what Zira became

[thanigraphics]

Thanks again for the nice and motivating comments! And for you, I'll come up with the next part, the 4th already! Enjoy:


Hunting


Several weeks after her first encounter with the hyena's, Zira went there with Taka again. Taka has been training his hyena clan to attack Mufasa, by teaching them about the weak spots of a lions body and about their movement. He told Zira to watch, because when she would have any attack of those friends of Mufasa, she could fight back. Zira watched, but she didn't care much about the training. She was just watching Taka, and adoring his body and movements. The actual lesson didn't even reach her mind.

Suddenly Zira remembered something. "Taka, I have to go! Today is the huntress selection!" she yelled at Taka. "The what?" Shenzi asked her. "All lionesses of Pride Rock have to show Uru what they've learned last months. The best are selected to be members of the Pride Rock hunting group, a formation of lionesses who are allowed to do the real dangerous hunts, like the wildebeests and the large herds!" Zira explained. "We go on a real hunt, and Uru watches us. Yani will escort us." Before she ran off, she ran to Taka. "I'll be back before dusk!" Taka watched her leave and continued the hyena training.

When Zira arrived, all teenage and adolescent lionesses were in front of Pride Rock, standing in a big circle around Uru and Yani. Zira joined them. Uru was holding a speech. "We are heading to the gorge. There's a huge herd of zebras grazing on top of it. When we arrive there we will split up. We will ambush the zebras, like you've all learned last months. If anyone has troubles with the danger of it, step back right now." Off course, no lioness stepped back.
"Let's hunt!" Yani yelled. The whole group, more than twenty lionesses, ran off heading towards the gorge.

"Good luck, doughter!" Uru yelled at Zira. Zira looked back. She smiled at her foster mum. All other lionesses grouped up in small groups of three or four lionesses. Zira remained alone. Nobody asked her to join, so she ran along with Sarabi and Sarafina. They didn´t talk to her, but they weren´t bothering her either.
After the long run, they started walking. ’We have to save our energy for the hunt, It will be pretty dangerous, such a big amount of prey!’ Sarafina told Sarabi. Sarabi nodded. ’It´s a good thing we´re all together for it!’she answered.

There they were. The gorge. Deep, big and dangerous. Zira looked around her. The talking of the other lionesses dimmed. Uru was standing on the left side of the group, Yani was standing on the right side. Yani told them where to go. Uru remained silent. She just watched every lioness, observed them. Zira was told to join Sarabi and Sarafina. She had to be in the back of the herd. ’This is going to be easy’ she smirked. ’I just have to follow those two.’ And so she did. She looked around her, all lionesses had taken their positions. Yani gave a sign, all lionesses started to run as fast as they could. Zira runned after a zebra that looked weak.

Sarabi and Sarafina coorperated. They catched an adult zebra, after a few seconds of wrestling with the furious animal, two other lionesses ran towards the zebra, to help Sarabi and Sarafina in the hunt. The rest of the herd ran off, with ten lionesses following them. A few hundred metres further, another zebra was taken down by a group of lionesses. Zira was trying to strangle her zebra, but the zebra kicked her down and she fell of it´s body. Now the zebra had time to run off, so it did. Zira stood up and joined the group of lionesses that were helping Sarafina and Sarabi. The zebra was already dead. ’This is easy’ Zira thought. The lionesses started eating.

’Good job girls!’
Yani was standing behind them. The lionesses stopped eating, to hear her comments. Were they chosen to do the dangerous hunts? That was in the end, what this whole hunting was all about. "I want to give every lioness some comment, after doing that, I'll tell who is chosen for the Hunting Unit."
Yani started with Sarabi. "Good thing about you, is that you cooperated with Sarafina. Hunting together is working as a unit. You are all part of a team. Because of that, you, Sarabi, and you, Sarafina, are chosen for the hunting party." Zira wasn't even listening to the things Yani was saying. She was just waiting to hear what Yani had to say about her. As usual, she was the last to be mentioned. Yani started.

"You are strong, and your speed improved since I started taking you with me for the lessons, Zira," Yani began. "You went for the throath, just like I've teached you. But you made one fatal mistake. You operated all by yourself. You didn't even watch the others. Be a pack, a team, that's one of my most important lessons, Zira." Zira looked at Yani. She said some positive things, and some negative things about her hunting skills. Zira was a loner. Not a team lioness. But she was skilled and fysically she was improved. What would be Yani's judgement? Would she be welcomed to the Hunting Unit or not?
"Team work is the most important thing in hunting. You're skilled Zira, but you are not going for the dangerous hunts. I want to teach you the teamwork thing. Maybe later, but you're just not ready."

After saying that, Yani went on to the next group of lionesses. Zira wasn't even listening anymore. She failed. What would Taka say? She was afraid to go back to Pride Rock. But she had to. Before she could leave, she felt a warm paw on her back. "I believe in you, Zira. I do. Maybe not now, but one day you'll be a great addition to the Unit." Uru sat down next to her. "Uru..mom.. I failed. Í just don't fit in. I'm a loner. Hunting is a group thing. I will never be like Sarabi or Sarafina." Uru thought about it. "True, but you can learn to cooperate with others. It's not that difficult. One day you'll fit in." After saying that, Uru left and went to the group of lionesses that were still to be judged.

Zira walked slowly back to Pride Rock. It was already dark outside. Taka was sleeping in his den. A piece of zebra meat next to him. Taka woke up when Zira entered the little cave. "Congrats, my huntress. Here, a present!" Taka threw the zebra meat to her. "Nothing to celebrate. I failed." Zira sighed.
"How!!?...." Taka started. "You were paying attention to Yani's lessons everytime, weren't you?!" Taka yelled. "You HAVE to be skilled. I need you for my plan! What's wrong with you?!"
"Taka, it's the group thing. Hunting must be done in groups. I cannot cooperate. That's all. My skills are fine." Zira answered. "Group thing, humbug." Taka replied. "We don't need anyone, Zira. Goodnight. Tomorrow we will talk about this further." Taka and Zira fell asleep together in the den. Exhausted. Zira by the hunt, Taka by the hyena training.

[Applejack]

Astonishing. Simply mind boggling.

[thanigraphics]

Thanx, NukaKun! Here's the next chapter.....


Dangerous.

The next morning, Zira woke up. Taka wasn't there. He must have left without waking her up. "Maybe he's on a hunt...." Zira thought by herself. "I'll take another nap, he'll be back in no-time.." Zira stretched her body and fell asleep again. Her dreams took her back in time. Far back in time.

"Mom, I've catched him, finally! After all the practice I did!"
Zira's mother woke up. Her scruffed and scarred frontpaw was over her face. "What is it?"
"I have catched my first mouse today! Aunt Izira told me that that is very special!"
The lioness looked at her doughter. "You wake me up for that?" she asked and then turned around and closed her eyes again.

Dissapointed, Zira walked out of her mother's den. She went to Izira, the older sister of her mother. Izira and Zira's parent's were a trio of rogues. Zira was the only cub in the little group, so she learned to play on her own. She was taught to speak only when asked to speak. Playing and having fun was time-waste. She had to be usefull. Zira tried. Today she catched her first mouse. But her own mother couldn't care less.

Izira was washing herself when Zira found her. "What did she say?" Izira asked her.
"Well, why I woke her up. She just didn't care! I tried cathing mice for weeks, it never worked. I did my best, and I got it....and now she doesn't care!" Zira almost cried.
"Little one, listen. She sure is proud of you. I know my sister. But she has been trough a very hard time, losing your older brother Nuka due to that horrible Ahadi. She's just taking it easy with herself. And so should you!"

Little Zira sighed. She never knew Nuka. He died before she was born. He must have been awesome. Zira's mother always said nice thing about him. That he was the ideal child. Maybe, if Zira kept practicing her hunting skills, her mother would be just as proud of her as she was of Nuka. Zira gave a hug to her beloved aunt. She was ready to hunt another mouse.
It was the last time little Zira saw Izira, the aunt she was named after.

Zira woke up. "Taka? Is that you?" She felt teeth biting in her neck. A typical thing for Taka to do if he was in a happy mood. But the teeth weren't Taka's. She heard a deep voice. "Stand up, worthless rogue!" Zira was frightened. A huge, black maned lion stood in front of her. "If you don't run off by yourself, I'll rip you apart!"
Zira was frightened. "Who..are..you?" she asked, shivering. "Ahadi. King Ahadi! And you have intruded my lands!"
"No! I was taken in by queen Uru!" Zira explained.
"She never told me you were Mubari's SON!" the furious lion roared.
"You knew my father?" Zira was suprised and scared to death at the same time.
"I alsmost killed him with my own claws! He tried to kill my sons when they were little. My youngest got a scar on is face from him! My oldest boy tried to protect him, but he stood no chance against that horrible father of yours!"

Zira was confused. "What? My father was violent, I remember that....But this all is not my fault, I never ment to harm anyone!" Zira nearly cried of fear. "Who are your sons? Are they alive?"
"My oldest son is prince Mufasa. And I guess you've met my youngest. Since you hang around him all the time!"
Zira sat down. "No...."
This lion, Ahadi....Suddenly everything was so wrong.
Ahadi killed her older brother. Her father, Mubari, tried to kill Ahadi's cubs as a revenge.
The only thing that didn't make sense was that Ahadi had her in the pride all that time, and suddenly he knew who her father was.

"Father!" Taka roared. "Step away from her!" Ahadi roared at his son. Taka roared back.
Zira tried to say something. "This is all a big misunderstanding.."
"Silence!" Ahadi roared. "Taka, you break up with that....thing! Right now! She's the doughter of Mubaru!" Taka looked at Zira. "No.. you aren't the doughter of the lion that almost killed me and Mufasa.. You aren't. Aren't you?"
Zira didn't answer. She just looked at the ground. She had dissapointed Taka. Not by who she was, but by what she was. The doughter of a cold-hearted rogue.
"I banish you. Leave the Pridelands. If you aren't gone by dawn tomorrow, I'll have to kill you." Ahadi looked at Zira. He really looked angry and furious. No mercy was to be expected from this fierce lion. How could someone like Taka have such a father?

Zira decided not to wait any longer.
She just walked away from the den. She left the two lions behind her. Taka didn't say anything. He knew it was better not to talk when his father was in this mood. But a little tear ran off his cheek. His mate, the only one that he could really trust, was gone.
"Come son. She wouldn't be any good for you." Taka sighed and followed his father.
Zira dissapeared from his view, heading towards the big savanna.

"Dad....why this all of a sudden.." Taka started, when he and his father had arrived in the Royal den. "You never knew about Zira? She was here for years, mom used to watch her!"
Ahadi sighed. He looked more calm. That was a relief for Taka. The big king started to talk.

"Son, when I was younger, I met your mother. After a while we fell in love. She was a very smart and beautiful lioness. Fit to be a queen. And a good mother. She was obedient. Caring. Healthy. I took her with me to my father, king Mohatu, your grandfather.
I told him I found a queen. He was proud of me, and took Uru in the pride. Your mother was just a perfect lioness." Taka nodded. She sure was an awesome lioness. He loved his mother.

"One day, Uru went off on her own. She was pregnant and about to give birth to Mufasa. She was not as fast as usual because of that. Uru went to the drinking pool. She was all alone and unprotected. While she was drinking, she got attacked by a rogue. Uru cried for help, and I came to resque her. I slapped that awefull rogue to the ground. He was slightly younger than I was, I remember that.."

"What happened after that?" Taka asked.
"The rogue tried to get to my throath. I pinned him to the ground. I gave him the choice. Leave or die. He wanted to fight me. I had to protect Uru's life......so we fought. I won. He died....but that's not even everything.." Ahadi paused for a while. "That rogue was not alone. He was accompanied by a lioness. She saw her dead son laying in front of me. Blood was on my paws. She yelped. After that, she immediately attacked me. She was really outrageous. I had to fight for my life. I ripped her front legs open. She was bleeding heavily, but she kept attacking. In the end, she fell on the ground. She must have been too exhausted and shocked to fight any further. I decided to let her live.....and I walked away."

Taka was really suprised by this story. Ahadi never gave him much attention, and this story was very difficult to understand. Taka had learned that killing was a bad thing. But Ahadi had no choice. His father was a good lion, not a dangerous killer.
"Dad.... what has this to do with Mubaru? With Zira's father?"

"Well son, I will tell you. Mubaru was the mate of that lioness I fought that day. He was also the father of that rogue I killed. That killed rogue's name was Nuka, he later told me when he had ME pinned on the ground."
Taka gasped. "So you fought Zira's mother and killed her brother?"

Ahadi nodded. "Mubaru went to me for revenge. He wanted a dead or alive fight, as he called it. But none of us died. Mubaru was killed by hyena's, weeks later. I heard that from one of the Prideland guards, a friend of your brother Mufasa."
"Why didn't you kill Mubaru if you hated him so much?"
"He hated me for killing his son. I hated his son for trying to kill Uru. But Mubaru never did any harm to my family. He just wanted revenge. So I didn't fight fierce. I was just protecting my own life. He left me for dead. But I was pretending."

Ahadi walked out of the den towards the top of Pride Rock. Taka followed him.
"Son, never, never ever let Zira come in your heart. She has evil genes. She will be just like her family. She's no good. And I heard she's a hunting failure. Yani, the lead huntress, told me that."
Taka nodded. But inside he was screaming. His Zira was not dangerous or bad. Not a failure. He loved her. And he knew she loved him. A tear ran off his cheek once again.

[Nadra]

Aww, that's a very sad but beautiful story! I really feel sorry for Zira and Taka. You are a really good writer.

[VitanisMate]

Wow that is an awesome story. Poor Zira I think King Ahadi needs to listen to the "We Are One" song.

[thanigraphics]

Thanx guys for your nice comments on my story! I will write you another part:


Wanderer

She was exhausted. Hungry. Too tired to cry, too tired to be angry. She just wanted some food and some rest. But she had to hunt. Sleeping with an empty stomach again would be a torture. And she'd be too weak to hunt the other day. Zira sneaked behind a log. Some pieces of wood broke off. She saw a nest of newborn mice. Pink bodies, their eyes weren't even open. She had to eat them. It was not much, but it was food. Zira caught them. After eating the last baby mouse, she heard a sqeaky voice. She saw the mother mouse, probably not happy with her little ones beeing eaten. Zira couldn't care less. She walked further.

Taka woke up. He slept in the den with his parents. Since Zira was banished, he went more to his parents, especially his mother. His father was not at the den very often. He was a busy king. Mufasa didn't sleep with his parents and Taka anymore. He shared a den with Sarabi. They were betrothed. A few days ago, they announced so. There was a ceremony to celebrate it. Taka was there, but he didn't care about Mufasa and Sarabi. He just missed Zira. He wished she just wasn't Ahadi's son. Why couldn't he have only half the luck his brother had? His popular, betrothed, loved, seen, recognized brother Mufasa?

Uru woke up, Ahadi was still asleep. She stared at the back of her youngest son. He was sad since a few weeks. Since Zira had to leave. She tried a lot of things to cheer him up. Nothing worked. Taka wanted to be left alone. But Uru didn't give up that easily. She sat down next to her son. "Taka, you're a young lion. You have royal blood. Why don't you go with your brother to the back of Pride Rock? That's the place the younger lions and lionesses spend their free time, it's a nice way to meet, well....maybe a nice lioness?"

Taka sighed. "I don't want a popular empty-head to prance with. Mum, I miss Zira. She cannot be hold responsible for what her father did." Uru walked out of the den. "Son, your father is king. It's his decision. Talk to him about it."

Zira was covered in blood.
She caught a weaker zebra. It was in a herd, a bit behind. It was a calf with no chance. But it was meat. Even though it wasn't strong, it fought for it's little life. Zira felt almost guilty. Almost. Now she wasn't hungry anymore. She could get some rest. Tomorrow her pathetic life would continue. That's how she thought about it. She fell asleep under a tree.

She dreamed about Taka, he was the only one who really cared about her in the pride. Offcourse Uru loved her as her own doughter. But the rest of the pride didn't even notice her. Or they made fun of her. The hunting failure she made, was a thing that came back to her in every dream. She was laughed at by the other lionesses. But Sarabi and Sarafina were always kind to her. Yeah, they weren't bad. Zira missed the heat of Taka's body when she slept.
She felt that heat. It was very real.

It was real. Zira suddenly woke up. One large scruffed lion layed next to her. Another large scruffed lion sat in front of her. They stared at her, in silence. "What....ej! Distance, distance!" Zira yelled at the lion who layed next to her.

"I don't even know you!"
"Not important. We have no pride. You neither, it seems. Provide us cubs." the rogue next to her answered. Zira tried to stand up. Suddenly she was slapped to the ground by the rogue in front of her. Zira tried to stand up again, dazed in her head.
"What..do..you..want!?" she yelped in panic. "Cubs. You are a lioness. We need cubs, for our pride. You are now with us. Don't try to escape. If you try, we won't be polite."

Zira was afraid. She didn't want to provide these creepy rogues cubs. The only one she wanted cubs with, was Taka. "As soon as I get the chance, I'll get away from them!" Zira promised herself. The rogues weren't talkers. They strolled over the dry savannah, one in front of Zira and one behind Zira. But they didn't harm her either. After a long walk, they entered what looked like a cave.

It was dark inside, but cooler too. Zira liked that. She was tired. Her pawpads were bleeding, she stood in a sharp stone. With her teeth she pulled the little pebble out of her paw. By doing that, she wasn't focused on the rogues.
The big lion standing behind her grabbed his chance. Zira stood no chance. This lion wanted cubs for his pride and wouldn't let this idea blow away by an unwilling lioness.

The next morning, Ahadi woke up. Taka was still sleeping. Ahadi woke his son up. "Taka, wake up please. I have to talk to you my son!" Taka woke up, a bit suprised by his fathers sudden attention. "Talk? About what?" Taka had no clue what his father was up to.
"Follow me." Taka followed his father, they went to the top of the Pride Rock. Taka didn't go there much, but the view was stunning. Taka could see the whole kingdom from there. He took a deep breath and tasted the scent of the savannah morning. His father started talking.

"Son, a few weeks ago I made a decision. If I knew earlier that Zira was the son of that Mubaru, I would have protected you. You are my son, I have to prevent you from mistakes and bad things." Taka didn't respond. He just glared over the Pride Lands. The subject of Zira was painfull. His father would probably preach about responsibility and forgetting about the past, making a new start and such. But Ahadi didn't preach.

"Son, you are grown-up. If you really love that lioness, go search for her. If she's alive.. I doubt that." Taka was suprised.
"Why are you telling me to search for a lioness that you've banned?"
"Because I can see that you've been unlucky since she's been gone. You are my son, Taka, I hate it to see you sad. And if you're really serious about that Zira, go find her."

Zira fought furious. She would rather die than become pregnant of these horrible strangers. She scratched one of the rogues face, it bleeded, but the giant lion just ignored the pain.
"You'll regret that later" he just said. During the fight to keep the rogue off her body, Zira went exhausted and fell down. She was tired of fighting. Her body just couldn't stand it anymore.

When she woke up, she was covered in blood. The cave was dark. Zira tried to stand up. She couldn't. He whole body was bruced. She saw only one rogue, the one that she had to "provide cubs" Zira closed her eyes. "When does it all come to an end, please, let my life stop now. I don't want to wake up again.." she mumbled. And she fell asleep again.

[Nadra]

This brought tears to my eyes... Ahadi seems to be wiser than I thought...

[thanigraphics]

Thankies Nadra :3 I really try to get into the characters.....Zira is an interesting one (villains always are more interesting to me than the main characters) Time for a new chapter anyways:


Reunited


Zira slept on her back, crawling in the air with her paws. She was dreaming.
She saw her aunt, yelling at her mom. "She is drowning, get her out of that creek!"
"Izira, I know what I'm doing. Nuka was able to swim at this age. Zira has to be able to do the same." Little Zira was crawling through the water, gasping for air. Her mother just dropped her in a creek. It was not very deep, but for a small cub as she was, deep enough to get all under water. Izira jumped into the river. She pulled her little niece out of the water.

Zira woke up. Gasping for air. A paw has covered her mouth. She opened her eyes. She looked right into the eyes of Taka. Half of his face was covered in blood. "Shush, before the other one comes back!" he whispered. "Taka, where is that lion that was here..."
She didn't have to wait for the answer. She saw the lion, a few metres in front of her. Dead, covered in blood. His throat was ripped. Then Zira looked at Taka. He smirked.
"That was me.. the guy was bothering me.."

"He was....almost two times bigger.. than you are.." Zira looked from the dead lion to Taka and back. "But he didn't see me coming. Stupid critter was sleeping." Taka smiled.
"Why did you come after me?" Zira asked Taka. "Well, I kinda, ehrm.... missed you.." Taka started. "It's good to have you back. Now come on, we gotta go back to Pride Rock before my dad gets worried!"
Taka ran out of the cave, leaving the dead lion and Zira behind. Zira followed Taka. A tear ran off her cheek. A tear of happiness.

After a while, Taka and Zira stopped running. They were pretty far off the Pride Lands, Taka was looking for a familiar point, but it was getting dark and he didn't recognize the lands they were walking on. He smelled the scent of lions. But it was not a familiar scent. Taka looked behind him. "What's the matter Taka?" Zira asked. "Do you smell something?"
Zira nodded. "I know what you mean. They might be dangerous, we better walk on.."

Suddenly Taka stood still. "Zira, were you smirking?" he asked, kinda panicking.
"No.... but I heard it too.." Zira whispered back. "Hello? Who's there?" Zira and Taka walked towards each other. They stood right next to each other, heads in different directions.
"Show yourself!" Taka shouted. "Or....I'll....rip you....apart?" He stopped talking. They were surrounded by more than fifteen lionesses.

[Nadra]

[quote="thanigraphics"]Thankies Nadra :3 I really try to get into the characters.....Zira is an interesting one (villains always are more interesting to me than the main characters)[/quote]
I agree!

Wow, I'm excited. Can't wait for the next chapter! Taka was pretty clever when he killed the big lion when he was sleeping...

[thanigraphics]

Zira looked at Taka. "What do we do now?"
"Who are you?" Taka asked the lionesses. "We've been wondering the same about you" the oldest lioness answered. One of her eyes was half closed. "I'm Lazy-Eye, and this is Spotty, my younger sister, and Dotty, my older sister."
The other lionesses didn't say a word, and didn't introduce themselves neither. "We are unwelcome in the Pride Lands, so we wander around, looking for food and shelter. We haven't found a place to stay yet, neither did we find males to provide us cubs.." Lazy-Eye glared at Taka, who stared back at her. Zira growled silently. "Sorry ladies, we are only with the two of us. We are going back to the Pride Lands....come on, Taka!"
"NO!....I mean, no, Zira....these lionesses might be usefull for us.." Taka sat down. Zira remained silent, but looked angrily towards Lazy-Eye. Was she imaging things, or was this lioness flirting with HER Taka? "Ladies..I'd like to negociate with you. You are looking for a place to live, Zira and I could use some help in things too.. I'll tell you later about that.."
Zira looked anxiously at her mate. Help? Why would she and Taka need help from a bunch of rogue lionesses?
"It is a honour to come with you, what's your name?" Lazy-Eye asked Taka. "I'm Taka, and this is my mate Zira."
Zira just looked angrily towards the lioness. But this dark furred lioness didn't seem to care about Zira.

"Well, Taka, you look very strong and healthy to me...." Lazy-Eye flattered her body next to Taka's and she purred. "Well...thank you...Zira?"
Taka looked a bit helpless towards his mate. He felt unconfortable with the situation, and he knew Zira wasn't liking this, that was really easy to read from Zira's furious face. "Zira, walk beside me, please" Taka whispered. Zira nodded. She understood her task was to keep this lioness a bit away from her poor Taka.

Zira, Taka, Lazy-eye and the other fourteen lionesses found a place for the night in an abandoned den. Zira and Taka crowled towards each other, the rest of the lionesses just layed down on the ground, some laying on their back, some laying next to each other to keep each other warm. Zira was tired, and a bit annoyed by this Lazy-Eye. Who did she think she was? What did Taka want with this group? Zira preferred to be alone with Taka. After thinking about these things, she fell asleep, next to Taka. A few hours she would wake up to find out something that she wasn't going to like.

Zira woke up, missing the heath of Taka's body providing her warmth and comfort. He was gone. She looked around her. She counted the lionesses in the den. All were asleep. She counted fourteen lionesses.. Lazy-Eye was also gone. Wat was going on here? Zira crawled outside the den. She heard some whispering. Zira crawled to a bush, silently. She saw two silhouettes, near a creek of water. She heard them talking. It were Taka and Lazy-Eye.

"Taka, I sure would love to help you with that plan. You'll provide us a Kingdom, power and cubs. I gracefully thank you for that." She blinked at Taka and gave him a little lick on the cheek. "The cub thing....well, maybe we'd better begin quick, that's better for the plan....and the fun.." Taka smiled. Taka layed his paw on the shoulder of Lazy-Eye. "You are one gorgeous lioness, I must say that....You know, I love Zira, but.. well I'm a lion, and It pleases me that I am appreciated by the ladies!" Lazy-Eye laughed. "You are so funny!"
Taka layed down, Lazy-Eye cuddled him and layed down next to him. She nuzzled him. He nuzzled here.

"I only knew you for a short time, but I think I kinda....you know, like you!" Taka said, looking all shy. "I haven't seen such an awesome lion in my entire life.." Lazy-Eye looked Taka in the eyes. "Maybe we should start with the first part of the plan...providing your little pride some healthy and strong cubs.." Taka smirked. The lioness just layed down and nodded. What happened next, may be obvious. And Zira watched every single bit of it, from behind that bush. Her Taka was in love with another lioness. And providing her cubs. He never mated with her. Yeah, Taka said numerous times he loved her, and that they were going to be king and queen, he saved her from the rogues, he came after her.....now he only met this new lioness today and instantly fell in love with her..? Zira went back into the den, heartbroken.

The next morning she woke up. She looked around her, Taka lay a few metres from her, asleep. Zira stood up. Lazy-Eye lay next to him, Taka had his paw around her. Lazy-Eye was still asleep. Zira walked towards Taka. She wanted to talk to him. Alone. She woke him up, with her paw, softly....but she woke up both lions. "What is it, Zira?" Taka woke up, a bit annoyed.

Zira started right away. "I saw everything! You and her....that...Lazy-Eye creature!" But Taka stood up immediately and growled at Zira.
"Well, then I don't have to tell you that this "creature", as you describe her, and I, are in love! Know your place!"
Zira growled back at Taka. "How could you...we.." "..are no longer a love couple. You still can join my pride, though. You may need me to get back into the Pride Lands."
Zira remained silent. Taka was right. She needed him if she wanted to get back into the Pride Lands. At the same time she hated that fact. Now she had to look at the only lion who ever looked after her, beeing in love with another lioness. Zira nodded. "I'll stay, I'll stay.."
"Now go outside, with the other lionesses." Lazy-Eye smirked. Stupid Zira, she thought. Now Zira was no longer of any importance to Taka, it seemed. Now she could use and manipulate Taka for her own good. Her time had come.