Time passed and the cubs were a bit older now. Mufasa and Sarabi were closer than ever. They loved hanging out at the waterfall in the pridelands. It was the prettiest place in the savannah. It was big with three rocks that the fall trickled over and the water was so blue it almost glowed. They were jumping off the rocks of the fall. "Watch this!" Mufasa jumped into a twirl then splashed into the water.
"That was so cool!" Sarabi said.
"Well I am cool," Mufasa said laughing. Sarabi rolled her eyes. When Mufasa wasn't looking she pounced on him as she jumped into the water. Taka was just lying around pride rock when his mother came out of the den to join him.
"How is my little prince?" she asked.
"Bored," Taka said.
"Oh, why?" Uru asked.
"father is out checking the pridelands and Mufasa is off playing with Sarabi," Taka said.
"Well why don't go play with your little friend?" Uru suggested.
"Yeah?" Taka asked with hope in his voice.
"Yes just be back before dinner," Uru said.
"Ok," Taka said as he nuzzled his mother and ran off to find Zira. Zira was in the elephant grave hiding out in one of the big skulls. She was trying to time her pounce on a bird perfectly. She crouched down preparing to pounce. Suddenly a dark brown cub jumped at her and scared the bird off.
"Darn it Chumvi!" Zira yelled at the cub.
"Chill Zira," the smug cub said, "you know you were dying to see me,"
"You are so annoying," Zira said. Just then Taka spotted her.
"Zira!" he called.
"Taka!" she called back as she ran over to him and tackle hugged him "what's up?"
"Not much just bored," Taka said.
"Well what do you wanna do?" Zira asked.
"I don't know," Taka said.
"Look princey Zira is hanging out with me today," Chumvi said stepping in front of Zira.
"No I'm not!" Zira said, "I'm gonna play with Taka,"
"What's this pridelander have that I don't?" Chumvi asked.
"Manners," Zira said.
"Look Taka just go!" Chumvi ordered standing in a defensive stance.
"Make me!" Taka ordered back. For some reason when he was around Zira he felt brave. Chumvi swiped at Taka and scratched his eye. Taka yelled out holding his paw over his eye. Zira tackled Chumvi.
"GO AWAY!" she yelled.
"FINE!" Chumvi huffed as he left. She looked over and Taka was still holding his eye.
"Are you ok?" Zira asked.
"Yes but, it's bleeding," Taka said.
"You go home and have that monkey guy look at it," Zira said, "We'll play tomorrow,"
"Ok," Taka said and headed home. When Taka got home Uru noticed the scratch.
"What happened?" she asked running over to her cub.
"It's just a scratch Mother," Taka said.
"Rafiki!" she called and the monkey walked up to them and looked at the young cub's scratch. He took some water he collected from the watering hole and a mint leaf and soaked it. He wiped the cub's scratch and Taka made a hissing sound as the mint stung.
"Anything else Queen Uru?" Rafiki asked.
"No, thank you," Uru said, "ok Taka let's get you cleaned up for dinner,"
Athena watched as Ahadi gathered the hunters for the day. "What are we feasting on tonight?" she asked.
"Hippo," Ahadi informed.
"Ok," Athena said heading back to her den. As she reached the den she saw her daughter Dwala lying outside watching butterflies. "Where's Naanda?" Athena asked.
"Out exploring," Dwala said.
"And the others?" Athena asked her oldest cub.
"Sarabi is with Mufasa and Zemar and Lena are in the den play fighting," Dwala said.
"Well go get your sisters. Dinner will be soon," Athena ordered.
Ahadi was waiting for the sun to go down just enough to lead the hunt for dinner.
"Ok let's head out," Ahadi ordered as they headed off toward the hippos.
Bionca laid low in a pouncing stance as she eyed her pray. A rare find in the elephant graveyard. A savannah hawk. She leaped forward sinking her claws into the bird. She carried the bird back to her and Zira's little cave.
"Oh, hawk!" Zira called running up to her mother.
"Don't eat too much dear, Gotta make it last," Bionca said.
"Ok," Zira said picking a piece of meat off the bird, "so what was that with Chumvi today?" Zira asked remembering how he acted toward Taka.
"Even in young ones like yourselves jealousy is a monster," Bionca said.
"Why would he be jealous of Taka?" Zira asked with a hawk feather hanging from her mouth.
"Chumvi likes you," her mother told her.
"Boys are weird," Zira said.
"Even taka?" Bionca asked. Zira didn't answer.
Dwala found Sarabi and Mufasa still swimming in the waterfall.
"Ok Sarabi time to head home dinner will be soon," Dwala informed.
"I should head home too," Mufasa said getting out of the water. As Ahadi and the hunters surrounded the hippo they spotted by itself the outsiders watched.
"What are they doing Mother?" Zira asked intrigued as she and Bianca watched from the graveyard.
"Hunting," Bionca answered, "you'll learn how when you're grown," Ahadi told two lionesses in the group to go to the other side of the hippo so it couldn't run. Ahadi bolted toward the hippo showing his teeth and growling. The hippo took off. The two lionesses stopped it from going any further. Ahadi sprung toward the hippo and sunk his teeth into its neck.
"Wow," Zira said her eyes wide.
"You see my child," Bionca said, "when you're hunting you have to turn off all emotions and morals. If you don't you'll fail not only as a hunter but, as a lion or lioness,"
"Oh," Zira said not fully understanding. That night Taka watched from the top of pride rock as Mufasa and their father looked up at the stars.
"What are stars Father?" Mufasa asked.
"Well," Ahadi said, "they're the kings of the past watching over us,"
"Really?" Mufasa asked.
"Yes," Ahadi said.
"Will you be up there someday?" Mufasa asked.
"Yes and I will be watching over my boy as he takes his place as king," Ahadi said.
"I'll make a great king," the proud cub stated.
"Wait now," Ahadi said, "it takes training," Just then Mufasa pounced on his father and they laughed and played. Taka couldn't stand that Mufasa seemed to be his father's favorite. He headed into the den. Uru hated seeing her little cub so hurt but, Ahadi had become so stubborn since the birth of their cubs.