She quietly let out a breath before walking forwards. As they approached the pride laying in the shade of an acacia tree Ace and Ash flanked her, acting like bouncers and looking the part as well, and all eyes turned to the newcomers. Ahadi and Uru walked over to the them, the king not looking very happy but hiding it very well. Ahadi looked at Ace and Ash as if sizing them up before addressing them. "Are you three lost?" He growled. Ash and Ace moved from behind Shasta to stand almost in front of her. "Calm down Mr. Grumpy pants. I told you I would be back when I finished my training." Shasta said after cuffing her two friends upside their heads and stepping forward, a small smile on her face. "Shasta?" Uru asked quietly. "I'm home." Shasta said smiling. Ahadi smiled as he clapped her on the back with a large paw. "It's good to see you again Shasta!" he said, attracting the attention of three lions near them. "Shasta?" a lioness asked as she walked closer. Shasta turned to the lioness. "Yes." She said looking at the lioness. "Lilly?" She asked. "Yep! It's me!" Lilly said smiling. "Wow! Look at you! You've grown!" Shasta said as she walked around her old friend. "Ya, but look at you. You've really changed." Lilly said as she looked Shasta over. Two lions walked over. "Shasta?" one asked. "Marko." Shasta said her voice void of emotion as she brushed him off. The other lion stared at her, surprise and happiness written on his face, making the scar across his eye stand out slightly. "I don't believe I know you, my name is Shasta." She said as she looked him over. "I know. We're friends Shasta. Good to see you again." he said smiling. Shasta looked at him closely. 'That can't be my Taka. Can it? How did he get that scar?' "Taka?" Shasta asked. The lion's face hardened and a growl rumbled in his throat as rage and hurt filled his eyes. "I no longer go by that name." He growled as he stalked off. "Taka! Wait." Shasta called after him. As she tried to go after him Lilly stopped her. "You going after him won't do any good." her old friend growled as she took off after him, but not before giving Shasta a harsh glare. Shasta stared after them as Marko sighed, stepping up beside her with Ace and Ash. "I'll explain everything you've missed." he said. Shasta nodded before turning to Ace and Ash as Ace cleared his throat. "We must get back to Thunder Mountain. The lady's are waiting." Ash said as he smirked at Shasta, wiggling his eyebrows causing Shasta to swipe at his head, laughing as he ducked before trotting away. "You are such a pervert, Ash! You know that?" Shasta asked the lion as he walked away. "You know it!" he called back laughingly. Ace laughed softly. "See ya later, Shasta." he said as he head butted her gently, purring before taking off after his brother. "Bye, Ace! Keep Ash in line for me, buddy!" Shasta called. Marko walked to her side. "Some friends you got there." He said. "Yea, you should have met their mother. Sayuri was wilder than both of them. Hard as nails and twice as tough, like a mother to me and treated me like her baby girl." Shasta said smiling. "Well I better tell you why my brother acted like that. Come over to the willow, I'd like to tell you out of the sun so we don't bake." Marko said as he walked to the willow. Shasta followed him slowly, not sure if she should trust him. When they sat down Shasta sat four feet from him, eyeing him warily. "About a month after you left Taka started hanging around these three hyena cubs, playing rough and getting into some bad trouble. Dad found them one day and struck Taka out of anger, his claws cut his eye and that's where that scar came from. He has become cold and ruthless since you left, and dad hitting him like that didn't help him any and simply drove him farther into his shell. Lilly has also become like him, hard and ruthless, she is going to become his mate soon, I think, she has father's blessing but not mother's and that's who counts. Maybe you can change him back to our old Taka?" Marko asked, his eyes hopeful. "I don't know. If I can get him alone I want to talk to him." Shasta said. "That'll be easy! I can charm Lilly into taking a walk with me tonight. Taka stays in a cave away from the rest of us, that's probably where he is now. Let's get cracking!" he said as he started running to the den. Shasta followed a few paces behind him. Suddenly he stopped and turned to Shasta. "A word of advise. He doesn't go by Taka anymore. He now goes by Scar." Marko said. Shasta nodded. Soon they reached the den. Marko trotted in and soon came back out with Lilly. He nodded to Shasta and she walked into the den. "Excuse me? Where is Ta-Scar's den?" Shasta asked a lioness. "Right over there." the lioness said. "Oh, and Shasta? Welcome back, sis." the lioness said. Shasta's eyes widened a fraction before she nodded to Jenna. "Thank you." she said as she walked into a den, secluded from the others.
