be.”

            Arif nuzzled her. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

            “Dad, please, don’t, you’re doing just fine.”

            Arif shrugged and nodded. He rose. “Come on; let’s go back to the Tree, but first a question. Are you feeling better?”

            Njozi thought for a moment then nodded deeply. “Yeah, a little…”

            He smiled. “Good. And don’t worry about your mother. If you decide to tell her, I’m sure she’ll understand.”

            But in the depths of his heart, Arif wasn’t so sure.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

“Tell me, Hasira. How is everyone?”

            “They’re the same. Nothing has changed. They know you’re gone. Arif is too.”

            Akase nodded lowly as she lay in the small cave she found on the eastern side of the Pridelands. It was a well hidden place. She’d been there for almost three days. Hasira found her just this morning. Akase wasn’t surprised, but she was glad it wasn’t Arif.

            “Where is he?” the Princess asked.

            “At the Tree of Life… He’s been there for three days. Would it surprise you to know that your daughter was sick two days ago?”

            Akase looked up, her eyes widening in fright. She rose to her feet. “She was? Two days ago? Why, what happened?”

            Hasira turned away. “Something about heartbreak over you and Arif…”

            “Of course… They’re worried. They love him…”

            “And what about you, surely you still love him?”

            “I don’t know anymore, Hasira. He’s changed.”

            “Yes, he has, but I know him well. Akase… don’t you think you’re being hard on him?”

            “What do you mean?”

            Hasira turned, her eyes almost snapping but she held the Princess’s gaze. “You know what I mean!” she near snarled. “Why is it wrong that Arif enjoys his work and… still hangs out with the lioness he used to like?”

            “It’s not. I… I just wish he were home more often…”

            “And you? What about you? You’re leader of the hunting party for crying out loud. You tell him he’s nearly abandoning his family, and look at you.” Akase looked down at the ground and lay down again. Hasira, in frustration stepped forward, staring down at her with a cruel look in her eyes but if one looked close enough they could see gleam. “You accuse him, but you’re just like him!” She stepped back and walked out of the cave.

            “Why did you tell me?” Akase suddenly shouted as she leapt to her feet and followed.

            Hasira turned. “About what,” she asked, pretending she hadn’t heard.

            “Don’t play stupid, Hasira. Why tell me about Arif and Saada?”

            “I didn’t tell you about Arif and Saada. I said that there was a lioness Arif grew up with and that he wanted a future with her. Did I mention names? No.”

            Akase shook her head. “Well this lioness you told me about wasn’t Dailia. She has Kadiri. It couldn’t have been you. You claim to love Baraka –”

            “And I do love him!” Hasira spat.

            “No, you don’t. You know it, and so do I. Not to mention the entire pride.”

            “Whatever, think what you want about me and Baraka.”

            “There is no you and Baraka. I merely asked you how everyone at the Rock is, and you open this up…”

            “You wanted to know so I told you.”

            Akase was seething but she forced the anger into her stomach. “Back to the topic… You mentioned something about my daughter being sick. What happened exactly?”

            Hasira pawed the ground. “Like I said before, she was upset over you and Arif’s fight and she refused to eat. She was taken into the den.”

            “Was Arif informed?”

            “No. Baraka felt that if Arif was told and you were there…” Akase scoffed. “He must’ve wanted to spare Arif pain. But anyway, instead of Arif taking care of her…” Hasira’s eyes grew hard and her jaw clenched tightly. “That blind rogue healed her.”

            Akase looked up sharply. “Etana healed her?” Hasira nodded. “Why? Why wasn’t Arif there?” She began to pace the grass while Hasira sat across from her.

            “We both know the answer to that but the question I want to know is, why you weren’t there?”

            Akase stopped pacing. “I…” She was hesitant. “I didn’t want to see Arif…”

            Hasira smiled softly. “Of course you didn’t, just as his reasons for not being there are the same as yours, I’m sure.”

            “What are we doing?” Her voice was soft. “Yes, we’re angry at each other, but our cubs are suffering…”

            “Do you love him?”

            It took Akase a long time to respond. She wasn’t sure if she did love Arif anymore. She began to ask herself if she ever did. Did she? Wasn’t he the reason she left the Eastlands?

            Then finally, she said, “Yes.”

            Hasira was unconvinced. The Princess’s tone didn’t sound so sure. “And… he loves you… I think.”

            “What does that mean?” Akase snapped, her eyes flashing with anger.

            Purple eyes met with orange as Hasira spoke her next words. “Nothing, or at least I hope not, but, Saada has been caring for your cubs lately and…”

            “What’s your point? Saada is their cub sitter. I’d trust no better lioness, except for Kiara.”

            “Even if she’s the lioness Arif clearly thought of having a future with? If I were you, I’d be weary of all this. You can’t avoid him forever and your kids are still young. They still need their mother. You don’t want them thinking Saada is their mother, even though she spends far more time with them than you do.” With that Hasira walked off, leaving Akase alone.

            The Princess stood still, her face frozen. “Hasira!” she suddenly called. The voice caused the grey brown lioness to turn around. “How is Njozi?”

            “Other than missing her parents, and being cared for along with her brothers by a lioness who is not their mother…”

            “Just