The sun radiated dazzlingly on the African plain in the early spring morning, awakening the inhabitants of the densely populated continent & greeting them with spectacularly fair weather. As per usual, the fully mature leonines were relatively lazy to start the day anew so early, although waking up as soon as the sun returned from its nocturnal hideout to greet the felines with its blessing sunrays again would prove to be no problem whatsoever for the youngest ones of the pride! It wasn't long before a small, darkly brown pelted lion cub would be seen pacing outside his sleeping parents's cave, apparently relishing in the quiet, early morning moments of the dawn, dwelling on where he should visit first. Eager & full of energy from the rest he had acquired last night, Akachi decided to pay his friend, Arusi, a visit to see whether she was awake too.The male quickly pranced away from the where he resided, out of his parent's wary sight and currently strolling past the familiar environments he has been accustomed to for a few months now. Small, agile paws took him through parched earth, lush towery grass and lastly, past a few small streams before being faced with a rather compact cave - but still roomy enough to be able to store two to three fully grown lions. The young male soon paced cautiously inside the cavern, attempting not to wake other lions in the process. After roaming around the cave and analyzing it for a few long moments, the cub turned around to glance briefly at the back of the cave with a squint of his eyes, soon detecting that it was, in fact, his friend that he had observed from his peripheral. Akachi beamed a smile as he began approaching the young lioness cub, tip-toeing through the quiet cave before finally reaching his friend's spot, leaning down to whisper.
''Arusi?'' He quietly inquired.
''Mmn?'' The lioness grunted sleepily, unaware of who the lion attempting to awake her even was.
''Wake up already! It's about noon!'' Akachi stated, more sternly this time. The adamant cub demanded, now leaning forward to reach for his friend's ear with his small muzzle, tugging away at her ear.
The lioness growled quietly before breaking free from her pestering friends' grip, now opening her eyes and frowning at the other, then outside - only to observe the dimly lit dark blue sky still clearing up for the arrival of the day.
''NOON. Does that look like noon to you?'' She questioned, clearly irritated by her friend's pointless demands as she attempted to stare him down.
Akachi smirked faintly as his focus shifted on his female friend once again, eager to speak up with a hint of playfulness in his tone.
''Well, all the better. Do you really want to waste the day away before it even begins?''
Taken aback by his question, the young lioness couldn't help but shake her head and do her best in an attempt to supress a chuckle. There he was, waking her up for nothing. Or perhaps he had something in mind? She knew not, but she doubted that she wouldn't find out soon enough. Arusi rolled her eyes, now stretching her small physique before making her way over to the mouth of the cave, glancing back at the other with a risen eyebrow.
''Am I going by myself?''
&&
Akachi led the young lioness through the very same environment he had travelled through not too long ago in order to return to a central point from where they would be able to equally assess all of their options for the day, although the young lion already had something in mind for the morning. The dark brown pelted male paced ahead of the lioness, casually strolling past the central point and down a rather narrow path which seemingly led into a secluded area of the African plain they were currently straying away from. The young leonine followed closely behind Akachi, half eager, half wary.
''Uh, Akachi, where are we going?''
''Just follow me, I've gotta introduce you these other two lions I've met today! They're not from our own pride but -
''But? Akachi, you know our king would be against us interacting with rival members.'' The female came to an abrupt stop.
''They're not rivals.'' Akachi soon stopped in his tracks, turning back to face the female.
''We don't know that.'' She stated in a soft tone, now glancing up into his adventurous, eager red hues.
''I think they at least deserve a chance, Arusi. They're not harmful.''
''And how do you know that?'' The lioness asked playfully, a hint of a tease in her tone.
''Well - when I've wandered down here yesterday noon for the first time, I had no idea where to go. I've went a little too far in and forgot which way was out...this place can be quite tricky to figure out sometimes. I've wandered around aimlessly for a good while before I heard two voices, louder and louder as moments passed by. My natural impulse was to hide behind the first tree I saw, which proved useless when they approached me from behind, asking what I'm doing there...they instantly knew I was tresspassing. But in spite of that, they offered to help me get out and I've even got their names - Baako and Ebele.''
''That sounds like a nice story, but it could've just been luck. What if their parents are around this time?'' The female questioned.
''Ugh. Stop worrying so much Arusi, and just go along with it. Unless you'd rather go back and sleep 'til noon.'' Akachi stated with a scoff, beginning to feel as though the female was attempting to defy him at every chance she got.
''Hey! I've made it this far, haven't I? This one's on you.'' The lioness smirked, lightheartedly bumping into the male next to her as a sign that she would take it easier on him.
Akachi replied with a small smirk of his own, shaking his dome lightly before raising to his fours and continuing down the narrowing path, which soon blended in with the dirty environment that made up the worse part of the Savannah. The male impatiently jogged forward, anxious to know whether he would meet his new friends again today. He hoped he would; after all, had he made both trips for nothing? He ignored the ache in his paws, continuing to dwelve deeper and deeper into the foreign lands. Hoping.
The two wandered around in circles for several moments; the land they had tresspassed on was like a labyrinth; perplex, ever-continuous and difficult to figure out - even more so for young, undeveloped minds. It presented quite a challenge for them, and soon, the pair of young lions met with a dead end.
''Uh, Akachi? I don't like this...'' Arusi stated with a hint of fear in her tone, now feeling truly unsure of whether her friend knew what he was doing or not.
''Hang on, Arusi. I know they're around here somewhere...'' The male stated, barely believing in his own words at this stage as his eyes scanned the seemingly abandoned area, observing the gray strips of mist that hung around them like a curse on their sight, as if intending to completely isolate the cubs from anything they could use as even a hint to find their way out. And it was in that very moment Akachi acknowledged that they were lost. His gaze shifted back onto his friend only moments later, looking at her with an apologetical hint in his eyes.
''Or maybe not?''
''Get us out of here, Akachi! I'm not going one more step deeper into this place.'' The female stated increasingly anxious at this point, but she tried her best to hide it behind staged annoyance.
''I - ''
''NOW! Let's g - ''
Arusi didn't even get the chance to finish her sentence before being forcefully shoved from the side and pinned to the ground, rolling around in the dirt for a few brief moments before coming to a stop, glancing up in panic - she could now feel her heartbeat thumping loudly in her ears. Her breathing quickened, her mind ablaze with raging thoughts. She could not think clear. And before she could understand what was happening, the male atop her was forcibly shoved away by her friend. The lioness quickly rose on her fours upon being set free, joining by Akachi's side with a growl as she glowered at the rather...young male beneath Akachi.
''What the hell did you think you're doing?!'' The female snarled in an attempt to intimidate the other lion.
Akachi's paws pressed hard against the other lion's shoulders, holding him painfully pinned to the ground as he frowned at him, anger and fear clouding his train of thought until...
''Baako?'' The male's tone softened ever so slightly, although he did keep up his guard.
''What did you think you're doing? You scared my friend to death!'' Akachi exclaimed, now beginning to release the pressure on the other cub's shoulders before hopping off him, allowing the nervous male to speak up for himself.
''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt her...or you. I've just returned from my hunting session with Ebelle and heard shouting from this direction. Dad said that we should always be cautious of those we don't know, and if we can, be the first to attack. I only heard a female voice and she was the first one I saw so I tried to pin her and see if she was a threat to us or not...I'm sorry I scared you.''
The lightly brown pelted cub looked over at the young lioness with a remorseful expression and a nervous smile, hoping that he could perhaps start anew with her.
''Why have you brought me here, Akachi? To scare me or to confuse me?'' The lioness struggled to retain a laugh, now merely thankful for the fact that it wasn't something more serious before her focus shifted onto the other lion, offering him a brief nod and a small, understanding smile.
''It's alright, I guess. You didn't hurt me. But you shouldn't just pounce on lions you don't know like that. You might pounce on one too big for your own size one of these days if you're not careful.''
''Where is Ebelle, then?'' Akachi quizzed, slightly confused at the fact that Baako wasn't accompanied by his sister. She usually stuck to him like glue.
''Ebelle! You can come out now! It's just Akachi and a friend of his!'' The female soon began approaching the three of them from the small bush her brother had instructed her to hide behind, luckily not having ran away, as it has become typical of her to do when spooked.
''Are you sure it's safe?'' Ebelle asked her brother, still somewhat panicked by fighting the noises she has heard mere minutes ago.
''I'm sure.'' Baako agreed, smiling as his little sister began approaching them from behind the bush situated a couple of meters away from the trio.
''Hi...I'm Ebelle.'' The lioness anxiously prompted, first eyeing the taller male, then his determined female companion.
''Ebelle - Arusi. Arusi - Ebelle.'' Akachi stated as he stood by Arusi's side, briefly introducing them of sorts as he eyed her brother first, then the adorably shy lioness with a sincere smile.
''Nice to meet you.'' They spoke simultaneously before breaking out in a round of giggles, already beginning to feel the hostility between the four quickly dissipate.
''Now that we all know each other, would you guys like to visit our home?'' Akachi questioned, enthusiasm and hope laced in his tone.
''That sound swe - '' The male was cut short by his slightly younger sister, who soon took the lead.
''It sounds nice, but I don't think our father would really agree to it...'' She stated with a hint of remorse in her tone.
''Awh, but it's not even that far from here!''
''Come on Ebelle, when do we ever get the chance to do something fun ever since we've had to leave our old home?'' Her brother huffed.
''I'm not going to take any blame for leaving this place without father's - ''
''Then I will.'' Baako said.
The female sighed, feeling as though she was now torn between the choice of disappointing her father, or her brother and newfound friends. She wished not to take the offer, but if she knew one thing, it was that she was not about to let her brother take the full responsability for what anyone their age would enjoy - a little bit of freedom and fun. And those two elements were something the two young leonines have been lacking for a while now.
''I'll come with you. But we best not get in trouble with father, or anyone else for that matter.''
''We won't.'' Her brother assured her before he walked up to his sister, brushing his dome against hers in an affectionate nuzzle of sorts.
''Are you sure?'' A distant voice called out. It wasn't long before the cubs discovered the source of the deep voice inquiring Baako - it was a large, black male approaching from the shadows of the dark, burnt forest behind them.
''Uh - oh...''
