About a year went by before I returned to the savannah again, in that time though much had changed. For one, Darkness was no longer my tiny cub anymore he had grown up into a young adolescent his white mane just starting to take form.
I grinned to myself as I floated across the African savannah, I scented the air following the scent of the soul that had first lead me to find Darkness. I flew above the other creatures that lay claim to the savannah wilderness, as they rested under the shade hiding from the hot sun well other played and wandered around.
I continued to follow the scent for what felt like forever but was in reality a few hours at most. Finally, I came to the end of the trail looking down I sneered when I saw that Apollo still lived, I tore my gaze from him and allowed myself to look over the pride silently naming each of the lions and lioness that I could remember.
'Where's kitten?' I looked around trying to find him.
I scented the air once more, still getting the same answer that the trail ended here. I floated closer to the ground wandering amongst the pride unseen. I sighed and floated over to the shade of a nearby tree to await his return.
Later, he finally, did show himself once the sun had set Darkness padded out from hiding. I allowed myself to shift back into the lion form I took on before.
His ears perked and swivelled around listening for any sound. I padded out from the shadows, into the open.
His ears perked, at the sound of my paw steps. Turning his head he spotted me, his eyes narrowed as a low hiss slipped through his teeth.
I blinked stopping in my tracks as I looked at him trying to verify that he was indeed Darkness and I didn't make a mistake.
In my distraction he pounced knocking me down on me back. Darkness stood over me his teeth bared in a snarl.
I looked up at him finally seeing how much he had grown in the past year I looked at the scruff that would become his mane before looking him in the eyes in opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it.
"Why are you here Watcher," he snarled.
"I promised to come back and I always keep my promises," I replied. 'Seems he remembers me,' I thought.
"Why now why didn't you return before," he whispered his fierce expression replaced by one of sadness and betrayal, "why didn't you come back when I needed you?"
My heart felt as if a pack of hyenas decided to rip it to shreds, "I'm sorry…"
He backed up allowing me the room to rise up again, his head was lowered hiding his expression from me.
I pushed myself off the dry grass and sat down in front of him, "Kitten…what happened?"
His body stiffened, "it doesn't matter you weren't there," he hissed turning away and padding off to an old leaning tree on the other side of the clearing. Darkness lay down, curling up into a small ball his back facing me.
I sighed and padded over to him, "I'm sorry Darkness please…forgive me," I pleaded to him.
I received a grunt as a reply to my plead. Darkness lifted his head a bit and looked at me, "forgiven I guess Watcher.''
I lay down next to him, placing my chin over his side, "what happened?"
"…nothing I don't want to talk about it," Darkness mumbled.
I sighed silently but allowed the topic to fall away.
Darkness leaned into the warmth I gave off, he purred softly.
'Still the same kitten no matter how old,' I thought as I nuzzled him gently, 'I missed you,' I silently thought unable to speak it allowed.
The night passed into the morning with ease. I lifted my head up as the sun's rays snuck through the leaves of the tree. Beside me Darkness began to stir slightly, he raised a paw covering his eyes from the light.
I rolled my eyes and stood up shaking my pelt off. I nudged Darkness with my nose, "Wakey, wakey kitten."
Darkness slowly removed his paw from his face giving me the evil eye, "die in a deep dark damp hole."
"You would miss me if I did that," I pointed out.
He stood up with a stretch, "maybe, maybe not," he smirked padding off.
I leapt up into the tree to watch the scenes that would play out as the rest of the pride awoke.
Darkness returned after a while carrying a gazelle carcass with him.
Apollo padded out of his den and stood before Darkness his head held high as he looked down at him, "next time bring more brat we have more than a few lions and lioness to feed."
I glared at the white male, (if looks could kill my glare would have had him spontaneously combust.)
Darkness nodded, "I apologize king," he bowed his head.
The elder male gave a curt nod, "you had better do better next time….." he whispered the last bit in Darkness's ear so that no one else myself included would be able to hear.
His lowered his head even more hiding his face from everyone once more.
The rest of the pride began to awake padding out of their dens, into the clearing. I recognized one of the lioness's immediately she was the carbon copy of her mother the one who had attacked Darkness the first time we had met. She was no longer a mini copy now she looked just as her mother had when she was young.
She openly sneered at Darkness, "monster."
"Lily," he greeted in the same manner of disgust.
A new male padded up behind Lily, he was a large prune coated male with an orange mane growing in. he stood tall glaring at Darkness, "back off freak," he growled standing slightly in front of Lily.
"Then control your mate," he growled, "Zeus."
The male I now knew as Zeus snapped his teeth, "scram!"
Darkness hissed lowly, before padding away from them and coming towards where I lay draped in the tree. He sat beneath the limb I was draped over.
"They're stupider then a canine," he growled quietly.
"Interesting way of phrasing it," I smiled down at him.
He looked up with a smile tugging at his lips, "I've been waiting to use that so you could hear."
I grinned and slid down from the tree landing beside him and looking over the pride.
The pride consisted of many new faces as new cubs had been brought into the light well older lions and lioness had passed on into the dark. A small smile played across my lips as I relived the memories of Darkness when he was a young cub after he opened up.
Darkness sat next to me silently his ears perked and listening to the surroundings. His gaze was fixed off to the side watching the surrounding woods.
I watched from my peripheral vision, he seemed to be awaiting something. Though at the time I had no idea what so ever. I had no time to ask what it was he was looking at for he turned his head away suddenly and looked at the pride with cold eyes.
We remained wrapped in silence for a while watching the pride. For me the silence was uncomfortable but I would not be the one to break it seeing as I had no idea what to say.
"It was nothing," Darkness replied to my unasked question.
"I won't press for the answers Kitten but remember you can tell me," I nodded glancing over at him.
"I know Watcher, I know and eventually maybe I'll tell you until then I won't."
We fell back into our bubble of silence. I watched the pride interact with one another and felt a pang of sadness pierce my heart as I looked at Darkness who remained unmoving beside me.
He lay down upon the dry grass resting his head upon his paws, "will you leave again?" he whispered not looking at me.
I frowned slightly before masking it with a reassuring smile, "no I don't think I'll be leaving any more.
He lifted his head and looked at me with hope shining in his eyes, "promise?"
"I promise Darkness, I promise."
He nodded and pushed himself form the ground once more, looking at me he asked, "Would you like to meet the friends I've made well you were away?"
I nodded, pushing myself onto four paws I padded to his side.
He lead the way from the pride territory and out into the untamed savannah. I padded after him looking that the surroundings as we padded along. Eventually, we came to a small watering hole that lay hidden within an old cave.
Darkness looked over his shoulder at me, "don't hurt them Watcher," the threat was left unsaid, (and I for one did not want to find out since I know how scary Darkness can be when he's pissed.)
"I won't hurt them kitten,'' I promised him, before we padded into the cave.
Our paw steps echoed quietly along the cave walls as we padded down a long tunnel. My ears perked at the sound of running water coupled with the sounds of other creatures.
Darkness let out a fierce roar startling me, (no matter what he says I did not I repeat did not jump and squeal like a baby). He looked at me with a sheepish grin planted on his face, "sorry should have warned you.''
I scowled at him, "yes a warning would have been much appreciated," I mockingly agreed.
He turned his gaze back to the path ahead and finished leading the way. The tunnel opened up into a medium sized cavern with a pool of water against the back wall, a small water fall feed into the pool. I looked around the cavern in hidden awe.
"Who's that Darkness?" a small voice spoke from off to the side.
I turned my gaze towards the sound of the voice, when I looked towards the sound I saw nothing there but Darkness.
"Oi down here," another voice piped up.
I lowered my gaze onto the ground, there sitting unamused were four young creatures of the savannah: a zebra foal, a gazelle filly, a giggling hyena cub, and a small rat.
Darkness smiled down at them before looking back at me, "these are the friends I made."
I bit my tongue before I could make a remark I would later regret.
The small rat spoke first, "the name's Mischief," he introduced himself.
The next one to speak was the young gazelle, "my name is Star, nice to meet you.''
I nodded in greeting still biting my tongue.
"Name's Ace," the zebra foal stated proudly, "that there is Giggles," he motioned to the laughing hyena pup who continued to roll around upon his back in laughter.
"My name is Watcher," I introduced myself to the youngsters.
Darkness grinned and took their distraction as a chance to playfully pounce upon Ace's back, starting a play fighting game between all of them.
I laughed as I watched them wrestle on the cave floor.
Giggles continued to roll around in laughter, falling into the water pool. He popped his head up looking like a drowned cat making us all burst out laughing.
After a while the nights cloak covered the land signalling that it was time to leave once more.
We each bid our goodbyes to one another at the entrance of the cave before we each went our own ways. Ace and Star left in the same general direction back to their waiting herds. Mischief scurried away back towards his hiding hole. Giggles staggered away towards his pack giggling all the way. Once, everyone had left only Darkness and I stood before the cave.
I looked at Darkness, "time to head back kitten."
His smile dimmed as he slowly nodded, "ya…. How about you go on ahead I'll catch up."
I nodded and made it look like I was heading back. Once I left his line of vision I shifted back into my normal form and floated back the way I came to keep an eye on Darkness.
Darkness padded away from the cave and made his way towards the pride before suddenly veering off course. He broke out into a run, the dry grass crunching beneath his paws.
I flew above him wondering where the hell he was going.
The moon sat high in the sky shining down upon the land allowing me to see what lay ahead.
