The pride of the lone tree

"I'd never have thought to be grateful about you coming here, but I couldn't have been more wrong. You saved the future of our kingdom, the lives of my children and I owe you more than I'll ever be able to repay." The king lowered his head into a bow.

"Yes", Raha agreed and followed her father's suit. She stood next to her brother, who was still laying on the ground while the queen treated his wounds.

"We only did what any sane lion would have done in such a situation", Ushindi said and proudly returned the gesture.

"But I still don't understand…" The queen took a break from cleaning a nasty cut on Karama's head and looked at them. "Why did they do this?"

"A good question indeed, your highness", Ushindi replied. "Sadly, we can't ask them." He glimpsed over to the place where the dead rogue was laying. "I don't think the other one is going to return."

"At least the danger is over now. This rogue won't hurt anyone ever again." The king's eyes found Askari, who stood between Tekelea, Chagina and Shindana. "It was him who did it, right?"

"Yes." Ushindi nodded. "It was an accident. He didn't mean to do it."

"He did what he did in order to save my children. For me, that justifies everything he did, intended or not", the king clarified. "But enough of this." He walked over to his children and his mate. "Are you able to walk, son?"

Karama nodded, then he got up with his mother's and sister's aid.

The king turned back to Ushindi. "Why don't you and your friends come eat with us?", he offered. "It's the least we could do for you."

Shortly after, Ushindi and his friends were led towards a large group of lionesses that was gathered around a high, lonely tree.

"Well, it's not Pride Rock, but it's our home." The king turned around to the lions following him and smiled. "Come, I'll introduce you to the pride."

From afar, Ushindi could see something moving between the tree's branches, then a lioness, who seemingly had been on the look-out jumped down from it and came running towards them. She was an adult, but a little younger than Raha and her brother.

"Mom, dad!", she shouted, as she came closer. "What happened? Are they…" She stopped both running and talking, as she saw Raha and Karama walking between the king and the queen. "Oh." A weird expression found its way on her face but it was gone as quickly as it came, so it could be missed simply by blinking in the wrong moment. "Thank the great kings, you're alive!" She continued her way and rubbed her head against those of the two wounded lions when she met them. "When I heard you were attacked by rogues, I feared the worst!"

"Hey, sis", Raha greeted her a little puzzled as it seemed, but then she happily sighed. "Yeah, it was close. If it hadn't been for these two, we wouldn't be here right now." She nodded into Ushindi and Askari's direction.

"We'll tell you everything while we dine, Weupe", the queen assured her daughter. "Has the hunting party returned already?"

"Yes. They took down a wildebeest. It's over there in the grass." She pointed at the spot.

"Thanks, hun." The king nuzzled her quickly before turning to Ushindi. "Please, join us", he said with a smile.

Ushindi and Askari followed him and the other royals and lay down around the freshly killed prey. Eating together with the king and his family before the other lionesses of the pride was an honor none of them would reject.

As they ate, the queen told her youngest daughter what had happened. The girl listened carefully and when her mother was done, she looked at Ushindi.

"I can't thank you enough for what you've done for my siblings", she said and smiled at him. "As long as you're our guest, come to me if you need anything. You too of course!" She turned to Askari, who was gnawing on one of the wildebeest's legs. He hadn't said much since the fight, so Ushindi had done most of the talking. He simply nodded in response.

"Is he… ok?", she quietly asked as she turned back to Ushindi. "I mean… you know, he killed someone. I can't even imagine how he feels right now."

Ushindi glanced at his friend. "Don't worry about him", he then said. "This wasn't his first fight and he's a tough guy. The toughest I've ever met. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Well, even if he doesn't ask, if you know anything I could do for him, please let me know." Once more she smiled at him, then she stood up. "I think I had enough. If you'd excuse me?"

"Huh?" Her mother looked at her in surprise. "But you've only had halved as much as usual. Are you ok?"

"Oh mom", Weupe responded, giving her a slightly annoyed glare. "It's Raha and Karama who were beaten up, not me. But, yeah, it's been quite some commotion today and I'm thirsty and would like to get some rest. I'll be at the watering hole if you're ok with it."

For a moment the queen looked like she would deny her daughter's wish, but then she nodded. "I am. The danger is over, I guess. Be safe, darling."

"Thanks mom." The lioness let her mother nuzzle her and looked around. "Later, guys. Ushindi, Askari." Then she turned around and quickly walked off.

"She's always been a bit of a loner", the king explained to Ushindi. "But all in all, she's a good girl. It's… not easy for her, you know? "He gave him a suggestive gaze. "Raha is my heir, and Karama is betrothed to the princess of a neighboring pride. Weupe is the only one that will end up empty if no opportunities open up. And sadly, it doesn't look like that would ever happen. I think that's something you can relate to."

"Huh? What makes you think so?", Ushindi asked. Suddenly he remembered something the king had said before. "Wait, when we met at the place your children were attacked, you said something like you wouldn't have thought to be happy about us coming here. You were expecting us?"

"Well, kind of", the king admitted. "News travel, you know? Some time ago I heard about a king who had lost nearly halve of his pride to his younger brother, and later about a large group of traveling rogues. I simply put one and one together... Prince Ushindi." He gave him a small grin. "It seems like you either cause trouble everywhere you go or have a talent for following it. Luckily the latter seems to be the case."

"Yeah, luckily…" Ushindi looked up as he saw Askari standing up.

"I… I guess I need some water too", his friend said, as he noticed everyone was looking at him. "I'll just go find that watering hole of yours."

"Of course! Do you want me to bring you there?", the queen said and quickly described the way after he turned down her offer to guide him.

"Are you sure your friend is alright?", she asked Ushindi, after Askari was gone.

"Well, yeah", he confirmed, although he wasn't entirely sure anymore. "He probably just needs some time for himself. It was a rough day for him after all."

The king nodded understandingly. "Well, maybe he meets Weupe there."

"Maybe", Ushindi agreed. Then he began to change the subject to turn the discussion into a lighter conversation.

Finally alone, Askari looked down into the water. There was still blood on his muzzle. He couldn't tell if it was from the rogue or from his meal. Somewhere in his head he heard Weupe's words. The lioness had thought to be too quiet for him to understand her, but she had been wrong. He didn't really care about what she thought about him, that wasn't what bothered him. It was the fact that she was right. She couldn't imagine how he felt… but not the way she probably thought…

The sun was already gone when Ushindi and Askari lay down next to each other, a little away from the rest of their group. This time there was no need to find an improvised lair, away from the pride, for they were guests of the king.

"How comes you're not with Princess Raha?", Askari asked his friend, more to distract himself from his thoughts than out of curiosity. "Losing your charm?"

"I bet Ruya would love to hear that." Ushindi grinned and shook his head. "But no, I have no doubts I'm still irresistible."

Askari snorted.

"I'm serious", his friend continued. "She would be right here next to me instead of you if she wasn't…" He lost his intentionally exaggerated tone of voice. "Well, if she wasn't betrothed already."

Now Askari couldn't help but to laugh. This was exactly what he needed right now! "Betrothed?", he giggled. "But I don't see any other male than her father around. Don't tell me you lose a competition with a lion who's not even here."

"That's just what it looks like", Ushindi confessed. "But – just to stop you from laughing your ass off about it – that's not a big deal! Yep, you heard right. Because, guess what? It always takes some time to find the right one and there are plenty of other lonely girls around. I was just too focused on Raha today, that's all. Otherwise… well, you know, I would already…" He made a vague gesture.

"Oh, stop it!", Askari laughed. "I'll never get rid of the scenes you make me think of!"

"You stop it, or Ruya will might hear us. Bet she wouldn't approve the way were talking!"

Quieter they continued their dirty jokes and wisecrack and didn't stop until all the stars had found their way onto the night sky. As Askari placed his head on his front paws and closed his eyes he felt like the events of the passing day had never happened. It was just him, his friends and their quest for adventure.

AN: Well, what do you think about this new pride? And hey, Askari feels better now! Sometimes some dirty jokes are everything that's neede to cheer a guy up, I guess...