The Last Lioness: As A Juvenile

Part 6

The morning rain was something I had missed. I had not seen a down pour such as this since I was, well, a cub. It was nearing the end of the dry season and the continuous supply of rain and thunder storms awaited just around the corner. This was a fresh start for me. If every time I fall happy it gets taken away from me, then I will simply not care anymore.

As I rose to my paws and stretched outward, I saw Fuerte padding toward me with a smile on his face. "Rise and shine, young lioness," I let out a yawn and licked the left over remains of yesterdays carcass off the corners of my mouth. "We have a long day ahead of us." I looked at him in confusion. What was this strange lion planning?

I didn't question it, instead I just remained silent until he motioned me to walk alongside him. "Aren't you going to ask where I am taking you?" He said while we slowly walked in the misty rain, my sense of direction had completely gone and I had no idea where he was taking me. "My fur is getting wet, may I ask why we are going on a little field trip in this weather?"

He chuckled letting my snide comment slide by him and we continued walking in silence. "You're really moody..you know that? Where is your sense of humour gone?" He looked over his shoulder at me, trailing behind him as if I was a cub again. "Considering my mate got kidnapped by the poachers yesterday and every bit of happiness I had left has been torn away from me, can you blame me for not being over-the-moon with myself?"

He sighed and looked toward the floor before turning to me. "Sancha, this is the second time I have lost my older brother in the matter of a few years. We were best friends as cubs and for us to be ripped away from each other and our pride, then to see each other again as fully-grown lions I didn't know what to do, hence why I attacked him. I've lost an important person in my life too...not just you, and I am determined to make you happy with any means necessary. If you're happy, I'm happy."

I felt my cheeks starting to burn and my stomach felt like it had a thousand moths flying about inside of it, I felt flustered and completely overwhelmed. "So will you let me?" I smiled at him and nodded. "We need to stick together, even if I do find you annoyingly obnoxious." He laughed and licked the top of my ear. Before we went to venture fourth I felt four needle-like fangs bury just through my hind leg fur only to hear the two cute voices of my favourite cubs. "Aunty San, Aunty San!!"

I turned around to see them both bounding around at my feet with excitement. They seemed to be growing fast, making me feel a bit faint. Everyone and everything was ageing, a whole life ahead of them. Before long they should be fending for themselves, creating their own families and watching their grand cubs gather around their paws, just like they were to me right now. "Raski! Rani!" I said smiling, they tackled me to the floor and jumped all over me before Raski looked up and started backing away. "Rani...I-its him!!" Rani leapt to her paws before letting out a small meow and jumping at Fuerte.

"I-I'll kill you! I will!" She sunk her teeth into his leg and shook her head back and forth. "Ouch.." Fuerto murmured before shaking his paw, sending her flying off and back onto me. "Girls, Girls!" I said sternly, trying to get their attention. "Fuerte is no foe! He is a friend! I know, Raski, you and him had problems but he means no harm by it. Unfortunately, Rápido has gone for a very long walk. We do not know when he will be back so Fuerte here has volunteered to take care of us all in his absence."

All of a sudden, Amadia came bounding out of the grass and tackled Fuerte to the floor. "Stay away from my sisters!" She snarled in his face while giving me a look to show she definitely was not happy. "How could you!?" she stomped her paw at me while breathing heavily. "Amadia, he's a friend! Please! He's apologised for his actions and he wants to redeem himself!" She scoffed at me and shook her head. "How could you be so gullible! Where is Rápido I demand to see him!"

The air fell silent, the only sound was the distant cackling of hyenas. Fuerte and I looked at each other, I felt all the emotions flooding back into me. My eyes started to tear up and through the watery appearance of the leopardess in front of me, I saw the look of sympathy stamped on her face. "I am so sorry. I had no idea." Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed quietly. "Fuerto you can stay...but if you prove any threat to San or my sisters, I will end you." He nodded understandingly. Without a word, Amadia ushered the cubs toward a nearby tree for shelter.

"Fuerte I need to make amends with myself..leave me, please." He smiled weakly and walked back toward my den.

All of my friends were disbanding...

I had no ways of stopping it from happening...

If only Rápido was here right now things wouldn't seem bad...

~~~6 MONTHS LATER~~~

"Mommy I'm cold..." I felt a tiny body curl up against mine as I tried to rest. The past 2 weeks have been chaos, more for me than Fuerte. After all, I am only young still. But finally, I had done my mother proud. Carried on my legacy, even if it wasn't with my one true love. "Now now Nova, leave some space for your brother and sister." I had given birth to four beautiful cubs, Three girls and a boy that me and Fuerto named Nova, Athena and Jefe . Unfortunately , my last cub passed shortly after she was born. We buried Farrah under the oak tree with Sam's shell. Each of their names mean something special.

Nova means a star that becomes extremely bright then returns to its original state, I am positive she is destined for good things in life. Athena is the name of a goddess, in which is what Athena is exactly, a goddess. Jefe is Spanish for Chief. He is bold and fearless, one day he will conquer all of his grand-dads enemies and take them down one by one. Lastly, Farrah means "joy" or "happiness" something I had not obtained myself since recently.

These cubs were...different. They could do unexplainable things...They are only two and a half weeks old and they are speaking fluently already, they even know their fair bit of Spanish without me and Fuerte even teaching them. They were special. My special, little babies. Fuerte came over to our little bundles of joy that lay in a heap soundly next to me and licked each one of them. "I never would of thought six months ago we would be in this position." I smiled at him and nodded but deep down I felt a feeling I couldn't explain, it wasn't complete sadness, neither was it happiness, jealousy or anger. Something was wrong and I couldn't tell what.