Royal Bonding

The king sat at Dusk Lake, contemplating everything that had happened. His cubs were growing up fast, and the pride still referred to Ilani as their queen. Everything that Kiume wanted to happened was going as planned, that is everything but one. Kiume wasn't himself, he was a shadow of his former self. Every night he dreamed about the life he could of had, but life wasn't fair. He completed his task, he obtained an heir, but at what cost? His mate was gone, and now his spirit was gone.

Zivia, the pale cub whom he had adopted. She had grown considerably and she was turning into quite the energetic cub. She was one of the best siblings that Kiume could think of for his cubs. Zivia was so gentle with her brothers and sister it was almost like she was a second mother to them. However, the thought of her being a part of the royal family concerned Kiume. No one would be able to touch her, and if something happened, she would be the back-up plan for the next ruler. But for now, she couldn't be a true heir; and the golden king hoped that she knew that.

But he had to look on to the future, what Lani had left behind for him, a loving family! He just didn't know how that was supposed to feel. No matter, he was king he would figure it out sooner or later, right? News of a lioness being attacked had came from the Pridelands, so Kiume had his pride on high alert. Scar would surely think that the intruder was from the Outlands just as he thought Abuto was. Kiume had told his pride not to go near the borders, and he only hoped that they had listened. He wasn't wanting to start or be included in an unimaginable war.

Kiume had been staring at his reflection -or what he could see of it at least- for some time now when the scent of his youngest son came into the air. The king could not smell any other lions around the cub so Kiume had to assume that he came alone. It worried the golden king though, his cubs were now starting to venture off away from the den; they could accidentally stumble into the Pridelands or a rogue could easily pick them off if they weren't within the watchful eyes of an adult.

But then again, Kiume wasn't kind to stick to the rules when he was a cub either. It was only natural that his son would be the same way, but when Kiume was a cub the Pridelands were safe. Mufasa was king, and no one had anything to worry about. Those were simpler times, where Kiume had no responsibilities outside of being a cub. He watched the prince of the pride come into this world, and he was there when he left. Kiume struggled everyday because of it, not only was the only person who was like a father to him gone, but the new hope for the pride was too.

Kiume would stay motionless, he knew Kudumu was sneaking up on him. He wasn't about to spoil the fun now and he would play along. It was good practice for the future, even the males had to hunt in this pride and his son would probably be an excellent hunter. Without a mother to teach them, the cubs would have to learn by themselves. Kiume sighed, if only he wasn't king, then maybe the cubs would have been born under different circumstances. Maybe Lani would have survived the birth? What's done is done, and the king knew there was nothing he could do to change it. So he put on a happy face and waited for his son's next move.

Silence, pure silence crossed the surface of the lake and everywhere around the two royal family members. Kiume waited with his eyes closed, trying to figure where his son was. Oh he could defiantly smell where Kudumu was, but he couldn't hear or tell exactly where. It was almost unnerving for the father of three, but he let it slide and waited patiently for his son's attack. If there was anything that Chini and Furaha had taught him was to keep his tail moving, the cubs always try to go for the tail. But the king didn't listen and kept his tail motionless, and soon he payed the price.

A mass of weight landed on his lower abdomen and started to lightly nip at his motionless tail. Kiume smiled and looked back to see his almost clay colored son having the time of his life. But after Kudumu's nips started to become too much Kiume moved his tail out of the way and pulled Kudumu with his paw to position him underneath his chest. He chuckled, "Excellent job my son, I couldn't even hear you!" Kiume wasn't going to spill the beans of being able to smell him approaching, his son had done an amazing job on his own. Kiume bent his head down and nuzzled his son's, the mane on his head starting to grow in just a bit. Kiume smiled as he looked into his son's eyes, they were a bright cerulean, just like his mother's.

Now Kiume laid down so Kudumu was sitting in front of his head, the king took this chance to bring his son into an embrace. "Now Kudu," he said, bringing out a nicknamed spawned by Kavu when the boys were barely able to speak, "why are you out here all by your lonesome? Was Kavu getting boring?" Kiume thought back to his golden son, he looked just like him as a cub but he had a mixture of colors with his mane tuft and his nose. They were both a dusty hue of their respective colors, showing his mother's influence slightly. But Kiume didn't think about Kavu much for now it was bonding time with Kudumu. The king shook his mane and let out a breath before placing his head on Kudumu's, softly not to hurt his son's growing body.

When his son mentioned that he would be a great hunter someday Kiume smiled and nodded, "You'll have to compete with your sister for the top spot as best hunter my son, she seems to be a fierce competitor for that spot," It was normally the lioness' job to do the hunting but Kiume and the rest of the Outland adults knew that everyone had to put in their fair share, even the king himself went out in his own little hunting party every so often. The clay colored cub hung onto his father for more than Kiume expected and he let him do so, he wanted to be known as the best father for his cubs, and he seemed to be doing a good job so far. He only wished that he could provide more for his cubs, give them a better place in the world to live in than their barren kingdom. But the Outlands had a tight family bond that would unknowingly be destroyed in time. A tyrannical ruler was fast approaching the Outlands and Kiume had no idea about it.

Kiume chuckled when his son had mentioned that Kavu had started to become boring and then he mentioned that he wished to play. Play? A concept that had been almost foreign to Kiume since he was a cub. What games were there to play in the vast barren Outland territory? But the king shrugged and looked to his son and smiled, "Alright Kudumu, what do you have in mind for playing?" Ever since Mufasa's death, Kiume had all but forgotten the term play and its usage. There wasn't much to do in the Outlands, and hide and seek was something that Kiume didn't want his son to be exposed to. He wasn't overprotective, but the king knew that if a cub was alone, a rogue could easily come and snatch said cub away. It was a terrifying thought for the golden king, but he knew if anyone touched any of his cubs, Zivia included, that he would snap, and kill whoever dared to lay a paw on his children.

[Sorry about this crappy post! ^^']

((It's okay, mine wasn't that great either x.x ))

Kiume nodded at his son's honesty, it was clear that Tao would be the better hunter, rather huntress, but the king knew that his son would try for the top spot as the best male hunter. Every lion, no matter the gender, had to give their effort to the hunting aspect of the pride. The only ones who opted out of the hunting? Cubs, expectant lionesses, and the elderly. The king knew that with a little effort, his cubs would grow big and strong while hunting. Kiume saw the lesson that could be gained from the hide-and-go-seek game his son was trying to ensue, pouncing and stealth skills were vital in the Outland way of life. The king nodded his head yes as to show he was up for the little game, but everything changed when he noticed a slight change in attitude in his son. The cub seemed to be comparing the coats between the two and Kiume could almost instantly guess what was coming next. And he was right when Kudumu asked why he looked so much different than the rest of his family.

"Well Kudu," Kiume sighed, "you look more like your mother than me and you inherited her genes except for your nose," Kiume sighed, he missed his Lani dearly but he knew that she was in a better place. Although the king knew that his children would have fared better with a mother in his opinion, it would help them to grow up strong. Plus, it did give Kiume more responsibility and time to bond with his cubs. The king smiled, "I wish you could have met her my son, your mother was the most wonderful lioness in the world. Even if you are a few shades darker than her, you are your mother's reincarnation!" When the golden male stared into the eyes of his son, he saw none other than Ilani's smiling face staring back at him. He did end up with the same reaction with Tao, but it was different with Kudumu. He was special, he looked the most like his mother.

The king smiled when he heard his son laminate on how one day he would see his mother again. Kiume knew that one day they would all see their mother again, and they would be able to live out the rest of their days with her. Ilani had only been a queen for the last mere moments of her life, but the golden male wondered if she really had gone to where the old king and queens of the past lay. An old Prideland teaching that Kiume followed, one that he felt must be taught to his cubs once they are a tad bit older. The king placed his paw on top of his son's head and smiled, "I know you will Kudu, your mother will be so thrilled to see what a good lion you've grown up to be," Kiume knew that his son would be an excellent lion and a good king if he decided to come reclaim the throne that was his and his sibling's alone. But, Kiume also knew that he would rather his son live out his days in the Pridelands, but in the end it was his decision.

Then came the question about how his mother was so amazing in his father's eyes. Kiume chuckled and looked to the sky, the sun missing his eyes by a sliver, "Your mother was the kindest lioness I ever knew. She took in your sister Zivia when she had no one else. She was my best friend, she was more than just our queen." Kiume paused and looked to his son who mirror the deceased female more than anything, "She gave her life so that you and your siblings could live Kudumu, and I thank her for that every day. Your mother changed my life in many ways Kudumu, but I will never forget her," A smile crossed the king's face as he thought back to the happier times he spent with Lani, and how he hopelessly fell for her. She had been older than him by a few months but not too old that she would instantly turn Kiume away. Ever since her journey from her Desertland home she had found her way back to the Outlands numerous times. But would that same adventurous spirit be found in his cubs as well? Kiume would only hope so, that way his children didn't live such a sheltered existence.

Kiume smiled as Kudumu noted that his mother sounded as if she was an amazing lioness and the king nodded. "Trust me Kudu, she was the most amazing," He thought about what Lani might think about their cubs, he knew that she wanted to give him an heir but would she of had a preference for Kavu over Kudumu? Would she have fallen in love with their daughter as he had? What if was always the question in Kiume's mind, but life happened as it did, and he knew that the Great Kings and Queens of the Past were guiding them down an unforeseeable road. It was at this time, Kiume sat down and placed his head of his son's and exhaled through his nose. The blast of air ruffled his son's mane tuft and it made Kiume chuckle. But then his son asked about the rock that they saw everyday in the distance. Kiume thought back to his conversation with Tao and knew that she wasn't the only curious one of the bunch. Kiume was apprehensive, but it was something he guessed that his children had to know. So finally, Kiume pointed with his paw and began his lesson.

"That Kudumu is called Pride Rock. You know of the Pridelanders right? Well, that's where they live, in the den that is inside that big rock," Kiume sighed and smiled, "You know, I used to live there when I was a cub. There was an amazing king there, but he ended up dying in a stampede along with his son. Since then it has become a dangerous place to live," Knowing that Kudumu would probably ask why he left the lands he continued, "After the king died, his brother took over and still rules to this very day. The king's brother didn't like me so he exiled me here. And then I became king after I grew up a bit," Kiume sighed and thought about the old days, watching over Simba and Nala, when Mufasa used to act like a father to him as well. "But my son, once the bad lion is out of power we can return to the Pridelands, where you can frolic in the grass and there is enough food to keep you full for days on end. But, if you wish to return here to be king along with your brother or sister if they want to come back to the Outlands as well, I'll make sure that you're able to," That would be his life goal, to make sure the Outlands had a kind lion to rule, whether it be his own children or not.

The golden king had no idea of his son and now recently daughter trying to waltz out of the borders of the Outlands, the only successful one being Tao. If he had known, Kiume would be furious even with all of the warnings given that his cubs would put themselves into such a dangerous environment. But it could also be that his cubs were adventurous and curious. Kiume couldn't keep them locked up forever, but he wished that he could at least keep them safe. Once the Pridelands were safe again then he would let his cubs branch out between the two lands, and now that Kiume thought about it, his cubs would have free reign to stay in the Outlands whenever they chose. The only catch would have to be that they would have to make their permanent residence in the Pridelands until they were old enough to fend for themselves. But it made Kiume wonder on whether the Outlands would be safe after they left. Sure Hadi and Chini and her mate would be there to govern the lands in Kiume's absence, but would there be a new threat? What if some evil lion was banished there and killed everyone from the old pride? Kiume pushed the thoughts out of his head and looked towards his son.

It struck Kiume as odd that Kudumu was apprehensive on thinking about ruling, "Do you not wish to be king, Kudu?" Many cubs would kill for the chance to be in his and his sibling's position, and yet he seemed to be blowing it off like nothing else. Kiume didn't understand because he was somewhat forced into the position as king, but he still envied the title of king before Simba's birth. He saw Mufasa as the father he never had, and he viewed Simba as his little brother although never out right showing it. Still, he did eye the throne, and he some days wished that if Mufasa didn't ever have a cub, then he would pick him to be the heir. But now he was king of a different land for a different reason, and honestly Kiume wouldn't have it any other way. But as he thought about it, he understood that somethings were better left untouched. Kiume sighed and ruffled his son's ever growing mane tuft while smiling, "Trust me Kudumu, you can return to the Outlands whenever you wish, just know that the Pridelands will be our home until you and your siblings are old enough to live on your own. But the Outlands will always be your homeland, and you can always return."