Standard disclaimer, I don't own the characters/places Mufasa, Zira, Sarabi, Sarafina, Ahadi, Zazu, Uru, Rafiki, Scar, the Pridelands, Outlands, gorge, or jungle or the descriptions of the afore mentioned characters/places. The character designs for Tendaji, Abeni, Teru, and Negasi belong to Anyahs on DeviantART. Here's the picture and yes I got permission to use them. art/Crack-Pairing-Cubs-410723396
The names listed are actual names. I looked them up, so if they're wrong its because I was misinformed.
Name Meanings
Tendaji = makes things happen - Abeni = we asked for her, and behold we got her - Adannaya = her father's daughter - Teru = good gold - Nagasi = royalty - Musa = mercy, saved from the water
Kengi = whose child? - Tariku = the story behind, the events surrounding his birth - Nafula = born during rainy season - Kambiri = allow me to join this family - Sanura = kitten - Awiti = thrown away
Gamba = warrior
With the pride now numbering twenty-four hunting would quickly become a full time job and although the herds had arrived with the lions they most certainly did not stay too close because they knew the pride would have to eat. The thick green jungle provided good cover for predator and prey alike. Although difficult they managed to feed their pride. However, nothing stays wonderful for long. While in the jungle the seven newborn cubs caught an illness and Rafiki could do nothing for them. Both Teru and Nagasi survived but Sarabi was not as lucky. From her five cubs only Musa, and Kengi survived. It was no surprise that little Naufla passed but the biggest and most healthy looking was Tariku, and Kambiri was almost as strong as him. Sarabi was distraught but her sorrow was not through, a few days after the deaths of Nafula, Kambiri and Tariku, Kengi got the same illness for a second time. Another two days and she died as well. Sarabi was heartbroken and became very protective of little Musa. The others tried to console her but it did no good. Three months later Zazu reported that the herds were returning to the Pridelands so Mufasa called all the lions and prey herds together and announced that the lions were going back to Priderock and that the herds were welcome to come back or stay in the jungle. Most followed them to the lands they were born in.
Meanwhile at Priderock a rogue had made himself at home. Large and well-built with an attitude, his blue eyes held ice and his deep mud brown pelt shone in the sun like a living shadow, an ill omen for the pride. Standing atop Priderock looking out across what he thought to be his new domain, he shook his dusty brown mane and roared to announce his reign. The traveling groups, still too far away to hear this, continued toward their familiar home. Unaware of the grave danger looming over their home.
As they were traveling Mufasa seemed to pause and slow a bit. His father, Ahadi, noticed and in a low voice asked, "What's wrong son?" Mufasa was quiet for a moment then said softly, "I just have an odd feeling, like something bad is about to happen." Ahadi thought a moment. "A rogue maybe. We have been gone for three months." Suddenly the quiet was shattered by the five month old Abeni, "Look! I can see the gorge! Does that mean we're almost home?" Her mother nodded and she, her siblings, Sarafina's twins and Musa began to run forward, in the direction of the home they knew, never knew, or were too young to remember. Uru, picking up on the unease of her son and mate, shouted for them to come back. Confused but obedient they did as they were told. Musa looked to his mother, blue eyes shining with confusion, and asked "What's going on mama?" She looked to Uru, then Mufasa and Ahadi, "I'm not sure but it's best to listen, son."
The wind was blowing in the direction of the Pridelanders and it wasn't long before they caught the scent of the rogue. Every creature paused and sniffed the air. "You were right dad. It's a rogue." Mufasa said. Ahadi nodded and looked at the cubs, "You little ones stay close to your mothers." The cubs all nodded and went to walk by their moms, realizing the danger. The herds spread out to settle in and the lions stalked toward Priderock. Once they were at the sunning rock a short way from their home, Mufasa told Sarabi, Sarafina, and Zira to wait with the cubs while the rest of the pride went to see to the intruder. The rogue however was smart enough to leave before they arrived, knowing he was outnumbered.
When the pride got there the scent was strong but he was gone. Mufasa, Ahadi, and Scar went to look for him and a lioness went to get the others from the sunning rock. While the males were gone the pride split into a four lioness hunting party while the other seven stayed at Priderock with the cubs. As they were resting and the cubs playing the rogue made an appearance. The lionesses were quick to stand and place themselves between him and the cubs, growling. He only smirked and laughed lightly at them. "You think I can't handle a few lionesses? If you want a fight I will, but it can be avoided." Zira snarled at him, "You're the one out of your league rogue! Leave now!"Uru growled, "What do you mean avoided?" He stared hard at the group of lionesses. "I see three that have cubs but one has a cub that doesn't belong to her." Sarabi stood tall and protectively in front of Musa. "He is as much mine as he would be if I had given birth to him." The rogue growled out agitated,"He was abandoned by my former mate, Awiti. He is MY son." Sarabi growled dangerously at him, "You will not lay one paw on MY son!" The other lionesses stepped forward in support and the rogue snarled. "I will leave with my son one way or another."
Zira roared and swiped at him while the others stepped forward growling dangerously. The dark rogue roared as Zira's claws cut his cheek and turned to her snarling, "You won't live to regret that." Then he jumped at her easily knocking the thin built lioness to the ground and dug his large claws into her shoulder and side, then moved to sink his fangs into her throat. After the few tense seconds of shock the other lionesses sprang into action, Sarabi and Sarafina rammed into his side and knocked him off Zira while Uru sounded an alarmed roar to call her mate and sons. Two lionesses went to Zira, who was not completely spared from the bite as visible from the blood on her neck, but she still rose to her paws and growled at the rogue as he knocked back her friends and turned angrily to the rallied lionesses but before he could attack again angry roars sounded much closer than he would have liked. He turned to run but was blocked by Ahadi and Mufasa while Scar rushed to Zira. Mufasa growled out dangerously, "You dare to trespass in my territory, my den, and attack my pride?!" The rogue looked him directly in the eyes, "The lioness attacked me. I only acted in self-defense. My name is Gamba, and I am only here to get MY son." Not backing down in the least he stared threateningly at the rogue, "You will leave and never return to MY land, and you will not get the cub."
Gamba did not like that at all, "Then I will take him by force." He suddenly turned and ran toward the cubs; Zira was again the first to act. She lunged at his neck but he turned in an instant and swatted her aside, tearing her wounded neck even more. He turned back to the cubs and kept pressing forward knocking away and dodging every attempt by the pride lions to attack him. In moments he reached them and, still running, grabbed at his son while knocking the other cubs out of his way. Taking Musa's tail in his mouth he kept going, outrunning the Pridelanders, not noticing the extra weight he carried.
Deciding he was safe for the moment in a skull in the elephant graveyard, he dropped the weight from his mouth but when he looked down he saw not one but two cubs. The two ran the moment they hit the ground but the full grown male blocked their exit. Gamba stared at the cubs as they backed away shaking like leaves in a storm. Next to the tan boy he knew was his son was a light gold female about the same age. He studied them and stepped forward when a little yellow blur ran from behind him and stood in front of the two terrified cubs. Nagasi, who had jumped onto the rogue as he ran by, bravely growled at the much larger lion, "Keep away from my sister!" Without even batting an eye he knocked the boy away and stepped toward the cowering cubs. Teru looked in horror at her brother lying motionless on the ground. She tried to run to him but was blocked by the dark rogue, He looked down at her with unreadable eyes, "From the look of you I'd say I have the king's daughter." She crouched low to the ground with her ears back and head low eyes never leaving the creature that to her seemed like the shadow of death itself.