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The Quiet Before the Storm part 8

Four years later, Prince Ahadi was hanging out with Nyonda, Uru, and Zuzu by the border one day when they saw some dark gray lions approaching in the distance. The Primce turned to Zuzu. "Can you go tell Dad that it looks like the WindingLanders are here?"

The bird straightened up. "No problem, 'hadi!" She flapped off quickly, leaving the three lions to greet the newcomers. The three dark-pelted lionesses soon reached the border. They bowed their heads stiffly to the PrideLanders, who responded in turn. The oldest among them, a very dark lioness with icy blue eyes, rumbled, "May the spirits of those gone guide you."

Prince Ahadi knew that the Winding Stream Tribes had different beliefs than those of the Prides, but his political skills were a little rusty ever since Mohatu had shifted his focus to teaching Nyeusi. The Pribce wasn't sure what the correct response was. He hesitated before starting to answer, but Uru beat him to it. "And may the stars and the waters lay your path clear before you." Ahadi turned to the former rogue in surprise. In the four years that he'd known her, the scruffy lioness had shown great political knowledge and cunning. Despite everything she'd told him about life as a rogue he sensed that there was something more that this lioness was holding back.

The dark-pelted lioness looked at Uru with a smile that Ahadi felt rarely graced the tough lioness's features. "I am Daaya'a, and this is Busaa'asuuf," she gestured to the massive gray-brown male on her right, "and Folloqa," she motioned to a skinny gray female on her right.

Ahadi recognized her name and gave the lioness a short bow. "Welcome, Seer of the WindingLands." The WindingLands was a large Nation composed of a bunch of smaller tribes, and the Seer was their collective spiritual leader. She read the signs that spirits left and was the most connected with the spirit world of all in the WindingLands. For all purposes, she was the leader of the largest Pride in Africa. To meet her face-to-face was an honor.

In the jaws of the lioness beside her was a small she-cub far paler in color than any of the other WindingLanders. The she-cub looked terrified, a little gray, trembling ball of fur with wide, scared eyes. Ahadi supposed that this must be Shari, Nyeusi's new betrothed, but he didn't spare her more than a glance.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the massive male by Seer Daaya'a's side, the one called Bussaa'asuuf. The WindingLands used scars to mark the rank of each of their members. Bussaa'asuuf was the most heavily scarred lion Ahadi had ever seen. He bore scars on his lips, shoulders, hips, all four paws, and under his eyes. Ahadi's own scars were his greatest source of shame but the WindingLanders wore theirs with pride and saw them as representative of the honor of their rank. Ahadi couldn't understand it. How could you be proud of something so disfiguring, so painful and vicious? Try as he might he couldn't keep his eyes off the heavily scarred creature.

King Mohatu finally arrived, led by Zuzu. The King gave Seer Daaya'a a respectful nod that was quickly returned and nodded to the cub. "Is this Shari?"

Daaya'a took the cub from her pridemate's jaws and set the trembling ball of fur on the ground before Mohatu's paws. "Yes, this is my daughter." She dipped her head. "Every sign since her birth has shown me that her destiny lies beyond the borders of our lands. Your need for a betrothal for your son is the perfect arrangement. The spirits have arranged this well."

Ahadi shifted uncomfortably. The WindingLanders were quite devout in their beliefs of the spirits of deceased lions shaping the events of the world. It was awkward to have beliefs that differed with his mentioned in a way that expected agreement. He settled with a polite nod, which was copied by the other PrideLanders. King Mohatu smiled warmly. "We are glad to welcome Shari into our Pride. I assure you she will be well cared for."

Seer Daaya'a nodded agreeably. "I would not have let you take her if I believed otherwise." The lioness cast her daughter a warm glance before dipping her head a final time. "Good day to you, King of the PrideLands. May the spirits be kind to you." She and her Tribemates turned and padded away, back to their own lands, leaving the Seer's Daughter behind in her new home.

Much had changed in four years. Masilahi's first two years in the pride had seen her content but lonely. Now she had three friends that she was never without, a tight knit group such as she'd never had before. Nyonda was her shy little sister who was slowly becoming more confident. Zuzu was the fun, quirky friend who was always cheerful. As for Prince Ahadi, her relationship with him was an interesting one.

While they were with Zuzu and Nyonda, Masilahi really didn't interact with him that much. Whenever the two were alone, however, it led to interesting conversations.

The Prince was bitter about his parents liking their true son better than him, and she had told him that her relationship with her father had been less than cordial. The two headstrong lions often butted heads over the topic of Ahadi's parents. If the Prince got to complaining too bitterly Masilahi would counter by arguing at least his parents didn't see him as a bargaining chip as her father had. The times Masilahi mourned the passing of her mother and the false death of her father, Ahadi argued that at least she had known her parents.

The two bantered often, but there was undeniably a bond between them. They were two young lions who felt unloved by those who were supposed to be there for them. Masilahi and Ahadi knew without saying their suffering brought them closer than they could ever be with Nyonda and Zuzu. Sure, Masilahi hadn't told him the whole truth about her past, and she lived by a false name, but she felt more like herself around him than anyone else.

Ahadi carried scars with him both physical and mental. Asili attempting to murder him had left him with a lot of anger and pain. Masilahi suspected that if she, Zuzu, and Nyonda had not come along he might have succumbed to evil desires. But little by the little the Prince was letting go of his anger and learning to come to terms with what had happened. And Masilahi was determine to always be there for him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

So Shari arrives in the PrideLands and we get to learn a little more about her family. Also, Masilahi and Ahadi are starting to get along.

Description
Prologue: [link]
Previous: [link]
Next: [link]

The Quiet Before the Storm part 8

Four years later, Prince Ahadi was hanging out with Nyonda, Uru, and Zuzu by the border one day when they saw some dark gray lions approaching in the distance. The Primce turned to Zuzu. "Can you go tell Dad that it looks like the WindingLanders are here?"

The bird straightened up. "No problem, 'hadi!" She flapped off quickly, leaving the three lions to greet the newcomers. The three dark-pelted lionesses soon reached the border. They bowed their heads stiffly to the PrideLanders, who responded in turn. The oldest among them, a very dark lioness with icy blue eyes, rumbled, "May the spirits of those gone guide you."

Prince Ahadi knew that the Winding Stream Tribes had different beliefs than those of the Prides, but his political skills were a little rusty ever since Mohatu had shifted his focus to teaching Nyeusi. The Pribce wasn't sure what the correct response was. He hesitated before starting to answer, but Uru beat him to it. "And may the stars and the waters lay your path clear before you." Ahadi turned to the former rogue in surprise. In the four years that he'd known her, the scruffy lioness had shown great political knowledge and cunning. Despite everything she'd told him about life as a rogue he sensed that there was something more that this lioness was holding back.

The dark-pelted lioness looked at Uru with a smile that Ahadi felt rarely graced the tough lioness's features. "I am Daaya'a, and this is Busaa'asuuf," she gestured to the massive gray-brown male on her right, "and Folloqa," she motioned to a skinny gray female on her right.

Ahadi recognized her name and gave the lioness a short bow. "Welcome, Seer of the WindingLands." The WindingLands was a large Nation composed of a bunch of smaller tribes, and the Seer was their collective spiritual leader. She read the signs that spirits left and was the most connected with the spirit world of all in the WindingLands. For all purposes, she was the leader of the largest Pride in Africa. To meet her face-to-face was an honor.

In the jaws of the lioness beside her was a small she-cub far paler in color than any of the other WindingLanders. The she-cub looked terrified, a little gray, trembling ball of fur with wide, scared eyes. Ahadi supposed that this must be Shari, Nyeusi's new betrothed, but he didn't spare her more than a glance.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the massive male by Seer Daaya'a's side, the one called Bussaa'asuuf. The WindingLands used scars to mark the rank of each of their members. Bussaa'asuuf was the most heavily scarred lion Ahadi had ever seen. He bore scars on his lips, shoulders, hips, all four paws, and under his eyes. Ahadi's own scars were his greatest source of shame but the WindingLanders wore theirs with pride and saw them as representative of the honor of their rank. Ahadi couldn't understand it. How could you be proud of something so disfiguring, so painful and vicious? Try as he might he couldn't keep his eyes off the heavily scarred creature.

King Mohatu finally arrived, led by Zuzu. The King gave Seer Daaya'a a respectful nod that was quickly returned and nodded to the cub. "Is this Shari?"

Daaya'a took the cub from her pridemate's jaws and set the trembling ball of fur on the ground before Mohatu's paws. "Yes, this is my daughter." She dipped her head. "Every sign since her birth has shown me that her destiny lies beyond the borders of our lands. Your need for a betrothal for your son is the perfect arrangement. The spirits have arranged this well."

Ahadi shifted uncomfortably. The WindingLanders were quite devout in their beliefs of the spirits of deceased lions shaping the events of the world. It was awkward to have beliefs that differed with his mentioned in a way that expected agreement. He settled with a polite nod, which was copied by the other PrideLanders. King Mohatu smiled warmly. "We are glad to welcome Shari into our Pride. I assure you she will be well cared for."

Seer Daaya'a nodded agreeably. "I would not have let you take her if I believed otherwise." The lioness cast her daughter a warm glance before dipping her head a final time. "Good day to you, King of the PrideLands. May the spirits be kind to you." She and her Tribemates turned and padded away, back to their own lands, leaving the Seer's Daughter behind in her new home.

Much had changed in four years. Masilahi's first two years in the pride had seen her content but lonely. Now she had three friends that she was never without, a tight knit group such as she'd never had before. Nyonda was her shy little sister who was slowly becoming more confident. Zuzu was the fun, quirky friend who was always cheerful. As for Prince Ahadi, her relationship with him was an interesting one.

While they were with Zuzu and Nyonda, Masilahi really didn't interact with him that much. Whenever the two were alone, however, it led to interesting conversations.

The Prince was bitter about his parents liking their true son better than him, and she had told him that her relationship with her father had been less than cordial. The two headstrong lions often butted heads over the topic of Ahadi's parents. If the Prince got to complaining too bitterly Masilahi would counter by arguing at least his parents didn't see him as a bargaining chip as her father had. The times Masilahi mourned the passing of her mother and the false death of her father, Ahadi argued that at least she had known her parents.

The two bantered often, but there was undeniably a bond between them. They were two young lions who felt unloved by those who were supposed to be there for them. Masilahi and Ahadi knew without saying their suffering brought them closer than they could ever be with Nyonda and Zuzu. Sure, Masilahi hadn't told him the whole truth about her past, and she lived by a false name, but she felt more like herself around him than anyone else.

Ahadi carried scars with him both physical and mental. Asili attempting to murder him had left him with a lot of anger and pain. Masilahi suspected that if she, Zuzu, and Nyonda had not come along he might have succumbed to evil desires. But little by the little the Prince was letting go of his anger and learning to come to terms with what had happened. And Masilahi was determine to always be there for him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

So Shari arrives in the PrideLands and we get to learn a little more about her family. Also, Masilahi and Ahadi are starting to get along.