Chapter Ten: Aftermath, Part I: The Expectation
CSIMentalistTLK Lover: I'm not quite done yet, kid! I'm still going like the Energizer Bunny!
Guest: Hmmm? Unfair? About what? Confused here!
Emberscar: Hurried as fast as I could! This week was hectic! Lol enjoy the chapter!
Two weeks passed and the rains had made the grasses grow. The herds began to return. Tama emerged from the Royals' Cave and shook. Her golden eyes looked out to the Pridelands. She smiled.
"Tama?" A very deep feminine voice came from behind her. Tama craned her neck to look at her mother. She smiled.
"Hi, Mama." Tama kept a smile on her face. Sarabi stepped next to her daughter.
"The Pridelands are slowly returning. It's all because of you, Tama." Sarabi said with a smile.
"No, not just because of me. Tojo had his part, as did Nala and Simba." Tama said.
"But you came back. That's all that matters to me." Sarabi sighed happily.
"I know. I missed you, Mama." Tama said. Sarabi nuzzled her daughter lovingly.
"I missed you, too, baby." Sarabi said. Tama began purring. They heard the flapping of wings. Tama separated from her mother and watched Zazu land. Zazu looked healthier, even.
"Madam, here with the morning report." Zazu said.
"Fire away." Tama smiled. Zazu smiled back at her.
"You have your father's smile," Zazu paused, "not much is happening at the moment. The hyenas have disappeared. The herds are returning, slowly. They're not trusting of this land right now."
"I don't blame them. Kula?" Tama asked.
"She's in the Outlands, and very healthy still." Zazu said.
"Hopefully it will stay like that. Thank you, Zazu." Tama said.
"Anytime, my Queen" Zazu flew away. Sarabi smiled at Tama.
"What?" Tama asked.
"You are so much like your father, right now." Sarabi said.
"Thanks, Mama." Tama said.
Sarabi and Tama went down to the rejuvenated waterhole and got a drink of water. The two were talking and laughing when they returned to Pride Rock. Upon their return, they saw Tojo waiting for Tama. Tama almost ran to Tojo, but held back. Sarabi smiled at her daughter.
"Go on." Sarabi said. Tama bumped heads with Sarabi, but like a cub she ran to Tojo and nuzzled him.
"Good morning, gorgeous." Tojo licked Tama's hairtuft. Tama laughed as her hairtuft fell in her eyes.
"Good morning, handsome." Tama said.
"You know, it's been a long time since I've seen these lands like this." Tojo said.
"I think it's a good change." Tama said.
"For the better." Tojo nuzzled Tama. Sarabi smiled at the pair, then went back inside.
"Hey! LOVEBIRDS!" Timon shouted. Tama turned to Timon and smiled.
"What is it, Timon?" Tama asked.
"Where is the best bug place here? Pumbaa and I are starvin'!" Timon complained.
"I'd try around the waterhole." Tojo said. Tama looked at Tojo.
"Agreed." Tama said.
"SWEET! Thanks, lovers!" Timon said. Pumbaa ran out of the cave and Timon hopped on his back.
"To the waterhole!" Pumbaa said. Timon sounded a war cry and Tama and Tojo laughed together. Then gold met electric blue in perfect harmony. Tama smiled and blushed beneath her fur. She became shy in an instant. Tojo licked her cheek. Tama placed her head beneath his and purred.
"I love you." Tojo said.
"I love you, too." Tama said. She suddenly felt really queasy and ran away from Tojo, losing the previous night's dinner over the side of Pride Rock. She lied down, dizzy from the nausea. Tojo nuzzled Tama.
"Are you okay?" Tojo asked.
"I don't know what just happened." Tama said. Tama heard a pair of footsteps approaching them.
"Sis? Are you okay?" Simba asked.
"She just got sick." Tojo said. Tama saw Nala come to her side.
"Tama, do you think your stomach's not tolerating meat like it's supposed to?" Nala asked.
"I don't know, Nala. I just felt sick." Tama said her dizziness subsiding and she stood up.
"Maybe you should go see Rafiki." Tojo suggested.
"I don't want to make a big thing out of a little sickness, though." Tama said.
"How about this? If you are still sick in two days, go see Rafiki. If not, you'll be fine." Nala said.
"Sounds good to me." Tama said.
The next day went by smoothly for Tama, she didn't get queasy at all, then the day after that, Tama was losing all stomach contents. Sarabi, Sarafina, and Aisha watched as Tama was ill, begging her to go see Rafiki.
"Sweetheart, this could be serious." Sarabi argued.
"Mama, I'll be fine." Tama said.
"Tama, I'll be honest, when your mother was pregnant with you and Simba, she was as ill as you are." Aisha, Chumvi's mother, said.
"What?!" Tama snapped. She shot her head up, looking to the three lionesses.
"Tama, please go see Rafiki. We're worried." Sarafina said.
"All right, all right! I will, on one condition, when I'm not pregnant, you all owe me an apology." Tama said.
"Go see Rafiki, Tama." Sarabi said with a smile. Tama glared at her mother.
"Sometimes, I wonder how I'm related to you." Tama said.
"You're my daughter. Go." Sarabi said. Tama trotted off of Pride Rock, running to Rafiki's tree. She climbed up it, finding it tiring.
"Rafiki?" Tama asked. The mandrill swung from the branches down to Tama.
"What can I do for you, my Queen?" Rafiki asked.
"My mother, Sarafina, and Aisha think I'm, Kings forbid, pregnant, and want me to get checked out by you." Tama said.
"Ah, I see. Vedy peculiar. You and Tojo have done de deed, no?" Rafiki cackled a laugh. Tama lied down and put her paws over her head.
"This is embarrassing! Just check me out and tell me I'm not pregnant!" Tama begged the shaman. Rafiki stopped laughing.
"Will do, my Queen!" Rafiki said. He had Tama stand up and ran his hands over her stomach. He felt more towards her lower abdomen, and laughed.
"Looks like de older lionesses were right! You be with cub, Tama!" Rafiki said.
"Please tell me that's a joke you play on all the lionesses!" Tama begged.
"Nope! Only with de Queens, like your mudder and Zira." Rafiki said.
"It's not a joke!" Tama exclaimed. Rafiki started laughing.
"Oh, Tama, you see? De Circle of Life be coming do a close now." Rafiki said.
"I see that! It's just, Tojo and I were planning to wait until the Pridelands got back into order before we announced we were getting married!" Tama said.
"Tama, you didn't dink of dat when you were in de jungle with Tojo a couple weeks ago!" Rafiki said. Tama's mood softened.
"That's how far along I am? A couple weeks?" Tama asked softly.
"Yes. You be about dwo weeks along. You'll show in anodder week." Rafiki smiled.
"Wow…" Tama said breathlessly. She looked to her stomach and smiled. She was carrying a cub. Hers and Tojo's cub! Immediately questions ran through her head. Was it going to be a boy or a girl? What would she and Tojo name it? Would the pride be happy with the new prince or princess in the pride?
After all the questions ran through her mind she started having statements. She would protect her cub if it meant her life. She wouldn't let anyone hurt her cub.
I love you, you little tyke. Tama thought. And your destiny will be much different than mine. You will be raised in a time of peace and prosperity. You will become the Ruler of these lands without interference. Your father and I will love you to our dying breath. I already do.
OK, Part I of the Finale finished! What do you think about Tama's pregnancy? Do you think the cub will be a boy or a girl? What will Tama name the cub? Will the cub be one of the TLK Movies? Well, all questions will be answered in the next parts of the finale! Review!