[Request] Silence Isn't Always Golden

[Maleficent]

Zira approached the waterhole with narrowed eyes. Why exactly was Nuka talking with Sarafina and Siri? Zira feigned friendliness and looked at Sarafina saying, "Why, Sarafina, what a pleasure it is to see you here."

[Misiziri]

Sarafina immediately jumped up and bared her fangs. The expression of this lioness and her child being terrified of her gave her bad vibes about her. "Leave us be, lioness!"

[Maleficent]

"No need to panic!" Zira exclaimed. "I'm only here to make sure my son has come to no harm. He is, after all, Scar's last son." She tucked her paw around Nuka and brought him closer to her.

[Misiziri]

Sarafina withdrew her anger, and gestured for Siri to come closer to her for protection. "Why does your son not like you?" she boldy inquired.

[Kina]

The dainty cub paused at his stifled words, as if he was about to cry. She started to rub against the taller male's shoulder to comfort him, only to jump back slightly at Zira's sudden approach. That lioness always managed to sneak up on others - It was uncanny. The fact that her mother was Zira's cousin was a little disconcerting if both of them could do that.

Siri pinned her ears slightly at the much more muscular lioness, more than aware that the growing dislike was mutual. She was supposed to be 'one of them', it seemed, all because the rag-tag pride that merged with Scar's was the one she was born from.

Glancing briefly at Sarafina as the older lioness lifted one paw in offer of protection, Siri gave Zira a smoldering glare before slipping underneath Sarafina's leg.

[Maleficent]

Zira tried to refrain from smacking Nuka and instead placed a forced smile on her face as she asked Sarafina, "What gives you that idea?" Turning to Nuka, she questioned, "What have you been saying about mommy?" When she thought nobody was watching, Zira shot a returning glare in Siri's direction.

[Misiziri]

Nuka sniffled and refused to go over to Zira

"I don't want to go back..." He muttered, avoiding the question.

Sarafina grew protective, as her motherly instinct took over. "I think you should leave this 'Nuka' alone."

[Maleficent]

Zira bit her lip and forcibly pulled Nuka closer to her.

"Leave him alone?" she questioned Sarafina with raised eyebrows. "What exactly do you think I'm doing to him? He only misses his father."

Zira shot a meaningful glance at Nuka.

"Isn't that right, Nuka?"

[Kina]

The cub's ears remained pinned as the glared at Zira, not about to put anything past her. More of wariness than mistrust, all garnered from catching sight or sound of the tawny lioness' now sporadic tendencies. Looking out for her hide seemed like a good option, although Nuka seemed more than a little off-put by his mother's descent.

One ear perked forward at Nuka's mumbled answer, sighing slightly. No one could begrudge him that much.

[Misiziri]

Nuka rebelliously screamed and bounded over to Sarafina, "NO! You treat me like dirt! I'm s-scared of you! I hate you, leave me alone!"

Sarafina had gotten enough. She let Nuka know it was okay to come towards her. "Well. I'll take the child's word for it," she said, sensing Nuka's sincerity.