Chapter 2: The secret.
"Ahadi……Ahadi!" His eyes flicked open, Nia was standing there glaring at him. "What are you doing out here with her?" She growled at Uru.
"Nothing I just fell asleep out here that's all." Ahadi snapped back, far as Nia knew he loved her.
"What's going on?" Uru blinked her eyes open, seeing Nia standing above her meant this was not going to be a good day, her claws pushed out from her paw and dug into Ahadi's stomach.
"Ahadi what's wrong?" His face was screwed up, like he was in pain.
"Just a sore back, must have slept funny you know?" He was glad Nia hadn't noticed Uru's reaction to her, he rolled away grimacing once more as Uru's claws pulled out of his stomach.
"Uru…" Ahadi whispered keeping Nia from hearing.
"Yeah?" She looked up at him.
"Ow" He smiled quickly, then turning he walked away with Nia. He only looked back once, but Uru watched him go until the cave blocked him from view.
"Figures, she always gets what she wants." Uru growled.
"What's wrong with you?" Lina and Alic stopped beside her.
"Well when I woke up Nia was standing right next to me…"
"Yeah that pretty much ruins anyone's day." Lina grinned at her, Alic chuckled.
"Yeah well…"
"Oh no what?" Lina's grin faded.
"I think I like Ahadi…" Uru shook her head.
Lina's grin spread across her face. "Then do something about it"
"What can she do? Aren't you forgetting Nia?" Alic finally spoke, both the girls looked at him with narrowed,
After glaring at him for a while Uru sighed "He's right you know, I can't do anything because of Nia. They were betrothed, Ahadi told me."
"Does he love her?" Lina spoke fast.
"I don't really know I think he does a little, but if he doesn't he feels obligated to."
"How do you know all this anyway?" Alic raised his eyebrows.
"He told me" Uru looked at them, they stared back waiting for a explanation. "That's why Nia was so mad, last night when I didn't come into the caves Ahadi found me, we talked all night, and fell asleep next to each other…and……well you know how Nia is she doesn't like any lioness near him."
"Oh……that defiantly explains her bad mood." Lina and Alic laughed.
"That's not funny, when did you see her?"
"This morning, she looked so angry I swear her head was going to explode if anyone said anything to her." Alic chuckled.
This time Uru joined in, enjoying their company. "What are you guys doing today?"
"Oh umm…we were going to go for a walk……" Lina looked down.
"You can come……if you want?" Alic looked at Lina, she nodded.
"No it's ok, you guys go I don't want to intrude, I'll hang around with Dad today" Uru smiled at them and walked up to Lina. "Have fun" Uru whispered leaning to her ear.
"Bye" Lina and Alic called as she loped away.
Uru looked towards pride rock wondering of she should go back yet, "That's not good"
Uru muttered to herself, Nia was coming towards her. She didn't look very happy nor did she seem to notice Ahadi, who was watching Nia walk towards her.
"Uru" Nia strode up to her, her chest was puffed out.
"What?" Uru wasn't backing down this time, she pushed out her chest and walked tall.
Nia faltered for a second, she wasn't used to Uru standing up for herself. "Um.." She shook her head. " Stay away from Ahadi." A growl rumbled in her throat.
"Why should I?" Uru glared at her, happily Uru noticed she was taller then Nia, just barely but still taller.
"Because he's mine princess" Nia snapped back.
"So what? I'll be friends with who I want to be, and you can't stop me!" Uru flicked her eyes up quickly to Ahadi, who had noticed what was going on and was sneaking over.
"No lioness get to be friends with him, no one but me." Her voice dripped with hate.
"Is that a threat?" Uru flicked her eyes to Ahadi again he was standing just behind Nia, who still hadn't noticed.
"Yes it is, and you would be wise to heed my warning because you only get one."
"Will she now?" Ahadi growled.
"Ooohhh…hello Ahadi…" Nia smiled sweetly at him.
"You are not my father, nor can you in anyway stop me from being friends with Uru." Ahadi was still growling.
Uru was trying her best not to smile. "Want to be friends Ahadi?"
"We were already friends" Ahadi smiled at her.
Nia snarled at Uru. "Back off"
"No."
"I'll win I always do and you know it." Nia smirked.
"No not this time, I'm going to fight back this time."
Nia just growled and walked away. "Come on Ahadi"
"No." He just glared.
"Move it, you're my mate, you have to stay with me." Nia growled
"No, I do not have to take orders from you Nia and he only reason I have tolerated you is because my father asked me to try." Ahadi spoke fiercely but quietly.
"Well… you don't have a choice do you?"
"Yes he does." Brig walked out of the tree's behind Uru "Your mother and I thought you would change, that one day you would be as pure as her and not cruel like your father. But we were clearly wrong, your marriage to my son will not go forward…"
"But I.." Nia stuttered
"Unless you can be a compassionate, you must learn to trust others and be trusted in turn. But most of all you must be kind." Brig's face was grim.
"You…..you know my mother?" Nia whispered
"So do you." Brig muttered.
"But how…who?" Brig motioned for Uru and Ahadi to go. "You mean she's been here all this time and she never wanted me?" Nia's voice broke, anger streamed through her body.
"She didn't choose to have you in the first place Nia, your father hurt her deeply" Brig walked away towards the trees.
"Wait." Nia ran after him. "Tell me what happened." Brig narrowed his eyes "Please?"
"Very well come along" Brig slowed his pace, as Nia tried to keep in step with his long strides.
"Will you tell me who my mother is?" Nia hung her head as she walked.
"I can't, I swore to her that I wouldn't" Brig sighed.
"Is there anyway I can find out?"
"No……not unless she comes up to you"
"But that won't happen will it?" Nia stopped and dropped to the ground, she was confused and angrier then she had ever been, but at the same time she couldn't stop the tears and the pain.
Brig stood waiting. "No"
"Why what did I do?" Nia snarled
"You didn't do anything its because of your father that she doesn't want you…"
"She doesn't want me." Nia growled, repeating the words over and over in her head.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that……it came out wrong." Brig put his paw on her shoulder.
"Leave me alone." Nia stood up and pulled away.
"Nia don't be like this, you don't understand what happened to her."
"No you don't understand what's happened to me. My father was exiled, I never knew my mother, and now I found out that she's been living by my side and that she doesn't want anything to do with me!"
"Nia…" Brig reached out.
"LEAVE ME ALONE" Nia roared, the force made Brig step back.
Nia lashed out striking Brig on his shoulder and chest, leaving cuts and bruises. He reached up with one paw, and pushed her down, he waited for an hour but she wouldn't move, finally he sighed and went to leave.
"Calm down before you come back."
Nia's chest heaved, she growled at every rustle and click of the surrounding bush. "Why didn't she want me"
Meena waited in the dark for Brig to come back, after a few hours passed without out sign of him. "I should have gone, not him."
"No, she would have torn you apart." Brig nudged her neck.
She smiled at him, "that bad huh?"
"Well these cuts aren't from the tree's" Brig nodded at his chest.
"Oh…sorry, she doesn't get that from me." Meena watched the deepest cut, still dribbling a little blood.
"She was upset, its not really surprising"
"It wasn't my fault" Meena stepped away turned to leave.
"I never said it was Meena, you know what I meant." Brig ran after her and stopped in her path.
"Yeah I do." Meena sat down, and curled up, she sighed and hide her face under her tail.
Brig laid down next to her, he wrapped himself around her back, keeping the wind off her. Meena sighed and laid her head on his paws under his head, tears rolled down her cheeks onto his paws.
"She just needs time" He pulled her closer hugging her head into his chest with his.
Meena pushed her head closer and kept crying.
"I……love you Meena" Brig whispered forcing himself to say it.
"I know Brig, I've always loved you." She felt him smile as he kissed the top of her head.