never joked around. Only to make Marina laugh. He is a very firm and serious lion. You know that. You’re just denying it. I know you just want to have this happen. Especially to the cubs.” Julian said. “I know Foxy, I know.”

He licked her head.

Mkuu trotted out of the cave. He was practically and adolscent now so he decided that he would be waking up earlier.

“Good morning Mother. Good Morning Father.” He greeted. He noticed no response.

He could tell that something was wrong.

He noticed a tear trickle down his mother’s face.

“Mother, what’s wrong?” Mkuu asked. 

“N-nothing Mkuu.” She sniffed “Just run along now. Play with Kitisha.”

Mkuu walked over to his father.

“Father,” he whispered “What’s wrong?” Mkuu was getting very concerned.

“We’ll talk about it tonight with the Pride.” Julian told his son. “Run along now son. Play with Kitisha.”

“Okay Father.” Mkuu answered.

Mkuu wandered off to where Kitisha was.

“Hey Kitisha!” he greeted.  

“Hey Mkuu!” she greeted back.

“Want to go the-“ Mkuu was cut off my his little brother, Prince.

“You’re going to the gorge with you girlfriend right?” Prince laughed.

“Excuse me a moment.” Mkuu said to Kitisha.

Mkuu took his brother with his claw and took him to a rock nearby the cave.

“Will you shut up you, mongrel.” Mkuu said. “We’re just friends. Too bad you don’t have any.”

Prince turned away and walked back to the cave. 

Mkuu strolled back to where Kitisha was. 

“So, want to go to the jungle?” he asked.

“Sure.” Kitisha answered.

Mkuu and Kitisha walked off to the jungle.

Kitisha pulled Mkuu over to the emerald trees. She pushed him against a bare tree. 

“Err-uh” Mkuu was confused and was in an awkward situation. Though he calmed down quickly.  

“Mkuu I uh-“ Kitisha stumbled.

“I know,” he whispered. He nudged her. She blushed and licked his muzzle. 

As he was about to kiss her back she paused and stopped him.     

“Mkuu, I have to tell you something.” Kitisha said.

“What?” he asked. He was confused (once again). He didn’t understand.

“I can’t go back to Bora.” She confessed.

“What?! But, why?!” he asked.

“Everyone thinks that I’m in love with Prince. Why would I?! I would never break any of the Kingdom laws. Never!” Kitisha said.

“Who would say such a thing?” Mkuu asked. He was furious with whomever started this awful gossip. He would want to tear out their guts. 

“I don’t know!” she answered sobbing.

“I think I might know who.” Mkuu said.

“Who?” she asked.

“Prince.” He said.

“No! He wouldn’t!” Kitisha said. She wasn’t standing up for Prince, she just knew it wasn’t him.

“Yes he probably did. Kitisha, he likes you and he’s going to run away again. He told me personally. He started that rumor so you wouldn’t be apart of the Pride and you would run away.  Soon he would catch up with you and would try to well- you know” Mkuu said.

“You might be right Mkuu.” Kitisha changed her mind.

“Exactly! I can persuade my father that the rumor isn’t and true and Prince will be in trouble!”

“Good idea but, where should I go?” Kitisha asked.

“I’ll try to tell my father today if he’s not too busy. We’ll stay here in the jungle.” Mkuu said.

“You mean together?” she asked.

“Well, yes.” He said with some spunk. “I can’t leave you here out alone. Kiungo told me about some creepy rouge who’s trying to get a mate. He says he’s lurking around the jungle.” Mkuu said. He turned his head side to side checking if Cokelat was near. 

“Who’s Kiungo?” Kitisha asked.

“Why, don’t you remember? He’s my cousin. He has the dark black mane, dark brown fur and his girlfriend is Nyota. She has golden fur.” Mkuu said trying to refresh Kitisha’s memory.

“Oh that’s right! How could I forget?” she said.

“Stay here. I must tell my father now.” Mkuu said. He licked her cheek and ran back to Bora.

Finally, he reached his father.

“Father, the rumor about Kitisha isn’t true. Prince made it up!” Mkuu said. “Father, it has to stop. She must stay in the Pride.” 

“No son. Kitisha is in love with Prince who is younger than her. Son it’s a kingdom law. She can’t return.” Julian said.

“Father! Listen to me! Kitisha doesn’t like Prince! Prince likes her! He made up that rumor so that Kitisha would run away. He told me he’d run away and fall in love with her. He told me himself!” Mkuu protested.

“Prince? No. He wouldn’t he-“ Julian said. 

“Father, Prince would. He’s angry and jealous at me and Kitisha. I would be the King and as Kingdom law, Kitisha would be Queen. Who else would make up such a thing?” Mkuu objected.

“Well, there’s no law of not making rumors. So I don’t know what to do for discipline.” Julian said.

“Father, Rafiki will know. He’s known your great grandpa.” Mkuu said.

“You’re right. But, I can’t go there. I’ve- never mind. Just go yourself.” Julian said.

“Okay father. I’ll go.” Mkuu said. Mkuu wandered off to the Pridelands to see Rafiki. He was in a rather large tree. He peered through a hole in the bark.

“Um, Rafiki.” He said.

“Oh Mkuu! It’s you. I thought it was someone else. Do you seek something?” the wise old baboon asked.

“Well, I know that you know many things about the other Prides and I was wondering if you knew if there were any laws of making rumors. Are there rules about that in my pride?” Mkuu asked.

“Yes. If someone makes a rumor they automatically are exiled from the pride they belong to.” Rafiki answered. “But, there are different rules for each pride. Zazu can tell you about them. He’s nearby I’ll call him.” “Zazu!” he called.

A blue hornbill soared into the large tree. 

“Yes Rafiki.” Zazu answered.

“This lion wants to know about the rumor rules in other prides and ancient rules in his pride. Would you happen to know any?” Rafiki asked.

“No, I thought you would’ve actually.” Zazu answered.

“I think I might know some.” Rafiki paused. He took a moment to think. “Well actually there is a law about rumor-making in your Pride, Mkuu. Whomever made the rumor must run away from Bora. They must be a rouge for the rest of their life unless they start a pride of their own. They cannot join another Pride.” Rafiki explained.

“Oh.” Mkuu said. “Thank you.” He said and loped straight home to tell his father.

“Father, Rafiki told me that the law is if someone makes a rumor, they must run away from their pride, they cannot join another pride, and the only way they can be in a pride is if they make their own.” Mkuu said. 

“I will get Garret to get Prince.” Julian said. “Garret!” he called. 

Garret dashed over. His black mane caused him to sweat a bit because of the blazing son.

“Yes King Julian? Do you need a Defending Report?” he asked.

“No Garret. Get Prince. I need to talk to him.” Julian said. 

“On the double sir.” Garret saluted and ran to where the young cub was.

“Prince, your father needs to see you.” Garret said.

“Okay.” Prince groaned and slowly got up to see his father. Once he arrived, Julian looked upset. Prince gulped.

“H-hi Father.” He said stumbling over his words.

“You have broken a Kingdom law and you’re the Prince!” Julian growled.

“I didn’t break a law! Kitisha did! She loves me!” he defended.

Mkuu appeared from the cave.

“What a lie! You love her! She doesn’t love you! You told me you like her and you told me you were going to start a rumor!” he protested.

Prince didn’t know what to do. His pride was furious at him and he had broke a law.

Julian called Garret and told him that he needed to gather the Pride and all the animals that lived in the Bora territory. 

All of he animals gathered around and the Bora lions returned to their cave.

Prince was to leave immediately for that was the Kingdom law. 

At once, the cub bolted away from Bora then stopped running. He sobbed and sat down on the gorge grounds. His family probably hated him for doing such a thing.