Chapter 7: The truth

Maya ran towards pride rock, her heart racing. Near the bottom of pride rock she saw the pride assembled. Curiosity edged its way in, but she shook her head and yelled, "Mom! Dad!" As she reached them, she stopped, gasping for breath.
Mohatu turned and looked at his exhausted daughter. "Maya, what is it, what's wrong?" he asked. "We-found this-this" Maya took a breath in- between words, trying desperately to calm herself down and be able to talk. Kicku approached her daughter. "Maya take it easy, calm down and then explain what happened to us." She said.
Kita looked down at the little cub. So, she thought that must be Maya, the one Kiki wanted Bailey to be with. Maya took a few deep breaths and then let out one big sigh. "Well, I was playing with Tiku, Kiki, and Bailey near the watering hole." Maya paused, checking to be sure her parents were listening. "And then Kiki smelled something, so I went over to this log and dug underneath it and we found this cub. Her name was Kamania and she looked a lot like Tiku! She could've been his twin!" Maya continued.
"Go on, what's the urgency then?" Mohatu asked. "She's hurt real bad! Some other lion attacked her and she needs help!" Mohatu's ears pinned and he growled. "Show us the way Maya," he said, Maya nodded and then scampered off in the direction of the watering hole.
Curiosity got the best of Kita and she bounded off after them, followed by Tiaru and Taka.

Tiku and Kiki were able to get Kamania out of the makeshift hide-a- way and were helping her to get a drink from the lake. Bailey was sitting a little ways off, watching and waiting, hoping Maya returned soon.
As Kamania drank Kiki took Tiku off to the side. "Oh Tiku, what if is Tanu again? I thought we lost him for sure!" Tiku glanced off in the direction of the outlands and sighed. "I thought so to, but that doesn't mean anything Kiki. That Frank guy wanted you real bad..." Kiki turned as a few tears slid down her cheeks. She knew her pelt was a valuable one, as had been her mothers...
Then Maya returned with her parents, and the Lone pride. Tiku looked up, "Mom, Dad, what're you doing here?" But Kita ignored the question; she took one look at Kamania and stopped in her tracks. Her stomach lurched and she felt sick. Maya hadn't been lying; the cub did look like Tiku.
The only difference was that the cub had Tiaru's eyes and instead of a black tuft of fur on her head, she had a blondish tuft. "Mom?" Tiku said, staring at his mom. Tiaru cocked his head at his mate. "Kita? What's wrong?" he asked.
Kita shook her head. The cub looked at her and in the sad eyes Kita saw herself. In her head the birth of the two cubs replayed itself, she shook her head and then bounded off, unable to think about it.
"Tiku, you stay here and help them, I'm going to find out what's wrong with Kita." Tiku nodded and watched his dad follow Kita.

"We'll have to take her back to pride rock," Mohatu announced. He turned; Gina had followed them. "Gina, go and get Pantia an tell her to meet us at Pride rock, perhaps she can help." Gina nodded and ran off towards Pantia's tree. Kicku picked up Kamania as gently as she could and then proceeded to carry her back to Pride rock.
Everyone followed each wanting to help the young cub. Tiku glanced back the way his mom had gone before following. "What was up with your mom?" Kiki asked. Tiku shrugged. "Dunno," he said. Bailey nudged Kiki and moaned. "What's wrong Bailey?" Kiki asked. Bailey nodded toward Kamania. "We don't' know yet Bailey, but we're going to do the best we can to make sure she makes it." Kiki replied, answering the unasked question in Bailey's eyes. Bailey nodded. "Come on you three, let's keep moving," Taka said, picking Bailey up and carrying him.
Kiki and Tiku laughed at Taka's messy mane and Taka growled. He tried to say, "It's not my fault," but it came out, "is noth mi fauth," which made Kiki and Tiku giggle even harder. Taka shook his head gently and walked on.

Kita found the den where she'd given birth to Tiku and the other cub. She squeezed back inside it and sniffed all around it. She could smell Kasoni and Matosa. They had obviously used it as a hiding spot before they'd left. Kita sighed and lay down. The cub had been dead. There was just no way it could have lived. Her maternal instincts had told her it was dead.
A few tears slid down her cheeks. Kamania was built like Kita, but she had Tiaru's eyes. When Kita had looked into them, she had seen herself, much like she'd see a bit of herself in Tiku when she looked into his eyes. In her heart she knew that the cub was indeed Tiku's twin, but she refused to believe that she had been so cruel as to push the cub out into the storm. Kita buried her face in her paws and sobbed.
"Kita?" Tiaru called. "Kita where are you?" Kita sniffed, but didn't reply. She needn't have anyhow, for within a few minutes, Tiaru's worried face appeared in the small crack. "Kita what are you doing in there?" Kita sobbed. "This is where it happened." She said. "Where what happened?" Tiaru asked. "Everything..." Kita said, looking around. Tiaru cocked his head, "Why don't you come on out and we can talk?" Kita sighed and then slowly got to her feet and slid out.
"Now, tell me what's wrong and why you acted so strange?" Kita shook her head and looked at her reflection in the water. The reflection brought back memories of her cub hood, when she and Miku had first seen the pride lands. The water had always calmed her. She sighed and looked at Tiaru through tear strained eyes.
"Tiaru," she began, wiping her face with her paw. "I never told you..." she took a deep breath. "Go on," Tiaru said. Kita took a few deep breaths. She licked her lips and then said, "I had two cubs," "Yeah so?" Tiaru said, not putting two and two together. "Kamania is ours." She looked up at Tiaru. Tiaru took a step back. Suddenly, a gunshot sounded, BANG! Tiaru and Kita both jumped at the sound and looked around. "What was that?" Tiaru asked. Kita's eyes looked alarmed. "Humans!" she cried. "Come on! We have to warn the others!"

Ok I'm not sure I like this ending, what do you all think? C.a.b, lemme know, I'll change it if u don't like it, but well I g2g though, so ppls review and let us know what you're thinking ok? Thanks! TTFN!