Wubbzy was searching outside his territory for food for his pride, they were struggling far more than he had ever seen since his time as a cub to adulthood. Even his lionesses were starting to get onto each other's nerves about food and saying the other hunting parties were not doing their job.

The last thing he needed was to lose his pride members to each other. Thankfully Reader and Brutus had joined him on this journey while Spirit was watching over the pride and preventing anyone from doing something they'll regret.

Wubbzy had been through a couple other prides, asking for help if they could spare any but as Brutus warned him, they got chased off and threatened if they ever came near the pride again, they'd be killed.

Which left them to where they were now, Reaper and Brutus standing by his sides as they walked into a pride's territory carefully. Brutus was the first to stop her King from going further.

"Wubbzy, stop moving..we've been seen". She told him quietly. Reaper cautiously staying behind his Kind, protecting their rear side in case of an attack.

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The primal approached. He hated other prides. He hated interacting with other kings, but his mother had taught him better than to chase off others without inspecting them first.

"Are we going to greet them?" Jafari asked. Neo started down at his submale and shook his head

"Well, I'm not going to greet them. I just want to figure out why they're here before I chase them off." Neo replied.

Jafari sighed, but made no comment.

The primal King approached the group stopping in front of the group, Jafari not to far behind him. His red eyes scanning each of the members. When he was satisfied he could take them all, he looked right at the one with horns, assuming that was the leader of this patrol. Neo let out a huff.

"I am Neo I. This is my territory, Where do you come from, and what do you want?"

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Brutus stepped aside her King and stepped back and Wubbzy moved forward.

" I am Wubbzy, I am the King of my Pride. And I've been visiting other Prides to propose a deal. That could possibly prove to benefit both our prides". Brutus stared down at the other prides sub male, prepared if her King was threatened by either of them.

"The deal is that if our Prides worked together, then we may be able to gather enough food to feed enough of our members". He said." I understand this sounds like a impossible deal but in these times my Pride is getting desperate and we need the help..".

Reaper would glance back momentarily and resume his position, looking around behind them.

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A deal that would be if it them both? Neo couldn’t believe his ears, actually he was more tempted to scoff at the idea then to actually accept. Jafari came up to his side and leaned close.

“My king, I know what your thinking…but this may not be a bad idea.” He said. Neo frowned and looked down at his submale. Darn the advisors he had. Soft and kind. Neo looked at the ground, then back up, eyeing the lioness and submale of what apparently was king of another pride. He finally turned his red eyes on the king.

“Your right.” He stated, “It is impossible.”

He could almost feel Jafari sigh next to him. The feeling also made him want to laugh, but he ignored the urge.

“However, our pride is large, and my hunting teams are incompitent to keep up with the current challenge facing us. I would like time to talk with my other submales about your proposition.”

“Offer for them to stay with us until then.” Jafari whispered. Neo sighed.

“And you are welcome to stay with us while you wait.” He muttered.

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Wubbzy smiled and looked relieved that a pride finally accepted his offer and Reaper let himself relax slightly as he finally faced towards the other lions.

Brutus seemed relieved but also surprised that the other King accepted the deal, honestly, she expected them to be chased out again or maybe she could finally put her claws to use as she had been itching to do for a while. Wubbzy had not noticed her expression and missed it as he turned to her.

"Brutus, you can relax now. And Neo, thank you for allowing us to stay". He said turning to the King and bowed his head out of respect.

Reaper did the same as his King though Brutus did so halfway.

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"I didn't say I would accept," Neo said as he turned. He paused and glared at the lioness. Her attitude was appealing to him, but he got the feeling she was stubbornly loyal to her king. He snorted and turned walking back to his camp. "I said I would consider it."

Jafari fell in step with the other king. The older lion dipped his head. "I apologize for Neo." He whispered. He looked from the king to Neo then to the others in the small party. "He's only recently become king, and is ambitious...I am Jafari by the way, I don't believe I caught your names."

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"Brutus", she answered. She would glare at Neo and snorted through her nose." I can tell he is only recent...". She muttered. " I'm Reaper", the sub male introduced himself. Reaper now more relaxed talking to Jafari. " Do you think that Neo will accept the deal? ", Reaper asked.

Wubbzy would watch Neo as he and his pride members followed them back to the other Kings Pride. In his head he was going over how he could convince the King more. If the solution to food may not be enough, would he have to trade his daughters as a potential bribe? It was not unusual when he tried this with other Kings, they tried to add that to the deal, but he wouldn't want to do that to his own daughters... but if he had to, for the sake of his pride surviving he just might.

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The group walked on while Jafari answered the fellow submale. He relayed how he wasn’t entirely sure, but with enough pressure from his lionesses he might just give in. Jafari changed the subject then, asking about their pride. Where they’re boarders where, and how many were in it.

As the conversation began to die, the group approached a high cliff face. Neo kept walking toward it, his face to a cluster of trees and bushes. He paused for a second and looked over his shoulder.

“Our home is through here. Hope you don’t mind getting ruffled.” He said. His eyes glittered and he smirked before he scooted through the mass.

Jafari followed, then stopped, an almost apologetic look on his face. “I’ll let you all go first. It’s not uncommon to get stuck your first time through.”

He waited patiently, then when the last lion was through, he followed.

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Reaper would answer Jafari's questions, that his pride had once quite the lush grass and plants now it was not as ideal as before. And saying his pride had decent numbers, though they lost their best Broodmother, one that had looked after him hit the most.

Upon seeing the cluster of trees and bushes along with Jafari's words, Brutus went in first. Then Reaper, then Wubbzy, who by far had the most difficult time getting through it all. "Quite the home you guys have!" , he said trying to be at least playful about his troubles getting through.

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The world beyond the bushes was bigger and more beautiful than one might expect. Carved out of the cliffs eons ago was a large open space surrounded by a barrier of solid red rock. The grass was just high enough to see a cubs ears above it. As could be seen, many cubs were tussling in it, oblivious to the party.

Several lionesses walked about the space. In truth there was over fifty lions who lived in the area. Some were the children of Neo, but most were adopted during the reign of his predecessor. A few stopped and watched as Neo cut through the grass to a staircase cut in the rock. He bounded up it, and stopped at a hole that seemed a bit small for his primal frame. He turned red eyes scanning the area.

"I need all submales to join me... immediately!" He bellowed. He turned and disappeared inside. As he did a female stalked closer to them. She was quite aged, clearly ready to retire soon. She looked up at Jafari. He bowed his head to her then looked back at the group.

"I'm sorry but I have to go. Adah here will show you to your quarters." He said. "It was a pleasure to meet all of you. I'm sure we'll run into each other soon." He dipped his head once more and bounded toward the stairs.

The older lioness stared right up at each of them, not shrinking back. "I am Adah, the former queen of this pride. Come, I will show you where you will be staying." She gave a warm nod and then turned her warn body slinking back through the grass.

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Wubbzy smiled and followed close behind." Your pride has such a lovely home, possibly the most beautiful home I've come across" , he said, complimenting.

Brutus was looking around the pride, mostly thinking to herself a possible exit route should they be met with hostility after the King's meeting with his submales. While her King was a friendly face and far more understanding than their previous one, she was the one who had to watch him and make sure that he didn't get himself killed.

Reaper followed behind the rest and also looked around the camp but more so enjoying the scene before him, he loved seeing the cubs around. He wished his younger sisters were still here, but he had lost some to this troublesome time. He looked after their cubs instead, knowing there were pieces of them inside.

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"Thank you," Adah said. She slowed to walk beside the King. "It has been our home for generations. Our former king found it long before he became king, and I suppose we all just came in from there." A far away, almost dreamt look filled the old queen's eyes. She smiled, then shook the look from her face. "But of course Neo is king now."

Almost as if on que a younger brown lioness emerged from a crack in the cavern wall. Her face was painted black with a blue butterfly painted over that. A scar could be seen on the top of her tail and over her well toned muscles. She paused and nodded her head to Adah, before looking over the group.

"Ah, so you must be the commotion I've heard about. " She bobbed her head once more. "I am Uskia. I was just heading over to make sure my son accepts your offer." She nodded once more and without another word walked off.

Adah paused and watched her leave. She looked back to the group. "Times have been hard here lately. So many lions coming and going over the lack of food. Uskia and her mother should help convince him of whatever you offered. They have great sway over him. Even more so than his submales. If his queen appears, that would help as well." She paused her outlook turning brighter. " You den is just this way though."

She continued the walk in silence. The space they were in seemingly large with every step. Finally she stopped at a gap in the back wall. Unlike the other den Uskia had come out of it was big enough for a make to squeeze through. Adam motioned for them to go first.

"I promise it's only friendly lionesses on the other side." She stopped near Brutus. "And few of them like Neo." She whispered with a wink.

Just as she said that a cub popped out, looked up at the group then ran out onto the grass to find her friends.

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Wubbzy smiled to the passing lioness Uskia, as well as nudging Brutus to do the smile not wanting to have the lioness think Brutus was rude. Brutus attempted to give her best half smile, though it looked quite forced like she wasn't the type to smile. Reaper had given a nod at the passing lioness.

"If what you say is true then I am hopeful and quite positive Neo would agree, I just want to help both our prides survive", Wubbzy said to Adah. Brutus huffed slightly, " I'll trust your word for it for now, but any funny business and I'll go out fighting", She said and walked into the den first, then Wubbzy who looked at Adah apologetically. " I am sorry about Brutus, she's uh... protective lioness". He spoke.

Reaper looked over at the cub and smiled watching them run over to a group of cubs. How sweet.

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Adah chuckled at Wubbzy's words. "Do not worry. We all can be." She smiled gently. Adah waited for the others to slide in before she followed. Inside was a large dome dug out of the deep red stone. A hole at the top provided light. Around the perimeter were beds of dried grass and lionesses cleaning or putting cubs to bed. Toward the back was a tunnel. This is where Adah went.

The tunnel was short and on the other side was a smaller cave. Fresh grasses, littered with flowers, were made into three nests. Adah chuckled. "Our girls work fast." She turned to the group. "This is where you'll be staying. This free to wander the camp, all of the lionesses are more than happy to help you until the boys are done talking."

She looked at Brutus. "Only my son, Hakim, and another lioness, Wardi, will bother you every now and again, but they don't mean any harm." She bobbed her head to the group. "I'll let you settle in."

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Brutus seemed to finally be put at ease and went over to a nest and flopped down, exhausted from the day they had and mumbled something about telling her when the lions were done talking. Wubbzy looked over at Reaper and chuckled.

" Well, should we take this chance to explore?", He asked his submale. Reaper seemed quite excited to and nodded. He went out first and Wubbzy followed, Wubbzy was curious to how this pride worked. And what the lions and lionesses looked like here.

" Do you think they have more lions like Brutus here? Or Wicked?", Reaper asked to Wubbzy. " Who knows, maybe we'll see one we haven't seen before", Wubbzy replied. They both started to wander about on the outside, and seemed to find the group of cubs from earlier, which Reaper seemed happy to see again

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