The Pride Days (IC): Hurt

Jali's eyes widened. He looked at Sira. "I'll go meet with them. Want to come?" he asked. She nodded.
"We'll be back. We just need to talk to Zanita for a minute" Sira said.
"Of course," Kal said holding back the brush for them to step out.

Jali and Sira came out with smiles. Jali couldn't stop himself from grinning upon the friend's arrival. Sira herself was very joyful. Var sat down next to Kyra and watched, almost about to giggle at her excitement. He was glad that at least one person around here wasn't dreading everything. He noted that she may have been the exact opposite of Layla.

"Hello Zanita, what brings you here on this fine day?" Jali greeted.

Jali smiled. "We are doing perfect. The pride is in the best shape it's been in a long time. I love the name. Gamba's mate came up with it. It has more meaning than you think. Layla's sister Dyna always adored the sun set and watched it ever evening. Seeing it was dusk when we settle and the thought came to Layla, she used it. It has fitted quite perfectly. So anyways, how's your clan? Anything interesting happening? Saved anyone from crocodile bites and broken bones?" Jali asked recalling the old memory of when the Brushland Clan saved him.

Layla dragged a Kudu by her jaws happily through the brush as they approached the pride camp once more. She sniffed and laid the prey down.

"I smell hyenas. Be careful, something could be going on at camp" Layla said to Gamba. She picked up her prey again and began walking forward again.

Layla laid her kill in the heap of carrion at the camp's center and walked over to the group. "I knew I'd smelled that scent before" she said almost to herself. She was overjoyed to see Zanta again, especially now that she was more than just the leader of a friendly clan now. She was a mother to her.

She couldn't help but grin, smiling at the presence of Zanita. "Hi Zanita. Remember me?" she replied.

Jali sat down on his haunches next to Sira as they watched. Var seemed to have the same expression. "Yep. Found her while hunting. Or talking more like it. We hadn't done much hunting at all" he purred.

Layla smiled at Zanita. Her face may have broke, unable to withdraw the happiness. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" She seemed to say in a voice that was almost a shout. She giggled, seemingly childish for the moment. She sat next to Gamba, giving him a wide grin.

Var smiled as Kyra began to walk away. "I'll get some too then" he said rounding a tree and going off down a slope.

"Oh, Layla. I also had something I was meaning to ask you" Jali said. The lioness' ears pricked up. "Oh?" she asked.

"One of our guard lionesses is... sadly, about to die. The medical lioness said that it's cancer at its finest. I was wondering if you'd like to fill the position and take a permanent guard job" the king said. Layla's eyes widened.

"Really? REALLY? I'd love to! That's one of the best jobs in the whole pride! Oh thank you! This day just keeps getting better and better!" She said.

Suddenly Jali turned as commotion came from the border of the camp.

"Your majesty! Your majesty! We have urgent visitors!" Said a guard lioness. They escorted several hyenas and a tall stranger lion into the camp. Jali recognized the scent. Smother Klan. Scar stood at the head of them, but she smelled different.

"Scar, my goodness what is it?" Jali asked.

"I just found this lion in my territory, making huge chaos in my camps! He says he's looking for someone named Var and someone named Snake. He said he followed a scent trail that matched them!" Scar hissed.

The lion stepped forward. "And you are?" Asked Jali. The black manes lion had seething green eyes that almost looked yellowish, a muddy color. He had a few scars around his nose and a deformed fang that stuck out of his lip. He was dirty and greasey. Obviously he hadn't took a good dip in a lake lately.

"I am Snake's brother, Nail" he said. Jali nodded. "Yes I remember you. Someone fetch Var!" Jali shouted. Taru responded by shooting off into the valley.

"I am sorry to say that Snake is dead. I will explain later. Out of all the brothers only Var survives" said Jali. Nail nodded and sat back. Jali turned to Scar. "Thank you, I greatly appreciate it" he said. Scar rolled her eyes. Jali was confused.

"Sweetie don't be rude" said a male standing next to her. He looked like a quiet, sensitive person with a sweet heart. She hissed, "shut up Feth!" She said. He sighed trying to make her feel better by licking her ear. "Not in public!" She whispered.

"Scar, you have a mate. Why this is... Very unexpected of you" Jali said as he and Sira gave each other bewildered looks. Scar scoffed. "Yeah..."

"She's going to have cubs too" the male bragged. Scar kicked him and he quickly went quiet and slipped back into the Smother crowd.

Var finally arrived with Taru. Var must have run through a bush or something. He had a bunch of flowers, leaves, and throns in his hair.

"Is that it?" Scar scoffed. "Yes, thank you Scar" Jali said. She nodded. Feth gave her a confused look. "Sweetie, why are you so angry right now?" he asked. "Just this morning you were so laid back."

"I'm carrying four giant kids inside me! How do you think I feel? Are you three days old? I have mood swings! I've been carrying these things since before we even left Kenya! They could pop out any day now!"

"Really?" asked Jali. "We never smelled that on you."
"I covered myself in Kudu dung, plus I washed myself very often to mask the smell. Now, Feth! Get me home before I puke!" she said. Feth patted her back with his paw. "Come on, let's go. Sorry!" he said to the lion pride as they turned around and walked off.

Nail stayed behind. Var approached and stood next to Jali, realizing the resemblance of Snake. "You summoned me sir?" asked Var.

"Yes. Var, this is apparently your uncle. His name is Nail. He claims to be looking for you" the king replied.

"I'm looking for my brother and ALL his kids" Nail scoffed. Jali gave a narrowed eye. "I told you, Snake and his kids are dead. Var is the only one left. They attacked us and we were forced to take their lives. Have a problem with that? You can leave then."

"No" Nail said. He looked at Var. "You're the oldest?"
"Yes" Var replied.
"I see. Well, I was wondering if you... well, wanted to come out with me. Into the world. Uncle and nephew. I was wanting you, your brothers, and my brother to come out with me so we could be together."

"Sorry, I... I found a pride. I intend on keeping to it" said Var.

"The king will boot you out. You know how prides are. He'll be afraid you'll overpower him. Take his power, his females, and his children."

"Jali is a king unlike many others" said Var. "He's not like the other prides. He lets everyone stay for as long as they like."

"I doubt it" said Nail. "But whatever."

"I'll allow you to stay if you like Nail. But you'll be under watch" said Jali. Nail nodded. He was escorted to an empty "guest den" by a few lionesses and Taru as he sat. Taru stood at the entrance awaiting further commands.

"'Kay, could someone help me get this crap out of my mane?" asked Var. Sira rolled her eyes. She walked over to him, picking things out of his mane as if she were a mother brushing a child's mess up hair.

"Ow!" he gave out. "Sorry" she replied. Kal had been at the entrance of his den watching the entire time. He stepped over, brushing a few weeds out of Var's mane and then stood behind Gamba and Layla as he gave Nail a thorough look-over and then retreated back to his den.

"I can't get some of that out. There's still seemingly hundreds of those thorns. What the heck did you run into? My paws are getting tired" Sira said. "Have Gamba or Layla, or Kyra or your parents or somebody else do it" she said.

Var looked over at Gamba and Layla. "Um, would you guys mind?"

Jali smiled and lowered his head to meet Coglon at eye level. "You don't have to be afraid Coglon. I am not a normal king. I do not make my pride live off of fear as other kings do. I do not make guests or newcomers feel fear in my presence. I do not make the ones who want to join us prove their strength first. I am not interested in strength, power, speed, beauty, or even intelligence. I am interested in the person underneath" he said before raising his head back up.

"I'd like to welcome you to Sunset Pride. This is the home of many lions. Our pride is without question, probably the largest pride you may ever find due to how many people we take in every moon. This week alone we have gained a lot. Your sister and a friend of hers named Var have been welcomed her just in the period of today and last night" he said. "I'm not much of a person that likes to brag, but without a doubt I am sure you'll find yourself very comfortable if you choose to stay with us." He and Sira gave each other happy glances as he looked back at Coglon.

"I'm sure Kyra can help you find plenty of good people to take as friends. If you ever need anything, just find me or my mate here Sira" he said. Sira gave a sort of "wave" with her paw. "There's also my brother over there who is in charge of our warriors and interactions with other prides" Jali added pointing to Taru
.
Var couldn't help but giggle at Zanita and Gamba. He tried holding it in, but a snicker came out. Layla gave a tiny one out but suppressed it by holding a paw over her lips in fear that it might offend her mate. She walked up to the combing party and watched Gamba's paws as they moved, watching his techniques.

Var felt a bit embarrassed having so many people examining his fur and crowding around him. He felt even more embarrassed by having them actually touching it. But he liked it better than Snake's methods of removing thorns...

******************************************************

He walked over a creek, his paws hurting from all the running he'd been doing. Nithili was at his left. Urathi was walking far behind. Var had a short, short mane being so young though there was still one there.

"Come on! Keep it moving! You're so slow!" Nithili said striking Var's flank with his claws. Var gave out a tiny yelp and began moving much faster.
"That's more like it!" Nithili growled. "Your posture sucks! Start walking more upright! Everyone knows you suck at fighting but at least LOOK tough!"

Var tried to make his body bigger by spreading all four of his legs out and contracting his muscles to make them look bigger. He had some of the best muscles a lion could ask for even as at a young age, but somehow Nithili always had bigger ones.

Finally the two of them made it into a clearing where six tall, thick trees stood in a circle. Each tree had its own strange symbol carved deeply into the bark and even the wood underneath. Snake had done it using his own paws. Though he never told Var what the symbols meant.
"What now?" Snake asked as he turned around from a pile of zebra he was sharing with some stranger lioness who looked terribly in fear, shaking and trembling as she ate.

"Var here got caught in some bushes again. He's got a bunch of nasty thorns in 'is mane" Nithili growled giving Var a quick kick in the gut. Var returned it with a swift claw to the face.
"Boys! Stop it! Nithili, go watch our guest while I get these thorns out" Snake said. Nithili walked over to the poor lioness. She backed away from him and scooted against one of the trees. Nithili sat on a thick root cutting the dirt and simply watched her.

Snake came over to Var and grabbed his ear to pull him over. "Ow!" Var replied. "Shut it" Snake returned.
Snake examined the thorns and the weeds, flowers, branches, and leaves caught in the young lion's fur. He extracted an exhausted sigh. "Will you ever stop running into things Var? You're such a disappointment. Why can't you be more like Nithili?"

"You KNOW that Nithili isn't as smart as me" Var said. "Without me you never would have been able to catch all those zebras last week. And you never would have been able to escape that lioness's mate and her family when they were looking for you."

"I suppose you have a point there" Snake said. He grabbed a tuft of Var's fur and yanked it, stretching it. He took his claws and began cutting it, yanking it as hard as he can in a very harmful manor to produce hurt on Var. Then he snapped the strands off, leaving Var to look like a lioness. Var let a few tears slide down his face, trying to hide them from his father and his brother. But Snake always caught them.

"What? You gonna cry now? Aww, a little lion lost his mane. Suck it up! Use your shame and let it fuel you. What do you feel right now? Tell me. List them all" Snake demanded.
"Shame. Anger. Hate. Hurt. Pain. Loathing. Blood Lust..." Var admitted. Snake gave an amused huff. "That's good, very good. Use that."

Var rolled his eyes as his father finished his haircut. Var immediately went into the bushes and evaded any comments from Nithili. It was a shame to his brother. Nithili really had a few taunts he was going to bring up. Var climbed up a tree as much as he could and sat on one of the thick branches. He liked this one tree. It filled him with a sense of relief from his family. He could see the clearing from there and still hear the words of his father, no matter by shouts or nomal tone.

"Get out of here" Snake told Nithili. Nithili nodded, fearfully and exited the clearing. Snake sat back near the pile of prey. A few zebras stacked on top of each other. He looked at the lioness who was crying as she laid up against the tree.
"Eat" he told her. She didn't want to but she had to. She got up and began eating as Snake watched her aggressively from the other side of the kill.

**********************************************************

Var didn't like the memory. It pained him deeply. He always looked like a girl without his mane. He remembered the shame that his father injected into him not unlike how a venomous snake injects poison into its victim. He supposed it was an even better reason for naming Snake that. He was almost fearful when Gamba and Sira had first put their paws in his hair. He had an involuntary feeling that they'd yank it hard, which made him feel like someone had just blasted his skull into a stretch, and then that they'd cut it all off. He didn't want to look that way. Especially not in front of Gamba, Layla, or Kyra.

He awaited his hair to be finished, but during this time he watched as Jali and Coglon met. He had heard every word and felt a sense of excitement. He wanted the grooming to be done so he could meet Kyra's brother.

"Of course" Layla said taking Zanita's side as they went off on their walk. Var on the other hand thanked Gamba. "Thanks. Best hair job I ever had" he said before turning to Kyra.

"Hey Kyra, this is your brother you told me about?" he asked. "Couldn't help but overhear."

Sira was getting nervous from the talk of the terrible season to come. "Go lay down for a bit. You need to rest. I'll go see how Mira and Kal are doing after this" Jali told her. She didn't like it, but she took her mate's request and went up to the cave where their den was.

"A bad season huh? Well, I'll get everyone ready. I hope it doesn't end up being as bad as the drought in Kenya. Otherwise I'll be convinced that the Spirits are angry with us" Jali admitted. Kal's voice interrupted from the entrance of his den. "Jali, you can't seriously believe that the Spirits would be angry with a pride that does nothing but take in strangers, make them feel at home, and save lives? A pride that has actually befriended not only a hyena clan but a cheetah clan as well? I suppose if evil spirits created this world... But from all the legends we've heard of over the years I doubt they'd be so vile."

"You have a point Kal" Jali said. Jali looked back at Coglon, Kyra, and Var. "Why don't you three get settled in. We still haven't made the three of you your own dens. There are still many spots available unless you want one we've made and is empty. But those ones are usually small and used for guests in the pride that won't be staying long."

Var nodded. "I'll go get started on mine. I'll put it over there on the side of the lake where no one else has put theirs seemingly" he said. He turned and began walking over to a spot where he thought was best.

Layla had a face that suggested a happy thought. "It's always been my greatest dream to have cubs, my own and of my own blood. Having Gamba as their father would be the greatest gift I could ever ask for" she looked at Zanita's worried face as if expecting something that might worry her.

Jali smiled. "He certainly knows how to make a den" he told Kyra. "Where did he learn all these things?"

Layla thought for a moment though it wasn't a long one. She nodded. "Yes. I do. I think I will do alright with the new safety precautions. I'll make for absolute certain that I do everything you say. I'll tell Gamba in a little while" she decided. "I just can't imagine a future for me without cubs. And even better, a future with cubs and Gamba as their father."

She looked back in the direction of the camp and then returned her glance to Zanita. "My cubs would love this pride. A place where they don't have to compete... So, yes. I still want cubs. I'll take the risk. I'll do whatever it takes."


-------------------

Jali kept examining Coglon's techniques from a distance. "I see" he replied to Kyra. Var came over to the two. "Mine's all done. How'd you guys do?" He asked Kyra as he examined his newly combed mane.

"I'm so glad she accepted me. It's amazing to know I'm related to both lions and hyenas" Layla replied. "Gamba would you come over with me for a minute?" There's something I want to talk to you about."

She lead him off a little past the lake to a small clearing she came upon by chance. It was outlined with a circle of soft trees and bushes full of red berries. The early night sky was beautiful above it. Layla thought it was the perfect place to go if she needed to get away from the camp for a while.

"Gamba, your mother and I talked about the possibility of the two of us becoming parents. She told me about all of the risks and I'm well aware of everything now. I've always wanted to be a mother, I couldn't imagine my future not containing cubs. If you are their father, that would make it even better. I know about the risks and the changes I'd have to make to everyday life to keep myself in good health during the pregnancy. I just need to know when you are ready. I'm only ready if you are. So Gamba would you ever... Like to try? Would you ever be interested in being a father?" She asked scratching behind her ear half-shyly.

Layla smiled. "Great, I love to hear that" she said. "This would be a good place to go to rest. I could also have them here since I'd rather give birth to them away from the rest of the pride in private."

"There'd be a lot of shade here during the day" she said gesturing to the limbs of the trees. "I could stay here most of the time. I'd have to take a break from hunting and stuff. I'll have to tell Jali that I can't work as a guard for a while. Guards have to fight stuff of every day. I'll have to relax. Zanita told me you knew a special diet and a bunch of things I could do to keep myself healthier" she said. She wasn't at all worried. She felt happy and joyful inside. It was obvious that she was excited.

She walked around the clearing with an almost childish movement, excited and unable to control some of it all while she examined her new sanctuary. Finally she came back over to Gamba and sat in front of him on her haunches, waiting for his reply.

(right, lets just do a time skip to the next morning)

Jali awoke. Sira breathing softly asleep next to him. He stood up and stretched and sat at the entrance to the cave. He yawned as he watched the few lions that were out in the camp. Taru was still guarding the den that Nail was in. He came down into the camp and sat next to Taru, exchanging hellos.

Taru and Jali glanced at each other and the. Back at Gamba. "Of course" Jali said as they both left. Taru shouted for one of the guards to watch Nail while they were gone. They went behind a large group of trees, away from the hearth of the camp where they could be heard.

"What is it?" He asked.