Chapter 1: A Good Day
The sun rises on a beautiful morning and as the sky begins to turn from pink to orange, a pair of lions are resting on a hill, the pair consists of a lion with golden brown fur and a beautiful white colored mane along his mate who also has golden brown fur, the couple are cuddling together and are interlocking their tails as they sit and watch the sun rise.
"You know Askari, there's nothing better than watching the sunrise in the morning." The lioness says to her mate.
"You are absolutely right as always Malkia, especially since I'm with you." responded Askari, as he cuddled with her more.
20 minutes go by and the sun has fully risen. Both lions have fallen asleep and neither want to get up but both have to get up. Eventually Askari gets up and stretches while shaking his mane out.
"C'mon babe we have to get up, we have things to do." Askari states as he tries to wake Malkia. "Kia get up, you have to lead the morning hunt. You are the queen after all." Askari tries to lick her cheek in an attempt to wake her up and she groans and gets up.
"Well how about you do it, you're the king. Can't you lead the hunt and I sleep all day." Malkia says as she turns around and closes her eyes.
"Babe, I know you don't want to do it but you have to, you love to eat and you are the best hunter in the pride so you gotta get up. And I have to go on border patrol with Nsefu and make sure everything is secure." Askari explains "Tell you what if you go out hunting, I'll send Tai to fly around and give me a report on everything tomorrow and I'll join you and the lionesses on the morning hunt. Deal?" offered Askari
"Hmmm deal." Malkia licks Askari's cheek seductively and winks. "Just to make sure you come." Malkia then walked off to meet up with the other lionesses for the morning hunt.
"I love that lioness." Askari says to himself, blushing deeply and smiling.
Askari goes off to find Nsefu so they can begin border patrol.
Askari finds a beige lion with a black mane lying on a rock
"Good Morning Nsefu" greets Askari.
"Good Morning your Majesty" Nsefu smiles and playfully bows to Askari.
Askari smirks and rolls his eyes. Askari and Nsefu have been friends since they were cubs. They are practically brothers. Before Askari was king he told Nsefu that they would rule together, Nsefu agreed on one condition, that if Askari should have a royal guard to protect him and his family, in which he agreed.
"Heh, are you ready for patrol Prince Nsefu ?" Askari jokingly asks.
"Yes your kingliness for I am your inferior in every aspect." Nsefu smirks and playfully shoves Askari as they begin their patrol.
After Askari's coronation Nsefu was dubbed as the Prince of the Nemean Pride. As the Prince he thought of and assembled the very first royal guard called the Mlinzi, of which Jira, the pride's most experienced fighter, was their leader. The Mlinzi was the team that escorted the Royal Family to neighboring kingdoms. They also would often act as defense if Askari or Nsefu are not in the immediate area. Nsefu loves his position and is a great and respected prince.
As the morning turned into afternoon they walked to the watering hole. Today as they took a drink a golden martial eagle landed near the pair with a concerned look on his face.
"Sire! Urgent news, there's a hyena attack near the hunting grounds!" The golden eagle cried.
"Where's the hunting party Tai ?" Askari asked.
"A few ways north, near the middle of the hunting grounds." Tai answered.
" And where are The Mlinzi?" questioned Nsefu.
"Jira's leading the charge against them." replied Tai.
The two lions looked at each other and nodded.
"Lead the way Tai." said Askari
As soon as he said that, Tai and the lions rushed off in the direction of the hyenas.
Meanwhile in the hunting grounds
6 lionesses were in combat with 24 hyenas, though the odds were stacked against them, the lionesses weren't about to give up so easily. The battle raged as both sides fought ferociously. However the lionesses were tired and soon were surrounded
"Give up you putrid lions! We have you surrounded!" the lead hyena bellowed after giving a bone chilling laugh.
" We'll never surrender to the likes of you Muuaji!" the lead lioness exclaimed. Today was supposed to be a relaxing day. the lioness thought, however when she smelled the scent of hyena near the hunting grounds, she knew that today wouldn't be as relaxing as she hoped.
Muuaji smiled maliciously. "Very well then… KILL THEM ALL!". Just as the hyenas advanced, two loud booming roars were heard from the grass. The hyenas looked to see two large male lions charging towards them. Before anyone had time to react the lions were attacking the hyenas and the lionesses soon joined the assault. Muuaji soon realized that she had lost this battle and called a retreat.
"Hyenas! Fall back!" Muuaji ordered urgently. Her clan began to fall back, while some were ok most weren't so lucky. As she and her clan were about to run. Askari jumped in front of them and roared, the hyenas cowered before the powerful lion, most began whimpering and balling up even their leader let out a scared whimper. Askari then roared to silence them and gave them a warning.
"The next time you enter our lands, the punishment will be severe!" he said in a firm, loud threatening tone.
Muuaji had a warning of her own trying to not appear scared "We'll go Askari but remember these words… We will return and next time we won't be outnumbered." After finishing her sentence Nsefu roared and as the hyenas ran past Askari out of the lion's territory. Askari called Tai beside him.
"Tai make sure they leave for good and don't try to circle back." Tai nods and flies off. "Nsefu let's split up and make sure they are gone for good." Nsefu nods and looks at the lionesses "Alright Jira, Aziza, Matene, you three are with me, and Sheba, Naira, and Laini, you'll go with Askari." "We all will meet up at the watering hole The lionesses nodded and replied "Yes your majesty"
Both groups split up, one group went south and the other group went north. Both went on the lookout for the hyenas. As the sun began to set both groups saw no signs of the hyenas and they went back to the den. They walk up to a rocky outcrop with a cave at the top with an outstretched ledge. As they walk up the steps they see the rest of the pride getting ready to feast on the latest kill. But out of all the 7 lionesses that went hunting one is missing. His mate. Askari looks back to see Nsefu and Jira walk away together as the rest of the Mlinzi join the feast. Askari then goes up to two elderly lionesses, his mother, the Queen mother and his aunt and asks them both where his mate had gone.
"Hello mother, hello auntie." Askari greets nuzzling his mother then his aunt.
"Hello my son, how was your patrol with Nsefu?" The Queen Mother asked.
"Good, however we had a run in with the hyenas, but we managed to chase them out for good." Askari said.
"Good riddance to them, those fleabags bring nothing but trouble" Spoke his aunt Mhuni.
"Yes you're right about that Mhuni, now what is it you need my son?" his mother asked.
"Well mother, I was hoping you knew where Malkia was." Askari inquired.
"I don't know where she could be my son." she replied.
"Hmm.. She said that she'll be at the hill waiting for you, remember Mirabaha?" Mhuni reminded her sister.
"Oh yes I remember, she said she had some news for you." Mirabaha added.
Thank you, I'll see you both later, I love you guys. He nuzzled them both and turned to walk off.
"Be careful you two" Mhuni called after him.
Askari nodded and went to the hill where he first met Malkia so many years ago. As he reaches the top he sees his mate sitting waiting for him. She has a beautiful flower in her ear and her fur is all clean and well groomed despite having gone on a hunt.
"Good Evening my love" greets Malkia as she smiles at her mate.
"Hey Kia, how was your hunt?" Askari asks as he nuzzles Malkia lovingly
"Well it went fine till I sprained my paw" Malkia explains, nuzzling Askari back.
"Did you go see Baviaan?" Askari asked, concerned about his mate.
"Yes I did and she said that me and the baby will be fine" Malkia said calmly with an innocent smile on her face.
"Well I'm glad you and the baby are... Did you say baby?!" Askari excitedly asked.
Malkia nodded and smiled at her husband. "You're going to be a daddy".
Askari then let out a loud shout of happiness as jumped for joy, he then settled down as he proceeded to nuzzle Malkia lovingly. "We have to tell the pride!" Askari exclaimed ecstatically.
Malkia nodded and she and Askari then made their way to the pride to tell the good news. But they weren't the only ones with good news. As Askari and Malkia were walking up to the pride they saw Nsefu and Jira walk up together smiling. Malkia sat next to her mate as Askari got the pride's attention.
"Excuse me everyone, we have some exciting news. Malkia is..pregnant!" Askari announced. Unbeknownst to the pride, Muuaji was watching from the shadow, eavesdropping on the pride, and once she got her information she slinked away into the shadows.
The entire pride rejoiced and gave praise to the royal couple. Askari smiled with pride as his mother came up to him hugging them both.
"It's about time you made me a grandmother!" the elderly lioness said with joy.
He then sees his brother walk up next to him and turns the pride's attention to him. Askari looked at his best friend curiously, he didn't know what Nsefu was planning on saying or what he was planning on saying. But by looking at the smile on Jira's face it seemed as though she was involved in this.
"Ahem. I have some news as well. Me and Jira have been dating secretly for months now and we decided to tie the knot. Nsefu revealed. All the lionesses cheered and all the members of the Mlinzi came up and hugged their leader and closest friend.
"We figured that we wanted to wait and not make it a big deal that we were dating just in case things didn't work out." Nsefu finished explaining, Jira then chimed in "Yea we wanted to make sure it was a lifetime thing and not a silly fling." Askari looked at Nsefu and had a smirk on his face as he slowly advanced towards him. Nsefu looked at him puzzlingly and then realized what he was doing. Quickly Nsefu ran and Askari bolted behind him.
"AHHHHHH!" Nsefu ran away avoiding his best friend's playful wrath. Askari then chased after his friend determined to catch him. All the lionesses looked at the sight curiously "Uhhhh, what are they doing?" asked Jira, concerned for her future mate, Malkia giggled knowing what was about to transpire. "I believe Askari mentioned that Nsefu once said something about marriage and him being dropped in porcupine quills." Jira then looked at her queen wondering what she meant, but before Malkia could explain two screams
were heard not too far from the den. All the lionesses decided to go see what all the commotion was and they saw a medium sized hole with the two lions covered in porcupine quills struggling to climb out. All the lionesses laughed at the sight as Malkia and Jira helped the two out and began taking the quills off and putting them back in the hole.
"Ok I know Nsefu was supposed to fall in, but how did you fall in?" Malkia asked her mate after finishing taking all the quills off her mate. "Oh yes, tell them how you fell in, I'll fact check." said Nsefu smirked.
Askari looked at the pride with an embarrassed smile on his face. "Well you see as I was about to toss him in when all of a sudden I sneezed and I fell in with him." Askari admitted turning red with embarrassment.
All the lionesses laughed at their king's silly misfortune and he soon joined in on the laughter along with Nsefu. The pride then spent the rest of the evening covering up the hole and later went to the den to celebrate the upcoming wedding/pregnancy and as night went on the pride were fast asleep. Askari and Nsefu had gone to the hill next to the den and sat upon it looking at the stars.
"Looks like we're going to start new chapters in our lives. I'm getting married and you are expecting cubs. We are two lucky lions aren't we" Nsefu spoke as he gazed at the stars.
"Yes we are, pretty soon you'll have cubs too y'know. I can tell Jira would make a great mother." Askari pointed out to Nsefu
"And I'll be a kickass dad!" Nsefu exclaimed boldly.
"Yeah Jira would make an excellent mother." Askari repeated, teasing his brother.
"Hey!" Nsefu said in a jokingly hurt tone. Nsefu playfully shoved Askari as the two began to walk to the den to go to sleep.
"Whatever the future has in store for us, we'll be ready. Right bro?" Nsefu inquired, smiling at his closest friend and brother.
"Of course, Nsefu. We are brothers for life." Askari said in a brotherly tone.
The two lions paw bumped (the lion equivalent of fist bumping) and walked into the den to sleep and wake up to a new day of excitement and opportunities.