Author's Note:

Sorry about the silence guys. I'm been in hell with my senior year. My school is a shithole with a few good teachers teaching insanely difficult classes. I like the challenge, but my classmates, the little shits, piss me off to no end. Even now, I am in a terrible mood because a bunch of people who think I'm okay with them won't leave me the hell alone.

SORRY TO TAKE IT OUT ON YOU GUYS, I ACTUALLY DO LIK YOU.

Now that I'm done yelling at you, let's update, shall we?

You guys seem to have gotten the gist of the names, as I've had no complaints. I'm going to stop posting who is in the chapters, but if understanding is lost, please message me and I will resume. I am also posting character sheets on DeviantArt, so if you want to see those, you can find them on the profile of EldestArcane.

Ini followed the procession of lions, the cubs constantly in the eyes of their captors, in the reach of their teeth. Ini herself was tired. They had walked for the rest of the day and, in her pain, she found it difficult to keep up, BUT SHE DID. The cubs were her responsibility and she would not see Pili or Tatu killed if she could help it.

The great lion called himself Askarii. It was absolutely ridiculous, in her mind, but fitting for a lion such as himself. He kept an eye on her, but did not bother her much, occasionally batting at her with his great paws to force her to keep up. As night fell, they began searching for prey. Ini was told to hunt with the lionesses. "If you do not return, if I find out these lionesses are harmed, or if only you return, I will kill these cubs. Am I clear?" Ini nodded and left with the lionesses to hunt.

They stalked a herd of wildebeests, the two lionesses working in tandem to bring down one. Ini successfully brought one down on her own, earning looks of loathing from her captors. She led the procession back to the cubs, taking any chance she could, that would not involve the deaths of her young charges, to snub her kidnappers. They ate well, though not due to the efforts of the two lionesses, who had taken to watching Ini's every move. The lionesses had captured a weaker wildebeest, one who was thinner and less capable of putting up a fight, whereas Ini had captured one from the middle of the herd, one strong enough to hold its own, but not strong enough to hold its own against her. Hers was the better kill, and they all knew it.

The cubs were made to eat first, and then Ini, but the three were forced to share the smaller wildebeest. When they had finished, the other three lions commandeered what was left of the two wildebeests. Soon they were back to moving, Ini in better shape than she had been on an empty stomach. With her energy stores renewed, she began plotting, but soon gave up. Physically, she was awake, but her mind needed a rest.

Around dawn they descended into a valley Ini had never before seen. She realized they were no longer anywhere near the pride lands or badlands, for she knew the borders of both well. Around midday, they stopped to sleep and Askari stood watch. After they had slept a while, Ini assumed they must have changed who was in charge, because when she woke, the two lionesses were standing guard. They began moving again in the evening, all fully awake then.

They spent the day walking, and continued into the night. As the moon reached its peak in the sky, Ini saw a fence in the distance and it dawned on her; these lions were from the reserve. This explained their sudden presence, as well as their appearance. Seldom were lions such as Aji, healthy lions, left at the reserve. Lions who had been rejected, mistreated, or abused in some way were often left there. These lions must be the product of poor breeding, or some genetic mutation that is indigenous to their original home.

They approached the fence and, as they prepared to enter through a break in the metal links, more lions, oddly shaped and oddly colored, approached, eyeing the captives. There seemed to be a small ocean of them, some fifty or sixty lions approaching. They surrounded the break in the fence, forming a large semicircle, and as the lions crossed into the reserve, a path was made down the center of the sea, and the second oldest lion Ini had ever seen limped towards them. It stopped just inside the clearing and addressed Askari. Its voice was quiet but commanding.

"Who are these?"

"Lions found, little more than a day's journey away, potentially near larger groups. This one," he inclined his head towards Ini, "is a skilled huntress and is likely knowledgeable of these lands. The cubs are not hers. We were forced to kill the mother and another lion, and the third cub was killed as well." The old lion nodded. "Take them to the small watering hole. They are not to be harmed. I will decide their purpose. The next shift may leave." A group of five lions slunk past Ini's group and loped off towards the pride lands.

Ini and the cubs were led through the reserve and down a path that descended into a small clearing surrounded by rocks too high to jump over or climb and too close together to slip through. The path was narrow and, after being deposited in the small clearing, one of the lionesses laid down at the opening- they would not be able to leave.

Hours passed and the cubs fell asleep. Ini kept an eye on the cubs and the guard, jumping up onto the single low rock left of the path. She did not sleep.

Dawn broke and with it, woke the cubs. Ini was about to request food when the Guard suddenly stood. The old lion and a lion she had seen in the welcoming committee walked down the path. The lioness was dismissed and the younger of the two lions took up watch while the older entered the clearing. He spoke to Ini.

"Will you please come down so that we may speak eye to eye, as equals?"

Ini said no. Her position was the only card in her hand- in any fight, against an aged lion or a fit lion, having the higher ground meant having the upper hand.

"So be it. Chini, take the cubs."

The new guard stood and descended into the clearing. Before he was halfway to Pili and Tatu, Ini growled. "If you take another step, I will kill you."

The lion continued.

Ini was never one to make empty threats, as she seldom made threats at all. She leapt from the rock and landed in between Chini and her charges. "I will say it once more; if you take one more step, I will kill you." Ini lower herself to the ground, a growl deep in her throat as he raised a paw for another step.

"That is far enough, Chini. Thank you." Chini sat where he stopped. The older lion, having given this command, walked over to Ini.

"I do not take kindly to my family being threatened."

"I do not take kindly to a leader who would rather use force than earn respect."

The lion nodded.

"I am Ajabu, leader of this pride."

"Matumaini, and that remains to be seen. Why are we being held?"

"You have use. If you had no use, you and the cubs would be dead, eaten."

These words took a moment to sink in. Eaten. They eat lions. She growled. "You have been hurting my prides." They were no hers, but to her they were both family.

"You are queen to more than one pride?" The shock was evident in his voice, but it was not great- to at least some degree, he was unsurprised.

This was not what Ini had intended, but it occurred to her that she could use this.

"Yes. What use have you for us?"

He circled her and the cubs, measuring them up. She paralleled him, refusing him to be closer than she to the young ones. "And what are these."

She knew he knew they were cubs. He was asking about lineage. He would kill all who could not be leveraged against her. "My siblings, Pili and Tatu."

He nodded. "Excellent. Well, then I supposed it's time to get down to business."

He stopped circling.

"You will take us to your prides, or the young ones will die. Until we have reached your prides, they will stay with a member of mine. Chini, take them to Kiumbe."

The cubs cowered and Ini roared, drawing them under her and she faced Chini. "No! They will stay with me or I snap their necks myself. They will not eat with you, and we will not eat like you. If you wish for any cooperation, you will agree. Am I understood?" Now the cubs were crying and she wished dearly that she could stop and comfort them.

The old lion looked at her with a combination of frustration and admiration. "A good queen protects her prides. Very Well. Chini. Send in a replacement guard and bring a wildebeest for them. I wish to leave at first light tomorrow."


Sumu laid there for the rest of the day, until shortly before sundown. Off in the distance, he saw Mini soaring towards him. He saw her falter, meaning she caught sight of the pronounced lack of Ini and cubs. She shot towards him, nearly flying over him before catching sight. She alighted on the ground in front of him.

"Sumu, where are the others? Why are you lying like that?"

Sumu told her the story. He told her everything, but did not mention his back. He told her he had a few broken bones and requested she bring the pride leaders to him. He was still ashamed, but would take no pity until the others knew of Ini's fate.

She flew off immediately, but did not return until past sunset, nearly an hour later. She was followed by Malkia, Mani,, Aji, and Hevu. As they reached Sumu, all immediately noticed the lack of lions. Malkia was the first to speak.

"Sumu, Mini told us the other are missing and you are hurt. Are you alright?"

"My back is broken. I cannot move, and I could not follow them. I was only able to tell what direction they went." He nodded towards his right and a little behind him.

He retold his story, broken spine included.

"Hevu was outraged.

"You mean to tell me that Matumaini allowed my mate and heir to be killed and my cubs to be taken?" Aji and Sumu both protested this assumption, urging him to realize this was not something she could do. Sumu reminded him that she fought better than any lioness in the pride ("Apologies, my queen.") and would never deliberately let other come to harm unless they themselves were the threat.

Hevu was eventually calmed. He suggested a search party. "Only one of us should go, however. We cannot afford to lose anyone else who could be so important to the peacemaking of our prides." They agreed and Aji immediately offered. "Sire, Queen, I will lead the party, if I may. Mani cannot afford to be lost. If both heirs here are lost when we may lose any future we have as a single pride." Malkia agreed, but Hevu was hesitant, and pulled Aji aside.

"Mtoaji, your hide is already on the line for this potential attack on our pride by them. Think carefully now about whether or not this is wise." Aji took no time.

"Sire, Ini is a lioness fit to be queen. If she has any say in the matter, Pili and Tatu will return, with or without her, unharmed."

Hevu hesitated once more, but finally nodded his consent.

Malkia Aji, Mini, and Hevu agreed to put together the search party immediately.

Sumu requested they not wait up for him, but asked that only Mani stay, just a moment.

All looked at him, clearly wanting to help him. There was nothing that could be done for a lion with a broken back.

When they left, Sumu spoke. "Mani, I am less than a lion. You know that as well as I do. Please, brother, do not let me die such a painful death as starvation." There was fear in his voice. Mani had never heard the lion sound so small, so terrified. Mani knew what he asked, but would not say it.

"Mani, please. Please help me. I will spend days lying here, waiting to die. Birds of prey, vultures, will pick at my unfeeling body and I will be incapable of defense, I I don't want to spend that time thinking of how I have failed. Please, Mani."

Mani hung his head and spoke, barely a whisper escaping his clenched jaws. "What do you want me to do, brother?" He tried so hard to keep the pain out of his voice. They were not blood, but they were brothers, Mnai and Sumu. Mani wished dearly never to be forced to hear the answer, but he could not leaveSumu in such pain.

"Please, kill me."