encounter with a lion.

"Fighting can be so brutal can't it?" Tojo yawned. "Well you two must've had a long journey."

"It was long, wasn't it Nia?" asked Rudo, who was surprised to see his companion staring darkly at Monifa and Nalo. He nudged her. "Nia?"

"Wha..? Oh yes, it was a horrible journey." She turned back to Monifa and smiled. "But it was worth it."

Monifa smiled. "Still, I can't believe you guys came so far just for me. I love you guys."

Nalo flinched a bit but tried to make it not so obvious.

"You don't mind if we stay here awhile?" asked Rudo.

Tojo shook his head. "Not at all!"

"Thank you so much."

"Well I'm going to lay down and soak in the sun. Why don't you guys have fun?" asked Tojo as he rolled onto his side.

Nia bounced to her paws immediately. "Oh yes! We should play like the old days. Come on Monifa!"

Rudo scrambled to his paws and Monifa ran to go join them when she remembered Nalo. She turned to him and smiled. "Do you want to play with us?"

Nia made her frown so obvious to Nalo. And he wasn't looking forward to interacting anymore with Nia. He shook his head and flashed Monifa a smile. "No it's okay, go have fun!"

She smiled. "Don't miss me too much!" she exclaimed and then she bounded off with her friends.

Nalo watched them go but felt his smile fade. He sighed and laid his head down on his paws. Tojo opened one eye. "Are you okay Nalo?"

The younger lion nodded. "Yeah."

"You didn't want to go play with them?"

"Nah. They're her friends and they haven't seen each other in a long time. I wouldn't want to intrude."

Tojo shrugged and fell back asleep. Nalo sighed and closed his eyes.

Though Nalo was a bit sad that he and Monifa couldn't spend time alone like they used to, he was hopeful that he'd get a chance. However, Nia and Rudo stuck to Monifa like glue and she didn't seem to mind it. In fact, Monifa was so happy to be with them that she had forgotten about poor Nalo who, though he did not want to intrude on their fun, at least wanted to be ask to be included. But it seemed that Monifa's attention was only pointed towards Nia and Rudo, and Nalo was upset at being replaced by these two newcomers.

Steadily he was becoming to feel hostile towards them. It was because of them that Monifa wasn't with him as much now.

It was all their fault.

It was their fault.

****

Nia, Rudo, and Monifa sat together, one of many during the time they were together. They were laughing, joking, and overall just enjoying themselves. It had been far too long since they were able to do this.

"So you guys, what do you think?" asked Monifa. "Do you wanna stay here?"

Rudo and Nia stopped laughing. "Well I-" began Rudo before he was cut off by Nia.

"It's a nice place," said Nia. "But I wouldn't want to stay here."

Monifa cocked her head to the side. "Why not?"

"It's not our home. It's someone's territory." Nia stood up and began to pace.

"That doesn't mean we can't live here," said Rudo. "You heard Tojo, we're welcomed here."

Nia ignored him. "If we were to establish our own pride... Oh, wouldn't that be wonderful? Monifa, it'd be like the old days. You, me, and Rudo against the world!" Nia trotted up to Monifa. "Think about it! We would have no rules! It'd be like how things used to be."

Monifa hesitated. "I... I like it here Nia. And Nalo and Tojo-"

"They're nothing important," growled Nia. "They just felt bad for you, that's why they took you in. You owe them nothing."

"Nia, what's the matter with you?" growled Rudo. "If Monifa wants to stay, then she can stay-"

"Yeah, but I'm not," growled Nia. "This isn't home. This is us just sitting around here. It's not home. Come on Monifa, what do you say? We can leave tonight!"

"Nia, I- I don't want to go." Monifa sat up.

Nia's lower lip quivered. "But-"

"I'm gonna agree with Monifa here," said Rudo as he too sat up. "Nia, what you're talking about is crazy. Don't try and force her to change her mind."

"Well then what about you Rudo? What would you choose?"

Rudo sighed and thought about it for a moment. "I would like to start my own pride. Maybe find someone worth spending my life with."

"See Monifa? Rudo wouldn't spend his entire life here!" Nia had her face now shoved in front of Monifa's. "And you shouldn't either. What future do you hold here?"

"I-"

"Nothing! You're better off coming with us!"

Monifa began to back away. Nia trotted closer to her, but Monifa turned and fled. Rudo sidled up next to Nia and glared at her. "What's wrong with you?"

"He must go," growled Nia who was now hardly addressing Rudo's question. "She's confused because of him. If he goes, then she has no reason to stay."

"Nia, what're you-?"

"Leave me alone Rudo." And she turned her back to him and walked away. Rudo sat down, looking back and forth from the directions both lionesses went and felt very confused.

****

Nalo took a deep sigh. He was sitting in his usual area when he and Monifa wanted to go star-searching. It was one of their favorite things to do, but now that she was more interested in her friends than him, he had to do it alone. And it just wasn't the same without Monifa there alongside him. Nalo turned his head to the vacant spot next to him, and felt his heart break a little. How he missed his friend.

Coming up from behind him was Nia, a snide and dark look on her face. She grinned when she saw Nalo sitting alone in the grass. This was the perfect opportunity to strike. "You know she doesn't like you right?" the lioness said as she approached the sulking male.

He didn't raise his head up at her. He knew who it was that was talking to him, and though he knew she was a liar, what she said... He couldn't help but find himself believing it. "She... doesn't?"

The female shook her head as she sat next to him. "Look there's other fish in the sea. Monifa just likes you as a friend that's all..."

Just a friend. Those words pierced Nalo's heart like a horn from a buffalo. "Just a... friend..?" he said aloud.

Unknown to him, Nia was smiling triumphantly. However, she tried to be sympathetic. "I'm sorry it had to be like that. I don't understand what Monifa doesn't see in you. Well, I guess it all depends on preference."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Monifa asked me to. She couldn't do it face-to-face. I didn't want to do it, but she insisted I tell you this."

"Oh..."

"She also wanted me to tell you," continued Nia, "that she intends to leave with us in the morning. You see, Rudo and I decided that we were going to start our own pride, and Monifa wanted to join us. You know, we're her only family left."

"I know."

"So that's all she wanted me to tell you." Nia stood up and placed her back on Nalo's back. "I'm sorry it had to end like this."

"Me too." Nalo turned his head away from her. Nia smiled as she trotted away.

Success.

A while later, Nalo had not moved from his spot. He just couldn't. What Nia just made him freeze up. How could Monifa want that? He thought she was happy living here with him and Tojo. Did she really want something better?

Why didn't she tell him?

"Hi Nalo!" greeted Monifa as she trotted up to him. However, she stopped short when she saw him cringe a bit. "Nalo... what's wrong?" She sat down next to him and tried to look at his face, but he kept on moving it farther away from her.

"Go away," he said shortly underneath his breath.

Monifa cocked her head to the side. This was not the Nalo she knew. "Nalo, what's-?"

"You don't need to stay here!" he roared loudly at her. "You don't like me, so why don't you go? You obviously like them but you don't like me!"

Monifa's lower lip quivered. She was overwhelmed. Why was Nalo acting like this? "Nalo I-"

"Why don't you like me?" he growled at her. "Forget it, you probably felt bad for me. That's why you stuck around. You felt bad 'cause I didn't have any friends to play with."

"Nalo that's not-"

"Just go with Nia and Rudo! We don't need you here anymore! I... I hat..." Nalo stopped. Though at that moment hatred was all he was feeling, for some reason Nalo could not bring himself to saying it.

However Monifa clearly understood that she was now unwanted by her friend. "I HATE YOU!" she screamed at him before running off.

Nalo flinched and then felt very bad about his behavior towards her. Now he felt conflicted and decided to sit alone and try and sort everything out.

****

"You're leaving Monifa?"