Midnight Rain

~1~

Kaan ran through the savanna, making sure to stay on the path Tumbili had made through the tall grass.

Aina, another cub in the group, ran after him, breathing heavily, "Why are you so fast?!" She complained, "I can never beat you!"

"No one can!" Laughed Mkali, another cub, who had quickly caught up to the two. Kaan purred, "I'm going to be the greatest king of the Sunset Savanna! So I train super hard and now I'm really fast! I can race against a cheetah and I'd still win!" He then hit the stick they had marked as the finish line, groaning as he tumbled into Tumbili's leg.

"You must watch where you are going if you will be the greatest king of all the Sunset Savanna young one." Tumbili picked up him, smiling as he set him back on his paws. Mkali grinned, jumping over the stick, "Thought you were faster than a cheetah, Kaan."

"Mkali, that's mean," Aina padded over to Mkali's side after completing the race, nudging his shoulder. Mkali sighed, "The world is mean, Aina. I'm just... preparing him." He lifted the part of his mane that covered his left eye, that was blinded with a scar over it. Mkali was the oldest Lion there, he was an adolescent, and Aina was only a month younger than he was. They were really close.

Aina frowned, nuzzling his side before looking to Tumbili, sitting down. Kaan looked up to Mkali, "Woah.. how'd you get that?"

"The new king of my previous pride did it to me. My mother took me here." Mkali answered, eyes narrowed before he covered his eye back up as the other cubs jumped over the stick, out of breath.

"Good job, everyone!" Tumbili laughed, "You May all rest at the watering hole!"

Kaan, Mkali and Aina walked together, as they were all closest in age. Aina had just became an adolescent, and Kaan was a few weeks younger than her.

"Your mane looks amazing!" Kaan smiled to at Mkali. Mkali grinned, "Thanks!"

Aina purred, before stopping, looking into the tall grass. Mkali looked to her, "Aina? What do you see?"

"I.. don't know." She mumbled, lifting her paw to step forward before she set it back down.

Tumbili walked over, "Cacklers are common this time of year. We should head back soon."

The three nodded, and continued their walk to the watering hole. Mkali lapped up some water, glancing at the tall grass from time to time.

"You're scaring me!" Aina nudged him, folding her ears back. Mkali nudged her, "Sorry, I just.. have a bad feeling."

Kaan sighed quietly, "We'll be okay, Aina, Mkali's probably just faking it." He grinned. Mkali flinched, "Am not!" He leapt at Kaan. Kaan laughed, "Are too!"

Aina giggled, curling her tail over her paws as she watched them play in the water.

Kaan grinned up at her, "Come on, Aina!"

She hesitated, before slowly getting into the water, giggling as Kaan splashed at her. She splashed him back, smiling brightly.

Night came, and they all had came back to the tree.

They sat around a zebra carcass as they ate, and Tumbili walked over, "Ania,"

"Yes?" She asked quietly, looking up to him. She sat a bit further away from the others with Mkali, eating off of two zebra legs with him.

"I'd like you to meet someone,"

Kaan raised a brow as she slowly got up, following Tumbili to a tall, transversal Lion with a white mane. Mkali narrowed his eyes.

"This, is King Mkuu. He wishes to adopt you,"

The brown eyed Lion smiled kindly, "Hello."

"Hello," she smiled back, sitting down.

"King Mkuu, I'm sure you will find her a good addition to your pride. Go say goodbye to everyone, Aina,"

Aina faltered, "Will I get to see them again?"

"If they are adopted, yes, of course you will," King Mkuu nodded.

"Okay..!" She gave him a small smile before padding over to Mkali and Kaan.

"I'm getting adopted!" She smiled. Kaan looked up to her, smiling softly, "That's great, Aina!"

"Cool." Mkali muttered, looking to the ground. Aina nuzzled him, "We'll see eachother again, Mkali.."

"You can't leave us, Aina.."

"Hurry, Aina!" Called Tumbili.

"Coming!" She looked to the monkey and the Lion before looking back to Mkali and Kaan, "We can meet at the watering hole at night.. just.. keep it quiet, got it..?"

Mkali and Kaan both nodded, nuzzling her and watching as she walked back over to the Lion.

"Thank you, Tumbili, for raising me," Aina smiled before walking off with the Lion. Mkali faltered, "Kaan?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me you'll never let a king adopt you."

"Promise."

I want to make poor Mkali his own book so I'll probably do that soon 🫶🫶🫶🫶