Chapter 2: A New Lease On Life
The storm quickly passed, leaving the landscape soaked, yet refreshed. As the sun rose into the clear morning sky, its gleaming rays of light dancing across the vibrant earth, the lions of The Aurora Pride began to stir. Enzi was the first up as usual. He stretched his tired limbs as he rose up on all fours. He gave Zanta a loving nuzzle and licked her atop her fuzzy, light colored ear. Zanta’s ear twitched from the loving gesture as she began to awaken herself. She opened her eyes and glanced up at Enzi, smiling warmly as soon as she saw him. She yawned, her muzzle opening extremely wide as she did so. Enzi playfully stuck a fore paw in her mouth as she was closing it. Zanta glared at him and bit down lightly onto her mate’s paw. He winced and withdrew it from her muzzle. She giggled and poked him in the side with her soft fore paw as she spoke.
“Is that anyway to treat me when I first wake up Dear?”Enzi chuckled as he nuzzled his mate affectionately once more, speaking to her in a low tone as not to wake the sleeping cubs.
“Sorry Love, I just couldn’t resist. You do have such a big mouth. I wanted to see if I could fit my paw in there.”Zanta narrowed her eyes as she scowled at him, speaking in a crass tone.
“And just what does that mean? You saying I talk too much Mister?”Enzi laughed and slumped towards the entrance of the den as he replied.
“No, not at all Love. Well...Now that you mention it…” He chuckled as he darted out of the den to go relieve himself.
Zanta laid there with an offended look upon her muzzle, calling after him.
“Oh, you’re lucky our cubs are here, or I’d make you regret those words!”She couldn’t help herself and started to giggle. Feeling the vibrations and movement from his mother’s soft, warm frame, Jogu slowly opened his tiny green eyes and looked up at his mom, speaking in a quiet and still rather tired voice.
“Mom, what’s so funny?”Hearing her young cub’s voice now, Zanta composed herself and looked down at her young son, smiling happily at him as she spoke.
“Good morning my little Jogu. How did you sleep Sweetheart?”Jogu smiled at his mom, swaying his tiny tail back and forth as he nuzzled his small, furry head against his mother’s body, before replying.
“I slept good Mom. I’m still a bit tired though.”Zanta gave him a tender lick atop his head and responded.
“You can go back to sleep if you want Jogu. We don’t have any plans for today so you can sleep in longer Sweetie.”Jogu was about to answer his mom when Enzi reentered the den. He spotted his son awake and smiled, speaking to him in a loving tone.
“Morning there Jogu my boy. How did you sleep?”Jogu laughed quietly as he replied.
“Mom already asked me that Dad.”Enzi grinned at his son now as he stated.
“Oh, so only one of us gets to ask you how you slept a day?”Jogu smiled at his dad and nodded.
“That’s right Dad, and Mom beat you to it!”Enzi looked at Zanta, who just stared back at him as she spoke.
“Well, I got the big mouth remember?”Enzi chuckled once more and laid himself by his mate again. He looked down and saw the young lion cub from last night, still nestled in between his mate’s caring fore paws. He turned his gaze back to his mate and whispered to her.
“Jogu hasn’t seen the new cub yet?”Zanta shook her head as she responded.
“Not yet but I…”She was cut off by Jogu’s sudden exclamation.
“Mom, whose this new cub here?” Jogu’s eyes were wide with wonder as he surveyed the young cub, speaking excitedly.
“Are you watching him for someone Mom?”Zanta hushed him quickly as his voice was growing louder by the second. She spoke softly to him.
“In a way, yes Jogu, I am watching him for someone.”Jogu’s overactive tail was swaying uncontrollably now. He loved meeting new cubs because it always meant someone new to play with. His tail accidentally struck his sleeping sister in the face. Raziya opened her blue eyes as she growled sleepily and spoke.
“Hey Jogu, watch out, your tail just hit me.”Jogu turned and grinned at his sister, speaking excitedly to her.
“Sorry Razi but look, look, we got a new brother or sister.”Raziya groaned and rolled over onto her side, looking away from Jogu, muttering.
“Yeah right Jogu, I’m not falling for one of your dumb tricks.”Jogu scowled and exclaimed.
“I’m not lying to you Razi. See for yourself.”Raziya sighed as she slowly stood up and peered over to where Jogu’s ecstatic paw was pointing at. Her eyes locked onto the strange new cub as she gasped and spoke.
“Oh, you weren’t lying Jogu. Wow.” She looked up at her mom and spoke eagerly.
“Where did he..or she come from Mama and what’s his..or her name?”Zanta smiled at her cubs eagerness to know more about this new young cub. She spoke in a gentle voice to the both of them.
“It’s a HE you two and I don’t know what his name is.”Both Jogu and Raziya dawned confused looks upon their tiny muzzles. Jogu spoke up now.
“How do you not know his name Mom? I thought you were watching him for someone, right?”Zanta looked over at Enzi, hoping for a bit of help on this topic, only to find him snoring peacefully.
Oh great, thanks a lot Enzi. Leave me to tackle this topic on my own. She thought to herself.
Raziya chimed in after her brother was done talking.
“Oh, who does he belong to Mama?”Zanta sighed and replied.
“It’s kind of hard to explain Cubbies. You see, he came into the den last night while you two were fast asleep and he’s…well kind of sick right now. So it’s Mommy’s and Daddy’s responsibility to help him get better. Right DADDY?” She gave Enzi a firm nudge with her fore paw, jolting him awake now. He stammered.
“What’s that, what’s wrong now? Oh, I must have dozed off again. Sorry about that Love.”Zanta snickered as she spoke again.
“Well, I was just telling the Cubbies how we’re helping this young cub here get all better again.”Enzi nodded as he yawned and responded.
“That’s right you two. Me and your Mommy are going to help him feel better and once he’s better, maybe you two can play with him…or something.”Enzi scratched his head with a claw and shrugged his shoulders at his mate. Zanta smiled and patted him on his soft, furry pelt as she spoke.
“That’s right Cubbies. So when he wakes up from his..erm, nap, you two be very nice to him okay? He’ll probably be a bit scared at first but if you two act really friendly to him, I’m sure he’ll feel much happier okay?”Both of the young cubs nodded vigorously to their mom. Zanta smiled. She was so proud of her cubs. They were perfectly well behaved, most of the time that is, and they were loved by all of The Aurora Pride Members.
As the day wore on, Enzi had left the den to go about his daily duties. He gave his loving mate an affectionate nuzzle and a lick, as well as giving his two kin a loving gesture as well before heading out. The two cubs quietly played together in the den as their mother attended to the young cub. He still hadn’t awakened yet but he seemed to be slowly regaining his strength, as his breathing was becoming much easier for him now. There was a voice at the cave entrance now, which made Zanta look up, spotting two creatures at the entranceway. One was a very muscular looking lioness, whose golden colored fur seemed to blend in perfectly with the grass outside of the den, making it a bit tricky to make out her entire shape. Standing next to her was a young lioness cub, who shared her mother’s fur color but with a more lighter tone to it. Zanta displayed a warm smile as she spoke.
“Oh, Hello there Nuru and Sanaa, come on in.”The two lionesses nodded and entered the den quietly. Upon seeing Jogu and Raziya playing together a few paces away, Sanaa dashed towards them both with a smile. She gave each of them a warm hug as she spoke joyously.
“Morning Jogi, morning Razi.”Jogu frowned and spoke.
“Aww, come on Sanaa, I told you I don’t like you calling me that name. It makes me sound like a lioness.”Sanaa giggled and pounced upon Jogu with a skillful leap. Jogu’s back hit the den floor as he looked up at her. She grinned and spoke.
“Sorry Jogu, I forgot. I think it’s a cute name though.”Jogu laughed softly as he shooed her off of him with his fore paws. As the three cubs conversed and played together, Nuru glanced over at Zanta and spied the young cub in her care. She gasped and wandered over, close to where they were at. She spoke to Zanta in a befuddled manner.
“You never told me you had 3 cubs Zanta. And just how did this one get here, cause I just saw you yesterday and you only had 2. I know Enzi and you are good at making cubs but come on now!”Zanta laughed uproariously as she replied.
“No, this cub isn’t ours. He actually came crashing into our den last night, literally.”Nuru stared at her blankly as she retorted.
“And Enzi allowed him to stay?”Zanta grinned at Nuru as she replied.
“Well, not at first but after a bit of sweet talking, I got him to fold like a cheetah against a hyena.”Nuru chuckled and responded.
“So are you two keeping him as your own cub then?”Zanta shrugged her shoulders and spoke.
“I don’t know, to be honest. Enzi just wants to get him back onto his paws and then let him go back to his Pride but we don’t know where he came from or even his name. He’s been out cold ever since he arrived here.”Nuru nodded and was about to inquire more about the young cub when she remembered that she had business to attend to. She spoke up quickly now.
“Well, I’d love to stand around and blab with you Zanta but as you know, I need to get going to join up with the Hunting Party. They’ll be chasing their own tails for dinner if I’m not there to keep them in line.”She winked at Zanta, who smiled and nodded as she responded.
“I bet the Hunting Party is a lot of fun. I only wish I could have joined it.”Nuru patted her friend on the back with a strong fore paw as she reassured her.
“Meh, it’s a lot of work Zanta. Consider yourself lucky that you got that fur color of yours. If it keeps you out of the Hunting Party, it’s just saving you a headache each and everyday. I personally don’t mind, just cause I’m so damn good at it but yeah, don’t let it get you down. You’re the best mother any cub could have and everyone in The Aurora Pride knows that.”Zanta blushed from Nuru’s kind words. She thanked her as she watched Nuru dash off into the distance. It was her duty, since her fur color kept her from being a sufficient hunter, to watch over the cubs everyday, which she didn’t mind at all. She loved Sanaa just as much as she loved her own two cubs. She turned her attention back to care for the young cub now.
Sanaa glanced over towards Zanta and looked puzzled. She spoke to Jogu and Raziya now softly.
“What’s your mom doing over there anyways?”Jogu and Raziya looked at each other and then back at Sanaa, speaking in unison.
“She’s watching over our new brother.”Sanaa looked baffled by what her two friends had just said to her. She was speechless for a moment but finally managed to stammer out.
“New brother?”Jogu and Raziya laughed wildly. Raziya spoke up first.
“Not really Sanaa. We were just kidding. He’s a new cub in our pride and Mom & Dad are just taking care of him till he gets better.”Sanaa nodded as she spoke.
“Ah, I see now.”Jogu chuckled as he chimed in.
“Jeez Sanaa, you should have seen the look on your muzzle when we told you that. It was funny.”Sanaa snickered as she playfully pushed Jogu on his side with her fore paws as she spoke.
“Whatever Jogi. You two are mean sometimes, you know that?” She grinned and started to wrestle with the both of them.
More of the day went by, as the cubs played together in the den and Zanta watched after the young cub. There was another call at the entranceway. Zanta looked up to see a younger lioness with light brown fur and sparkling yellow eyes. She smiled and called to the young lioness.
“Hi Meeko. What a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”Meeko grinned as she entered the cave. She quickly bounded up to where Zanta was laying and looked at the young cub cradled in Zanta’s paws, as she spoke eagerly.
“So, Nuru wasn’t pulling my leg after all. You really do have a new cub.”Zanta giggled as she replied.
“Oh jeez, leave it to good old Nuru to spread the entire news around the pride. And here I thought, that was your job Meeko.”She winked at Meeko and grinned. Meeko cackled as she responded.
“Hey, I only bring the news that isn’t about our own pride okay. Illegitimate cubs within our pride is outside my jurisdiction.”Zanta laughed again and watched Meeko closely now, who was examining the young cub closer. She was intrigued by what her friend was doing as she spoke up.
“Something wrong Meeko?”Meeko was quiet for a few moments as she eyed the young cub from head to tail. She paused and then spoke.
“I swear, I’ve seen this cub before. Now let me think about this.” She put a paw under her chin, assuming a very thoughtful looking state for a bit before she snapped her claws together and looked back at Zanta now, speaking once more.
“Now I remember. Do you know whose cub this is Zanta?”Zanta shook her head and retorted.
“I have no idea Meeko but it sounds as if you know something?”Meeko snickered as she spoke slyly.
“Come now Zanta, you’re talking to Meeko, the Scouting Party Leader of The Aurora Pride. Of course I know something. This cub here is one of Jeta’s cubs.”Zanta looked surprised as she replied.
“Jeta, as in The Tenebrous Pride’s number one lioness?”Meeko grinned as she spoke up again.
“The very one, unless you know of a different Jeta than I do?” Zanta’s face lit up as she responded.
“Well then, we should bring him back to her right away.”Meeko quickly intervened as she spoke in a whisper now, as not to let the nearby cubs hear her next words.
“I’m afraid that’s not really possible right now Zanta.”Zanta looked at her friend confused as she asked.
“And why’s that, if I may ask Meeko?”Meeko replied quickly and quietly.
“Because I think she’s dead Zanta.”Zanta was stunned as she exclaimed.
“Dead? When and how?”Meeko spoke up again.
“Well, I can’t say for sure Zanta but the last time I saw her, she was in a terrible state. It was last night when I was doing my nightly rounds. I was at The Purlieu and I spotted Jeta and some large male fighting it out there. I watched for a tiny bit before I had to return to Home to give my report to your mate Enzi. I really don’t think she would have stood much of a chance against that large male Zanta. I really don’t.”Zanta nodded, a frown had worked its way onto her muzzle now. She sighed softly as she looked down at the young cub, speaking quietly to Meeko now.
“Enzi’s going to flip out when he hears this news this evening when he gets back. I don’t know what we’re going to do Meeko.”Meeko placed a sympathetic fore paw upon Zanta’s silver fur as she comfortingly spoke.
“I know you and Enzi will do the right thing Zanta. That’s why you two are the bosses around here right?”Zanta smiled at her friend and replied.
“Thanks for the encouragement Meeko. I’m sure we will too.”Meeko said her goodbyes to Zanta and the cubs as she left the cave now. Zanta’s mind was now fully focused on what exactly they were going to do with this young cub. Her mind feverishly weighted the options as the day rolled on.
It was late evening when Enzi arrived back at Home and entered his den. He nuzzled his mate and hugged his cubs, who where very eager to see him. After they had all eaten dinner, which was so graciously brought to them courtesy of Nuru herself when she came by to pick up Sanaa for the night, they all settled down for the evening. It was quiet in the den, as the two cubs quietly chattered to one another about various games they had played during the day. Enzi lay on the floor of the den, sprawled out and relaxing as his loving mate looked after the young cub.
Without warning, the young cub started to suddenly fidget in between Zanta’s warm, fore paws. His tiny brown eyes opened slowly, trying to get a sense of where he was. He suddenly looked up at Zanta, who was currently distracted by her cubs chatter and wasn’t looking at him. He gasped as he stood up on all fours now, which were very shaky and almost caused him to fall over. Feeling the sudden movement in between her paws now, Zanta’s focus was quickly snapped back to the young cub. She looked at him with her caring and kind blue eyes as she spoke softly and gently to him as not to frighten him.
“So you’ve finally come to huh? Don’t be scared little one, I’m not going to hurt you.”Hearing their mother talking now, Jogu and Raziya’s conversation came to a halt as they both ran over to see what was happening. Jogu spoke first.
“Oh Mom, he’s awake now?”Raziya spoke up next eagerly.
“Is he? Let me see, let me see.”Enzi’s curiosity was sparked as he too, rolled lazily to all fours and wandered over to where the rest of his family was gathered at. Seeing the sudden crowd of unfamiliar faces surrounding him, the young lion cub curled into a tight defensive ball, hiding his face within his own tiny, furry body. Zanta motioned for the rest of them to move away and give the young cub his space. She spoke softly once more to him.
“It’s ok little one. Don’t be frightened. Everyone here is friendly and we won’t do anything to harm you.”She placed a gentle fore paw on top of him as she tried to coax him out from his current hiding position. After a little convincing, the young cub finally uncurled his small frame and looked at the strangers around him. He spoke in a very trembling tone.
“Where, where am I?”Zanta quietly fielded his question.
“You’re in Home, in The Aurora Pride’s territory.”The young cub looked very distraught and confused as he spoke up again.
“Home? Aurora Pride?”Zanta spoke up again.
“Don’t worry about that now little one. May I ask you what your name is?”The young cub paused as his mind tried to retrieve the answer to the inquiry he was just asked. He sputtered.
“My name? My name….is….S…S…” He placed a tiny fore paw over his head, which was throbbing in pain now. He tried to reply again.
“My name is So…So….Sol..” The pain kept his mind from working properly as he whimpered softly from the discomfort. He managed to finally recall the answer as he blurted out.
“My name is Sol…Solus!”Zanta smiled at him as she responded kindly.
“It’s nice to meet you Solus. My name is Zanta.” She pointed a paw at her family as she introduced each of them individually.
“This is Enzi, Jogu and Raziya.”Solus watched as each new creature was introduced to him. His head was killing him right now and he wasn’t able to do much but give a lackluster nod. Zanta spoke once again.
“Now tell me please Solus. Where did you come from and who are your parents?”Solus heard the question and tried to think once more but his memory was a jumble of nothing but fuzzy images that made absolutely no sense to him whatsoever. He tried to piece everything together but it just made his head throb even harder, causing him to whimper in agony once more. It was Enzi who spoke up next.
“That’s enough of the questions for now Love. Can’t you see he’s in pain?”Zanta nodded and replied.
“I’m sorry Solus. I didn’t mean to rush you in any way. Why don’t you get some rest? You look like you could still use a lot of rest.” Solus was in no state to argue as he laid himself down and quickly went into a deep sleep. Jogu looked at the young cub with a confused look on his muzzle as he spoke to his mom.
“Mom, why can’t Solus remember where he’s from or who is parents are?”Raziya nudged him sharply in the side with her fore paw, scolding him.
“That’s rude Jogu. Don’t ask that kind of stuff about poor Solus.”Zanta spoke up now.
“Your brother is just curious I’m sure Raziya. No need to get snippy. You see Jogu, when someone hits their head really hard on something, like what happened to Solus yesterday, it can make them forget stuff. I think that’s what’s wrong with Solus.”Jogu frowned and replied.
“Does it last forever though Mom or will Solus get better soon?”Zanta sighed and looked at her son with an uncertain gaze as she answered.
“I don’t know my sweet little Jogu. Only time will tell. Speaking of time, it’s time for you two to go to sleep now.”Both of the young cubs frowned but nodded to their mother. After getting a goodnight nuzzle from both their parents, the two cubs huddled together on the cave floor, keeping each other warm as they readied themselves for sleep. Jogu grinned at his sister as his eyes slowly started to close, whispering softly to her.
“Hey Razi, you think if I bopped you on the head, you’d forget your name too? Or maybe if I bopped Sanaa on the head, she’d forget about calling me Jogi?”Raziya kicked her brother with her hind legs sharply and shushed him.
“That’s not funny Jogu, you meanie, now go to sleep before I bop you on your head and make you forget how to!”Jogu laughed quietly to himself as the both of them closed their eyes and were soon safely tucked away in sleeps mighty grip.
Zanta stayed up late talking with her mate. She informed him of everything that Meeko had told her that day, which she found out, he had already heard from her earlier. The two of them discussed what exactly should be done with the young cub and after quite some time and compromising, it was decided. Solus would be a full time member of The Aurora Pride. It would take quite a bit of getting used to, but it beat the alternative. Everyone was going to have to help out to make Solus feel welcome in this new and strange place to him, but if The Aurora Pride was good at any one thing, it was sticking together and pulling their weight. Only time would tell how well this would work out for them, or for Solus himself.
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