Mstari's Cubs

[Iri]

Mstari laid on the ground, exhausted. Kiongozi, her mate, laid beside her. He gave her a leaf soaked in water and a piece of zebra meat, but she didn't touch it, or even lean over to sniff it. Three cubs lay at her belly. Two were male, one was female.
"At least we've got two male cubs, right?" Mstari panted. "All of the rest of the cubs in our little rogue army are females."
"Good point," Kiongozi purred. "I love you, my dear."
Mstari reached up and bumped Kiongozi's muzzle with hers affectionately. "What will we call them? We must pick good names for good cubs. The two males probably got their muscles from you," she said softly to her mate.
"The female got her beauty from you," Kiongozi said.
"We should call the female Xetsa," Mstari suggested.
"A beautiful name for a beautiful daughter," Kiongozi said. "For the males... how about Agatsum and Ahcambal?"
"Handsome names for handsome sons," Mstari replied lovingly.

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A few days later, Mstari was guarding the cubs while Keyah got a drink of water at the lake. Suddenly a paw struck her head hard and she was knocked out cold.
When Mstari woke up, Keyah was moaning. "All of them... they're gone."
"What?!" Mstari shrieked.
"A f-few Flowing Stream lionesses took them. I was m-making my way b-back here. One of them p-pounced and held me down so I couldn't grab them. One of the lionesses told me that since we took their cubs and turned them against their birth pride, they'd do the same to us," Keyah said. "I should have fought back! This is my fault! Mstari, I'm so sorry!"
Mstari gently rested her tail-tip on Keyah's thin shoulder. "It's not your fault," she said gently. "I'm the one to blame. I shouldn't have been knocked out by a petty blow like that."
"It's no one's fault," Busajja said. He wore a scowl, but it wasn't angry. Mstari could tell his glare was coming from his grief. His eyes softened when he saw Keyah crying. "It's all right, love."
"No, it isn't," Keyah hiccuped. "They're gone!"
"Not for much longer," Busajja promised. "Trust me!"
"Do Jaeda and her sisters know the truth?" Keyah whispered.
"Yes. They don't mind," Busajja said. "They promised that they were actually happy to be here. Not in that soft Flowing Stream Pride." He chuckled.
"But.. how will we get the cubs back?" Keyah murmured.
"Easy, my love," Busajja replied. "We go into the Flowing Stream Pride territory. We bring our whole army. Which is larger than their pathetic pride. We threaten to kill them all unless they give our cubs back. If they refuse... we attack. Mercilessly."

[Adimu]

Ruthless.

[Iri]

Yep. c: