It was sunset, hours later, when Ahadi woke to see a large brown paw on his nose. "Father? What is it? Are the Pridelands in danger?"

Mohatu's warm gaze was tinted with fear, and the emotion seemed to hit Ahadi now that he was awake. "There are some strange lions on the borders, by the Freelands. One lion, two pregnant lionesses, one very young male cub, and a small female cub. The lion seems...I am unsure what to call it, my son. Wary. Untrusting. But the females are very close to their time, I could smell the beginnings of birth upon their coats, if that says anything. I told them to wait whilst I fetched you. What do you want to do?"

Ahadi was up, stretching and trying to shake himself awake. "I will go to meet them. The ladies should be given proper rest, no matter what descision is made about the male. Show me, Father. Please, bring me to them."

On the father and son duo journeyed, and as the two came to a stop, Ahadi let out a long sigh. The lions and lionesses in front of him were weak, obviously on the brink of starvation and death. The sole male was shaky, but he towered over the two lionesses, looking like he would fight any danger. Ahadi kept his shoulders back, showing off his prowess, but walked slowly. This showed both his dignity and goodwill to the small pride, and the adults in the group acknowledged it with a soft nod.

"I am Ahadi, king of this land. Who are you, and where do you journey from?"

The lion sighed, laying back his ears in a submizzive manner. "I am Chini. These two are Bora and Ngoma. The little boy is Leo, and the young girl Nyasi."

"Zira. My name is Zira, Chini!"

Chini frowned towards the girl, but turned his attention back to Ahadi and continued talking. "We journey from the Kapatcha Pride, days away. Our king was overthrown and now another king rules, but he desires to kill any female still carrying cubs from the old ruler. I lead the lead party of escapees, and we got out safely. My daughter..."

Chini sighed heavily and a tear escaped his eyes. "My daughter stayed behind to entertain the males and keep them off everybodys tail. From the sounds we heard while leaving, I think she -and our- plan was discovered. I doubt she is still alive. I swore to keep these within my care safe, but everything has been against us. Perhaps the spirits felt us destined to stay and be slaughtered..." Chini paused and looked away, steeling his face. "Reguardless, my group is tired. Might I ask you to provide the ladies with a nighttime pad to rest their paws? We have been traveling, and both are only days away from their birthing times."

Ahadi's heart and mind were filled with compassion, and he smiled. "Of course, Chini. Stay as long as you need. We have medicines here, stay until Bora and Ngoma have given birth, and then leave if you wish. They should be safe while having their cubs. Which one is Leo and Nyasi's mother?"

Chini hesitated, but Nyasi snorted and stuck her pointy black nose in the air. "My momma died having me. Leo's dad was the old king...and he don't gots no mama!"

Leo flinched and wobbled on his paws, barely old enough for his spots to fade and he spoke quietly. "Mother ran off after I was born. I sucked from Nyasi's...I mean, Zira's...mother."

Ahadi felt a rush of sadness for the two little cubs who had already experienced so much death and destruction. Glancing at Chini, he jerked his head towards his rocky home and began to lead the way. He told them of the pridelands long history and about his mate as they walked, and got the feeling the mothers-to-be were excited to meet a new mom and talk about lioness things. As the last rays of light faded over the moutains of the east, they reached the cave to an awake Uru, who shakily stood and then winced, sitting back down.

"Forgive me, I would like to be a good queen and hostess but my children were born this morning and I am still under effects."

The two expectant mothers looked to each other and smiled to the queen, bowing carefully to her and grinning ear to ear. "No apologies needed, Queen Uru. We understand. I and Ngoma are soon to be feeling that same soreness. We look forward to it, and perhaps you can give us pointers. How are your cubs? What did you have?"

"Sons. Three boys...all very early. I pray they survive, but if not, at least I might spoil your cubs while Ahadi and I try for another one..."

Her desperation and fear rolled off her coat in waves, and pity clenched both of the newcomers' hearts. They moved forward to nuzzle her and reassure her as Ahadi, Chini, and Mohatu watched. Slowly the two head lions of the pridelands drew their eyes away from the scene, showing Chini where he and his group would sleep. Nyasi and Leo were asleep within minutes, exhausted from the journey. Late into the night the adults stayed up, discussing their situations and Ahadi and Uru assuring them they could stay as long aas needed. Mohatu watched with much pride, knowing he had raised a son such as this.

A few dawns later, Ahadi was awoken in the middle of the night by his father urging him out of the cave. With the soft whimpers of two lionesses explanation enough, he swiftly grabbed his three sons and brought them out to the warm air of the summit. Taka and Nidini had gained a bit of weight in the few days, Mufasa was constantly crying and seemed to have little to no appetite. Settling down to enjoy a long slumber, Ahadi was startled by his third sons' cool skin, and as he waited, it seemed as though his Mufasa was drawing shorter and shorter breaths, until one long shudder and shrill outcry of pain stopped the breathing completely. The brown lion could only stare in utter horror and shock as he saw his child's chest move no more. Without thinking, he rushed to the cave entrance where birthing cries still rang loudly. Peering into the entrance, he let out a loud trembling roar which echoed off the walls. As the lead mandrill Mishiki looked up, the apprentice Rafiki smiled and went back to calming young Bora, who was feeling nonstop pains of her cub being ready to be born.

"Ahadi, Great King, we must be left by the lionesses. What is wrong?"

"My son, Oh! My son, my Mufasa, he has...something is wrong. He stopped br...bre...breathing!"

Ahad's breath came in shallow gasps, and as Uru heard his proclamation she burst into god-awful wails, horrible keening sounds that could not, would not, be quieted or stopped. Her body shook, tears rolled down, and she collapsed as her sorrow would not bear her body's weight. Mishiki arose quickly from his position, giving Rafiki instructions to follow him as he and Ahadi went out the cave entrance.

When they came upon the warm bodies of two instead of three, Mishiki sighed and knelt by the still body of the tiny orange cub. Feeling the chest, it seemed as though Mishiki withdrew into himself as he reached behind his back and withdrew his satchel of many wonders. From it, he took a small turle shell and a hare's skin from it; grabbing a horned melon fruit, breaking it open and sprinkling it into the shell, his eyes oddly empty as he sprinkled simple sand from the dusty ground, and then his voice began to speak in a hoarse whisper, sent to the great kings above resting in the sky.

"Loo wafalme wakuu, kwa nini kuchukua hii maskini mateso nafsi? Naomba kwako kumrudisha, hivo tupate kuwa mkuu wetu mara moja zaidi? Natoa wito kwa roho nzuri kurudi pumzi yake, au Utanijulisha nija nipate kuupokea kuungana naye na familia yake!"

Heavy winds picked up as he finished his speech, his tongue speaking a language none but he would ever know. And as the great spirits rose amongst the king and mandrills, around the babes, the turtle shell was lifted into the air, spinning, spinning, spinning. As it floated back down, Mishiki grabbed it, peering into the mixed things which he had put into the shell prior to his plea. Tsking, he sighed and lay his hand on the still cub, looking Ahadi in the eyes.

"There is a cure, my King. But-"

"I DO NOT CARE! JUST DO IT!"

Mishiki growled under his breath, and as Ahadi was silent he continued. "A soul transfer is the only way. But it is risky. Soul transfers do not always work, and if it fails you will be left with two dead sons. Are you willing to chance this?"

"What is it...?"

Uru's broken voice came from below the summit, her hearing perfect but her body unable to make the climb, as her brain told her that if she never saw her son still as death, then it would not be so and he would be fine. Mishiki sighed and spoke loudly, so that all who mattered could hear him.

"It is an ancient cure, one which has not been done for many lifetimes. I call upon sprits and they enter the soul of one other lion, one of similar age and of purest of souls, for only a pure soul can transfer into another being. They take that soul which is another's and give it to the dying one, thus reviving him. The souless lion will still live but forever be tainted with darkness at every turn. Special care would have to be taken to insure he does not become a ruthless one, for as he is souless he would no longer truly understand right from wrong. He would breath, yes, but be dead inside as Mufasa is now. Do you choose this fate for another of your sons? For should this fail, the taken spirit shall be left wandering this earth for the evermore, never finding peace and the body will breath no more. It will take both your children if this is not successful. Is that a choice for you, My King?"

Ahadi stared between his three sons, pain sharp in his eyes as he tried to understand which was worse, losing one son to tragedy or possibly losing two by his greedy choice to try and keep all three. Sighing, he would not meet his distraught mate's eyes as he spoke, chin to his chest in grief and fear.

"Let it be done, Oh Shaman."

"Which son do you choose for the transfer of souls, Oh King?"

Ahadi stilled, feeling his heart skip. His choice would doom one cub ultimately. How dare he have to live with that. Turning away, he heard Uru scream at him to not dare say another word, and he turned away, his eyes wild with a father's desperation and love. he did not dare look at any of his children as he spoke quietly.

"Let it be Taka."

Uru screeched out her anger at her mate, anger and pain echoing in her voice as her legs again gave out and she splattered unconsciously against the stone. As a few of her lionesses came to her aid, Ahadi was only focused on the two mandrills as they called upon the past kings to work the magic of the sahara, and the gold of a pure spirit protruded out of Taka's mouth and into Mufasa's. Each was surrounded by a brilliant, blinding light of pure gold, the color of the sun, and as Mishiki spoke more enchanted words, it seemed as though his old voice grew young again, and it was stronger, more forceful; and as the Lion King and Lion Elder watched, the mandrill, the shaman began to dance around the cubs, shaking his staff and continuing his second verse of words for this ancient spell:

"Humn, din yada, umn din yada!
Hebu! Mbili ata ata ataungana katika kifo!
Hu,n din yada, umn din yada,
Nua kutengwa kwa ajili ya maisha,
Kuchukua roho, Kuchukua roho,
Diaima Wawili wawili.
Ndugu Kufanya Kafara
Humn din yada umn din yda, yada din hmn ya,
Hakukina zawadi zaidi
Oh, humn din yada umn din yada umnn!"

There was chanting to accomadate his words, chanting that came from no mouth Ahadi could see. The baboon's eyes were dark and empty still, as he channeled the spirits of kings long gone. Winds picked up, and it seemed to Ahadi that he was stuck in a swirling hurricane of golden aura. Musics played in his ears, the song of the past kings. Thunder crashed in a cloudless sky, and then...

Then there was silence.

It was a silence like no other, one almost unreal and otherworldly. As Ahadi's eyes swiveled at once to his cubs, he watched the golden glow fade slowly and as his two afflicted cubs each took deep breaths and wrinkled their noses, Ahadi let out loud laughs and clapped his old mandrill friend on the back. Uru slowly had made it up to the summit, fear in her eyes. Yet when she saw her three cubs slowly crawling around, her heart lifted and she grabbed Mufasa, a new round of tears falling. She collapsed from utter relief and growled as Ahadi tried to come closer.

Sighing, he left her alone and headed down towards the main caves just as small, delicate cries came from the birthing cave. He turned to see Uru rush towards the cave, cubs in mouth. As both rulers rounded the corner and went inside, a beautiful sight greeted them. Leo and Nyasi were gathered side by side looking at Bora and Ngoma. The new mothers glanced up at Ahadi and Uru as they entered and smiled faintly as they saw the three cubs alive and well. Ngoma purred warmly, swishing her tail and inviting Uru to step closer to view the fur she held between her paws.

"We've daughters, my lords. My little girl is healthy, and much fatter than I thought she would be. What with our lack of food, I feared she be sickly, but Sarafina is perfect, absolutely perfect! See how she is already lively!"

And it was true, for the pale cream cub was inching slowly on the ground, making tiny grunts as she tried to get her legs to do what they were not yet capable of. She watched the bigger lions move with unfocused eyes, and they mewed for her mother who laughed and scooped her newborn up.

Bora joined in the laughter, nuzzling and waking her daughter who turned around sleepily and yawned, opening dark orange eyes and then closing them to go back to snoozing. Bora folded her ears back and joked to Ngoma "Sarabi is like her father...a lazy-tail in the morning!" Ngoma laughed and nodded, then turned their attention to the new cubs. Ahadi looked to Uru who's gaze was going back and forth between their three cubs and the newborns. She shrunk up against him and whimpered, closing her eyes and pinning her ears back.

"Looking at them I see how truly tiny our boys are. What if we lose them again...Mufasa, he's so weak, this soul transfer thing..."

"Darling. Not here, my love. My Diamond, let us continue this discussion in private. Please, let's just congratulate the new mothers..."

She pulled away from him, hurt in her eyes. "You only care about politics, is that right? Forget our sons and their well-being...just to keep the peace!"

Ahadi felt the sting of her paw across his face and he stared at her in shock as she rushed out. His vision slid to his surprised pride members and he groaned. He loved his best friend, but she could be so...so emotional. He shook his head, giving quick greetings and a celebratory speech of blessings of well-being for the new lionesses and then left, intent on righting his relationship.

"Uru, you know I care about our sons. But we have to remember that I am a king, and you a queen. We have to act right in public. I'm sorry for sounding insensitive, but I have to follow protocol. My Diamond, please. I know we are all on edge because the boys have everything against them, but you'll see. They'll all be alright. Just keep your head."

Uru sighed, hanging her head and swishing her tail back and forth. "I'm sorry. But I so looked forward to motherhood, and I hate feeling like the boys aren't connected to me, and like they are just these separate creatures I'm only supposed to feed. I don't feel motherly towards them, but at the same time...when you announced Mufasa was dead, I felt as though my heart and soul was ripped away. Like darkness was all I would ever know. I can't do this. Things have to get better. If they don't, I'm stepping down as queen. I can't do this, Ahadi."

Ahadi stared at her, shock rushing through his veins. "Why didn't you tell me all of this?"

"You're so busy! You've taken all this in and just...just ran with it. Being king, being with me, helping the new pride members, helping me with our boys. You're always here before the sun goes down, and you rarely leave before sun-high.. you're perfect. The perfectly dedicated father, king, mate...I don't deserve you. I can't do this. It is what I was trained for, to raise the next king, but I don't think I am worthy. It's too much."

"Oh, my Diamond. My sweet, beautiful, selfless Diamond. I'm scared for them too. Don't you think I'm not scared stiff about those boys of ours. We are both going to make mistakes, Uru. And we are both going to be afraid. I'll help you, you just have to tell me how. If it means taking the boys with me, I'll do so. Just tell me what I can do to help you. I know you're dealing with this. Motherhood doesn't click with every female, I promise you will find that bond you're looking for eventually. I swear it. And, you know, I never break a promise..."

His turn-a-phrase gifted him a small smile, and she sighed and nuzzled him under his chin. "I love you, and I love them. But I think I need some time. I'm not sure what, but I need something. I feel so pinned and caged, and I don't know what to do."

"I do. Rest a few more days. Then, go and visit your family on the mountain. Now that Bora and Ngoma have cubbed, they can lend a bit of milk to the boys. I'll take the boys with me on my rounds and watch out for them. Go and pamper yourself for as long as you need. I trust you to return when ready."