Author's Note: Sorry for my absence everyone…there's been a huge family issue going on with me lately. Sorry to sound dramatic, but it's literally a life and death situation for someone in my family, and I'm the one that has to take care of her now. I don't really like to talk about very personal things online, but I will say it was my mom that this thing is happening to, so you can kind of tell how important it is.
So If I'm kind of lacking in uploads for a while, you can just get a microscopically small idea of what I'm going through right now.

That's all I'll say, we can go on to the story now.

Chapter 7: Old Friends

After two more days of travelling, the journey for Vitani's Pride was coming to an end. Tempest's energy had just about run out. For the last day, she had been travelling slower than usual, with her head lowered. She had lost her appetite too, and barely ate. She could only stomach a few bites of prey when encouraged by her family before she got nauseous.

The old lioness, Larne was extremely nervous about Tempest's condition. She didn't know enough about health and medicine to know if the trip made the young lioness worse, or if the blood poisoning had begun to take hold. She needed Mairu's knowledge.

Finally the Pride was only minutes from the Prideland's border.

Jayden was walking with Tempest, watching her carefully, when the pale colored lioness rose her tired head. "I think I can smell it. It's Pridelanders." She smiled slightly.

"Smells like home." Mani, from Tempest's other side said quietly.

Vitani trotted over to them with Dayya at her side. "Smell that? It's the Pridelands." She smiled. She seemed excited to get there too. "Jayden, you and Dayya go ahead of us and warn them we're coming. Find someone who can locate Mairu right away. No distractions." Vitani said looking at Dayya.

"Why are you looking at me?" Dayya protested.

"Because you're the one that is known to be a chatterbox," her mother said simply. "Now be gone, both of you."

Jayden and Dayya didn't have to be told twice. They ran as far and fast as they could. They passed into the Prideland border after just a minute.

"I smell something." Jayden observed, still running.

"I think Kivu was just here! I can still remember his scent." Dayya said. "Maybe we can catch him if he's still nearby!"

Jayden nodded. They didn't see Kivu anywhere, but they kept going. They were bound to find someone soon. They did find plenty of familiar trees, bushes and rocks. Even the chirping of the birds and bugs sounded familiar.

After several minutes, the girls had to rest. They didn't allow themselves to stop completely, but they slowed to a trot. Their breathing was labored.

Jayden was beginning to feel nervous again. She would certainly be seeing Dark soon. Just say hi. Just say hi. She told herself. She felt herself calming the more she repeated it. It's going to be fine, just fine.

The sisters kept going into the Pridelands, not seeing Kivu or any other lion. They passed a few herds of zebra and gazelle. Suddenly, there were hard paws approaching them quickly from behind.

"Stop!" came a familiar male lion's voice. "Just where do you—" As Jayden and Dayya turned to face the lion, his sentence halted. The sisters lit up. It was Kivu. He said, "I think I know you…" he stared at their faces.

"Kivu!" Dayya said smiling, "Don't recognize your own cousins?"

His face lit up too. "Of course I do! Dayya and Jayden all grown up, it's great to see you!" he butted heads gently with both of them. Both girls smiled ear to ear. Jayden was surprised how good it felt to see him again. He was taller and more muscular. He looked like a perfect mix between Simba and Kovu. Kivu's mane had grown in fully. It was very thick and mature. He had a tunnel-like bang on the top of his head like Simba's but it was only one instead of two. The other side was shorter and just hung limply on the side of his face. Kivu still had his telltale hair curl that pointed back toward his ear. His ears still had the dark rims that had been there since cub hood.

"What are you two doing here? Is the rest of the family here too?" He said, craning his neck in the direction they came.

Jayden spoke up, knowing she could explain faster than Dayya would or could. "Yes, they're here too. Our visit isn't entirely a happy one, though. Tempest has an infection, we need Mairu to see her right away."

Kivu became serious, his smile went away. "Mairu's at the den right now, I'll escort you and the family there. Take me to them."

Dayya and Jayden quickly led Kivu to the rest of the Pride. They had just made it over the border when they met up.

"Kivu!" Mani shouted once he saw his old friend.

"Hey!" Kivu ran at Mani, and the two embrased quickly. Mani ruffled the top of Kivu's mane and Kivu growled, swatting Mani's broad shoulder.

"Break it up, you two!" a tired voice with laughter in it split them up.

"Tempest!" Kivu said, turning to her and nuzzling his cousin.

"Hey." She replied with a smile.

"Jayden and Dayya told me you aren't doing too well." Kivu became serious again. "We should get you to Mairu."

"She's got an infection from a wound on her back." Vitani reported as she stepped over. "Hello Kivu."

"Aunt Vitani, it's great to see you." He smiled.

"Yes, very nice seeing you too. Look at you, all grown up. You look just like my brother."

Kivu beamed. Kivu greeted Koru and Larne, and was quickly introduced to Drayden. Time was of the essence, so they didn't linger in one spot. They moved on quickly.

Soon, Pride Rock was in sight, and then it loomed over them in its usual tall glory. A few lionesses lay around the base. One shouted: "Is that Vitani?"

"It is! It's her whole Pride!" Another said.

Jayden hadn't seen Dark yet, but she knew with all this commotion everyone would be drawn at once.

"Go upstairs." Kivu told Tempest. "I'll help you." He raced to her side. She thankfully let Mani and Kivu guide her up the stairs. It was clear the wounded lioness's energy had run out. Vitani followed closely. Kivu turned his head back to the rest of Vitani's Pride. "You all rest or eat. Make yourselves at home!"

"Well, duh!" Dayya sang, "This used to be our home once, afterall!"

Some lionesses that had gathered laughed, then began welcoming the Pride. Tome introduced Drayden to any Pridelander that came over. While Jayden was saying hello and polite thank yous to the lionesses when they complimented her on how grown up and beautiful she had become, she saw a large black lion laying with his back facing her some yards away by a tree. It was Dark. Her heart leaped a little.

It's him. She thought. Just say hello if he comes over. She reminded herself.

A lioness suddenly came in front of her. "Oh, Jayden, I thought that was you."

"Tali!" Jayden blurted, her eyes widening. The brown lioness was more beautiful than she remembered. She had been adult aged last time she'd seen her, but somehow now she seemed even more mature. Maybe even taller and leaner. Her sky blue eyes shined with excitement.
"You look great!" Jayden told her, unable to hold it in.

"Aw, thank you. You've gotten tall!" she replied. "You look great too, Jayden."

Jayden blushed.

"My brother must be with you." She said, looking over the dark brown lioness's shoulder. Mani had his back turned to them, he was talking with his mother, Kanai. "There he is, I've missed that ham." Tali said, smiling. "And he's already found our mother, excuse me, will you? It was nice to see you again, and welcome back!"

"Thank you." Jayden replied, turning her head back to watch the light brown lioness hustle over to her brother and mother. Tali slapped a paw on his back, and Mani whirled around to face her.

"HEY!" he said with a huge grin, and nuzzled her. Kanai watched with a smile and a tear.

"Jayden?" A familiar voice came in front of her. She knew who it was before she could whip her head forward. The scent of soft rain had come over her. That could only be one lion.

"D-Dark." She stuttered, and let out a weird nervous laugh. What was my line again?!

"Hi." He said with a small smile.

Oh right… "Hi." She cleared her throat, and smiled a little too. Normal friends. That's all we are.

"You're whole Pride is here." He said, looking behind her. Dark had grown. He was large, indeed, but didn't appear menacing like the Black Pride male Blood did. His mane was full, but stopped on the middle of his chest. It was a young mane, not like Mani's or her father's that travelled all the way down their chests and under the arms. His eyes of course were still that beautiful gray-blue. They looked kind.

Speak. She told herself.

Huh?

Words. Speak words.

"Yes, um, Tempest is sick." She blurted. "We need Mairu to look at her. Larne did what she could but she's afraid it's blood poisoning."

Dark's eyes widened. "Oh no, how did—"

"DAAAARK!" a voice shrieked. A flash of pale red fur dashed over to them and practically leaped on Dark.

Jayden took a few steps back as she watched Dayya give Dark a big hug.

"Dark, I missed you!"

"Hey Dayya!" he replied.

"You look so handsome with your grown up mane!" she nuzzled him. He chuckled. Jayden felt the burn of jealousy. That's exactly what she had thought when she first saw him, but there was no way she would have said it. It's not fair… she can just jump on him and say anything…what if I wanted to hug him? No, we're only friends of course. So does Dayya believe her and Dark are more than friends? Does she still expect him to fulfill that promise she made to him about being a couple?

Jayden watched Dark and Dayya talk to see if she would mention it. Dayya was saying, "How is your mother?"

"She's well, would you like to visit her? She's just sitting over there." Dark said, gesturing with his tail behind them. Jayden could see a light gray shape laying under a tree.

"That would be nice!" Dayya said.

"You coming, Jayden?" Dark said, turning his eyes on her.

"Oh. Um,"

"Hey!" A male voice sounded to Jayden's right. A burnt orange colored lion with a pale red mane walked over. He had a telltale curl at the top of his mane. The top tuft stood slightly, and flopped over at the tip, like his father Kovu.

"Clous?" Jayden said, very glad for the distraction.

"Hey cousins!" Clous said, bumping heads with Jayden, then Dayya. It was so good to see Clous again. Jayden suddenly remembered the last thing Clous had said to her before they left the Pridelands almost two years ago.

You love him don't you?

Clous somehow knew about her feelings for Dark back then. Maybe that's why he had walked over now.

Clous asked the same question Dark had, "What are you doing here?" And he got the same answer about Tempest.

"I'm sure that she's here now, Mairu will be fixing her right up." Dayya said to Clous.

"She hasn't lost her touch at all." The red manned lion said. "I was sick just a week ago, she got me going again in no time. Oh and did you know Tali knows a lot about medicine now too?"

"Oh yes, she had been learning things just before we left, I believe." Jayden said.

"Woah, hey!" A lioness walked up from behind Clous. She stopped by his side. She was grey with dark grey spots under her left eye. Her eyes were red-orange…or were they orange-red? This was either Zuna or Zula, but she couldn't tell which one. She was a grown up version of one of the twins, that much was for sure. "It's our long lost friends, Dayya and Jayden!" Zuna or Zula said.

"Hey Darling." Clous said with a huge grin, and nuzzled the grey lioness. "How my Zuna today?"

The lioness laughed. "You know I'm not Zuna."

"What?" Clous played innocent. Jayden could tell he was messing around.

The other grey twin walked over then. "Don't pretend you can't tell us apart!" she said.

"It's not my fault you two are identical." Clous teased.

Jayden laughed as the orange lion licked the other lioness on the cheek.

"So you and Zuna are dating now?" Jayden asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure which one I'm dating." He replied.

Zuna on Clous's left scoffed and looked at him with a disbelieving expression. Zula just laughed and said, "Oh quit that!"

"I'm just kidding around, my dear." Clous said when he noticed Zuna's miffed expression, and nuzzled her.

"Those two are made for each other." Zula said, gesturing at her sister and Clous.

"They're never apart." Dark commented. Suddenly, Jayden felt a warm furry object ran into her legs.

"Watch where you're going!" came a voice. It was a cub! She was a pale peach-orange color with fluffy cheeks, a pointed light brown nose, and angry looking yellow eyes.

"Excuse me…" Jayden said, lifting her paw. The she-cub seemed so small. Jayden hadn't seen a cub in a long time. The last time she saw one was when she was a cub herself, back here in the Pridelands. Jayden watched the little peach-orange cub stalk away.

She heard Clous sigh.

"Who was that?" Jayden asked.

"That would be my little sister, Afia. She's a ball of energy, that's for sure. I need to go watch her since it appears she's escaped my mother. See you all later." Clous trotted after his little sister. Zuna followed after smiling and nodding a quick goodbye.

"We're about to visit mom." Dark said to Zula. "Are you coming?"

Dayya nodded, looking eager to move.

"Well I'd like to introduce Jayden to our other new members. Taeliss and Mebala are good friends of mine." She was saying to Jayden. "I'd love for you to meet them."

"Sure!" Jayden said.

"Alright, catch you later." Dayya said, heading toward where Sanu lay. "Come on Dark!"

Dark hesitated a moment, then went with her. Jayden thankfully followed Zula in the opposite direction.

"So who are Taeliss and Mebala?" Jayden asked.

"Taeliss is Tikana's cub, and Mebala is Tamani's. Remember they were expecting before you left the Pridelands?"

"Oh yes." Jayden said, her thoughts flying. She remembered when she was concerned Dark could fall in love while she was away, she worried that Tikana and Tamani might have girls. She had wished they would have boys so there would be no chance Dark would fall for someone else. Of course both turned out to be girls! What if Dark is dating one of them? Jayden thought. No, surely he would have wanted to come when Zula said we are going to meet them…right?

Zula's voice brought the brown lioness fom her thoughts. "Well I shouldn't say cubs. Mebala and Taeliss are almost two years old now. I guess older adolescent is the better phrase. Oh, you haven't met Nundi either, have you?

"No."

"How exciting! Well he usually chills near here, so we'll meet him first. This way." Zula said, steering them suddenly to their left. They walked straight to some large baobab trees. Jayden noticed a shape of a lion lying in the low branched tree. "He likes to lay in this tree like he owns it." Zula snickered.

They approached. "Hey Nundi! Are you asleep?" Zula shouted.

"Well I was." The lion picked up his head and looked at the ladies. Nundi was an adolescent, he had a thick tuft of fur on his chest, and hair on the back of his neck. His fur was light gold, with an orange-gold mane. Jayden found it hard to describe. He had a pointed black nose, and deep-deep blue eyes. He reminded her of someone.

"Nundi, this is Jayden. Do you remember the stories about Vitani? Well this is one of Vitani's daughters. Vitani and her family are here to visit because Jayden's sister is ill. I just brought her by to meet you."

"Oh." Nundi said, barely looking interested.

"Nundi is Jai Senior's son. That makes him Ciara and Jai's younger brother. He was born shortly after you left the Pridelands." Zula explained to Jayden.

"Oh! That would be why you look famililar. Hello Nundi." Jayden said politely.

"Nice to meet you." He managed. "I hear stories of Vitani all the time. Is it true she's scary?"

"Sometimes." Jayden replied.

"You can find out!" Zula said. "You'll meet her eventually if they're staying here for a while."

"Sounds exciting." He said, and despite saying I t, he didn't sound a bit excited. He put his head back on his paws and closed his eyes.

"See you around." Zula said, and walked away. Jayden followed. "We're off to meet the girls now."