The Pride Lands (Amanda, Moka, kovu42)

[kovu42]

Bakari could tell the princess was holding back something, possibly something to do with him. "So, Princess Uzuri, is that right?" he asked the lioness, hoping some small talk would put his mind at ease. "Where do we go from here?"

[Panda-chan]

Uzuri was startled out of her thoughts. "Uh.... L-left. We go through the left entrance." she said hurriedly, trying to avoid looking straight into his face. She was hoping that she might somehow be able to persuade her father into letting Bakari stay, but she didn't know how. King Mbwana could be very stubborn sometimes.

[kovu42]

There was definately something on Uzuri's mind, but Bakari wasn't really in a position to push his luck or her patience. He padded on through the left entrance following the lioness. He paused briefly at the entrance and muttered to himself, "this is it, one last chance." before pushing onward.

[Panda-chan]

After walking for about 10 minutes through what seemed like endless tunnels, they finally reached Uzuri's parents' dens.
"Mother? Father?" Uzuri asked, a little scared. She got no answer.

[kovu42]

Bakari hung back a little to give the ruling lions time to meet up with their daughter. He took the time to groom his mane and try to make himself look presentable. His limbs were aching with the effort of surviving the past few nights and he felt as though he couldn't stand anymore so he laid down a little ways off from Uzuri and just waited for his fate.

[Moka]

Khali noticed Bakari was troubled. "Hey - whats up..?" he whispered.

[kovu42]

Bakari jumped when Khali spoke. He tried to regroom his mane to calm down. "It's just that I'm so used to getting beaten up and driven off by pride leaders and Uzuri seems to be distracted quite a bit. I might just be paranoid, but I'm getting really nervouse." He could feel his fear overwelming him again and he wondered if the gopher could smell it coming off of him.

[Panda-chan]

Uzuri crept up close to the large flat rock where her parents slept, but they weren't there. "Maybe they're hunting." she said more to herself than to anyone else. "That's why they're not here. They're hunting." She had tried to sound convincing, but she heard her own voice tremble as she spoke. Anything could have happened while she was gone. They might even be dead.
She saw Bakari, Khali, and the gopher talking in silent whispers behind her back. They probably hadn't even heard her. She didn't care. She just wanted her parents.
Suddenly, she heard the pounding of many paws on rocks. Before she could turn around, a dozen lions burst into the entrance and surrounded all of them, panting hard. Two strong lioness pinned Bakari to the ground, and the leader, King Mbwana spoke in a low growl.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

[Panda-chan]

"Mother! Father!" Uzuri shouted.
"Uzuri!" said her mother, and they embraced. King Mbwana still had his eyes glued to the struggling Bakari. He hadn't even seen her.

[Moka]

The gopher fell over on his back trying to get away from the struggle. Khali simply walked backwards a little and sat down expressionless.