[Closed] Little Stranger (Taraji Chapter 1)

[KiarasMate]

Sighing softly to herself as she really was starting to think that Taraji was a bit too cautious even for her age and what she might have lived through, Kiara figured that today’s lesson was over and there was always next time to work on her skills. Wanting her daughter to feel as though she had done a good job and knowing that Taraji did give it her all, also taking into consideration that her mate’s cent was probably strewn all over the lands, something she hadn’t really thought about before she had mentioned it, Kiara leaned in to lovingly nuzzle the cowering cub, speaking to her in a proud tone as the golden furred princess tried to coax her out from hiding.

”That was a good try there Cutie. You did a good job and I’m proud of you. It takes time to learn new things though and I’m sure you’ll get the hang of everything you’ll need to learn in order to be a proficient lioness soon enough. C’mon, let’s go fill that tummy of yours with milk now. You’ve earned it Cutie!”

Taking lead now, Kiara started to make her way towards Pride Rock, keeping a casual pace so that Taraji could stay in tow with her. Trying to keep her strides small enough so that Taraji was forced to walk either alongside or in front of her, wanting her daughter to overcome her fear of these lands that posed no threat to her at the moment, Kiara did everything she could think of to boost Taraji’s self-esteem as the caring princess spoke in a playful manner towards her daughter as they walked.

”What did you think of that young lioness who you met earlier today Taraji? She seemed nice enough, huh? Don’t you think it would be fun to play with her?”

==========

Sighing in relief that Kovu had agreed to speak with him, knowing that Kovu’s rank within the pride could have easily resulted in him rejecting his request on any given level, Kopa quickly rose to his paws as he nodded, wasting no time as he left the wildebeest he was sitting near and made his way down the slope leading into The Grasslands, deliberately traveling in the opposite direction to which he saw his mate retreating to just moments ago, just to be sure that their paths wouldn’t cross until he had figured out just what he had done wrong. Once Kovu was beside him, Kopa Immediately broke down, spilling his feelings to Kovu as he kept his eyes on the ground as they walked.

”I didn’t know who to talk to about this Kovu, but you seem like the perfect lion to confide in. As you know, Rahina and I are…were, erm, as close as two in love lions probably could be with one another. Back when we were living in our Oasis home, things were perfect and we couldn’t be away from each other for a single second without feeling as though we would go crazy without each other…but…ever since we’ve came to your lands, I feel like, she’s drifting away from me somehow. I don’t know how to explain it but it’s as though, she’s changing…or maybe it’s me. I just don’t know. She’s never yelled at me like that before and never has she stormed off by herself. That’s just how I know that something must be really wrong with her. At first, I thought it might be that she was sick or something, because her energy levels haven’t been the same ever since we came here, but I had her see Nala and from what Nala told her, or at least, from what Rahina told me, that Nala told her, was, she’s fine, physically, but if it’s not that, then it must be that there’s something bothering her and I am starting to fear the worst.”

Pausing for a moment, allowing Kovu to absorb everything he had told him, Kopa paused where they were, a few hundred yards away from Pride Rock, away from anyone else, or so it seemed to Kopa. Looking at Kovu with a serious expression, Kopa picked up where he had left off.

”I fear as though, being around all these new faces here and seeing how pride life is, Rahina’s realized that there could be better things out there for her and that I might not be the one for her anymore. I honestly can’t believe I’d say such a thing and if you would have asked me a season ago, if I thought that Rahina and I would ever have a remote chance of not being with one another, I would have told you that you were crazy, but now…I can’t say for sure. Maybe I’ve failed her as a mate. I wasn’t able to save our lands from the rogues that took over and maybe Rahina’s never forgiven me for that, even if she said it wasn’t my fault, or maybe she’s seen just how wonderful you and Simba are with cubs and she’s decided that I’m not the type of lion she would want to have cubs of her own with. Or maybe…she just doesn’t love me as much as she used to…

Uncertain about what else to say, knowing that he could probably go on for hours on end about what could have changed Rahina’s outlook upon him, the last thing he wanted to do was bore Kovu with his problems, so Kopa opted to stay quiet now as he waited for Kovu’s reply, hoping that, if anything, Kovu would give it to him straight on how he saw the situation. While he didn’t know Kovu very well, nor did he feel as though Kovu could understand where he was coming from, in Kopa’s mind, being a father figure to Taraji, having a mate who loved him unconditionally it seemed and being the future ruler of the very lands he stood in now, made Kovu the perfect candidate to ask for help.

[Mike]

Kovu was slightly alarmed by the way Kopa began to pour his heart out to him, a complete stranger. In spite of Kopa's vote of confidence, Kovu didn't consider himself to be the most able lion in these matters by any means. Once or twice at the beginning of Kopa's speech, Kovu almost interrupted, before stopping himself. He didn't want to break into his train of thought now that he was confiding with someone else. As Kopa spoke Kovu ran through what he knew of Rahina. It wasn't much, and it wasn't very nice. He didn't imagine that there would be much he could honestly say to cheer his fellow lion up.

As Kopa continued though, Kovu remembered what Nala and Kiara had told him: they believed that Kopa was Simba's son. Kopa deserved his best and most honest thoughts for that reason at least. When Kopa ran out of words, Kovu found himself in a secluded area, not far from Pride Rock, but off the beaten path. He took a seat, inviting Kopa to follow suit if he liked. For a moment he gathered his thoughts.

"I don't think that anything that's happened has been your fault." Kovu started off slowly. "From what I picked up on back there, her anger was already there. Don't take this the wrong way, but she's an extremely volatile lioness you'll have to agree. If you think this change in your relationship goes back to you first entering the pridelands, or meeting the pride, maybe it's something about this new environment, and you just happened to spark it off somehow." He paused again, wracking his brains for a solution. He wasn't the best at this, and he felt sure that his mate would have had much better luck.

"The way I see it," he continued slowly "if it's something about the pride members or lands, you can either try and help her adapt, or escape whatever's causing this change... leave the pridelands. Your only other option is to leave her, but I'm not suggesting that, considering you've had a great relationship up to this point from what you tell me." Kovu shook his head in irritation, and flicked his tail. "I'm no good at this." he said. "Those are lousy options all three. It'd be easier if we knew what exactly was causing the change."

[KingKivuli]

As the day went by Kivuli remained at Mila's side. Despite Simba's assurance that she was fine, Kivuli was not leaving her side so willingly. The gray lion moved closer to her. He gave a another couple of licks on her soft muzzle I hope your ok, Mila. I would hate it if you were hurt he said in a quiet soft voice, before laying down to rest himself

[Lodrill]

Rahina was in control of herself again as she joined Laini and Almasi. Or at least her anger had flown away a bit. The guilt she felt was still there and seeing Almasi did bring up her feelings again. This cub had done nothing wrong but it had been the trigger to her rage. Rahina bit her tongue to stay calm.

"Hi Almasi. We wondered where you have run off to." she eyes Laini who was wincing back from her. A funny lioness. She seemed a bit like this small cub the princess and prince of these lands had. Rahina had seen her once before and so she was sure that she was part of the pride.
"I mean no harm. You are also from this pride, right? Would you mind escorting Almasi back to the pride?" Rahina knew that she was not stable at the moment. She did not want to burst out in front of Almasi. She bit her tongue again to not say anything bad about the fight with Kopa again.

"Erm... Almasi! Kopa was searching for you. I will be on a hunt for some time so if you return to pride rock please tell him that you are okay..." Rahina bit her tongue the third time. She could offer a message for Kopa through this cub telling him how sorry she was and.... but Rahina did not want to drag this innocent cub into their fight.

The scariest thing of this situation was that Rahina did not know how to make up with Kopa for the wrongdoings of her. She knew that she had been wrong. Now she did not know what to do. She needed some time alone to think about it.

"I can count on you Almasi, or not? Well I must hurry. Sorry to leave so quickly. Well I'll be back... later." Rahina did not know when she would find the courage to go back. If it was to jump into hundred hyenas to safe him it would be easier that that for her. But with this kind of situation she was completely overwhelmed.

As Laini just looked at her and nodded as if Rahina had threaten her she nodded back and left into the high gras. She ran away from pride rock. She did not even know where she was running or if there really was a hunting ground in this direction.
The idea of a hunt had come to her because she normally could relax the best while hunting.

It did not take long until Rahina reached a river and on the other side there was a devasted land. Something of these land seemed very familier to Rahina. She crossed the small river over a fallen log and set paw on the outlands even if she did not yet recognize that this was her cubby home.

[hr][/hr]

Laini was a bit startled by the big lioness that looked like an outlander. She also seemed a bit spaced out. She listened to her voice and just nodded on the request to bring back Almasi. She would probably done it anyways. The lioness was gone nearly as fast as she had appeared. Laini's heart calmed down a bit and she raised her own silent voice to Almasi.
"Should we go to the waterhole before and quench our thirst or do you want to return to pride rock as soon as possible?" Laini really hoped the latter. But she wanted the cub to decide and not force it on her.

[hr][/hr]

Taraji got a small boost of confidence by the praise of Kiara. She snuggled her head against her paw as Kiara raised up and tried to come under her but this was not possible due to Kiaras way of walking.
Taraji had to chose walking next to Kiara but she stood so close to Kiara that her flank touched her forpaw from time to time.

[JaguarOne]

Santiago had been paying enough attention to his surroundings to see Shani who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, the feline seeming perfectly cool as he walked towards the base of Pride Rock. Normally Santiago wouldn't have minded the lion too much--Shani wasn't bothering him and, likewise, he wasn't bothering Shani--however, the look he shot Santiago was one that the lion was all too familiar with, it having brought back memories of the roving male who had managed to orchestrate the mutiny on his family.

"That's what concerns me," The lion whispered to himself quietly as Vitani informed him that Shani shot the same look to most of the others in the Pride Lands. The look was not only chilling to the lion, but it made him feel like Shani was up to something. The lion seeming to be of the manipulative kind.

[KiarasMate]

Kiara continued to give Taraji’s bum little nudges with her fore paws to keep her moving along as they slowly approached Pride rock. Looking up to see who all was present, Kiara only spotted Shani, who seemed to be heading up to where she saw her mother positioned at, near two carcasses of some sort, as well as Caine, who was a few hundred paces away from where she and Taraji were. Happy in the fact that her mother was isolated from her father, which would prove to be beneficial for taraji’s sake, Kiara stayed close behind her daughter as the pair made their way up to the promontory of Pride Rock.

Spotting the faces rapidly approaching her, Nala rose to her paws as she greeted everyone in turn.

”Hello again Shani. How did things go with Caine?”. Turning to face her daughter and Taraji while she waited for a reply from Shani, Nala continued. ”And good afternoon to you too Kiara Honey and Taraji. Is there something I can do for you?” Nala asked the crystal eyed cub with a friendly stare.

==========

Simba hadn’t had much luck trailing Rahina. She seemed to have gone off one direction, but then took another, leaving the king to ponder over what exactly to do next. He hadn’t really thought about what exactly he was going to say to try and resolve the issue that clearly was bothering her but being the caring type and not wishing for any of his subjects to feel any animosity between one another, Simba made it a point to always try. As he continued along his way, Simba happened upon Laini and Almasi, causing the king to pause momentarily as he addressed the pair of lionesses in a kind voice.

”Excuse me you two, but have you happened to seen Rahina anywhere?”

==========

Kovu’s ears drooped even further from what advice Kovu was offering him. These lands seemed so perfect, yet could they really be the cause of Rahina’s misery? Kopa was more inclined to take Kovu’s advice however having no other place to go and knowing that the mystery surrounding his past here was still unclear, Kopa couldn’t bring himself to leave now, especially if there was a way to fix what he had done wrong with his beloved mate. Shaking his head, refusing to believe that he wasn’t the cause for Rahina’s change in mood, Kopa replied in a gloomy tone as he took a seat next to Kovu.

”I don’t know Kovu. I love Rahina to death and I know she might come off as a bit brash at times, but she really is the sweetest lioness you could ever know, once you get to know her and gain her trust. I could never leave her…I could never be the same without her…She’s my everything Kovu.”

Thinking over what exactly had set Rahina off, the subject of cubs being the only thing that came to mind, Kopa sighed once more as he glanced up at Kovu, speaking once more to him.

”How do you do it Kovu? How can you care so well for a cub that’s not even yours? Maybe that’s why Rahina is so mad at me. It’s because she feels as though, that I don’t want to care for Almasi, which isn’t true, it’s just, I’m scared. I’m scared that I’ll mess something up. Taking care of a cub…it just seems like so much work and responsibility. It’s not like caring for the one you love, since Rahina can take care of herself if I’m not around and I don’t have to worry about her doing everyday things, but when I was looking after Almasi, it was like…I don’t know, looking after something that was so fragile and delicate. Like, if I did something wrong, she would…I don’t know. It’s just so different and overwhelming. I know that Rahina wants to have cubs in the future and it scares me half to death to know that I might not have what it takes to look after them. That doesn’t mean that I don’t care about Almasi though, nor would I not care about my own cubs. I’d love them just as much as I love Rahina since they would be a part of us both, but I just can’t let Rahina down. I’ve already done that to her before…so many times and if she really doesn’t love me as much as she used to, I can’t blame her.”

[LionPrincess]

Almasi didnt get a chance to answer Rahina as she was gone as fast as she got there, she then turned to Laini again "i want a drink so i think the waterhole would be best" she said as she was parched from being out in the hot sun all day, she turned quickly as there was a shift in the grass and then Simba appered and startled her "yeh she just passed and she went that way" she said as she pointed a forepaw in the direction that Rahina went in

===================

Mosi was hungry, all he had eaten in days was a rat and a few mice, he was still strong though, as the small body of the cub moved swiftly threw the dirt and filth of the outlands he heared someone else moving, he quickly lowered himself to the ground as to hide from any potential danger, he then spotted a dark fured lioness entering the lands, she looked tough but he didnt care, he creeped up until he was close to the lioness to get a better look, this was the first lion he had seen since he had left his pride, as he got closer his forepaw slipped and kicked a small rock, small but enough to make a noise, he then got as close to the ground as he could so that he would not be seen but he scenced that he had been

[KiarasMate]

Smiling down at Almasi, Simba performed a small, comical bow to the young lioness as he spoke in a generous voice.

”Why thank you Sweetie. I appreciate the help.”

Giving Almasi a light pat on the head with his large fore paw, Simba turned to the direction in which Almasi had indicated Rahina had went, beginning to make his way from the pair of lionesses, calling over his shoulder as he did so.

”Carry on you two. I’ll see you both this evening for the meeting.”

Wandering off now, trying to pick up Rahina’s scent, Simba continued to locate the dark furred lioness. Typically, he wouldn’t have put forth so much effort but knowing what he had planned for the following day, the concerned king wanted to make sure that every loose end was tied up before the meeting tonight.

[Lodrill]

Rahina noticed the small stone that had been kicked but only flipped her ear to the side and continued to move forward. The creature she sensed was to small to be a thread and in her head were other things that took her concentration to the fullest.

Rahina reached the old keep of Zira and finally stopped. Like a lightning it stroke her that she was in the home of her cubhood.
The land was completely emty now. Not one lion lived here anymore. Lainia made a bow around the keep as she never really had a good feeling around it and headed towards the borders of the outlands on the opposite side of the prideland.
It took Rahina to find the old den her mother had raised her. It was way out far away from the keep. Rahina lay down in front of the small denn and tears formed on her eyes once again. She was finally home. But her mother was dead. Her brother was also dead and her father was gone, maybe also dead. Not that Rahina really wanted to see her father. He abondoned her mother and the cubs back then. In Rahinas eyes he was as guilty as Zira who Rahina still suspected to be the murder of her mother and brother.

Rahina purred slightly while humming the melody her mother once sang for her. She never had remembered this melody until now. The den, the land, everything seemed to bring her back to her cub days. Rahina closed her eyes and saw her mother and her brother in front of her inner eyes. They were smiling and laughing but in the next momen they lay on the ground... dead.
Rahinas scar on her leg began to itch as she remembered the time after her mothers dead. The hyenas. The new home...
Tears were overflowing her face now. The jungle had been the best home she ever had. And the best time ever had been the times after Kopa had joined her.
The memories of their happy times, how they played in the water, how they were chased by buffalos and how they fought against the rogues... all these memories made Rahina sad because she knew that she had broken something between Kopa and her. She still did not know why she yelled at him like that. Sure his negative way talking about cubs had stroke her heart but he did not know about her pragnacy. Maybe this made it even worst. Rahina did not want to think about what Kopa would do if he found out about her baring a cub. Maybe he would even leave her because he found it to much of work to look after a cub.

Rahina cried for the first time since her cubhood very intense. The last time she had cried so much had been right after she was wounded by the hyenas. And before that only at the death of her mother. She had ever been raised to be strong but at this very moment she felt powerless and weak. Rahina did not know where to go and what to do anymore. She was totally lost in the circle of her guilt towards Kopa.

[hr][/hr]

Laini just nodded to the request of Rahina. She sighed deep as Rahina left just to hold on her breath once more as Simba appeared. She was not good at socializing even if Daxis already had trained her to be a bit more social.
As they all left and Almasi asked to go to the waterhole she managed to smile at the cub and turned towards the waterhole. Again she was a babysitter. But at least a cub or adolescent lioness was much better than a grown up lion. Laini was easy around cubs where she started panicing around grown ups most of the time.

As Laini reached the waterhole, looking back now and then to check if Almasi was still with her, she lowered her head to the water and began to drink. Unlike at the private waterhole the water here was a bit harder and tasted a bit like earth. Laini knew this taste already and liked it. She never had got a drink from the private waterhole being very low in the ranks.
With one eye she watched Almasi while she was quenching her thirst.

[Mike]

Kovu's heart ached for the pain clearly evident in Kopa's voice. He could certainly relate. Life without Kiara would be like living in a fog for Kovu; no destination, no landmarks, no meaning. He was still nodding sympathetically when Kopa's next thoughts reached his ears. He let the other lion finish off his thought though, before answering.

"Hey, Thanks for your vote of confidence there," Kovu said slightly sheepishly, "but I'm no miracle dad. I just happen to be surrounded by about the wisest lionesses in the world in that respect." Kovu stopped suddenly as a thought struck him. "Hey, that's it: you guys just need to take advantage of the benefits of Pride Life. Cubs are hard for any couple to deal with on their own, but we're a pride here. I always know that I can leave Taraji safe with Nala, or another lioness for a little while if Kiara and I are busy or worn out. If you two really get into the pride lifestyle you shouldn't have any more problems with cubs."

Rather pleased with his insight, Kovu perked up, and waited for Kopa's answer.

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

"Yea well, enough about the creeps of the pride." Vitani said, determinedly trying to get back to the previous mood. "This is the private waterhole." She said, indicating the area. "Kovu and Kiara live on the other side of that hill over there, and there are a few guests like you that have been living here as well." Looking around, Vitani saw that they were relatively alone. Apparently a good part of the pride was still enjoying the little feast at Pride Rock. She was in no hurry to go anywhere herself, and actually wouldn't mind resting for a moment before she started off again. Though her paw was healing, it made no sense to push it before it was ready. Naturally she kept this to herself for the time being, certainly not being one to flaunt a weakness in front of an interesting new male in the pride.

"That's pretty much it," Vitani finished, looking back at Santiago. "You want to pick out a den? They're all about the same, but you might want to pick the one across the waterhole from Shani's anyway."

---------

Shani and Kiara held off on speaking as they made their way up Pride Rock. Both of them were more concerned with Nala who was waiting at the top. Shani reached Nala first, and gave a resigned sigh at her question. He'd been expecting it.

"Not so well Nala, I'm sorry to say." Shani said, unaware that Caine was anywhere in the vicinity, not having looked back as he was climbing Pride Rock. "Without getting into details, It might be awkward between us for the rest of the day. I'm sorry I wasn't able to help him very much."