What's good, people? First of all, congrats to the Seattle Seahawks for winning their first Super Bowl title(though I wish the game was a little less dominating and a lot more exciting). Secondly, I'm feeling the passion and drive for this story comin' back to me. As a result, you'll probably see chapters more frequently than in the past 18 months, but it won't be anywhere near when I started(when it was almost one chapter a week). Enjoy and hope to hear your input!
Father wasn't kidding about leaving early in the morning, Kota thought as he and Malka came within sight of the shore. They had left shortly before dawn to begin their journey to visit Amiri and his pride. The first half of the trek started off fairly well. It was cold, but they made good time. Malka suggested they stop to get a drink early. At the time, Kota didn't feel thirsty, but now he was glad he decided to drink up. By midday, it became very hot, borderline sweltering, and the stop at the waterhole was starting to pay off.
When they reached a waterhole at the borders, they both stopped for another drink. The cold water was a welcome refreshment to them, and Kota more than took in his share. As he was drinking, he watched his father step away. His ears were soon rattled by the sound of his father roaring real loud. Kota did his best not to flinch, but failed miserably.
As his father came back, Kota shook his head in a vain attempt to clear the ringing from his ears. "Did you have to roar, Father?"
Malka gave Kota his best matter-of-fact expression. "Yeah. You have to remember that we're entering a foreign kingdom. I just let the king know who it is that's entering his land. He knows me, so he won't be alarmed. If it was an unfamiliar roar, then he'd know it's a stranger, most likely a rogue male looking to take over. Either way, we should expect some company soon. But we shouldn't expect any hostilities."
As they waited, Kota kept a sharp eye out. This was his first time out of the valley, and even though he was excited about meeting the Shore Pride, his senses were on red alert. He did not feel like getting ambushed today, so he kept a close eye out. He glanced over to his father's direction. Malka was relaxed, apparently not worried or tense. Kota was confused. Why would he let his guard down like this?
He didn't have time to dwell on it, as some noise to his left caused him to turn that way and get low by reflex. The long grass swayed with the wind. But he caught some disruption in the grass, a line that wasn't moving with the wind. Someone's in there! Kota slowly moved forward toward the grass, using his claws to sink into the ground and keep silent while moving. He positioned himself to a place just ahead of the creature's path and waited.
Kota hunkered down and prepared to launch forward. His heart was pumping fast. He wanted to signal his father to help him, but any noise made could prove a costly mistake. At the very least, it would give away his position. How does Father not notice this at all? He was frustrated that Malka had not made any moves since roaring. Here Kota was, waiting to defend them from a possible attack and his father was completely nonchalant about the situation.
The stalker's movement was now in earshot of Kota, no more than ten feet away. He spotted the unusual movement in the grass and made his move. With a growl, Kota leapt toward his target's destination. His timing couldn't have been more perfect. Unfortunately, that was about the only thing he had going for him. He landed on his target, but when his momentum stopped, he realized who he had attacked.
Staring back at him was a brown-eyed lioness. She made no moves to defend herself, but rather just lay there on her back. Kota was at a loss for words, and he couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment that he attacked a member of the Shore Pride or the warm smile she gave him. Great. What kinda pile of crap did I step into here?
Even though her smile was inviting, her tone belied a joking manner. "Whoa, easy sweetheart. If you want to meet a girl, you need to ask first. You can't go fast and physical like that."
Behind him, Kota could hear his father laughing. He felt his face burning hot with shame. He couldn't believe he had blundered that badly. Maybe it was paranoia, but he was sure he was set up in some sort of way.
Malka stopped laughing. "You know, Kota, when you said you didn't find any lionesses back home interesting, I didn't know you meant to say 'I want a lioness and I want one now!'"
Now it was the lioness' turn to laugh, and Kota felt even more like crawling under a rock at the moment. He managed a glum smile as he got off her. "At least there's no threat around." That drew even more laughter, and Kota decided not to say anything else for the time being.
The lioness got up and smirked. "Yeah, that's true. Good job at securing the area." The sarcasm in her voice was evident, and she could tell Kota was even more flustered by his mistake.
Before anything else could be said, another being came in real fast. Kota knew it wasn't a cheetah, so it could only be someone one of the vehicles his father talked about, a speeder bike. That really narrowed down the list, so Kota figured it was Tupac, the only one in the Shore Pride who could change into one of the metal transformers like his father.
Tupac came to a stop in front of the three lions, bringing a cloud of dust with him from the exhaust trail. When the dust cleared, he looked at the three of them. He noticed Kota looking glum while Malka and Kashore carried more merry expressions. He chuckled. "I take it everyone's getting along well?"
Malka laughed. "Good to see you too."
"Likewise," Tupac replied. He looked at Kota, looked at Malka, and then back at Kota. You must be Kota, Malka's son. It's nice to meet you."
"Same to you. I can only presume that you're Tupac."
"Yep. I'm the only other male aside from the king, so it's pretty simple to figure out."
"Just like me being the only other male in my pride aside from my father," Kota quipped.
Tupac worked his jaw for a moment before nodding. "Touche." He looked over at the lioness. "I see you've met my sister, Kashore."
Kota felt a flash of heat wash over his face. "Yeah…you could say that."
Noticing his sister suppressing a laugh, Tupac frowned. "Did I miss something? You didn't set yourself up for a wisecrack from her, did you?"
Kashore smiled, but gritted her teeth to fight off the laugh. "Yeah, he did."
That didn't surprise Tupac one bit, but he could see Kota wasn't used to his sister's antics yet. He patted Kota's shoulder. "Don't worry. My sibling there is known for being a joker. If you're not careful, she will catch you when you least expect it."
"Yeah, thanks for the tip."
Tupac sat back on his speeder and turned over the ignition. "Well, since everything is good, let's get going. Our brother is looking forward to seeing you and I'd hate to keep him waiting."
Kota watched Tupac begin moving slowly to maintain a pace comfortable for the others. Kashore walked up beside him. As she did, she looked back at Kota and gave him a wink. Kota felt that familiar heat hit him again, and he hated it. It was flustering to him, but what's worse, he wasn't sure if there was anything he could do about it.
Malka nudged him in the shoulder. "She's funny. Cute, but funny." He mimicked Kota's voice. "'At least there's no threat around'? What was that, buddy?"
The prince just shrugged. "Hey, it was all I could think of."
Shaking his head, Malka said, "We're gonna have to work on your sense of humor and rolling with a joke, even if you're the butt of it."
They walked through the trees, moving through a slow transition from jungle to beach environment. The wooded trees soon moved into palm, a good indication that the beach was close. The herds and clans noticed the party of lions, and realized that two of them were strangers from another land. Some of them recognized Malka as the king of the Mountain Pride, and gave him a respectable nod, which he returned.
Kota noticed a lot of curious looks in his direction. He figured it was probably since no one knew him here that they were gazing at him the way they did. He did his best to disguise his nervousness, and he was sure he was doing a good job at the moment. Hopefully, it would go away with more visits to the king when he took the throne. An unfamiliar breeze bristled the prince's fur, and the scent carried a hint of salt. He could also hear the rush of water, and his logic told him they were close to their destination.
His deductive reasoning rang true when they came to a clearing, as he immediately spotted the pride of lions sitting in some shade on the beach. The whole mood seemed to be one of total relaxation, but Kota couldn't blame them. This would be an ideal place to rule. Welcoming breezes, fairly decent weather, and surreal scenery, there was nothing not to like here. This seems like paradise.
As they passed amongst the pride, Kota glanced to his left and saw some lionesses whispering to each other and giggling when they noticed him looking their way. In spite of the heat on his face, he gave them a smile which drew even more giggling. Kota made a mental note to see if he could chat with them.
He turned to see a male lion standing directly in front of them. Since one of the two males in the pride was on a speeder, Kota knew the other was the king, Amiri. The king was giving them a confident smile, clearly pleased at seeing the king and prince of the Mountain Pride. Kota made sure he remained on the right side of his father. It was only appropriate as the heir to the throne. Another thing he knew was to speak when spoken to in this case.
Malka and Amiri bumped heads in formal greeting. "I must say, this is a welcome surprise to see you, Malka," Amiri said. "I trust you had no issues at the borders."
The elder king glanced back at his son and smiled. "Let's just say we managed to…stay on top of things. Amiri, let me introduce you to my son, Prince Kota. My heir to the throne."
Kota stepped forward and bowed low. "Your Majesty. It's nice to meet you."
Amiri returned the bow. "Likewise, Kota. It's nice to have you here as our guest. Have you liked what you've seen so far?"
The young lion's eyes shot over to Kashore for a split second. "It's been full of firsts, Your Highness."
"You're telling me," Kashore said, under her breath.
Most of the pride didn't hear it, but Malka, Kota, Amiri, and Tupac all heard it. Amiri looked at her inquisitively, while Malka and Tupac started cracking up. Kota just shook his head. The sooner this gets old, the better off I'll be. The one good thing was that he was taking it a little better in stride, but just a little.
Amiri kept his gaze on her a few more moments before shaking his head. "Knowing my sister, it doesn't come as a surprise to hear you say that, Kota. Kashore is in a class of her own when it comes to jokes, so don't take it personally if and when she says something."
"So, I'm beginning to understand, sir." Kota was starting to get annoyed at how formal he sounded. It was how he was raised, but everyone around him seemed to be relaxed and enjoying themselves. A vague thought of spending time with the human friend of his father's crossed his mind in order to learn informalities, but he dismissed it just as fast. There were other ways to adopt an informal attitude.
"You'll get used to her the more you get to know her," Amiri said. "Since this is your first time in our lands, it might be beneficial for you to get to know the geography of our kingdom. Tupac, do you think you could give him a tour?"
Tupac winced. "I still have to patrol the southern border. Would you like me to hold off on that for the time being?"
The king was about to have him cancel the patrol, when another idea popped into his head. "Actually, you get on with your patrol. I'll go another route with this." He turned to his sister. "Kashore, take the prince out for a walk. Show him around the kingdom so that he can gain an understanding of how things are here."
A couple lionesses let out disappointing sighs as Kashore stepped forward. "Sounds like a tough task, but I think I can handle it." She nudged Kota. "I'm sure there will be some more 'firsts' on this tour."
Kota groaned. Is this going to be one of those "Why me" moments? He kept his composure. "I'm sure to see something out of the ordinary on this trip." He walked over towards Kashore. "Lead on, blondie." A couple suppressed laughs were heard in the pride.
Kashore didn't respond. She just smiled and started walking off the beach towards the plains. Kota followed behind and to the left of her. He glanced back to see his father begin conversation with Amiri, while Tupac headed out, leaving a large trail of dust behind him. Kota turned his attention back to Kashore and the tour.
The first half hour was uneventful. Kashore didn't say much except for a few concise points of certain locations. Kota gave understanding nods and curt, verbal agreements. They had passed a couple herds, who regarded them curiously. While Kashore was one of the pride members, they didn't recognize Kota. That left them wary, but the two lions paid them little mind. Kota found the topography of the land involved little elevation or descent as they went, the polar opposite of back home.
As hot as it was, the temperature managed to rise even higher, and both felines agreed to stop at a waterhole for a break. It seemed like every time Kota stopped for water, it felt like it was the first time he drank in a week. His mouth felt like a desert, so the cool, fresh feeling of the water brought a huge feeling of relief with it.
As they drank, Kota decided to break the silence. "So, how's life here on the beach?"
Kashore shrugged. "It gets really humid here, but thankfully, a quick swim in the water helps us cool down."
Kota frowned. That was unusual to hear. Most lions would not go into water unless they had to, and unless they had to swim across the Great Water or to surprise an unsuspecting prey, there was no point of them doing it here. "You mean to tell me that all of you jump into the water like it's a routine?"
The lioness gave him a lopsided smile. "Trust me, hon. When it gets hot here, it gets hot. The water's not freezing cold, but it's cool enough to get a break from the heat."
"I guess you gotta be unconventional in those situations. As for our pride, we don't jump in the water since it doesn't get hot enough. The shade is good enough for us and the occasional breeze helps out too." As he finished, he thought over the idea of jumping into the water. While he had seldom done it, it wasn't for enjoyment. If he were to be honest, Kota would enjoy taking a swim and cooling off from the hot sun. And he definitely would enjoy being in the water with...
"Did you hear me?"
Kashore's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. His fantasizing threw him in a trance and he berated himself for it. "What? What did you say?"
The lioness smiled, though Kota read it more as a smirk. "I said that the other females must agree with that statement, especially in your company."
Kota was glad his fur was close to the color red. Otherwise, she would've seen him blushing. Still, the heat that rushed to his cheeks was not helping. God, what is with me? "Uh...y-yeah. They're, uh...t-they're my friends." He stammered the words out, which didn't help his situation. Nice going, Kota.
"I kinda figured that, unless you like to hang out with lionesses who hate you." She started to slither towards him, offering a seductive smile. "Have any expressed...interest towards you?"
The heat in Kota felt in his face was now reaching and all-time high. "N-Not really. We're just friends. W-Why do you ask?" He was really wishing someone was here to slap him out of his stammering state because he wasn't really able to help himself. Kashore was attractive, and thus far, she was the only lioness where he felt a spark of interest.
She shook her head. "That's a shame. Personally, I think you're hot."
That last statement got Kota's heart beating fast, to the point where he believed it would pound its way out of his rib cage. As far as getting a clean statement out, he was done for. "Y-Y-You really think so?" They were now less than a foot apart, their breath now felt by each other.
The lioness looked up into his eyes. "Yes, I do." She moved forward, forcing Kota to back up. Her expression changed, from a seductive smile to a cunning smirk. "Which is why I think you need to cool down."
Before Kota could react, Kashore playfully bumped him off the edge of the rock they were standing on. He didn't realize it, but Kashore had maneuvered him towards the edge of the rock. With no way to counter-balance himself, the only way to go was down into the waterhole. A cold feeling enveloped him as he splashed into the water. He spun around to right himself and then kicked his way to the top.
He broke through the water's surface, only to come up to obscure vision thanks to his soaked mane and a hysterical laugh from Kashore. The feeling of nervousness was now replaced with more shame and embarrassment. Should've seen that coming. He slowly got out of the water, turning to face her. Rather than shake his fur of the water, he let it be, leaving himself looking like a damp mop.
Kashore was on her back, laughing so hard she started to clutch her stomach because it hurt so bad. "That...That was priceless. Your face is now going to remain a close memory in my mind. I didn't think you'd fall for that..."
Her comments did little to improve Kota's move, and he just hung his head in shame and probably irritation.
She noticed and did her best to control her laughing. She got up as she tried to stifle a giggle, but failed. She watched him slowly walk over towards, but he stopped halfway and sat down. "Aw, come on. I was just joking around. I didn't mean anything by it."
"Yeah..." Kota sounded unconvinced. "Look, let's just go take a look at the rest of the land while I dry out." He closed the distance between her. As he started to pass her, he acted as though he tripped over something and stumbled into her. While Kashore wasn't on the edge like he was, the force of his blundering impact was enough to send her off into the waterhole. She screamed as she fell in, sending a huge wave in all directions. This time, Kota took the moment to chuckle, though his laugh was nowhere near the hysterical level Kashore attained.
Kashore surfaced, and immediately scanned around for Kota and locked eyes with him. Her glare wasn't nearly as impressive as her sense of humor. "You...you..."
Kota smiled. "Sorry, I can't see since my damp mane is covering my eyes." It was at that point, he shook the water out of his mane, vastly improving his eyesight. "That's better." He looked at her and feigned surprise. "Oh, geez. How'd you end up in the water?" Kota finished that with a wink.
Kashore started moving to the water's edge. "Just wait until I get my paws on you."
Kota laughed. "Catch me if you can." He took off for the open field with a half-angry, half-amused Kashore right on his tail.
For the most part, the day in the Pride Lands was a typical one. Most of the herds, clans, and packs were going about their normal day. Normal temperature, normal hunting, basically normal life. But the pride of lions-guardians and royal councilors of the people, were bustling with activity. They had organized in the cave for an internal meeting to discuss future proceedings and rulings.
As usual, the pride circled around Simba, Nala, Kiara, and Kovu. They were the current and future rulers, respectively, so it was natural that everyone would surround them. Danny and Zainabu sat in the back, behind the circle of felines. While they had the right to sit in the center with the leaders due to their time as rulers, they preferred to sit in the back. Danny was never the ambitious type, and preferred being "one of the gang" as he put it. Zainabu didn't care what his preference was. She just wanted to be next to her husband. Tojo, Mheetu, and Chumvi all sat with their mates next to each other in the ring. Tanabi, despite being a member of the royal family, chose to sit next to Tojo's family to be closer to Vitani. No one seemed to mind. Sarabi and most of the senior lionesses sat behind the circle, but on the side where the mouth of the cave was. Xolani remained outside to watch Kopa and the other cubs.
The talks amongst the pride were all at low tones, but with everyone talking at once, it might has well been a raucous bunch of sports fans. Simba tried the calm way. "Alright, everyone. Let's get to the meeting." A few stopped talking, but apparently his words seemed to fall on deaf ears, for the most part. "Hey, pipe down!" Still, no effect. He hung his head. Danny and Zainabu were able to cover their ears just before Simba roared. The compactness of the cave amplified the king's roar, and that got the lionesses to stop talking and listen in. "Thank you. The meeting will now come to order."
Simba began pacing around, as if he were performing a battle inspection. The pride all had a similar stance as he passed them: a relaxed position while locking eyes with the king's. "Today, we're here to discuss new appointments of positions in the pride's hierarchy, a report from the sentinels, and a report on the distant battlefield from Danny." He looked to the queen. "You're up, Nala."
The blue-eyed lioness stepped to the front. "As you know, it's become increasingly difficult for me to continue my duties as queen and as lead huntress as of late. With the distant war occupying Danny's time and the threat of a rogue male invasion still very real, the king is having even more duties to handle. This requires action from myself."
All the pride members looked at her with approving nods. Most of the senior lionesses saw this coming, while the general crowd of the pride were mostly in the dark on this situation. Still, they weren't one to question the king and queen about this subject, and they certainly weren't going to blame Danny from having to take the Preliators away to defend their home. They understood why he had to do it, and were glad it was being fought on a distant battlefield than in the Pride Lands.
Nala paced around just as Simba did. "This action is to offer even more devotion from myself in my duties as queen of the Pride Lands in order to relieve some of Simba's duties. However, this means that I will no longer serve as the lead huntress." She paused in order to let her last statement sink in for everyone. The general reaction was expected. Disappointment was on everyone's faces, but with those expressions came the understanding nods. She stopped right in front of her family. "Kiara."
The princess' head came up, but she joined her mother by stepping forward. She was realizing that this was the first huge responsibility she was going to face when her time came to take the reigns from her parents, but she knew this was going to be her job, eventually. It was better to get some experience before becoming the queen. By taking this leadership position, the transition to queen would be much easier for her when that time came.
Nala continued to speak. "As future queen, it is Kiara's rightful claim as well as her duty. Be patient with her, as she will make some mistakes as leader. Those are the growing pains involved with new leadership. But I have every bit of confidence that she will become the leader she has been taught and trained to become." After she had said what she had to say, Nala stepped back to allow Kiara to make a statement of her own.
I wish public speeches were my strong-suit, Kiara thought, as she stepped forward to give a glance at all the lionesses present. "I know this will be an adjustment for you as it is for me. I know the next hunt will be my first time as lead huntress but it won't be our first time out there together. We have a plan for catching our prey, so it should be no different than the previous hunts." Kiara was chiding herself mentally for not using bigger words, but she hoped her confident voice would be enough. "But to make sure our hunts go smoothly, I do have a backup plan."
If any lioness was leisurely listening to the princess, Kiara had their full attention now. This apparently was cue for Vitani, as she stepped out from her place in the ring and walked up next to her sister-in-law. She gave the others a reassuring smile.
Like her mother, Kiara spoke for the new appointee. "I have discussed this with Vitani should this appointment come to pass, and I have personally appointed her as my second huntress. If I get sick, have to focus on my duties as queen, or some other emergency comes up, she will take charge of the hunting party. I know her skills are second to Zira only, so she will be able to handle an emergency commander's role if or when that time comes. Any questions?" When none came, both Kiara and Vitani returned to their respective positions.
"Now that the appointments of authority have been taken care of, I'd like to hear from Tanabi regarding the sentinels' report." Simba gave the nod to his son.
Tanabi left his position to join the family in the center. While Kovu was set to become the next king, Tanabi was still in charge of the sentinels. This was largely due to the fact that Tanabi was no longer next in line to the throne. However, the royal position of Lead Sentinel was the next option for him, so the duty was charged to him rather than Kovu. There was no objections from the latter lion, as he would be busy assisting Kiara with the everyday responsibilities of leading the people.
The smaller version of Simba turned to face his family. "Vitani, Kovu, and I have had few incidents over the past month. Kovu and I did have a few rogue males attempt to invade, but we managed to...persuade them to leave."
"And by that, you mean...?" Kiara asked.
Looking over at Chumvi, Tanabi continued. "Chumvi happened to be in the area and he was armed. One rogue didn't seem intimidated and decided to press his luck. Chumvi's rifle fixed that mistake and that was enough to change the other rogues' minds and they left."
Simba smirked. "I vaguely remember that. Any other incidents?"
Tanabi shook his head. "Nothing spectacular. A few problems with the locals, but nothing too major. We did have a suspected sighting of hyenas, but they were too far from the borders to confirm exactly who they were. Their scent was somewhat familiar, though. Then again, my nose could've been playing tricks with me."
"Could it be the hyena pack that left the Pride Lands five years ago?" Berhane asked.
It was Zira who answered the question. "It's possible, but highly unlikely. With the punishment of high treason, coupled with Danny and Simba's return, they knew it would be suicide to return here. Those hyenas aren't the only hyenas in this world. It was more than likely another pack."
"I agree," Danny chimed in. "We've heard multiple sightings of hyenas before, and they would be treated as rogue males and barred passage through the Pride Lands."
"With that being said," Tanabi continued. "There's no other incidents that I would consider out-of-the-ordinary. Still, we're keeping a lookout for any of the aforementioned threats as well as any of Dasyu's troops."
"What's the likelihood of that?" Tavira asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"That's where I come in for my report," Danny said, stepping forward and giving Tanabi a wave to return to his position in the ring. He stepped in front of the family and gave his brother a nod while looking at the entire pride. "All of you know that I've been fighting on a distant front against Dasyu. Some of you have even experienced what kind of being he is."
The Preliators and the lionesses who were abducted last year gave looks of disgust. It was hard to forget an experience like the one they went through. Dasyu was cold-blooded and would go to extreme measures to achieve his goals. He may have been a distant threat, but they knew from experience that that could change in a moment's notice.
"Right now, we've been effective at chipping away at his forces with hit-and-run attacks, destroying any groups that carry natural resources that would allow Dasyu to otherwise expand his forces. So far, they've all been successful, and with minimal casualties on our side. We will continue with this plan until Dasyu's forces are weakened enough to take them on in a frontal assault or a raid to destroy their last facility. When it is destroyed, Dasyu will be finished. He can't continue his campaign against this world without any of his strongholds."
"Can't he just continue to gather resources? Even with your success?" Nala asked.
"While he can replenish his resources, he can't replenish his personnel. We've taken them out, a little at a time. Eventually, he'll have no one left."
"Okay, but can't you just take him on directly?"
Danny smiled at the queen. "I wish we could, but it would be suicide. We'd lose way too many men and we wouldn't have much of a fighting chance, not without taking us with them."
Shani stepped forward. "So...what you're saying is that there's no immediate possibility to end this war without heavy casualties?"
"I didn't say that," Danny said. Any murmurings in the pride went dead in a hurry. He knew they were all paying attention to him. "In a week, I'm going to meet with Dasyu personally. I've given him a location to meet. I'm going to give him one chance to surrender, leave without incident, and never return here again."
"And if he doesn't?" Shani asked.
"Then the war will continue until it's over."
Something about this made Simba's fur rise. The plan had an odor to it. "But what's the likelihood that he will try to kill you?"
Danny pursed his lips. They are not going to like this answer, he thought. "It's very likely that he will try to kill me. Which is why all Preliators..." He stopped when he caught movement outside. The others noticed and followed his gaze. Standing at the mouth of the cave was the king cheetah, Haraka. He transformed into his robot form. Danny pointed to the ceiling. "Meet us by the ship, Haraka."
"Got it," Haraka said, before disappearing from sight.
Danny resumed. "Which is why all Preliators will meet together after this meeting. I have a plan that needs to be executed, and we'll have to leave in three days to begin for the meeting."
The others exchanged glances. Danny watched some of the families shift uneasily. None of them wanted to leave and go back to the war. In all honest truth, Danny didn't either. He wanted to stay and spend quality time with Zainabu. But that was the life of a soldier: you had to be ready to make that sacrifice to protect your family and your home. The pride was concerned for the safety of those who fought, and worried that one day a loved one might not return. Thankfully, they understood that the Preliators had to fight to keep the war from coming to their front door step.
Simba came up and placed a paw on his brother's arm. "I believe I'm speaking for everybody when I say this. Is this the wisest course of action?"
Danny paused. "As I've already said, it is risky. But that's why we are leaving early to plan out a contingency, just in case Dasyu pulls a trump card on us." When everyone looked at each other with confused looks, he elaborated the saying. "It means if he decides to dishonor his side of the agreement and take advantage of my kindness by trying to kill me in the meeting. But if he does agree and this war ends, then it will be worth the risk."
"Well, you know we've got your back in this, even if we may not necessarily like it," Simba said.
This prompted a smile from the man. He appreciated the support his brother gave him. In fact, it was encouraging that the entire pride would stick with him in this. "If we liked something about this war, it would be if and when we won."
"Good point."
Danny returned to the subject. "So, thus far, the war is going our way. But we can't let our guard down. That is vital for us to maintain our momentum. We've done a solid job at keeping this place a secret. Out of all the defectors we've recruited from Dasyu, only one knows of our location. I trust him and the others, but not to a fault. The chance of betrayal is always there, which is why we've never returned here on a straight flight course. It's also why I've only revealed who I am to just one person over there. However, it's another risk that needs to be taken. Realistically speaking, we couldn't take on Dasyu without some help. Once the war is over, they will leave the planet and return to their kind, wherever that might be. Other than what I've said, that's all I have for you." He left the center and returned to where Zainabu was standing.
Simba cleared his throat. "We appreciate you bringing us up to speed on the war, Danny. Remember this, everyone, the Preliators need your support in their fight against Dasyu, regardless of what others may say. What they do allows us to live in peace here in the Pride Lands. Be grateful about that. That being said, if there's no other business to be brought up, then this meeting has concluded."
At this, everyone began to break away and head out of the cave to enjoy the rest of the day. Danny, Zainabu, and the Preliators all headed up to the summit to begin making plans for the future, while the rest of the pride headed towards the promontory or the shade of the acacia trees on the side of Pride Rock.
Tavira and Shoshanna headed towards the promontory, but remained at the base. They had been deep in thought about Tanabi. Both of them found him very attractive, almost to the point of infatuation. While Shoshanna was the more shy and reserved type, Tavira was more flirtatious and aggressive. She had been planning on talking a little more with Tanabi, now that they both had time to themselves.
For the fourth time, she checked herself and made sure she looked presentable. Most lionesses didn't really worry about the details of their appearance the way she did. Even Danny had noticed it, and would occasionally shoot her with the nickname "Diva". Tavira wasn't familiar with the term, so she took it as a compliment. "What do you think, Shoshanna? Do you think Tanabi will notice?"
Her friend examined her as best as she could. "Well, your fur isn't matted and you're not dirty. I'd say you are good to go."
"Of course I am," Tavira said, proudly. "I've got everything he'd want. Good looks, sweet smile, and full of love. There's no way he'd resist me."
"I totally agree," Shoshanna said. "You sound a bit on the egotistical side, though."
"It's just confidence. Every guy wants a confident girl. It's just the way it is."
Shoshanna glanced over Tavira's shoulder. "Well, here's your shot. Tanabi's coming out of the cave."
Tavira whirled around. The prince had come out of the cave and into the sunlight. The lioness let out a gush of affection. He's so handsome. She could tell he was looking for someone, and decided that she would solve that problem immediately. The lioness slinked her way towards him, hoping she'd catch his attention. It didn't seem to be working, as he was still looking around. Undeterred, she continued her advance.
It wasn't until she was less than five feet from him that his eyes locked with hers. Tanabi gave her a polite smile. "How's it going, Tavira?"
She smiled. "Well, I'm doing pretty good. You're looking nice today."
Tanabi finally settled his gaze on her. "Um...thanks." Okay...this is awkward.
Tavira slowly moved forward, but not noticeably. "You need help with something?"
"I'm just looking for someone, that's all."
"Then look no further. I can keep you company for...awhile." That last word came out in a seductive whisper.
Tanabi gave her a weak smile, finally catching on to where this was going. "Oh, thanks...I guess." For a split-second, he wondered if Danny would catch this before he went to the summit and try to help Tanabi. The lion threw that thought out of his head faster than it came in. He knew his uncle better than that. Rather than help Tanabi, Danny would just wave and try to stifle a laugh while watching his nephew struggle to squirm away from Tavira. She was attractive, no question. But he was not interested in her. Tavira's other qualities left something to be desired, and he didn't share the same connection with her that he did with Vitani.
The lioness jerked her head towards the grasslands. "You know, we could go for a walk. It would be nice to have some company with you, plus...it would be comforting, knowing a strong lion like yourself would be beside me."
Laughing nervously, Tanabi took a step back. He was really getting uncomfortable right now. "Heh...I appreciate the offer, but I've got to meet up with someone. I'm sorry, but I can't."
"I like it when guys play hard to get," Tavira said. "It makes things...interesting. Besides, I'm sure whoever's waiting will understand why you're being held up."
Wanna bet? Tanabi thought. It was then that he realized how close she was to him. This is not going to end well.
She was about to press further when another voice entered the conversation. "Is this a private party or can anybody join in?" Tavira recognized the voice immediately. Vitani.
The lioness known for her lavender eyes and fighting skills came up to the two. She was eyeing both of them with interest, but Tanabi could tell from her smile that it was amusement rather than irritation. Either way, he was thankful that she had come. He smiled with relief. "Vitani, I was just looking for you. Are you ready for the walk?"
She smiled, sparing a momentary glance at Tavira. "Yeah, I was just wondering when you were coming to the bottom so we could go."
"You said the base of the promontory, not the base of Pride Rock," Tanabi shot back, unable to keep a smirk off his face. Inside, he was glad he could focus on her and not Tavira, whose jaw dropped open.
"No, I said the base of Pride Rock. Most of the pride walked towards the shade in the back. The few that didn't are right here at the promontory. I thought that would've..." Vitani shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I'm here, you're here. Let's go."
Tanabi let out a sigh of relief. "Works for me." He turned to Tavira. "See you around, Tavira."
Watching Tanabi and Vitani walk off side-by-side, Tavira couldn't believe what she just witnessed. Vitani was the lioness Tanabi was looking for. It wasn't for their duty, as evidenced by Vitani now starting to nuzzle Tanabi. The realization had dawned on her that Tanabi was more than just a friend to Vitani. He was in love with her, and Tavira was out of the picture, as far as the prince was concerned.
The tears began to well up in her eyes, as she had to face facts. Wh-why isn't he interested in me? I'm the most beautiful lioness available here. The confusion and the pain were just too much for her, and she began taking off for the opposite slope. Once she was at the bottom, she let her tears flow freely. Tavira was glad the pride didn't see her like this, she just wanted to run to a place where she could be alone and cry until she couldn't cry anymore. The direction of where she ran didn't matter, as long as it was away from Pride Rock.
Tavira made it about half a mile before finding the shade of some trees. She lay down and buried her face into her foreleg, sobbing uncontrollably. The dreams she had of her being with Tanabi came crashing down on her, and all she could do was ask herself why it wasn't her.
Please give me some input on the romance, if you can. I've stated in years past that romance is not my strong-suit, and little changed in that department. Constructive critique is appreciated!