising a lion.

Ashera wanted to be mad at him but she couldn't bring herself to be. She shook her head, trying to repress a smirk. "Brat."

"Yeah but I'm your brat," Takatifu teased right back, knowing his guardian all too well to take offense of her playful jab.

"Unfortunately," Ashera quipped, the corners of her maws quirking high. "Maybe I should trade you for a turtle, at least I won't lose sight of it when it runs off."

Takatifu pouted his lips at the leopard, the cub knocking her arm with his small paw. "Well tough luck, you're the one who picked me out. You are stuck with me, Ashera!"

"I guess I'll need to find a way to survive this punishment then," she told him, leaning down to drag her sand papery tongue through his growing mane. Takatifu pushed her away with a indifferent huff.

"Ashera, you're messing up my mane!"

"You need to groom it more, it looks much more akin to that hornbill nest we saw yesterday," she chuckled, letting him go with a fond nudge.

Takatifu absently touched his paw to the tufts at his head, running the digits through the soft golden locks. "I don't look that bad," he told her with a stubborn look. "You act like I never bathe."

The leopard didn't react, only shook her head with a fond chuckle. She began to walk off down the forest trail, tail swaying at her heels as she gesture Takatifu to follow behind. "Come on you little rascal," Ashera said. "We have to go look for lunch, old man Waliopotea is depending on us to bring him something."

Takatifu perked at the mention of going hunting, a skill Ashera had only just began to teach him, hence his little ambush stunt. She always said leopards depended on stealth to spring upon unsuspecting targets, whether that be enemy or food. He'd been putting his training to the test by sneaking off when he could and surprising the many leopards in their leap, primarily Ashera and his friends. Lucky for him he was cute or else Ashera often mentioned she was sure the older leopards would have knocked him one good one of these days. Waliopotea was hardly impressed when the lion cub sprang on him one morning but the look on his face...!

"It was totally worth it, Ashera! He didn't see me coming!" Takatifu had said between snickers. Ashera had shot him a sour look, ears flat and eyes narrowed as she'd just finished getting her head lectured off by the old leopard.

"Of course he couldn't see you coming! The poor guy only has one eye! Please don't do that again, he might not be able to tan your hide but his tongue is just as painful."

Ashera was not the most revered hunter of the Kijani leap thanks to her black coat, she was the only leopard in the group who had been born with such a midnight black pelt. However once she melded with the shadows of the forest, she was a hard sight to see coming. The night was her best friend and Takatifu hoped to one day match Ashera in terms of hunting and sneaking skill. She lead the two of them towards the local watering place located in the forest, connected to a large flowing waterfall that fed out the rivers out in the Savannah. With it nearing midday, animals were going to be headed for the falls to drink their fill and relax in the tall fronds of trees.

She paused and looked at Takatifu to make sure the cub was watching her. He was, his bright eyes locked on his guardian. Takatifu was enraptured in this lesson, Ashera smiled in relief. The cub sometimes was easily distracted, you see... "Okay Takatifu, time to put those stealth skills to the test. We are going to split up and circle around. You will startle the okapi towards me. I'm going to bring it down over there," Ashera said, gesturing with her head towards the strange animal by the drinking water.

He nodded his head at her, Takatifu scrambling to stand upon one of the many rocks to get a better view of the terrain. "Got it, Ashera." He threw a grin at her, pleased when she rolled her eyes at his eager energy. "It won't see me coming."

"Remember Takatifu, the trick is to feel the earth under your paws so it doesn't shift or make noise," Ashera told him in a firm voice.

"I'm like a cloud," he reassured her hastily, wanting to get right to the hunting. "Dont worry!"

Ashera gave him a nod and stalked off to assume her position, offering one last bit of wisdom as she did so. "If at all you find yourself under it's hooves, curl into a ball and protect your head. I doubt it will come to that though."

Takatifu drew in an excited breath as he pounce off the rock, wiggling his launches as he went a long. His steps were careful and he checked multiple times to make sure he wouldn't press his stealthy paws on any naughty debris. If he could ambush a leopard he could ambush that okapi too, no problem.

He tried to not inhale so heavily as his nerves were on fire, eagerness pulsating through his entire being. Takatifu counted the paces like he heard Ashera do often when on the hunt, an estimate so he did not under nor overstep when preparing to strike. His eyes saw Ashera's black fur through the tall grass and leaves, she tried sticking to the shadows but bits of spotty sunlight fell over her lithe form.

She met his eyes, waiting as she carefully watch Takatifu make his way through the grass and undergrowth. Her body was poised to strike, Takatifu knew it was up to him to spook the okapi in her direction. Once close enough, Takatufu could see the long striped legs of the funny animal, it's long neck bent to drink the cool refreshing water.

He struck out with his paw with a hiss, the okapi jerked it's head up in fright. Without thinking it whirled on its heel to barrel in the opposite direction of what had smacked it from the tall grass. Takatifu exposed himself with a wide grin, watching the beast run directly into Ashera's position.

It reared up on its hind legs with a startled cry, Ashera cutting off it's escape as she sprung out. It was over very quickly, as Ashera lunged with a snarl to latch her jaws over the okapi's throat. It struggled but it was no match for the leopard who pinned it to the ground, suffocating it soon after it was brought to the floor.

Takatifu ran to go meet Ashera who licked the blood off her teeth, tongue grazing across her jaws. "Good job, Takatifu." She beamed at the lion cub proudly. "Guess picking on our leap comes in handy after all, huh kiddo?'

He smirked. "You're the one who said it, not me," he said in a smart aleck manner, making Ashera pout at him.

"Brat," she scoffed the familiar moniker. "Use that smart mouth of yours to eat your supper, then we gotta bring up some cuts to Waliopotea. Leave him the rump, that's his favorite part."

Takatifu stuck his tongue out at her. "Of course the old man gets the best piece of the okapi," he said before lowering his face down to tear at the carcass, his stomach grumbling at the warm smell of fresh bloody meat.

Ashera tore a leg off for herself and took a bite, tearing through the striped flesh. "Maybe when you get older you can boss all of us around instead," she teased as she ate, smirking. "Then you'll always get to eat the best cuts of meat first." She crunched the bones in her powerful jaws.

Takatifu chewed with his mouth open. "Yeah? Guess I'll have to give old man Waliopotea a run for his meal then." His eyes twinkled playfully. They both knew that would never happen.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," she scolded the cub, swallowing her food. "Anyway good luck with that, he's going to outlive us all."

The lion cub and leopard finished their lunch, eating leisurely and conversing in mealtime pleasure. Ashera ripped off a chunk of the carcass to carry with her for Waliopotea. She cut out another piece for Takatifu to carry too. He must be very hungry by now. As leader of the leopards, it was important they made sure he was taken care of, especially in his old age and the recent injury that inflicted him.

Takatifu followed Ashera through the thick territory of jungle, in his mouth he carried the severed okapi hoof. Waliopotea lived rather deep in the heart of the forest, usually keeping to himself and away from the rest of the leap. It did not mean he ignored them, always from a distance he watched the leopards with his one remaining eye. If there was danger he did not hesitate to lay his life down for the Kijani leap.

He was almost like a father figure to Takatifu. Almost was the key word. He respected the old leopard but Waliopotea was too emotionally distant and cold to ever welcome him with warm opened arms. It didn't mean he treated the cub poorly either, often Takatifu could remember the old male guarding him in the shadows when Ashera was not nearby. He dished out words of wisdom and lecture when need by, even if it often got a eyeroll from antsy lion cubs.

Some suspected this favoritism had something to do with Ashera but in what way nobody really knew nor did they ask...

"Okay, seems we are here," Ashera said, dropping her meat chunk a moment to speak. "If I know old man Waliopotea he should be hanging out in the tree tops... but he does have that bad leg right now..." Her brows furrowed thoughtfully, Takatifu watching as her green eyes looked about, contemplative.

"If he's like everyone else he's gonna let his stomach lead him here," Takatifu mused, glancing down at the meat. "I mean, if he doesn't trip over anything with that bad eye and leg of his on the way."

"He is quite battered, isn't he?" She mused. "And old, I haven't met a leopard as ancient as he."

"Are we done disrespecting my good name? Because I would quite like to come eat finally." A deep voice came from a tree branch, his large golden spotted body coated in splotchy shadow. His one green eye bore down on the two, making Takatifu feel small. Battle scars etched through his tough hide, war stories each one told. "I'm only half blind, my hearing is still very good."

"Waliopotea! I did not mean any offense," Ashera hastily scrambled to speak.

Takatifu smirked a bit at Ashera's panic. "Its only his bark that you gotta fear, Ashera."

She shot him a displeased look, pouting her lips. Ashera was about to speak up when Waliopotea interrupted her, the leopard climbing down from his perch with grace that should not have matched his bulky form. "Save me your rambling, Ashera. I know exactly what you meant."

Was that a subtle jab of humor? Takatifu couldn't tell as his torn up face was still very much flat and stotic. His face was scruffy and twinged with faded white hair. His whiskers were scruffy and his chin long and furry, he had cheek bones sharper than mountain stalagmites.

Ashera pinned her ears, her face betrayed the internal amounts of screaming going on inside her head. "Of course," she said meekly. "Anyway... um, we caught okapi."

He arched a brow curiously at Ashera, the old leopard leaning his face down to begin eating his fill. "'We'?" It seemed his table manners were not the best and Takatifu wondered if being old meant you could talk with your mouth full.

"I mentioned it last time I last spoke to you but I've began to teach Takatifu to hunt," Ashera explained, letting some pride slip into the words. She glanced at Takatifu who grin at her.

"Yeah, I snuck up and spooked that okapi from the brush," the cub proudly exclaimed.

Waliopotea sniffed quietly as he seemed to recall something. "Well, that certainly explains why you have been... causing trouble with the leap. So many complain about the false leopard pouncing forth from the trees these days..." He scowled and with the blood on his face it nearly looked menacing. Takatifu was hardly phased, only widened his cheeky grin.

"You have to admit it mister Waliopotea that I got you really good that one time. Remember? I was stalking all over the tree tops and..." The cub demonstrated the story as told it, crouching low and gingerly stepping about.

"Yes, I remember. Please don't remind me," he grunted, bloodied okapi flesh dangling between his teeth. "Best you next teach the boy to be careful of what and who he pounce on in future."

Ashera smiled at him, sheepish. "I'll make sure to do that, sir."

"Good," Waliopotea said, returning to resume his meal. With the food delivered, Ashera felt it best they make their leave, the black leopard getting to her paws and gesturing with her head for Takatifu to follow. Waliopotea lifted his remaining eye at the movement and spoke up in his gruff voice. "Wait a moment Ashera, there is more I wish to discuss with you and the boy."

"I have a name you know," Takatifu told Waliopotea helpfully, causing the male to look at him blankly. "Takatifu, remember?"

Ashera nudged her cub with a scolding frown. "Takatifu..." She turned her face to Waliopotea after. "What do you wish to speak to me about?"

"Those blasted hyenas are causing trouble for the leap and other animals in the jungle," Waliopotea said with a low growl, he pushed his meal aside to properly address Ashera without distraction.

"Yes, they are," Ashera agreed with a patient nod. "We've been dealing with their activities best we can but... there's only so much we can do." Her eyes fell to his hurt leg.

"Indeed," he grunted. "I've heard reports that they're getting bolder, the cubs are at risk. Penda told me they nearly gobbled Binti and Mafuta a few nights ago. And then theres the herds being harassed beyond needing food and now their near victorious attack upon me..." Waliopotea's ego both as a leopard and leader were burned far deeper than the scars in his pelt. Takatifu could see it in the way his claws flexed and jaw tightened. "I will not stand for it a moment longer. My leg has healed decently enough that I will make a journey to the capital."

Ashera blinked slowly in stunned silence. "You mean, the Mbinguni pride?"

"Yes, are you so daft you forget we have a king who is supposed to fix issues like these?"

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that it's just... the Mbinguni pride have never been very known to extend a paw to help the other species like us." Ashera frowned. "I don't see why they would risk their forces to help us."

Takatifu listened to the conversation with alert ears. "Ashera," he finally spoke up, cocking his head like a confused puppy. "What's a pride?"

She gave him a hesitant side glance at the question. She could feel Waliopotea's gaze bore into her with disapproval that the boy did not know. "A pride is... where lions live together."

He looked curious, mouth forming an 'o' shape. "Lions live together? Wait..." Takatifu wrinkled his muzzle, something dawning on him.

Waliopotea replied in place of Ashera, nodding his massive head. "Yes they do, boy. Usually they are headed by a lone male with many lionesses who serve beneath him. However royal prides like the Mbinguni run things quite differently."

"What about cubs?"

"There are cubs as well." He turned to face Ashera who was fidgeting under his scrutiny. "Why have you not explained this to the boy, Ashera?"

She frowned defiantly. "He's never asked before now," she told Waliopotea.

"How come I'm the only lion here?" Takatifu looked at Ashera, truly curious and confused.

"Leopards and lions... do not usually mix. Typically we all stick to our own kind... the zebras, the hyenas, the jackals, the impalas... So on and so forth." Ashera rubbed at her fore arm to max her unease. Takatifu didn't seem too phased, instead making a thoughtful face. "Anyway... ahem... what was it you wanted to do with the Mbinguni lions?"

Waliopotea didn't appear eager for Ashera to try swerving the conversation but he didn't linger further. "As I was saying... I will make a journey to the capital of the lion kingdom to seek council with king Obi. I hear his policies differ from his ancestors."

"You couldn't possibly make such a trip on your own," Ashera protested to her leader, shaking her head. "I mean no insult but Waliopotea you are quite old and that leg still needs time to mend more. Hyenas bite hard."

"Exactly," he agreed, stunning Ashera to silence. She merely stared at him as if the usually so proud leopard had grown a second head.

"Excuse me?" Ashera found her voice. Takatifu tugged on the fur at her elbow when her maws remain ajar.

"You're going to swallow a hornet if you keep it up, Ashera." Takatifu turned his attention to Waliopotea.

"I won't be making the pilgrimage alone because you will be accompanying me to see the king."

"What?!" Ashera sounded shell shocked and perhaps borderline horrified. "Waliopotea, no, I couldn't go with you. That's nearly a three day journey and who would take care of Takatifu with those Damu tribe hyenas around if I go?"

"You need to breathe in some fresh air for once, Ashera. This jungle is going to make you stuffy," Takatifu told Ashera with a teasing smile. He looked excited. "Man, you'll get to go outside the jungle! I wish I could go." Ashera could tell this talk of visiting a lion pride had planted a thoughtful seed within his head. He sighed wistfully. Often times she knew the cub would sneak away to climb the many cliffs and canyons in the jungle in order to try and see what lay beyond the jungle. His friends though excellent climbers would complain about how hard a journey it was, yet a lion cub could scale far better than they.

It made her very nervous.

"Its a dangerous world out there, Takatifu. You don't want to leave the safety of the forest for it," Ashera said sagely, shaking her head as she lay a paw on his small back.

"We will bring the boy, teach him more of those survival skills while we are on the trail. Best way to build him further." Waliopotea told her without missing a beat. "It will do him good to see what's there and mingle with lions of his own kind."

Ashera didn't like the way Waliopotea said 'his own kind,' it caused her to glower slightly at him. "I don't know about this." She protectively drew Takatifu closer to her side, causing the cub to squirm about eagerly. "Its too dangerous. Who is to even say the king will even talk to us?"

"I get to go with you guys?" Takatifu exclaimed in a stunned voice, blue eyes shining with glee. "Out there in the wild and to meet the lion pride?" He seemed to completely ignore Ashera's cautions, even when she shot him a peeved look out of distress.

Waliopotea nodded his head to the cub. "Indeed, you would get to see many new things you've never experienced here in the jungle, lad."

"Wow," the lion cub said, suddenly in a low voice. His brows furrowed close to his eyes as he turn to give Ashera one of his famous begging faces. "Ashera, can we go? Please?"

She let her lips set into a line as she stared into the eyes of the boy. "Takatifu, you aren't thinking this carefully," Ashera advised softly. "Its not as simple as you think."

Waliopotea didn't look very sympathetic however he decided to compromise. "I will give you until sunset to give me your answer, Ashera. I won't force you but between you and me you would be the best leopard to bring to meet lions."

Ashera looked generally puzzled, her green eyes fixated on his worn face. "What do you mean?"

He merely gestured to Takatifu. "You raised one, the pride would be more willing to hear our case knowing one of their kind lives among us. Its a political gamble but one we best take if we want king Obi's favor. You also understand lions best after..."

Ashera glanced away with a sigh, taking in his words and the weight they held. "Let me think on it, Waliopotea. I need time to..."

"If that's what you wish, then fine."

"Come along Takatifu," the black leopard got to her paws, no longer sitting as she decided it was best to go. "I will come meet you at sunset, for now... I'll see you later."

He nodded his head and without another word returned to his meal. Ashera began to walk away, Takatifu shadowing her every step. His mind was spinning at this new prospect of getting to see the Savannah beyond the glimpses from the tree tops and cliffs. And other lions! There were others just like him! How amazing was that?

With how stony Ashera's face looked though Takatifu knew he had a great task today getting her to agree to Waliopotea's terms of visiting the Mbinguni pride. That was okay though, Takatifu was no quitter, he would get her to say yes eventually.

Even if he had to please his guardian the very ends of the earth!

Name meaning log: [To avoid character spoilers new names will be added at the bottom so you aren't spoiled over who appears in the chapter]

Ashera - "grove"

Waliopotea - "one-eye"