had been extraordinary. Lutalo was not the same violent lion he once was, therefore Ari and Maalik no longer felt there was a threatening need to quickly banish him. That did not mean, however, that they still felt comfortable he would continue a positive treatment.

            Maalik, especially, was doubtful of Lutalo.

            "I think Rhaenys has him covered," said Ari.

            Her mate nodded solemnly, but it was because he had no following statement to offer that Ari began to worry. "He's not like your parents," she whispered.

            "I know."

            Now completely on her feet, she trotted over to him, nuzzling him. "It'll be fine. You always tell me that, right?"

            Maalik smiled, leaning into his mate's embrace. "Thanks Ari."

            "My pleasure."

            "How is Tranda doing?" Tranda was a recent addition to the pride, a lioness who had grown up a prisoner within the Highlands, Maalik's former home.

            At the mention of her name, Maalik frowned. "She still needs some work. Chari and Lesedi are doing their best, and Zarah seems to be a good help."

            "It's never a dull moment, hm?"

            "Has there ever been one? I must've slept through that."

            Ari laughed, and even Maalik smiled a bit. "I think some food is in order. I'm going to take Samanya, Sauda, Xolani, and Zarah with me."

            "And I get to stick around?" Maalik asked, not unkindly. "It's probably best. I'll see if Chari and Lesedi need any help with Tranda today. I hope it's a big, fat water buffalo you guys get us, yeah?"

            "In your dreams. I won't be long."

            "Don't be."

            The pair nuzzled each other again, and separated, prepared to do their chores for the day. As Ari gathered her hunting group, Chari came running over to her, invoking an endearing smile on her face.

            "Hey, you're going hunting?" he asked, the pair sharing a brief nuzzle.

            Ari nodded her head. "You wouldn't want to come, would you?" She knew the answer before it even left Chari's mouth.

            The brown lion laughed, gesturing to his blind eye. "I don't think I would be of much help, Ari. Sorry." He greeted Xolani, Sauda, Zarah, and Samanya until he came to an abrupt stop, seemingly confused. "Rena's not going with you?" he asked.

            "I don't need Rena to come with me this time."

            "Oh, I thought..."

            There was a big reason Ari did not want to include Rena in her hunting group this time, and she was sure that the lioness was grateful to not be called upon to be in the same group either. Samanya was Rena's daughter, by Maalik, before any of them had even met Ari. There was still uncomfortable tension when Rena was even around Maalik (the same could not be said about Maalik, who had assumed that Rena had forgiven him for his lack of tact in the past), and Rena could not bear to be around her daughter.

            She had confessed to Ari that Samanya was her daughter, but she did not want to be forced to be involved with her. It's better if we just don't know each other, Rena had told her. Ari didn't argue with Rena, respected her decision, and decided she would just fulfill the role in Samanya's life that she desperately needed, but Rena would not take. There, Ari became Samanya's adopted mother of sorts. She and Maalik had, now and again, discussed a family, but so far there had been too many things to do that they could properly plan for a when.

            Not that Maalik hadn't discussed his nervousness of becoming a father. "My dad was a horrible parent," he had told her. "I don't want to end up like him."

            "You won't."

            "You don't know that."

            "I do, and you're nothing like your father."

            Ari wasn't in a rush for her and Maalik to settle and begin their family. She had to maintain order with her pride, to make sure everyone else was comfortable. She had lots of time to be thinking about that kind of future.

            Chari coughed. "Well, you wouldn't happen to know where she is, do you?"

            "Maybe she's with Jamil?"

            "Maybe, okay thanks!" He left without another word.

            Ari smiled knowingly. She would've urged Chari to just confess to Rena that he liked her, but then again, she understood his hesitation. She too had been in that position once upon a time.

            "Well?" asked Samanya. "Are we going?"

            "Yes, let's do our best today!"

            The excitement of a good chase flowed through the blood of Ari and her lionesses as they took out to the fields, scouting for potential prey to bring back for everyone. Ari felt the brush of the wind hit her, and smiled. The weather had been looking fairly decent the past few days... a trip to her old home wouldn't be too farfetched. She would love to see her father and mother again, and perhaps even introduce them to Maalik...

            "Ari!" Sauda called out. Ahead of them was a herd of black and white, all of them unsuspecting.

            Ari crouched, and her pride-sisters copied her every move, moving inch by inch forward until they were within enough proximity, yet still unnoticed.

            Beside her, Samanya grew anxious. "Let's go now," she growled.

            "No," snarled Ari, "you'll scare them off."

            Samanya cast Ari a defiant glare, but said no more.

            "What's the plan?" inquired Xolani.

            "Okay, Zarah, you'll stick with Sauda. Chase them from the left towards Xolani and Samanya - I want you two to the east. When they head towards you, you'll jump out and scramble them. Then I'll come out and try to cut one of them off, and that's the one we'll bring down."

            The lionesses murmured agreeably amongst themselves, and separated at Ari's orders. As she watched them, Ari couldn't help but feel her stomach rise with pride.

            The attack was quick - Sauda led her and Zarah across the grassy fields, startling the unsuspecting zebras, and chasing them straight towards Xolani and Samanya, who both burst out, scattering the herd. With her eyes following the chaos that ensued before her, Ari's eyes fell upon a younger zebra foal, and her paws carried her weight across the field. Everyone else saw what her intention was, and pursued the dust left behind her.

            The foal was fast, but Ari was just as so, and she kept a decent pace with the zebra. If it shook her off, then it was Sauda who leapt into the fray, her speed almost paralleling that of the foal. And if Sauda couldn't shake the zebra down, then Xolani, Samanya, and Zarah all cornered it at the front, to scare it onto its hind legs. Which ended up so.

            Xolani lunged, gripping the zebra by