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= Into The Life of Eden =
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Four brightly colored cubs were gathered beneath the sunning stones; flat wide rocks that soaked up the morning sun, warming any lion that laid upon them. The hunting party had just returned to the busy camp, fresh slices of meat were divided from the day's hunt and evenly distributed among the pride. The four impatient cubs bounced from boulder to boulder, trying to spot their parents in the crowd of lions collecting their share. The eldest two, one a bright fiery with a stunning onyx ridge and white marozi sat with her tail curled neatly over her paws, snickering at the younger two that couldn't sit still. The other was pure onyx, bearing striking vitiligo rested beside the fiery cub with a roll of her silver starshine irises. The two smaller of the group, one a soft silver grey with sparkling skyward trickling down her spine bounced from two narrow boulders, each time the other cub, a dark auburn with bright white lace winced instinctively each time Mica hopped across the stones. "Mica, why are you so hyper today?" Akita, the fiery cub questioned with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes, as if she already knew the answer to her question Mica jumped across the stones with a wide smile spread across her muzzle. "My mom is taking me to see my great uncle today! The king!" She proudly chided, though a hinge of guilt crossed her eyes as she glanced to Eden who held a smile on her muzzle but her eyes glinted with pain. "Well if you ask me, he's not much of a king." Aurelia stood to her paws and padded over to Eden, licking her ear softly. Mica gasped lightly. "But he IS our king Aurelia. And...and your grandfather!" She looked from Akita to Aurelia who quietly exchanged glances. "It's okay guys, you don't have to dislike him....Just because he hates me." Eden sat up slowly, her icy blue irises crossed the other cub' faces and she felt irritated and guilty over the pity they held. "I'm sure he doesn't hate you, Eden. He just doesn't know you." Akita purred softly. "Eh, he's an old grump anyway. Besides, you don't need him, you have us, we're your family and that's all that matters." Aurelia pawed at Eden's face until a snicker rose from the auburn cub. "Thanks guys..."
_ The Following months _
The mountain campsite was filled to the brim with lions and lionesses all gathered around the calling stone, a large white stone edged with carvings of old pride tales and the paw prints of all the old kings and queens. Rowen stood centered on the stone with his son Hatari standing beside him. From the side of the stone camp Eden sat with Aurelia and Akita, the three watching the king and his son distastefully. "I can't believe Alice is letting that fool take the throne. He isn't even hers!" Aurelia hissed quietly. "They did unite the prides, Aurelia, just because things didn't work out completely doesn't mean we have to go back to being separate territories." Akita reminded the young onyx lioness, though doubt clouded her eyes. "Hatari might be a good guy, maybe he's nothing like his father." Akita said hopefully.
Aurelia glared across the clearing, her eyes burned with fire. "You don't know him like my parents do. My father swears that Hatari is dangerous." She said with a serious and unwavering gaze. Eden's gaze remained only on one thing, her ears swiveled forward, tuning out Aurelia's aggressive words and letting the echos of Rowen's voice carry to her. The strong king was old, but his eyes, a sharp icy blue just like hers held strength and spirit.
"Eden...Eden...Are you even listening to me?" Aurelia questioned with a sassy tone, though Eden's ears only flicked in acknowledgement before the young adolescence rose to her white lacey paws and she moved through the clearing as Rowen dismissed the pride after announcing Hatari's rise to the throne within the following months. She blended among the crowd of lionesses, watching as Alice shared a few heated and irritated words and looks with the king before he brushed past her and headed for the snow path. Hatari appeared to be staying so Eden took what she felt was her only chance and softly padded after the ridged king. The cold winds of the north blew harshly in the open mountain space as Eden stepped from the stone entrance, a wall of stone surrounded their camp, protecting them from the harsh snow and many blizzards, her eyes narrowed through the sleet as she saw the slate king padding down the mountain and towards the dark forest beside it. Her paws silently kept in toe until the winds died down and the forest came into clearer view, snow still covered the lands, but only lightly fell from the sky. "King Rowen?" She called quietly, her nerves on edge she could hardly find the courage to step forward as the king stopped and his tail twitched softly. "Sir, my name is-" The king's eyes turned to her and her voice suddenly choked up, her eyes held softly to his cold gaze and she swallowed her words. "I'm Eden." She breathed shakily, taking a few steps forward the king rose his tail with a lash, his eyes narrowed and a small frown crossed Eden's muzzle. "I know who you are, what is it you want?" He questioned coldly, his eyes did not waver from hers. "I-I don't want anything, I just- thought- or was wondering...I was hoping..." She stammered over her words, her eyes faltered from his and she shook her head softly, feeling stupid.
"Never mind, I'm sorry I wasted your time..." She closed her eyes in shame, her ears lifted as his paws softly crunched in the snow, fading as he returned to the forest. "Is it because of my parents?" She called out with tense paws digging into the snow. Rowen stopped dead in his tracks, his ears curiously rose forward but he did not look back. "Are they the reason you hate me? I mean, you've invited practically everyone to see the forest, except me.." She questioned with desperation in her tone, wondering why for so many months the king had taken interest in everyone of the mountain cubs, except for her. Rowen's head turned slightly and he sighed heavily. "I do not hate you, Eden. But my...Relationship with your mother is complicated, and even more so with your father. It isn't in your best interest to get close to me." His words were spoken honestly, but Eden knew too well a royal was trained to hide behind carefully spoken words, her eyes softened but she stepped forward. "Please, Rowen. No one will tell me who he is, or anything about him. I see the way everyone looks at me, pity and even fear. He wasn't a good lion, was he?" She pressed anxiously, though she could see tension in the old lion's muscles he turned back to her with a frown. "I'm sorry Eden, I truly wish things could be different." His voice echoed in her head as the large king turned and disappeared into the forest. "Wait, Rowen!" She bounded forward a few feet but her paws skidded in the snow as shadows hung over the thick rising trees, darkness surrounded the forest and a gust of wind scenting of berries and moss wrapped around her muzzle. It wasn't the forest that scared her, it was the truth hidden inside.
"Eden! There you are, thank the stars I've found you!" Akita came padding from the hillside with mud and snow slick to her body. Eden's eyes painfully tore from the edge of the forest, softening as she turned to her friend with a distant expression in her gaze. "Did you already forget silly? Today is our first hunt, I know you've been looking forward to it for weeks so lets go!" Akita playfully kicked a ball of snow at the young auburn lioness, smiling wickedly as she turned on her pads and raced along the edge of the mountain side east towards the hunting fields. Eden took one longing look back at the forest, an odd sensation trickling up her spine with the desire to seek Rowen out and ask him exactly what he meant, though she knew if her mother were to find out about her questions, or even the fact she spoke to Rowen, Alice would shut her down immediately and Eden couldn't risk that, she was more determined then ever to find out what happened between her parents and Rowen, she only needed to buy herself more time with the king and she knew the perfect way to do just that.
To be continued! D:
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