her.

“Tama, Tama! Please wake up!” I whispered in her ear, urgently. She stirred. Her eyes slowly opened, her eyelids begging to close.

“What is it, kiddo?” She asked sleepily, as a roaring yawn escaped her jaws.

“It’s Zawadi, he’s gone! He came over and slept next to me, and when I woke up he was gone!” I said, getting more and more worried as I spoke every word, thinking of the dangers of a lonely cub Tears pricked my eyes. I blinked them away, for Tama’s sake.

“I’m sure he’s not too far…” Tama replied reassuringly, more for my sake than for her own.

“…I hope.” She continued under her breath, and she rose from her position on the ground. She strode out of the den, with me tagging along behind. We peered around outside, to find Tojo lying in the sun. By his paws sat a small cub.

“Zawadi!” I exclaimed as I ran over to the small tanned infant, playfully licking his head.

“See Maua, I told you he wouldn’t have gone far” she said as she joined Tojo, nuzzling him as he licked the top of her head.

“So what were you two doing out here?” Tama asked, smiling.

“I just thought I’d take him out to play in the sun” Tojo replied, staring at Zawadi, who was playfully jumping at my tail again.

Soon, Malka approached us, his pace fast and a look of worry clear on his face. The way he turned his head to survey the area made him look like he was searching for something.

“Has anyone seen Sambi? I haven’t seen him all morning” he asked us, occasionally glancing around before his eyes returned to us.

Tojo shook his head.

“Sorry, I haven’t seen him since yesterday” Tama replied.

“Me either.” I said. Usually I play with Sambi, I was surprised I hadn’t noticed his absence. I guess I was too preoccupied with Zawadi to bother with Sambi. Maybe that’s why no one could find him. Maybe he had run off.
 

“Nala, is that a cub?” Simba asked his mate as he carefully stared at the figure in the grass.

It can’t be. Nala thought while staring at the cub, shocked and worried. “I think so.” She replied, “Simba, I have to tell-“

“Mother!” The cub exclaimed as he leaped from his place in the grass. A smile beamed on his face, as he nuzzled the lioness. Simba was shocked. Mother? Nala had other cubs? But who was the father? he wondered to himself, watching the little cub ecstatically leap around his paws. Sambi met Simba’s gaze and stopped.

“Mother, who is this?” he asked.

“This is my mate, Simba” she replied uncertainly.

“Simba, this is Sambi. He’s mine and Malka’s cub” she confessed. “It was before I found you. Tama, Kula and I fled the Pridelands to find where the others were living. All the male lions that could rival Scar for the throne were exiled, and Malka, Tojo, Chumvi and Mheetu all came to the Riverlands, where, as you know, most of them still live. Malka was the king here, and chose me as queen. Then Sambi was born. A few nights later I caught Malka attacking Mheetu, and came out to protect him. I left with Mheetu, forgetting about Sambi completely. I was hunting food for Mheetu when I found you.” Nala explained.

She leaned down, sorrow displayed on her face.

“I’m so sorry” she said softly. Her teary eyes met Sambi’s; he nuzzled his mother, his own tears wetting her fur.

Simba felt as though he were intruding. He never knew of Nala’s other cub. He should have known the father would have been Malka. They were friends, but he had always been jealous Malka won Nala’s affection as a cub. Malka wasn’t present at Maua’s presentation, although he still lives and reigns over the Riverlands. That must have been why. And now, they may have to meet with him again.

“But, where were you and your father at Maua’s presentation?” Simba asked as the pair finally acknowledged his presence there.

“Father took me away from the den. He thought that mother might take me back to her home, and then he would have nothing left” Sambi responded sadly.

Simba felt a bit guilty now. He pretty much took Nala away from Sambi. But, it was her choice after all. In the same way that taking him back is her choice. Simba would always be welcome to the idea of an adopted son. But would Nala take away the one thing Malka had left of her?
 

Mother was carrying me through the Riverlands, tired from the walk. We had been walking around for ages, and still hadn’t found Sambi. Was it really my fault? It could have been, after all. We had decided to head back to the den and see if any of the others had found him. I hoped with all my heart they had.

The sun was still high in the sky, and beamed down hot rays on our fur, making us hot and exhausted us further than usual. I squinted my eyes as it shone in my face, blinding me temporarily.

We soon arrived back at the den. No one was back yet.

“Simba and Nala should be here soon” mother told me, trying to lighten the mood a bit. I didn’t respond; I was thinking of Sambi. How could I not have noticed?

“They’re expecting a cub soon. When it comes, we’ll all get to go the Pridelands for its ceremony.”

That caught my attention. I had never been outside the Riverlands before. I seldom ventured far from the den, let alone into another land altogether.

“Really? What’s it like?” I replied, curious to know more about the most royal of all the lands.

“Well, I, your father, Tojo and Tama were all born and raised in the Pridelands. Malka had lived in the Riverlands most of his life, and occasionally visited us. It was a wonderful place. The sky was blue, and the sun was hot. Then, on one sad, unfortunate day, we got news that King Mufasa and Prince Simba were killed in a wildebeest stampede. Mufasa’s brother, Scar, became king, and the Pridelands turned into a deserted wasteland. When Simba came back and reclaimed the throne, it returned into a beautiful land, twice as good as it was before.” She explained to me.

I was intrigued by these stories of the Pridelands. I simply couldn’t wait for that cub to come! Then we saw Tama and father, returning from their search, disappointment on their faces.

“No luck?” mother asked. Judging by the fact they were unaccompanied, I’d say they were unsuccessful.

“No. We couldn’t find him anywhere. Have Malka and Tojo come back yet? They have Zawadi, and he needs to eat soon” said a worried Tama.

“I’m afraid not. I’m sure they’ll be back soon though” said my mother reassuringly.

There we waited, in the slowly fading afternoon light. The sky was beginning to darken ever so slightly, and was turning into a palette of purple, pinks, orange and blue hues. Tojo and Malka soon returned with Zawadi, and no Sambi.

“Did anyone find him?” asked Malka, who was still very worried and visibly upset.

“Sorry Malka, no one found him” replied father. “He will turn up, eventually”

Malka’s face fell, an expression full or sadness and sorrow on his face. He lowered his head just a little, but tried to remain strong.

“We can’t go out again anyway, we have visitors” said my mother, gesturing to the two lions slowly making their way through the long, dry grass that covered the savannah. I squinted my eyes, and I thought I could make out a half-grown cub bouncing around at their feet.

“Sambi’s with them!” I cried, and bounded over. Malka’s face went from sadness to worry. Nala was with Sambi. He turned his head slightly as they came closer, avoiding eye contact.

“Sambi, where on earth were you?” I asked him, still bouncing around in the grass. He didn’t seem to know which way to look, as I circled him, bounding from one direction to the next in the long, dry grass.

“I went out to see Mother…” his voice trailed off when he saw Malka staring at him with a look of disapproval. He pinned his ears back and sat. I stopped playing and sat near him. The adults greeted each other, except for Malka who was wandering away, in the complete opposite direction of the den. Frowning, Sambi watched him go.

“He didn’t want you to see her? But, why?” I asked him, confused.

“I don’t really know. Apparently father attacked someone called Mheetu, someone I think my mother was close with.”

“I think that’s her brother” I responded. I knew from when the adults gossiped about the goings-on outside the Riverlands when Malka and Sambi weren’t around.

“Well, he attacked Mother’s brother, uh, my uncle I suppose, but other than that I’m not sure what happened, or why. Anyway, then Mother ran off and found Simba. That’s all I know. That doesn’t seem too bad to me, but obviously it’s more than that” he concluded thoughtfully, glancing towards the fading shadow that swept away from the gathering.

“Come on kids, it’s

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