Chapter 4
What did I tell you two about Fighting ?
The sun stood firmly in the sky when Kuhisha and Simba were awoken by Igunya.
"Rise and Shine. There is a day filled with opportunities to enjoy." Sang- spoke Igunya much to the cubs detriment.
"There isn't much we can do in here anyway" Said Kuhisha, disgruntled.
Igunya adopted a mock cheerful attitude and said "Oh but there is a lot to do.
Like oh, I don't know...talk to each other and try to get to the bottom of the reason why you're here in the first place."
Both Simba and Kuhisha groaned.
"What about eating ? Didn't you mention something about going to the waterhole for a snack?" Asked Simba
Igunya nodded. "Yes, that's right. We'll go when both of you are ready."
Simba looked at Kuhisha.
Kuhisha rolled his eyes and said. "Whatever. If princess Simba is hungry, then I'll guess we should go.
After all we wouldn't want the princess to faint of hunger now would we ? ."
" Stop calling me princess." Said Simba, once again visibly angry.
"Or what ? You gonna..." Kuhisha had to stop himself. His eyes grew wide in a mix of horror and realisation.
.
Disarmed. He had inadvertently disarmed one of his most effective taunts yesterday night.
He couldn't just taunt Simba by asking him if he was gonna cry.
At least not without getting served a dose of his own medicine.
Simba now knew a secret of his.
.
Kuhisha fumbled for words. "...gonna ... gonna ...gonna throw up ?"
He finally finished the sentence, making it sound more like a question.
"Throw up?" Asked Simba, no longer angry ,now just confused.
"Well alright then, let's go." Said Igunya, disregarding the boys bickering.
On the way to the waterhole Simba tried to discreetly talk to Kuhisha.
"So what was that all about?" He whispered to Kuhisha.
"I don't know what you mean? " Responded Kuhisha , seemingly oblivious.
"Why would i throw up ? That doesn't make any sense." Argued Simba.
Kuhisha grew impatient. "Just let it slide, princess. I had a verbal slip up. Nothing more." He grumbled.
"You asked if I was gonna ...Wait! You wanted to ask if I was gonna cry. But didn't you... ?"
Before Simba could finish his sentence, Kuhisha pounced and pinned him down.
The expression on Kuhishas face legitimately scarred Simba. Kuhisha was furious.
"Listen here f****t . Yesterday I asked you to shut it or else. Do you want to get some, f****t ? Do you?"
Kuhisha hissed through his clenched teeth loud enough for Igunya to hear it.
She turned arround instantly, pushed Kuhisha off of Simba and held him down with her right paw.
"What did I tell you two about fighting?" She asked sternly.
"Get off me ! " Demanded Kuhisha.
"Tell me why you attacked Simba just then." Igunya inquired.
Kuhisha shot Simba a glance of unwavering fury.
"Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you, young lion." Igunya yelled, getting Kuhisha to face her instantly.
"Well? What got you angry?" She said looking sharply and semi frighteningly into Kuhishas eyes.
Kuhisha was still breathing heavily. He felt immensely close to just emptying out his bladder. Igunyas look suggested no mercy.
If he hadn't known any better he would have thought she might have wanted to rip him apart right on the spot.
All the motherly warmth in her demeanor had vanished.
"I was..." He started, avoiding eye contact.
"Eyes!" Ordered Igunya.
He quickly reestablished eye contact.
"I w-w-was j-just... " He stuttered "...r-r-r-reminding Simba o-o-of a p-p-promise he ought a keep." Kuhisha finished.
"What promise might that just be ?" Igunya didn't let loose.
"He p-promissed n-n-n-not to t-t-tell something." Kuhisha answered truthfully
"Tell me what it was so that we can just get it out-of-the-way now, or I'll start making promises neither of you won't forget." Warned Igunya.
A moment of silence followed.
"I got all day and quite a few ideas of how to get you to talk" Igunya reminded the two cubs.
Both Simba and Kuhisha were struck with fear. Neither of them talked.
A good two minutes went by until Igunya just sighed and let Kuhisha go.
"You know I had hoped that you two could actually show some maturity, but you are both too childish to just admit that you had a little personal talk last night."
Kuhisha and Simba reacted understandably surprised. "Er?" They could only say in response.
"I unintentionally listened in on you two ." Igunya clarified ,her face now softened again.
"All because you two feel embarrassed about crying." She went on.
"I don't feel embarrassed..." Pouted Simba.
"Don't even start. Neither of you would have had a reason to ask the other one not to tell anyone about it if you weren't embarrassed.
There is nothing to be embarrassed about and if you were to just take it with confidence, then you would know that."
The look on Igunyas face had turned back to a motherly warmth.
"Plus instead of talking about it and using it as a means to understand one another, you tried to use it as blackmail against each other.
These are stories over which you could have bonded" Igunya said, looking first at Kuhisha then Simba with dissapointment.
"That's f****t s**t" Mumbled Kuhisha.
"What was that ?" Asked Igunya.
"Nothing " Said Kuhisha.
"You know I've heard you use that word today quite often. Care to elaborate?" Igunya asked.
Kuhisha's eyes looked to the left and to the right in short rapid succession." Er, what's to elaborate. It's f****t shit. Y'know totally gay." He answered.
"Alright, why does it need to be gay? Why do you equate gay with bad? Is there anything you need to talk about?"
She asked with one of her brows arched.
"What? No!" He protested. "What kind of a dumb question is that. I just think that talking about feelings is girly." Kuhisha added.
.
Simba was observing this peculiar dialogue with bemusement. It felt oddly satisfying watching Kuhisha being backed into a figurative corner.
"Ok then why is being girly bad. Your mom was once a girl. And so was I , yet you were at my mercy just a few minutes. Strange, isn't it"
She said, knowing full well that Kuhisha would not have an explanation for any of that.
"You... I...ugh. Can we just go to the waterhole already." Said Kuhisha in resignation.
"Alright. We can keep going" Said Igunya keeping her motherly tone. "If you can tell me why you choose gay or girly as an insult"
Kuhisha thought about this request for a few seconds." Can I tell it to you out of Simba's ear shot?" He asked trying to keep a self assured voice.
"Alright. " Agreed Igunya. "Simba ! You stay here for a few minutes while I talk to Kuhisha." She ordered the prince.
"Can't he just tell it here?" Simba asked.
"Confidentuality, it's something that your father will teach you hopefully soon. You stay here until we are back. It won't take long, I promise." Said Igunya.
Kuhisha and Igunya disappeared behind a nearby hill.
Simba looked around, put on a mischievous smile and started to sneak towards the aforementioned hill.
He had barely made five steps when he came to an involuntary stop, since his tail seemed to have become stuck in something.
He turned around to find a paw holding his tail in place.
It was Igunya, looking at him in bemusement. She had snuck up behind him.
"Going anywhere, young prince?" She asked.
He just gave a sheepish smile.
"When I say, stay here. I mean STAY here. Eavesdropping is not staying here. Oh and please keep in mind, I'm a huntress my ears are sharper than your dads teeth "
She clarified.
Simba just nodded.
"Good" Said Igunya "Then stay put until me and Kuhisha return."
Igunya went back behind the hill.
Simba sighed. What could they possibly be talking about ?
A few minutes later both Kuhisha and Igunya emerged from behind the hill.
Simba noticed that Kuhisha seemed a bit less angry than before.
"Alright, with that out-of-the-way. I say it's time to go to the waterhole" Said Igunya cheerfuly.
End of chapter 4
Next chapter: Chapter 5 Capable of anything
