Haoniyao POV

"I don't understand your pride, sir Moyo. I.."

"Please, silence. In the morning we'll escort you to your pride and leader and I can talk." I opened my mouth to protest but several cats pushed their way into the cave. One was larger than the other two. He had a powerful face and a yellow-beige mane and orange body like something a lion would have but he was speckled with brown spots covering his body.

The second one was also male but he was much smaller than the one before him. He had a lithe tanned body like any other normal cat except for deep green stripes and his black underbelly.

The final one was female. She had a black pelt and large dark spots covering her body, white underbelly and socks stood out in the darkness.

"Stay here," He turned to the three who entered the den, "Keep her here and don't let her go anywhere without an escort."

They nodded and Moyo left. The female slowly made her way in front of the other and told them to guard outside and rest. She was going to be inside. The two males exchanged looks, and the bigger one left. The smaller one stayed. "I don't think you should stra-"

"Hush, Kiama. I'll be fine. If I need help you'll be at the only exit." The one named Kiama, narrowed his eyes before slowly leaving. "I'll come back and check on you." He said over high shoulder.

The she-cat moved slowly forward, sitting in front of me.

I looked her up and down. She moved stiffly and seemed tired. As she moved I caught sight of a large scar on her right flank in the sensitive muscle leading to the leg. I could probably take her if I needed. What are these cats thinking keeping such an injured cat around?

"It'll be a while until morning," she said gently, "you should sleep." Watching her suspiciously I rested my face on my paws. She just watched quietly. I pretended to stay awake and eventually closed my eyes.

The female's eyes bore into me the whole time but once she thought my breathing evened out she left. I heard the voices outside of the cave as they planned shifts to watch me.

The two males were both trying to convince the female to go and sleep.

"You shouldn't have agreed to watch the female, Lindana." one of the males said, he had a low but soft voice.

"If you ask me Moyo shouldn't have agreed to let you to begin with." a younger voice muttered with clear ire in his voice.

"But he did, now please-"

"Why did you even want to be out here?!" the young voice commented angerly.

"I needed to see the purebred up close."

Pure breed? Me? I thought as I quietly moved to look around the small cave.

"Why do you even care." The low voice asked gently. Movement caught my attention and I froze.

With the movement I noticed a small light coming into the cave from a small hole between the rocks. Maybe...

"-You're exhausted and..." their conversation returned me back to the cave and I quickly glanced back at them.

"You can say it, Chane. Disabled." the female shot back. I internally winced at the tone. "And I helped train you both! So don't give me that 'injured and weak' excuse!"

I turned back to the small hole between the rocks. I had to gather more information on this invading pride. I'm sure Simba or Kiara will just have them leave if they pose a threat.

I reached out to the hole and managed to move some of the rocks. Ignoring my guard's conversation, I kept working.

The hole wasn't very big still but it was a good start. I sighed. This was exhausting work. Internally I wished I had claws better suited to the task.

Suddenly, I felt all the rocks shift at once. Right as that happened I found myself pressed flat into the side of the wall. A weight on my back kept me pinned and eventually it had me flat in the dirt.

I glanced up to see the gold eyes practically glowing with anger. "What do you think you're doing?!" The male hissed each word out through bared teeth.

"I uh, I wasn't."

"Save it! I don't like your kind, and giving me excuses would just make me angrier."

"Kiama, please release her." My gaze quickly sought out the source of the voice and landed on the black pelted she-cat. The male just growled at the female but didn't make attempts to move. In fact I think he actually shifted some of his weight to the back of my neck.

"Kiama." The female said again. "She wouldn't have gotten far and if she did we'd catch her in no time."

"Lindana, you seem to be under the impression that we would notice her leave."

The powerful looking male stepped in. "Kiama, we all heard the rocks shifting. They were put there to see what she would do."

Kiama kept his teeth bared but slowly got off me. Definitely dangerous. The female walked to the one named Kiama pushing him out of the small cave. When they got outside I could hear them softly arguing outside the entrance. The male left just eyed me, but didn't say anything.

I quickly lay down and put my head on my paws. They're all more powerful than they pretend. I thought as I waited for sleep to take me from my uncomfortable situation.

I woke up to someone jabbing me. Still groggy I slowly blinked awake, to find a tan tiger-like face greeting me.

"Ah!" I cried out in shock. Suddenly awake and alert I scrambled to my feet and bared my teeth at the unfamiliar face.

"Mwasaa!" A low panicked voice shouted as the big powerful male cat from last night burst into the small area. In the light it was easier to make out the powerful face that was a combination of leopard and lion features.

Looking around I quickly remembered last night and the fact I wasn't home.

The massive male spoke softly to Mwasaa. As she waved her paw dismissively while she insisted she was fine.

"Alright. Please get someone to tell me when you leave. Ok?" The male said worriedly, "Mwasaa!" He snapped. Mwasaa jerked back to meet his face, giving him a small roll of her eyes she nodded and wished him luck. The male left the cave and I was alone with Mwasaa.

"Good morning!" she said unfazed by anything that just happened.

"Yeah... um good morning." I eyed her expecting her to say something. "Um, why are you here, waking me?"

"Oh that! I just wanted to see you and ask you some questions about your pride." She said while nudging me out the entrance. "That, and Lindana looked sick so Kiama took her to be looked at. Also he was in a bad mood. What did you do to piss him off so much anyways? Ok so not as important, he's kind of easy to piss off. Anyways Kiama was pissed and Lindana needed a break. I was getting ready to see you anyways. Did I mention I had questions for you?" The she-cat rambled as she walked me randomly around the camp.

I was quickly getting lost trying to follow her so I observed the residents as Mwasaa wondered through the camp.

A small cub brought a flower to very pregnant she-cat. Several cats of various sizes were chatting with each other. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a small group leaving the camp.

"We're here!" Mwasaa said loudly. "And for the record you never answered any of my questions."

Looking in front of my I saw the silver lioness from yesterday. She was with a young silver and white tiger that seemed to have silver fur growing under his neck as the start of a mane.

"Good morning!" Mwasaa said lower her head slightly as she greeted the silver lioness. I quietly noted that this she-cat seemed to be Moyo's, this pride's leader, mate.

I lowered my head too, trying to be respectful.

The lioness turned to the young male. "Your father has patrols and other things that he must do today and I need to help the queens with the cubs. I need you to escort her to her Pride.

"You will probably have to speak with their leader. We don't have many members so please only take two or three other members to help you escort her. Do you think you can handle this Usian?"

"Yes, mother." The young half lion responded.

"Just so you know, Usian, I'm going to follow your group even if I'm not invited." Mwasaa chipped in. Usian turned to her, and she just gave him a cute smile.

"Is sis, still here?"

"I'm afraid she left with a hunting group." The silver lioness slowly left.

"I wonder who else we can take." Mwasaa said, "Oh, Kiama and Badru... I'll go check!" Mwasaa dashed off as the young leader waited and watched me.

Looking at the young leader, Usian, I couldn't see anything that resembled this pride's current leader Moyo. They also looked vastly different; Moyo was a big ash colored tiger with deep red stripes. And this half lion was white with silver stripes on his hind legs, back legs and tail. Where Moyo practically commanded obedience with his presence, this one was young and too eager to please.

Mwasaa bounded back towards us letting herself slide the last bit of the way on the lose dirt. "So Kiama says he doesn't want to go and Farijika is gone so Lindana needs Badru."

Tuned out most of Mwasaa's story waiting to see who it was that would join this party. I started to wonder when I would get back. I wonder how badly my mother will react? Will Kiara be mad... Or will it be Malkia's decisi-

"-Anyways." Mwasaa cut into my thoughts. "Badru seemed too busy so I had Kiama come with us."

"Alright." Usian said in an attempt to sound older and possibly wiser than he was. He nudged me to stand and he and Mwasaa guided me out of their camp.