Reflections

The morning was still new, and the coffee colored lioness was patrolling her territory alone. She had been walking along the river for some countless hours now, lost to her own thoughts. The landscape she knew like the back of her own paw. It was the same scenery, day after day, for her entire existence. In her young life, Nyota had seldom strayed beyond the borders of the jungle. It had been indoctrinated in the lioness from a young age that their verdant kingdom had everything a lion needed to survive. Why would the still-new monarch ever leave the territory of her ancestors?

Yet as of late, the queen had taken to wandering into the neutral territories that bordered the Lowlands. Most of her 'adventures' lasted mere hours, and many of them were uneventful. Her most recent venture into unfamiliar lands, however, had led to an unexpected meeting: a pure white lion claiming to be the king of a distant kingdom Nyota hadn't known existed, even younger than herself. The brief encounter had left the lioness wondering about the future of her own kingdom. A king could take any lioness he wanted to produce an heir, while a queen without a mate was limiting. A sigh parted her lips as Nyota finally paused to sit at the water's edge, mismatched eyes gazing down at her reflection.

In her image, she saw both of her parents, as well as her fallen older brothers. What would her father say if he knew his sons were gone? What would her mother think if she were alive to see her sweet daughter in charge? The morning air was still cool, but Nyota knew the day would be another scorcher as it progressed. She wondered if any of the other jungle lions would notice her long absences, tail flicking idly. No explanation had been offered to them in recent days when she disappeared for long stretches at a time.

Duara's head arose from where it had previously laid rest upon her paws, and her ears twitched whilst she stretched out her body with a yawn. She blinked a couple of time as light blinded her vision, and as she looked around at the other lightly dozing lionesses, she noticed that yet again their Queen had vanished off somewhere. Deciding to explore at the same time as looking for Nyota, Duara walked off to see if she could find her Queen, her paws making soft rustling sounds on the grass as she moved along.

Duara had padded along to the Oasis, and when she saw a butterfly her playful instincts kicked in. Though an adult, Duara enjoyed to occasionally play, for sometimes it was a way of releasing stress that one did not know they held. Crouching down, Duara's tail swished behind her as she pounced and swiped a paw out for the butterfly, tearing after it as it fluttered away from her. Her tail swished around wildly as she ran, claws scratching against the earth as yet again she pounced, her paw tapping against the butterfly who seemed to stumble in the air before fluttering off agaiin.

Duara laughed as she raced after it, coming to the Maji River which the butterfly flew across, and Duara was about to leap into the water when she spied Nyota, looking solemn as always and deep in her thoughts. Duara was positive her playfulness had alerted Nyota to her presence, so regaining her calm she padded over to Nyota and rubbed her head lightly against her friend's in greeting.

Nyota could hear the newcomer to the area minutes before she spied her, and she turned quickly, lowering her body towards the ground in case it was an unknown rogue. It was a rare occasion when a vagabond turned up near the River, but the queen was cautious, as always. The sandy coat of the other lioness instantly reassured Nyota that she need not be fearful of the intrusion, for it was someone she knew almost as well as the queen knew her own self. Duara was chasing after an insect as if she were a child, and though Nyota was herself serious by nature, the sight brought a wide smile to her features. The smile only disappeared as the other lioness neared the water, and Nyota's mismatched eyes widened in surprise: all of the Lowlanders had been taught it was wrong to enter the Maji River, it was sacred to their history as a pride.

"It's strange, Duara," she said after a lingering moment's silence, "The other prides have little water at all, while we have been blessed with an abundance of it. Yet they have other things that we manage to live without." Nyota felt fortunate indeed to live in a place so abundant with resources, and yet there were things that the Lowlanders lacked that the others all had. A kingdom without a king -- It was still a novel idea, and if they remained lucky, the news would not leak to other areas neighboring the Lowlands. Nyota feared it was only a matter of time before that day came, but for the time being, she attempted to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, never knowing how long it would last.

Her friend's presence seemed to lighten Nyota's mood. She cast one last look at her own appearance in the cool liquid before her attention turned to Duara, dismissing her previous cryptic comments with a short laugh. "Anyway, what brings you out this way? You're the first I've seen here all day." The landscape in the area was stunning, the overall feeling serene as the river lapped gently at its banks, but the territory was so vast and so breathtaking that the lions had many options when it came to passing a lazy day in the jungle.

Duara's eyes lowered to the water as Nyota spoke, and she listened with interest whilst examining her sandy coat, and noticing a patch of dirt on her face. She raised her paw and licked it, rubbing it up against her face to wipe off the dirt while she pondered what Nyota meant. Clearly, they had abundant resources that the other prides might have been jealous of, if they knew about them of course. Something that worried Duara, and something that other prides had that they themselves did not, was a King. Her eyes locked onto Nyota and she could see the worry swimming in Nyota's own.

Duara knew why, for it was the same reason why she herself worried. A rogue lion, or a lion who was without power would hear of this and seek out their pride for the taking, but Duara was determined not to let that happen. This was Nyota's land, Nyota's tribe and no lion could take it from her. Though the other lionesses worried and gossiped about whether a lion would be good for them or not, Duara was positive that whatever Nyota saw fit was what was good and right for them.

Duara smiled at her laugh, turning her body away from the water so that it was facing Nyota. Duara was normally very calm and placid, but today she felt playful and she felt that though Nyota looked happy to be in her presence, she still needed cheering up. This was a job that Duara took upon herself. "I have come looking for you. You often wander off." Duara told her friend, flopping down in front of her and rolling onto her back. She lifted up a paw and playfully batted Nyota on the head.

Nyota watched as her friend flopped down on the dirt floor before her, a thin brow arching. She swatted at Duara's offending paw gently, a giggle escaping unconsciously. It reminded her of their younger days, years ago when they were still cubs. Even then, life had not been carefree, with the constant threat of attack from marauding prides. Their enemies had been slaughtered, along with many members of their own families, but the peace that followed was uneasy. Nyota knew the others sensed it, and at times was at a loss for a solution when some of the females suggested she find a suitable mate. If there wasn't one to be found within her own pride, than the young queen simply wasn't interested.

In response to her inquiry, Duara pointed out the fact that Nyota had occasionally made herself scarce. "You're right," she admitted easily. "Not long ago, actually, I went far into the neutral territory that touches the northern border." This was the first she had admitted to anyone about leaving the Lowlands, but her sandy pelted friend had been her sole confidant for as long as she could remember, and no secrets were kept between the two. "I met a lion claiming to be king of the Coldlands there. If such a place exists, it is far from us. Besides, I told him I was a rogue." She offered the last comment before Duara could point out that it had all been terribly unsafe.

Neither lioness was the type to make irrational decisions, but Nyota had a feeling her friend would not be pleased with her secret. The young queen herself wasn't entirely certain how to explain her actions, and now that she had spilled the information, she was beginning to doubt herself. Still, her expression was one of quiet confidence, and she sat down beside where Duara was resting, awaiting the other's response.

Duara smiled when Nyota swatted away her own paw in a gentle movement, the giggle leaving her lips making Duara feel satisfied, and smug in her victory. IT was times like these when she remembered the days of their childhood, that had been lived much like they were living now, in constant fear of something they knew was coming, but could never place exactly when. Their times as cubs had been haunted by threat of attack, and now they were haunted yet again by the threat of an attack.

Duara rolled off of her back and sat up, staring at Nyota with a dissaproving frown. Though Nyota assured her that she had informed this King of the 'Coldlands' she was a rogue, Duara was still dissapproval. "Nyota, you know of the dangers beyond these lands. What if he had followed you, seeing through your lie? He could've taken our- your land from your paws! The other females deem it wise to have a male leader, but I disagree. I am most upset." Duara lowered her head and scratched her claws against the earth.

Duara could see it, the images flashing through her mind. A foreign lion discovering their secret lands, and also finding out that they held no King, only a Queen. She could imagine him gathering his pride and charging their herd, taking everything from them and stripping Nyota of what she truly deserved. It made Duara angry and distraught, for she did not believe it was right to take what is not yours.

Her gaze fell guiltily as Duara sat up, no longer amused and clearly unhappy with what Nyota had shared. Her instinctual response, had she not caught herself, would have been to yell out Don't tell!... But who was there left to tell? They were no longer cubs, and though at times she seemed to forget it, there was no one in the jungle with more power than Nyota. "I knew you would be upset with me. He didn't follow, I am certain of that. He doesn't have a clue where I came from." This was not exactly true, because Nyota had fibbed she was a rogue from the jungle, but she hadn't seen the harm in it at the time.

"His pride has no lionesses, though, or so he claimed. He even tried to get me to follow him back." The idea brought about another chuckle, and she shook her head. The Coldlander king had been more than willing to allow the so-called vagabond to join, knowing nothing about her save a fake name. Desperate times, she supposed. "You shouldn't worry so." Mismatched eyes met Duara's indigo stare with an imploring look, as if to ask for forgiveness, though she never offered an apology for putting herself at risk. Nyota was not one for saying sorry, but Duara knew her well enough to understand, she hoped.

It was the Pridelands that made the young queen nervous, far more than the snowy young king from the mountainous regions. Still, Nyota assumed they were relatively safe there. The Lowlanders were well familiarized with their jungle home, and though rogues did occasionally pass through the area, most others were unaware of the lush kingdom's existence. Sensing Duara's frustration towards her, Nyota suddenly pounced for her friend, attempting to pin her down playfully. "Come on, don't you trust me?" A big, wide, and obviously feigned 'innocent' smile then crossed her creamy muzzle.

Duara sighed in response to Nyota's statement that she had known that Duara would be upset with her. Duara frowned, for how could she not be upset? Nyota had risked being taken, and Duara would have been lost without her, for Nyota meant the world to her. Truly, Nyota was the only thing she had left, and she wasn't sure if Nyota had realised how important she was just yet.

Duara growled whilst Nyota chuckled. The thought of someone taking her made Duara's lip curl and she took a moment to calm herself down enough to relax out of her defensive position. Duara ducked her head and sighed, her paw twitching slightly. "I know I shouldn't, but you always make me worrisome." Duara grumbled, scratching at the ground with one of her paws. She looked up into Nyota's unique and rare yet beautiful eyes and saw the apology within them, nodding her head as if to accept it non-verbally. She knew how Nyota was not one to apologise.

Duara let out a sound of surprise as Nyota pounced on her, playfully pinning her to the ground as she asked if Duara trusted Nyota. Duara growled back and pushed Nyota down so that Duara was pinning her to the ground. Leaning down, Duara nuzzled her head against Nyota's before releasing her with a smile. "Of course I do, I just worry is all."

Now Duara sounded faintly like her mother would if she was still alive, chastising Nyota for doing something that, in retrospect, did seem rather foolish. Still, she pretended not to see just how bothered Duara was by the situation, ignoring her growl. Nyota was not normally a risk taker, but the two had gotten themselves into their fair share of mischief in their days, and Nyota was usually the instigator of such misadventures. Still, it was unlike the queen to do something like that, even she would admit it.

Just as soon as Nyota had pinned her, Duara reversed the moves, and now the former peered up at the latter with a pretend growl that melted into a purr when she was nuzzled. But Nyota wasted no time slipping away from Duara, brushing away any dirt that might have been attracted to her fur. "There's something I've been thinking about." Her face returned to being serious once more, unable to forget the weight she had to bear alone for more than a few minutes. "I'm certain the others wonder, as well. What do you suppose will happen if..." Here she paused, as if trying to collect her thoughts into some logical statements that wouldn't upset her friend again. "What will become of the pride if something happens to me?"

Nyota didn't expect Duara to have an answer. It was just something she had been worrying over lately, and it was safer to express her concerns to her closest confidant than to let it eat her up inside. Her head tilted back to gaze upwards to the clear blue sky, remembering the stories she had been told years ago about the souls of the dead residing up there. She wondered if her family had made it up there yet, and what they would think of the predicament the lioness now found herself in.

Duara laughed at Nyota's purr when she nuzzled her friend in reassurance that she she wasn't mad at her. Duara thought it ridiculous, for she found it hard to be mad at anyone for very long, unless they did something to harm one that she loved. Nyota slipped away from Duara and she watched as Nyota rid herself of dirt. Deciding that was a good idea, especially on a light coat such as her own, Duara shook out her fur and gave it a quick once over. Deciding it was good enough, she turned to Nyota when she began to speak again.

Duara frowned and laid down, head resting on her paws as she thought. A look of deep thought crossed over her face as she pondered how to answer. Duara had always had an answer for Nyota's questions, and she decided that today was not going to be the first day she didn't. Understanding why Nyota would be worried over this in such times as these, where an eery calm had settled over them. A small idea appeared in her mind, and she sat up, moving over to Nyota and bumping her head against the worried looking lionesses.

"Never worry, dear Nyota. If something were to happen to you, I would protect our herd. Not that I will ever let anything happen to you." Duara's indigo eyes locked onto Nyota's mix'n'match ones, full of sincerity. She would never let anyone harm Nyota, she would die for this lioness. For the good of the herd, and for Nyota. Duara, however, was in no mood for all of this sadness, and so she playfully pushed Nyota down beneath her again and tugged on her ear.

Nyota was about to suggest that Duara take charge, should the worst happen, when her friend voiced exactly the same idea. "Are you reading my mind? Of course, that is exactly what I would want. You know nearly as much about being a queen as I do." Some could argue that Nyota didn't know all that much about being queen yet herself, but as the pride had not yet descended into total and utter chaos, she figured she must be doing something right. Did it mean either of the lionesses was prepared for the role? It was taught to the cubs that sometimes the Spirits have more in mind for the living than they can ever know. Nyota certainly had never expected to be the Lowlander's leader, but there she was, leading as best as she could.

She had no doubt that Duara meant her words, and saw no reason why her dearest friend was incapable of ruling, other than the blood the coursed through their veins. It was their biggest difference, personalities aside: Nyota was the product of generations of royal breeding, with mates picked not because of love but because the offspring would be strong and hearty. Duara's own bloodline was less dramatic, and Nyota wondered at times which was the lucky one between them.

"What if we were to find a cub to raise up? Or..." She stopped short of her next idea, which Duara would undoubtedly despise. The idea that Nyota was the last of her family was haunting her, but then, the thought of having a litter was not appealing. For this, she knew deep down her parents would be ashamed. To let their bloodline simply vanish from the face of the earth was a nightmare Nyota had to face sooner or later. "Oh, I don't know. As long as the others don't question it, having no answer is acceptable. Right?" Her voice wavered with uncertainty, searching Duara's beautiful purple eyes for reassurance.

Duara laughed at Nyota, and once her laughter had subsided she smiled warmly. It was indeed words like that that made you think that Duara and Nyota shared the same brain. Both were very similar, their ideas often the same. They held most things in common, save for their bloodline, for whilst Nyota came from generations of perfected breeding to continue her royal line, Duara's was a more casual line of blood. She held no royalty, she was just plain old Duara.

"I would be honoured." Duara grinned as she looked up at the sky, wondering what the Spirits were up too, for the lions had always preached that it was the Spirits who did what they did, and all of it was for a reason. No death, no birth, no fight went un-explained, it was all by the Spirits. She often pondered what they were planning now, and she slightly disagreed with her elders. The Spirits planned the big events, she knew and believed of that but they could not be the reason behind ever little event that happened. It simply didn't work, and Duara would disagree with anyone who said that was how it is.

Duara pondered Nyota's request, adoption or a litter? On one hand, it would be a shame to let such royal blood that ran through Nyota's veins never be carried on for more generations to come, but then the thought of a lion mating her Nyota made Duara feel sick to the stomach for some un-known reason, so she quickly cancelled that idea. Adopting and raising a cub was a brilliant idea, for it meant there was some new and fresh blood. "I think adopting a cub would be a nice time to bring in some fresh blood, hmm?"

Nyota had often wondered if the two could speak to each other without opening their mouths, if one's thoughts were somehow transferred from one mind to the other. It made it difficult to get away with anything, so confessing her thoughts to Duara came like second nature to the queen, and she was happy and grateful as ever to have her friend there when she was uncertain about herself. Duara quickly decided that adoption was the best option, which didn't surprise Nyota for a second. If the tables were turn and it was Duara contemplating having a litter, Nyota would have been genuinely horrified.

Still, in spite of her friend's agreement that adoption was a fine alternative, Nyota remained unconvinced. She could only imagine the look on her father's face if she were to turn up with some random, unknown cub, trying to pass it off as his grandchild. He would never have accepted a stranger's cub as one of his own regal family members. Her mother, too, would have gone mad to think her daughter had no desire to continue the bloodline. Wasn't it natural for a lioness to want a mate and to pass on her genes to a new generation? Those worries made Nyota doubt herself.

"Did I mention the lion I met was white as a ghost? Pure white, from head to toe. It was remarkable." She didn't mean to fixate on the Coldlander king she had met while away, and quickly realized it was probably a mistake to bring the topic up again. Clearing her throat, she quickly tried to change the subject before Duara could question her interest in the male... If it could be called that, anyway. "Haven't you ever been curious about what else is out there? I know our parents lectured on the savagery of the other prides, but one must wonder from time to time."

Duara sensed the hesitance in Nyota, as she had suspected she would. To give up all of that hard work her ancestors had put in to succeeding in making Nyota's line as perfect as possible, having the strongest, most beautiful cubs as well. To throw it all away was a hard decision, but Nyota did not ever seem as the type to want to have a litter, for she had never been overly interested in men. With a soft sigh, Duara stepped forwards and nudged Nyota.

"Of course, the choice is not up to me, dear Nyota." Duara could feel that horrible feeling in her stomach again at the horrific thought that Nyota made bear a litter with a lion, and when Nyota started talking about that lion she had met before Duara took a step back with confusion splayed across her features.

Rather quickly, Nyota had changed the subject away from him again, but Duara would not drop it. She felt a snarl escape her lips, but she could not help it. "I beg forgiveness if I have mis-interpreted, but you wish to bear a litter to that lion from the so called 'Coldlands?" Duara snarled again, ears flattened against her head as she awaited her answer, but then decided to answer Nyota's second question.

"Of course I have. Perhaps, one day, the two of us can explore. I would feel much better being with you out there than having you wander off alone."

Nyota simply shook her head in response to Duara's question about the Coldlander. It wasn't likely she'd find the male again, even if she wanted to, and she struggled to ignore the feeling that it would be wrong. Still, he claimed to be the sole monarch of his own pride. The cubs produced from such an affair would be of royal lineage on both sides of the family, and the idea was indeed tempting to Nyota. Perhaps it was her duty as a queen. Most would reason that it was a queen's purpose to make heirs, but she struggled with it regardless.

Duara would go along with whatever Nyota said and she knew it, but her friend growled at the idea of the male, and her ears had folded back. It was the sure sign of one unhappy lioness, and Nyota's own ears dipped backwards at the sincere reaction of Duara's body language. "How could I do it? It would seem too strange. No male in the jungle is suitable, and I know no other lions." She shook her head, trying to dismiss the subject from her own brain. Now was not the right time to make such an important decision, but at least she knew where Duara stood on the subject.

At the suggestion that the pair explore together, Nyota chuckled under her breath. She couldn't picture Duara away from the trees and the vines they had grown up beneath, but then, Duara would not have suspected Nyota would do the same. "I must say, it is interesting out there, for lack of a better word. The ground is drier, and the trees are all different. It's rather ugly, to be frank." What else could she say about the world beyond to someone who had never dreamt of going there? It was very different from what they were used to, and no precisely what Nyota strived for. She was happy in her jungle home.

Duara frowned as she thought about it, resting on her back as she flicker her tail around and her eyes followed it, thoughts running through her head. If this lion that she had met truly was a King, than his and her blood would be most appreciated by her deceased parents if they were alive, and Duara sighed. Though she disliked the idea of Nyota mating with a lion that she knew nothing of, wasn't it duty as Queen to do so?

Duara nodded in agreement, feeling that it would indeed be strange to mate with one that you hardly know. Rolling onto her stomach, Duara pushed herself up again and sat down, her tail curling around her as she searched the skies, as if expecting them to hold the answer that she sought out. "I know not of what to do, though as I dislike the idea, mating with him would be what you are expected as a Queen to do." Duara let her eyes drop back down to the ground as she admitted this.

Duara smiled at Nyota, fully agreeing with what she was saying. From a distance she had spied the lands that were not her homelands, and she had not held any fondness for them. They were dry, dusty, bare, boring and plain looking, but perhaps exploring would be the right thing to do. "Indeed they are."

Nyota was going to do whatever she thought was right, regardless of what Duara thought about it. She knew it would disappoint her friend if the queen decided to go through with it, and Nyota would likely leave without the other's noticing, if she were to go through with it. The idea made her feel sick as well, from nervous anticipation and perhaps a touch of actual disgust at the thought of letting the male near her, but as Duara pointed out, it was expected of her. "You would help though, wouldn't you? If it were to happen?"

But how would she convince the white lion to accept her? More importantly, how would she manage to flee without him following? It would require more consideration on Nyota's part, but the idea was now planted firmly, and she knew Duara would go along with whatever happened next. It didn't take a mind reader to see that the idea still bothered her, and Nyota hated to see Duara looking so glum. She rose to her paws, inching over to the river's edge again to take a drink. How fortunate they were to have the river, she thought to herself.

It seemed clear that Duara did not have an ounce of enthusiasm for the neighboring territories, and Nyota felt oddly relieved at the notion. It meant her friend would remain in the Lowlands, safe for the time being. "During this time of peace, I've found myself growing restless. That's why I've gone away. Perhaps I'm simply not accustomed to life without the constant threat of war." Peering back to Duara, she attempted to grin, but it was obviously forced.

Duara could envision the clogs in Nyota's mind whirring around as she thought about what to do, and Duara sensed that Nyota was struggling with a part of it. She began to think about a plan, so that they could get Nyota mated, but without him keeping her and finding her once she had left. When asked if she would help, Duara nodded un-enthusiastically, but with a thoughtful look. "Of course I would. I think the hard part would be getting you out of there." Duara frowned as she thought about it.

Duara realised that she would have to be there to help smuggle Nyota out, and that thought made her sick. Looking at Nyota right after she had done that would be horrible, but she had to do it for her friends sake and for their Lowlands sake. She sighed as she crouched down, thinking hard. "I will have to distract him, perhaps. Cause trouble whilst you escape. And don't even think about saying no just because I may get caught, you know I won't."

Duara nodded her head in agreement. "Actually, I probably won't explore. I'm quite content here, for now." Duara sensed that Nyota would rather she didn't wander, and so she made a note to wander by herself, but not very far. Just to the edge of their boundaries to look around.

Though Duara's reactions were to be expected, it still disappointed Nyota. It wasn't as if the young queen wanted to do it, truly, and she hoped her friend understood that. Nyota had never been especially maternal, though some instinct was likely to exist within her, she was never overtly gentle or motherly. Between the two, Nyota assumed the other would be better at the whole motherhood prospect, though she kept it to herself. She could see it would take a little more convincing to warm her up to the idea totally, but there was time enough for that.

Duara's offer to help and distract was met with a stern look from Nyota, who shook her head 'no' firmly at the suggestion. It was a crazy idea to begin with, and putting her friend in harm's way was out of the question. While she knew Duara would do nearly anything she asked of her, the thought of Duara being involved in the mess made Nyota cringe. No, it was much more likely that the queen would leave without warning the other lioness, even though she hated to be sneaky. "I will have to give the matter further consideration, but I do believe it will be best if you stay here when the time comes. I am more concerned about a Lowlander following than the white lion." This was not exactly true, but Nyota was certain she could handle herself, and a confident smile appeared on her muzzle as if to prove it.

"I am certain he will never find the jungle, and it is a big kingdom, besides." Duara had suggested she wouldn't explore beyond the borders after all, claiming to be content... For now. A thin brow arched over Nyota's emerald eye as she repeated, "For now?" A frown appeared at the suggestion that Duara might someday desire to go elsewhere.

Duara frowned when Nyota suggested that she would stay behind - well, more informed her that she was to stay behind. This was not something that Duara would do, however. There were many things that Duara would do, Nyota need only ask, but let Nyota run off and mate with a lion, then perhaps bring him back to their Pride without realising it was not something she let the Queen do. It was to risky, for if the lion knew of a Pride full of lionesses and no King, no males even, he would surely be greedy and claim them all for his own.

It was something Duara often worried herself over. If Scar was to ever find out of their existence, they were surely doomed - exiled if they denied him, but to live in horror if they went with him. The thought of having to bare cubs to Scar made Duara shudder slightly, and Nyota mating with Scar was too much. She felt sick to the stomach again, and she wondered why Nyota mating with a male was such a repulsive thought to her.

Nyota questioned Duara's, for now, and Duara smiled, deciding not to respond to the question but instead rubbing her head against Nyota's in a gentle manner. "Do not worry your pretty head over it, dear Nyota. I will take care of your problems, and should this white lion ever find us, I will deal with him also."

Nyota forced a smile, nodding once in acknowledgement of her friend's words. It was a nice gesture, and Nyota wished that she could believe it would be so easy to maintain their way of life in the jungle, but even Duara's reassurance was not enough to set the young queen's mind at ease. Necessity was the queen's mistress, and royal logic dictated that the throne would never be safe from outside influences until a suitable heir was produced.

Now more than ever, Nyota wished her two older brothers were still alive, so that it would not be up to her to ensure the family's future. She had never really desired to be the monarch of her family's natal pride, had never dreamed that she would someday find herself in this situation, but her longing for the return of her lost kin was all in vain. With every passing day, she tried her hardest to keep their memory alive and to do them proud. But every new day brought new challenges, and the powerful voice of her father was beginning to fade in her own mind. The idea of losing them forever was horrifying. She was the last in her family, a long, proud line of kings, and if there was something she could do to change that, she saw no other way.

In spite of the risks involved, Nyota's mind had been up during her conversation with Duara, despite how it would ultimately affect her dearest friend to find the queen missing one morning. She had fallen silent now, seemingly lost in her thoughts, but finally snapped out of it as she stood to nuzzle the other lioness before turning away from the river. "I know you will stand by my side, no matter what comes next, Duara. For that, I am more grateful than I could ever express aloud."

With a sincere smile, the queen began to step in the direction that Duara had come, back towards where they would find the rest of their pride. She wouldn't utter a word of her plan to procreate to any of the others. After all, Nyota was queen. Her word was law, and her decisions were hers alone to make.

Duara nodded her head as Nyota spoke. "You need not be grateful, Nyota. You know as well as I do that I would do any thing you ask of me." A smile appeared on Duara's dark muzzle. Her nose twitched as she breathed in the scent of the world around her, it was a wonderful scent. She sighed, for she knew that soon she may have the scent, and the jungle itself taken away from her.

The fear built inside her everyday, and a feeling of dread and anticipation. She knew what was to come, she knew that one day their secret life would escape and Scar would get wind of it. A pride of lionesses would greatly interest Scar, and he would come for their lands - perhaps even claim this land as his own when he saw how wonderful it was here.

A plan had already started to form in Duara's mind, a devious plan in case Scar ever discovered them. For the lion, it would be difficult to pick his way through the jungle. The lionesses knew it well, and she knew that each of them could use this to their advantage, attacking him whilst he wandered. He would most likely bring his best fighters with him, but Duara was confident that her and the others would be able to defeat Scar if they used their knowledge of the jungle well.

Duara stood up also, returning the nuzzle to Nyota, and followed the Queen as they began to return back to the others. She turned her head to face Nyota, wondering whether she should voice her plan to Nyota just yet, but she decided against it. Nyota had other matters on her mind for now, and Duara did not wish to trouble her friend.