the story,” “Wow, mom that was a good story but sad,” “I know now time for us to eat.”

After a few days of staying in the jungle Heri and Namna were talking about of what Heri would do if she was alone, had a mate, and a family, they talked and talked until night came, they slept soundly, until morning Heri woke up first, and tried to wake up her mother, “Mom time to wake up,” she didn’t move, “Mom?” she still didn’t move, “Mom?!” no movement, and no breathe, “MOM?!!!” Heri bent her head down in sadness, “Good-bye mom, I love you, say hi to dad for me,” and with that Heri left the jungle looking back once more as a tear ran down her cheek. She walked to cavern and saw Ema and her jackals sitting around, “Hey Ema look,” Ema looked and saw Heri, “Hey Heri where’s your mom?” Ema then saw they sad look on her face, “Oh, hey guys, please leave me and Heri alone for a moment,” “Do we have to?” “I’m not asking I’m telling,” “Alright,” when the pack left the duo they started to talk, “Heri I’m extremely sorry about your loss, you were sleeping with her and the next morning you find that she is dead, must be hard for you, and I know how it feels she was like a mother to me to, I loved equally as much as you did, if you want you could stay with me and my pack,” “No it’s alright I have to tell my family about it,” “Alright be sure to come by and visit again.”  With a sad good-bye Heri walked off, ‘Poor girl losing the only one she had left in her family, her brother, father, and mother are dead,” Ema said brushing her bans out of her face with a paw. As He was walking back she, noticed the cave they stayed in, but she didn’t stop to sleep she just went on, she then stopped to look at the night sky, “Mom I miss you I don’t know where to turn, I’m so alone I have nobody with me on this journey, I need your guidance,” she then looked at the ground and stopped walking to sit down, then she started to cry, just then a bright flash was seen, “Heri,” a female voice said, “Whose there?” Heri got scared, then the bright light died down and standing there in the open was Namna, “It is me Heri,” Heri looked up happily, “Mom?” she ran up to her and nuzzled, “I miss you mom, so much, why did you leave me?” “I didn’t mean to Heri, it was my time I would’ve died no matter what,” “I have no one to walk me home, I’m so lonely,” “I know you are, you need rest, you won’t make it if you keep walking without rest, promise me you’ll do that,” “Ok mom,” “That’s my girl, I have to go now, take care my little princess.” And then she disappeared, “Good-bye mom,” and then Heri found a place to sleep, with a deep sigh she said, “I should’ve stayed with Ema,” just then she heard a voice, “Heri wait!” she recognized the voice, then the figure came running up to her. “Ema what are you doing here?” “I came to keep you safe,” “Really what about your pack don’t they need you?” “Nah, I’ve got my second in command on that, ok I know this turf, it is really dangerous at night so follow me,” Heri got up and followed Ema. They finally got to a small haven to spend the night, “Ok we sleep here tonight and we go on our journey, so get some sleep it’s a long walk back including a shortcut, night Heri pleasant dream’s,” “Night Ema,” Heri tired to go to sleep but couldn’t she was thinking to herself all night ‘Why, did she leave me, I’m young still I needed my mother’s love,’ she then let out a sigh I’m not a cub and yet not an adolescent,’ Ema could sense something was wrong and let out a sigh, “Heri listen to me ok, she died happy being by your side, she didn’t die alone,” “I know she did, but,  I’m alone, my parents are dead I can’t stand it,” “But you have Tunaini you can live with her and her family they can adopt you as their own, trust me your mother did that for me when my mother died I was just a pup when that happened, but this is your decision we will continue this talk in the morning.”

CHAPTER 3 WELCOME HOME

As the two walked back they saw that Siri was waiting there at the foot of Pride Rock, as they approached Siri welcomed them, “Welcome home you two,” “Hi, Siri,” Siri nodded and looked at Heri who seemed to be looking sad, “Heri what’s wrong darling?” “Mom’s dead, she died in her sleep,” “Awww, come here,” Siri walked up to Heri and embraced her tightly, “I’m sorry Heri, listen to me, you can be with me and Moyo if you like, we can take care of you like a daughter, or you can stay with Ema and her pack,” Heri couldn’t decide, the Ema chimed in, “Hey Heri you stay just remember what you said to your mother, ‘Think of the fun times,’ now I have to get going before my pack ends going insane,” Heri hugged Ema good-bye and walked with Siri to the cave, “Heri I know you  miss them, I miss them to, I miss Nyota even more, he was my brother he protected me, I loved him so much I didn’t even think he could die,” “Umm Siri, can we not talk about them anymore, and I was wondering can you treat me like a daughter?” Siri looked at Heri with loving eyes, “Of course sweetie, come on we have to let the others know of your loss,” Heri nodded, she then followed Siri into the cave, and Siri then cleared her throat getting everyone’s attention, “Everyone there is some bad news and good news, the good news is that Heri is back,” everyone cheered, “But,” Siri interrupted, “But, Namna has died in her sleep,” everyone went silent when they heard this they all bent their heads in sorrow, “and there is one thing I’m going to add, I’m taking her in as my daughter, if she doesn’t want to do anything it’s because she is in depression so let her collect herself, that is all.”

The next day Heri was sitting in the cave she and Namna spent in that one night before they left, she was still very sad, but happy that she has a new mother, just then Tunaini came in, “Hey, Heri how you feeling?” Heri looked at her through wet eyes, “Still a little depressed, but happy that I have a stepsister now,” “Do you want me to leave you alone for a little bit longer?” “No can you stay with me? I don’t want to be alone any more, I’m still too young, I still need a mother’s love,” “Ok lie down get some rest I’ll be here for you no matter what Heri let me know if you want anything,” Tunaini walked over to Heri and laid down next to her. Heri saw that Tunaini went to sleep and she moved closer to her, Heri then cuddled up next to Tunaini and fell asleep. In the morning Tunaini felt something close to her she looked up and saw Heri shivering, she then put her arms around Heri and let her get warm, Heri felt this and opened her eyes, “Good morning, you can let me up now,” “Ok, are you feeling much better?” “Yes I am after that pleasant dream I had,” “What was it about, if I may ask?” “It was just me, mom, dad, and Nuru if he weren’t dead we were a big happy family nothing bad happened ever, we stayed happy, and that’s pretty much it we just stayed with each other and played,” “Sounds like a nice dream, come on lets go see my.. I mean our mom.” 

CHAPTER 4 HERI AND A NEW FRIEND a month later

A month later Heri grew into an adolescent lioness, she was beautiful, and stunning, as she was walking down from Pride Rock Tunaini ran after her, “Heri wait up,” she called, Heri turned and smiled, “Heri where are you going?” “I promised Ema that I would visit her someday, so I’m going there,” “Oh, ok, can I come with you?” “Sure, but she has a bunch of somewhat scary pack member’s, I saw them when I left the jungle,” Tunaini nodded, “Better tell mom,” “I told her I was going she said it was fine, you should tell her, I’ll wait here,” Tunaini then ran off to Siri, “Mom, can I go with Heri to see Ema?” “If she’s alright with it then I’m ok with it,” “Thanks mom,” “Heh go on have fun,” Tunaini then ran off to Heri. “She said it’s up to you,” “It’s ok with me, come on we need to get going before dark comes, it gets dangerous at night, so right when it gets dark we need shelter,” Tunaini nodded, and the duo were off. Siri walked out of the cave and watched them leave, and she smiled, ‘Heri is taking your death well now Namna, she is happy, I don’t know what Tunaini did to make her feel happy, when she’s happy it makes everyone happy, do you think I did the right thing, taking her in as my own?” then when Siri was still looking up at the sky, then the wind picked up and circled around Siri, “I take that as a yes, thank you Namna.” Heri and Tunaini were running while chasing each other, “So you’ve never met Ema before?” “Only once but she never talked to me,” “She probably got badly injured in that fight, and left shortly after, but you’ll like her she’s very nice,” “I bet,” Heri then looked to the horizon, “The strange thing is my mom knew Ema’s mother, then she told me that my parents took her in when her mom died, so she is like another sister but of different species,” Tunaini chuckled, and tackled Heri playfully,  Heri then pushed Tunaini off, “We better hurry it’s almost sun down, I know a cave close by we can stay there for the night,” “Ok,” they then walked the rest of the way to the cave. It then was night time when they got there, “We can rest now, I’ll be right back, I’m just going to sit outside to look at the star’s, I’ll be in about an hour,” with that Heri walked out of the small cave and sat down, “I see you up there mom, I still miss you, but I’m happy now that I have Tunaini as a sister, and Siri as a mother, and Moyo as a father,” then what surprised Heri was that only one star was blinking, “Mom? Is that you?” then the star stopped, and there was a bright flash, then Namna, Nyota, and Nuru appeared, “Mom, dad, Nuru?” she ran to them and nuzzled, “Hey sweetie you are now an adolescent, and we wish you a happy birthday, Namna nuzzled back, “Heri do remember that lullaby I sang to you?” Heri nodded, “This since it s your birthday you can have my lullaby as my gift to