[Private] Love Will Tear Us Apart

[YFWE]

Ari waited patiently for Hiroshi to speak after assuring him that whatever he had on his mind was fair game to tell her, staring once again into those hazel eyes of his. She could feel it coming; the moment she had been waiting for. All he had to do was say those words...

Kito's sudden roar ahead of them caused her to jump, and seemed to catch Hiroshi off guard as well, as he stumbled suddenly, albeit bumping his muzzle into Ari's, their lips meeting for a brief moment. And though this only lasted for a few seconds if that, it felt as if many, many seasons had been condensed into this moment, and Ari never wanted it to end.

Unfortunately, it did, though Ari could not be too disappointed about the matter. She had a feeling that there would be many more instances to come in the future. She was not sure when it would happen, and what would have been said or done before or after, but as she too felt the nostalgia creeping up on her from Kito and Kweli's resounding roars at the night sky and fielded Hiroshi's reassuring wink, she felt that there would be many more days, perhaps a lifetime, that they would have together. And while the four of them might grow apart as they grew older, she would at least always have Hiroshi, and would at least have the memories of Kito and Kweli, especially from this night and on this evening. Letting herself go as well, her cares being thrown to the wind, she joined in with the roars of her friends, blissfully calling out into the night. At that moment, they were one, and there was nothing that could change that.

The din quieted down after a while as the four friends began to tire from the constant cries they had roared to all who would hear. Kito laughed as he recounted the previous time they had done this, when they had been given a bit of a reprimanding from Ari and Kito's mothers. "My mother was just glad to find me still alive," said Ari with a laugh. "Pardon me for having better relations with her than you seem to with Fila," she added with a wink.

Their den had come into the vicinity of their sight, which was of course a welcome vision given that their den meant rest and sleep, which was something that at least Ari and Kweli were quite craving at this point given the amount of walking they had done that day. However, their easygoing expressions turned to ones of dread and fear as soon as they entered the cave.

The place was in shambles. A strange smell hung ominously inside, one that had most certainly not been left there by any of the four friends. Kweli walked in and pawed at his sleeping pelt--that is, what was left of it. It had been absolutely ripped to shreds, as seemed to be Kito's. Hiroshi's was nowhere to be found and Ari's, though intact, was the culprit for the looming odor, as he soon discovered after Kito backed away from the pelt in disgust.

Ari was still frozen to a spot at the entrance of the cave, partly put off by the smell but also out of absolute shock at the situation. After what had been such a wonderful day... it had ended in this. She finally walked forward, scrutinizing the rest of the cave to see if any more damage had been done.

Hiroshi's sudden comment about blood caused Kweli to jump backward, staring at the spot Hiroshi was referring to. However, a puzzled look came over his countenance. He saw no blood there. He glanced around, thinking that perhaps he had misunderstood his friend, but still found no blood nor any indication that blood had been anywhere in the den in prior, recent times.

And yet Hiroshi insisted, even coming to the center of the den and pointing down at it, a horrified expression on his face. Ari, watching this unfold, began to feel queasy, backing away from the scene and from Hiroshi and toward the exit.. There was no blood there. Hiroshi was pointing at the bare ground.

Kweli ran forward and, in an effort to coax whatever was the matter with Hiroshi out of him, began to click his paw toes in front of Hiroshi's gaze, his small voice wavering as he spoke. "Hiro, Hiro! Hiro, listen to me! There's nothing there. You're scaring Ari. Please, Hiro..."

[KiarasMate]

Looking quite lethargic by this point, Hiroshi could barely focus his eyes upon Kweli’s paws. Hearing the snapping sounds coming from his friend’s fore paw, vivid images began to cloud his thoughts as Hiroshi placed a fore paw over his eyes, trying to rid himself of what had come over him. Shaking his head in disbelief, Hiroshi reopened his eyes and glanced down below him. The crimson pool still remained, but had taken the shape of an all to familiar looking face that jeered up at him. Shivering uncontrollably by this point, Hiroshi’s voice came out in random spurts as he exclaimed.

”You guys…you really don’t see it? Kweli? You can’t see the blood? Kito? You can’t see his face in it? Ari?” Hiroshi stated, turning to his lioness friend. ”You can’t…”

Hiroshi’s facial expressions suddenly melted into a terrified look of fear as his eyes met with Ari’s face. The moonlight that accented her features made her appear as if she were some spirit trapped amongst the living and the look of panic on her face didn’t help matters any. To Hiroshi however, he didn’t see his friend of so many seasons, but the agonizing look of his mother’s face, twisted and writhed with pain. It was the same look he had witnessed upon her countenance the very last time he had found her dead, lying in the middle of a cave when he was just a young innocent cub. At that moment, everything seemed to click in his mind. The den that Scar had given him with little regret, the nightmare he had experienced and the reason why Kito had insisted on going to Paradise today. It all made sense now. Feeling his limbs going limp, Hiroshi fell upon the den floor, the pool of crimson fluid venturing into his mouth and filling his lungs, choking his breathing as he sobbed and began to speak incoherently.

”It was here…her body…so much pain…Mom!…Amami…WHY!…”

Looking utterly baffled by what was happening to his best friend, Kito had no idea on how to react to such a situation. Having no idea what Hiroshi was going on about, Kito assumed that maybe it had to do with something he either ate at Paradise, or perhaps maybe he was just overworked. Whatever the case may have been, Kito felt powerless to help his friend as he could only manage to stammer out.

”Hiro, get a hold of yourself. Did you get too much sun today or what?”

Pacing around like a lost soul, Kito couldn’t think of what to do or say to help his friend in his time of need. Figuring that the best thing he could do right now was to try and rid Hiroshi of that which plagued him, Kito immediately went about clearing out the den, taking the shambled sleeping pelts that belonged to himself and Kweli, or what was left of them at least, and dragging them out of the den, disposing of them several hundred yards from their abode before returning to do the same with Ari’s pelt, barely even being able to bring himself to touch the foul smelling furnishing as Scar’s scent seemed to be caked over every inch of the pelt. Finally trashing the foul smelling accessory where he had left the others, Kito arrived back at the den to see if his efforts had helped any but it seemed to be of no use. Turning to Ari, as Kito knew just as well as Kweli did, that she held the strongest bond with Hiroshi and if anyone’s influence could help at a time like this, it would be hers. Speaking up in a concerned voice, Kito nudged Ari firmly to get her attention as he spoke.

”Come on Ari, go help him! Do you know what he’s blabbing on about? Seriously, you need to do something before he wakes up the entire pride.”

[YFWE]

Hiroshi was not responding to his pleas for his attention, which began to worry Kweli even more. Still, seeing the horrified expression upon Ari's countenance, he kept up his attempts, continuing to wave his paw and snap at him, even going as far as to begin shaking him with his other paw, laying it on Hiroshi's shoulder as he continued to try to get his attention.

Ari was somewhat aware of Kito bolting past her with the remaining pelts, but was still transfixed on the scene before her. She had never seen Hiroshi act like this, never in her life. And the worst part was that she had no idea how to help, and even if she could, she felt glued to the spot where she stood, unable to do anything more than stare. The tawny brown male continued to insist that there was a pool of blood on the ground before him and even began to act as if he was in it himself, despite Kweli's valiant attempts to coax him out of what state he had regressed into.

The worst part was that Hiroshi was now going on about his mother. What had brought about this was beyond both Kweli and Ari, but knowing that she had been murdered, the connection with him witnessing the blood became a bit clearer. Still, what had triggered this? What had caused Hiroshi to react to the disarray of the situation, especially when the others, though bothered, had been able to keep their sanity at least.

Kito returned to the cave and nudged Ari, which seemed to bring the lioness out of the slight trance she had been in. Shaking off herself, her gaze fell back to Hiroshi, eyes still wide with fright, though there was more of a determination there. Nodding without a word to Kito, Ari walked forward cautiously, her head peering around Hiroshi to catch a glimpse of his face. She walked to the opposite side of where Kweli was attempting to help. Sending him a look of thanks, she motioned to the mouth of the cave, signifying that she would at least try to take over for him. Kweli looked back and nodded reluctantly, pacing over to the entrance of the den where Kito stood.

Turning back to Hiroshi, Ari did the only thing she could think of. She laid her own body atop Hiroshi's, burying her head into the scruff of the lion's neck, between its side and his shoulder. "Hiro," she whispered, her voice still shaking with fright. "Shh... Hiro, I'm here. It's okay now. I'm here." She wrapped him in a tight embrace, at least as best as she could with him laying on the ground. She thought that, at the very least, she could keep him warm, which might help, though she was not sure. She nuzzled her head into his neck, caressing slowly as she tried to calm down her friend. "It's okay," she repeated. "Everything will be okay. I'm here. It's me. It's Ari."

[KiarasMate]

Shivering as if he was under several feet of snow, his breath coming out ragged and forced, Hiroshi laid there, unable to do much of anything as tears left his eyes, trickled down his cheek and fell upon the cave floor where they gradually began to pool atop the surface. Suddenly feeling a comforting warmth beginning to surround him and having his thoughts slowly interrupted by the sound of Ari’s supportive voice, Hiroshi’s trembles started to lessen as his breathing returned to normal. Lifting a fore paw to his face, Hiroshi wiped away the tears that stained his cheeks and muzzle before tilting his head upwards, meeting Ari’s gaze. Staring deeply into her amber eyes and seeing the love and compassion she was feeling towards him, the horrid memories in his mind began to dissolve as Hiroshi gently lifted his fore paw towards the golden furred lioness, touching her cheek ever so softly as he stated in a longing voice.

”Ari, I…I…I miss her so much. Why did she have to die? How could something so horrible happen to someone so kind? You’re not going to leave me, are you Ari?”

Leaning his head upwards, Hiroshi gently nuzzled Ari with his damp cheek before carefully moving himself out from underneath her. Sniffling as he took a seat in the center of the den, Hiroshi looked over to where Kito and Kweli stood at the entrance of the cave. Motioning for his friends to come inside and gather around him, Hiroshi drew Ari in close to him, hugging her tightly with both fore legs as he spoke indirectly to his friends, doing his best to hold back more tears from wanting to escape his eyes.

”This den…it was the very same den I found my mother dead at when I was really young. I never told you this story Kito, nor did I ever fill you in on the details of how I lost my mother Kweli, but she was murdered. I know, deep down in my heart, that it was Scar’s doing too. She told me to go play one day and being young and naive, I did what was bid of me without question. Later that day, I came back to find her missing. Scar merely told me that she was gone and that I was alone now. I didn’t want to believe him so I ran off and looked everywhere for her. I found her mangled body in a cave…well…this very cave here. That must be the reason why Scar let me have this den without much thought. I should have suspected something wasn’t right about the whole thing but I guess I was just too excited that we’d actually have a place to call our own.”

Kito had taken a seat in front of Ari and Hiroshi and was listening intently to what his best friend was saying. He had never known how Hiroshi had lost his mother, only knowing that she had died when he was very young. Finding his best friend’s tale very disheartening, Kito had to restrain himself from interrupting the story as his hatred towards Scar seemed to increase exponentially with every word uttered by Hiroshi. Oh how he had loathed their leader before but now, the truth hit much closer to home. Recalling the events of the previous two nights and what he had overheard Scar saying, Kito felt the need to inform his friends about the details he had overheard. Waiting till there was a pause in the conversation, Kito spoke up in a serious tone.

”I have a bad feeling that we’re going to be facing some seriously tough times ahead of us guys. I have to confess that the last two nights, I’ve been sneaking out to spy on his majesty and I overheard some really disturbing news. I’ve already told Ari this but it seems like Scar has taken an extra interest in Ari and without making myself retch from going into too much detail, let’s just say that she’s been chosen to be Scar’s queen, whether she likes it or not. He was planning on making this fact very clear today. That’s why I had us all go to Paradise today. I thought that if we could leave, that maybe things would just blow over but I think that just made them worse. I’m really sorry.”

[YFWE]

Ari could feel Hiroshi's breathing slowing under her, and not wanting to lose the progress she had made, continued to nuzzle the lion, still speaking words of encouragement all the while. Finally, he looked up at her, and she gave him a worried, yet loving look as she nudged the side of his head. "I... I don't know why she had to die," whispered Ari, feeling her own tears forming at the corner of her eyes. "But... there's nothing you can do now but move on. I'm sure she would've wanted you to."

Kweli took a reluctant step forward before stopping, not wanting to interfere with the moment. However, seeing Hiroshi motion he and Kito over, he resumed his gait, stopping near Ari and Hiroshi as they wrapped each other in a tight embrace.

Hiroshi finally told them the story of what had happened to his mother, and while it was certainly an emotional aura that blanketed the group of friends, Kweli for one was glad that he had finally been able to get it out--and Ari as well, for that matter. She continued to nuzzle him as he spoke, trying to reassure him, edging him on so that he could finish what he had to say but trying to let him know that if he could not finish, she was there for him.

She opened her mouth to speak once Hiroshi had finished talking, but was interrupted by Kito, who had his own information to dispense. At his words, Ari and Kweli could not mask looks of fear, and Ari for one was quite shocked as she stared down at the ground. Scar had chosen her to be his queen? Could it be? But...

"I... I always thought... I thought I'd have a choice," breathed Ari, her voice low. "I thought... I could choose who I wanted to be with, my mate..."

She stared longingly at Hiroshi as she said this, and then over to Kweli and to Kito. "You guys..." she started again, "will help me, right? You'll keep me safe? 'Cause I don't want to be his queen. I want..." she glanced at Hiroshi. "...who I want. Someone else. Not Scar."

[KiarasMate]

It seemed the tides had turned as Hiroshi found himself now being the one to console Ari in her time of need. Keeping his fore legs wrapped around her, holding her close to his warm frame, Hiroshi glanced over to Kito, Kweli, then back to Ari. In the back of his mind, he knew that both Kito and Kweli would never let anything happen to Ari and the solemn pact that had been made on two separate occasions, first with Kito when they were young, and most recently with Kweli the day they had gone patrolling together, would always keep her safe, Hiroshi didn’t even need to ask as he spoke up in a reassuring voice to Ari, giving her a loving nuzzle as the words left his mouth.

”We’ll never let him lay a paw on you Ari. We’re always here for you and by The Great Kings, we’ll get through this together, I promise.”

Giving a nod of approval to what Hiroshi had stated, Kito looked outside their den into the dark of night as his thoughts shifted to what the future might hold. Several scenarios flashed through his mind as he struggled to come up with some plan to avoid what seemed to be the inevitable but only coming to the same conclusion either way, he gave up reluctantly as he turned to face his friends once again. Waiting for someone to say something, Kito grew steadily more impatient as time went on. Finally, not being able to take the silence any longer, Kito spoke up in a determined voice.

”So? What do we do now? Why don’t we just leave. Maybe living at Paradise isn’t such a farfetched idea after all. Ghosts or no ghosts, it would beat having to put up with our ass of a king and Ari would be safe that way.”

Thinking this plan over in his mind, Hiroshi weighed the pros and cons of Kito’s proposal. It did seem like an easy way out of their current bind but the more he thought about it, the more flaws he found. It would only be a temporary escape from their troubles and much like today had resulted in, it wouldn’t prove to be a good idea. Shaking his head disparagingly, Hiroshi replied in a hesitant tone.

”That wouldn’t solve our problems though Kito. Think about Fila and Nafsi. Do you think their lives would be safe if we just up and left? His royal highness has no remorse for what he does and if he can’t get what he wants, you know damn well who he’ll take it out on. We’re in this for the long haul it seems. We can’t just leave and by staying here, we’re putting our own lives and safety at risk. His majesty already knows we stole those pelts so we’re already guilty of that. The only thing we have going for us now is having strength in numbers. We need to stick together, especially for Ari’s sake. One of us should always accompany her whenever she’s out and about.”

Kito already knew that his suggestion would be shot down but he had to at least give it a try. Knowing that Hiroshi spoke the truth however and despite the way he and his mother got along with one another, Kito never wished any harm to ever fall upon her. Sighing dejectedly, Kito nodded once more as Hiroshi finished speaking. Gazing over at both Ari and Kweli to gauge their opinions on what should be done, Kito began to plot his own method to ease their suffering. If he couldn’t avoid the problem, he would meet it head on. His mother had always told him to keep his friends close and his enemies closer and that’s precisely what he planned to do. Keeping this thought to himself however, Kito addressed his friends in a hopeful voice, trying to lift as much of the uncertainty around them as he stated.

”Hey, we’ve made it this far together and look how far we’ve come. We have something that Scar will never have, and that’s friendship and loyalty. As long as we stick together, we’ll always beat the odds!”

Now, it was Hiroshi’s turn to nod in agreement. Giving Ari one last tender hug, he released his grip upon her before rising to all fours, giving his eyes one last wipe with his fore paw before glancing around the den. Gone were the horrid images from before. Now all he could see was what truly stood before him. His friends and his entire world. His best friend, his companion and the love of his life. Taking in a deep breath to clear his mind, Hiroshi spoke up calmly as he addressed his friends quietly.

”I don’t think we should stay here for a little while. Kito and Ari, you two should stick by your mother’s sides for a few suns, just to ensure that his royal highness doesn’t get what he wants. Kweli and I can stay together too. We shouldn’t tell anyone else about this though. We don’t want to raise any suspicions or worse, get Fila and Nafsi dragged into this mess. Just remember that we need to watch out for each other, more than ever.”

Giving one last nod of approval, Kito slowly rose to his paws and began to make his way over to the entrance of the den. Pausing there momentarily, Kito turned to look at Ari as he spoke up in a genuine voice as he motioned for her to join him.

”C’mon Ari. I’ll walk you home.”

[YFWE]

She could not deny that she was truly scared now, but that said, Ari felt her reservations melting away slightly as Hiroshi embraced her and assured her that, together, they would overcome that which opposed them, Scar or otherwise. Burying her head into her friend's shoulder, she hung on for dear life, not wanting to let go, not ever.

Kweli nodded. "He's right, Ari. We won't let Scar do anything to you, not while we're still around. I know I can't do much, but Kito and Hiro sure can. With all of us combined, there's nothing we won't be able to do, I just know it." Even though he had slight misgivings about this final statement himself, he knew deep down that this was the right response at that very moment; it was what Ari needed to hear.

"Thanks, Kweli," whispered Ari against Hiroshi's fur, sniffing once. "I really appreciate it. And I believe you."

Kito had spoken up in a hopeful voice that perhaps the idea of living in Paradise was not such a bad one after all, and for a moment Ari was quite supportive of this--that is, until Hiroshi rebutted the proposal, bringing up some valid points that Ari, although she would rather not admit them, could not dispute.

And all that said, she had no idea how to respond to all the help that was being thrown her way. Someone with her at all times? Her safety first? Ari had never been one for attention and felt slightly abashed at this sudden display, though she knew her friends were merely acting in her best interest. For they were right; she would need someone with her. Strength in numbers was all that they had going for them at that point, and if she was caught alone, there would be nothing she could do to curb Scar's advances.

Hiroshi finally broke away from Ari, Ari letting her paw linger against the side of his head for a moment before letting it fall as she turned to the rest of the group. "Wait," she spoke up. "Back to our mothers' sides? But..." Ari knew it would be futile to argue and was also aware that this would be the best possible way to keep her safe, and yet... she did not want to leave her friends. Her family. Especially Hiroshi, At that moment, she could not and would not feel any safer than she would with him beside her.

But the choice had been made, and Ari would not disobey the request of Hiroshi. She sidled over to Kweli and embraced him with an arm. "Take care of yourself, Kwel," she whispered, giving the small male a tiny nudge against his forehead.

Kweli returned this. "Stay safe, Ari. See you soon."

The lioness then made her way back to Hiroshi, her eyes meeting with his for what seemed like an eternity before she finally embraced him as well, nuzzling him under the neck. "Hopefully we'll be able to continue our conversation soon, eh? Please be careful, Hiro." She followed this with one more nudge, and then met Kito at the mouth of the cave. Hearing his reassuring words, however, Ari could not help but think of a saddened response of her own, though she dared not say it aloud for fear of perhaps upsetting Kito. Home? she thought, pausing inside the cave. But... I already am home. And with one final saddened look back at the den and at her two friends, she departed with Kito, off toward Pride Rock, where they would be in the comforts of their own mothers just a short time later.

Kweli watched the lion and the lioness depart and, once they were nearly out of sight, turned to Hiroshi. "Where were you thinking of going?" asked Kweli. "Back to Pride Rock? Or should we stay here?"

Swallowing once, Kweli thought of something to add, something more conversational. "Sorry about all this," he said shortly. "It seemed like you were having a really good day, you and Ari both... I'm sorry it had to end this way."

[KiarasMate]

Watching as Ari walked over to Kweli and said her goodbyes, Hiroshi stayed where he was as the golden furred lioness turned her focus upon him. Meeting with Ari’s amber eyes as she advanced upon him, Hiroshi could almost sense the despair she must have been feeling by this point. As he felt her bringing him in for a tight embrace, feeling the nuzzle under his chin and hearing her plea, wrapping his own fore legs around her and hugging her close, Hiroshi had to do everything in his powers from stopping himself and telling Ari not to leave. Hiroshi knew that Nafsi would protect Ari with her life however and that hopefully everything would just blow over if given a few days. To him, this wasn’t a goodbye but just a temporary setback. Nuzzling Ari fondly, Hiroshi murmured quietly to her before she withdrew from his arms.

”I promise Ari. Stay safe please and don’t worry, we’ll make it through.”

Waiting patiently for Ari to say her farewells to both Kweli and Hiroshi, Kito gave both his friends a departing nod and a look of reassurance before heading out into the night with Ari by his side. Their usual good natured banter aside them now, Kito stayed mute the entire trip back to the den to which The Hunting Party slept at. Having so much on his mind and never being the type who was able to express his feelings very poignantly, Kito found it hard to say much of anything until the two friends were at the mouth of the den. Glancing over at Ari as the golden furred feline was about to take her leave, Kito built up enough courage to speak as he called over to her in a soft voice as not to disturb any of the slumbering lionesses within the quiet confines.

”Ari, wait. I know we don’t really ever see eye to eye and you’d probably rather hear this coming from Hiroshi or Kweli, but I want you to know that I care about you too, just as much as they do. Sure, I don’t really show it and you probably just think I’m saying this because of what has happened lately but you really are my friend and I’d never let anything happen to you either. So you know you can come to me if you ever want some company. You know where to find me.”

Staring over at Ari, his emerald orbs showing nothing but sincerity in their appearance, Kito moved forward and quite out of character of himself, softly planted a kiss over one of her cheeks before stepping back a few paces. Under any normal circumstances, he would have never done such a thing and if he had, it would have been immediately followed by a look of disgust or jest but he truly had meant what he had said and something deep inside him reassured Kito that he hadn’t acted out of line. Giving Ari a nod farewell, Kito waited for her to vanish within the den before he turned and went down the opposite end of the cave where he knew his mother would be. As the two friends parted ways, many new feelings began to stir within Kito’s being however these new emotions would have to be dealt with at a later time. For now, there was only one thing that remained predominant within Kito’s thoughts and that was how to keep his friends safe from Scar and at what lengths he himself was willing to go to ensure this.

==========

Reluctantly observing as both Kito and Ari left, Hiroshi let out another dejected sigh before turning his attention to Kweli now. Hearing the smaller male’s inquiry, Hiroshi thought for a moment about the possibilities. They probably couldn’t find a place to stay at Pride Rock, especially after stealing pelts from his royal highness, although Hiroshi himself knew that he probably couldn’t stand sleeping in their current location either, due to the haunting memories that lingered here. Perhaps if Ari had stayed, he would have been able to bring himself to stay in the den but for the time being, Hiroshi opted for an alternative. Speaking up to Kweli in an indecisive tone, Hiroshi addressed his friend’s question with much uncertainty.

”I’m sorry Kweli but I don’t think I could stay here. Not after what I learned today. It would just be too painful for me. Maybe these feelings will subside after a while and we can call this place home again but for now, I think it’d be best if we found a temporary place to stay. I know of another spot that might work but it’s nothing compared to this den. It’ll be better than sleeping outside though. Come on, I’ll show you the way.”

Making his way towards the entrance of the cave, Hiroshi waited for Kweli to pass him before he turned to take one last glimpse at the den in front of him, speaking softly under his breath as he departed. Taking lead as he walked through the still night air with Kweli at his side, Hiroshi gazed up at the stars, as if looking for one in particular. As if on command, a lone star off in the distance shined brightly as if to grab Hiroshi’s attention. It seemed to work as his hazel eyes fell upon its shimmering light, bringing a sense of calmness to wash over him as he murmured something else under his breath before turning to Kweli and speaking to his friend in a hushed voice.

”Thank you again for everything Kweli. You might think that you don’t have what it takes to protect Ari if things ever came down to it but I believe that you are stronger than both Kito and I in a way. My mother always told me that strength may win fights but intelligence can avoid them altogether. I only fully understood this after meeting you buddy. You are much stronger than you know.”

Arriving at their new temporary living quarters, which happened to be nothing more than an abandoned den of some sort, clearly not suited for two lions but large enough to accommodate them as best could be expected from such quarters. Hiroshi had passed by this den many times and knowing full well that it had been vacant for a long period of time, clearly noted from the way the dirt floor appeared to be untouched, Hiroshi figured that this would work for now. It was at least out of the elements and would protect them from any rainfall if it should happen and while not being very spacious by any means, it beat sleeping outside. Finding a suitable spot to lay himself down upon, Hiroshi yawned as his head swarmed with thoughts, all of which he didn’t feel like dealing with at the moment. Resting his head upon his fore paws and gazing out into the expansive night, Hiroshi spoke up softly as his eyes gradually began to close.

”Night Kweli. See you in the morning buddy.” Hiroshi stated, rolling onto his side as he slowly drifted off to sleep, his voice trailing off as the last words left his muzzle. ”Good night Ari. I love you…”

[YFWE]

Ari and Kito walked along in remote silence on their way to Pride Rock, Ari for one still in slight shock from what had occurred that evening. Sometimes she even thought that she might have imagined it; it almost seemed implausible that after a day of such high highs spent in the company of her friends, the day could have ended as it had. Ari was fully aware that life tended to work in strange ways and was not fair some of the time, and yet she could not help but think that a better ending to the night would have been far more ideal.

But this was not the end of anything whatsoever. Sure, things could get a bit hectic over the next few days; Ari was fully aware of this. But life as she knew it would not always be dreary and somewhat frightening as it was at that moment. Though she had no proof whatsoever to back her feelings up, she felt that soon, hopefully before he could make any advances upon her, Scar would lose the throne. And even if he did not... she still had her friends and her mother. That was all she needed.

The two friends at long last reached the den in which both their mothers were slumbering peacefully. Ari had made a move to head inside so that she could find Nafsi and obtain some much-needed sleep, but as she began to do so, she was stopped by Kito's low voice. She turned to him, listening intently as she nodded along at his confessions and proposition. Deep down, she always knew that Kito was a friend and cared for her; he did not need to reassure her of this. But she let him continue, knowing that it would certainly make him feel better, as it somewhat did for her as well.

She had begun to reply to his comments, but before she could get out any sort of words, Kito planted two soft kisses on either of her cheeks, an action that surprised Ari, given that Kito rarely displayed any sort of affection whatsoever, let alone toward her. "T-thanks, Kito," whispered Ari. "I totally understand; I've known all along that you care just as much. Don't worry." She returned her focus to the den. "I'll see you in the morning."

Ari followed Kito inside, taking the opposite direction of the lion, knowing that her mother would likely be somewhere in that direction. Indeed, she found her not too far off, soundly sleeping. Avoiding waking her up, Ari laid down quietly next to her, shutting her eyes as soon as she was on the ground. Absentmindedly, she reached with her paw beside her, expecting to feel Hiroshi's paw beside her, but found herself grasping at air and dirt. Sighing dejectedly, the lioness drifted off to sleep, her mind full of thoughts of the day's events, from the highs to the lows. She could only hope that from there on out, the lows would be much less plentiful and the highs... well, she prayed it would be all she would know.

-------

Sighing unhappily, Kweli had had a feeling that for the time being, their den would be unsafe to stay in. Unsafe or not, however, it had been a shelter over his head, something he had not known for quite some time. However, Hiroshi's description of the place they would be venturing to lightened his spirits a tiny bit; at least it was something. Having learned to make do with very little throughout his life since leaving his homeland, it was second nature to him, and he knew he would be fine.

Following Hiroshi out of the den and toward their final destination for the day, Kweli was aware of Hiroshi speaking to him, and once his friend had finished, Kweli shot him a pleasant, though sleep-deprived, smile. "I'm glad you think that, Hiro, thank you," nodded Kweli. "As long as I'm strong enough to protect Ari... then that's all that matters to me."

They arrived in their new "den," which was in fact a den itself, though an abandoned one. Still, Kweli could not feel too dejected at its appearance. He was thankful for what the Great Kings had provided him and Hiroshi on that evening. Further, at least they would (hopefully) be kept safe from any outside intrusions.

Kweli found a spot near Hiroshi in the tiny den, situating himself and plopping onto the ground, his head reclining on his forepaws. Hiroshi bid him goodnight, and Kweli murmured a "goodnight, Hiro" in response, though it was Hiroshi's next comment that interested him. He was unsure if Hiroshi had meant for these words to be heard or even spoken, but nonetheless, they had been at least a thought inside his mind, and for a brief moment Kweli felt sorry that it was not him with Kito in Pride Rock, so that Ari would be in his spot with Hiroshi. The previous days had shown him that there was no doubt about it; the lion and the lioness were very much in love, and not even a setback like this would change that.

However, the days ahead could prove to be rough. What if Scar truly had decided on taking Ari as his queen? What would happen between Hiroshi and Ari? Could they truly overcome such an opposition? Kweli liked to hope that they could and would, and yet Scar was the King... what if he did the unthinkable, the unimaginable? Would their friendships ever be the same?

Kweli let out a long sigh as he closed his heavy eyelids, ready finally for some sleep. His final thoughts before drifting off were of Hiroshi and Ari, and how one day he hoped they would find their happiness. Oh, Great Kings, he thought before losing complete consciousness. Please get us out of this. If not for me, for Ari and Hiroshi.

[KiarasMate]

Three seasons had come and gone since that night when Hiroshi and his friends had returned to find their den in shambles. Times had been tough for all four of them as they did their best to avoid Scar and protect Ari from whatever devious plot his majesty had in store for her. Their efforts had paid off as Scar’s interests had shifted towards another young lioness who went by the name Nala, leaving Ari out of harms way, at least for the time being it seemed. Hiroshi, Kito and Kweli had all taken turns keeping Ari company whenever the golden furred lioness had stepped out of the comfort zone of her mother, just to ensure her relative safety but after several weeks had passed and Scar’s interest dwindled, the need to keep Ari constantly supervised began to fade. To help matters, Ari had become a regular member of The Hunting Party and as such, had plenty of time away from Scar’s prying eyes.

As the seasons shifted however, the land underwent a drastic change. Due to over population with the countless hyenas sharing their land and food supplies, the once lush and serene looking Pride Lands were eventually reduced to nothing but a dry and desolate looking patch of earth that once held such great beauty and esteem. Gone were the plentiful herds of yesterday and dry were the once overflowing waterholes. With the shortage of food and tempers beginning to flare amongst the pride itself, times looked to be bleak. The rains seemed to have forsaken the lands as the everyday struggle for survival increased and mutiny ran rampid throughout the ranks of Scar’s followers and pride members. Seemingly oblivious to this fact however, Scar still reveled in his power and insisted that the lands would recover and moving was not an option.

The lands weren’t the only things transforming during this time however. Hiroshi, Kito, Ari and Kweli were all growing up as well. The seasons had been kinder to them than they had been upon the lands. Hiroshi had broken his ties with Scar and left the duties of patrolling in the capable paws of Kweli, who didn’t seem to mind the task as it gave him plenty of time to reflect upon the past, as well as getting to know the lay of the land just as well as Hiroshi himself did. Hiroshi had opted to spend more time with Ari, strengthening their bond of friendship, yet still not being quite able to bring himself to tell her just how much he loved her. The night that he had realized that the den they had been given, was the same den that his mother had been murdered in, had really thrown him for a loop and as much as he wanted to tell Ari his deepest feelings for her, Hiroshi just couldn’t bring himself to do it. The possibility of growing so attached to her and then perhaps losing her was too much to bear. He had already lost his mother and losing Ari was just not something he was willing to risk at any cost. As the whole situation with Scar seemed to settle down however, Hiroshi’s feelings slowly began to resurface with each passing day he spent with Ari. Sooner or later, something was going to have to give and he would surely have to express his undying love for her, but only when the time was right.

Kito had taken quite the opposite path during the following seasons. Much to the chagrin of his friends, Kito had managed to worm his way into Scar’s good graces, even being allowed to sleep in The Main Den, a privilege not often given to anyone, let alone a single male. Kito’s motives seemed noble enough in the beginning. He had only done whatever Scar had asked of him in order to gain favor from their king and hopefully be able to sway that favor to his friends advantage. Kito still loathed Scar with a burning hatred that would never be quelled however the allure of power and respect, or so it seemed to Kito, that he got from his fellow pride members, slowly but surely began to corrupt his once innocent intentions. While still holding his friends in the highest regards, Kito’s cocky attitude had only seemed to be multiplied from the fact that he was what some might consider, to be Scar’s heir, little did Kito or anyone else know, that this title had always belonged to Hiroshi by right and by blood. While still having the best intentions in mind, Kito didn’t mask the fact that his new found position came with many benefits that he often flaunted but when everything was said and done, his friendship to Hiroshi, Ari and Kweli always came first and foremost.

While the four friends had forsaken their newly acquired den for several weeks after that fateful night, their current living conditions wouldn’t suit the growing adolescents for very long and both Fila and Nafsi knew this. After hearing what had happened in that den, or at least an abridged version of what had happened from both Ari and Kito, both lioness mothers decided to tidy up the once abandoned den, adding a homely touch to it as only a mother could. Using the naturally growing flora around, as well as retrieving some aromatic flowers from Paradise itself, the two lionesses had completely transformed the dreary looking cave into something utterly humbling. Kito had managed to persuade Scar to give up several more sleeping pelts, which Kito had graciously offered to his three friends but having tasted the sweeter side of life himself, Kito opted mainly to spend most of his nights in the warmth and comfort of The Main Den. Occasionally, Kito would spend a night or two within their old den along with his three friends but he always complained that the cave looked way too feminine, a comment that always seemed to get a reaction out of Ari, whose relationship with Kito hadn’t improved much as the two were always bickering it seemed. With their den restored and times seemingly returned to the way they once had been, aside from the hardships of everyday life when it came to finding food and water, all four friends seemed content enough with what the future had in store for them. Little did they know that the changes on the outside and all around them that they saw on a constant basis paled in comparison with the changes that would soon be taking over them deep within.

==========

The setting sun had already fallen past the half way point upon the brightly colored horizon as the two young adult lions sat waiting at the once grassy location they had called their usual spot. The ground below them had become quite dry and brittle however keeping with tradition, they had continued to meet at this very location despite this fact. Sitting up with his hazel eyes scanning the distant landscape for the first sign of Ari’s arrival, Hiroshi’s body seemed to be highlighted by the setting sun. His once skinny physique had filled out nicely and while his muscle mass still lacked the quality that Kito had been blessed with, he had grown into a very mature and handsome looking lion. A passing breeze gently ruffled Hiroshi’s jet black mane, which had already begun to encircle around his neck and parting near the tips of his shoulders, giving him quite a noble appearance. Flicking his ears impatiently as he stood up and began to pace around, Hiroshi spoke up to Kito, who was laying upon the ground a few paws length away from where he was now.

”What do you think is taking her so long Kito? I know it was her first official hunt but you don’t think anything happened to her, do you?”

Upon hearing his friend’s worrisome tone, Kito gave his muscular frame a long and hardy stretch before lazily rolling into a sitting position. Unlike Hiroshi, Kito’s body build had filled out completely, giving him the appearance of a fully grown lion, even though he was still a few seasons away from actually holding such a title. Kito’s dark brown mane had also grown in much thicker than either of his male friends and this fact seemed to always boost his ego whenever it came to comparing himself to his friends. Staring over at Hiroshi now as he watched his friend pacing about nervously, Kito couldn’t help but to scowl as he retorted in a nonchalant voice.

”Jeez, relax Hiro. You’re acting like you haven’t seen her in ages or something. She’s only been gone for like 2 suns and you remember Nafsi and Fila both said that it could take this long so just chill. If anything, you should be worrying about that runt Kweli. He should have been back from patrols by now. Knowing him he probably stopped off to talk the day away with that chattering mandrill again. He’s always slacking on his duties if you ask me. Lucky Scar doesn’t order me to put him in his place or you know I would.”

Hiroshi barely seemed to be tuned into what Kito was saying as his attention was completely focused upon the dimming horizon. He had been hoping that Ari would have at least come home the previous day and had waited up almost all night for her return. Hoping that she had been successful, as a lioness’ first hunt was probably the most important milestone in any lioness’ natural born life, but knowing the conditions that the lands had been under, Hiroshi still was slightly doubtful about this fact. Still, keeping as much faith as he could as he knew that Ari had been looking forward to this day for as long as he could remember, Hiroshi continued to wait patiently as time passed by.