“Just tell me!” Akase growled.

            “She’s fine,” Hasira replied with a groan. She continued on her way back to Pride Rock.

            With a breath of relief Akase sat down in the grass. She was glad Njozi was alright but felt a deep anger at her mate.

            She lowered her head and clawed the grass viciously with her paws.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

“Thank you for looking after my cubs.”

            Saada looked over at Arif, smiling. “My pleasure, Arif, they’re good kids. You should be proud.”

            The Prince watched his sons and daughter play with their friends. He smiled broadly. “I am. So proud… and sad…”

            She knew what he meant. She was silent for a while. “Arif, did Njozi tell you-”

            “Of her dreams, yes, she did. I’m not surprised. I knew her name means ‘dream’ but I never expected her to actually live up to it.”

            “I don’t think she did, either,” Saada said quietly. “She told me of one she had the night of… Of your and Akase’s argument…”

            Arif flinched but he grew concerned. “She had a dream then, too?”

            Saada nodded. “Yes. I was the only one in the den who woke to her soft crying. I woke her up and we went out on the back ledge and talked. I stayed with her out on the ledge all night.” She lowered her ears, almost embarrassed. “I hope that’s alright. I just didn’t want to…”

            He put a paw on hers. “Thank you, Saada,” he said gently. “I can’t tell you how much you doing that for her means.”

            She smiled again and looked into his eyes. She felt her heart beat and turned her face away. Now more than ever she wanted to tell him how she felt. “No!” she thought. “I can’t!”

            “Saada, are you alright?” Arif asked in worry.

            “Yes, I’m okay.” She trembled slightly but gained control, just barely. “Sorry. Anyway, I’m glad I could help her. She’s afraid to tell Akase.”

            “I know. She told me. It’s her decision. Whether Akase believes her or not is another thing. We all know what happened with me…”

            Saada’s eyes snapped. “She should understand, Arif. If she’s a good mother, she should!”

            “I’ll be there with her when she decides to tell Akase. I won’t let her go through it alone.”

            “Arif…” He turned to her. “Did Njozi tell you she got sick a few days ago?”

            Arif’s mouth dropped. “What, when?”

            “The night after you and Akase fought. She refused to eat so Baraka took her into the den where…”

            “Why didn’t he get me?” he growled but the growl subsided a moment later as a realization struck him. “Oh… He figured Akase would be there and that if I showed up…”

            Saada shuddered. “Arif…” She paused and flexed the grass with her paws. “Akase wasn’t there…” She could see he was stunned and ready to explode so she put a paw to his lips and nodded ahead of her, behind him.

            Arif turned his head then back to her, nodding. He knew what she meant. He looked toward the cubs. “Kids, Saada and I will be over there in that patch of grass talking. You all be careful and play nicely.”

            Adabu, who heard his father, agreed with the bow of a head. “We will, Father,” said the young Prince.

            The two lions walked away and faced each other staring with uncertain expressions.

            Finally, after a minute or two, Arif looked at Saada. He let out a breath and there were shadows under his eyes. “Saada… Please, tell me what happened the night Njozi was sick…” His lower lip trembled.

            Letting out her own breath, Saada told him. Minutes later she watched as Arif turned from her, his shoulders tensing, his head hung low. “She didn’t return home,” Saada heard him say, his voice sounding like a hiss. In that moment she couldn’t speak, and again she wanted so much to help him, to speak with him, but again he was in pain.

            Sometime later, Arif turned to her, his eyes red and she could see a few tears leaking from his eyes. Saada walked up and gently nuzzled him.

            They called the cubs. The sun was going down. It was time to go home.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Arif was greeted kindly by the pride. He noticed that many of the lionesses had grave expressions. He wasn’t bothered by them. He knew the reason. At one side of him were his cubs, at the other was Saada. The other cubs, once seeing their parents, ran over to them without first telling the Prince, the lioness, and their friends good day. Arif told his cubs to take their place and he walked over to Kadiri.

            The two guardians looked up expectantly. Arif smiled warmly. “Kadiri, Dailia, thank you for taking care of my cubs while I was… away. If there’s anything I can do to repay you for-”

            The gray lion laughed and bumped heads with his friend. “Arif, there’s no need to thank us. We were just doing what any good friends would do.”

            “But you’re welcome anyway, Arif,” added Dailia.

            With another smile the Prince walked away, returning to his cubs. As he heard Baraka give the blessing, there was a chill in the air, or at least to him. He looked to the side. It was weird not having Akase at his side. He wondered where she was, wondered if she was okay. And yet he felt… Arif shook his head. What kind of thought was that? He missed her, didn’t he? So why was it that he felt relieved? Why was he relieved that he wasn’t seeing orange eyes looking back at him?

            The blessing was given and the pride rose, one by one, to get their shares of the kill.

            Arif got his, a piece big enough that the cubs could also eat off it. As he watched them, Adabu stared up at him. “What’s wrong, son?” he asked.

            The young Prince looked down with uncertainty. “Dad… can Saada eat with us?”

            He was surprised but nodded his head in response. “Go and ask her.” A few minutes later, the brown cub came prancing back, the light brown lioness in tow, with a smile. Arif patted the ground beside him and Saada lay down. “He wanted you with us,” Arif said, still in a state of surprise.

            Saada smiled at him. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.” She began eating. I’d rather be here anyway, she thought.

            Arif also ate but as he did, he looked at her. He felt a small shiver work its way across his back. No… You like her as a friend, that’s it, he thought to himself.

            “You okay, Arif?” he heard her say. He side glanced at her and swallowed. “Y-yeah, I’m alright,” he said softly. He felt his emotions gather but he forced them back into his stomach.

            She sensed there was more he wanted to say but let it