Sarafina licked her paws in the morning sun next to her mother Sadura “mother can I go play with Kasa and Labari

Sarafina licked her paws in the morning sun next to her mother Sadura “mother can I go play with Kasa and Labari?” asked the cub as she looked at her mother with her soft eyes “of cause but don’t go beyond that tree over there” Sadura smiled as her daughter ran off to some other cubs. Sarafina lay low in the grass and watched the cubs then gathering all her strength she pounced on them shouting “GOTCHA” as she landed on one of the cubs “Sarafina? I could have known it was you” smiled the female cub “you didn’t even know it was me did you Labari?” Sarafina smiled and let Labari stand.

Sarafina gazed at the other cub sitting by them “hey Kasa join the fun come on” Labari tried to pounce on him but the cub moved out of the way “making you look like a fool is entertainment enough” the cub laughed and pounced.

 

Sarafina, Labari and Kasa walked in single file pack to the stream “race you!” Sarafina cried so they all ran to the stream and jumped in with a big splash “hey I heard a new pride has moved in just outside the outlands want to go see?” asked Labari after their swim “yeah lets go!” shouted Kasa “yeah!” Sarafina agreed. The outlands were quite near Sarafina’s pride in fact they were so close you could say that she was an outlander, Labari lead the way through the outlands the ground was hot on her feet as she walked so the cubs walked/ran to the grass.

The cubs played in the grass little did they know that they were being watched by a male lion named Badru “looks like we have a few trespassers Uri” he said to a female which was his mate “oh leave them alone they are only children” smiled Uri. Badru didn’t take any notice of her and marched over to the cubs “what are you doing trespassing on my land?” he growled at the 3 cubs.

 

Labari and Kasa ran for it leaving Sarafina alone with the large lion “well will you explain yourself?” he roared, but poor little Sarafina was so scared she burst into tears. Nuri heard the little cub crying “oh Badru why are you so mean she is only a child and you yell at her” she scowled at him then crouched down to look at the crying cub “there there little one are you lost?” she asked. Sarafina tried to smile but tears kept running down her face “come on lets go find your mum” Nuri smiled “do you know the way back to your pride?” she asked as Sarafina nodded a little. Nuri told Badru that she was going to return Sarafina to her pride and come back later “be careful you do not know who they are” he warned but Nuri ignored him and followed the little cub down a narrow path looking at her surroundings so she could find her way back. Sarafina remembered the way back home all to well and walked slowly in front of Uri to look back to see if Uri was following, they both didn’t say anything for a time until Sarafina asked “is he always that mean?” but when she asked that question Sarafina bit her lips I have insulted a king O why O why did I ask that? “no he is not always that mean Ahadi is a rather friendly king but is a bit touchy when it comes to strangers I will tell you how we met if you like?” Nuri asked and Sarafina nodded with a smile she liked to here stories of true love.

 

Nuri went on and on about her childhood, who her mother and father were, of a great battle between the mountain lions of the jungle and the Pride Landers (which Sarafina enjoyed) and finally of her romance with Ahadi. Sarafina wished this walk would go on forever Uri had such an imagination just like she did unlike her mother who told boring stories of hunting. When it was twilight and the first star was out all the lionesses of Half Rock (Sarafina’s pride) told stories to the cubs, swooped stories and even shared them with the others this was Sarafina’s favorite past time and never missed one exiting adventure for anything else. A stream was near by and Sarafina new it well she was almost home “do you want me to come with you?” asked Nuri as they got closer to the stream “yes you can meet my mummy and daddy oh please come” Sarafina waded into the cold water as a means to swim across “oh my the water is going much to fast for you to swim I had better carry you across my dear” Nuri picked Sarafina up into her mouth and splashed into the water and made her way across the rushing water.

 

Nuri stepped onto dry land and put Sarafina down and shook herself off “lets get you home” Nuri saw a pride up ahead and Sarafina ran to meet them with Nuri jogging along behind “mummy I’m home I’m home!” she called as a lioness ran to the cub “Sarafina oh my baby Sarafina” the lioness held tight to Sarafina. Nuri smiled at them and took a step toward the lioness “excuse me I just wanted to walk her home Sarafina wondered into my lands by mistake” Nuri explained. Sarafina was pushed behind Sadura “who are you?” she demanded “trying to kidnap my cub because you don’t have any to call your own?” Sadura sneered “no I just wanted”- Sadura leaped at Nuri and roared “you dare try to steal my cub” Nuri pushed her off and snarled leaping away from every blow Sadura threw. Sarafina looked on at the site of the two lionesses fighting as others gathered around to watch I have to do something! She thought and saw a high rock perfect she would race to the rock and demand them to stop fighting but she had to do it fast.

 

Climbing onto the rock and looking down at them Sarafina roared (it was more like a squeal) and shouted “mamma please don’t hurt her she only helped me get back to you” Nuri looked up at the cub even though she didn’t have any girl cubs of her own she still feared for Sarafina. Sadura saw this as a chance to attack Nuri and with one swing of her paw Nuri fell to the ground with a large scar on her cheek “NURI!!!” Sarafina screamed and jumped down from the rock to Nuri but Sadura blocked her way “she was a traitor Sarafina don’t trust Pride Landers” and gave her a stern look.

Sarafina looked on at her mother “but mamma she helped me and I must help her now” Sarafina said in a fake brave voice “you are an Outlander you don’t help them!” Sadura pointed to Nuri who was still on the ground “get out of here and leave us alone you…..you Pride Lander GET OUT” shouted Sadura

 

Nuri made her way down the trail and into the night not able to stop those last words that Sadura spoke out of her head how can a cub that sweet be an outlander? She thought it’s not possible, seeing Pride Rock in the distance Nuri broke into a run galloping over the dry grass to her waiting cubs and pride. King Badru ran to meet her “where did you get that scar?” he asked “did they do it to you?” Nuri didn’t want him to think they hurt her “no I fell on the way back” she lied, two cubs came to her side “mum you’re back we missed you” smiled one light coloured cub his name was Mufasa “mummy where did you go?” asked the other darker cub named Taka “I was just walking a friend home my darlings now off to bed with you” they all climbed up pride rock to the entrance. Uri stopped and walked to the edge of Pride Rock, smelling the wind and feeling it ran through her fur. Ahadi called her in and she lay down next to her cubs still thinking about poor little Sarafina.

 

It was dark when Sarafina finally went to sleep with Labari and Kasa why can’t I help Nuri she is my friend after all so I should help her she thought, Labari rolled over and moaned in her sleep hitting Sarafina in the nose “ouch!” Sarafina cried but Labari didn’t wake up. The next morning the cubs woke and went down to the stream to bathe “I love bathing don’t you Kasa?” asked Labari as she splashed him “no I don’t how can you like it? When you’re done you just get dirty again so what is the point?” Labari and Sarafina ignored him and swam about in the cool water.

By midday the cubs were lying in the hot sun (which was hotter than usual) Labari went for another swim and Sarafina tried to find a shady spot to have a nap Kasa was no where in sight, he was far away on a rock in the sun “I’m so hot! I hate this sun” he complained but stopped in mid sentence he smelled smoke!

 

Labari smelled it to “hey Sarafina do you smell smoke?” she asked “yeah I do where is it coming from?” Sarafina looked around and saw smoke rising not far off, she kept staring at it and soon enough flames could be seen “FIRE run Labari run!” both cubs ran for their lives back to the pride. Flames could be seen more and more now they were swirling around trees and black smoke stung their eyes “mamma!” Sarafina called “MAMMA” but she couldn’t see anything and ran in the opposite direction to the pride and was heading to a cliff!

Labari made it back to the pride all the lionesses crowded her “where is Kasa and Sarafina? Are you alright?” they all asked “Sarafina was right behind me she must have gone the wrong way” the little cub cried. Sadura jumped up “the fire is coming this way everybody run now!” they all ran away from the fire without Kasa or Labari.

 

Kasa saw the fire swirling around the trees and in the distance he

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