The moonlight cast a soft silver light across the savanna. A gentle breeze carried milkweed floss toward Rafiki's home, a towering baobab tree that stood out among the mostly barren plains around it.

Within the tree, Rafiki was mixing paint in a hollowed-out gourd. On a nearby portion of the tree trunk, there was a painting of two lion cubs.

"Oh, Taka," he said, as the breeze blew around him. "Ev'ry day Jashua grows more majestic, into a king dat will someday make us all very proud." He painted a black mane on Jashua's painting before smearing blue paint above it.

When the other painting caught his attention, he frowned and put the gourd down before picking up another. He smeared reddish-brown paint beneath her painting as he remarked, "But dis cub, Sherise, grows stronger, and Chumvi fills her heart with hate." He bowed his head and closed his eyes after setting the gourd down. "I'm very worried, Taka. Things are not going well, no."

The breeze grew stronger, blowing Rafiki's mane around. The mandrill lifted his head to examine some rattling gourds suspended from the ceiling. "Hmm? You have a plan?" A gourd fell, breaking into two halves. "What?" Rafiki picked up the two halves, puzzled. He looked up and realized that, from his vantage point, the gourd pieces seemed to surround his paintings of Jashua and Sherise.

Rafiki gradually brought the pieces closer together. "Jashua...Sherise…" He joined the two halves of the gourd. "Together? Dis is the plan?" He dropped the gourds as he gestured angrily. "Are you crazy?! Dis will never work! Oh, Taka, you've been up dere so long dat your head is in de clouds! Have you also forgotten that your grandson is betrothed to the granddaughter of King Ojore!"

He crossed his arms as the breeze grew stronger. As his fur was being blown around, he made some protesting motions, trying to calm the persistent breeze.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay! All right! Okay! I don't think dis is going to work," he admitted, raising his arms in surrender, "but I trust you."

Rafiki wagged a finger at the wind as it spiraled away, adding, "I just hope you know what you're doing!" He put his hands on his hips as the wind rose to the heavens and vanished among the clouds.

...

Prince Jashua sat away from pride rock. No one knew that even as a prince he still feels alone. There's a lot of things riding on his shoulders, he feels like he'll never be ready to take his mother's place.

"What are you doing out here?"

The teenage pale cream lion opened his orange eyes to the sound of the voice. To see an all to familiar creamy tan lioness.

"Honestly, I don't really know. Just feel.. alone."

The female smiled before moving closer. Jashua's earlier turmoil ended with a confuse look as his ears heard the sound of a loving purr along with a feeling of soft fur against his body. He looked down and seen the creamy tan teen pressed against him and nuzzling into his growing black mane.

"...Olisa..."

He choked, not sure how or what to feel from the lioness' affection.

Olisa craned her neck and licked the male on the cheek. "Jashua..." she breathed, sending shivers down the prince's spine.

Jashua would be a fool if he said he had no affect. Because he soon growled before ushering the female down. He ran his tongue over the female's body. Causing Olisa to moan and purr.

Jashua brought his lips to Olisa's ear and snarled seductively. "Are you sure? There's no turning back."

Olisa growled before lifting her body up, causing Jashua to growl. Under the stars the two got lost in their moment of intimacy.

~TLK~

The afternoon breeze ruffled Jashua's growing black mane as he waited for Olisa near the waterhole. As he sat beside the water, he sighed and studied his reflection. His mane was starting to grow even more, and he couldn't escape the fact that he was now a teenager, which meant the reality of being King of Pride Rock was edging closer by the day.

Many questions arose, including whether Olisa could handle the prospect of becoming consort, and whether Jashua wanted her to be his consort in the first place.

Jashua sighed once again. He knew the answer deep down. Though the time under the stars a few weeks ago was nice but his thoughts keeps drifting back to the lioness who had been haunting him: Sherise.

He kept thinking about her, and he was beginning to question his feelings, particularly for Olisa. As much as he cared for Olisa and knew how important that the betrothal was successful. But he was starting to feel as if he wanted more, but with someone else.

His ear twitched as he heard pawsteps, and he turned to see Olisa approaching him, smiling.

Once by Jashua, the creamy tan lioness laid down and nuzzled the pale cream lion. "So, how was your day?"

Jashua nuzzled Olisa back before replying, "It was good. More royal lessons, as usual. It still feels like my mother doesn't exactly think I'll ever be ready to be king one day."

"I see," Olisa nodded with a smile, "But do you feel like you're ready? To be king?"

"I mean…maybe? It feels more real now, but... I don't know. There's a lot that goes into keeping all the herds and other predators happy, or at least satisfied."

Olisa purred as she nuzzled into his black mane. "I'm sure you would be amazing."

Jashua smiled at Olisa again, but this time it didn't quite reach his eyes. "For now, why don't we just... take a walk or something, yeah?"

Olisa smiled back. "That sounds beautiful."

They stood up and started walking, their pelts brushing against each other with each step.

Little did Princess Olisa realize how much Jashua was hiding.

...

After a restless night, Jashua couldn't help feeling more and more as if Olisa …wasn't the one for him. He knew a lot was riding on the betrothal between him and Olisa but when he compared his relationship with Olisa to his parents', he couldn't help but feel that something was missing.

That afternoon, after his royal lessons were done, Jashua found himself at the top of Pride Rock, looking out over the Pride Lands. His mind was racing, and he had no idea what to do.

A familiar voice startled him out of his thoughts, causing him to gasp, not expecting to see this particular lion so soon. "Is everything alright, dear?"

He turned around and sighed softly as he saw his mother. "Oh, mom. Yeah, everything's fine," he assured her. "I just needed some space to think."

Eshe raised an eyebrow as she sat next to her son, not entirely convinced that everything was fine. "Is everything alright between you and Olisa?"

Jashua winced at the question. Clearly, his mother knew something was bothering him. "Well, no. Not really," he finally admitted.

Eshe blinked, surprised. "Princess Olisa appeared be extremely happy."

"She may be happy, but truthfully? I just... don't feel it anymore," Jashua sighed. "The last thing I want to do is hurt Olisa or the alliance, but I can't help but feel as if I need something different."

Eshe frowned as she looked away from her son. This was exactly why she originally didn't want betrothals anymore. "Listen, the alliance with Avaloria is not worth your happiness."

Jashua looked at his mother with shocked orange eyes. "You're sure? You don't mind if I ended things.."

Mother and son looked behind them after hearing a faint noise similar to the sound of a pebble shifting, but saw nothing.

Jashua sighed, returning his attention to the Pride Lands. The sun was starting to descend, and the herds were starting to group together for the night. He stood and shook his growing mane. "I'm going to head back down now, but thanks for the advice, mom." He smiled faintly, gently nuzzling her.

Eshe smiled. "Of course, dear."

The pair of them began to head back down the path, and Jashua decided it'd be best to find Olisa now. There was no point putting it off. He immediately headed for their private area. Jashua wasn't sure if he wanted Olisa to be here or not.

As he drew closer to their private area, a soft rustle and a shaky breath confirmed his suspicion. Olisa was here.

There was no avoiding it.

"Olisa?" He called softly as he entered the grove. He could see Olisa sitting slightly hunched over with her back to him.

Silence. Then, "What do you want?"

Jashua blinked, surprised at the hostile tone. "Wh- Olisa? Is…everything alright?"

Olisa felt a mix of despair and rage well up inside her. As if all of what she heard up there wasn't bad enough, to be asked if everything was alright only angered her further. The creamy tan lioness tried her hardest not to cry, but the dam eventually broke. She turned around, her claws extended. "It's true, isn't it?!" Olisa yelled.

Jashua's eyes widened and he took several steps back. He was speechless, and the fact that he didn't immediately answer, only enraged the princess of Avaloria further.

"Isn't it?!" Olisa repeated, snarling as she moved closer to the pale cream male.

At this point, Jashua grunted as he found himself stepping back into the base of a large rock. "Y-you heard?"

"Yes, I did! You were talking to your mom about breaking up with me!" Olisa hissed. "I th-thought you lo-loved me..." her words faded as he broke down and sobbed, making Jashua feel even more guilty.

"I-I'm really sorry, Olisa. I never meant to hurt you like this."

"Well, it's too late for that now! You already did, to make matters worse I'm pregnant with your cub!"

Jashua was stunned into silence. Of all the ways he'd thought this conversation would go, this had not been one of them, and now he had no idea what to do now.

After an awkward silence, Jashua finally found his voice again. "Olisa, please. I would be there in any way for you and the cub but I really didn't intend to hurt you. I… I just thought that it'd be better-"

Olisa cut him off. "Better? Better?" she took a shaky breath before she growled and pushed past Jashua, leaving him in the area alone.

As his now-ex-'s fleeing figure faded into the night, Jashua sighed, trying not to let the dam break. The only words he could murmur were "I'm so sorry."