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The hyenas raced through the green grass, swaying in the breeze. Some were whining as they received injuries from the lionesses as well as the queen and Prince-Consort that were chasing them.

A loud roar echoed through the air causing the hyenas who were resting to quickly get their second wind and run off. Out of the tall gold and green grass charged Taka.

Seeing no hyenas in sight the brown lion turned to the closet lioness to him, who happens to be a creamy beige pelted lioness.

"Rhea, lead the others and make sure that they're gone." Taka instructed one of his pride members.

"Of course my lord," Rhea bowed before looking at the remaining four lionesses with determined brown eyes. "Move out!"

Taka watched the five lioness run off before disappearing into the swaying grass. The sound of heavy breathing caused the Prince-Consort to turn and see his mate gasping for air, trying desperately to breathe.

"Sarabi!" Taka cried out in alarm, his green eyes full of concern as he rushed to his mate's side. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Sarabi sat and took calming breaths before looking at her mate. "Taka, I'm pregnant."

Taka's eyes widened but before he could respond both he and Sarabi turned their heads at the sound of a yell. To see Arella flying towards them with her white tail feathers literally on fire.

Taka stuck out a paw to stop the light blue hornbill before placing her on the ground and lightly patting the bird's tail to stop the fire.

Sarabi pinned her ears as an awful feeling formed at the pit of her stomach. As something came to her mind. "Arella, where's Eshe?"

Arella took deep breaths before hovering in the air. "You must move quickly! The hyenas are after the children!"

~TLQ~

The hyenas chased the cubs down an elephant spine. The cubs soared through the grey air and landed on another pile of old, rotting bones.

"Help!"

Mheetu heard the cry and turned to see Eshe sliding down towards the hyenas' jaws at the bottom. The tawny cub growled as he charged down and struck the hyena named Shenzi across the cheek.

Leaving Mheetu and Eshe the chance to catch up with Malka where they quickly realized they were in a dead end.

"Here kitty, kitty!"

Eshe inhaled and exhaled before she jumped in front of her friends and roared which sounded like mew. The hyenas laughed and gloated the princess to do it again.

Eshe looked at her friends, who gave her an encouraging nod. The light brown cub took a deep breath before roaring again. This time, it made the fur on the hyenas rise. Soon a large brown paw met with the scavenger's bodies. Before the hyenas could realize what was happening they were pinned down by the Prince-Consort.

"If you ever come near my daughter again!" Taka snarled, his eyes blazing with rage.

Shenzi laughed nervously,"Oh, this is your cub. We truly had no idea..."

Taka roared which made the hyenas dash off quickly with their tails between their legs.

Arella flew down to the angry king and gave him a nod, but shrunk back under his green glare.

"Daddy, I'm-" Eshe ran over to her father to shrink back when the brown lion turned his emerald gaze on her.

Taka quickly cut his daughter off, "You deliberately disobeyed your mother!"

Eshe pinned her dark brown rimmed ears as she cried, "I'm sorry."

Taka growled very sternly as he began to lead everyone out of the graveyard, "Let's go home!"

They all started the trek home out of the burial grounds, the cubs had their heads down in shame. Mheetu lifts his head and looks at the princess,"I thought you were really brave."

Eshe smiled half heartily at her tawny friend before lowering her head and continued to follow her father. Once half way to pride rock, the Prince-Consort stopped.

"Arella!" Taka's voice seemed to echo through the night sky.

The light blue hornbill flew forward and landed in front of Taka. Fear was written all over her face as she looked up, "Yes, your grace?"

Taka's tone was stern as he gave Arella his instructions, "Take Mheetu and Malka home. I've got to teach my daughter a lesson."

Upon hearing her father's rough voice Eshe lowered herself as if the tall blades of grass were going to hide her.

Arella flies over and lands in front of the three cubs."Come cubs..." Arella sighed before putting her wings on the princess' shoulders. "Princess Eshe, good luck."

Eshe watched Arella take flight, flying towards pride rock in the distance with Mheetu and Malka following.

"Eshe!" Taka's voice seemed to vibrate in the night's air.

Eshe took a deep breath before slowly making way towards her father. Without looking at his daughter he thinks silently for a few moments before opening his eyes and looks down at the light brown cub.

"I'm very disappointed in you."

Eshe looks down with her ears against her head,"I know."

"You could have been killed! And what's worse, you put your friends in danger!" Taka wanted her to know that everything she does has consequences.

Eshe's voice cracks as she cried, "I was only trying to be brave like you and mother."

Taka closed his eyes and sighed heavily before speaking, "We're only brave when we have to be. Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."

Eshe looks up as her green eyes glisten with tears, "But you and mommy are not scared of anything."

Taka lowered his head and sighed, "We were today."

Eshe looked at her father with disbelief in her eyes."You were?" the princess asked.

The brown lion nodded before lowering his head to be at his daughter's level, "Your mother and I thought we were going to lose you."

"I guess even queens and lions get scared, huh?"

Taka closed his eyes as he lowered his head. "More than you would ever know, my love."

Eshe frowns before she grins lightly. "But you know what?"

Taka's ear flickered as he looked at his daughter. "What?"

"I think those hyenas were even scareder."

Taka laughs before grabbing Eshe and ruffled the fur on her head."That's because no one messes with your papa!"

Eshe playfully growled as she chased her father through the savannah in a game of tag. Taka was running with Eshe in pursuit. When the light brown cub pounced, the brown lion fell to the ground.

"I'm down! The mighty queen has got meee!" Taka exclaimed in fake pain.

Eshe giggled at her father. "You're so weird."

Taka grinned as he once again ruffled his daughter's fur on her head. "You have no idea."

Taka eventually laid down with Eshe on his black mane, looking at the dozen of twinkling stars that went on beyond the eyes can see.

"Papa?"

The quietness made him think about the information Sarabi told him before rushing off to rescue the cubs. He shook his head to focus on the moment."Hmm? Yes, my princess?"

Eshe looks over Taka's head to look into the green eyes that mirror her own. "We'll always be together, right?"

On that, Taka frowned as he sits up but Eshe is still on the back of his head, in the Prince-Consort's black mane. "Sweetheart let me tell you something your grandmother, whom you're named after once told me. Look to the stars, all the great kings and queens are up there watching over us."

Eshe's eyes brightened as she asked in awed, "Really?"

Taka nodded before looking back at glistening stars. "Yes...so whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings and queens will always be there to guide you...and so will I and your mother."