Here it is, as promised, chapter twenty nine of my TLK story!
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New chapter posted every fifth day! (Or just whenever).
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CHAPTER 29: CROSSROAD
In the pride lands the weather was severely rainy. The sky was littered with heavy grey clouds, pouring down water in buckets. The occasional patch of purple would light up with white light, a bolt of hot electricity striking the ground somewhere far away, and then came the thunder.
Scar had gone off for a walk, only a lion as mad as him would enjoy walking around when it was pouring rain. He didn't intend on leaving the pride lands. At first Kukuza was hesitant to let him leave her sight, but due to the weather he was allowed to go for a walk. Kukuza and the rest of the pride were aware of Scar's fondness to rain, so his sudden disappearance wasn't talked about.
The main den was full of the pride's lioness' who were avoiding the rain, sitting and gossiping. Zira couldn't take such noise, so she left with one of her lioness friends and went to sit in the smaller den. Kukuza watched her leave, and if not for Sarabi he too would have gone. She was sitting at the other side of the entrance, both of them capping it off nicely. Sarabi insisted they sit inside the den, farther in then Kukuza's norm, and he agreed, not wanting her to get all wet.
Imara was also inside the den, closer to the royal rock with Hun and Nala.
Sarabi had sat in silence for far too long, and she decided that conversation was needed now.
"The grass is looking a little dull, I think it's dying."
"The rain will clear that up in no time."
Replied Kukuza, thinking about someone else, not caring about the color of the grass.
"Do you want to go make out in the rain?"
Sarabi decided to throw him a curve ball. He was pretty inanimate up until this point, so maybe saying something unexpected would grab his attention.
He still didn't move, and Sarabi assumed he hadn't heard her.
"Hey big guy?"
He stirred, seemingly surprised that someone was talking to him. Sarabi chuckled at the thought of him thinking so hard he stopped listening.
"Is it getting loud inside your head? you tuned me out."
"Oh, sorry Sarabi."
She huffed, acting like she too had something on her mind.
"What's wrong?"
"I was going to ask you the same question."
Kukuza shrugged.
"Nothing's wrong, I was just thinking."
"What about?"
"You wouldn't like it, don't worry."
"Zira?"
Kukuza stayed quiet, Sarabi was a really smart girl and at one point her brains would get her hurt like she just did. Here she sat, with a pretty boy with lots of muscle, who liked her, and he was thinking about someone else. Would she ever get a break? Sarabi thought not.
"It's no big deal, I was just thinking about stuff."
"Would you mind thinking about me instead? I'm here and she's not just in case you didn't notice."
"Don't sass me Sarabi, what did you want? did you say something I missed?"
"Yes actually, I asked you if you wanted to go make out in the rain."
"Oh."
"Don't bother trying, I'm not in the mood anymore."
"I was never in the mood."
Sarabi rolled her eyes. There was no way that he would have said no if he had heard her the first time.
"Are you going to sass me now?"
"Sarabi please not you, let's not fight."
"I'm sorry Kukuza, but don't think about her when you're next to me, that really rubs me the wrong way."
"I understand."
"No you don't, no one ever has."
Kukuza realized suddenly that something much more extreme was going on in Sarabi's mind, and suddenly he was curious, enough so that he would prod and pry to see whatever was the matter. Even from across the den's entrance, he was close enough to hear her breathing.
"Talk to me beautiful, what's going on in that head of yours?"
"Nothing, nothing at all."
He starred at her, and she refused to return the glance. His eyes were so loving and strong, whatever she could throw at him she thought he would be able to bare for her.
"If I tell you, I don't want you sharing with anyone else."
"Never would I dare."
"You know Imara don't you?"
"Of coarse."
"Mufasa and I, when he was just starting to warm up to me, he'd say things when we were kissing you know? Usually nice things, compliments, but one time, right at the beginning, he really messed up."
"Tell me."
"He said Imara. While I was kissing him, my mate, making my mate happy, he had his eyes closed and he was thinking about her. I always knew he liked her, but from then on we never kissed the same way, it scared me, and he hurt me, so you thinking about Zira hurts just as much."
"Sarabi I don't mean to hurt you."
"I just wanted to tell you why, now you know."
She sniffled, about ready to cry but holding herself together nicely.
Kukuza bumped her with his nose, he'd stood up and walked over, wanting to touch her just a little but before he went somewhere else.
"I'm sorry I upset you, I'm going to go and talk to Zira ok?"
"That doesn't help me any."
"I just shouldn't be near you too much, I'm trouble."
"Be back soon alright?"
"I'll get my fill of letting her yell at me and then I'll come right back."
He started away, and as he was going Sarabi pawed at his backside, slapping him playfully on his rear. He bounced away, disappearing into the rain. Sarabi was left alone, hearing teenage Mufasa whispering "Imara" into her ear as they open mouth kissed. Just the thought of it infuriated her.
Kukuza walked around the den to the smaller one where Zira was, standing just outside of it where Zira's so called friend was sitting. She was being rained on, and Kukuza couldn't help but feel bad for her.
He was standing right in front of her, yet it seemed she didn't see him. Eventually he sighed, practically shoving her with his paw. The lioness fell onto her side, and she moaned out as she hit the ground. Somehow, she'd figured out how to sleep in an upright sitting position.
"Uh, it's you!"
She sat upright, shaking off her fur which was drenched from being outside for at least an hour.
"Yeah, it's me. Go back into the den, you've spent enough time guarding Zira from nothing."
"She told me..."
"But I'm telling you-" Kukuza walked around her, making sure the whole way through his side rubbed up against her sitting body, both left and right and back. She shivered from his touch like he expected her to. This girl was much easier then he thought she'd be to manipulate, "-I'm telling you to go on and lay down inside where its warm, go be comfortable."
She tilted her head up to the sky, expecting him to kiss her neck or something else. When he didn't, she cleared her throat and made away for the den.
Kukuza sighed, walking into the small dark den. Aside from the pounding of rain, Kukuza now heard the crying of a very weak cub. Zira was wordless, sitting there and letting the runt cry without a single attempt to calm him. The darkness hid Kukuza, until his voice broke through it and made his presence known.
"Zira?"
"Oh, I can't see you with all this dark, you surprised me."
He walked over and sat down next to her, sitting close enough so she could feel him lengthwise.
"Give me Nuka, I'll calm him down."
"How? Are you going to poison him like you did me?"
Kukuza sighed, taking the cub into his paws anyway. After a few moments Nuka had calmed down, and was no longer loud and crying. He settled down into Kukuza's paws, eventually curling up into a small and bony fur ball and falling asleep. Zira was tired, so she leaned against his mane and sighed, resting her eyes.
"Zira darling?"
"Don't call me that."
"Zira, about this whole poison business..."
"What about it?"
"Scar wanted to poison you, but... well I messed him up a little. The stuff he wanted to give you, he gave you so much you really would have died, but I swapped out the seeds for some small nuts. He never noticed the difference because they look so similar, and that's why you're here, that's why Nuka's here. Zira I didn't want to see you hurt, I couldn't let that happen, not to you."
"You did that?"
"I'd do anything for you Zira, I'm heartbroken for what you did, I still feel affection for you. Sarabi tried to tell me otherwise and every so often I believe her, i still like you though, if you want to stop all of this I'll help you, we can still be happy."
Kukuza kissed her neck, and eventually Zira submitted and let him kiss her for a while.
Eventually she started getting hot and bothered, and Kukuza could tell by her scent that whatever he was doing he was doing it right.
"Knock it off Kukuza, my son is right there!"
Zira giggled like the girl that she was while he nuzzled up on her, unlike how anyone else had ever touched her. She still felt in her cold heart, and what she felt was self loathing. She wanted something, something that had hurt Kukuza endlessly and without caring; Zira didn't want to hurt him.
She really could have been with him, he was handsome, strong, obviously good with cubs and girls. Even more so, he loved her and wanted to fill her with his young, never to see her look at anyone but him. Sadly she'd ruined that, a king, a jump for a different kind of love.
"I'm glad for this Zira, time with you like this is my favorite, we can just sit and you could let me kiss you."
"Kukuza, when I can, soon, I want to give you a present."
"What would that be Zira?"
"I don't know yet Kukuza, but when I've got a good idea I'll tell it to you."
"Is that a promise, one you'll keep?"
"It is, and I will keep it, I just have to think of something I could give you. How about that girl outside? She's cute I think."
"How about you Zira? I know you're cute."
In a different den, a long walk away, a different kind of magic was occurring. Bahati and Arcángel had been keeping Sarafina comfortable all day, also utilizing Zarah and trying to calm down the pregnant queen.
The rain seemed to make things worse, and late in the night Bahati, his king, and his princess all realized that Sarafina was giving birth, tonight.
"Don't worry Sara, you're doing just fine, you look great too."
She smiled, then returning to gritting her teeth and whispering for Taka. She'd been doing that since morning, somehow she knew that on this day she'd give birth, and Sarafina had been begging for Taka through the pain.
"Please 'hati I need my Taka, there's still time if you ran, please 'hati I need him here!"
Bahati shook his head no.
"It's too far, the weather is too bad."
Sarafina huffed and puffed for another hour before her prayers to the kings were answered. While Taka was walking around aimlessly, he decided to walk in the direction of Coventry, maybe listen to Saradina breath for an hour and then go home without her ever knowing he had come.
Luckily though, she was still awake, and even more so he could hear her yelling. Taka came up to the den, walking inside and rushing over to Sarafina
Bahati, Arcángel and Zarah all stood back, amazed the the king simply knew to come around. His being there was merely luck.
"Sara!"
She opened her eyes and let him kiss her, they both nuzzled through the pain and the wetness of his fur, not caring.
"Taka it's happening now, the cub..."
Soon enough Sarafina had given birth like she knew she would, and was nuzzling the cub between her paws with care. He was big and muscular like anyone could have hoped for, small and tan with a creamy chest. He opened his eyes almost immediately, the strength of this cub! His mane would grow one day to be something large and coffee colored. His eyes were green like Scar's.
"He's so handsome, we couldn't have done a better job Taka."
"He really is perfect."
"What so you want to name him Taka?"
"You choose love, you choose."
"I want to name him... Mheetu."
Taka excepted that name, also taking the cub into his own paws and excepting him willingly. Taka loved this cub, truly he wasn't that bad a lion if he could make something as perfect as this, with a girl as innocent and beautiful as Sarafina.
"Sara, why don't I stay here until you're ready to travel again? I just left, I didn't say where I was going so they'll be fine without me."
"Really?"
"Only if you want..."
"Of coarse Taka, I want you to stay and help me, when everything is in good shape, including myself we can go back to the pride lands."
"Yeah, all of us."
The next day in the pride lands, Sarabi woke up just as alone as Kukuza had left her. She pouted, realizing that he had never come back for her like he promised. The only thing he sent back was some skinny girl who was a friend of Zira's, wet and obviously tired. She smelt like sex too, and that didn't do anything to make Sarabi feel better.
Down in the smaller den where Kukuza had stayed for the entire night! Zira was just waking up. She'd let herself fall asleep leaned up against a big grey lion, and in doing so she probably was just getting his hopes up again. Zira looked, and Nuka was pressed against Kukuza's chest, probably thinking that the lion who held him was his father.
Scar had only ever asked for Nuka once, and that was on the day he was born so Scar could see what he looked like.
Kukuza had been awake for about an hour, never one to sleep in. He'd watched Nuka sleep for a while, nuzzling the cub every so often. He'd also watched Zira sleep as well, she was leaned up against his mane, so it's not like looking at her was a weird thing to do.
Zira probably didn't know it, but she smiles when she sleeps. Whatever it is she dreams about it must be nice, because when she's awake she never smiles. No one was ever aloud to touch her, but on this one day she let him and it made her smile.
"Are you awake?"
Zira spoke through a yawn, rolling away from him and standing up, stretching out her legs and her claws.
"I'm awake Zira."
"Give me the boy."
Zira motioned for Nuka with her nose.
"He's still sleeping."
"Then set him down, it's time for you to go hunting."
Kukuza stood up, setting Nuka down softly so he didn't wake the cub up. He left the den, turning back to face Zira.
"I can still teach you Zira, if you wanted to learn."
"I don't go and get food, I'll stay here with the boy."
"His name is Nuka."
Zira scoffed.
"That's not what I wanted to name him."
Kukuza rubbed his head against Zira some, hugging her a little.
"What did you want to name him?"
Zira shrugged, taking a few steps back so he wasn't touching her anymore.
"I don't know, just not that."
"I understand, one thing before I go though."
Zira rolled her eyes.
"And what would that be?"
"Give me a kiss."
"No!"
"I got Nuka to stop crying last night, you owe me."
"Go talk to Sarabi, she'll wrap her mouth around whatever you give her."
Kukuza sighed.
"That wasn't nice, why would I want to kiss a mouth like yours if you say things like that?"
It didn't settle well that Zira would say such mean things about Sarabi, a girl who had never done anything against Zira except for not wanting to be her friend.
"If you don't want a kiss just go."
"But I do."
"Aren't you with Sarabi now? or Nala, I set you up with her just fine."
"I'm not with anyone Zira, I can kiss whoever I want, get over here."
After a few minutes, literally a few minutes, of him just starring her down lovingly, Zira eventually submitted and took the few steps forward required, kissing him once. It wasn't that great of a kiss, Sarabi had given him better.
"Thank you Zira, I'll make sure to bring back your favorite."
"You better."
Kukuza walked away from the smaller den, satisfied with what he had gotten in return for his assistance. When he arrived at the larger den, a frustrated looking Sarabi was starring back at him. He realized what he had done, but he'd already done it so he saw no use in explaining himself.
"It's one thing to tell me you're going to sit with her and make out for a while, but it's a different thing when you promise to come back and you don't."
"It's time to go hunting Sarabi."
"I'm not going this morning, you go and take those other girls that drool all over you. I'm done being easy, I haven't made myself hard to get..."
"Sarabi..."
"Let me finish! I haven't been a hard to get girl with you yet, but since you're so inclined to lie to me and act entitled then I won't be so available anymore."
"Sarabi..."
"There's hundreds of other guys who'd jump in me if I let them, and you don't even act happy I'd spend the energy to look at you."
"In?"
"Yes in!"
"You may feel that way, but there's more then enough girls who's be happy to bend over for me, so don't act like I'm some whore of a lion, because I'm not. I..."
"Kukuza..."
"No now it's my turn to speak! I could be anywhere else but I only give my time to you and Zira, so don't talk down at me like I'm a cheater so something."
"Don't walk away from me!"
Shouted Sarabi as he walked down and away from pride rock, over to where the hunting party was waiting for him. They had heard Sarabi yell at him, and now they were curious enough to look up and see what was the matter.
Kukuza walked over to her so he could speak and not be heard, very frustrated with the way she was acting.
"You're not my mate, so don't tell me what to do!"
His eyes were angry, and Sarabi couldn't even look at him while he whispered fire. Soon enough he was walking away, fed up with yelling at her. He told himself he'd apologize later, not before letting her stew on it though.
Kukuza went out hunting, and upon return he heard Zira screaming like a banshee all over the den, her shrill voice echoing so loud and so bold it hurt lesser ears. Kukuza set down the food he had on his back, handing it off to Imara and going over to the den alone. Everyone else was avoiding the den, taking the food they were given and eating breakfast like nothing was wrong.
Sarabi was sitting at the base of pride rock, acting like she wasn't happy to see Kukuza. He walked past her without looking, moving up to the den where Zira was yelling. Inside he saw her shouting at the same lioness he had spoken to the precious night. This time rather then being wet and cold she was shivering from fear. Zira was infuriated over something.
"You're good to go, I'll handle this."
The lioness ran away when Kukuza cleared her for departure. Now that he was the one Zira was going to be speaking at. She quickly unleashed her wrath and clawed him across his face. He backed up just in time, not being scratched like he could of.
"Zira what's wrong? You were so happy this morning..."
"You were distracting me! He was working with you wasn't he!"
Zira went to scratch him again, but she missed.
"What so you mean Zira, who?"
"You didn't want to be with me, you were just keeping me busy so I wouldn't go looking!"
Kukuza pounced on her, now Zira was lying helplessly on her back while he straddled her in the dominant position, holding her down.
"Zira I'd never do that to you, we had a good time last night!"
"Where did he go!"
"What do you mean?"
"Scar! He's gone!"
"He is?"
"You idiot!"
Kukuza was surprised the king had never returned from his walk the previous night.
"I had nothing to do with that, where the hell did he go?"
"I don't know Kukuza! He could be out doing anything right now, I need you to go and find him!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm sure!"
"Are you going to calm down Zira? I don't like to see you so angry."
Zira growled.
"I'll calm down when I can see his stupid skinny face!"
"Please Zira be a good girl, I'll go and bring him back soon alright? I'll go looking tomorrow maybe."
"Tomorrow?!"
"Or just whenever, I like the idea of it just being us, he's probably just sitting somewhere looking at the sun."
"Bring, him, back!"
"You're pinned sweetheart, I don't think you should be giving me orders."
"If you don't do as I say, I'll tell everybody what Scar did!"
"And that hurts me... how? The only person that hurts is Scar himself, and he doesn't seem to be in at the moment."
"It'll hurt Sarabi..."
"No it won't, I've got her covered."
"Liar!"
"I play no tricks, he'll be back soon, I'll go and find him in a few days or so."
"No! I want him back here now!"
Kukuza chuckled, lifting his head and looking around the den, eventually looking back down at the very angry and attractive girl beneath him. He looked down at her with a half smile and raised eyebrow, she was so angry, and honest it turned Kukuza on a little.
"How about a kiss instead Zira?"
"Fuck you!"
Zira spit in his face, making Kukuza close his eyes and growl, gritting his teeth as he wiped his muzzle off. Any high he might of had from being turned on was definitely gone.
"One day I'm going to forget to be nice to you Zira."
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Same question:
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How do you feel about Kukuza's actions?
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