((Don't Worry, Jabari is still a cub here…))

CHAPTER IV:

Jabari lay on his favorite spot, watching the leaves drop to the ground. He closed his eyes, and smiled.

Jabari was basking cozily under the warm sun, until he heard a loud rustle in the bushes.

"Wh-Who's there?" he stuttered. He decided to come closer, and hiding behind a boulder, he saw…

…The rabbit. It was chewing on some grass.

His eyes lightened up at the sight of the prey he encountered before.

The rabbit perked its ears up, and cautiously looked around.

Jabari lowered himself behind the rock, hoping not to be seen.

The rabbit twitched its nose, and finally went back to its meal.

Jabari gave a soft sigh of relief, and prepared to attack.

Ok Jabari, on the count of three……he coached himself.

.One….

.Two…

"Hey, Jabari!" A young female cub with came near him. She was a cream-coated cub, with sparkling sapphire eyes.

Jabari ignored her, and looked at his prey…

Which was now…gone. Again.

"Excuse me, I'm right here!" She said.

"Oh…sorry, Adara…" he pretended to apologize.

"No problem, boyfriend!" Adara grinned at him.

"Uh…I'm not your-"

"Whatever…" she snapped.

Suddenly, two other female cubs stepped out of the bushes. Jabari felt surrounded this time.

"Have you met my protégés?" Adara asked with a cocky smile.

Jabari cringed, at the thought of being surrounded with really annoying girls.

"This is Zuri…" Adara pointed at a tan-pelted cub with a line that flows from her tail to her nose.

Zuri came near Jabari and growled at him.

"And this is Johari…" A cub with a gold-colored pelt trotted proudly in front of Jabari, and tossed her nose up.

"Uh…nice...to…m-meet you!" He said anxiously.

The three young lionesses smirked at each other.

"Hey, Jabari!" Kovu came out of the bushes, and walked to his son. "Ladies, If you would please excuse us" he said to the three cubs with a grin.

"Yes, King Kovu, sir!" Adara smiled angelically, and batted her eyelashes. "Let's go girls!" she led her 'associates'. "Bye, boyfriend!" she called out once more to Jabari.

Kovu gave Jabari a smirk.

"I'm not her boyfriend!" He tried to explain.

Kovu sat back on his haunches, and grinned.

"I'm not!" Jabari snapped desperately.

"Yes, you are…" Kovu teased.

"Dad!" Jabari pounced on Kovu playfully. They played and rolled around for a while, and finally came to a stop when the sky darkened.

"…Whoa, that was fun…" Jabari said, still panting.

"Yeah…" Kovu smiled at his son. "Hey, you still need to have a queen if you have to be the future king…"

"I know, but certainly not Adara" Jabari rolled his eyes, at the sound of her name. "She's too…prissy. Don't you think?"

"Well, she is a little bit prissy…" Kovu smiled.

"No…"

"A LOT!" They both said in chorus, and laughed on their backs.

"Whoa, it's getting dark. We better get back home now" Kovu stood up, and motioned for Jabari to follow him.

Kovu walked behind Jabari just to make sure he was safe and protected. Kovu caught up beside Jabari when they reached Pride Rock.

"You'll find her someday" Kovu said to Jabari reassuringly.

"Aw, C'MON! Dad, I'm only a cub!" He retorted with a disgusted look on his face.

Kovu chuckled and went inside the 'cave'.

Jabari stopped and thought about what his father told him. "Nah, mates are for blue-birdies!"

"I heard that!" Zazu snapped from a nearby tree.

Jabari chuckled, and trotted inside.