Dissatisfied

How long had it been since his last fight? He couldn't tell for sure, but definitely too long. There had been only one after his encounter with Hatari and not even a good one. The rogue had turned out to be a crybaby the moment Askari had started to deal blows with his full strength and even fled before the fight had truly ended. As far as the lion considered it, he hadn't achieved anything since his first success, other than Ushindi. He wouldn't admit it, neither to himself nor to the others, but that fact made it even worse. Watching from afar, Askari shook his head and turned away from his friend, who was running around with Cheza, playing one of her stupid games again. Since Jiwe, she was his third and also the youngest so far. It couldn't be long ago that she had reached adulthood and she still loved to play games like this one. Tag. What was the point in chasing someone, if you weren't allowed to take the other down? Merely touching each other with a paw was enough. Not even in his cubhood days, Askari would have joined something like that. Luckily, he wasn't supposed to do that anyway.

"How are they doing?", Tekelea asked, as he returned to their temporary lair. Like the other lionesses she was laying around in the sun close to the dead zebra that served as their food source.

"They look like happy little cubs", he growled. "Just older and even stupider. It's embarrassing. Do you mind?" With a paw he tapped against Chagina's shoulder to shoo her away from the part of the zebra he had just laid an eye on.

"Whoa, watch out, girls", the lioness ironically warned her friends while making way for him. "Our great warrior is grumpy again."

"Wouldn't you be if you had to watch your best friend making a complete fool out of himself?", he replied to her and everyone else who giggled about her comment. No wonder none of her pride's lions accepted my challenge. They must think of us as a joke after seeing him. I say we should leave this place before it gets too embarrassing."

"I think you're just angry because Ushindi didn't ask you to join them. But you know what? We could play with you if you want", Tekelea jokingly offered, sounding like she spoke to a sad cub. As an answer, Askari simply growled at her and bared his teeth. "What? It could be fun."

"Speak only for yourself, Teke", Shauri said, lifting an eyebrow. "I'm quite sure his idea of fun varies from mine."

"Oh, I think I could handle it." Tekelea looked at Chagina and Shindana. "What do you think, girls?"

"Hmm…" Acting as if she thought about it, Shindana slowly nodded. "The three of us against him? Sounds fair to me."

"Maybe you should stop poking fun at him or he might accept your challenge." Ruya stood up and came over to them. "But jokes aside, I don't like to say this, but this time I agree with Askari. Ushindi really should stop playing around with her."

Surprised by this statement, Askari stopped his attempts of pulling a piece of meat out of the zebra.

"Not because he is acting childish, but because that is just what it actually is. He is acting. It's not fair on her. The last two were rogues, they didn't expect him to stay, but Jiwe was so devastated when he left her and Cheza is even younger. It will be even worse for her!"

"Well, I will not tell him to stop, that's for sure!", Shindana clarified. "We all knew what the boys were up to and agreed to it, even you, Ruya. And you know what? I feel no pity, neither for rogues that pick a fight with Askari, nor for the girls that fall for Ushindi's scam."

"I agree", Tekelea said while lolling on the ground. "Their own fault if they do. But I have to admit that Ushindi is quite good in what he does."

"Yeah! When he left Jiwe I really thought he would consider to stay with her."

"I still think we should leave this place", Askari tried to lead the conversation back to its actual topic. Angrily he struck at the piece of meat and finally managed to pull it out. "I'll bore to death if we stay here any longer." Grumpily chewing on his meal, he looked at Tekelea and her friends. "Maybe I should accept your offer." Amused he watched the lionesses' reactions.

"I warned you", Shauri laughed and even Ruya giggled as she saw her friends' faces.

Later that day Askari was on his way to the local watering hole. Other than the last time they had been so close to a pride, he didn't try to stay undetected, it was pointless anyway. The pride was large and even had a guard consisting of a few male lions. The king's majordomo had spotted Askari and his friends long before they had reached its borders and even offered them to refresh themselves at their water source as long as they wouldn't stay too long so they wouldn't disbalance the circle of life. So, the two lions had wasted no time. After promising his friend he would do nothing that could lead to them being kicked out too early, Askari approached the members of the guard to ask them for a fight, while Ushindi went to introduce himself to the pride's lionesses. Sadly, the latter had been more successful with his attempts.

Lowering his head to drink, Askari looked around the watering hole. Two other lions on the opposite side of the small lake were just leaving the place. One was one of the members of the guard that had turned down his challenge, the other his son. 'Come back when you're older', Askari remembered him saying and suddenly felt the urge to run over to him to teach him a lesson.

"Still angry?"

He teared his eyes away from the guy and looked aside. Next to him stood Tekelea, who also bend down to take a sip of the water. "Is it that obvious?", he asked.

"A blind one could tell."

"Well, in that case you should know that I'm not in the mood for chit-chat", with a warning glare at her he continued to drink.

"Not even if I knew a way you could get the fight you're looking for?"

"Still wanting to try it? Fine then, get Chagina and 'Dana and I'll teach you a lesson."

"That's not what I meant." The lioness lifted her head and gazed over to the other side of the watering hole. "I'm talking about him."

"I already asked all the guardians. Seems like none of them is brave enough to fight me in single combat."

"Not him", the lioness said and shook her head. "His son. Jino, if I'm right. I know he also turned you down, he's about our age, so you surely have asked him. But I think I know of a way to change his mind."

Finally, Askari stopped drinking and looked at her. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah." She turned around and slowly started to walk away from the water. "I mean, only if you're interested of course."

Still not sure if this was one of her jokes, Askari stood there. Then he gave in to his curiosity. "Ok, ok! I am interested, Teke. Tell me more."

A grin appeared on the lioness' face, as she stopped and waited for him. "Well", she said, as he reached her. "Have you noticed that Jino casted an eye on our little Heba?"

AN: Ok, this one's title is a bit weak, but seriously, I had no idea how to name it. But hey! Maybe Askari will get his next fight!