Here it is, as promised, chapter twenty six of my TLK story!
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New chapter posted every fifth day! (Or just whenever).
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CHAPTER 26: SHOUTING MATCH

The sun was rising in the pride lands, and to the knowledge of the pride's males Zira was not becoming sick. Apart from pregnancy discomforts, she was acting normal. Kukuza didn't know why she wasn't sick, maybe she was just so rotten the cocoa seeds never took effect. Kukuza always looked at her when she got up to walk out of the den every morning, away from her desperate and clingy followers. She was loved by quite a few people, and Kukuza very much wanted to love her. She was pregnant and it was no longer mating season, but he still wanted her. The sex he could pass on, he just wanted her. She was a monster, she didn't like him but he figured eventually she would warm up to him. Sarabi was close by, he could go there and screw around whenever he wanted, but Zira was supposed to be his. He hated that she was telling everyone the cub was Scar's. he wanted to be the father, he wanted to be her mate, she passed him up for someone else.

Kukuza would think about how good looking he was, he'd ask Imara if he smelt alright and if his teeth were white, he wanted to be presentable but Zira didn't see it that way. Here he was, a prize lion, absolutely flawless breeding, and she was off slinking around with some skinny guy who was already spoken for. There was nothing to be mad at, no one to pout to, he was alone on this journey.

Scar had woken up as well, so Kukuza decided now was his chance to get up and have a side bar with the king. Zira may have taken the seed of another man, but in his mind she was pregnant with his cub, just Zira and Kukuza.
"King Scar?"
Kukuza walked up behind him, the king looking out over the pride lands and seeing nothing but grass.

"Yes number 1?"

"What is this idea you had, it's been days now and I'm curious."

"My plan, is to just give it to her."

"Excuse me?"
Asked Kukuza, not believing his ears.

"She wants to be queen? Let her be queen. Sara doesn't know about any of this, and I want to keep it that way. I've got a few more ideas, but don't worry. She'll get her place and we'll see if she likes it."

"Scar you said she was mine..."

"Obviously she doesn't want to be yours Kukuza, it's not like I want her. I have Sara, I love that woman very much and this is killing me. Literally. Look number 1, there's Nala, Sarabi, There's a litter of young pretty girls all over this pride who would kill for five minutes alone with you. Take that and roll with it."

"Are you suggesting I move on? No, absolutely not Zira..."

"She's what? Perfect, open your eyes man, she's a monster. She had you, didn't she? Look what came of that, she's pregnant and it's not by you. She had a chance and she gave it up for something else, move on! Sarabi is an amazing girl, look at her, only laid once, practically new! Nala, yeah she's not even two yet but in a few months she'll be ready to go, then there's an entire pride beyond them, look at all those girls in there!"
Scar motioned to the den, where the majority of the pride was resting.
"All so pretty, all so young, almost all of them virgin, girls with cub bearing hips and submissive ways, they'll eat you up if you threw yourself out there, you could have fifteen of those girls!"

"I want one Zira! And don't call Sarabi 'like new,' she was in a real relationship, and now she's not, that's fine by me."

"Note she'd still be taken by my muffin head of a brother if I hadn't flicked his off switch."

"Gee Scar thanks a lot, you've given me the perfect gift, a dead king and a pregnant not mate!"

"Not my fault, the first one yes but I'd die before I made a move on Zira!"

Kukuza huffed out, shaking his head and sitting down, considering the things that were happening around him. Zira was almost gone, but there was a great possibility she'd come back to him. Scar would not support her or her cub like a real mate, he'd give her the cold shoulder, so maybe she'd come back to him for love. Even so, if she didn't come back to him, he'd just tackle her and make her love him. He could force her to kiss him, he could make Zira do a lot of things but he didn't go there. Kukuza wanted to love her, he wanted her to love him but that was proving to be more difficult then expected.
He had Sarabi as a friend, and if he wanted he could have her as a whole lot more. Still, Zira lingered in and out of him mind, he wanted her. He didn't want her physically though, his true intent was to have her emotionally, he wanted to be the one she came to when she was crying; sex too, he wanted the whole thing.
Although his desire for Zira was strong, he really needed to talk to someone on an intimate level, and he knew where to get that kind of conversation.
"I'm going to go and see Sarabi."

"I noticed you stopped asking me and now you're telling me."

"I noticed I'm bigger then you, I don't have the patience for games Scar."
The king stepped back, letting the frustrated grey lion walk on. He disappeared to go to Coventry, and Scar decided he'd go and talk to Imara. She was close by, and he walked over quickly and sat down, looking at her and waiting for the first shot to be fired.

"So you and Zira?"

Scar shook his head yes.
"It's really complicated."

"Kukuza was so happy to have her, I can't believe you'd go behind his back and mate with his girl. That's so sly I don't want to look at you."

"Imara, that's not how it happened."

"Now Sarabi and Sara are gone, I have no idea what's happening anymore, Kukuza doesn't want to talk to me and the hyenas are doing whatever they want again."

"This year is going to be rough."

"At least I'm fine, I've got Honey and the pride seems ok for now. Although, they do resent the idea of you stealing Zira. They like her more now, and so do I, but you can't mess with a guys relationship, especially one you set up."

"Imara please, I don't want to be with Zira! I hate her! She... things aren't what they seem ok? I didn't steal her! I promise Imara I just can't tell you the truth yet."

She rolled her eyes, setting her head back down on her paw, looking at the skinny king disbelievingly.
"Sometimes I worry about you Scar, one minute you're the best king I've ever seen and the next you're acting like a crazy person."

"I think I am crazy, nothing makes sense anymore, I should run away to save everyone the trouble about to come."

Inside the den, another lioness was being corrupted by Zira. Several of the mentally weaker lioness' who followed Zira with a burning passion had taken Nala into the den for a discussion. They left leaving the young girl alone with the queen. Nala still knew nothing, and now she would learn everything as a cruel joke.

"Nala, I'm the queen now. Scar has made me queen and I'm pregnant with the heir to the throne, are you familiar with that?"
Nala tilted her head to the side.
"My mommy..."
"Your stupid mommy isn't anything anymore! He doesn't love her! She's dumb and so are you Nala! I'm the queen now, and you'll do as I say!"
"I want to talk to the king!"
"To bad you little cub, he's busy! I'm the queen and you'll talk to me!"
"My mommy is queen!"
"No she isn't! That whore was never queen, and you were an accident! You're the filth of the Savannah. You'll serve Kukuza as his mate and you'll keep him happy, and that's the end of this!"

Nala went running out of the den, and she darted away from the pride lands, tears in her eyes. Scar looked up as he saw her running, and he was concerned. Zira stepped out of the den, visibly pregnant, and laughing as the little girl ran away. Scar looked up at her, growling angrily.
"What did you say to her?"

"I told her the truth. I'm the queen now."

"Kings..."
Scar went to get up, and as he ran away after Nala his three hyena friends stood and followed him close, leaving their shady resting spot and rushing after him. Kukuza was slowly walking to Coventry, almost the entire way there. He could see the den, and in a few more minutes he would be there.
Just as he was approaching hearing distance, a young lioness plowed into his backside, throwing off the rhythm of his steps and making him totter for a moment. He turned around, seeing a crying, panting Nala at his heels.
"Nala! Nala sweetie what's wrong? Did you run all the way here?"

Nala tried to run on to the den, but Kukuza stopped her by grabbing her nap and tossing her in the other direction lightly.
"Mom! Mommy mommy help me!"
Nala started screaming, and because of Sarafina's pregnancy she couldn't stand up. Sarabi came out to investigate and so did Arcángel. Just as the king and Sarabi walked down from the den, Scar and the hyenas approached with anger and fear in all of there eyes. Scar had told them on the way that Nala was carrying poisonous information to the neighboring pride, and she had to be stopped.

"Number 1 stop her! She knows everything!"
Kukuza looked at Nala, and as the cub tried to run he cornered her, forcing her away from the den where her mother would be. Sarabi starred on in shock, unsure why Nala was being treated so strangely. Scar arrived, begging Nala to come home so he could explain. She refused, and he pinned her to the ground. She undid the pin and almost pinned the king, but the hyenas took her down quickly. She was dragged back to the pride lands, screaming for Sarafina as she cried hysterically.
Scar left with the hyenas, leaving his number 1 conveniently alone to explain what Sarabi and Arcángel had just seen.

Sarabi whipped Kukuza across the face with her paw, growling seriously at him. He'd never seen her so angry in his entire life knowing her, he'd never seen anyone so full of rage and unspoiled fury.
"How dare you touch her! She's a cub after her mother and you drag her away like a prisoner! Crying for her mother you monster! What could she know that's so damned important she can't be here? What are you hiding from me you big ass!"
Sarabi hit him again even harder, wanting him to listen to her.

"She.. Sarabi I don't know what to tell you."

"Tell me the truth!"
"I can't do that."

"The pride lands are my home! Tell me what's happening!"

"No."
Kukuza turned his attention to Arcángel, who had no idea what to say either.
"Arcángel, these girls are not to leave here under any circumstances, I don't care if you have to hunt them down in the middle of the night they are not to leave here."

"If you say so Kukuza."
The king was unsure of himself, and rightfully so. He was given an order without reason. He didn't have to follow it or comply, but he did so because Kukuza was a friend.

"You know what? You're a total loser Kukuza, and to think I liked you! To think I wasted my breath on you, that I kissed you, it makes me sick. You may be good looking, but you're just dirt on the inside, the worst lion I've ever met."

"You don't mean that! She could ruin everything as you know it!"

"Who? Nala? You're right Kukuza, a one and a half year old lioness will be the end of life as we know it, because she wanted to see her mother!"

"She wanted to tell Sara everything!"

"What is everything you stupid lion!"

"I can't tell you!"

"Dirt! You're dirt! You can't tell the truth, you can't waste your breath on me so I won't waste another second of my thoughts on you! You and Zira are perfect for each other, you're both senseless idiots!"

"Sarabi..."

"I came here to be with Sara, and now in totally out of the loop, Nala's crying, apparently we can't leave here, and you've done a complete personality turn around! I opened up to you! I learned to walk differently so you'd like me more, I learned he to flirt from a gay lion who smells better then I do! and I'm a girl! Screw this and screw..."

"Sarabi!"
Kukuza screamed so no matter what she said it would be over powered, she took a half step back, starring at him with fear like she was expecting to be hit. He was really mad, he was a ball of hot rage and whatever he had to say would be said without interruption.

"Dammit Sarabi, I came here to talk to you and spend some time with you because Zira is acting crazy again! I wanted intimate conversation! I'm walking, minding my one business when Nala shows up, and then Scar. I don't know what's happening, he told me to stop her so I did! You want to know the truth? Zira is a lying bitch and she's ruining my life! She's ruining everything I thought was good in this life and she's turning the pride against Scar and I! Sarabi... this is the worst I've ever felt! I've never even sworn prior today and look at me now! I'm a mess! I don't want this, this mess of a life. I want to... I don't know what I want anymore, I don't even know what's happening, this is not my world I just live here. Can't we play nice?"

"You disgust me right now, it's your job to know!"

"How about this, I'll treat you like I treat Zira when she's angry, if you ever hit me again I'll hit you back and knock your teeth out, how about that Sarabi? That doesn't sound too good, why can't we just talk about meaningless stuff, neutral stuff like I wanted to talk about when I walked over here!"

"If you ever threaten me again..."

"You'll what?"

"I'll.."
Sarabi built up a big fuss, but her angry suspense fell flat when she couldn't think of a counter to his threat. She did just want to play nice, but he'd done a bad thing and he didn't seem to notice the extent of his deed.

"Look at us, this is supposed to be a good place, you're supposed to be happy here. Scar cares a lot about Sara, and when you go back in there you're going to tell her everything is fine alright? You will not tell her what you just saw!"

"I'll tell her the truth! Something you can't seem to do!"

"If you tell her the truth I'll drag you back to pride rock and you won't see Sara for a very long time! It's better here, trust me I know, I see both worlds and this one is better!"

"I want to go home! I want to see I want to know!"

"No. Now go inside, I wanted to talk about good things and it seems like your attitude and my feelings are getting in the way of that."

"I don't have an attitude."

"You're a bad liar."
Sarabi frowned, feeling the conversation redirecting to a softer and and more romantic tone.
"I'm sorry I said you were dirt."
"I'm sorry for yelling at you, I'd never actually hit you, I was angry and I wanted to say something to hurt you."
"Apology accepted."
"So... you think I'm good looking?"
He smiled at her the fake at and stupidest smiled she'd ever seen, the moments prior were far to serious for a smile, but he was trying to create one anyway.
"No Kukuza, you're fat and ugly."
"Right back at you gorgeous."
Sarabi blushed, feeling the sarcasm in his voice. He thought she was good looking, he didn't even have to say it because she could feel it.
"I still want the truth."
He shook his head no.
"I'm sorry Sarabi, I want so badly to tell you everything, but the secrets aren't mine to share, the problems back home are big and I can't spread them. I want you to be happy Sarabi, I know you'll be happier not knowing alright? Especially Sara, she's pregnant and Scar doesn't want to worry her with the problems at home."
Sarabi nodded, moving so she was standing next to him and looking up at the den.
"So Nala was going to tell us the problems back home, and that's why she was stopped?"
"I think so."

She nuzzled him a little but in his mane, wanting some sort of a response from him. He was stone still, not wanting to move around too much.
"Knock it off Sarabi."
She stopped nuzzling him, standing up straight and leaving a gap between them.
"Just kidding."
He nuzzled her a lot harder and a lot deeper then she'd touched him, hugging her head as best he could under his chin in a standing position. She closed her eyes and felt how warm he was, and Kukuza just enjoyed the physical contact. He needed desperately for someone to hold his paw, he felt like a cub, lost.
"I'm so afraid Sarabi."
"Me too."
"Sarabi, promise me when you find out you won't hate me. I tried really hard and... I'm sorry Sarabi, I messed up. I wasn't good enough stop it all... I need to go."
He ran away, sprinting far away from Coventry. She could tell he was on the verge of tears, his words grew shaky and his sentences shorter and increasingly more simple. He didn't want her to see him cry, and she respected that. He'd opened up to her, she now knew that whatever was happening back home he blamed himself.

She was alone now, and Bahati came down from the den, standing next to her and looking around. She was looking intently in the direction Kukuza had just ran off in, and now there was nothing but nature around them.
"What happened?"

"Kukuza's being an ass."

"It happens to the best of men. Did you tell him he was upsetting you?"

Sarabi nodded.
"It didn't go so well."

"Look Sarabi, I don't want to hear whatever happened or whatever he said, but trust me, I wasn't wrong, I know he told you I was wrong in saying you two should be together, he's just mad Sarabi. Everybody gets mad sometimes."

"He was really mad, I don't know what to do, I want to help but he won't tell me how... he won't let me help him."

"He wants you to help him, I know he does it makes sense doesn't it?"

"I... he said he wanted to tell me, but it wasn't his secret."

"Arcángel said I'm not supposed to let you leave, but then again if you go while I'm sleeping I guess I couldn't stop you now could I?"

"But if he wakes up..."

"I'll make sure Arcángel doesn't wake up, go to him, he sleeps alone doesn't he? Right at the mouth of the den, exposed to rain and cold?"

"How did you..."

"He's predictable, and so are you. Go and talk to him, you were going to go anyway."

"I know I was."

"He still likes you, I promise Sarabi I'm not wrong."
Bahati smiled at her, knowing that the moment was far from happy. He was pitching his match, begging that she give him another chance and talk to him when he's calm."

Sarabi went back into the den, leaving Bahati outside to clean up the emotional mess left on his grass. Inside, Sarafina was panicking, yelling because she'd heard Nala yell for her and then nothing more, and Arcángel wasn't talking.
"Sarabi! Tell me what's happening please!"

Sarabi opened her mouth to say what had happened, but changed her mind last minute.
"Nothing happened Sara, Kukuza came for a visit and it ended in a shouting match."

"But I heard Nala..."

Sarabi shook her head.
"It was just us, she wasn't there."

"Are you sure Sarabi? Dot lie to me I heard crying! Please tell me the truth!"

"She wasn't there."
Sarabi didn't want to lie. Her best friend was in pain and she didn't want to make it worse. If she told the truth, Sara would want to go home or she'd want Scar and Nala in front of her as soon as possible, Kukuza wanted her to lie and she would have to. Besides, doing as he said would win her points with him the next time they talked.

As everyone in the den fell asleep, and Arcángel was taken away to be alone with Bahati, Sarabi got up, silently padding away from the den, and then rushing as fast as she could to the pride lands. It was very late, the sky black, only the stars to accompany her.

This week was packed with testing for me, but it's over! I'll be able to catch up on this story and we can start churning out chapters like we used to! Love you guys and thanks for being so loyal to this story!

Every chapter I'll post a question, and your answer will help me write the story!
Same question:

What will happen when Sarabi arrives at the pride lands?

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