Chapter 16


The gentle breeze rustled the leaves among the canopy of the close nit trees that clustered the Jungle. The chirping of various birds echoed blending in with the sound of the animals that scurried beneath the undergrowth in search for their next meal. In the distance one could hear the growling roars of leopards fighting over the carcass of a forest elephant calf they had stumbled upon.

All this noise. Noise. Noise. Noise. Everywhere.

For a young lion cub, it was all very distracting. Especially when he was trying his hardest to concentrate just like his new teacher was telling him too. Concentrate on what? He wasn't even exactly sure.

All he knew was, that he was sitting here along side the river that divided the two portions of lands held by the Rasheda's and Tuma's troop. He was at a part of the river where the water was calm, and the sound was more smoothing then the rushing waters that waited ahead.

The perfect place to concentrate Jelani told him.

How it was such a perfect place he did not know, because though the river was calm and not so loud the noise of the rest of the Jungle sure as hell was.

The young cub clenched his eyes shut tighter as he tried his very best to block out all noise around him. But that wasn't as easy as Jelani made it out to be. It had been nearly three months since he had started his 'special training' for whatever it was that Jelani would not tell him was in his future. This warrior of sorts.

To be prepared for whatever this threat and anything else that could be coming his way in the future. Although he wasn't entirely sure how clearing his mind, and concentrating and focusing had anything to do with being a warrior. Jelani never gave any answers other then similar ones to the answers he gave the day Kopa agreed to accept his training.

Everything was always so cryptic with Jelani to which the Guardian would just respond that everything was always about being stubborn with the young Prince.

Not so young anymore.

Kopa was growing into his adolescent stage. Still not fully there, still but a cub but was getting there. His mane grew in scruffy like, covering more down his neck and on top of his head. It now fully covered his missing ear. It had yet to grow in anywhere else but the top of his head but Kopa was taking notice that he had some fur the same colour has his mane growing out from his chin. A trait Leta told him that she remembered her father, his great-grandfather, Jengo, having a similar one which she figured he had later inherited given both Jengo's cubs had been female. A trait that seemed to have skipped Jaali and hit Kopa instead.

Didn't help that it got itchy.

Which it was right about now.

Raising a paw, Kopa began to scratch at it when he felt something wooden hit the top of his head.

"OW! Hey!"

Eyes snapping open, the young Prince whipped around to face the Guardian who sat upon a rock near by. His eyes going to the staff that Jelani was draping once more across his lap folding his hands upon it. His dark eyes watched Kopa with a calmness that seemed foreign to Kopa. It was like nothing could phase the hairless monkey…or human was what Jelani called his form.

"What was that for?" The cub demanded.

"You fidget too much and do not concentrate enough." Was Jelani's calm reply.

Rubbing the top of his head Kopa caused himself to muss up his growing mane more then it already was. Kopa grumbled as he stuck his paw in the water of the river then patted his mane with it trying to smooth it down to the best of his ability. Failing of course, like always. "What's the point of this anyways? Thought you were supposed to be training me to be a warrior? All there's been is nothing but sitting around and concentrating for three months. Three boring months might I add." The prince started to complain.

Lowering his paw when he saw it was pointless to continue trying to fix his mane. Setting it down in front of him with his other paw he watched the Guardian who stared back at him with the same look he always had. "What's the point in this? This won't help be become great like my forefather's and such. It won't help me fight off some threat…"

"Oh but it will." Jelani cut him off. The Guardian smirked grabbing his staff reaching out to tap it on the young lions head. "There is so much more to people a warrior then fighting. Just like there is so much more to being a King. We had this conversation before."

"Yeah, but not about something as boring as this!"

The Guardian shook his head. But he did not loose his calm demeanour. To be honest he had expected such a question to come from the young Prince sooner or later. Although he had suspected sooner rather then later. But he put it off as Kopa's stubbornness and refusing to ask. But now that it had been asked…

Standing and hopping down from the rock in which he sat upon. Jelani approached the Prince and leaned against his staff. "You let the little things distract you Kopa. You never truly concentrate on a problem and focus on a matter. These are important points in being a true warrior and King. Your mind is clouded with the grief you felt about your family and the things that distract you now are worries about your future and things you need to do. We need to get you to focus on the present. Not the past and not the future. Once you have a grasp on the present then you will be fully ready to continue on with everything else that will be keen for your future." The Guardian explained.

He could clearly make out the confusion in Kopa's face and eyes. Shaking his head he lifted his gaze to the river watching it as it flowed. "Take the river for example Kopa. It is calm, and flows like a never ending stream. And yet we both know where it goes and how rough it can become and how a river can always stop flowing should something be done to it." Jelani looked back at the Prince.

Kopa's eyebrows shot up in question. Jelani sighed and closed his eyes. A stubborn one this cub was. "The river does not focus on what will happen ahead. But focuses on what it's doing at this point in time. Something you should be doing. King Jaali was right, mourn but do not let it take over you. Like you had in the beginning."

"But I'm getting better!" Kopa protested. "I don't have nightmares anymore."

"That is true," Jelani agreed. "And that goes to show that this part of focusing and clearing your mind and concentrating on what you need to do is working." He nodded his head grinning down at the cub. "Your parent's would be proud." Jelani knew it was wrong to trick the cub into thinking that both his parent's were dead, but like he had told himself many times over it was essential to let fate run it's course.

But he could tell by the look that came over Kopa's face that it was exactly what the cub needed to hear.

Kopa was doing this for more then himself. But for his parent's, his siblings and his ancestors. After speaking with Jelani that day about how there were plenty of special lions that been in the Rasheda's, he had sat down with Leta and asked her about all the stories she could tell him of Rasheda history. When the old lioness had asked why he was suddenly so interested he told her he just wanted to know the other side of his family since he already knew so much of his ancestors in the Pride Lands thanks to his Grandmother telling him the tales along with the other lionesses.

He made sure they told him stories that his Mother hadn't told him that she hadn't known, and was surprised to find out there was more to the Rasheda's then he originally thought he knew. He was more surprised to find out that there was a second Pride that lived in the Jungle but much deeper and was a few month's journey towards. "The Maua's used to be Rasheda's. Formed by a band of brother's who left the pride. I think the reason why your Mother never mentioned it to you was because Zakia never told her daughter. The Maua's aren't something we normally talk about all the time. Not many young cubs' find out about them. The royals of course know but sometimes not many others. We don't have any contact with them and haven't for years." Leta explained to him. "So we don't really bother with who knows about them or not."

After finding out about the Maua's, Kopa became curious about having another pride so much closer. Even if they were a couple months journey they were the closest pride then any other he been told. It brought back memories of the Eastern pride he hadn't known was so close while living in the Pride Lands until Binti had brought him there to visit.

Kopa came back from his thoughts when he heard Jelani tapped the butt end of his staff against the ground. "What?" he asked.

The Guardian shook his head. "You wonder off in your own mind too much." He commented leaning against his staff staring at the young prince. Blinking his eyes, Kopa looked around and didn't realize he had drifted off in thought and looked back at the Guardian. "Sorry."

Jelani shook his head and sighed. "That is all for today Prince Kopa."

Getting to his paws, Kopa furrowed his brow. "Can I ask you something?" He waited until the Guardian nodded his head to encourage him to ask.

"How am I not supposed to think too much on the future if I'm to be preparing myself for what lays ahead?" The Prince asked.

Kopa watched as a smile spread across the Guardian's face. "That my Prince…is the mystery of life. The past is gone, and the future has not happened yet. So the present you must focus on for it is what will lead you to your future."

Confusion washed over the young Prince who tried to comprehend what the Guardian was trying to mean. "That just makes no sense!"

"That that just means Prince Kopa, that until it does make sense. We will continue to focus your mind first before your body." Jelani stood straighter with staff in hand. Kopa opened his mouth to ask more but the Guardian like always vanished before his very eyes as though he was never truly there. And in a sense, Kopa supposed that, that was true in a sense.

For all he knew the Guardian could still be standing in front of him and he wouldn't even know it until Jelani chose to let him see him.

Thinking about what Jelani had just told him, he grunted in annoyance. Why couldn't the Guardian ever speak sentences that he would understand? Was that too much to ask for?

Apparently it was.

He knew if his mother was there, she would be telling him all he would need to know was in the Guardian's words he only needed to grasp their full understanding. Mom would know, he thought, Mom always knew things.

Getting to his paws, the Prince looked around one last time to see if the Guardian was truly gone. Then stepping away from the river, he walked into the bushes and out onto a familiar path that he been taught that went through the territory.

Over the months, when he wasn't with Jelani he had some training through the territory, with Jaali. When the King could get away from his new Majordomo that is.

Nuru had turned out to be a great Majordomo for Jaali…and the King agreed…to some extent.

Kopa smirked at the memories of walking along with his Uncle and next thing he knew, Jaali was jumping startled from the fact that Nuru had jumped from the trees to land on his head or hung upside down in front of him like she was a bat rather then a feline, when she came to report something of importance to him.

The serval wouldn't admit it aloud, but Kopa knew that Nuru could tone it down but she just thought it was too much fun. And who was he to judge her on that?

Speaking of Nuru, Kopa looked around silently wonder where the serval had gotten off too this time?

His answer came from the sound of a paws stepping on foliage on the jungle floor. Kopa's good ear twitched at the sound trying to pinpoint the exact location it was coming too. Without his left eat it was harder to keep thing's from his left side most of the time which was a bit challenging when it came to someone sneaking up from that side of him.

And it just so happened that Nuru loved taking advantage of that when tried her best to play pranks on the young prince.

She may be a majordomo and have great responsibility…but did that stem her ever loving playful personality?

No it did not.

But though he couldn't often hear from his left side, he did manage to catch movement from the corner of his eye time and time again. As well as his sense of smell was good. This was another thing Jelani had told him to concentrate on. Being able to sense danger and know where it was coming from when not always being able to hear and see it. Especially if the threat came from more then one direction it was always best to clear ones head and stay focused and then you'd be able to overcome the danger.

That was probably the best piece of advice that the Guardian could give him, that Kopa's young mind didn't think was totally boring and useless.

Not that he would openly admit it to the Guardian. Not that Kopa thought he would ever be smug. He didn't think it was in the solemn man's personality to be smug. Still…better not risk it, he told himself.

The sound of someone moving behind him had him tense and feel movement on the ground beneath his paws. Gotcha you spotted feline. The young Prince turned his body just as Nuru crept up behind him and shouted. "BOO!" Laughing the Prince fell to the jungle floor rolling around laughing at the sight of Nuru who had jumped up to the longest hanging branch above them and clung to it with her paws.

"That wasn't funny!" The serval hissed at the laughing lion.

"Yeah it was!" Taking a moment to catch his breath, Kopa rolled himself back onto his paws and smirked up at his spotted friend who glared at him from where she hung upside down. "Maybe that'll teach you not to sneak up on me."

Rolling her eyes and righting herself on the branch she leaned over it so her face was close to Kopa's. A wide grin creeping onto her face. One simple word was her answer. "Never."

Jumping up onto the branch with her, Kopa laid himself down. "Aren't you supposed to be working right now?"

"I am working. I'm doing a sweep of the area and checking on the beloved Prince." Nuru licked her paw and groomed her ears while cracking a large cheeky smile. "So see, doing my job just fine. I have gathered lots of news for the King."

"What's the latest news on the front General Nuru?" Kopa gave a fake salute mimicking the serval. Saluting had become Nuru's form of bowing. Jaali wasn't sure what was more annoying of the two habits subjects had for him. But Jaali was starting to slowly learn, the more that thing's annoyed him the more Nuru would keep on doing it. It would be no fun if it didn't annoy someone, she would say. Kopa could guess there was at least….SOME logic behind her words. He was young after all; there were plenty of times he loved to annoy the lionesses back home. And Zazu, it was always fun tormenting Zazu.

Unfortunately in the Jungle, the one doing the annoying was the Majordomo and not the other way around this time.

Lot of them were honestly beginning to think that there couldn't possibly be anything that annoyed the serval. But that didn't mean one didn't have to try?

Right?

Grooming herself for a few more seconds, Nuru thought for a moment then answered. "Some birds in the area spoke of those weird animals that Jaali told us about." Kopa tensed when she said that and looked at her with wide eyes. Seeing the look he was giving her, she waved her paw as she continued. "They said that they were telling the animals that were fleeing that some changed course and started digging deeper into the eastern parts of the Jungle. Far from here. So don't worry yourself pussy-cat."

Reaching over she pinched Kopa's cheek making him yelp and glare at her. But of course the glare never fazed her she only smirked and laughed as he rubbed the spot that she pinched. "Don't worry. The eastern part goes way back into the Jungle and think of it as this way, they will flush more animals this way and we'll have more to eat."

Sitting there, Kopa turned his head toward the east. He wondered why they would be heading deeper into the Jungle? Heck, he wondered what these weird things were. Why would someone need to cut down trees with such big things? Did they eat the trees? That would be weird; he didn't know many animals that actually ate bark.

He made a face at the thought, wondering if they did eat them did they end up getting splinters from it.

The thought made him laugh until he realized that Nuru was watching him strangely wondering what the inside joke was that had the cub laughing. Clearing his throat, Kopa rubbed the back of his neck. "It's nothing." He quickly excused his laughter as.

"Uh huh." Nuru hummed. "Whatever floats your boat Pussy-cat. I should be heading to find your Uncle. Best deliver the good news. He's been worrying about those things for months. Maybe he'll actually settle down and worry less and have more fun rather then think about those weird things." Turning, Nuru began climbing higher up into the trees with Kopa following close behind her. His still somewhat small body allowing him to move through the branches with the serval. But he knew in a few more short months, he would tower over her and might not be as quick among the interwoven branches as Nuru was.

Which would make racing her an even bigger pain. Would have to make her race him on the ground. But how to do that would be a challenge. The serval loved to beat him and rub it in his face. A bit of healthy competition she called it.

"My mother always told me that Jaali was full of fun. That he and Dad used to get into the most trouble out of the three of them." Kopa grinned. While it still made him sad to think of his parents and family lost. It made him feel better to think of all the stories his mother told him and the fond memories he had with them. It was truly one of the only thing's that kept him going. Thinking of them. Jaali said that was an important thing that Simba hadn't done when he came to the Rasheda's. Simba had tried to forget about his past and the painful memories he had of his Father's death in order to move forward. Kopa, Jaali told him, should embrace his memories fondly and always hold them close to his heart.

Use them as a way to heal. Make his parents apart of him. Never forget the past and let the thoughts of his parent's drive him forward to strive and be the lion he could be.

True there were times when Kopa wished he could just forget. Maybe if he lost his memories it would be easier for him to focus on being whatever warrior that Jelani wanted to train him to be. But then he thought that would be an insult to his family. It would hurt his parents he knew if they found out that he'd forgotten about them. He was always told they were watching over him and would know what he was doing.

He hated to think of what his Father would say if he forgotten him or the tears that his Mother would shed.

Those two thoughts were enough for him, to make him understand that remembering his parents and the things they taught him and the memories he had of them each were important to remember. No matter how much they hurt at times.

Up ahead of him weaving her way through the tree branches, Nuru laughed. "Yeah well Yamile and I agree now that he's got a stick up his rear-end that he need's to pluck out."

The young Prince rolled his eyes. Mouthing the words behind her back then placing a cheeky grin on his face that mimicked hers when she looked back at him with a glare knowing full well what the cub was doing when her back was turned. But really, he'd heard it dozen of times a day if not hundred of times a week how much Yamile and Nuru thought that Jaali had a stick stuck up his butt.

Responsibility. That's what Jaali called it and what his Mother had told him he needed to take it more seriously. Yamile thought he took it far too seriously.

To Kopa, the King reminded the cub of his Father.

Simba would often take his responsibilities of being King too seriously as well at times to the point that both Zuri and Kopa had called him out on it. But both knew Simba had a playful side that shinned through with his family, and Kopa saw it with Jaali. It was one of the reasons he loved his Uncle. He was like a second father. One that he needed in this time.

In no way he replaced Simba in Kopa's life.

But a young cub did need a Father figure. And Jaali was the only one he had right now. So Kopa took what he could and listened to what the lion taught him what Simba wasn't around to teach him anymore.

Kopa scrunched up his nose when he felt a tail whack him in the face and glared at the serval in front of him that took off running through the branches laughing. "Get back here!" He shouted giving chase. But his much bigger body had trouble weaving through the much bigger spaces in-between the branches unlike Nuru who all by dove through them like they were never there.

Their laughter wrung out through the Jungle mixing with the taunting calls of a serval trying to evade the shouting calls of a Prince who would get smacked in the face with a tail whenever he got even close to catching the spotted feline.

Those down below them would raise their heads whenever they heard them passing overhead. At times only hearing them but never seeing and at other times they would catch a flash of gold and brown-gold among the treetops. The hunting party that was in the midst of a hunt, raised their heads with irritable sighs as the two raced on overhead.

Tufa shook her head turning to look at Yamile who was grinning like a fool at the sound of her nephew and spotted friend. "Not sure what's worst. You ruining a hunt with your ridiculous idea's of fun pranks or them running around like a much of fools in the trees scaring off prey." She mumbled looking at the spot where the warthogs they previously been stalking had now run off thanks to the noise that was made.

Sticking out her tongue, Yamile shoved her sister with her shoulder. "Oh relax Tufa. They're only having a bit of fun."

"Yeah relax Tufa! Take a bath!"

Tufa's head snapped up toward the noise and suddenly regretted doing so as mud splattered in her face. Brown eyes widened in surprise, shock and horror. Taking in the sight of Nuru who had ducked down out of the trees, fast enough to gather some mud, call for Tufa's attention and then throw the mud. Laughing, the serval ducked back up into the trees. "A mud bath suits you!"

"Why you little!" Tufa screeched after her. Beside her, Yamile had fallen down from laughing so hard. Didn't help that the mud clinging to her sister's face made her glare all the more funny rather then scary like Tufa was trying. The older lionesses with them covered their mouths as they tried their hardest to smother their laughter at the sight of their normally prim and proper Princess. "You just wait Nuru! I will get you!"

"No you won't!" Nuru's taunting voice echoed back toward them as she and Kopa continued off in search of Jaali.

Getting to her paws, Yamile reached over and wiped some mud off her littermates face. "Mud really does bring out the complexion in your creamy fur sister dear." She winked then let out a startle yowl when Tufa smirked and suddenly gave her a shove into the mud covering her entire body with it.

"The same goes for you." Tufa laughed. But stopped when she noticed the wide evil little grin that came over her sister's face. "Oh no. You stay where you are!"

"But why sister?" Yamile walked slowly towards her. "I think I could really use a hug from my favourite sister."

"I'm your only sister you mud covered fiend."

"All the more reason to hug you!" Laughing, Yamile lunged for her sister before Tufa who manage to get away and tackled her sending them both sprawling into the mud which ended up splattering this time on the other lionesses who voiced their complaints.

But none so loudly as Tufa who shrieked so loudly that Jaali on the other side of the territory paused his patrol. Turned his head and stared the way he heard the shriek come from. For a second thinking it was trouble but in the end sighed and shook his head. "Yamile…" he mumbled. He had no doubt in his mind what the cause of Tufa's shrieking could be. Could only be one of two things…Yamile or Nuru. And he was judging Yamile…if not both…he couldn't be exactly sure until he got home later and Tufa complained to him about. Which he was sure she would do.

"Nothing makes you feel sorry for playing pranks and getting into trouble as a cub for your parents then having to put up with it yourself. And she's not even my cub, she's my sister!" Shaking his head, he pressed on to finish his patrol only hoping that the hunting party managed to catch something that day if Yamile was fooling around it would be a hard thing to determine the outcome of. But a nice fresh meal after a patrol would be great.

"Jaali!"

"Sire!"

"I'm going to beat you there this time!"

"Yeah right you're butts to big to fit through these branches!"

"No they're not…OW! Stupid body!"

"See! Told you!"

Groaning, the green eyed lion hung his head and mumbled under his breath. "Just once…just once let her not…"

"HELLO KING JAALI!"

Jaali gave a shout in surprise when he heard a shout from behind him and something land on his back. "God dammit!" He cursed out loud. Hanging his head, Jaali mumbled. "Hello Nuru." He knew by then there was no point in glaring or giving the serval any good talking too. He didn't know what was worst, Jamine that he thought squawked too much all his life and sucked up to his Father, or Nuru who had no fear of him and so didn't mind scaring the life out of him when the chance called upon it.

Smirking, Nuru jumped off his back just as a larger body came crashing down through the trees to the ground with a thud and a loud groan. Jaali's eyebrow went up at the sight of the young prince laying on the ground, sap and leaves stuck to his fur from his struggle in the treetops. "I want to ask why you keep trying to race her in the treetops, but the smart part of my brain is telling me the answer really isn't something I might want to know."

Turning his head to look at his Uncle, Kopa gave him a grin. "Good choice…because I don't have a proper answer." Groaning, Kopa rolled and pushed himself up onto his paws. Stretching out his body and wincing when some of his joints popped and he tried taking the sap and leaves out of his fur carefully. Better to do it now himself then get back to the pride and be held down for a bath.

No matter how many times he told the lionesses that he was too old for baths, whenever he got dirty, they wouldn't listen and would bathe him anyways.

It was embarrassing he thought, to have to be bathed like a little cub. He was growing up he should be able to bathe himself.

What was more annoying was Nuru got in on the action from time to time; bathing him because she knew it annoyed him. Another one of her already mentioned quirks, he thought. Had to be a girl thing, because Jaali never held him down for a bath and would often take him to the river so they could both clean up before the lionesses saw either of them after the pair would have a wrestling match.

"Where did you two come from?" The King finally asked.

"From the way by the river." Kopa answered getting the last leaf out of his fur.

"By the river…" Jaali looked the direction the river was. That was the same direction that the…so he been right. He looked toward the two. "Tell me did you run in with Tufa and them?"

Both froze, sharing a look them looked at the King sheepishly. Jaali knew with those looks he had his answer. "Alright which one of you was it?" He asked a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Both of them pointed at each other. Jaali's eyebrow went up in question. Kopa rolled his eyes; "I dared her to hit Tufa with mud saying she'd never have the guts to do it. Should have known better."

"Yeah, you really should have." Nuru smirked a smug smile on her face.

Mud? Oh boy. Jaali shook his head. No wonder he heard Tufa shriek so loudly. His little sister hated mud. He never really understood why, she could always just take a bath to get it off. Guess it was a girl thing, but then again Yamile didn't seem to have any problem with it. But of course, Yamile and Tufa were as different as night and day. But they still loved each other and that was what mattered…but that didn't stop the two from bickering about so many things.

Sighing, Jaali brushed some of his mane back from his head. "Alright…so Nuru, what do you have for me today?" He asked deciding to change the topic.

Sitting up straight, Nuru began reciting her news. When she reached the part of the strange beings called man, Jaali narrowed his eyes. "You're absolutely positive that they're not moving in this direction?" He asked.

"Yes." Nuru confirmed. "The birds said directly, that they are heading east far from here."

Jaali didn't know what to think of it right now. For one he was happy they weren't heading toward his pride's new home. He didn't know where they would go again if something happened to their new home. Another part of him wondered what would happen to the other parts if the jungle and those that lived there. He pushed those thoughts from his mind, as long as they stayed away from them, the better it was. It shouldn't matter to him what else happened to anyone else, his pride and his allies were what mattered at the moment.

True it seemed strange having allies with gorillas, but it was better then nothing he thought. The land was big enough for them to use two separate sides. One side Jaali's territory and the other Tuma's.

But this time there was no problem with anyone crossing into the others territory. Something he knew Kopa did a lot and at times Nuru. Kopa because he knew the cub was close to the gorillas now with the short time he spent with them, and Nuru often accompanied him or she went over there to deliver word back and forth between Tuma and Jaali.

But like he was saying, his pride and allies were what mattered right now. And if those beasts didn't come their way then Jaali wouldn't care where else they went. Just as long as they remained safe and their part of the Jungle untouched. He had heard recently from elephant that been passing through the Jungle that the area that been there home before was nothing no more.

The thought of it had made him cry and knowing how it would affect the others, Jaali had kept it to himself. His mother was old, her heart already hurt from the loss of Simba and Zuri so soon after the death of her own mate and sister. Jaali did not know how her heart would take to the news that the home she'd been born into and raised and had her cubs at had been destroyed.

Just thinking of it now made his own heart clench.

"Keep with the reports Nuru. I want as much information that the animals can give. If any head this way from the East I want you to report to me immediately on any changes and news they can give about these things." Jaali ordered staring down at the serval who cracked a smile and gave him a salute which he was unable to resist rolling his eyes at. "You don't have to do that Nuru."

"Aye, aye Captain!"

Groaning, the King hung his head. "Fine…I give…I give." Shaking his head he turned his body and continued on down the path that would lead on back to the thicket.

Behind him, Kopa hurried along to catch up with him. Walking side by side with the grown lion. "She means well." He smirked as Nuru ran above them through the branches. The two lions below her side stepping whatever fruit she managed to knock down from the branches as she went on by.

Smirking, Jaali ruffled the top of Kopa's tuft making him quickly duck down and under away from his paw. "I have no doubt about that boy." He watched Kopa closely. Over the months the boy had been with them he had grown somewhat. And the more he grew, the more Jaali could see more of Zuri's and Simba's features in the boy. His brownish-gold fur was darkening a tad bit more which he figured had to do with his mother's genes.

Jaali knew Kopa had dark fur genes on both his sides. And both Pride Lander and Rasheda shined in the boy. Although he wasn't sure Kopa knew that just by looking at himself but Jaali could certainly see it and he knew those who knew Simba and Zuri did as well. Looking Kopa over, Jaali could see he had grown in height as well and would continue to do so. He silently wondered if Kopa would be as big as his father or perhaps even bigger.

Only time would tell.

Eyeing the wounds on the boys face as well as where his left ear should have been. Jaali had to hold back his growl. It was bad enough the boy lost his family in one night but he also had a reminder permanently staring back at him whenever he would gaze upon his reflection.

Though he never really wanted to look upon the lioness that had snatched his family and friends from him. Jaali secretly hoped he would see Zira again one day just so he could have the chance to seek out his own revenge upon the lioness for what she had done. But as his mother would say to him, why lower himself to her level? Zira had acted out of revenge for her fallen mate that Simba hadn't even had a part in his death; it had been the hyenas' that had done it.

But that didn't matter in the end to Zira. And if Jaali lowered himself to kill her for what she had done? Would that make him the same as her?

He didn't really know. But why take the chance?

Then again it didn't really matter either way. He would never see her. They were days away from the Pride Lands. And with the throne under Zira's paws like she'd wanted she wouldn't venture their way and the Rasheda's would never venture there.

But still…seeing what she had done to his…well basically nephew in his mind. Jaali often felt the need to do something but in the end would never be.

"So…" He started catching the young lion's attention. "Where have you been getting off too lately?" Jaali wasn't sure if Kopa realized that the King had figured out the young lion was going off somewhere during the day. He didn't know what Kopa was up too, but he knew the boy was going off on his own a lot recently. He of course saw nothing wrong with that, just that he wondered if the boy was doing it for some alone time to think. Simba had done that a few times while they were growing up often leaving them wondering where he had wandered too until he came back. They never questioned because it was no business but he was curious about the boy.

Kopa turned his head wondering how he should answer the question. Looking at the ground he kicked a stray rock watching it tumble along the path, stopping, only to be kicked again when Kopa caught back up with it. Repeating it numerous times.

"Just down on by the river."

"The river? What you need a bath to avoid the lionesses?" Jaali's voice dripped with humour.

"No!" Kopa grumbled. "It's just….uh…relaxing that's all. Mom used to say that the sound of water could be soothing."

Jaali had a feeling the boy was not telling the exact truth, but it would sound like something Zuri would say. "Ah yes, your mother and her ever knowing wisdom. Where would I have been without it growing up." He shook his head like it was the saddest thing of all but a large smile soon cracked his face. Beside him Kopa roared with laughter.

"Mom would smack you good for that comment."

"I have no doubt in my mind that she would dear nephew." Kopa let out a startle shout as Jaali sat back on his haunches grabbing Kopa into a headlock and preceded to noogie the top of the cub's head.

"Hey! Let me go!" Kopa protested trying to push the older lion away from him but Jaali just wouldn't budge and pulled the cub closer to him. Jaali finally let the boy go, causing Kopa to stumble before catching his balance and send a glare Jaali's ways. But the King only grinned not fazed in the least by the glare directed at him.

Grumbling Kopa rubbed his head where it was a bit sore from where Jaali's knuckles had bored down in to it. "What was that for?"

"Fun." Was the King's simple answer. Stepping around the cub, Jaali continued on his way. Counting to three then lowered his body to the ground as Kopa flew over him and landed on the ground with a loud thump and rolled along it kicking up dirt along the way. "Nice try cub." Making his way over Jaali stared down at him with a smug look upon his face. "Keep trying and I'm sure you'll get it in time." He ducked his head back when Kopa swung a paw at him with a growl. "Temper dear nephew."

"I'll get you!"

"I'm sure you will." Winking and laughing, Jaali took off at a run with Kopa in pursuit.

Laughing the two lions made it back to the thicket where the rest of the pride had gathered. Jaali smirked as he dodged Kopa's second attempt to tackle him sending him flying into Tufa who was still trying to get some mud out of her fur. The lioness gave a shout in surprise and ended up falling to the ground with a dusty Kopa landing on her side.

Groaning, she went limp on the ground with a disgruntled look on her face. "Oh, I give up!" To the side Nuru and Yamile were roaring with laughter while the other lionesses were simply smiling and shaking their heads.

"Alright that's enough fooling around." Leta smiled as she stepped out of the cave. Looking at her daughter and great nephew on the ground. "You two really should wash up."

Pushing Kopa off her, Tufa shook her body trying to get the access dust off and started grooming herself. "Yeah well I was trying after Yamile there tackled me in the mud."

"Shouldn't have pushed me first sis!" Yamile spoke with a mouth full of food swallowing it when she finished. They had managed to catch up with the warthogs that had previously been hunting before that is after Tufa had stopped yelling at her for being childish.

Tufa rolled her eyes at her sister but didn't bother to argue with her on the matter. Not with their mother. They may be of age now but that didn't mean their mother wouldn't talk to them to quite acting like cubs when she felt like they were doing exactly that.

Shaking her head as her two youngest, Leta then looked at Kopa who was in the process of slowly moving further away from her or any lioness in general. "And where do you think you are going little Prince?" She asked stepping toward him she slapped her hand down on his tail when he tried to turn and bolt away making him fall onto his stomach unable to get away unless he wished for his tail to be pulled.

"Oh come on Aunt Leta!" The Prince humph as he knew it really was no use and lay still as the old lioness started giving him a bath.

"No one is too old for a bath Kopa." Leta reminded him.

"Yeah, whatever." Crossing his arms on the ground, Kopa grumblingly laid his head on them. Ignoring the chuckles of his great Aunt.

The sound of a throat clearing made everyone look toward their King that had jumped up onto a stump to look at them all. "Nuru has informed me of some possibly good news." Many fell silent and paid close attention as they looked at the serval first then back to their King. "She's informed me about those strange beings called Man." Jaali paused as whispers started passing around the pride many looking fearful at first but settled as soon as they remembered that it would be good news he hoped to give them.

"What about them my son?" Leta asked pulling away from Kopa once he was cleaned and stepped toward her son.

"It appears they have turned their beasts eastward." Jaali announced. "To head deeper into the Jungles. The birds had informed Nuru of such. But I will have her look out for more animals that may migrate from that region. But for now it seems the threat we worried about finding us has decided to move on elsewhere." He spoke loud and grinned at all the relief faces before him.

Leta, sitting there, let this roll around in her mind. She turned her head east and stared on through the thick Jungle. What was east and deep in the jungle? She thought. They couldn't possibly go as far as to where they were? Could they? She pondered silently to herself.

"Mother?"

The old lioness looked back toward her son. "I am fine my son."

Jaali watched her for a moment wondering what she been thinking about before shaking his head. "Alright mother." He looked at the rest of the pride. "There could be some rogues like we heard about before from animals passing through. Keep your eyes and ears out for them." There been a few rogue lions they had a run in with throughout the time that these things appeared in the Jungle. He wouldn't be surprised if they ran into more or if not then those other rogues warned others to stay away from the Jungle.

A win for him.

Jaali hated when confrontations with a rogue became a fight. He only had to fight one; others just told him things he needed to know before they went on their way seeing no reason to stay in the jungle.

"What if they do head this way?" Tufa asked her brother.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Jaali gave her a smile. "We've had luck on our side since we entered this part of the Jungle. The cliffs and the waterfall run as a good border that will keep them at bay. So if they do turn this way…we shouldn't have much problem." It was the only thing he could say on the matter. His sisters didn't want to have to be forced to find another home. And Jaali didn't want to have to be forced to find them one either.

Where could they possibly go if the Jungle was gone?

The thought made him shudder. What cruel creature would tear down the world around them? Even the forest elephants were careful in how they moved and trampled through the jungle.

Kopa seemed to sense his Uncle's distress at the thoughts of what he could possibly do if their new home was taken from them like their old. Even he didn't know what he would do. Like them, this was his new home as well. Of course he didn't want to have to come here at first but now that he was, he didn't want to leave. He had family here unlike out there. Here had had people who loved him. Out there he had people who either hated him or didn't know his family at all.

Glancing at Nuru he knew she felt the same. If she hadn't run into Kopa she'd probably be running around the desert somewhere looking for food the best she could. Now here she was a King's majordomo and feasting upon warthog something she generally would not have managed to catch herself and never eat unless she scavenged. She chanced out with her luck.

Kopa of course knew the spirit of his ancestors had led her to him. Not that Nuru knew that and he didn't think she believed much in that.

Thinking of spirits his mind went to Jelani. And he remembered his training that there was something important he was supposed to do in the future. To stop and take care of. What it was the Guardian still wouldn't say even when Kopa threw out his guesses at him. Like always Jelani never gave a straight answer.

Moving forward, Kopa looked around. "Look…I think we shouldn't worry right now. The ancestors seemed to have given us this place to live…why would they take it from us now?" He asked looking around at them as they all turned to face him. Small smiles coming over their faces.

Kopa sat himself down beside Tufa who gave his one ear a lick and she smiled softly at him. The young lion looked up at the King who smirked. "Spoken like a royal." Jaali stated laying his paw on the boys head and looked around. "Kopa is right; this is not for us to worry about unless it does happen. Now…let's enjoy what the hunting party brought before Yamile stuffs her face any more then she already is and eats it all."

"Hey!"

Laughter filled the pride as the Princess glared at her brother. Kopa smirked and raised his eyes and stared toward Jelani that leaned against a tree just out of sight of everyone else.

Their eyes met.

And Kopa thought and hoped deep down whatever it was that he had to do in the future did not involve what he feared it might.


"Come on catch us!"

"Slowpoke!"

Laughter echoed all around as black blurs all ranging in different sizes raced on through the jungle floor and among the branches and roots of trees. Among these black blurs was one that stood apart, brownish-gold in colour Kopa narrowed his eyes in determination to catch his prey.

Almost there…almost there…

"Gotcha!" Laughed Kopa as he tackled a young gorilla as it raced upon an upturned root. Causing them both to fall to the ground and roll in a tangle of limbs and fur. The young gorilla almost the size of Kopa himself groaned and pouted as above them in the treetops the other young gorilla's laughed at her misfortune of being the one caught in their innocent game of tag.

"Adena is it now!" One medium size gorilla called down to them as Kopa untangled himself for Adena and helped her up as she dusted herself off and glared up at those above them.

"You only got away Bayo because you're bigger and got longer limbs!" Adena slammed her fists into the ground while the older male just smirked.

"Oh don't be such a baby Adena."

"I am not a baby!"

"Yes you are!" Bayo and the others all laughed. Not realize Kopa had snuck up into the trees behind them while they taunted Adena and on the count of three roared. Their startle cries were heard while they lost their grips in the trees making them tumble to the ground. Adena clapped her hands as she laughed while Kopa smirked down at them.

"Seems like I got all of you not just Adena." Kopa jumped down from the trees landing along side the ground that were all picking themselves up off the ground.

"The games rules mean only one can be tagged." Bayo grunted thumping his fists on the ground.

"All is fair is war my friend." Kopa smirked. "And you should never have lingered when I caught her. Your own fault." He shrugged casually as he jumped up onto a log as Bayo tried to grab him. Laughing the lion cub continued to dodge him causing Bayo to crash into the other young gorillas around them. "Hey!" They all cried in a tangle of limbs.

Jumping over their heads, Kopa landed beside Adena and lowered himself. "Climb on!" Adena didn't hesitate and climbed onto the lions back wrapping her arms around Kopa's neck as the Prince whistled to get the other's attention. "New game! Let's race!" He took off running before the others had time to detangle themselves from each other and began running back the way of the troop's home.

On his back Adena squealed with excitement as she clutched onto Kopa tight so that she wouldn't fall. But not tight enough so that she wouldn't end up choking him. "Faster Kopa! Faster! They're gaining on us!" She squealed looking over her shoulder at the other gorillas that had finally managed to chase after them both on the ground and in the trees and were gaining.

"Hold tight!" Gritting his teeth, Kopa ran as fast as his leg could allow him to go with carrying Adena as extra weight on his body. He could hear the others taunting behind him as they raced for an unknown destination. Whatever Kopa deemed the finish line was his best guess on the matter. Right now he just focused on keep ahead of the others that were hooting and hollering behind him with laughter and taunts.

The finish line would later come in the form of a middle aged gorilla. Chika who was lounging in a handmade nest of foliage in the nook of a tree and couple of upturned roots, peaked an eye open when she heard the sound of voice's…very loud voice's approaching her resting spot. A spot she had chosen away from her family group in order to get some good well around rest.

Being the grandmother and aunt of so many young had it's limitations on ones rest when there were simply so many.

Oh, she loved them of course.

But sometimes it was nice to be alone and just relax.

Turning her head in the direction of the voice's, she lifted herself out of her next and up onto one of the roots and watched whilst a young lion cub with a young gorilla on his back ran on by with others after him. Shaking her head at the noise they were making she called out to them. "Now where is the fire my young ones?" She watched them all come to a sudden halt at her voice and crash into one another.

Chuckling, she climbed on down making her way over to them. She saw herself down on the ground while they all looked at her with wide smiles. "Grandma!" Adena giggled from where she laid having fallen from Kopa's back when they had all crashed together in their attempt at stopping. Softly smiling, Chika reached over and picked up her young granddaughter cradling her in her arms.

"Hello my precious one." She kissed the girls head and looked around at the other younglings.

"Now what have you lot all been up too?" she asked. She smiled when Kopa made his way over and sat down near them. The boy certain had grown from the cub she could carry in her arms and on her back. He would certainly be too big and heavy for her to do so now though. "Hello Prince Kopa." Greeted Chika.

Groaning, Kopa rubbed the back of his neck. "Come on Chika, I asked not to be called that…I mean…well…you're my…"

Chika laughed giving the young lion a pat on the head. "Don't worry Kopa. I know how young ones think about being friends with adults so I know what you're trying to say." She smiled earning a smile from the lion cub. "Now what were you all up too?"

"Racing!" Adena giggled her hands gripping her grandmother's.

"Racing where too?" Chika asked looking from her granddaughter to the others around her. All of them giving her an innocent shrug. "So a race without no end? Boy, you all must be tired." She smirked when they all shook their heads.

"Are you sure?" Chika chuckled as they all nodded their heads. "Oh well. I guess we shouldn't return for dinner then." She laughed as each of the young gorilla's heads raised. "I found some wonderful termite mounds that you lot would love." She got up slowly lifting Adena up and onto her back where the young one clung securely. "This way younglings. You can come along too Kopa." She smiled at the young lion whose face was scrunched up at the thought of termites and how they could possibly enjoy eating such things. Although the gorilla's could probably wonder the same about his diet of meat.

Jumping to his paws Kopa followed on along after them to where Chika brought them to a couple of termite mounds. He sat and watched as each of them found a thin bendy stick, striped the leaves and small stems off them and proceeded to stick the ends into the mounds, pull them up and then suck the bugs off them. "You want some Kopa?" Adena held the stick that she was using out to him.

Eyeing the termites on it, Kopa made a face and shook his head. "Uh-no thanks Adena. You eat up." He smiled as she giggled and striped the termites off the stick with a look of happiness on her face. "Yum!" The young gorilla claimed.

Yeah, whatever you say kid. Kopa grimaced.

"What brought you over to our part of the Jungle Kopa?" Chika's voice brought Kopa's attention toward her. The old gorilla leaned back against a tree watching all the young ones closely while they ate.

"Do I need a reason to come here now Chika?"

"Of course not young one. But an old mind can always ask questions." Chika gave him a wink while Kopa came to lie beside her. His head resting on her lap. Chika's hand gently stroked his growing tuft. "You have grown."

"That a bad thing?"

Laughing, Chika shook her head and leaned her head back against the tree. "Just try not to grow up too fast young Kopa. Youth is an important part of your life."

Kopa grumbled. "Hate being young sometimes adults treat me like I don't need to know stuff that's going on."

"Because adults don't want young ones to worry…"

"Well if my parents told me what the true threat was I wouldn't have gone out of the cave my mother and I hid in and then caused them all to die." Kopa cut her off. Pulling away from her he walked before sitting down again, keeping his back to Chika while his shoulders slouched.

Shaking her head, Chika pushed away from the tree and went to sit along side him and stared off into the jungle. "You cannot blame yourself for that."

"Why?"

"Because if you do, how would you parents feel about you going through life with all this blame on your shoulders?"

Kopa groaned. "Everyone keeps saying that."

"Well how many times must it be said before you actually listen?" asked Chika turning her head just enough to look at him with a questionable look.

Sighing, Kopa brushed his mane back from his eyes rubbing it solemnly over his missing ear then his scars. "I try…but every time I look at these and feel them…"

Chika shook her head and held Kopa's face in her hands. "They are your badges of honour."

"Honour?" Kopa looked at her confused. "How can wounds possibly be badges of honour?"

Chuckling, Chika ran her thumb over Kopa's scars. "I know they don't look like it. But they mean you overcame impossible odds. For a cub so young you survived such a gruesome attack on you. You should have died long before you got to me to heal you Kopa. But you didn't…you survived. You pushed on. You had a drive in you and you still do." She patted his cheeks with her hands. "That my boy is why they are your badge of honour. And why you should not let them get in the way of taking our advice on what we tell you what your parents wouldn't want for you."

"But how would you even know…" Kopa looked at her. "You didn't really know them."

"That is true." Chika nodded her head. "Aye, that is indeed true my dear. But…I am a mother and an aunt and a grandmother…so I do know how one should think in your parent's position. A parent never wants a child to blame themselves for something like this. And you shouldn't." Using her hand she wiped some of Kopa's tears away that were beginning to form on the edge of his eyes. She did not want him to shed any tears unless they were tears of happiness. She thought this young lion had shed enough tears of sadness in his short lifetime.

Sighing, Kopa hung his head. Why did everyone have to say that? As a matter of fact why couldn't he listen to their advice?

Maybe he truly was stubborn as both of his parents were as so many had liked to point out to him as he was growing up?

Maybe this was what Jelani kept pointing out to him about clearing his mind of all worried?

That thought made him groan. Just what he needed…Chika…another ape making him see sense in the hairless monkey that was teaching him. He silently wondered if that Guardian would ever feel smug about that? Probably would…he just wouldn't show it.

"Kopa?"

The Prince looked toward the old gorilla in front of him that watched him curiously. He forced a smile onto his face. "Thanks Chika…I guess I just need to hear it more for it to sink in." He grumbled as she rapped her knuckles on his head.

"It's alright Kopa. Some people are just more stubborn then others. Right Adena?" Chika glanced down at her young granddaughter who had snuck over to them. She threw her arms around Kopa's front right leg and hugged it giggling. "Right! Kopa stubborn!" Kopa resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Great, just what he needed…a kid telling him what the adults were.

He was sure wherever his Father was looking down on him, that Simba would be getting a good laugh out of that.

"Now." Chika clapped her hands. "Enough of this talk…it is simply too sad." She smiled at all the younglings. "How about a new race. Everyone from here to the river. First one there wins. How about it?"

"Yeah!" The cheers were heard. Kopa's among them, allowing himself to forget his worries and just enjoy the fun.

"Alright then." Chika lifted Adena onto her back. "Let us race."

"You're going to be racing too?" Kopa's eyebrow shot up. Chika looked at him slightly offended. "I will let you know young lion I still have some strength and speed left in me!" She huffed holding her head high as the other young gorillas cheered. Smirking, Kopa walked around her, "Well don't cry when I beat you Chika."

"Oh youngling. You have a lot to learn." Chika smirked. She instructed them all to get into a line. "Now on my mark….get ready….set….GO!" Chika shouted as they all took off running. Adena on her back cheering for her grandmother as she got ahead of the younger ones. Kopa running neck and neck with the old gorilla.

"I'm gonna beat you chika!" Laughing, Kopa didn't watch where he was going and nearly hit a low hanging branch. But looking forward, he ducked in mere seconds of hitting it. "Whew!" He grinned at Adena who laughed and stuck her tongue out at him.

In the treetops, Bayo was gaining and getting ahead of them. Narrowing his eyes in determination Kopa raced forward determined to beat Bayo in a race once and for all and right in front of his aunt too. If that didn't stop the young gorilla from being cheeky he didn't know what would.

Chika watched with a smile as both Kopa and Bayo began having their own race. Jeering at one another.

Spotting the river up ahead, Kopa leapt from the bushes and grinned thinking he won but only had seconds to enjoy it before Bayo who jumped from the trees crashed into him sending them both to the ground and rolling. "Hey!" They both shouted at each other.

Chika who walked calmly out of the bushes eyed the two. "Now that's enough." She called when she saw them about to argue. "It seems like a draw is in stake here."

"But Chika I got here first!"

"Aunt Chika I clearly won!"

"You did not!" Both boys ended up yelling at each other in the end. Glaring at one another.

Shaking her head, Chika let Adena climbed down from her back and walked over to the two and quickly separated them. "I said that's enough boys." She spoke sternly enough that it made them slouch their bodies and hang their heads a little. Chika seemed to have that effect that no one liked to disappoint her.

"Who won should never truly matter." Chika pointed out to them. "It should all be about fun. Never loose a friendship over because one wanted to be the winner. Do you understand that boys?"

Both boys looked at each other. "Boys?" Sighing, they nodded their heads. "Yes Chika."

Smiling, Chika kissed both their heads. "Good. Now let us go and think of a new game…Adena get away from there dear!" Chika raised her head to see her granddaughter had moved toward the rapids they had come near during their race. Chika cursed herself for not realizing how close they'd come to the more dangerous part of the river.

"But Grandma I hear someone calling for help!"

The caught both Chika and Kopa's attentions. And falling silent they all listened and sure enough they could hear it. Coming in the direction of the larger rapids. "Youngling's stay here." Chika issued as she pressed forward to see what or more importantly who could be calling for help.

But unable to fight their curiosity, Kopa and the young gorillas followed after her. Kopa gaining the lead and jumped up onto a rock that over looked the rapids and squinted his eyes as he tried to see who could be calling for help. He had to think only a fool would have tried to swim the rapids and get swept away. Not seeing anything he thought perhaps they were just hearing things but then again how could they all is possibly hearing the same thing?

Who knows?

Kopa turned to tell Chika he could see nothing when a flash of black caught his attention. Whipping around he squinted again and…YES! There it was! He watched as a large black figure swam in the waters trying to fight the current but was failing and help hitting the rocks. "HELP!" The animal called.

Chika climbing up onto the rock with Kopa watched with wide eyes. "Oh dear!" She exclaimed with worry. "How could we possibly…KOPA GET BACK HERE!"

Kopa jumping from the rock ran along the banks. Behind him Chika ran along trying to catch him. As he ran, Kopa could see the animal trying to keep their head above the water, attempting to grab at the slippery rocks with their paws. From the distance Kopa made out that the animal was feline but what kind he could not possibly tell. He'd never seen an animal much less a feline completely black.

"HELP!"

Kopa pressed himself forward. "Don't worry! We're coming!" He called back without really knowing for sure if the stranger heard them or not. Working to get ahead of the stranger, Kopa tried a tree. Thick but not thick enough that it wouldn't resist them if they put enough strength into knocking it down. "Chika! Look!" He pointed to the tree.

Seeing it and thinking the same. Chika ran for it. Reaching it both of them worked to get it to bend over the river. The tree didn't budge until the other young gorillas arrived to help push it just in time for the stranger to come along. Jumping up onto it, Kopa gripped it with his claws to climb out over the rapids.

Fear gripped him.

Come on…you can do this…you can do this….Kopa changed mentally to himself.

Getting to the middle, he waited and watched the figure washing down the current toward him. Lying down on his stomach he reached out with his paw. "Here!" He shouted to get their attention. "Grab my paw! Hurry!" The stranger seemed to have heard him for they tried to fight the current enough to be able to reach out for the paw that Kopa held extended to them with their own.

Both paws smacked against each other, but Kopa had trouble getting a grip on the stranger's soaked slippery paw. But gripping the best he could, Kopa leaned over and grabbed the stranger by the back of the neck and pulled. Loosing his own grip on the tree he nearly fell if it hadn't been for Chika who raced across and ended up grabbing them both. Hauling both felines onto the tree, she patted their backs. "There now…safe." She breathed a sigh of relief.

Grunting with a small laugh, Kopa grinned at her. "Thanks Chika." The old gorilla only smiled and then helped grab the stranger and carry them to show.

Laying him down, Kopa was surprised to see that it was a leopard they had saved. A very strange leopard. He'd never seen one fully black before, but he could faintly make out the spots and the body structure of the feline. And could clearly make out that he was male.

The leopard coughed and spat up the water that was in his mouth. One minute he jumping across the rocks trying to grab some fish, next minute he was in the water, another minute nearly drowning and hitting his head as he tried to get out and then there was this lion and…gorilla saving him? A gorilla?

He must be imagining things. But as he laid there and opened his eyes it was exactly that strange of a sight that greeted him. "Wh-who are you?" he asked coughing his throat sore from screaming and the water he forcefully swallowed.

Chika smiled reaching out she laid a hand on the leopards head and rubbed it. This seemed even stranger to the leopard. "There now…rest. There will be time for questions answered later." She urged the leopard to rest. The young gorillas were hanging back because though the lions in the area did not hunt them it did not mean leopards did not. Seeing their grandmother pet the felines head it felt strange to them and worrisome even if they did help save it.

"Kopa." The leopard heard the female say as the young lion came forward. "Yes?"

"Help me carry him. We'll get him back to the calm part of the river, cross and take him to your pride. He should be looked after before anything was to happen to him. I'm sure King Jaali will understand."

The leopard didn't know what the young lion said next, for his eyes started to slip shut and his mind shut down as he slowly drifted off into darkness.


"You sure he's alright?"

"His fever seemed to have gone down."

"Yeah, but he's been out for so long."

"You poking him won't make him wake any faster Yamile. You are just like a cub."

"Shut up Tufa!"

Voice's so many voices. But who did they belong too? He wondered. Who was this Yamile and Tufa he did not know them?

Were they that strange gorilla he had seen and that young lion? No…that young lion's name had been…Kopa? Right, yeah that was correct.

Then who were these…?

He felt a paw rested on his head. "Hello?" A soft voice with an elderly timber to it called to him. "You can open your eyes. I know you're awake."

Light golden eyes slowly opened themselves up and stared into the face of a pale golden lioness whose fur was rimmed with grey of age. Her brown eyes watching him with concerned. "Ah, there we go. Welcome back to the land of the living."

"Is he alright Mother?" Tufa stepped forward and looked around her at the leopard. It had been a total surprise to them when Kopa had shown back up at the thicket with him on their backs. Saying they had rescued him from the rapids and had passed out on them. Chika had asked if Jaali would watch out for him until he woke. It had taken some convincing but Jaali had agreed in the end.

After taking the leopard into the den to dry off, and rest. They been treating the wounds he received trying to fight the rapids as well as bring down his fever. They had waited all night and a good portion of the next day for him to wake. Tufa and Yamile wondered at some point as they helped their mother tend to the stranger whether he would make it but Leta had stated he would and so they believed her…to a point.

"Wow! Finally!" Yamile exclaimed as she stepped close. "About time you woke."

"Yamile! Stop before you frighten him!"

"Oh Tufa, why would I frighten him? He's a grown cat!"

"Girls!" Leta spoke sharply. "Would you please be kind enough to go and fetch your brother for me? He and Kopa should be done part of their patrol by now."

Both young lionesses nodded looking apologetically at their mother then with one last look at the stranger. They ducked on out of the den and went to find their brother and nephew.

Sighing, Leta turned her attention back to their guests. "Please be mindful of my daughters. Over a year old and still have a lot to learn." She shook her head and smiled. "I am Leta. My son is the King of the Rasheda's. You are in our home. Do you remember what happened to you?"

Groaning, the leopard rubbed his head pushing himself up off the floor of the cave and nodded his head slowly. Feeling achy all over. "I remember trying to catch some fish…then slipping…current washing me away…hitting rocks…and then being saved by a strange pair a lion and a gorilla…thought I never see the day." He heard the lioness called Leta laugh. Obviously this was nothing new to her.

"The two that saved you are my young great nephew Kopa and an alley of ours Chika. We used to live in the same parts and agreed to live among each other peacefully to escape the things destroying our old home." Leta explained reaching over she felt his head nodding when she felt that his fever had indeed seemed to have really gone away.

A good thing too. It was touch and go through most of the night with that fever of his.

Lions and gorillas allies? Now he thought he'd heard it all.

He opened his mouth to say something more then the vines covering the front of the den parted open and a large golden brown lion with a brown mane and the darker golden brown lion from the day before that saved him walked in. He stopped and stared at them, for a moment thinking they were Father and son. But after looking at them more closely he could see the family resemblance but also something that told him the two weren't that exactly closely related perhaps a bit distantly but enough to just resemble each other a little. Then he remembered Leta telling him the King was her son and the boy who saved him was her great nephew so he was right in his gassing's.

Jaali stopped and looked at their guest and grinned. "So my sisters were right. You have awakened. Hello…I'm King Jaali of the Rasheda's. This boy here is my nephew Kopa. May we require your name?"

The leopard looked between them all before he bowed toward Jaali. "My name is Amun your majesty. And thank you for helping me."

"My nephew deserves more of the thanks." Jaali grinned looking at Kopa who rolled his eyes obviously not wanting any attention. "Where are you from my friend?" Jaali asked.

Amun rubbed his neck getting rid of some cricks in it. "Deep in the Jungle. I can guess you moved here to get away from those man things right?" He looked up seeing the surprise on his face. "Your mother mentioned something about danger…and I've heard of the Rasheda's before. But you're a long ways from home last I checked…you lived where Radhi and Abasi used to be." He watched as anger came over Jaali's face at those two names and nodded is head. "Don't worry sire, I have no connection with those two. But many leopards heard of the wounds they received that they had died from. Good riddance. Those brothers were always trouble."

Nodding his head. Jaali thought for a moment then asked. "You said you are from the far jungle?"

Amun nodded. "Yes sir…well I am from the desert originally but I have travelled the jungle for some year's better food here. When those man things moved in I got out as quick as I could. Damned things are destroying the Jungle and killing animals left and right." He shook his head with a sad look on his face. "Bastards killed my mate."

Surprise came over their faces before Leta's face softened and she rubbed his back. "My sympathies."

"Thank you." Amun gave her a small smile before looking at the King. Then at Kopa, "Many thanks for saving my life young lion."

Kopa shrugged his shoulders. "I lost my little sister to a river…couldn't let someone else die that way too." Maybe not I'll be redeemed for that and forgiven, he added silently to himself.

Amun stared at Kopa. He could see the great sadness in him. A sadness that ran deep and he figured a lot of it had to do with how he had received those scars. He would not ask for it was not his place to ask. But he wondered what happened to him to cause such sadness and it had to go deeper then having lost his little sister to drowning in a river. He wondered for a moment there the young lions parents were?

"Even so young lion. Thank you." Amun grinned.

Leta walked over and nudged her son. Whispering something to him. Jaali's face went blank of emotions then an array of them crossed his face to whatever she said to him. Then nodded he cleared his throat. "Amun…it might seem like you need a place to stay. This part of the jungle seems safe for the time being and would be a good place with plenty of prey for you to catch. As long as you do not touch the gorillas all should be fine with you staying in the territory."

Eyebrow up and thinking it over. Amun looked around at the three present and tried to think of what he should do. He had planned to head to the desert, perhaps seek out another land far from the danger that was currently present in the jungle. But looking around at the three faces in the cave with him, he now knew he owed these lions a debt. They had saved him and he wouldn't feel better until he repaid it. And he couldn't repay it if he just walked off and left.

And would it be all that better trying to find a home for himself. He could see just the way the lion cub was looking at him; he was just as strange to him in his fur colour as he had been to everyone else. Even his own kind. Only his mate had really accepted him. But he wondered if he would be accepted here. So far they hadn't asked about his fur and they had gone out of the way of making sure he lived.

Kopa watched the stranger, this Amun, he had asked about his strange fur to his aunt and Leta had told him that she had seen leopards have that fur before. A very long time ago. For Kopa, Amun seemed interesting. He thought his black fur was rather cool. He watched Amun as he considered Jaali's proposal on staying.

Closing his eyes then nodding, Amun bowed his head. "I would be honoured if you'd host me in your lands King Jaali and I'd like the chance to repay my debt for saving my life."

"You really don't have too…" Both Jaali and Kopa issued together.

Amun shook his head. "But I do." He stood straight and grinned.

Both lions looked at each other but Jaali shrugged and patted Kopa on the back. "Alright. Welcome to the Rasheda's Amun."

Kopa grinned and held out his paw for the leopard to shake. As the two shook paws, Kopa had a nagging feeling deep down that once again his ancestors had sent someone his way. Any pressure he felt about failing to save his sister had been lifted a little; of course it would always be there, but for saving Amun…

He felt that little weight lifted off his shoulders.


Sorry it took so long for another update.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

Another long one for you all.

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