Rain poured on the cliff edge, blinding the Savannah to the Young Lion. He felt his hairs raise on end, something was not right.
He wished he could go back to the Night before and Stop his friend from trying to kill King Fading Echo, but it was to late for Marlboro. Perhaps he was happier, seeing that no one could bully him for his freakish face and looks.
"Adir... Are you alright?" Ashanah stalked up to him, her golden pelt thick with rainwater. She looked like sunlight soaked in the tears of the Great Sky Lion.
"Ash, why are you out in this Storm?" Thunder blazed, Adir didn't flinch whilst Ash jumped. She nestled beside him on the stone, her warm golden pelt sending sparks through his.
"Do you think Marlboro will come for the cubs when we have them?" She asked, Kneading the stone nervously.
Adir's muscles twitched nervously. Marlboro had vowed he'd kill all of his spawn and even Ash if he ever found them, He would never tell Ash that.
"He'll never get to them. Even if i loose my teeth and claws."
A Sudden screech of pain made Adir jump, his heart sank to his claws as he recognized the agonized cry.
"Atriah!" He dashed down the Rocks, into the nursing cave where his mother was nursing his little brother. He froze in fear as Lightning illuminated the cave with a thunderous roar. A ragged, hag-like Primal stood, a dead Cub in her jaws. Blood pooling around her beard and His mother's body.
"NO!" Adir pounced, grappling and strangling the brute with his claws. She tried to pry Adir off, But His denmates Blotto and Civet leapt to his aid. He slammed his fangs into the Primal's throat, and she let out a gurgled whimper as she choked out a massive blackish red clot of blood and fell limp and cold.
"There's to many of them!" Blotto screeched, his scarce mane was flared up like Wildfire out of pure fear.
"Adir..." The Weak voice was quiet over the roar of raging Lions, but so quiet and unsettlingly soothing that Adir ran to his mother's aid.
"Mother! I-I'll get help, I promise! Just hang on, it's not your time!" He pleaded, licking her forehead frantically.
"It is Adir. I'm old and lived a long life. And Hadiza will need me in the Afterlife." She weakly pressed her paw against his Rumbled shoulder. "Go, no one but you and Ashanah will make it tonight. Go carry the legacy of Fading Echo. Become a King for me."
"How can I go on without you mother? I need you," Tears poured from Adir's eyes and into his nostrils.
"I will always be there for you." She whispered, she took a final breath before she laid her head down, smiling.
Adir felt his paws turn to stone, Rage blinding the sides of his eyes with Mahogany. She dashed out of the Nursery, tripping over a Dead Lioness. There were so many faces he knew, His sister Lilith, Prince Frostbite, Famine, Nemo....
But Ashanah's kind smile was not among the dead, Ashanah had gathered Prey and was awaiting Adir by the secret exit. The roars were dying down. The Pride was nearly gone.
"Let's go, before they find us." She said, the pain was evident in her eyes.
Adir nodded, turning to the hill. "Marlboro! I will avenge My pride! My King! My mother and Siblings! If it's the last thing I ever do!" He screamed, before dashing away into the thunder and rain with the lov of his life

_____


The rain hadn't ended, but had lightened to a usual spray. Ashanah and Adir had walked in silence for what felt like Ages. Grief had overtaken them, so many deaths, so much blood.
Adir looked at the rising river, feeling like he had ants in his fur. He wished he was stronger, A true king or even a Primal so he could have had his mother right beside him.
'Maybe she is... Maybe her and Hadiza are guiding us and keeping us safe.' He thought to himself.
The Sudden cry of a Cub made his ears flick, Ashanah Turned to him, finally speaking in a crackled voice. "You heard that too?"
Again, louder this time. Adir ran off to the source, and to his horror, a small white cub was hanging onto the shell of a tortoise for his dear life, which was about to fall into the raging river.
"Hold on!" He cried, leaping over and dragging the shell before it fell. The cub stood on shaky legs and looked up at Adir in fear. "Are you gonna kill me?" He asked with a shaky mew.
"No, little one. Where's your mother?"
"She told me to wait for her here while she hunted. She had really big fangs."
Adir shuddered as he thought of the Primal-fanged Lioness he had killed. Could that have been his mother?
"Well, sounds like she abandoned you." Ashanah said boldly. The cub froze and let out a shrill wail. "She couldn't have! She loved me! I want my mommy!" He screeched. Adir felt harsh sympathy for the cub, he was not unlike himself when he was that age. Before he and Marlboro had been friends.
"Oh Little one, I feel your heartache as it is my own. I want my mother too. Why don't you come with me and my Mate to our new home?" he put his tail around the cub.
"Where is your home?" The cub asked him. That was a good point. Where would home be?
"D-do you have a name?" He asked, trying to switch the subject.
"Nzinga. My name is Nzinga."
"Adir! Over here! You've gotta see this!" Ashanah cried, her voice was suddenly excited.
Adir walked over, the cub followed him. Awe struck his heart as he peered into a beautiful granite cave. A path worn down into the slope said Lions had once lived here.
"The incline should prevent floods, but also keep water flowing into that little stream, and Keep wind to keep it cool." Ashanah said with increasing excitement. "It's perfect for a pride!"
"Just like Ancient times... when Lions lived in caves. Just like my mother said." Adir said, shivering with excitement.
Inside the cave, many holes opened up, as if they were little Denrooms for Lions, and a small stream lead into the central chasm and around a huge rock. Little tunnels seemed to lead deeper into the cave. Whispers sounded through the cave, calling Adir's name.
Adir turned to Nzinga and Ashanah, his smile painful and kind.
"We may have lost Our Pride, Nzinga his mother, and me my Home and Blood, but Together we will regain our premise in the Savannah Kingdom. I shall be a king like Atriah wished, and You may be my queen and Prince."
"You mean it?!" Nzinga said excitedly. Adir nodded to the cub with a warm slow blink.
"Then it is so, We shall be the Chasmdwellers." Ashanah said, tearing up slightly.
Adir smiled, gazing up at the sky, a hole of light was shining through, the sun was rising again. He smiled as he heard his mother's voice, soft and tender in his ear.
"You have found your place."