Short Reprieve

[[This is to take place before the time skip, during Jabari's visit to the Lowlands!]]

The dark cub from the mountains had been in his mother's home for several hours now, and already he had encountered his long lost brother Upendo. His mother had not yet found him, or vice versa, and Jabari wasn't certain he wanted to be found by Shani anyway. He kept his violet eyes peeled for his sisters instead. The last time he had seen them, their eyes were filled with tears – of fear, of sadness, because of what their father had come to do. Upendo still harbored ill feelings for the lion that had fathered the large litter, which pleased Jabari, whose own bitterness seemed to grow along with the rest of the lanky youngster. But what would his sisters think of Shinkizo now? Would they even remember their distant brothers?

It drove Jabari crazy that his father so often plagued his daily thoughts. The beauty of the jungle was a nice distraction for the time being though, and he breathed in the rich, earthy scents that reminded him of a happier, freer time in his life. It felt as if years had passed since his departure from the Lowlands, though that was not true and he was still young. Jabari had grown, though. His sprout of a mane made him proud, and he was certain he would be big and strong someday, despite his father. He sat beside the edge of the stream, peering down at his reflection curiously. A paw rose to brush at his mane, which was still caked with mud after his encounter with Upendo, and he gave a little laugh at his own image. He was a mess, and Jabari loved to see it.

Ears flicked forward at the sound of footsteps in the jungle, and he readied himself for an attack. The Lowlands were a relatively safe place though, and it turned out to be none other than his sister, Sakina. His normally gloomy demeanor changed instantly. "Sakina!" He even allowed the female cub to pounce him without complaint. "Ziko and I came back to visit. Probably not for very long, but it's better than nothing, huh?" From the look of her, Sakina appeared to be healthy, and Jabari felt a deep sense of relief. He would feel even better if Malaika made her appearance, but he would have to keep looking for the last of his jungle-residing siblings.

Jabari had a low opinion of most females, but his sisters were not included in the ranks of the weak lionesses he had no respect for. It was yet to be seen if Jabari would find his mother while visiting in the jungle - though at the end of the day, Shani would not have bothered to find her returning sun, instead spending their precious time in the Lowlands reconnecting with her so-called mate, Shinikizo. Jabari would never know if Shani had tried to find him, or if she didn't care enough to see her dark son. In any case, this would be the trio of Coldlander's last visit to the jungle, and there was no telling when brother and sister would see each other again. For now, Jabari seemed pleased, and he pulled himself up to sit. "We're okay in the mountains, I guess. Our father tries to train me, but I don't let him," he announced with a defiant grin.