The Lion King IV: Kopa's Story (COMPLETED)

Chapter 34

A week had passed since Mheetu and Shanni's first litter was born. I couldn't help but acknowledge the butterflies in my stomach as I remembered the way Rafiki carefully carried the two young princes to the tip of Pride Rock. They would be the rulers if anything were to ever happen to Nafari or Zuri. A cold shiver ran down my spine at the thought. 

"Tanabi?" I flicked my ears towards the sound of Shanni's voice. My eyes soon followed and I couldn't help but grin at the sight of Shanni licking one of the cubs' little head clean. I picked myself up and slowly padded over to her. The rest of the pride had gone hunting and it was my turn to stay behind with Shanni. 

"Is everything alright Shans?" I asked carefully sitting in front of her. 

"Do you think you can help me with something?" Her eyes were half open and I suddenly felt worried. She had lost some blood while having her cubs. Rafiki was surprised she had survived considering the size of her boys. 

"Of course," I smiled causing her to do the same. 

"Can you clean Cecil for me? I would do it myself but-" 

"I would gladly do it, Shanni." I cut her off. She didn't need to explain herself, she was family and I wasn't going to turn her away. 

Shanni sighed with content and carefully picked up Cecil by the scruff of the neck and placed the tawny cub in between my paws once I was lying on the ground.

"Thank you, Nabi." She whispered before she continued licking Aslan clean. I chuckled as the cub giggled and placed his tawny paws on his mother's nose. Shanni giggled softly and licked his paws sending the little cub into a giggling fit. 

I chuckled and looked down at Cecil, he was sitting on his round bottom staring up at me. I let out a loud laugh making him tilt his head to the side. I then lowered my head and placed my nose on his warm tummy making his little paws rest on my scared nose. He giggled as I licked him and I couldn't help but do the same. 

The cubs were much bigger now that I had gotten a closer look at them. Cecil still had his spots lightly scattered around his body. His eyes were finally opened after a week of anticipation his eye color was revealed. They were identical to his mothers, the right one being red and the left being blue. The small tail tuft that had just began to grow was a shade of dark brown much like Mheetu's. 

When I finished licking Cecil clean I realized that he had fallen asleep. His round body resting on my giant paws. I smiled and picked him up carefully and placed his beside his brother who was suckling on Shanni. 

Aslan was identical to his older brother Cecil. He was a tawny color with spots all along his body. Round teal-green eyes wide open as he finished his mid-afternoon meal. He smacked his lips and yawned revealing his toothless gums. Aslan then sat up and forced his eyes open with a little sigh. I watched him with eager eyes, I hadn't been this close to a cub before. 

I have, of course, but I had never seen them grow. I had seen the birth of Nafari and Zuri but I never got to experience their first steps or suckling. It's  fascinating. 

I then began to wonder what it would be like if Vitani and I had our own cub. Would it look more like her? Or like me? Would it have my nose or Vitani's? God I hope it ends up having her eyes.

I would have continued thinking of my own cub, or cubs if we ever got the delight of more than one, but my thoughts diminished when I caught sight of Aslan and his epic discovery.