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Mbali could barely remember what his first pride was like. He, like so many others that he had come across in his travels, was an orphan from a young age. He couldn't remember where he was born or what took both his pride and his parents away from him. All he could remember was that a wandering lioness had taken him in as her own and raised him as best as she could.
He was barely into a year old when his foster mother, out for a usual stroll with him, came across a powerful older lion. The lion attempted to woo her, like so many others had done before. But, so much like the others, the lion failed. When the pair thought that it was the last they would see of the older lion, he surprisingly showed up again. Again, the male attempted to woo her, and again, Mbali's foster mother brushed him off. Weeks and weeks passed and the two would always come across the male, and Mbali would continuously observe the pair in their hilarious courting dance. Until finally, the old lioness gave in and agreed to join his pride, so long as her son Mbali would be accepted along with her.
Mbali and his foster mother enjoyed life within the pride. After a year of being on their own and encountering so many dangerous animals, for the first time they felt welcomed. For Mbali, especially, as it was the first time he had ever been around so many other lions.
However, things were not all milk and honey for the young male.
There were other young males in the pride, sure. Three to be exact, and all three were the sons of the reining king. All but one of them bullied young Mbali; well attempted to bully anyway. Mbali was older than them, and thus stronger. The only prince that was his friend of his bunch, the youngest of the three, always tried to get his brothers to lay off of the golden lion but to no avail. The youngest brother informed Mbali that the only reason they behaved that way was because Mbali's mother had taken the place of the previous queen, their passed mother.
In this time, the reining king had become increasingly aware of the animosity between his eldest sons and Mbali. He noticed how much larger the golden lion was than his sons and recognized the growing muscles beneath his pelt. And while Mbali was an even-tempered lion, the King could not help but think that one day the golden lion would turn against him by easily disposing of his offspring; murdering his heirs. For many, many nights, the king tossed and turned in his sleep, having nightmares of Mbali killing his sons and even one day him. Finally, the King decided that nothing of the sort would ever happen while he ruled. No rouge lion would ever rule his kingdom; no one not born of his blood would ever become his heir. The golden lion had to go.
Finally, one dry day in the savannah when Mbali was 2 years old, the King had approached him as he slept beneath the shade of a tree beside his youngest son. Young Mbali's mane had completely grown in, thick and vibrant brown locks draped over his frame; His belly full from the spoils of a successful hunt by the lionesses. In comparison to his son, the King observed how the golden lion towered over the other male. He snarled, having enough of this nonsense.
Immediately, the two males shot up to their paws. The King's son yawning a greeting, Mbali bowing his head respectfully to his King. The golden male sounded cheerful as he asked whatever the King could want from the two of them.
"Leave." The King locked eyes with the male.
"I-I'm sorry?" Mbali stammered.
"Father?" His friend squeaked.
"You heard me. I want you to leave!" This time the king roared. Eyes fixated on Mbali.
"It's time you go! I want you out of my pride!"
"B-But-" Mbali couldn't quite get his words out. What had he done to make the King so angry at him?
"Father, you can't be serious! Mbali can't leave! You can't make him leave! He's my friend!" The youngest son pleaded with his father. By this time, others had overheard the roar. His current queen, Mbali's foster mother, came bounding over. The older lioness was heavy with expecting kits as she stood between her son and her king.
"What's going on here!?" She growled, eyeing the riled up king and her son.
The king ignored the request of his queen to snarl at his son. "Get back to the den! I've had it with this male being in my pride! He leaves, now!"
"No! He's my son!" The lioness challenged her mate. She sensed his temper raising. Would he strike his mate? Would he hurt she who carried his offspring?
The King's youngest continued to plead. "No, Father! Mbali has done nothing wrong! You can't make him leave!" The young lion raised his hackles. He wouldn't let his father drive his friend away.
"I am the KING!" He let out a powerful and frightful roar. "These are my lands! My word is law!"
Mbali's eye grew fearful. "What have I done?" He finally asked. Hoping to get an answer from the king. The lioness flattened her ears. She knew why the King didn't want the golden lion in his pride any longer. She thought that he would be a different type of king and wouldn't force such a thing upon her son.
"Mbali-" The pregnant lioness' eyes softened at the younger lion.
"What you have done, young lion, is extended your welcome within my pride." The king growled. "You have reached your second year. It's time for you to leave. Do not make me have to repeat myself once more." At that point, the King's elder sons had joined the party. They picked up what was going on and watched gleefully from either side of their father's flanks.
"So it's because I wasn't sired by you, is that it? Well as far as I'm concerned, I'm glad I wasn't sired by you! Some King you are!" Mbali fumed. "You ignore the one son that does the most for this pride and instead cater to the two that will probably drive this pride into the dirt!" His tail lashed behind him. "And you want to send away the one lion that wants to do nothing more than help his adoptive pride!"
"Insolent-!"
"How dare you speak to our father that way!" The eldest son of the king growled as both he and his brother launched themselves at Mbali, one attacking his flank while the other tried to exposed his soft underbelly.
In the chaos, the lioness leaped away, while the youngest son tried to fling himself into the disorder, only to be knocked away by one of his brothers.
However, no matter how relentlessly the two brothers fought, Mbali was able to deal even greater damage to them both. He was enraged by this point. For months he had put up with the two brothers and had always done nothing. Instinct got the best of him, and with that instinct, the young lion barred his teeth and went in for the final blow at one of the brothers' necks.
And, as such with instinct, the King's own overcame him. That instinct to protect that which is precious to any beast. Wishing to view no more, and to not see his son killed, the King charged at the golden lion with his teeth barred and claws extended. The lioness' high-pitched cry filled the air as she could do nothing but watch in horror as the king headed toward her cub.
A death-filled yowl of pain was heard throughout the savannah that day.
The king was so blinded by his rage that he could not stop himself in time and only after he heard the body hit the ground, only after he glanced at his blood-stained claws, only after he noticed the familiar shade of fur stuck between his claws, only after all of this did he realize...
Mbali stood, struck in horror as he watched his friend bleed to death before his very eyes. His friend's brothers yowled in agony at their fallen littermate.
"H-he...he...he jumped in the way." Mbali stammered, dragging himself to his friend's side. Watching the blood drain out from his slashed opened neck. "He jumped in the way." He got quieter as he choked out. "He protected me. H-he died protecting m-me."
"My son." The king whispered as he brought himself to his fallen son's side. The young male's brothers gathered themselves and sat motionless, mourning.
"My son, my son, my son." He whimpered as he attempted to nuzzle the young lion. Blood pooled at his feet and stained his fur even more than it already had.
"What has happened to you?" He asked the growing cold body.
Mbali stood in silence, he looked at his mother, unable to bring himself to say any more.
The group sat in silence for what seemed like forever until finally, a weakened voice rumbled. "Leave." It was the king. After moments of being too stunned to say anymore, he finally found his point. Mbali shrunk back, not sure of what to do.
"I said LEAVE!" The king got his paws and hurled himself at the lion. Mbali took off, bounding away with the king hot on his tail.
He ran, and ran until his paws ached. But even then, he could still feel the king's hot breath on his fur and could hear his roars. The king was beyond enraged at this point. Even when it felt like his paws would fall off, Mbali continued to run. The older lion was still behind him, he could feel it.
The king continued to chase the golden lion to the very edges of his territory but even then, Mbali did not stop. He ran and ran with all of his might as his eyes watered. He heard the king give one, long final roar and that was the last he ever heard of the old king.
Mbali kept on running. And as he did so, his heart ached. He had left his pride and his mother behind. And worst of all, he had gotten his friend killed and could only watch as he bled to death.
There was no going back and there never would be, not for Mbali. He had to distance himself from that pride and live up to his namesake. And even when he felt like he had traveled far enough, he had to keep on going.
From that day forward, Mbali promised himself and his slain friend that he would make it on his own, and that he would found his own pride. And from within that pride, he would rule as a gentle and kind king. He would give each and every member an equal opportunity and treat all cubs as if they were his own. He would take in anyone, be they lioness or lion, and give them a special place within his pride. He would make his pride a safe space for all who wished to join it. And all cubs, especially any males he would come across, would have a say in whether they wished to stay or leave.
Mbali would one day make this a reality; for both himself and his friend.
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