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Leopard the Warrior of Africa

As Makunga had promised he had waited and spent time with Chui with Shani keeping an eye on them for about two weeks. During that time, Shani brought left over meat from her family's meals to Makunga and Zorillo.

"So, do your parents and siblings ever ask what you're doing with the meat?" Makunga asked one day, after Shani brought leftovers of an antelope.

"Yes, but I just tell them I'm bringing them to Zorillo and say that he's the one who's injured," the lioness replied, giving Chui a bath. Makunga chuckled as he watched the cub squirm in his mother's grip.

"Kunga! Make Mama stop! I don't want a bath!" the cub said, struggling against his mother. Zorillo ate his part of the antelope and laughed at how Chui was trying to stop Shani from grooming his mane tuff. Shani finally let Chui go, who went directly to Makunga. "I hate baths."

The older male laughed. "You'll get use to it, Chui. I hated baths at your age as well." Chui smiled at Makunga and then at his mother. Shani smile at the two males and began to groom Makunga. His lime green eyes widen at this before pulling away. "Shani... what... what… are... are you doing?" he asked, looking shocked at Shani's actions. The brown lioness raised an eyebrow at Makunga.

"I don't think you'll like your food around your face, messy eater."

"Don't you even think of going mother-stuff on me, Shani. I'm a grown lion."

"Can I have a bath then?"

"Of course, Zorillo."

"Yes! I love baths!"

Makunga looked at Zorillo as he hopped into Shani's grip to be bathed with a confused look before looking at Shani again. It wasn't actually the fact that he didn't like or want Shani going mother-like on him, it was the fact that usually the lionesses grooms their cubs and mates before and after a meal. Makunga shook his head and looked down to see Chui playing with his tail. He couldn't help but chuckle at some irony in how the cub had some strange resemblance to himself.

Somewhere else in the reserve…

Alex gathered his brothers and younger sisters up with Rosalina. Kerneels, Asita, Deka, and Wema had wanted to go to the waterhole, and Ayo had wanted to play with the hippos. Shani had offered to stay behind with Chui in the den, letting the two other lions take the younger teens and cubs to the waterhole.

Alex looked at the orange reddish brown highlighted lioness. He hadn't been able to really talk to Rosa by her birth name after their father had told all of them that Kerneels would be next in line.

Rosa looked at Kerneels with her eyes filled with envy. Why couldn't she be a leader? Just because she was born with no claws, looked like their grandfather scar and step grandmother Zira, and used human weapons to defend herself? Rosa looked away to see the hippos Ayo wanted to play with, her head still trying to figure out why she was outcast by her own pride. Was she really that odd and different? Was that why she was named that cursed name from the start? It was hard enough for the second eldest daughter of the alphas to handle any burdens like these, to know that her very birth name said it all. Maluuni. Outcast.

Wema looked at Rosa as well. She couldn't understand it as well, but maybe it was because she was still so young. Unlike Rosa, and most of her other siblings, Wema looked the most like Florrie, the only difference was her violet eyes. Her siblings Kerneels and Shani had been Zuba-look-a-likes, with the only difference that Shani was female, and Kerneels had blue eyes, while Alex, Asita, and Ayo were more mixed versions of their parents, Asita growing a black mane, Ayo being more brownish, and Alex having a more pure golden muzzle and belly color. With Deka, she took more after their grandfather Jua from their mother's side, with only her father's green eyes. And Rosa… she had been the most unfortunate to have taken after her grandfather Scar in looks.

'And maybe she's starting to have his personality,' the cub thought, looking at the young lioness. Wema had noticed how her sister had been acting lately, usually glaring at Kerneels every now and then, and also starting to keep away from most of the pride. The violet-eyed cub looked over to her brothers to see Asita and Kerneels play-fighting again.

Ayo sat on Gloria's back, watching the fish swim by. "Why do hippos like water?"

Gloria smiled at him before continue swimming. "I don't know, we just do," she answered smiling as she kept swimming. Ayo looked at his older brother and sister with a worried glance.

"Gloria?"

"Yes Ayo?"

"Do you think Rosa is being mistreated by the pride?"

Gloria stopped for a moment, wadding the middle of the waterhole. She knew that Rosa had wanted to be the next Alpha Lioness, ready to lead her pride into the future. But, like other animals in the reserve, she had been worried of the lioness's mind. "I'm afraid I'm not sure how to answer that, Ayo," she said to the cub, looking at Rosa as well. She noticed her glaring at Kerneels in envy again, making the hippo sigh. "I'm actually starting to fear she's also becoming what most of the reserve is treating her," she said, heading towards shore. Ayo looked at Gloria with his sapphire eyes, his ears perked at what she had said. "You mean, Rosa might start acting like Grandpa Scar?"

Gloria froze for a moment, remembering what she had heard from all the herds that had once lived in the Pridelands. "I'm starting to think so."

…

Makunga watched as Shani play with Chui, smiling as he took notice of how close she was with her son. Zorillo kept digging the hole he and Makunga were busy digging before noticing that Makunga had stopped.

"Makunga? Are you ok? Hello? Makunga?" the polecat asked, waving his paws to get the lion's attention. Zorillo looked at his new lion friend and then to Shani and Chui before smiling. "I'll just let you watch on, lover-boy," he said, going back to digging.

Makunga glared at Zorillo there. "Excuse me?" Zorillo looked up at him with a smile. "I am not in love with Shani, Zorillo."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are, lover boy!"

"You two do know we can hear you, right?" Shani said, rolling her eyes at the males. Both looked at her, Makunga's eyes widen and Zorillo smiling sheepishly. Chui giggled as he saw Makunga walk away. Shani raised an eyebrow at the lion, curiosity getting the best of her. "Zorillo, can you watch Chui for a moment? I need to ask Makunga something."

"Sure thing, Shan!"

The lioness ran after the older lion, stopping when he began to dig for water again. "So, care to tell me what's making you blush at any of these topics?" Makunga looked at her, before looking away. Shani could have sworn that he had looked at her blamefully.

"Look, let's just leave the subject alone, ok?" He said, continuing to dig for water. Shani's rimmed ears went back, her emerald eyes studying Makunga for a moment.

"Ok then, but can I ask you of something?" she said, getting in front of him. Makunga glanced up at her, raising an eyebrow to show he was listening. "Once you get better, could you show me how to truly hunt and how to defend it if someone else tries to take it?" Makunga thought for a moment. "It could help me make sure I can feed Chui on my own," she added, trying to look as pitiful as she could towards Makunga. The male lion looked at her before smiling.

"You're blackmailing me, aren't you?"

"...Maybe."

"Ok then. I can never say no to a lioness that is able to blackmail me."

Shani looked surprised at Makunga. Say what now? She looked at him with her ears perked before feeling a bump against her leg. Shani looked down to see a dik-dik shaking his head from bumping into her. Makunga also looked up and raised an eyebrow at the small mammal before recognizing him. "What are you doing here, Shirley?"

"I'm Bobby!"

Shani rolled her eyes at the two males. Bobby stood up and shook the dust off his coat. "And I'm here, because I wanted to tell Alpha Lion Zuba a place off the reserve." Shani's ears perk up and she stopped Bobby before he could walk away.

"Can you tell us about it?" she asked, her eyes gleaming in interest. Bobby looked at her in awe before bowing down.

"It is a crater, with plenty of food and water, the herds are abundant, and the pride is very friendly and has many hybrids in their mist. There's a waterfall that leads to a river that runs through it, which leads to a waterhole at the other end of it, your highness," he said, standing up before Shani and then looking between Makunga and Shani in confusion. "Wait, why are you two together here?

Makunga blushed at the word "together" and looked away before going back to digging for water. Shani looked away for a moment and then back at bobby. "I have my own punishment for Makunga, and… I wanted to make sure he knew all the limits in it." The nod from Bobby meant he took the lie before running off to tell Zuba of the crater. Shani thought for a moment and then looked at Makunga. "How soon will you be healed up enough," she asked with a small gleam in her eyes. Makunga looked at her questionably.

"Zorillo says about three more days, why?"

"Bobby said that the pride there was friendly and had hybrids. That could finally be my chance to raise Chui in peace without him being teased," she answered, a smile on her face. Makunga thought of Shani's reason and looked back to where Chui and Zorillo were by the tree. A thought soon came into his mind. Maybe... just maybe… he could take over the pride there in the crater. A smile soon came onto his face before facing Shani.

"If it's for Chui, then yes," he lied. Shani smiled and hugged him before running to get her son. Makunga was left there blushing. 'She… hugged… me… Shani, the most motherly, clumsy, curious, beautiful… wait… did I just think she's beautiful?' he thought before shaking his head. 'No… I won't let her distract me in my new quest to rule this pride in the crater. I won't… I can't…..'

Marty: …. Wow, Makunga's still kind of a jerk here. He just pretended to go with Shani's reason. Jerk.

Bobby: what's with the part at the waterhole?

Me: It just felt right.

Bobby: ok…. I like to part with Rosalina.

Me: I needed something to explain about Rosa in a way.

Melman: so….. are you also going to put Marty/Rosa in this?

Me: this is after Rosa got dumped by Makunga's son, Riau.

Marty: yeah…

Me: don't worry, there are still a few hints and Rosa wants to kill you Marty.

Marty: Gee, thanks a lot there.

Me: *smiles evilly* Please review everyone, or else I'll let Rosa kill Marty!

Marty: WHAT!?