III
Lions
Before long, Kinara found herself with the other lionesses, who watched in horror as two younger males approached their leader.
"Who are you and what are you doing in our lands?" growled Ashuma, taking guard of his lionesses.
The pride seemed cubless, as all the young ones had been put back into their dens just moments ago.
One lion, who's head and body shape were the same as Kovu, stalked forward, heavy muscles moving beneath his wheat colored coat as his gray-brown mane waved in the mocking breeze. "We have come to take these lands." he answered with a crude voice.
"Over my dead body!" Ashuma blurted, outraged as his fur prickled and claws unsheathed themselves.
"Exactly." the darker of the two quickly replied. A smirk had grown on his wicked face, which showed itself on what would seem Scar's cranium.
With another roar, Ashuma dashed aside as the pair thrust themselves through the atmosphere at him. Hastily raising a giant paw, Ashuma smacked it down on the buffer of the two. The rogue's pained snarl was blanketed over by the hisses and growls of the encouraging lionesses.
"Mother," said someone from Kinara's right as she sat down. "What's happening?"
"They're rogue lions, Chusuka," exclaimed Kinara gently, yet her desperate eyes did not ditattach themselves from the quarrel. "They've come to take control of the pride."
"Why can't we do something to help?" the younger lioness snapped with a strained voice.
"It's not that easy, my daughter. It's the way of life. It's nature's law. We must let only the leading male fight the attempting rogue or rogues."
"But it's so awful!"
Kinara quickly nuzzled Chusuka, putting a paw around her in comfort.
The fight carried on; loose chunks of grass and dirt flew out everywhere as the lions tackled each other. Blood was lightly shed, and struggling roars filled the air, like the exact music used from the wilderness when there was a brawl.
Kinara squinted, attempting to hold her tears as she let her claws gently kneed the ground. It was hard enough not to leap out and help her mate as she felt her stomach tighten into a knot. The rest of the pride snarled out for their leader, raising their forepaws to sweep the air.
Finally, Ashuma gave one last roar before jumping on one of their backs and briefly burying his teeth into the skin, only to rip out skin and blood, along with a part of the lion's mane. A cry of agony escaped the stranger's saliva and blood crusted lips, and the two rouges were sent off running with Ashuma on their tails.
Kinara heaved a sigh of relief as the White-Feather Pride roared and cheered out. For now, experience triumphed over youth, though none of the lionesses could put this memory aside...What if it happened tomorrow, when Ashuma was even older? Or the next day?
"He did it!" one lioness suddenly cried in joy. "He beat them!"
"I knew he could," someone else exclaimed with a grin.
"They're gone, Mother," Chusuka said, smiling.
"Yes. But they'll come back." Kinara replied with an inward nod as she looked strongly, but hurt, at her daughter.
"Huh?"
"They'll come back. And eventually they'll conquer him...and we'll be theirs."
Chusuka blinked in astonishment, before she hissed, "Mother! How dare you? Don't say that!"
Kinara flinched, her own words slowly weakening her soul, as well as the outrage in her daughter's tone. "Chusuka...it always happens."
"No!"
"It happened with your father."
"What?" Chusuka whispered in shock.
"Your father was Tambi. You were the last of Tambi's, just as your new sister Meersha, was the last of Ashuma's...Your father was chased off by a younger lion...by Ashuma...and Ashuma himself will be in the near future."
"You're lying! My father wasn't Tambi! He was..." Chusuka trailed off, and her eyes widened.
"Trust me. Tambi was your father."
"This can't be," the younger lioness suddenly sobbed, only to bury her face into Kinara's fur.
"Why is this such a shock, Chusuka?" uttered her mother, but Chusuka did not answer.
Before long, one older lioness leapt atop the great knoll and roared out, "We must set up a nersery for our little ones...else I fear for them. Those rogues...they will return some sun. We want to be ready."
The pride murmered to each other in agreement, and the lionesses began to seperate, scrambling off to check on their cubs.
"Chusuka," Kinara then whispered. "You might not like it. None of us do, but it is the way of life. It is a good thing. Otherwise there could be inbreeding."
Chusuka's nod surprised Kinara, though, and her daughter stood, wiping away one of her own tears with a forepaw. "Does that mean Ashuma has to leave?"
"Some day..."
Just then, Ashuma turned up.
"Chusuka, go. Check on little Toga." Kinara ordered, and again, her daughter nodded before taking off to the east. "Ashuma, are you OK?" she then queried with concern, turning to her mate.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Those jerks didn't stand a chance!" he answered, proudly. "I told ya, I'm strong as steal."
"Ashuma, go to Shashi and get some medicine for those wounds," she adviced, wearily gazing at the many bruises, cuts and blood splots which decorated his warn body.
"How are the cubs?" he quickly asked.
"Fine." was all the lioness could muster, before taking off to the west to ensure her answer.
"Mama," said someone later on, and Kinara crawled into the den, laying down and letting her body curl around her cubs.
"Yes, Kasha?"
"Why we no go out?"
"Because it's too dangerous out there right now."
"When can we go out then?" the girl suddenly mewed, hopping up. "I wanna go out now!"
"Yeah, me too!" Banjija cried.
Kinara shook her head. "Maybe when the sun rises...at dawn, perhaps..."
The cubs all huffed and their mother laughed, before huffing mockingly back.
A week later, Kinara could be found, leading her cubs out from the den and to the pride.
"We finally get t' get out," said Kasha happily.
His voice was more mature, as was his slightly bigger body, and his grammer was noiticibly advanced.
"Yeah, it's been forever, Mama! What took us so long? I mean, why'd you keep us in?" asked Banjija as he toddled under his mother. He, too, had grown.
Kinara sighed and replied with iritation, "You're out, aren't you? You should be greatful."
"Why?" asked Meersha, curiously.
She shook her head. "Just stay near me, my little ones."
Before long, they met up with the pride.
"Kinara! I see you finally let them out," exclaimed Shashi, the old, gold lioness who had been the one to announce the nersery.
"Yeah..." Kinara said and added, "After those rouges...we have to be very careful."
The older lioness laughed and said, "Well don't worry. Bayna's taking care of the cubs at the nersery. You might want to drop yours off."
"Good idea. Plus I've been wanting to speak with her...Oh and, Shashi,"
"Yeah?"
"What of Ashuma?"
"He's all right. I took care of his wounds. In fact, most should be healed by now, 'cept for a few scars."
Kinara nodded, before leading her cubs further east. The trio waddled under her, eyes wide and ears perked, as they had never seen another lion before. Shashi, the one which they now spotted, was obviously experienced, as her muscles looked used, bones seemed ached in trembling athiritus, and eyes were droopy with wrinkles below them. Of course, past the tattered ears, she seemed almost youthful in her own way, at least in spirit.
The elder couldn't help but chuckle at the young ones.
"Kin! You finally let them in the eyes of the pride!" called Bayna.
Just a couple minutes and a few pawsteps later, the family was in the east of the territory, where several lionesses thrived. The cubs grew nervous and so huddled closer together, as their mother smiled at her friend. Bayna was lying down, letting a small cub suckle at her stomach.
"Toga," Kinara smiled. "Why don't you go play with your aunt and uncles?"
Toga looked up and mewed, "Are you my mama's mama?"
"Yes I am, little one. Now, go play if you're done suckling."
They were at a place where the ground sunk slightly as the adults sat on the edge of it, above the cubs who played in this small bowl of land. Toga nodded and he scrambled back into the nersery. Kasha, Banjija and Meersha were hesitant at first, but with Kinara's constant nosing and proding, they toddled after to meet the other cubs.
"I knew you'd be the nersery guard and nurse," Kinara exclaimed, smiling at Bayna.
"You know me all too well, Kin." and she rolled over to paw up at her friend playfully. "I love cubs."
"Don't we all...Listen, Bayna." Kinara then said, leaning down and lowering her voice. "I've seen the rouges stalk us. They're always at the borders these days."
"Not only them,"
"Huh?" she asked, surprised.
"There's another rogue who seems to have made his home near the western edges of our pride's territory." Kinara gasped, but Bayna went on before further reaction. "And there's also a pregnant lioness traveling with a young lion. They might take us over as well...I guess word's gotten out of Ashuma's lack of youth."
Kinara nodded gravely. "First Dashu, then Tambi, now Ashuma."
"It's all right, Kin."
"But our cubs...I mean I knew my sons would have to go some time, but now I don't even know if I get to keep Meersha."
"Look," Bayna exclaimed, sitting up and watching the cubs with her friend, tail swishing in the grass, expression distant. "If Ashuma is able to keep us until the cubs are adolescents, then you know Meersha can stay. And if he's able to keep up even after that, then perhaps Kasha and Banjija can stay as well...if they're willing to take over the pride."
"But," Kinara said, but Bayna interrupted. "And," she went on. "If they must leave, then maybe one sun they shall come back and take over, which would be even better. You know, when you stop producing cubs yourself."
Kinara nodded once more, feeling better at her sister's reasurence.
"I'm sure they'd find their own pride, though," she then said. "Probably far from here."
Bayna rolled over on her side as a couple cubs came to suckle hungrily at her stomach. Before long, more joined.
"Mind lending a paw?" Bayna asked, giggling now. "Or a belly, I mean,"
Kinara laughed and laid down, allowing the others, as well as her own to nurse, assured by her friend's sudden calmness.