and approached. “Njozi,” he asked.

            She was still for another long minute then managed to meet eyes with her brothers. They all stared at each other, Adabu and Adisa seeing the shattered look in her eyes. Along with their friends, the brothers watched as Njozi walked away but she wasn’t heading to her father, who was at that moment busy debating on whether to follow his mate. Instead, she walked over to Kadiri and Dailia, lying down at their paws.

            Dailia reached out with a foreleg and put her paw on the cub’s body. Njozi squirmed away, scooting herself to Kadiri. The two guardians looked at each other, unsure of what to do or say. Dailia only watched as Njozi rested her head in the comfort of Kadiri’s mane, Kadiri looking down on her with pity and sympathy.

            “Mom…” Dailia saw her son with a pained expression. Sharif nestled himself to her side, his sisters doing the same. Dailia nuzzled them.

            Adabu and Adisa walked up to Kadiri and lay down beside him. The lion saw nothing but fear and pain in the cubs’ eyes. The princes’ came close to their sister but their bodies were still near Kadiri’s. The warmth of the guardian’s body gave them comfort.

            Kadiri and Dailia looked at each other again. This was bad. The only thing they could do now was comfort the cubs as best they could. The three royal siblings nestled together. Their bodies shook but a soothing purr from the guardian helped ease most of the pain.

            Njozi, however, couldn’t control herself or the shakes of her emotionally torn body. Tears ran from her eyes and she buried her head in Kadiri’s mane, sobbing.

Chapter 9: Future Fears

The atmosphere all through the Pridelands was deathly still. No one in the pride spoke or moved. The silence chilled them to the bone.

            The Regents stared at their sons: the youngest with a hung head and torn eyes, the eldest with a grim look on his face as he stared ahead, afraid to look his brother in the eye and speak. The evening light made King Baraka’s red mane turn a darker shade. His own facial expression was stern and thoughtful, his tail swishing softly behind him.

            Below the adults, in the grasses, the royal cubs and their friends were being comforted by two guardians. The young princes’ and princess refused to look anywhere. Kadiri continued to purr, hoping that it would ease their pain. Dailia nuzzled her cubs, silently telling them that everything would be alright. The mates met eyes again. They knew everything would not be alright. Not until the elder prince and his wife resolved their situation.

            Finally, the Prince Regent turned to his own wife. From out of the corner of her eye, Kiara saw him. They stared, reading the other’s expression. They were the same. They knew what the other was thinking. Giving silent nods Kiara walked up to Baraka while her husband went to Arif.

            “Baraka,” the former leader said in a soft tone so no one could hear, “allow the pride to go into the den. They cannot stay out here all night. They need their sleep.”

            The king still stared ahead but his ears flickered at every word his mother said. At a length so long that Kiara thought he hadn’t heard her, despite the ear flicker, he slowly nodded, at first gravely, and then he looked into her eyes almost pleading. Kiara gave a warm smile and nuzzled him affectionately. Quietly, she went to inform the pride while he looked toward his father and brother.

            Baraka sniffed. He felt sorry for Arif and wished he could help, but what could he say? He had never been in this situation and knew he never would be. He would’ve spoken but instead he watched, seeing Arif pace in front their father.

            “What does she want from me?” Arif growled.

            Kovu looked on with a quiet and thoughtful stare. He licked his lips. “Arif, you and Akase…” He stopped. He wasn’t sure what to say, or how to help. He pawed the ground and tried again. “Arif, she only wants you to be honest. Admit it, son, you have been distancing yourself not only from her and your cubs, but from your mother and me as well.”

            Arif snapped his head to his father. Kovu remained strong and firmly still under his son’s angry eyes. He was prepared, not for a physical attack, but for a verbal attack, though it wasn’t against him.

            “I have my reasons, father!” Arif snarled. “You know that. She doesn’t. I can’t make her see. I want her to. I love her.” His voice broke with hurt. “I don’t want to lose her…” At this, he closed his eyes, fighting the emotions and the tears that threatened to fall. He stood in place, afraid to move.

            “Arif, you’re a shaman,” Kovu said gently. “You - you have responsibilities…”

            “She does too, and you don’t see or hear me snapping! I would never do that.” He paused, breathing heavily. “She… she wants me to choose, Dad…”

            “What?”

            Arif shuddered. “Akase wants me to choose between her and the kids… or being a shaman…”

            Kovu froze. He hadn’t expected his daughter-in-law to give Arif such an ultimatum. It was unthinkable and surprising. What had gotten into her? She’d been fine about Arif’s shamanism not long ago so what made her change? He approached his son, and with an outstretched foreleg, rested a paw on the young lion’s shoulder. He felt Arif shake and without warning, the prince turned and buried his head in his father’s shoulder. Kovu purred soothingly.

            As they talked the pride departed into the den. Mabaki and Takata were last, but before he entered, the black lion looked to his daughter, who was still near the entrance.

            “Etana, do you wish to come in tonight?” he asked, but the blind lioness shook her head.

            “You know the answer to that, father,” she said with a small smile. “I need to be out here.”

            Takata nodded, gave her a fatherly lick on the cheek and continued on his way but he silently wondered if Etana had a plan to help.

            The king watched both scenes and when he saw his mother come near, he dipped his head graciously. They bumped heads and Kiara sat down beside him. A moment later she glanced at her son.

            “Baraka… your brother needs us.”

            The king shook his head in resignation. “Unfortunately, Mom, ‘us’ means you and Dad. I can’t do anything.”

            “Baraka!” Kiara was surprised immensely. “If you were in Arif’s place-”

            “I’m not. I have no idea what he’s going through. It’s best he talk to you and Dad. You can do so much more.”

            Before Kiara could reply, Baraka left, heading to the ramp. Kiara watched him go and sighed, her ears going back, her expression falling. Both her sons were suffering and neither she nor Kovu could lift a paw to help except to advise them. At last, the Princess Regent walked to her mate and second son.

            Arif pulled away from his father’s embrace and looked at her. Letting out a breath, he began to tell them of his and Akase’s argument but from the edge of his vision, he saw