Zira's Fall: Prologue

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Zira's Fall prologue

The sun was crawling down the quickly darkening sky, leaving a blood-red trail behind it. A tall gray rock cut through the sky, the tip pointing up towards the heavens. It stood out proudly against the sky, the tallest thing on the flat plains of the PrideLands.

There was a cave that cut into the side of the rock. Inside, a slim gray lioness lay on her side, two tiny cubs nursing at her side. Two lions stood over her. One was a dark tan male with a brown mane and shinning red-brown eyes. The second was a young gray cub with wide olive eyes. She looked down at the younger cubs with curiosity in her eyes.

The tan male spoke. "They're beautiful, Shari." His eyes were filled with love as he leaned down and muzzled his mate.

The gray cub looked up at her mother. "When can I play with them?" She asked, a touch of impatience in her voice.

The young mother smiled. "You'll have to wait, Kuuma. They're too young." The cub let out a dissapointed sigh. Kuuma gave her younger siblings a disdained glance and padded away with an over-dramatic huff. Shari glanced at her daughter with amusement at her antics, then looked down at her new cubs appraisingly. "I think we should call the firstborn Vunja. After all, her birth broke the tradition of the last three Kings only having one cub. You name the second one, Nyeusi."
The tan male, Nyeusi, looked at the younger of the twin. She was a little tan lioness with a darker stripe on her forehead and her Father's nose. In sleep she looked as sweet and innocent as any cub he'd ever seen. Nyeusi smiled. "We should name her Zira." Shari looked up in surprise. "I know it means hate, but your name means anger and you turned out okay. And didn't your family have that tradition of giving their cubs fierce names to ward off evil spirits?"

Shari sniffed disapprovingly. "My pride had many odd traditions, and none that I care to remember. But if it makes you happy then Zira it is." The little cub squirmed as though responding to her name.


A few paces away, a dark red-brown lioness lay on the ground, nursing a small red-brown cub while her older cub napped between her front paws. She called out warmly to Shari, "They're lovely, my friend. Congradulations."

Shari smiled. "Thank you, Uru."

Suddenly, a pale yellow lion with a jet-black mane and piercing green eyes padded into the cave. He said shortly to Nyeusi, "The lionesses saw some rouge lions near the border. They've requested an audiance with you."

Nyeusi sighed. "Very well. Thanks Ahadi." He turned to Shari with a careless roll of his eyes. "I'll be back soon. I've got work stuff to do." He leaned down and gave his mate a lick between the ears. Then he turned and followed Ahadi out of the cave.

Nyeusi grinned at Ahadi. "I still can't believe how beautiful they are." His companion gave a stiff sigh, clearly unimpressed with Nyeusi's enthusiasm.

The tan male nudged Ahadi with his shoulder. "C'mon, big brother. You can't honestly say you weren't this excited when Mufasa and Taka were born, can you?"

Ahadi answered sarcastically, "Oh yes, I was leaping off the walls with joy." He shook out his long black mane. "I remeber how it was when Mohatu and Safi had you. They were stumbling around like moon-struck fools for weeks."

Nyeusi defended his parents, "Well, they thought they'd never have a cub of their own." When Ahadi stiffened, he added hastily, "They had you, of course. I just meant that Mother thought she was barren for the longest time. That's why she adopted you."

The yellow lion changed the subject stiffly. "The rouges are waiting to speak with you. You should go."

Nyeusi groaned. "Ugh, do I really have to deal with some stuffy old rogues? My mate just gave birth for the Great Kings' sake!" At Ahadi's deadpan glare, he sighed. "Very well. Can you get to gather a hunting party? Shari and Uru need to eat."

Ahadi answered somewhat bitterly, "Of course. Now go. Those rouges probably traveled for miles to meet the King of the PrideLands." His brother, King Nyeusi, bounded off into the distance.

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EDIT: Changed a few things to fit better with the history I have made for the Pride Lands.