Chapter 3: Pain

Jayden didn't like to think about Dark. It just hurt too much. How had she fallen so in love with that boy in such a short time? This was a question she asked herself all the time. Well, he wasn't so much of a boy anymore, but a man. In the near two years since she'd been gone, Dark would have grown into a young adult. He'd be tall, and likely muscular. He'd have a mane now. Jayden wondered If it would be grown in full, connected all the way around, or only partially full and missing sections on the sides. Koru went through a phase such as that for a few months before his full mane grew in. It seemed a little awkward, but at the same time, a bit cute. Koru had been embarrassed when he went through that phase, and he spent a longer time in that phase than Mani did, so that only made it worse.

"Mine filled up from that phase only after one month!" The brown lion had joked with Koru at the time. Koru had blushed and turned away, still a little shy in front of his idol, Mani. It did take a few months, but Koru's did finally grow in fully. At the same time, Mani's was growing bigger and thicker like Tome's.

Jayden tried to picture Dark as an adult, and found it hard to do. Finally she conjured an acceptable image of his grown up face, black mane and his beautiful blue-gray eyes that seemed to reflect all emotions at once.

A blush came to Jayden as she viewed her image of Dark. He was remarkably handsome, it was almost hard to look at, or in this case think about, so she let the image disappear.

It doesn't matter what Dark looks like now anyway. Jayden thought. It's not like I'm going to see him again…

When Jayden and her family first came home almost two years ago, Jayden told herself every day that as soon as she could hunt and fight for herself, she would make the trek back to the Pride Lands, no matter what her family thought. That first month, she used the happy thoughts of seeing Dark again to get her through each heart broken day. She also had resented her parents a lot at first, especially her mother. She felt they had ruined her life by taking her away from the cub and Pride she loved. Of course they hadn't known she was in love with the black cub, and nor was she able to tell me out of fear of Dayya finding out. She hadn't wanted to cause animosity between her and her sister since Dayya had liked Dark too.

It took some time, but Jayden let go of her resentment. Then some months after that, after tons of crying, thinking and mind changing, Jayden let go of her dream too. It had just been too long. How did she know her relationship with Dark would still be the same if she went back home? How did she know he would still like her? Or worse, what if he had a new girlfriend? Jayden hated to think of that scenario, but she was a gluten for punishment, so sometimes she did. She imagined some other girl all over him; kissing hugging, always smiling and happy. It was only her imagination, but it broke her heart. She couldn't just show up at the Pride Lands and risk seeing him with another girl. And all this time that had passed gave her time to analyze how Dark reacted when she was leaving the Pride Lands with her family. Dark had been cold. He barely said anything to her. His blank expression was burned into her mind from when she said goodbye and began walking away. He hadn't tried to stop her, or say he would miss her, or promise he would wait for her…nothing.

So Jayden gave up, resigned to live her life the way she was expected to: with her family. If she were to find love someday and have cubs, fine, but it would not be with Dark, and it would not be any time soon. She might be forever broken on the inside because of her unbending love for someone she could never have, and who didn't seem to want her in the end anyway, but on the outside, she'd try to be normal and live to help and serve others, like help her sister Dayya with hunts, or Tempest's future cubs with Mani.

Eventually she would think of Dark less and less, and one day, even forget him. He probably already has stopped thinking of her, so why should thoughts of him still stop her in her tracks?

Jayden let her thoughts wander to the other friends she had back at the Pride Lands. If Dark was an adult, that means so were Clous, Malowa and the twins Zuna and Zula. And the cubs of Tikana, Tamani and Toni that hadn't been born yet before Jayden and her family would be adolescents by now.

I bet those three- or more as it could be- are best friends. She thought, and wondered about them. Then halted the thoughts once she remembered one of them could be Dark's new girlfriend. She decided not to think of them again.

"Jayden, you've been chewing the same piece of meat for the past few minutes." Tempest said, breaking her concentration. Jayden hadn't noticed her older sister had finished eating already. "Are you done?"

"Oh. Yes." the dark brown lioness said, using a paw to wipe excess off her lips.

"Would you like to go with me to the river for a drink?"

"Of course." Jayden said, then nodded a quick goodbye to Drayden who was sitting beside her. She quickly joined Tempest's side.

"Be careful!" Mani called after his mate. He looked as if he wanted to go with them, but Tempest must have insisted she could go with her sister instead. Tempest confirmed it once they were far enough away when she said,

"It's not that I'm beginning to not like him, it's just he's being too over protective about a silly back wound."

Jayden felt a smile coming. Mani and Tempest were always a sickeningly cute yet amusing couple. "He just cares about you."

"I know."

"And he worries since the wound isn't getting better."

"It's been fine." Tempest said.

Jayden glanced at her older sister's back. The wound was scabbed on the edges, but the middle was bright red, open, bleeding and oozing a little white pus. It smelled faintly of infection, but Jayden didn't say anything.

Tempest had become pretty stubborn as she grew to adulthood. Along with that, she had grown to be mature, nurturing like a mother, understanding when things didn't go her way, and full of advice when asked for it. Jayden looked up to her. Not literally though; the only thing that hadn't grown on her sister were her legs. Tempest was always small for her age, and remained so through adulthood. She was the oldest sibling, yet the smallest. Except for her belly. A little weight had gained there because she hadn't been as active lately thanks to her wound. Normally she was very skinny. She knew once the wound got better, she would quickly lose the extra pounds.

After a few minutes of walking, the sisters arrived at the river and took long drinks. Tempest seemed tired, or in pain, so she laid down. Jayden felt bad for her but didn't know what to say or do. The grayish-peach lioness seemed content to just rest quietly, however, and she put her head on her paws.

Jayden looked into the water of the calm river and watched it move for a while. It was very relaxing. Jayden had always liked water. The sound of it was hypnotic and calming.

Suddenly Tempest spoke, "Do you ever think about the Pride Lands?"

An almost painful rush came to Jayden's chest. "Not really." She lied quickly, hoping the conversation would end there.

"I've started thinking about it recently. Or thinking about my old friends, rather. I miss them." Tempest said. "I would really like to see them again."

"Uh, yeah." was all Jayden could say. She didn't want to think about the residents of Pride Lands, namely Dark. She was ready to begin getting over him. Talking about it wasn't going to help.

Jayden's ears lifted. Or would it? Why couldn't she tell Tempest her feelings about Dark? She could tell her not to tell Dayya, Jayden knew Tempest wouldn't if she asked.

"Um… Tempest?" the dark brown lioness said, turning to her. She was laying on her side now and her stomach was heaving. She was breathing fast and had her eyes shut tight.

"Kings! What's wrong?" Jayden said, standing quickly.

Her eyes were still pressed shut, and didn't say anything.

"Why didn't you say you were in pain, Tempest?" she said frantically.

"It will pass, it always passes. It's fine."

"You've been like this before? Have you told anyone?"

"It's just my head hurting… it's not that serious." Tempest said, shivering a little. Jayden put her paw on Tempest's forehead. It was hot.

"You have a fever. I'm going to get Larne." Jayden took off, her heart racing. What was happening to Tempest? She ran as fast as she could.

"What's wrong?" Tome said when he saw Jayden's demeanor. Mani was there too, and looked on with interest.

"It's Tempest. She has a fever, and she's not moving. It must be from her infection. Where's Larne?"

"Tempest?" Mani shouted, bolted to his paws, and dashed off in the direction Jayden had come.

"Larne went with your mother. They are nearby." Tome said, gesturing in the direction Vitani and Larne went. Jayden nodded, and hurried off. Tome quickly followed Mani.

Jayden quickly found Larne and her mother, and told them about Tempest. Larne gasped and said, "Well hurry, take us to her!" Vitani and Larne followed Jayden back to the river.

Tempest was still laying on her side, her head on the ground. Mani was standing over her, licking her cheek and sounders comfortingly. Tome was stroking her front paw, and saying her name. Vitani joined her mate's side, and Larne moved to Tempest's head. Larne touched Tempest's forehead and ears, after making Mani move over a little. She moved to her back and looked at her wound. After a moment, she moved back to her head.

"Tempest, can you hear me?" the old lioness said.

"Yes," she said quietly, eyes still closed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Cold. And tired."

Larne looked up at her awaiting family. "She has a fever."

"That's all?" Mani said, looking a little relieved. "I'll get my mane wet and put it on her forehead. The cold will help lower the temperature, wont it?" he said, already going nearer the water.

"Yes but there's more…" Larne sighed. "I'm afraid she might have blood poisoning."

"Blood poisoning!" Vitani exclaimed.

Suddenly, Dayya came running over. "Blood poisoning? Tempest has blood poisoning? What is that exactly?" She stopped by her parents. Drayden was behind her, looking concerned too.

"The infection in her back wound has spread to her blood. The infection is beginning to course through her whole body. Without the right medicine… she will die."

Jayden gasped. "No…"

"That can't be!" Mani said. "You're lying! Not my Tempest." he nuzzled her deeply.

Tome spoke up, ignoring Mani's hysterics. "Well you have medicine don't you?"

"Yeah!" Dayya said. Larne lowered her head.

"No. I don't know the medicines that would help."

"What!" Mani exclaimed. Vitani started nuzzling the even smaller-seeming lioness now, and started crying. Jayden felt a crushing, shattering feeling. Tempest can't die!

"It's not too late." Larne said, and all eyes turned to her, hungry for her words.

"I know who knows which medicine she needs to take. Mairu. We must return to the Pride Lands and seek her help."

Jayden's eyes grew wide as Larne's words hit her. They were returning to the Pride Lands.