Glorious Return

Ni walked along the shadowed path with the brute of a hyena Kuvuka, learning everything about what Scar had been doing. He had taken a queen with the name of Zira and they had just bore a cub. The prince was slightly pleased to hear that the cub was small like his previous son Kifu, but it also troubled the male. Would Scar keep mating until he produced a perfect son? And what of his current children, would they be forgotten once he had achieved this goal? Currently the Shadowlanders could do nothing but wait and see, for they didn't have the numbers yet.

As the two talked, Kuvuka heard a slight howl of excitement from the hyenas of his pack in the distance. If the old brute didn't respond soon, then the whole operation would be blown. Alas, the dark pelted canine stayed for a moment longer to give his goodbyes to the prince, bowing slowly and noting that the tyrant would soon be defeated. Ni took that with a grain of salt, who could overthrow such a tyrant as 'King' Scar? The russet male didn't even think to see what he was doing with his lands! The Shadowlands were like this and would almost always be, but the Pridelands were something else. They were a place of hope, and that title was slowly being taken by the Lowlands.

As Kuvuka dissapeared into the distance, Ni padded around the Elephant Graveyard, kicking the bones out of his path as he did so. There wasn't anything to do for Kazi's training wasn't on this day nor was Kimondo around to bug. The king of the Shadowlands had gone off about a month ago and hadn't returned yet, leaving Ni in charge. The prince hoped that his older brother was doing something rather important and not hurt. But it would only be a matter of time before something did happen and Ni might be forced to take the throne.

[[Your title made me sqee x3 ]]


Abuto had to congratulate herself to some extent. In the months between her run in with the king of the Pridelands and the encounter with the rogue Korofi just now, her demeanor had shifted. Even though it wasn’t a major change, any shift from the lonely, lost, confused, lack of self-everything adolescent was an improvement. She thought she had handled Korofi rather well, for a newly of-age lioness, even if the rogue had still sent chills down her spine and caused her to worry about more than just her physical well-being. But where she had fled from Scar and his hyenas in a panicked haze, the russet rogue had managed to think through her escape from the male rogue.

Still, his roar still echoed in her head, promising future terrors neither fully understood at the time. Abuto shivered at the thought, thinking once more it may be best to leave the life of a rogue behind her now. Nyota had warned her that life would be more difficult once she was of age -- and she was right. The lioness was lucky this time, being hunted close enough to the boarders of Ni’s lands to seek safety and meeting Korofi while he was weak and she was well-rested. She had had the upper-hand, if only momentarily, but it had been enough. But that would probably never happen again, and Abuto decided it was best not to test fate as she slowed to a trot inside the boarders of the Shadowlands.

While the Shadowlands were certainly not the most prosperous of places, it was cooler than the Desertlands (and has less threat of the sandstorms she had witnessed from the safety of her cave -- even then the power of the storms frightened her), and didn’t hold the same dark feeling that oozed from the Pridelands. The Lowlands were very wet and green, and Abuto had to admit she would love to visit there again and see how Nyota was doing, but something about the Lowlands felt off to the little rogue. Something was still missing there, the more she entertained the idea of returning.

Abuto remembered the Shadowland prince’s hospitality from months ago, and wondered if he would still extend the same compassionate paw he had then. Part of her (which still harbored a low opinion of herself, despite her growth) wondered if Ni would remember her at all. Though she hadn’t changed much -- a bit taller, perhaps better proportioned, a tad less cubbish than before, though her spots still lingered with no sign of leaving -- but that may not matter at all. The lioness wasn’t sure, but tried not to think too much about it, knowing she could worry up a storm quicker than the weather.

A series of howls and barks from somewhere in the distance caused the rogue to freeze, pressing close to the ground. She remembered the way the hyenas had snapped at her legs and tail, and the few run ins she had with them before the Pridelands as well. But they seemed far enough off, and she also remembered how some were on the Shadowlander’s side. Hopefully the hyenas would either mean no harm, or be far enough away that they would bring none. Abuto was not a lioness who understood the politics of the lands very well, at least not while she was so preoccupied with simply surviving, so she wasn’t quite sure what had happened, but hoped whatever it was would not negatively affect her nor her few friends (though Korofi’s taunt about being completely alone made her wonder if she really had friends and just not lions she had met in passing).

Checking over her shoulder once more, Abuto was now sure Korofi had long since given up chase so she slowed to an easy walk. Which was good because if she had to run across this new terrain, littered with bones, she would no doubt trip in a matter of seconds and land right on her face and receive a few more scars along with everything else that marred her pelt. The area appeared to be a graveyard, filled with long, yellow and white bones that stuck up at different angles. Curious, Abuto’s dark green gaze swept over the landscape briefly before climbing around a particularly large bone, following the skeleton until she reached the front. A giant white face with sharp tusks and dark voids for eyes stared back at her and Abuto yelped, jumping away, sure it was a ghost or demon.

”It’s just a elephant’s skull...” Abuto sighed to herself, mentally berating her cowardish tendencies. Shaking her head, she turned and started off again, nose to the air to try and find the pride before they found her, worried they would run her off if she didn’t give an explanation first. The echo of a rolling bone caught her ears and she flinched, glancing around, hoping whoever caused the bone to be misplaced was not a foe. But a familiar scent encouraged her to perk up and slink around another skull (which was still rather scary, if you asked her) with her ears up.

“Ni!” Her demeanor shifted drastically, a smile spreading over her features, ears up, and body no longer meekishly pressed against the ground. The spotted lioness trotted up to the prince with a bounce in her step, unable to keep the smile off her face. “It’s been a while!”

It had been quiet except for the padding of the golden prince, there was nothing to do and nothing to say. But all of the sudden, he heard his name being called out. The voice made him stop in his tracks, it was familiar, all too familiar. "Abuto?" He questioned this to himself softly, had the rogue truly entered the Shadowlands once more? But when the prince heard soft padding of paws, he turned around and smiled. "Abuto!" This time he proclaimed her name louder and clearer, his new found friend had returned to their barren wasteland of a kingdom and was quickly approaching.

Ni jogged quickly to the lioness and met her head on, his smile not fading one bit. The prince placed his paw on Abuto's forearm and embraced her in a hug. She had grown considerably since the last time he saw her, even more so since she was a rogue! "Long time no see! You've grown a lot!" His regal attitude had since been forgotten as he looked his friend over, she was now a full-fledged adult now and even though she still wore her spots, she looked the part. And now Ni worried, it was good to see his friend and all, but something must of happened.

"Why did you come back Abuto? Did something happen? Or did you just want to see little old me?" The last phrase hit Ni like a bag of bricks, he was now just a month shy of 7 years of age and he wasn't getting any younger. Soon he would be too old to mate or anything, and unless Kimondo came back, he'd end up being a king with no heir. But he shook off that thought, listening to only what Abuto had to say about her journey and why she had returned to the lands that he resided.

The lioness was thrilled he called out her name in return. She had worried the lion wouldn’t even remember her from her last visit, but those fears dissipated with his greeting. Better yet -- he was happy to see her! Ni jogged right up to her and pulled her into an embrace, which she returned whole-heartedly. “It’s so good to see you again!” Abuto exclaimed honestly, realizing now how much she had missed the older lion. At the mention at her growth, Abuto looked down sheepishly. If she could blush, her face would be like a tomato. “Really?” She glanced at her side with a small frown, “Except for these spots...” But she cast him another smile, “You look great too!” The lioness perked back up at his question, laughing a bit. “Of course I wanted to see you again! You’re my friend,” She faltered momentarily, Korofi’s taunts still echoing in her mind, “Right?”

”Kind of,” Abuto admitted, glancing sheepishly away before back to him. “I’d been trying to figure out what to for a while, staying near the Stone Dias -- that place is really nice, even despite the threat of sandstorms -- and, uhm...” The lioness’s gaze fell again, staring at her dusty paws. “Another rogue chased me off. Or well, I ran away from him when he... started looking at me. And then I...” She took a breath, glancing up at him. “I thought being a rogue might expand my horizons, and I have seen different lands and met several others, but the rogue life is not for me, not for the long-haul. And whenever I think about where I should make my home...” Her eyes flicked around between them and the landscape as she tried to get her words out, her paw nudging at a random dirt clod awkwardly. “Um, is the option to stay here still open? I-I don’t have to stay for long if you don’t want me to!” She added quickly, her hearth fluttering with worry and embarrassment.

Then she noticed the worried look didn’t leave his face, and she frowned slightly. “What’s the matter? Are you okay? Is something wrong with the pride?” Abuto worried she may have come at a bad time, and would cause only trouble for the Shadowlanders now, and that was certainly the last thing she wanted. But she was so happy to see Ni again, that she wasn’t sure she would be able to leave if they wanted her to. Nor did she want to be a bother, so she awaited his answers with baited breath.

Ni growled slightly, "Stop worrying about your spots Abuto, I'm telling you, they make you look very pretty," But when the lioness wondered if Ni was her friend, he cocked his eyebrow. "Of course I am Abuto, who would have said otherwise? Did some stupid lion get into your head? I'll kill 'em if they made you think that!" The spotted russet female was truly Ni's only friend in the Shadowlands outside of his brother. But with Kimondo somewhere else, Ni only had Kazi for companionship and that was usually only for training.

Ni listened closely and didn't interrupt as he pictured the places where his friend had been. She had been at the Stone Dias? Ni smiled, surely she would have met some other females during her time there. But the prince's eyes widened and his claws unsheathed momentarily when he had heard that some rogue looked at her. Abuto was still a tad bit younger than most adult lionesses but the fact that some scum wanted to mate her so early in life was inconceivable. But he was relieved when Abuto asked about staying in the barren wastelands that Ni had called home, "Of course Abuto! You're always allowed here!"

But then the prince was asked on what was wrong. Ni sighed and looked to the ground, "Kimondo left a month ago on royal business and hasn't been back since. So, technically I'm in charge until he gets back. It's really stressful, I only hope he's alright, he's the only family I have left now," Ni didn't laminate on how he didn't want to be king, but he knew that it was only a matter of time before he would have to claim the throne. Ni had just found his older brother and he didn't want to lose him again, nor could he imagine life without him. But Ni would have to wait and see, maybe he could have Abuto as a sister? Little did he knew, Abuto would be so much more.

Abuto’s ears drooped a bit at his good-natured chastisement and she looked down, somewhat embarrassed. Her spots had been one of the sources of her problems, as well as a continuous physical reminder of the insults and mockings she had endured, and it was still hard to view them as anything else other than reminders of her uselessness, even with the handful of compliments they had received. The doubt that the spots made her all but pretty was even fresher due to Korofi’s recent taunts, so the lioness wasn’t sure how to handle Ni’s complimenting rebuke. “I’m sorry, I’ll try to stop worrying,” she said softly, not wanting to annoy the older lion. But rewiring her brain was hard, and would take her some time.

But the lioness perked up when he confirmed that he was her friend, and she looked back up at him with a smile, only to glance to side again at the mention of the lion who made her think as such. “Nono, don’t worry about, he’s probably long gone anyway. And it’s my own fault, I shouldn’t have let him make me think you didn’t like me.” She smiled sheepishly up at the lion. Even if Abuto’s opinion of herself had been higher, she still wouldn’t have realize just how much she meant to Ni, but was starting to realizing how much he meant to her. When he said she was allowed to stay, Abuto felt ready to faint from relief, but managed to remain upright, a huge smile in place once more. She wouldn’t have to worry about finding a safe place to sleep every night, or other rogues and other creatures waiting to take advantage of her in more ways than one, or worrying about lions from other lands not welcoming her as she searched for food and water. Even if the Shadowlands weren’t the most prosperous of lands, Abuto was more than ready to call them home.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” Abuto couldn’t keep the cubbish excitement from her voice as she bounced up a bit on her front paws. “I won’t be too much trouble at all, I promise!” She was far more excited about the return to Ni -- er, the Shadowlands -- than she had anticipated, but she wasn’t going to argue such a positive emotion. But her face fell at the mention of the missing king, who wasn’t “officially” missing, but the tone in Ni’s voice made the new Shadowlander worry. “Oh Ni, I’m sorry,” The lioness moved closer to nuzzle the golden lion’s neck. “I’m sure things will work out, he’s probably just traveling a lot.” She hoped to comfort him, knowing the pain of losing a loved one, and hoping his brother wouldn’t be truly lost. She pulled back to smile at him, her tone soft, “But hey, at least you’re not alone anymore.”

Ni's mind was set at ease when he was told that the male who had looked at Abuto was long gone and he chuckled when she thanked him profusely. "It's no problem Abuto, I'd rather have you here than anywhere else," The prince smiled and nuzzled his friend softly in a friend like manner, unknowing what the events ahead for them would tell. When Abuto said she wouldn't be too much trouble Ni whined cubbishly and chuckled, "Awe Abuto, but I thought we could get in so much trouble together," Ni raised a paw to his mane and pushed in back slightly as if to remind himself that he was an adult, not a cub.

But Ni went silent when Abuto tried to reassure the prince, and he sighed when she mentioned Kimondo was probably traveling. "I hope so, I mean," But that was all that Ni would say just not to worry about his brother too much and steer away from the conversation that he and his friend were having. A wide grin came upon Ni's face when Abuto reminded that he wasn't alone anymore and he nodded, "Yeah, I'm not alone anymore," The male had never had a true friend before, Nala and Kula and the rest of the Prideland cubs were never really his friends, just acquaintances. But now he had a real friend that he could laugh and play and run around with! But Ni sighed and put on an unamused face and stood tall.

"As Prince of the Shadowlands, I Ni, proclaim you Abuto, as a member of the Shadowland Pride. You are expected to protect the royal family at all costs and to uphold the alliance between canine and hyena that the Shadowlanders have obtained," the prince muttered something under his breath and sighed, "Yeah I think that's it, I can't remember anything, haven't inducted a new member in months," Ni chuckled and placed his paw upon the female's and turned to the lands where he lived. He nodded towards a lone lioness who had seemed to hear the commotion between the two lions and she scurried off to the dens to alert the pride of the newcomer. "Well Abuto, welcome to the Shadowlands. You are home,"

Abuto couldn’t help but laugh at the idea of getting into trouble with Ni. She had never been one to cause any purposeful trouble, mostly because she caused enough by accident as it was (or at least was blamed for anything bad happening), but now, with Ni, the idea didn’t seem so horrible as it would’ve been before. “Trouble?” The lioness raised her head with a joking smirk, “Trouble’s my second name.” She said, trying to keep a straight face, but soon laughed at the absurdity of it. Her, getting into trouble purposefully? She couldn’t even wrap her head around it. “I think life should be enough of an adventure,” she laughed softly, not realizing how true her words were for their future. “But we can definitely still race,” Abuto said with a playful grin, knowing she would most likely not win any such thing against Ni, but thinking it fun regardless.

Then Ni stood up taller, and declared her an official Shadowlander in a deeper, very official tone, which Abuto found a curious change from his norm. But she stood up taller as well, or rather, more proper. She tried to keep a solemn face on for such an important induction, but found herself giggling again when his tone returned to normal and laughed himself. The small lioness wasn’t sure how she would protect the royal family (getting into enough trouble trying to protect herself), nor how she would manage this still strange alliance between lion and hyena (she still had many memories of various attacks, chases, harassments, and kills being stolen from her thanks to them) but she understood the importance, even if she was still blurry on the politics behind it. And if it was important to the Shadowlanders, important to Ni, then she would do her best to do all that was required of her. She didn’t want to let anyone else down ever again.

Her chest swelled with unfamiliar pride at the admission into the Shadowland Pride. Her smile grew as Ni placed his paw over hers, nodding towards another lioness racing off with the news. “Home,” she repeated softly, the sentiment strange but causing another surge of happiness within her heart. She had never really knew what home was. The only time she had felt home was when she was with her mother, but Abuto had never fully comprehended that until she was already gone. Her pride hadn’t been her home, they had made that clear enough to her, and her lone travels across multiple lands and still proven to her that home was more complicated than simply a place. Even the beautiful Lowlands didn’t give her that feeling. The only thing close was at the Dias near the Desertlands, where she thought she had felt her mother’s presence stronger than any time after her death. But that was short lived, another indication (in hindsight) that she needed to put the past behind her and forge ahead, and not simply in blind wandering either. She needed a purpose.

The Shadowlands themselves were a barren land, but somehow that didn’t matter to Abuto. The young lioness looked from Ni to the other lions as they began leaving their dens to see what was happening. She glanced up into the sky, and while she couldn’t see any lion in its depths like some believed, the former rogue felt a peace was over her. A carefully held image of her mother smiling reappeared in her mind, and suddenly the concept of home no longer seemed so complicated. Here, with Ni at her side, it would be okay. She could look ahead to her future, her future as a Shadowlander. Yes, Abuto was finally home.