[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina felt her heart sink when she saw that Marini seemed nothing but cheered up at her mother's affectionate gesture than at hearing her say that she was going to go fetch their father. Why wouldn't she? Muroki always managed to calm her and her brother down and he was always there. If anything, the fact that only their mother was around during such a confusing situation was the main reason the two cubs were so restless to begin with.

Their aunt knew that (it wasn't difficult to figure out), so she was really worried as to what would happen to them and Umeme if Muroki really was... dead... Kato, perhaps thinking the same thing, decided he might as well join the lioness and the three cubs. The two slightly older ones did seem a little less frightened (only for the time being, unfortunately), but it looked like they could still use some help with that. "Tell me, have you ever seen a den so big?" He knew that cubs loved to play outside, but a den this large was something new to them and it was bound to spark their interest.

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Muroki could only so much as nod silently at his brother's words, seeing how he not only already knew that himself but also because he felt too tired to answer and possibly turn this unpleasant subject into a conversation. He also didn't worry much as Delano fell unconscious because he knew that his wounds weren't severe. However, when he then saw the king arrive at the scene with guards, the lion grew concerned as to what might happen to Hatari.

Feeling a paw on bis shoulder, he looked over his shoulder and saw Lin giving him a smile that practically said not to worry. "Let me do the explaining, I'll take care of it." he said quietly. "I'll have you and your brother taken to the main den soon."

[DGFone]

Akili looked up at Kato, his eyes wide, and then slowly shook his head. The cub huddled close to his mother, still unsure of what was going on. He remembered playing around with Marini and Ubawa, and then all of the sudden, they all moved here for... some reason. With his aunt now gone too, he had no idea what was gong on, but was able to remain calm by hiding in between Lina's legs.

---

Umeme struggled to follow the king's group, but was able to keep up enough that she didn't lose sight of them. Seeing them stop, she picked up her speed, taking the opportunity to catch up. Getting closer, she was able to see that the group stopped next to three other lions, of which one looked a lot like...

"Muroki!" Bolting forwards, Umeme ran over to her mate, just about crushing him with a hug as she embraced him. "Oh, Muroki, I was told... I was told you were dead..." She buried hear head into his mane, but had to lessen her grip on him as he started to protest that she was hurting him.

Finally letting go of him, she finally had a good look around of where they were. She shuddered upon seeing Delano on the ground, seeing how beat up he looked, but upon seeing his body rise and fall as he breathed, she relaxed somewhat. Hatari was looking very nervous next to Lin, who was talking quietly to the king, no doubt trying to convince the guards not to murder Hatari on the spot for trespassing.

Then her eyes fell on the body of the dead lion. "Muroki, is that..?" Her mate nodded, and she placed her head by his again, noting how Muroki also didn't look all that well. "How are you feeling?" she asked quietly. She thought of Lina still in the den with the cubs, and immediately grew concerned. "I think I need to go back," she said, "Lina and the others need to know..." she glanced nervously at Hatari, who looked back, looking very embarrassed, "she thinks you're dead too. I need to tell them you're..." When Muroki assured her that he would be all right, Umeme gave him another quick hug. "We're at the king's den for now," she whispered, "we'll wait for you there." Licking him across the muzzle, she got up and broke into a run. The sooner Lina will find out, the better.

[TheWhistlerify]

Kato had to admit that, while he most certainly wasn't happy seeing Akili and his cousins in such an uneasy mood, that the way they were all looking at him with their eyes wide open was absolutely adorable. They just reminded him so much of their parents that there was no way for the sight of them huddled together like that to not be cute. Muroki and Delano had to be okay. They just had to.

Slightly changing his positioning so that he was lying in front of the cubs rather than next to Lina, the prince chuckled as he placed his head down in front of the three little fluffs. A den so large was something they were new to, yes, but the size of it, given the situation, might not help them much in the aspect of relaxation. By having 2 adults close on either side he was hoping to make them feel less tiny and more protected inside the wide open, unfamiliar place. "I bet it's not that bad to get grounded if you live here, huh?" he asked, still talking quietly but with a slightly playful hint in his voice.

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Still wanting nothing more than to get some rest, Muroki was very much surprised wen Umeme suddenly showed up at the scene. He just stood there as she embraced him, only finally reacting to her presence when it became a little difficult to breath. He was absolutely thrilled to know that she and the cubs were alright (he could easily figure as much by how relieved his mate looked), even if he wasn't showing it in any way aside from the small smile on his muzzle.

He nodded slightly as she mentioned the body, rubbing his head against his mate's as he tried to calm himself down by thinking that, if the body hadn't been Sanders, it could have easily been that of his brother, his mate or his cubs. "Yeah, I'm okay..." he said quietly, avoiding eye contact with the lioness (like he has so far for the most part) when she mentioned she needed to tell Lina that he was okay.

Hopefully that rumor of him being dead wasn't overheard by Marini and Ubawa. Their father knew them and their mother well enough to know that his son and daughter were most likely taken to the king's den in quite a hurry and, therefore, probably weren't in their most relaxed state of mind. He really needed to get to them, also for the sake of seeing they were alright with his own eyes. Slowly walking over to the group that consisted mostly of the king's guards as Lin spoke in Hatari's defense, he didn't think much before interrupting. "Can someone please help me and my brother get to the den?" he asked, getting a nod in response from Kato's father.

[DGFone]

By the time Umeme made her way back to Lina and the cubs, they still hadn't moved very much from where she had left them. However, just the small smile she gave Lina was all it took for her sister to immediately look so relived, as though there was a boulder on top of her that was removed by the simple gesture that told her that in the end, everything would be all right. "Hey, Lina, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Concern immediately swept over her sister's face, but Umeme ignored it as she herded her to an adjacent cave while Kato stayed behind with the cubs. "Yes, Muroki and Delano are both alive... and Sanders is dead," she said first thing, knowing that Lina would assume the worst after being taken here away from the cubs, "it's just that both of them are hurt. I just don't know if we should let the cubs see them right away or not."

Umeme was rather concerned with this prospect. They can wait with the cubs for Muroki and Delano to get back to the cave, but seeing their fathers at the current state they are in might not be the best thing for them. Or they can take them home... where they will most certainly be worried sick, being told that everything is 'fine' constantly, but at the same time everyone around them acting completely to the opposite. "Should we wait here or take them home?" Umeme asked Lina quietly.

[TheWhistlerify]

Both Kato and Lina felt a huge wave of relief of wash over them when they saw the smile on Umeme's muzzle. Muroki and Delano were both alright, and while the prince didn't know what has become of Sanders as of yet, it was more than enough for him at the moment. His friends were okay and Marini, Akili and Ubawa weren't going to grow up without their fathers. Giving the three little fluffs an actually genuine smile, he gently ruffled their small heads with his paw.

Inside the adjacent cave, Lina was absolutely thrilled to discover that her mate and brother-in-law were both okay, even if they were hurt. It probably wasn't severe seeing how she didn't look too concerned. As for Sanders, she didn't feel very comfortable being happy about the death of another lion, but in this particular case it had been either her family or him...

When Umeme then asked for her opinion as to whether the cubs should see their fathers right away, Lina also found herself pondering the two options they had. It was true that the cubs might be a little startled, yes, but on the other paw... "I think we should let them see them." she said. Not only were the little ones desperate to see the two, but there was also the fact that Delano and Muroki's wounds would not disappear over night, and they couldn't keep them all apart for too long.

Why delay it if it wouldn't avoid having cubs see their fathers' injuries? "Their wounds won't vanish very quickly, so what's the point?" Heck, as far as she was aware, Muroki or Delano might even get a scar... "We both know that the cubs really need to see them. I bet Muroki and Delano feel the same way."

[DGFone]

Umeme couldn't help but let out a small grin. "Yeah, I think they will like to see them as well," referring to Delano and Muroki, "and I am also sure that Delano wouldn't mind seeing you again." She didn't bother to say that he was unconscious when she saw him. Either he was going to be awake when the group will get back to the caves, or he would still be out of it when he would be brought here. Lina would find out about his state properly when he will arrive.

Having decided what to do, Umeme and Lina returned to Kato and the cubs. Now feeling in a much better mood, Umeme felt like she should make the cubs more presentable for when the others will arrive, so before Ubawa and Marini could go off on another adventure, even one just inside the cave, she grabbed hold of her son first and began to clean him.

"Mom!" While more tolerant of Umeme's cleaning of him, Ubawa still didn't really enjoy these baths, and would still try to escape. But with a very amused Kato watching, he settled to sulking in between his mother's paws until she finally decided that he was clean enough, and allowed him to hop away so that she can clean Marini, who did not have the same issues as he did.

"I hope they will arrive soon," Umeme commented in between the cleaning, "because they should realize that there are others who are waiting impatiently for them to return." She grinned at Lina, motioning with hear head at the cubs.

[TheWhistlerify]

Seeing how that matter has been decided upon and dealt with, Lina headed back to where Kato was watching over the cubs. The prince definitely seemed more cheerful now that he knew Muroki and Delano were alright and it must have somehow rubbed off on the little hairballs, who seemed a little less nervous also because their mothers were now back. Akili was probably still a little unsure, seeing how he didn't protest when he was grabbed gently and bathed. Kato, meanwhile, couldn't help but wonder whether Muroki had been as fond of baths as his daughter was as he watched Umeme clean her. The question just crossed his mind, seeing how the small fluff was practically a tiny version of her father.

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Meanwhile, outside the den, Muroki quietly asked the guards assisting him and his brother in making their way back to the den to gently place Delano down. It would clearly make things all the more easy if he were to be awake when his son, nephew and niece saw him, he believed. "Delano..." he said softly, gently nudging the other lion awake. "We're here." He allowed himself a small grin. "Lina and Akili are inside." His brother was surely eager to see them just like he was eager to see his own family.

[DGFone]

Delano groaned in pain as he was nudged awake, initially curling up and hiding his head under his paws to protect himself from an attacker, but Muroki's gentle voice calmed him down enough to look around, trying to figure out where he was. "Muroki?" He asked quietly, looking around, but not yet able to fully comprehend what he was seeing. "We're where?" His eyes fell on the cave entrance, but it still took him some time to realize what exactly he was looking at. "Oh, we're here..."

While some parts of him were now simply experiencing a dull ache, others still felt like they had just been clawed open, so Delano really wanted to go back to sleep, at least so that he can hide from the pain again. But as soon as his brother mentioned Lina and Akili, Delano changed his mind instantly. It felt so long since he had last seen them, that just hearing their names brought tears to his eyes. He was so close to not seeing them again...

Taking in a deep breath, he pushed himself up despite the agony it caused him, but even with all his will power, he was only able to get partially up before his strength left him and he collapsed back to the ground. "Muroki?" he asked weakly, feeling rather embarrassed, "can you... help me up?" He felt himself being lifted off the ground, and was able to get his legs underneath him so that he was able to support himself by leaning on the lion that helped him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that it was that second lion who he found down in the gorge.

With help, he was able to walk into the den, where sure enough, he found Umeme and Lina waiting for them. And between her paws... "Akili!" As his son bolted towards him, Delano in his excitement reached out to embrace him, completely forgetting that he was too tired to do so as he fell heavily to the ground.

His head hitting the cave floor painfully, he struggled to see past the stars in his eyes at the wobbly figure of Akili, who had stopped right in front of him. "How you doing, Akili?" Delano whispered, smiling in happiness at seeing his family again despite all the pain he was currently feeling, "did you miss me?" He rubbed his head against his son's body, unable to really do anything else. "Come here, Lina," he added quietly to his mate, "what are you doing all the way back there?" He purred as she came over and nuzzled him, as well as the warmth that her contact offered. It really felt good to be back with them...

Meanwhile next to them, Umeme and her two cubs had rushed over to Muroki, embracing him in a hug once more, but this time making sure not to hurt him. "About time you showed up," she teased, licking him over the muzzle, cleaning off a few cuts he had received on it, "remember what they say about keeping a lioness waiting..." She allowed him to embrace Ubawa and Marini, knowing that he was just as excited to see them just as they were to see him, if not even more.

[TheWhistlerify]

Their mothers could do practically nothing to stop Akili, Marini and Ubawa from rushing forward to greet their fathers when the two males in question finally arrived. Injured, yes, that was noticeable, but alive. That was what mattered. Wounds could heal and scars usually faded for the most part. Heck, the trio was so excited that they didn't even seem to notice, at least for now.

Akili seemed absolutely thrilled to finally see his father. He's always looked up to him so much so having him show up during such an intimidating situation was clearly enough to make his fears go away. As he nuzzled up into Delano's mane, Lina went ahead and lay down closely to her mate, relieved to finally see that he was okay with her own eyes. "I was so worried about you..." she said softly, shuffling closer as she nuzzled the lion lovingly.

The sight of his mate and cubs waiting for him filled Muroki's heart with joy. He lay down and quickly scooped Ubawa and Marini into a loving embrace, nuzzling and licking them both as Umeme joined them. He chuckled softly at his mate's potentially flirtatious teasing, placing a foreleg over her back as she settled down next to him. With his family right there, he felt like he could finally relax and stop worrying because of the day's events.

[DGFone]

Delano smiled up at Lina as he closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of his mate by his side, even if she did sometimes accidently brush up against a painful spot. "I was worried about you too," he admitted, "he said he... wanted to get you..." Even if Akili wasn't right there, Delano would still not have gone into details about his fight with Sanders, and he doubted that even Lina wanted to know them. Just thinking about it still hurt too much. It was too soon, and really... he was still feeling very tired, and Lina keeping him comfortable wasn't exactly helping. "I'm glad you're here," he whispered softly to both Lina and Akili as he felt himself begin to drift off again, "will you be here when I wake up?" Hardly waiting for an answer, Delano began snoring quietly after trying to remain awake simply became too much for him.

Umeme was perfectly happy to let Ubawa and Marini to snuggle up against their father, just as long as they left room for her as well. She giggled at just how content Muroki looked, knowing that it meant that he had really missed them. Nothing needed to be said as she snuggled up with him. While they weren't exactly home in their own den, the king's cave would suit them just fine for now.

She then got an idea in her head that caused her to grin. Getting close to Muroki's ear, Umeme whispered, "I still hadn't made it up to you for watching over the cubs. Just something for you to look forward to when you get better. So don't wait on it."