Yes Rumpelstiltskin is alive and will be returning, later though.
Enjoy the fourth chapter.
Raiden sat at the peak of Priderock watching with a pleased smile as Sirius and Remi strolled along the path of the waterhole. Leaning onto one another as they nuzzled and laughed.
"At least one of us gets our happy ending.."
Raiden looked over her shoulder to see Furaha with her head low and ears pinned. Her eyes were puffy and had fresh coat of tears. "Oh Fur, what happened?"
The tawny peach lioness began to sob uncontrollably. "He said that...we were best friends but he fell for someone else. I..,"
Raiden placed a paw on the other lioness' colorless paw and laid her head against Furaha's. "I'm sorry...about what happened. Perhaps...there's someone else?"
Furaha broke away and stood. "The only other male that I feel close like that is...Ordell. But he'll never love me." with a sigh Furaha turned and headed for the slope. "Thanks for the talk, Raiden."
Raiden nodded before lowering her head as she turned back to gaze on her kingdom. She was so deep in thought that she didn't realize someone else had joined her until they laid their head against hers.
"What's got you so far away, love?" came the deep, raspy voice of the king.
Raiden smiled before leaning into the pale cream lion. "I really feel guilty. I tried to help Furaha and made things worse."
Kaidan nuzzled his mate before following the queen's gaze. "I'm not sure what happened...but I'm sure that Furaha doesn't blame you."
Raiden was about to respond when she caught sight of her new majordomo, Ova. The dark gold lioness frowned as the white egret fluttered in front of her.
"My queen, there's been a accident on the hunting grounds."
Hunting grounds. Raiden's dark green eyes widened. "My mother and grandmother is hunting. Are they..."
Ova looked down before opening her yellowish beak to respond. "The former queen is fine. But I'm afraid that Nala didn't make it."
Raiden closed her eyes and sobbed. Kaidan wrapped a arm around his weeping mate, Raiden leaned closer and cried in the king's black mane.
...
Sometime Ago
Rumpelstiltskin shook as he hid under some bushes. His ears flatten against his skull as a whimper left his his quivering muzzle. On the other side of the bushes were two huge creatures, as tall as a elephant with a body of a hyena and a leopard combined. Something horrifying, something out of nightmares. Truly a abomination.
"You stay away from my son!" Fayette roared as she bravely and foolishly pounced on one of the creatures.
Rumpelstiltskin closed his eyes and bolted, leaving trails of tears in his wake as he ran. To run into his father, Abasi looked towards the direction where Rumpelstiltskin ran from and lowered his head. Before turning around and headed towards their cave.
That night Rumpelstiltskin woke to the sound of movement in the cave. He blinked his exhusted brown eyes open to see his father heading towards the cave entrance.
The light gold cub tilted his head as he yawned. "Where are you going, papa?"
Shame flashes in the the peachy white lion's face before the regret turns regret. "I'm sorry, Rum." Abasi continues towards the entrance. He swallows once and then turns suddenly, "you can get along without me. Always have." The regret is gone, replaced by nervous apprehension, his eyes far away as he listens to the night sounds. He's completely forgotten about the cub in the back of the cave.
He's completely forgotten about the fear and knowing wisdom in his little boy's eyes.
Before Rumpelstiltskin could ask what was happening, Abasi dashed off with a unthinkable amount of speed.
"Papa!" came Rumpelestiltskin's small fearful voice as he rose and ran after the his father.
But his father was no where to be found, leaving him alone under the cold African night sky.