Takata started to remember as he spoke…

The black lion came to the place where he and his daughter had been staying for three days. He carried the carcass of a dead gazelle on his back but as he walked he was limping. There was a deep gash in the midsection of his left foreleg. It stung but he refused to let the pain show. He saw the cave that served as home.

            He roared. “ETANA, DINNER IS HERE!”

            He shook off the carcass, watching it fall on the right side of him into the grass. He picked it up by the neck and dragged it to the cave’s entrance. He lied down in the grass and looked around, admiring the beauty. There was a waterhole in the mid part of this green valley just a few feet from where their cave was but they weren’t the only animals living here. There were others such as smaller insectivores, herbivores and other carnivores but those animals never bothered the lions. They dared not to unless they wanted to become dinner.

            A few minutes later, much to Takata’s happiness and relief, the young gray colored cub came running over. She stopped and sniffed the air. “Dad, you caught a gazelle.”

            Takata smiled. “Yes, I did, are you hungry?”

            Etana nodded.

            “Okay, let’s get…” He snarled in pain and began to lick his left foreleg.

            “What’s wrong, Dad?” Etana asked, her ears lowering. She walked around the carcass and up to the lion.

            “It’s nothing,” Takata said. “While I was chasing the gazelle herd, I tripped and fell on a sharp rock. It cut me but I managed to get the blood taken care of and kill one of the gazelles.” He jerked his head to the carcass. “That one, to be exact and it didn’t put up much of a fight.”

            “Dad, may I try something?”

            Takata smiled warmly. “Etana, that’s very generous of you, but I’ll be fine, really.”

            “Please?”

            “Well… okay, but there’s not much you can do…” He stretched out his left foreleg to her.

            Etana cleared her throat and placed both her paws on the wound. She breathed in and out slowly, closed her eyes and became quiet.

            Takata looked around then back to his daughter, wondering what in the world she was doing. The minutes seemed to pass and Takata was getting hungry but he was also confused. What was she doing? He put the question aside, yawned and put his head down on the grass.

            A few moments later, he fell asleep but in those few moments, Etana opened her eyes removed her paws from his leg and stepped back, Takata lifting his head as she did so.

            She looked up at him. “How do you feel now?” she asked wearily.

            Takata looked down at his left foreleg. The blood was still there but in a smear upon his fur. He’d take care of that later. Hearing her question, Takata rose and started walking and as he walked his eyes grew with an astonished stare on his face. He lifted it into the air. There was no pain. He put it down on the grass and still, there was no pain. He leaned on it to apply pressure. Again, there was no pain. He turned to his daughter, unable to speak.

            “What did you do?” he finally asked.

            The cub padded to him but as he watched her, he noticed she was limping. “Your pain is gone now, Father… and it’s in me; it’s in my left foreleg.”

            Takata shook his head. “What do you mean?”

            “When I touched you, your pain transferred to me. The pain in your left foreleg became the pain in mine.”

            Takata nodded, his mind slowly receiving the information he was given. “So, now what?” he wondered aloud.

            “Now, you’re okay. I’ll be limping for a day or two but don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

            Takata nodded and they walked back to the carcass and started eating. While he chewed on his part, Takata asked, “Etana, how did you do that? Where did –”

            The cub swallowed a piece of meat. “I honestly don’t know. I just knew I could help and knew how to it. It’s… hard to explain really, but do you feel better?”

            “Yes, I do. Thank you.”

            While they slept in the cave, Takata looked down at Etana who was sleeping beside him. “I am blessed with a gifted cub,” he said to himself, casting a fond look on her as he stroked her gently with his left forepaw.

Takata stared at Kovu who listened intently. Takata looked at his paws. “And she’s been doing that ever since but only when needed. She must’ve felt Dailia’s pain when we were all out here and thought she could help.”

            Kovu shook his head. “But… doesn’t that take energy?” he asked, unable to hide his shock.

            “Yes, and I imagine that once she got close to Dailia the pain grew. But it has to for Etana’s ‘gift’ to work. We probably won’t see them come out of the den for a day at least.”

            “Then what…?” Kovu asked with a lowered head, his mane tuft falling into his eyes.

            “After that, Dailia will be fine but Etana will need a few days to recover.”

            “Baraka will give her that.”

            Takata smiled. “Yes.” He paused and stared ahead, looking out into the dark lands. Much of the pride had already chosen their sleeping areas while they were talking. Takata spoke again with a smirk on his face. “Kovu, doesn’t it surprise you and Kiara that my daughter and your oldest son have been spending their mornings together?”

            “Yes, but in a good way,” Kovu answered. “Baraka… hasn’t been a lion who gets along with the lionesses. He likes them but not…” The Prince paused, shuddering.

            “Romantically,” Takata guessed with a raised eyebrow. “Well, that’s okay. From what I’ve observed Baraka is a strong lion and he and Etana get along well.” Kovu turned to him, and the black lion lifted a paw. “What I mean is they’re comfortable around each other, which is good.”

            It took Kovu a minute to respond. “Yes, that is true,” he said slowly. “He’s very… open when around your daughter, something he appreciates I’m sure. I am grateful to Etana and the way she treats him.”

            Takata smiled again and the two lions remained silent but after a while, they headed toward the stairs. They walked down and once in the grass, Takata departed towards shelter underneath the promontory.

            And Kovu, after nuzzling Kiara, went with her into the lower caves with the pride.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

A few hours later Kadiri woke in a cold sweat. He slowly lifted his head, his eyes holding a deep fear. He panted heavily. He looked all around him, feeling his heart beat rapidly as he took in where he was. But where was he? This wasn’t the den yet the pride was there, everyone sleeping, and his children were lying beside him, snuggled up in the soothing warmth of his fur. He looked down at them; smiling weakly as he nuzzled and kissed them. They were in a peaceful slumber but he, now after waking, knew he would not be able to sleep for a