Chapter 11: The Best Medicine
"It'll be nice to have another cub to play with!" Kendi said to Zhari as the cubs followed Kiara to the waterhole. "All our games will be more fun. We can play tag, hide-n-seek, keep away, truth or dare..."
"That sounds fun." Zhari replied. "I have a question... is Torrent not very friendly, or is he just shy or something?"
"Er..." Kendi said.
"Better let me answer that." Ora butted in, "Kendi doesn't like Torrent."
"Yeah, so?" Kendi replied.
"To answer your question," Ora continued, "No, Torrent hasn't been very friendly."
"Not yet anyway." Reon added. "I'd like to think we will win him over."
Kendi scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Not likely. He seems like a stuck-up brat."
"He doesn't seem very nice for someone who is a guest in your home." Zhari said plainly.
"Exactly!" Kendi said, her red eyes lighting up.
"But still, we gotta keep trying. I bet he could be nice if we gave him a chance." Reon tried.
"You're too nice." Ora said to him. The brown cub just shrugged.
"Hey you guys wanna race? Do you like to race, Zhari?" Ora asked with brightened eyes.
"I haven't in a while, but yeah, I'll race you." the red cub replied.
"Let me ask my grandmother if it's okay." Kendi stepped over to the queen, "Grandma? Can me and the others race to the waterhole?"
"Hm. Yes, but in a straight line directly in front of me so I can watch you. No going to the sides at all. Got it?" Kiara replied, eyeing her rambunctious granddaughter.
"Yes!" Kendi bounded back to her friends and told them what she said.
"Yay!" Ora cheered. "And this won't just be a normal race. It's going to be a Fight Race."
"Oh no, not this again." Reon groaned.
"What! It makes the race more fun." Ora said, bouncing.
"What's a Fight Race?" Zhari asked.
"It's a race but you try to tackle or trip your opponents as you go to slow them down. It's just a race but more hardcore." Ora replied with a devilish grin.
"Yeah because you're so hardcore." Kendi muttered.
"Zhari is new, we don't want him getting hurt." Reon said cautiously. "Ora can be a little rough..." he said to his new friend.
"I'm not scared." Zhari said, shrugging, then playfully stuck his tongue out at Ora.
"That's the spirit!" Ora cheered, bouncing on her paws. "I didn't think you seemed like a whimp."
"I'm not a whimp."
"Prove it! On your marks...get set... go!"
The four cubs burst out running as fast as they could. Kendi couldn't help letting out a giggle as she pumped her legs, trying to pull ahead of the others. A few moments later, she let out an, "OOF!" when heavy paws thumped her on the back, pushing her to the ground.
"Hey!" she yelled in protest as Ora leaped from her back and ran ahead.
Ora turned her head back to taunt Kendi with a, "Haha!".
Kendi dashed to her paws and followed with renewed vigor. Reon and Zhari had both gotten ahead of her during the momentary distraction. Kendi narrowed her eyes at Reon's back. I'm gonna get him!
Kendi closed the distance between her and Reon. She tackled his legs. Reon tripped but didn't fall.
"Woah!" he shouted, and took a few awkward steps, but then got right back into the rhythm of running again. Kendi let out a laugh, even if she wasn't successful in knocking him down.
Ahead of them, Zhari was gaining on Ora. He let out a "RAH!" and leaped at Ora's back. He connected with her and both rolled over one another. "Gotcha!" Zhari exclaimed when they landed. "Hey, I did it!"
"You haven't won yet!" Ora grinned and jumped up quickly, and ran on ahead. "You're supposed to keep running!"
"Heh, oh yeah." Zhari jumped up and raced forward.
Reon and Kendi caught up then, and Kendi tried to trip Zhari's legs with her paw. The red cub nimbly avoided her paws which elicited a growl from Kendi. During her distraction, Reon managed to trip Kendi from her other side.
She fell with a, "Hey!" The two boys laughed and left her in the dirt.
The waterhole was fast approaching and Ora was still ahead. Reon and Zhari were running side-by-side but far enough away from each other to be safe from tripping. They made eye contact.
"You tackle Ora, and I'll go ahead." Reon suggested, panting.
"And let you win? No way! You tackle Ora."
"Let's just trip her together!"
Zhari nodded and narrowed his dark blue eyes. Both boys had to put on full speed to close the distance between them and the dark cub. They appeared on either side of her.
"Huh?" She hadn't been expecting them. She expected it even less when Reon and Zhari each stuck out a paw under Ora's legs. She avoided one paw, but not the other. She tumbled down, and rolled a few times in the dirt.
"Yes!" Reon yelled with triumph. Now he just had to be faster than Zhari... but Zhari was older and his legs were longer. The red cub pumped ahead and made it to the water's edge first by a decent margin.
"Woohoo!" he yelled in victory. Reon arrived beside him a few moments later, completely out of breath. "Man you're fast." he puffed.
"So are you!"
Kendi and Ora arrived next. Each of them was covered in dirt and out of breath.
"Phew," said Kendi as she plopped to the ground to rest. "I sucked, but that was so fun!"
"No one's every beat me in a Race Fight before." Ora said, narrowing her gray-purple eyes at Zhari.
"Uh..." Zhari looked to the side, and anywhere except at the angry dark brown cub.
"Come on, Ora, don't be a sore loser." Kendi said, shoving her friend in the shoulder. "All that matters is that we had fun."
"Yeah!" Reon agreed. "Let's get some water, I'm exhausted." Reon, Kendi and Zhari went to the water's edge to drink. Ora finally shrugged and joined them.
After a couple minutes, Kiara finally caught up to them. "That looked like a rough race..." She commented.
"It was so much fun!" Zhari cheered. The others agreed.
Kiara just smiled and drank from the waterhole. From their spot, they could see the hunting team bring down a kill in the distance.
"Look, it will be lunch time soon." Kiara said.
"Great, I'm starved!" Zhari said.
A figure approached one of the lionesses standing by the prey. It was Kovu talking to Ciara.
Ciara told the other lionesses to go on without her and that she would be right back.
"Yes, Kovu?" Ciara asked the King.
"We have had a new development. An injured lioness showed up near the border and we took her in to help her heal. She has a cub with her. A male."
"Wow, really? What good timing for us." Ciara responded, eyes widening. "Shall I tell Mebala and Taeliss not to go tomorrow afterall?"
"You can tell them they are not required to go, but they are allowed to if they still wish. Besides, we don't know if this lioness will stay. As of now, she's just staying until she is well again. We will need Mebala and Taeliss if the lioness decides to leave."
Ciara nodded, "Very well."
"I'll take this back home." Kovu offered, gesturing to the kill at their paws.
"Please allow Mebala and Taeliss to have their fill first. I promised them full bellies before their trip tomorrow." Ciara said. Kovu nodded. Ciara continued, "In fact, I'll just come with you so I can explain the new development."
"I apologize for interrupting your hunt." Kovu said.
"It's okay, they can manage without me."
Kovu nodded, and together they grabbed a part of the prey and pulled it toward home.
Kiara didn't hear the conversation from where she and the cubs were, but she knew what was being said. "Come on, kids, let's go get some of that kill. We can grab a piece for your mother, too, Zhari."
Kiara started toward Kovu and the cubs followed. Kovu and Ciara dropped the prey in the grasslands far in front of Pride Rock. Other lions were less likely to come snack on it if they didn't drag it the entire way home.
"I'll go get Mebala and Taeliss." Ciara said and took off.
Kiara and the cubs caught up to Kovu. "Hey, Kovu. Can the cubs start on this one? We need a piece to take to Zhari's mom."
"Ciara says this one is for Mebala and Taeliss. If they are still going on their trip tomorrow." Kovu said, then saw the hungry look in the cubs' eyes as they gazed at the meal. "But surely they won't mind a few cub bites out of it. Dig in."
"Thanks!" Kiara said, and started tearing into the prey to open it for the cubs. They all joined in and ate hungrily, especially Zhari. Kiara watched them and smiled. Kovu moved closer to his mate.
"Did they get along?" Kovu muttered in her ear.
"Yes! Quite well. They're already fast friends."
"Good. We just need Imaru to stay... then agree to the... you know." Kovu pointed his green eyes at Zhari. Kiara smiled and nodded.
A few minutes later, Mebala and Taeliss came racing over with Ciara at their heels.
"Hey that's ours!" Mebala shouted, then giggled, "Just kidding, we can share."
Ciara caught up, "Yes, please have your full. The team is out catching more right now." Ciara turned her attention to the rust colored cub nibbling at the carcass. "You must be Zhari." Ciara said with a smile. "I'm Ciara, Kendi's mom."
Zhari gulped, and backed up from the meal. "I uh, yep that's me... I mean, yes ma'am." He quickly wiped a paw over his mouth a few times. "I'm sorry, I must have food in my teeth, but it's very nice to meet you."
Ciara's eyes brightened. What a very polite cub! "It's very nice to meet you as well, and I hope to meet your mother soon when she awakens. Please enjoy your lunch."
Zhari thanked the princess, then continued eating.
"I'll tear off a piece for Zhari's mother." Kiara said, then began working at one of the legs.
Mebala and Taeliss quickly introduced themselves to Zhari, then began eating.
"You don't have to worry about talk to us with your mouth full!" Mebala joked between bites. "We ain't royalty! And our mouths are full too."
Beside her, Taeliss giggled and nodded.
When Kendi had finished eating, she bounded over to Ciara. "Mom! You'll never believe this, but Ora didn't win the Race Fight! Zhari beat us."
"Yeah, yeah..." Ora said with a defeated tone.
"Well! That's cool." Ciara said smiling at Zhari.
The rust colored cub shuffled his feet. "It was just beginner's luck."
"Give yourself more credit!" Reon said, he had just finished eating. "Ora always wins at that game."
"It's true." The nearly-black cub said. "I guess you're my new rival, Zhari."
Zhari looked down at his paws for a moment until Ora amended, "In a good way." she smiled and nudged him in the shoulder. Zhari brightened and grinned back.
"It's so nice all of you get alone." Ciara commented.
"I'm so glad to have new friends." Zhari said. "I hope my mom wants to stay here."
"Speaking of your mother," Kiara said with a muffled voice. The detached leg of the prey was in her mouth. "Shall we go see her?"
"Yes!" the cub shot up.
"I'll take the rest of you cubs while they do that." Ciara said.
"But I wanna meet Zhari's mom." Kendi said.
"Me too." Reon added.
"I know, I want to meet her too, but she's sick and really needs to rest. The quieter it is, the better. There will be time for all of us to meet her later. Say goodbye to Zhari for now."
"Aw, okay. Bye Zhari, thanks for playing with us." Kendi said to the red cub.
"See you later!"
The other cubs said their goodbyes. Zhari followed Kiara back to Pride Rock.
Kovu spoke up, "I'll stay with the girls to make sure they get their fill before anyone else shows up." Mebala and Taeliss nodded their thanks as they still ate.
Ciara nodded too, "Thank you." Ciara was glad Mebala and Taeliss had taken the news of Zhari's arrival well. It probably dashed their chances of birthing the next King of the Pridelands, but they both agreed they would still like to go on their journey the next day to find mates. They still wanted to be mothers even if Zhari ended up being betrothed to Kendi.
Ciara took the cubs to the underside of Pride Rock where Jayden, Dayya, Tempest and Torrent were resting. The cubs filed in and plopped down for a snooze.
"Hey! They got to eat?" Torrent said, noticing the redness around the other cub's mouths. "How come I didn't get anything to eat?"
"Don't whine, Torrent!" Tempest snapped. "There will be more prey coming and we all will get to eat. Right, Ciara?"
"Yes, the team is working on it right now." Ciara reported, then settled by Kendi and began grooming the food out of her fur. Kendi purred happily and was lulled to sleep.
Ora went to Jayden to get a bath too. Tempest offered to clean Reon since Tali was still in the cave taking care of Imaru, but Reon blushed and said no, thank you, and began grooming himself.
"The new cub seems sweet." Jayden commented.
"Yes, he seems like a great kid." Ciara replied.
"Super cute too!" Dayya added, "Those freckles are adorable!"
He certainly seems to be a perfect candidate for Kendi's betrothed. Ciara thought. She seems to like him so far, or at least, they get along well. He's so polite for a cub. He has the potential to make a great royal someday...
Tempest murmured, "Are you thinking about..." she pointed her eyes at Kendi's sleeping form.
Ciara nodded. They couldn't talk about the possible betrothal in front of the cubs, but later Ciara would tell her friends her thoughts so far.
A few minutes later, Tempest stood, "Come on, Reon, you're missing all the tough spots." She grabbed the light brown cub by the scruff and pulled him into her arms. She began to bathe him.
Reon let out a squeak of surprise, but didn't protest. It only took a few licks for him to be soothed and to become comfortable. He closed his eyes and let Tempest clean him.
Torrent had to look away with narrowed eyes.
Back at the cave, Kiara and Zhari entered. The air smelled heavily of tangy herbs. Inside, Mairu was still resting in the back. Nearby was Imaru, still sleeping, with Tali beside her.
"Oh good, you're back." Tali started quietly, "Your mother hasn't stirred, but I think she may wake soon because she has been murmuring in her sleep. And the smell of that food will help."
Kiara placed the leg by Imaru. Zhari went to his mother's side. "Mama?" he said, his voice sounding high-pitched like a much younger cub. He reached out and touched his mother's cheek with a gentle paw. Her eyes stayed closed.
"Just don't touch her bandages, okay?" Tali said to Zhari.
"Okay."
Medicine had been applied to Imaru's neck and leaf bandages were placed on top.
The gray lioness's nostrils began to flare and she began to sniff the air loudly.
"Mama?" Zhari said again.
"Zhuka?" Imaru murmured with her eyes closed. Her voice sounded scratchy.
"No, it's just me, Zhari..." Tears filled his eyes.
Imaru's eyes flashed open, "Oh, my Zhari, I'm sorry, I weas just dreaming... Where am I?"
"You're in the cave at the Pridelands." Tali explained, and Imaru's purple eyes turned on her. "You fainted earlier. Your neck is bandaged, so please try not to move too much."
"Oh." the lioness said tiredly.
Zhari wrapped his paws around his mother's head. He couldn't help but start crying.
"Don't cry, my love." the lioness cooed and licked her son's back. After a few moments, Zhari let go and seemed to have calmed.
"We brought you food, mom. Can you eat?"
"That sounds great."
"Do your best to eat without rising up much." Tali said, "I know it's hard but we don't want to agitate the wound."
"Thank you." Imaru said, and began eating carefully without moving her body.
"Your wounds will improve now that I have applied medicine." Tali reported. "And you'll be glad to know, your foot is only sprained, not broken. You won't be able to walk on it for a few days, but we will be doing some stretches beginning tomorrow."
"That's great news." Kiara said, "You are, of course, welcome to stay during your healing time. And Zhari too."
"Thank you." Imaru said again.
"Guess what, mom?" Zhari brightened, "I made friends!"
"You did? Tell me about them."
"I met Kendi, Reon, and Ora. They're super nice. Oh and Torrent. He's... not as nice, but I didn't get a chance to get to know him. Maybe I'll get another chance later."
"Were you polite, dear?" Imaru asked around bites of prey.
"Yes, Mom. Oh and Queen Kiara took us to the waterhole. Kendi, Reon, Ora and I had a race. I even won!"
Imaru chuckled and Kiara grinned. "It sounds like you had a good time."
"Yes and everyone here is so nice. Kiara took us to eat this special prey that was supposed to be for someone else, but they shared with us. I really like it here. Do you think we can stay?"
Kiara's eyebrows lifted. She, of course, wanted to know this as well, but was going to wait for a while before asking.
"I'll think about it, Zhari. We just got here."
"Okay. I hope you like it here as much as I do." Zhari bounced happily and nuzzled his mom. "And I'm glad you're okay."
Imaru purred and she nuzzled her son with closed eyes. She began grooming Zhari.
Kiara told Tali she would find a replacement for her so she could take a break. Tali nodded as thanks and Kiara dismissed herself.
As Kiara left the cave, she spotted Clous and Afia going down the stone walkway. Kiara caught up to them. "Afia, I need you to do me a favor."
"Okay." Afia stopped while her big brother Clous went on ahead.
"Later, Brat." Clous said affectionately. Afia smirked and swatted Clous's tail as it went by.
She turned to Kiara. "Yes, mom?"
"I need you to go in the den and clean away the bones away from the meal our guest just had."
"Aw, man, why me?" Afia groaned.
Kiara narrowed her eyes and gave her daughter a stern look.
"Ugh-oh, alright."
"And it would be nice to introduce yourself briefly to them both. You didn't get to meet little Zhari when the other cubs did. I hope you can all be friends if they decide to stay."
"Sure!" Afia loved having friends.
"Go on then. Don't be long, Imaru is supposed to be resting."
Afia nodded and went into the cave. She padded up to Imaru who was still grooming her son.
"Hi, I'm Afia. I'm Kiara's daughter."
Imaru paused grooming. "Indeed you are, you look quite a lot like her." Imaru smiled. "And just as pretty."
Afia blushed, "Thank you."
"Hello, I'm Zhari." the red cub spoke up from his mother's arms.
"Hi, welcome to the Pridelands," Afia dipped her head, trying to be regal like her mom. "I'm just coming by to grab these scraps." Afia sunk her teeth into the remaining leg bone.
"Thank you, Afia." Tali said from behind Imaru.
"Yes, thank you." Imaru echoed.
"I hope you feel better soon!" Afia said around the leg bone. She waved her tail in goodbye and left the cave. She took the bones down the steps and into the grasslands where they could be recycled.
Afia went back to Pride Rock and went to the underside where Jayden, Dayya, Tempest, Ciara and the cubs were. She stood by Jayden and listened in to the conversation. Jayden gave the adolescent an affectionate head-bonk.
Reon was asleep in Tempest's arms, Kendi was in Ciara's and Ora in Jayden's. Torrent was curled up nearby.
"How was training with both Malowa and Drayden this morning, Dayya?" Jayden asked her sister.
"Oh man, they were full of energy. Malowa hadn't been this energetic the first day. They did great! Well, Drayden is already in shape, so I should say Malowa did great, since Drayden did as expected. He kept up the whole way. It's been really great teaching him some fighting moves."
"Mhm..." Tempest said giving Jayden and Ciara a look with a raised eyebrow. They're both totally into her. Tempest thought.
"Are you meeting them again tomorrow?" Ciara asked.
"Yep! I think we are going to try to meet every morning until we leave. I'm happy to do it, it gives me something to do."
"It's true, you don't like being idle for long." Jayden said.
Dayya nodded, "In fact, I'm itching to be moving now... Can I go join the hunting team, Ciara?" Dayya asked the orange lioness.
"Certainly. I didn't know Kendi would fall asleep in my arms, or I would have gone back myself."
"No worries! I'd love to go. See y'all later!" Dayya bounded away.
"Good, that means the food will be here at least as twice as fast." Temepst joked. Ciara and Jayden chuckled.
It wasn't much longer until the prey was caught and everyone went to eat. The cubs woke up and went with their parents, even though they had already eaten.
Kiara spotted Sanu and asked her to watch over Imaru when she was finished eating, so Tali could take a break to come eat as well. Sanu didn't mind and did so without complaint.
Imaru and Zhari must have been exhausted because they went to sleep and didn't get up until the next day.
The next morning, Mebala and Taeliss left for their mission without any fanfare.
Dayya met with Malowa and Drayden again. The trio went out for their daily exercise and training.
Tali cleaned and redressed Imaru's neck wound, and began instructing her in some light stretching. The wounded lioness clenched her teeth in pain as she moved her right-back foot as Tali directed.
"We won't push it," Tali said, "But we do need to exercise the muscles a little everyday."
Imaru nodded and continued through the pain.
Tali was allowing a couple visitors with Imaru's permission. Around midday, Jay brough Reon over to say hi.
"It's so nice for you to come see me at work." Tali joked and bumped heads with Jai. He chuckled. Then she turned to Imaru and Zhari, "This is my mate, Jai."
"How do you do?" Imaru asked kindly.
"Very well, thank you. Are you feeling better?" he replied.
"Yes, your mate is an excellent healer. I'm sure I'll be 100% in no time."
"My mom rules!" Reon bounced happily. "Hi, Zhari!"
"Hey!" Zhari climbed down from his mother's arms. "Mom, can I go with Reon and his dad?"
"Yes, dear, if that's okay with him."
Jai nodded.
"Yay!"
"Cool!" Reon said.
"Can you show me more of the Pridelands?" Zhari asked.
"Yes, we can do that." Jai answered. "Do you need anything while we are out?" Jai asked Tali.
"Yes, I need more of the herb I'm using for Imaru's neck." She described the plant she needed and where he could find it.
"You got it." Jai replied.
"Thank you."
The cubs said goodbye to their mothers and they were off. Jai led them out of the cave.
"Dad, can we see if Ora, Kendi, Torrent and Afia can come too?" Reon asked.
"Mhm!" Jai nodded and headed under Pride Rock where Tempest, Mani and Torrent were resting.
"You still sleeping?" Jai joked when they stood next to Tempest and her family.
"She doesn't feel well." Mani explained.
"Yeah, maybe something I ate." Tempest said miserably, putting her head down in her paws.
"Oh, sorry. Need me to go get Tali?" Jai offered.
"No, no, it's nothing that bad. Besides, she's busy working with Imaru."
"I already tried that," Mani whispered to Jai. "She's too stubborn to accept help when she needs it."
"I heard that!" Tempest snapped. "I told you, it's not that bad! If it gets worse, I will talk to Tali."
"Alright, alright." Mani said.
"Do you and Torrent wanna come with us?" Jai asked Mani. "Zhari wants to see more of the Pridelands, and I need to grab a herb for Tali. We're going to find the other cubs to see if they will join us as well."
"I better stay..." Mani said, his eyes flashing to his mate's resting form. "I think I'll volunteer to be on the hunting team today...so I better stay close to home."
Jai nodded in understanding. Mani wanted to stay home just incase Tempest needed something.
"What about you, bud?" Mani poked Torrent's side with his paw. "You should go."
"Nah, I don't wanna." Torrent said, looking away.
"Torrent." Tempest sighed with exasperation. "Please, just go. It'll be good for you."
"Yeah, come on, Torrent." Reon said, trying to smile at the tan cub. Torrent wouldn't look at him.
"Fine..."the cub relented and stood as if his shoulders were so heavy.
"Good." Tempest muttered and closed her eyes.
"See you guys later." Mani said while Jai, Reon, Zhari and Torrent left.
"Let's check the sunning rocks for the others." Jai said, leading the way. The cubs followed. Torrent seemed unenthused.
"Good morning, Torrent!" Zhari tried.
"Are you always this chipper in the morning?" Torrent asked sarcastically.
Zhari flinched and shared a look with Reon.
"Are you always this grumpy all the time?" Joked Reon. "Come on, Torrent, can't we all be friends?"
Torrent just grunted.
Reon and Zhari made eye-contact again and just shrugged. "We'll get him eventually!" Reon whispered. Zhari smiled and nodded.
At sunningrocks, they found the other they were looking for. Jayden, Ora and Dark were there with Kivu and Kendi. Afia and Zula stood nearby.
Afia, Kendi and Ora happily joined the group. Dark wanted to join them, so he quickly nuzzled Jayden goodbye. Kivu came as well. Now that there was room on the rocks, Zula hopped up to sun bathe next to Jayden.
The group set off. "All we need is Mani to join us." Dark said.
"He is staying near Priderocks. Temepst isn't feeling well." Jai reported.
"She's faking!" Kivu said loudly. Dark and Jai laughed. "Just kidding, of course. I hope she's okay."
Afia, Ora and Kendi said quiet 'hello's to Torrent and he responded with a murmured "hi." He was already wishing he was back at Priderock just laying around by his mom. Or better yet, he just wished he were home.
"Yesterday was so fun!" Zhari said to his friends, his dark blue eyes shining.
"I know!" Kendi said. "Too bad you missed it, Afia. We had a race fight. Maybe you would have beat Zhari with your superior leg length and speed."
Afia giggled, "I don't know if I would call it superior."
"We should race again!" Ora suggested.
"Maybe another time, cuz I think Zhari wants to look around today." Reon said.
"Yeah, it's so beautiful here!" Zhari said, looking around at the trees and lush grass.
"It's just trees..." Torrent said dryly.
"I know, but my mom and I travelled through lots of places. They were so dry and barren. Everything was dead. It's so green and alive here. And there's all kinds of animals here too!" They passed some giraffes who were plucking leaves from a tall tree. Zhari marveled at them.
"Oh yeah well, my home is like this too." Torrent boasted.
"Tell us about your home, Torrent." Afia tried with a smile.
Torrent relaxed a little. "Well, our territory has a lot more rock and dirt as a base rather than grass. Our home goes right up to the side of a huge cliff. The cliff has a big crack in it where my whole family can fit inside. Like a cave."
"Is it like Pride Rock's cave?" Zhari asked.
"No, it's way prettier. My cave has these vines growing up the side. And there's even a waterfall."
"Wow, that sounds beautiful, can we go there?"
Torrent snickered. "No. From here it takes days to get there."
"Torrent and his pride came all this way for a special event." Afia explained.
"Oh... for Kendi's parents crowning to be King and Queen?" Zhari asked.
"Yep!" Kendi said cheerfully. Torrent rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.
"Cool. It must be neat to have royal parents. You'll be a princess."
"Heh, maybe."
"You'll be queen one say!" Reon said.
"Weird..." Kendi said, shaking her head.
Kivu, Dark and Jai took the kids along some parts of the Pridelands. They showed them the tree where Rafiki the baboon used to reside. They showed them the gorge and told Zhari briefly the story of the tragedy that happened there long ago.
They took a break when they reached the waterhole. Everyone took long drinks of the cool water.
"My dad said this is where you used to play when you were little." Torrent said to Kivu, Jai and Dark.
"We were more like teens, but yeah, it is." Jai said.
"I loved those days." Kivu said, gazing out over the water.
Dark nodded. His group was a little different than the one Jai and Kivu were remembering. Dark used to hang out with Malowa, Clous, Zuna and Zula back then.
"But now you're all grown up and about to be king." Jai joked. "No more putting mud all over your chest to make your mane look bigger."
"I still want to do that... I mean-not the mud on the mane. As my mane is already glorious-"
Jai scoffed.
"But I mean, I still want to be silly old Kivu. I know most of the time I will have to be formal and give orders, or speeches. Or fight intruders, and make tough decisions. But I still want to have time with you guys. I wanna argue about our mane size, or wrestle, or go jump in the waterhole."
"OOo, dad, can we?" Kendi said. "Can we swim in the waterhole?"
"Well yeah, go for it. Don't splash any other visitors." Kivu said, his red eyes pointing at some rhino that just ambled up to drink nearby. "Stay in the shallows. You too, Afia, I need you to make sure the others don't go too deep."
Afia nodded to her older brother and happily entered the waters with her friends.
At first, Kivu, Jai and Dark only watched the youngins waddle tentatively into the shallows. Even Torrent followed without comment.
"So... are we too old to get in, too?" Jai said, looking at Kivu.
He scoffed. "No way. I'm not king yet!" Kivu then dashed off, splashing through the shallow end around the cubs, then jumping right into the deep end. Jai laughed and he and Dark followed the prince, and jumped in as well.
Torrent 'harumphed' when he saw the adults splashing around in the deeper water. I bet I could go deeper. I'm taller than these cubs after all.
"Hey, Torrent, did you know your aunt Dayya almost drowned here back when she was a cub?" Afia asked the tan cub.
"Huh?" Torrent whipped his head back to look at her. "No."
"Yep. I heard from your other aunt, Jayden. Your dad was a teen and he was babysitting them when they were cubs. He looked away for only a moment when Dayya jumped into the deep end. Good thing your grandmother, Vitani, was there to dash in and save her." Afia told the story hoping to come off as just conversation but with a hidden warning.
"Oh." the story surprised Torrent; he'd never heard it before. He decided not to go in the deep end after all. He watched the younger cubs splash around with Afia for a while.
Torrent got splashed by Kendi on accident. "Hey!" he growled in protest, then splashed her back angrily.
The water sprayed harshly in her eyes. "Ow!" she rubbed her eyes with a paw vigorously.
"Heh... sorry." Torrent said with a smirk, not exactly sorry at all.
"Not yet you aren't!" Kendi said, and leaped at Torrent with a devilish grin. Kendi giggled as she tried to push him under water, but he was too strong.
"Nice try, Princess." Torrent taunted. Her laughter was infectious, and he couldn't help but smile.
Kendi growled playfully and settled for splashing him. Torrent couldn't help himself, and splashed back, trying to hold back a laugh.
"Charge!" Ora proclaimed and led Reon and Zhari in a stampede over to Torrent to join in the splashing.
"Hey!" Torrent said, letting out a laugh.
"I'll help you, Tor!" Afia said, then joined in.
The six youngsters played noisily in the shallow water.
"Look, they're getting along great!" Dark said to Kivu and Jai.
"I heard about the betrothing." Jai said to Kivu with an appropriately quiet tone. "Do you think Zhari's mom will stay? And let Zhari be betrothed to Kendi?"
"I hope so." Kivu said. "They do get along great. Even Torrent is finally getting into it."
"I wasn't sure we were going to win him over." Dark said. Then Dark's attention moved to a figure in the distance. "Hey Jai, isn't that your brother over there?" he asked.
Far in the distance, a light orange lion with a bright orange mane was trotting along, away from the group.
"Oh yeah, it is." Jai said. "Hey, Nundi!" Jai called. Nundi barely looked at them. He waved his tail as a 'hello' but didn't stop to talk.
"What is he doing?" Kivu asked.
Jai shrugged. "Wandering, I guess."
"Do you suppose he will leave the pride one day?" Dark asked.
Jai shrugged again. "Maybe."
"Hey, Dad!" Reon called to Jai. Jai, Dark and Kivu came from the deeper end and went to the shallows with dripping manes.
"What's uncle Nundi doing out here?" Reon asked.
"I don't know. He's kind of a loner. He likes his 'me time'." Jai replied.
"Oh." Said Reon. "I like we time." He grinned.
Jai smiled back. "Me too."
The cubs played for a little longer, then everyone was ready for a break. They had already had a long journey before the fierce playing in the water. The cubs left the water with little complaint.
The adults left the water and shook out their drenched manes. Torrent tried to copy them. Water flung from the tuft on his head. This was actually fun... Torrent reflected.
The group headed home, still dripping from their watery excursion.