Chapter 2: Just Another Day
*6 months later*
Two cubs were sitting by a baobab tree, while three other cubs were giggling and running in different directions trying to find a place to hide.
"You better not be peeking over there Jericho!" a female cub shouted struggling to find a hiding spot.
"Yeah right Luella, like I need to peek to find you. I can hear you from a mile away!" Jericho shouted back at Luella. "Me and Kali are masters at hide n seek right buddy?"
Jericho said to the cub next to him.
"I wouldn't say I'm a master… but I guess so…" Kali responded timidly.
"Can we please start the game already, we're wasting precious time!" another female cub said from behind a large rock.
"Sister be quiet...or they'll find us..!" said her smaller sister whispered.
"Asiah is right guys let's hurry up" spoke Luella having found a perfect spot to hide.
The girls had all hid away as the boys finished counting down and went over their strategy.
"All right Kali you find Asiah and Alyssa, and I'll find Luella." Jericho whispered.
"Ok." Kali nodded.
Kali then made his way to where he thought he had heard Asiah yell from and sure enough he heard the two sisters giggling and he crouched down to pounce on them. But as he was already in motion Asiah saw him and moved slightly to the left and Kali tumbled onto an unsuspecting Alyssa.
"OOF!" both cubs exclaimed.
As both cubs got up they looked at each other and blushed embarrassed about their situation. Everyone knows that Kali has a crush, everyone but Alyssa. But what very few people know is that she feels the same.
"I'msosorryAlyssa!" Kali rambled apologetically. 'Ididn'tseeyouthere,areyouok?!" Kali began to check over Alyssa to make sure she's ok. Once she regained her composure Alyssa saw that Kali was staring at her and she began to blush and get nervous
"U..um I'm ok K..Kali.." Alyssa managed to eke out. Her heart was pounding as Kali continued to check over her. Everyone knows that Kali has a crush, everyone but Alyssa. But what very few people know is that she feels the same. "O..Oh! Ok I'm glad you're ok" Kali said with blushed cheeks. The two would stay in silence like this while their friends looked on and decided to play a new game. "KALI AND ALYSSA SITTING IN A TREE, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Shouted Jericho, Asiah, and Luella in unison. "SHUT UP!" Kali and Alyssa said together. A silence fell between the cubs.
"Let's go drink some water." Kali said, breaking the silence. All the cubs got up and walked to the nearest watering hole which happened to be the spot the crocodiles were eating lunch for the day. The float had 19 crocs with their leader Mamba sunbathing on a rock. The crocodiles were at relative peace, letting animals drink without harm or worry. However one crocodile didn't have the same tranquil attitude as the rest of his float.
"Buncha lazy lizards.. We should be eating these animals, not sharing our water!" the croc said to himself. He then caught a glimpse of the group of young cubs approaching the watering hole.
"Mmm, it looks like lion cub is on the menu." The croc said sinking into the water.
The cubs reached the watering hole and the girls went off to drink some water and get cleaned up. Meanwhile Jericho and Kali were playing tug o war with a branch, the latter of the two was busy staring at Alyssa. Taking advantage of his friend's distracted state, Jericho yanked the stick causing Kali to fall over and let go of the stick.
"Hellooooo earth to Kali!" Jericho exclaimed, bringing his friend back to reality.
Kali then shot up in shock as he was taken out of his trance.
"OH! Jericho, what's going on?!" Kali said, trying to brush off his embarrassment.
"Dude you're making goo goo eyes again. Why don't you just talk to her and tell her how you feel?" Jerichoinquired.
"It's not like I haven't tried Rico.. remember when I tried to tell her last week?" Kali began to explain.
"Oh yeah, you fell in a mudhole, and it took your mom hours to clean the mud off."
"I didn't even bother to go talk to her… But you don't understand Rico.. she's pretty and smart and kind and and-" Kali spoke rambling on.
"Yea, yea I get it you're head over heels in love with her, but you have to make the first move man. She's as shy as shy can be and you my friend… are even more so, you'll have to get over your shyness and be more confident like your dad and uncle Nsefu-" Jericho advised.
However Kali had drowned his friend's words of advice out as he was focusing on the girls giggling and splashing each other, his attention then focused on Alyssa. She was giggling and smiling and for some reason that gave Kali that warm feeling again, that same feeling he got whenever he saw her, his chest felt tingly, his paws tensed up and his face felt hot. He knew what it meant, but he wondered if she felt the same. As Kali looked closer he noticed a log getting closer and closer to the girls, his face grew pale he knew it wasn't a log, But a crocodile!
"GUYS MOVE NOW!" Kali said as he rushed towards the girls. Jericho, seeing what his friend was rushing to, ran to get help. The girls seeing the "log" moving closer and closer got the hint and ran. Alyssa was quick to follow but her tail got caught and she screamed.
"AHHHH HELP, HELP! MY TAIL IS STUCK!" she panicked, shaking to free her tail.
"ALYSSA!" Luella exclaimed turning to see her trapped friend
"SIS!" Asiah exclaimed as well, scared for what was about to happen to her sister.
The crocodile got closer and closer until he opened his mouth to eat the struggling cub. 'Kali I love you' thought Alyssa as closed her eyes, readying herself for her inevitable end realizing she'll never tell Kali how she truly felt. But then she heard a yell followed by a growl.
"H..huh? I...I'm alive? How-" Alyssa questioned.
She opened her eyes to see Kali standing tall, his claws were out and on his right paw blood 'But he seems fine how could he-' Alyssa stopped mid-thought to see that Kali had scratched the croc in the side of his face, but due to his thick hide it wouldn't scar. But it was enough to draw blood and enrage the croc.
"HOW DARE YOU STRIKE ME!" the crocodile howled in pain.
All Kali could do was growl and try to make himself bigger, he had to. To protect the girl he cared about more than anything in the world. He looked back at her with confident eyes then looked back at his adversary as the two locked eyes, Kali knew he couldn't take on the bigger, young adult croc.
"Hmph.. You're a lively one and I commend you for the effort… However, by doing that you challenged me, and I don't take too kindly to challenges." The crocodile stated.
The croc then went into the water and made a deep rumbling bellow, summoning a few members of his float, who all seemed to be a few years younger.
"And neither does my float." The croc said smugly.
They began to circle Kali and Alyssa, meanwhile Asiah and Luella were in a tree watching the situation from on high, helpless to do anything. Kali growled and hissed with his claws ready to strike.
"Try it cub, you won't be able to take us all on'' the crocodile chastised and snapped his jaws.
Alyssa was petrified and looked to Kali on what to do. Kali looked at Alyssa and back at the croc and let out a roar, however the roar he gave wasn't his own. It belonged to his father as he and his uncle arrived along with Jericho in tow.
"I brought back-up!" Jericho shouted to his friends.
Nsefu roared and began to make the other crocs slink back behind their leader, as Askari growled and put his son and Alyssa behind his front leg in a protective manner.
"How dare you threaten to eat these young cubs who've done nothing wrong? Especially when one of the cubs is my son… THE SON OF THE KING!" Askari thundered to emphasize his authority.
All the crocodiles cowered in fear before the king, before the head croc was about to speak an older, larger, semi-blind croc along with the adults of the float came by to see the commotion.
"Who dares threaten the children of crocodiles!" The older croc spoke in a loud booming tone.
On the right side of the older croc was a younger croc and he recognized the two lions who stood before his friend and father, and immediately bowed his head.
"Father, it's their majesties King Askari and Prince Nsefu." The young croc whispered in his father's ear.
The crocodile leader's eyes widened hearing that this and upon closer inspection the lions in front of him were indeed the king and prince of the lands they call home. The elderly croc along with all of the other adult crocs bowed in submission to the lion king.
"M..my apologies y..your majesties! I thought you were rogues attacking the younglings. To what do I owe this visit to?" The crocodile leader asked cautiously not wanting to upset the lion king further.
"Your younglings attacked two members of my pride, one of them being MY SON!" The king bellowed in anger.
All the crocodiles gasped and Upele grew scared. He looked to his leader to save him, his leader surely wouldn't allow this lion to punish him… Would he..?
"Jumba, Upele's callous behavior has been out of line for quite some time but I've been lenient, as I believe in redemption, but he has gone too far." Askari stated in an authoritative tone. "He is hereby exiled from these lands''. Askari declared.
"You can't be serious… Please your majesty reconsider-" Jumba tried to plead.
All the crocs gasped and some grew silent, none more than Upele, who was waiting to see his leader's reaction, however his leader could do nothing in the face of the king, with a heavy heart Jumba turned to him and broke the silence.
"Upele… you heard the king… you are no longer welcome in my float." Jumba managed to say.
"...What?! Jumba, you can't be serious! But-" Upele said incredulously.
"No buts, you have grown uncontrollable and hot-headed, putting yourself and the future generation of the float in jeopardy. I have issued you too many warnings, only because you are the friend of my son. But not even that can save you this time, leave now and never return." Jumba explained.
Having been given his punishment, Upele walked away swearing he wouldn't come back. Meanwhile his friend Pua watched in sadness and turned to the king.
"Your Majesty, I would like to go along with Upele. I fear he won't survive long without someone to watch him." spoke Pua.
"Pua, you can't be serious, where are you gonna go?! I trained you to best me and take over the float, you can't leave." Jumba argued.
"Father, I understand your concern but I am not going to leave my friend to his lonesome. I will start my own float somewhere else and when you are defeated then you can come live with me." Pua offered.
The old croc didn't want his son to leave, however he could see his son was adamant to go. He looked at King Askari and then back to his son. So with a sigh, Jumba begrudgingly turned to his son and spoke.
"As you wish, I will allow you to go with Upele. Go to the kingdom to the west, in the direction Upele went. The place is called the Pridelands, the float there has an aging leader who I know you could best in combat, good luck my son." Jumba said as he then bowed to his son, in which Pua then returned.
With that Pua went to catch up with Upele, and once they reunited they journeyed to the Pridelands where Pua became the leader through a Mashindano, as for Upele he had joined Pua's float and eventually passed during Scar's reign, he is survived by his son Makuu. Askari then rounded up the cubs as the crocs went back into the lake. Nsefu had walked ahead with luella in his jaws and the other cubs in tow, While Askari, Kali, and Alyssa walked a few paces behind. Kali looked up to his father and his father looked back.
"Alyssa go with Nsefu, I want to speak to Kali alone for a bit." asked Askari as he bent down and whispered in Alyssa's ear.
"Okay your majesty, bye Kali.." Alyssa said as she nuzzled Kali and went to catch up with the others.
Father and son stopped in their tracks and both climbed a mid-sized umbrella thorn tree and Kali began to speak.
"Father, I want to apologize for today.. I didn't mean to put Alyssa in danger.." Kali apologized timidly with his head down.
"What do you mean Kali, you didn't tell Upele and his gang to attack you all. He did that all on his own and his choices had consequences." Askari explained.
"But had I been more brave like you, maybe he would have backed down.." Kali admitted.
Askari knew his son was a good cub, but he was timid and unsure of himself. As a father, Askari tried his best in the past to instill courage into his son, but he also knew his son would have it when he needed it most. So in the meantime he would give his son the positive reinforcement he needed.
"Look son, I thought you were very brave to stand up for your friend. Even when he was much larger and stronger you didn't hesitate to stand between him and Alyssa. And that son is what makes you brave in my book." Askari reassured his son whilst nuzzling him.
The pair then shared a hug as they left the tree and began to race home together. Once they reached the den they were greeted by Malkia who stayed up as everyone else had gone to sleep. She proceeded to nuzzle her tired cub and licked his forehead as he entered.
"How was your day my love?" Malkia asked her mate, licking his cheek.
"It was fine, Kali is growing into a fine lion." Askari said with pride.
"Just like his mother." Malkia said with a smirk.
"What about me?" The king asked teasingly.
"Meh." she shrugged as she picked up her cub and walked to their sleeping spot.
The king smiled and rolled his eyes as he followed his mate and laid next to her as she snuggled into his mane and his son was asleep in her arms. Today was a good day. And as he looked at his family and the pride he hoped no one would take this away from him. Oh how cruel fate could be.