Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own the Lion King or any of its characters. If I did then this awesome story would still only be in my mind.

I do not own the following characters but have prior permission from the author, Nala-Nay to use them:

Hasani

Hiassen

The characters I do own are as follows (For now):

Kali(Fierce)

Usafi(Purity)

Kusudi (Purpose)

Ufisa (Variation of Ufisadi which means Mischief)

Chaka (Thicket)

New character (to be revealed later):

Kumsa (variation of kumsaliti which means betray)

ENJOY!

The Challenge of Parenthood

At the sound of the noise, they stood up, turned their bodies and rushed towards the sound. When they arrived the sight they beheld was nothing short of horrific. There lay a dead female cheetah with blood pouring from countless wounds on her belly.

"Oh great kings!" Usafi said as he gazed at the dead cheetah.

"Usafi! Look!" Kali said with urgency as he gestured towards something moving near the body. They moved around and what they saw made them gasp.

There were two little cubs that were only a moon younger than Usafi that caught the two lions gaze. They were licking the wounds desperately on their mother, hoping that by doing so that their mother would miraculously respond. Kali and Usafi rushed forward, grabbed both of the younger cubs and pulled them close to them. The cubs at first were angry at being pulled away but then burst into tears and sobbed into the two older cubs' chests. Usafi also began to cry because this scene had brought forth the realization that these two cubs, like her, were now orphans. She carefully started rubbing the back of the cub she was comforting and tried to regain her composure. Kali however merely looked down at the young cub sobbing into his chest and simply hugged him tighter. He knew that someone had to stay strong in this situation and decided the moment he saw the scene that it had to be him. The sobbing continued for until the sun was at its highest point in the sky, and the cubs finally calmed down. They both walked away from the sympathetic lions and rejoined each other. The male of the two cheetahs finally spoke up.

"Thank you for being here. I at first thought you were trying to hurt us seeing as we do not know you, but we soon realized that you were just trying to be there for us and for that I'd like to thank you." He said.

"It was no problem. My girl Usafi here has been through your situation before and so it seemed only right that we should be here to comfort you."After saying this he pondered if Usafi could recall that moment, or at least feelings. "May I ask you your names and what exactly happened here?" Kali asked. His voice was calm yet stern. When Usafi heard him ask them the question she almost thought OH Kali sometimes you are Mufasa when you talk like that.

"My name is Kusudi. This is my sister Ufisa. We were recently coming back from watching our mother trying to catch us something to eat but failing in the attempt. Upon seeing this, our father who had become impatient with our mother's failed hunts started to look at us with a hungry look in his eyes."

Tears once again beging to flow down his fur like a rushing river. The poor cub was traumatized. Not that anyone could blame him after living though such horrific events.

Our mother saw his gaze and immediately got in his way and told us to hide. We watched as our father clawed our mother viciously in his attempts to go after us but, our mother … she…She clawed out his left eye and broke his left leg before he…" The cub was now trembling and looked visibly ill. His sister then embrace him with a nuzzle; giving him the strength to continue with their story, "he used his claws to slash her neck."

His sister then stepped in, "Luckily he was too injured to pursue us. The rest you already know." She finished explaining.

Both Kali and Usafi were shocked by what they had heard. The fact that they were orphans was bad enough. But the fact that they were orphans because their father had killed their mother and tried to kill them was just too much. Both lions looked at each other and thought about the situation for a moment. Suddenly, Kali had a big smile on his face and looked towards the two cheetahs.

"My name is Kali. Sorry I did not introduce myself. Anyways, I feel sorry for you and seeing as you have no one and nowhere to go. I wanted to ask if you would like to come with me and Usafi and join our Pride." Kali asked with a hopeful tone. Usafi beamed at this and she knew why he had said it. Kali was a very gentle lion despite his build and at times smart aleck nature. He cared about all life and felt every life in the Pride Lands deserved a chance at happiness.

"We would love to come. But would the king let us stay?" Ufisa stated with a hopeful yet doubtful tone.

"My father is a kind lion and I am sure he would allow you to stay with us once he knows the situation." He replied and then paused. The cubs' doubtful faces turned to joy for they had realized Kali was the Prince and was most likely telling the truth. They ran forward and hugged Kali briefly and then quickly broke the embrace. Kali smiled down at them and then looked at Usafi, who had the same joy in her eyes as the cubs and then he stated.

"Well then let us go to Pride Rock and see that you are given the happiness you deserve." He stated proudly once more. The four cubs then began to walk towards Pride Rock; Kali and Usafi side by side and the two cheetah cubs walking on the opposite sides of the two lions.

As they finally approached Pride Rock Kali looked up and saw his father rushing towards him and thought to himself 'I hope he agrees with my idea'.

Words could not describe the frustration he felt towards his son and Usafi right now. These two cubs had just lead two cheetah cubs towards Pride Rock. Rumors had been spreading that the cheetahs around the Pride Lands had been planning to overthrow the King and his family. Mufasa had some friends among the cheetahs, but had always noticed that a lot of the others he was not acquainted with had shown signs of deep hostility towards the King. Not willing to risk his family's safety he began to be particularly observant of the cheetahs and started trusting them less and less. These thoughts in his head he rushed to his son with a stern look on his face and said.

"Kali, what is the meaning of this betrayal?" he demanded.

The young prince had heard of the rumors of cheetah revolution but had long disregarded them as false because most of them came from either the vultures or from the serpents, both of whom were untrustworthy because they always spread false stories that would lead to conflict and death. With death came bodies which both the serpents and the vultures enjoyed the thought of a feast of big cats across the Pride Lands had to me much too tempting of an idea to pass up, once it popped into their oddly shaped heads. Kali still maintaining his composure replied.

"Father, please understand. I and Usafi found these two cubs in Acacia Grove while we were exploring. I know it seems bad seeing as they are cheetahs, but I assure you they mean us no harm." He said with a calm and protective tone.

"How do you know they mean you no harm? They could very well have tricked you and are using you so they can leak information to their parents!" His father roared with a deep fury.

"They are not like that! When I and Usafi found them, they were licking the wounds off their dead mother, who had died trying to protect them from their father. Kings above Dad, he went crazy and tried to kill them for food." He then paused, horrified from what he saw. " I examined the wounds on the female and you know that no one can lie to me without me seeing through them. With this in mind, I urge you to understand these cubs are not dangerous, but unfortunate victims." Kali roared back to his father after regaining his composure.

His father then paused at his son's statement. He looked in his son's eyes and recalled how his son had been able to figure out about the unspoken question when he had asked him and Simba the question about them being King. He sighed and conceded that Kali had not been deceived and replied.

"I will trust you on this my son because, I know you have never yelled at me. I am trusting that this is very important to you. Therefore I will spare them. But I cannot allow them to stay here. If the cheetahs are retaliating they may argue that our pride kidnapped them. Even knowing a lioness can easily overpower a cheetah, I am not about to risk bloodshed. I'd hate to put you or anyone else into any danger. If a war was to break out, your brother would be their first target. " He replied with a calm, stern, and decisive tone.

This has idea has not yet come to Kali's mind, and could never live with himself if he was the cause for a family members death. However, he knew that he had to stand up for his new friends.

"But father, they cannot be forced to live out there on their own. What if their father is still out there? If we make them leave, they might as well be dead! How would you feel if it was Simba or I?" Kali stated.

"What do you want me to do, Kali? You know the lionesses would not be willing to accept those two because of what they are. Even if they did, who would be willing to take care of them?" Mufasa questioned. I know I must do right by my subjects, but my families safety had to come first.

"I and Usafi can take care of them!" The king was shocked by this bold statement.

"We already believe what Ufisa and Kusudi told us to be the truth. Even if you are right Dad, which I hope you are not, there has to be some trust worthy cheetahs on this savanna." The king did agree that most cheetahs were trust worthy, but was still apprehensive. "Usafi can also relate to them seeing as she lost her mother at a young age as well." Kali replied to his father with a determined tone.

Mufasa was going to argue but then paused. He knew what his son had a good argument. Just the thought of his son being like a father to those two concerned him because his son was yet wise for his age, was not yet physically or emotionally ready for such task. The Kings above, know he still is bathed by his mother. But he knew that his son would not back down until he got his way he reminds me so much of his mother. On the other paw, Mufasa realized he could not send those two out on their own at such young an age, and may provide another argument for a revolt. Their deaths would haunt his conscience for years. Seeing these points Mufasa quickly realized a compromise. Not one he liked, but one that his son would agree with. He replied to his son,

"Your reasoning is sound Kali and you are right we cannot abandon them. However, the thought of you being a parent while still so young concerns me but knowing you, you will probably attempt to raise them behind my back, so I have come to a solution." He stated with a smirk on his face.

"What kind of solution?" Kali asked confusedly. What could dad possibly suggest? Kali thought because for once he could not read his father. But he would hear it out if it meant he could keep Kusudi and Ufisa safe.

"Unofficially, you will both act as their temporary parents for one week. If you can endure the hardships of parenthood for that duration then the cubs will be allowed to stay, of course under certain terms that we can later discuss. However, if you even once complain or you admit defeat, then they will be taken from Pride Rock and left in the care of a kind cheetah family that you choose. What do you say son, do you accept?" Mufasa asked in a smart tone because he knew he had cornered his son with indecisiveness.

"Is that a challenge?" Kali asked with a roguish smile.

"Yes, Kali it is. Do you accept it though?" Mufasa repeated with a similar roguish smile while he thought Deja vu as he recalled when he asked Scar the same question on the day of his sons' presentation.

Kali pondered what his father had said very carefully. Here he had a chance to prove he could handle the strains of responsibility and could protect Kusudi and Ufisa if he succeeded. He also realized if he failed that the two cubs would still be in a good position because Kali would be able to choose a good cheetah family for them to live with. Either way it turned out good for Kali. He then turned and looked at his father.

"I accept your challenge father. I will not fail. I know that if I do, I will regret it for a long time to come. If I succeed, I will hold you to your word and become their father. Are we agreed?" Kali stated with no shred of doubt in his voice.

Mufasa nodded and then left to go announce this to the rest of the Pride. At the same time, Kali turned and returned to Usafi and the two cubs looking at him with pleading eyes. He then told her away from the cubs about the challenge; they both agreed that their only option would be to succeed.

Author: So Kali and Usafi have been given the task of being parents to the two cheetahs. Will they succeed? There is something coming next chapter that will solidify the final decision. Care to guess what it is.

Swahili:

Baadhi wanasema kwamba maneno kuleta watu pamoja.

Baadhi wanasema kuvunja sisi mbali.

Baadhi wanasema kwamba maneno atukomboe.

Baadhi wanasema kwamba maneno kumfunga yetu kwa hatma ya baadaye.

Ambayo miongoni mwa haya ni kweli?

Decipher, and then answer.