To those who are reading the song used in this chapter is What Hurts The Most by Rascal Flatts.
I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don't bother me
I can take a few tears now and then, and just let 'em out
I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while even though
Going on with you gone still upsets me
Auri had taken her daughters, Kopa and Akua out for hunting lessons. After having lunch by the water hole she took her cubs home. Climbing the slope the pale gold lioness instantly felt something shift and she didn't like the feeling it came with.
There are days every now and again
I pretend I'm okay
But that's not what gets me
What hurts the most
Was being so close
Auri left her daughters by the slope before entering the main cave. The pale gold lioness looked around until her gold eyes landed on her adopted son-in-law.
"Mheetu! What's going on?"
Mheetu looked up with sad teal eyes. His black rimmed ears were folded and he had tears in his eyes.
Auri frowned before looking around. Tears started to form when she realized a particular someone was missing. As the pride moved aside, Auri broke down in uncontrollable sobs when she saw the body of her mate.
Mheetu felt awful for the older lioness. He wouldn't know what to do if he lost his mate especially before they patched things after a disagreement.
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could've been
And not seeing that love in you
Is what I was trying to do
It's hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go
But I'm doing it
It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends
Auri sobbed before turning to leave the cave, Doa and Tafiti accompanied the queen's adopted mother. The mother and daughter sat off to the side and watched Auri approach her daughters.
"Sweethearts, I have some terrible news about your father..."
And I'm alone
Tears fell from the cubs' pale blue eyes as they cried on their mother's foreleg.
Still harder gettin' up, gettin' dressed, living with this regret
But I know if I could do it over
I would trade, give away all the words that I saved in my heart
Prince-Consort Mheetu stood at the peak of pride rock with a burning hate in his eyes. Jashua was still unconscious, but badly hurt all the same. Normally the consorts aren't the ones to deal out punishments but with the blood queen in the infirmary cave with their son, it was up to him to deal with the situation.
The sounds of the animals gathered caused him to focus on the task at the moment. Malka and Sãhasí was walking up a path with Chumvi, behind him was Kiros and Horus. The tawny lion could see from his place that the young white lion wanted to attack but was trying his best to be formal.
"Chumvi! You have validate the laws of the Pride Lands. By not only attempting murder of your future king, Prince Jashua..."
The animals mummered before glaring at the dark brown, dark red mane lion. Anger and disgust shown clearly in their eyes. Elephants trumpeted as buffalos pawed the ground.
Mheetu continued to glare at younger lion. "...but also the murder of one of the members of the lion guard and personal advocate of the queen. Do you have anything to say?"
Chumvi grinned evily up at the Prince-Consort. "You stood by and let your mate and her bastard brother kill my father! You haven't seen it yet Mheetu but I will make you and your worthless mate suffer!"
Mufasa. Of course, Chumvi and that following wanted revenge for his mate's uncle. But to attack his and Eshe's son, who knows nothing of the past before him. Will not be tolerated and Eshe already told him what she wanted as punishment before he started.
With his head held high, Mheetu stood with a regal stance as he roared, "Exile!"
Chumvi glared as he growled at the tawny lion. "You will regret this day!"
With a snarl the dark brown lion leapt down and ran off. Mheetu growled himself before turning to head to the infirmary cave, not before sending the remainder of lion guard and some lionesses to escort Chumvi and all who are loyal to him and Mufasa.
That I left unspoken
What hurts the most
Is being so close
And having so much to say (much to say)
...
"Exile!"
Chumvi growled at the memory while the pride began to settle in the Outlands. He couldn't believe that bastard exiled them but it was worth it.
"So, what's the plan my king?"
Chumvi snarled before he turned to face Zira and Judith. "You don't have any yourself?"
Avana laughed as she approached her son and the two lionesses. "Our time is over. Lead them. You have Simba and Vitani, you took away something from Eshe just like she done to us. So, what's next?"
Chumvi turned and gazed at his brothers who were sleeping in a corner of the termite mound along with his sisters.
The second oldest son of Mufasa turned to his mother and his father's mistresses with determined orange eyes that seemed to glow.
"Above all. Simba and Vitani will kill Eshe as well as anyone else who gets in the way. As I take my father's place as King."
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could've been
And not seeing that love in you
Is what I was trying to do
Oh
Hey, yeah
What hurts the most
Was being so close
~TLK~
The moon shined brightly against the dark sky as the stars sparkled. A cool breeze went through the land, swaying the grass back and forth. Along with the wind, the breeze carried the sound of heart breaking sobs.
After exiling Chumvi and his pride, Eshe ran off. He was worried about her but figured that his mate wanted to be alone. A lot has happened in a course of a day.
The tawny lion sat at the peak as the night's breeze blew by, ruffling his dark brown mane as well as carry his mate's cries.
"You should go to her..."
Mheetu looked behind him to see his mother-in-law. The aging dark beige lioness had tears in her orange eyes.
Sarabi sat by her son-in-law with a heavy breath. "Yes, we lost Tojo but he's with Taka and Sanaa now."
Even though Jashua was fine, he still hasn't gotten the chance to grieve. Grieve for his son who almost died and the lion that helped raised his love when she was in false exile.
"Mheetu, you have to talk to Eshe. You both need time to handle what happened together."
Mheetu watched Sarabi head in the cave before heading towards the spot where they buried Tojo. As Mheetu approached the light brown lioness had her head low and crying.
"You feel guilty too? Don't you?"
Eshe opening her puffy green eyes and looked at her mate, he nodded. "More than you ever know. Poor Auri and the girls." she looked up at the stars as her tail flickered. "Did they leave like I ordered?"
Mheetu laid his head against Eshe's and sighed. "Yes. Sãhasí and the rest of the guard made sure that Chumvi and all of Mufasa's followers left the Pridelands."
Eshe growled. "Good. If any one of them ever come back I will kill them."
The light brown lioness lowered her head once again and cried. Mheetu frowned before nuzzling Eshe's cheek causing her to look at him.
"Hey, what's wrong?" when he didn't get a response he sighed. "Besides of course Jashua and Tojo but there's something else. Please, love?"
Eshe had her head low for a moment before she looked at the lion besides her."There's no amount of words that can explain how I feel. But I'm afraid more than anything..especially since..."
Mheetu nuzzled the light brown lioness for her to go on. "Since what?"
Eshe took a deep breath before replying. "Mheetu, I'm pregnant again."
And having so much to say (much to say)
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
Mheetu's teal eyes widened before nuzzling his head against Eshe's. "We'll get through this together, like always."
Eshe smiled lightly before lying her head on the tawny lion's dark brown mane as the royal couple looked up at the sparkling stars above.
The queen knew deep down that Mheetu was right, they will get through this tragedy and the future together. They also will have Tojo and everyone else who has died in vain watching over them.
What could've been
And not seeing that love in you
Is what I was trying to do
Not seeing that love in you
That's what I was trying to do