Uru rested in the communal cavern as dusk quickly settled over the Pride Lands. Her husband and sons were walking the borders for the final time of the day, spending it chatting and catching up with one another. The lioness often grew lonely during her mate's outings and had taken up the company of several of the pride's youth. Three cubs rested near her on the smooth granite surface of the cave, their eyes sparkling with limitless possibilities and dreams. The Queen smiled down at them and stretched, grunting. "Who's ready to learn the ways of the pride?"
The little girl, a spunky cub named Mjuvi, piped up. "I do!"
Her brothers, Kota and Pa'Heko, nodded in unison, their sharp teeth glinting in wide grins.
Uru chuckled and nodded in response. "Very well."
Her voice carried easily through the cavern so she spoke softly and slowly, giving the children time to understand her words. "You are born into this world with nothing--no knowledge, no senses, no understanding. You come to learn things, to identify the smell of a wildebeest or a zebra, and the kindness and compassion that lions should be known for."
"You three have gained much of that already in your young lives. You are now beginning to play fiercely with one another--nipping at tails and ears, pouncing and wrestling, stalking and hiding. Soon you will see that your play is shaping you! You are learning how to control the strength of your jaws, understanding the weakest points on a creature and allowing your weight to trap them. You are learning how to creep through the grasses undetected and how to stay safe from the other great predators in the savannah."
The cubs shifted their weight slightly, leaning against Uru's side comfortably. They were very well behaved for they knew that Queen Uru's stories came only to children who deserved them. They did not wish to waste this precious time with their aunt.
"When you grow to be the age of my sons, you will look at the world in a completely different light. Mjuvi, you will stay within the pride and hunt with the best of them. You will protect your sisters and children at all costs. You will be the reason the pride is so strong and formidable."
The lioness turned her eyes to the two brothers and smiled tenderly. "Kota, Pa'Heko, you will leave the pride once you've received your mantlements. You will wander through the grasses together in search of a pride to take over. Perhaps you will build your own pride without battle--only Aiheu knows. But your training is especially important now as you will be without the protection of your mother and sister in later years."
Kota and Pa'Heko nodded, though Uru could see that they were a bit nervous. She comforted them.
"Ah, do not worry little warriors. If you pay attention, you will be given every tool you'd need to survive without us. You will know how to hunt, how to fight, when to stand your ground and when to flee. You will not be alone; you will have each other. Power in numbers, you see."
Mjuvi cocked her head and wrinkled her nose. "What does that mean?"
The older lioness chuckled and turned her eyes to the cavern opening, at the quickly-fading light in the sky. "Power in numbers... you know where your mother goes every few nights, do you not?"
The lioness cub nodded, ears pitched forward to catch Uru's explanation.
"She and the rest of the able-bodied lionesses travel through the grasses in search of food. We catch the scent of a wildebeest...or zebra...or gazelle...and move toward it carefully. First, we spread out and make sure that the wind will not give our own scents away to the herd. Our hunting tactic is one you will be learning soon and it takes great concentration. Power in numbers, you see, is the ability to use the strength and knowledge of many instead of one alone. Your mama would not be able to catch food for you as well if it were her alone. We pull our resources together and successfully complete the job."
Mjuvi nodded and yawned, shifting to grow more comfortable against the lioness's stomach.
Uru smiled and did her own shifting. "You three had better run along to your mother. I believe it is time for good little children to go to sleep."
The three cubs stood sleepily and wandered out of the communal cavern in search of Urembo.
It wasn't long before Ahadi returned, exhausted as usual, but in good spirits. Uru smiled and met him at the mouth of the cavern, guiding him to their favorite resting place. It was not late enough for the lionesses to file back into the cavern to sleep, allowing the royal couple a few pleasant moments to themselves.
Ahadi could sense that Uru was troubled by something, touching his chin against her shoulder kindly. "What ails you, my dear?" He wasted no time asking, and she wasted no time responding. The two had long-sinced discovered the power of forward truth and used it as often as possible. Games were for their children.
"It's Taka--he's been so withdrawn lately. He hasn't been home much recently and I don't want to disturb his travels. Did he mention anything to you this evening on your patrol?"
"...Ah, no. But I did notice that he was lagging behind, failed to ask his usual questions and seemed to be a bit under the weather. Mufasa was very sympathetic to him during our rounds. Whatever it could be that bothers him, he's lucky he has a brother who cares." Ahadi responded, lowering himself to his haunches with a loud, satisfactory grunt.
Uru simply nodded, taking a seat next to her mate. "It is probably best that we do not interfere. Taka has never been shy about asking for our help. We'll be here when he needs us."
