Sarabi POV

I watched with tired eyes as Mufasa paced the den, every single step filled with worry and disappointment. Closely, I kept my newborn son, licking his sleepy head, completely aware that all of the new mothers surrounding us had been doing the same thing... All except the missing tawny furred lioness, Sarafina, and her distressed younger sister, Kiya... their cubs weren't born yet and Sarafina had problems that needed to be dealt with.

My poor best friend had to come to terms with the fact that her mate is a deranged lunatic! While pregnant with his cub, that could be a hard task to come by... but Sarafina is strong, but how much could she take?

A small cry of an older lioness, Nefre, pierced into my ears and I slightly turned, observing our pride sisters comforting her. I couldn't even imagine losing my son... when I was young, I never pictured myself growing so attached to something so small and delicate, losing him would just tear my heart apart. With that, I could not picture what Nefre was going through... losing both of her sons in such a cruel and unjust way? The kings did not smile upon her today.

Mufasa moved over to me after a moment of pacing and I didn't bother to even get up, I was still a little sore from giving birth and he understood that. "Thankfully this didn't happen to our son." He lowered his strong voice to a whisper, for that I was thankful, I didn't want Nefre to hear. "Our Simba is truly a miracle."

Our little prince was. Mufasa and I have been together for many years and not once have I gotten pregnant. We were afraid that we may not have had an heir to go on, but Simba saved us, and he saved our bloodline.

"I'm going out there." The king confirmed, his reddish brown eyes dancing over to his younger brother, whom unwillingly sat there. "Scar, I need you to come with me. Sarafina is in no condition to fight or protect herself if it's needed."

Those cold green eyes rolled and Scar added sarcastically, "Oh, believe me brother..." He gestured toward the cave opening, "It isn't needed."

Mufasa's eyes widened and he ran over to the tawny lioness, tears flooded her green eyes and he immediately felt sympathetic, as did I. "Sarafina, what happened?"

"Leo's gone." The lioness confirmed with a deep frown, which did not do her justice. Sarafina was a beautiful lioness with so many great qualities, such as her patience, love and care, but seeing her so upset made my heart split apart. "And- And he took Nuru with him."

Nuru was Sarafina's eldest son, no one knows for sure what the new cub will be, but that was her baby boy as of right now and Leo has absolutely no right to take away their son. Especially after what he just did to Nefre's boy's. "I tried to fight with him and tell him that he couldn't t-take Nuru, but h-he didn't listen! He-" My jaw dropped as I saw the blood trickling from her side. A growl rippled through Mufasa's muzzle and he immediately took action, running from the den, some of the lionesses who hadn't just given birth nor were pregnant, followed him.

My best friend moved over to me, and I licked her head, giving her reassurance that everything would be fine, that her son will be back here and her new cub isn't hurt from the strike. She smiled softly but it wasn't a real one, just one so the attention would come off of her. Kiya had gotten up and her hazelnut fur combined with both of ours, her head rubbing against her older sisters.

"Sarabi's right, Fina. Your cubs will both be just fine." She shot a look over to someone and that's when I realized the dark shadow that loomed over both of us.

"It's a shame, isn't it?" Scar asked, as we all glanced up. "That a killer took your son with him and probably killed your unborn cub. You know, you wouldn't have had this problem if you had just chosen me."

I growled, placing my son on Sarafina's paws and once I straightened out, refusing to wince, I glared right at my brother-in-law watching as he stood there, unflinching. "Get out of this den." I commanded, my voice sounding strained but harsh. Today was a terrible day and he did not need to make things worse, "And stay out there until I allow you to come back in."

"Allow?" Scar asked, getting in my face. "This was my home before you ever stepped your pretty little paw onto it, before my glorious brother married you!"

A smile was all I let him see, not the hurt that was swimming all underneath, "As of right now, Scar, I have more power than you do. Now get out." Normally, I was calm and collected, but today I just about had it. He did not need to bring that up right now, my friend never loved him and any normal animal would have gotten over that.

"S-Sarabi..." Hearing my name, I looked down, feeling Scar's presence disappear, but I also saw something else, something beautiful! "His eyes are opening!" Though they were unfocused, that was very true, his eyes were opening and he looked even more precious than before. Just three days ago, little Simba was born, now he's already opening his eyes?

My expression must have been filled with excitement, awe and wonder because my older sister, Sheba, chuckled after bathing her own newborn daughter, Tama, whom was just a day older than Simba. "What is it, Sarabi? Say his first word?"

Even the sarcasm from my sister wasn't enough to break this joy. I plopped down next to Sarafina and took Simba into my paws again, watching as he looked around, still unable to focus on me, but I was still thrilled to see him developing. "This makes me want to have my cub right now..." Kiya commented softly, "So she better hurry up!"

"She?" Sarafina asked, and even I looked up at this one. "How do you know it's a girl?"

"Well, two girls actually. Rafiki told me that the faster the heartbeat, that it's a girl. The slower, it's a boy." Girls? I beamed over to Kiya who caught my expression and knew immediately what I was thinking. Simba and one of her little cubs should be betrothed, the blood line needs to go on, right? "I have names in mind." She spoke softly, her smile never leaving, "Kula and Cleo."

Ah, baby Simba and one of them were then to be married when old enough. They are the first female cubs I have heard of, who wasn't apart of our family already. Tama was female, but she was Simba's first cousin, Kula nor Cleo were related at all and this worked out perfectly. "I'll tell Mufasa about it, he'll be thrilled that someone in the pride is having a female."

"Oh one of my daughters is going to be queen!" Kiya sang happily and Sarafina frowned, but that was something only I caught onto. As her younger sister danced away, joining the other lionesses of Pride Rock, I nudged my muzzle against my best friends shoulder blade.

"What's wrong, Fina? Still worried about Nuru?" The tawny lioness nodded, but something told me that wasn't the only thing she was upset about. "What else is it?"

She didn't answer me, instead pain struck across her face and she got up from that very spot, moving to a nearby corner and I knew what she was about to do. She was about to have her cub! Kiya bounced over to her sister in case she needed help or anything else, but even then, Sarafina wouldn't even look at her. I half wondered what her problem was, but it could have been all the stress piled onto her at once.

Yes, that was it, and that's exactly what I made myself believe. Soon, everything will be ok. Tomorrow will be Simba's ceremony, we know who will be betrothed to our little prince, and Nuru will be back by his mother. All I have is hope for the future.