mate?”

            “How can one brother be married and happy while the other isn’t? If Baraka had married, maybe this wouldn’t be happening.”

            “You’re a terrible creature, Hasira. And I’m ashamed to be related to you. I’m even more ashamed that my children are related to you.”

            Without another word, she departed into the den, leaving Hasira behind. The slight coolness of the den soothed the heat Dailia felt throughout her body. With heavy paw steps she approached her mate, who was asleep. She managed to smile at him but her face soon frowned, her ears lowering. Tired emotionally, feeling the anger and rage against her sister making her body more tired, Dailia lay down next to him, burying her head in his mane.

            Slowly, she cried.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Kovu and Kiara rested on the promontory, lying side-by-side. The night sky shrouded them as they looked up at the stars, but then they allowed their gaze to stare into the lands.

            Kiara stared hard with her red eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of either one of her sons in the grass. Nothing was seen. The grass was too dark and so were her sons, their pelts and manes anyway. Not even Baraka’s red mane could be seen in such darkness.

            “Kiara,” said Kovu, breaking the silence between them. She turned to him, seeing a shadow of pain come across his face. The Prince Regent bowed his head, his green eyes almost shining in the dark. “From what Arif has told us… is he right? Do you think Akase wouldn’t understand? He didn’t even say what the message was about or where he got it from and yet…” He paused, unable to say anything more.

            “I know how you feel, Kovu,” Kiara said, her voice soft, her mouth sad. “Arif has wanted to be a shaman all his life. Rafiki himself said that there was something special about him.” Her ears fell, her mouth beginning to quiver. She lowered her head.

            “Ki,” Kovu said worriedly. “I love Arif and I love Akase, but… do you think he made a mistake?” Kiara snapped her head up to him. Kovu looked at her. There was no anger in her eyes or face. She must’ve been thinking the same.

            “Marrying Akase?” she guessed. Kovu didn’t reply. Kiara looked down at her paws. She thought for a moment, going over her question and his question in her mind. He had a point. She didn’t want to think or say anything bad of her daughter-in-law but in recent weeks, she too, had to wonder if her son had made a mistake. She bit her lip. “You heard what he said, didn’t you?” Her voice was soft again.

            Kovu nodded and rose, turning away, walking down the promontory. He stopped when he was almost near the den, but with his head down, he turned his head to the side. “He said that he wasn’t sure if he knew her as well as he thought.” He let out a heavy sigh. “What if he was right? Or maybe he is right. They…” His voice fell. “Kiara… they waited almost a year. They had all that time to get to know each other …” Kovu wasn’t one to show true emotion. For so many years he had to be strong and now he felt like he could never be strong again, not while his second son was in this much pain. “Maybe it was a mistake, but it can’t be erased now. They have cubs to look after; cubs that still need both their parents. I grew up without a father. I don’t want to see our grandchildren go through the same thing…”

            Kiara had also risen and walked down to join her mate. She heard his words and looked at him, frowning. The amount of pain in Kovu’s face was too much to take in. She thought for another moment, this time flexing her paws on the stone ground. “Arif loves them. They know that. They won’t lose him…” She trailed off. She too, tried to remain strong but the events and the words they’d heard were taking its toll on both of them.

            Their hearts and souls ached. Trying to come to terms with Baraka’s lack of a mate, they could handle. It was, after all, his decision even though it was hurting them and everyone else that he was miserable and refused to show it. But this, hearing and seeing Arif’s problem with his mate, wondering whether he had made the right choice when he married her, thinking that it was wrong, thinking he probably could’ve done better, was difficult to grasp.

            With another sigh, Kiara said, “Kovu, let’s stay away from the den tonight.” She leaned over and nuzzled him, trying to comfort not only him but her own self as well.

            He managed to smile and nuzzle her back. She purred and he returned it. Maybe a night away from Pride Rock, away from the pride, was what they both needed. It had been awhile since they had any time to themselves. Talking of the problems their sons were having would only depress them more. Together, side-by-side, the Prince and Princess Regent walked to the stone steps.

            Neither noticed Etana with her head down or her open sightless eyes. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop but feeling the vibrations in the earth worked even when she was asleep. She felt sorry for the Regents. Though they were gone and had talked on the promontory stone, Etana felt their history on the ground. She sensed that Kovu and Kiara were a couple that had endured many trials in their lives, at one time separated and at another time all the way up to now, together, one. Now they were dealing with two separate problems and were worried.

            Etana wouldn’t admit to anyone, not unless she had to, but she had felt everything that went on in the den with the elder Prince and his mate. There had been anger and nothing but that. She sensed that Arif wanted so much for Akase to understand but the Princess simply refused.

            She let out a yawn and tried to sleep, but it wouldn’t be simple. Sleep wouldn’t come for her. And it wouldn’t come for those inside the den, or for the two lone lions, who were torn mentally and emotionally about the day, nor would it be for their parents who were confused and trying to find a way to clear their heads. And it wouldn’t be for the princess who would never understand her mate’s job.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

There was no moon, only the stars to be his guide. As the King of the Pridelands strolled through his lands, a saddening expression fell on his face. It was a mixture of agony and fear. He growled softly. Not in anger, instead, in pain. Never in his life had he seen Arif act the way he did. It was unbelievable. For so long Arif had been caring, always talkative. He never cared what anyone said about anything as long as it was appropriate. Baraka smiled instantly. Thinking of the way Arif was in the past made him wish he were that way now. Arif had been so happy then. He loved his work as a shaman so much then…

            Baraka sighed. He knew where his brother’s change started. He lowered his head, feeling a terrible pain in his body, a pain that seemed to flow like water along the shore of the ground all up and down within him. It made him sick with grief. He loved Akase like an almost sister. He admired her for making Arif happy, but there was something different about both her and him. Baraka knew the reason as did his parents. Arif was a shaman, and as such he would be given special assignments and those assignments were not to be in full view for everyone to know. Akase just didn’t understand that and Baraka felt sorry for her.

            Was she possessive of Arif? Did she want him to share everything with her? Yes, she was his mate, but did everything have to be out in the open? Baraka himself knew that that wasn’t true, that there were some things you didn’t have to tell your mate. Baraka suddenly stopped. He knew it was true but he had no experience in it. He pawed the grass. By thinking of this he was making himself depressed.

            With a heavy sigh he continued his walk until a few minutes later he saw a waterhole. He walked over and drank from it. He loved drinking at night. There was something about the water that tasted different and this time it was soothing. He licked his lips and prepared to leave until he saw a figure on the other side. With a tilted head, Baraka walked around and paused.

            It was