Sins of the Father

The cub was squalling.

Really, she was surprised that it hadn't brought half the Pridelands to them. It's piercing voice blocked off the rest of the noise of the Pridelands. She had selected her den site for it's nearness to water and the rest of the Pride, settling a short distance from the watering hole near Pride Rock, in the grove of acacia up the slope to the north. 

She had chosen a place where she could see the main path from Pride Rock, but the brush was too thick for them to see her. Overhead the trees blocked the view of the birds and the tall grass protected them from view. None of the Pride had intruded, even though many had to have heard the cries of the cub. The day after the cub was born, Sarabi had left a gazelle leg at the shore, but it was long gone.

Although she had placed her den site so that she wouldn't have to leave the cub, she was starting to consider a brief hunt. Their were fields at the top of the slope which usually had gazelle herds. They would be a hard hunt alone, but if she could catch them close to the trees she could ambush them before they could flee.

Plucking the cub from her side, she began to wash it, hoping to calm it. It's screams quieted a bit, but it began to squirm in her paws. As she was trying to grip it more securely - all the while worried about hurting the tiny creature - she caught the sound of footsteps in grass. 

Whatever it was wasn't making the slightest effort to be quiet, which worried her. It was unlikely that a gazelle would come this close to a squalling cub, as even her noisy newborn knew to remain silent and hidden when she left. Most predators would avoid her as well, even cheetah would be nervous sharing brush this thick with a lioness, and smaller predators would be wary of becoming a meal. A hyena might be willing to attack, but she doubted that one could get this far into the Pridelands without Mufasa or the Guard being close behind. 

She was about to tuck the cub into the thorns behind her and stand when the striped hide of a zebra appeared through the brush directly in front of her. She stared at it stupidly for an instant - why would prey come this close to a newborn cub and how didn't it break it's leg getting here - before realizing that it was only part of a zebra. The haunch was being held by Unataka, his orange fur bright against it's hide and his green eyes glowing in the dimness of the brush.

They stared at each other, unmoving, before he stepped farther into the little clearing she had created and gently placed the haunch beside her shoulders. Only then did he shift his gaze down to the cub. Sarafina searched for words to tell him, but she found none, having to settle for staring down at the cub with him. 

She had realized it as soon as the cub was born, night and pain notwithstanding, but she had put it from her mind as she focused her energy on her son. His fur was golden, no where near the brilliance of Mufasa, but brighter than hers had been even as a cub. His tail-tuft was a dull brown, a color close to her own, but brighter. It was his eyes that gave it away, though. They were green, but not the leafy-green of Sarafina's own, or the electric brilliance of Ahadi and Unataka. 

Still, the mint green of his eyes were familiar. There were several lions in the Pride with the same color, the twins Hawla and Hasfa shared the same color, as had Hasfa's cub Neema. Most notably, for the cub's sake, was Hawla's grandson Jabari.

Unataka knew his brother's eyes as well as she did, but he made no comment on it. Leaning forward, he gently nuzzled the cub, who reached up to grasp his muzzle in it's tiny claws. He chuckled softly, untangling himself, and Sarafina found herself speaking.

"Unataka, I- I'm sorry," she lifted her paw to his leg to prevent him from backing away and nuzzled into his mane when he embraced her. He pulled away first, wrapping his paw around her chin to look into her face.

"Don't be sorry, 'fina. Your son is beautiful, and I know Jabari loves you. I hope you will be very happy together."

Sarafina watched the tears flood the sides of his eyes, could hear the pain he forced out of his voice. He had never denied that he loved her, that he had wanted her cub to be his. Unataka had always been more forward about it than Jabari, who was all too willing to step aside if she had chosen his brother. He had not come just to bring her food that she could have caught herself.

He let go, then, and stepped away from her, "enjoy the zebra, 'fina. It comes with Mufasa's blessing." His pelt blended perfectly into the dry brush, and he was gone before she could form an answer. 

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So my depression demands I write random things, but I frequent an art site.  I always wanted to use this base anyway.
Edit: because I apparently uploaded the wrong version