Misguided Youth (Private ABB and Saraiya)

[abalancedbreakfast]

"Jus' some bruises. Stomach hurts a lot. Nothin' I ain't felt before though..." He said, clearly worried about the next day.

[saraiya]

"Hey." Kela says, licking his cheek. "Everything will be fine. Ma might even be arranging a way to help us."

[abalancedbreakfast]

"She will... I know that much" he said, nuzzling the side of her head tenderly. "Kela... I don't wanna join that pride... I wanna be with you. No matta' what..."

[saraiya]

"I'm really glad. I honestly didn't want to leave your side." Kela smiles then frowns. "But are you sure? You've been waiting years to find a place to belong. I don't want to get in the way of that."

[abalancedbreakfast]

"Kela..." He said, pressing his nose against Kela's cheek. "I want to be wherever you are. I feel like I'm somewhere I belong whenever you with me... And if you don't want to join a pride, nether do I."

[saraiya]

"Then, we'll go to the west?" Kela smiles at the thought. "We'll finally be free, if it all goes well."

[abalancedbreakfast]

Wapo nuzzled the lioness, blushing under his white fur. "Maybe we need to sleep. I think we gonna have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

[saraiya]

"You think?" She chuckles and lays her head on top of his large paws. "We should sleep. Good night, Wapo."

[abalancedbreakfast]

Wapo laid down next to the lioness, the one he had gotten so close to, and nuzzled her. "Good night... And Kela? Thank you... Fo' everything."

[saraiya]

"You're welcome." She yawns and dozes off, feeling content despite their current situation.

[abalancedbreakfast]

With that, Wapo rested his eyes and slept, surprisingly peacefully, knowing he was spending possibly the last night of his life with someone who he had finally found his peace with.

The next morning, the boulder blocking the small cave was bust open. The sunlight that poured in revealed the two young lions, wrapped in each other's arms, to both the guards and one lion, who hadn't been seen the previous night.

"What on earth is going on here! Didn't I tell you to separate them?"

[saraiya]

Kela's head snaps up, and she glares at the entrance and snarls at the arguing lions. She didn't want to go home and she definitely doesn't want Wapo to die.

[abalancedbreakfast]

Wapo stood up, moving in front of Kela protectively. "So, what you up to, huh? You gonna force her back home, a home she ain't even wanna be in, an' then you gonna kill me? That how this gonna work?"

Three guards immediately descended down onto Wapo, beating him senseless, before the new lion stepped into the cave, pulling her chin up to look him in the eye. "Listen, Kela, you are delusional. I don't know why you think that running off to elope with this... this filth, was a good idea, and for you to be okay with the fact that he killed Razu, the one you were going to marry? Something has gotten into you, girl, but you will be sent back home and learn how to be a respectful queen like a royal lioness should be!"

Wapo, sensing a beatdown was about to happen, quickly turned his head to look Kela in the eye, with a glare that only said don't do it yet.

[saraiya]

Kela snarls and pulls away. "Don't touch me!" She glares at him. "I can choose to be with whoever I want. You don't own me, and I owe that pride nothing."

She glances at Wapo, then looks back at the ambassador with a glare. "I'd kill myself sooner than returning to the jungle with Wapo left as maggot food."

[abalancedbreakfast]

"Girl, you can have riches! Power! Anything in the world you want, in your paws! That is what your father has been providing you your whole life. Do you really want to throw it all away on some worthless criminal?"

[saraiya]

"He isn't worthless. He's worth more to me than all of that. Besides, Father has literally beaten the role of a warrior in me. If he thinks I'm going to go down as a royal babymaker, then he's going to highly regret training me." Kela glares, extending her claws and ready to claw the ambassador's throat out if need be.

[abalancedbreakfast]

"Enough of this. Pull Kela out of there and kill this pest!" The ambassador ordered, stepping back to allow the guards access into the tunnel, dragging the princess out and pushing Wapo away from her, the expression on his face screaming DO IT NOW!

[saraiya]

Wasting no more time, Kela escapes the guards and lunges at the ambassador, latching her jaws to his throat as she slams him to the ground and crushes his windpipe, effectively killing him.

[abalancedbreakfast]

With the guards distracted by the gruesome sight, Wapo lunges at the three guards formerly holding him back with three well placed swipes to throats, starting a battle with the other ten lions and lionesses who were left by this point.

Suddenly, a roar could be heard from about a hundred feet away, as Mlezi, backed by any rogue male and lioness fighter she could muster back at the cave had begun to charge in, each one singling out one of the cave guards, each one letting out their long pent up hatred for authority.

[saraiya]

The battle was quick, yet gruesome, ending with multiple dead lions. "Wapo?" She calls out, worried that he may have gotten caught up in the fray.

[abalancedbreakfast]

"Kela!" he called out, running towards the lioness covered in red stripes from the battle, his white fur stained with vibrant patterns as he lept toward her and hugged her close. "I was worried I almost lost you!"

[saraiya]

Kela smiles happily and hugs him back. "I promised it would be okay. You look like a zebra." She adds with a giggle.

[abalancedbreakfast]

"I know I do-" he said, showing off a bit. "Tha's why they call me the red zebra."

Mlezi immediately pounced Wapo to the floor, hugging him close. "My boy, wat's wrong wit' ya? Ya' didn't have ta' go breakin' Mama's 'art by gettin ya'self arrested! Ya' had no idea how worried I was about ya', boy! Why didn't ya' roar o' do somethin' ta' tell Mama sooner? And why ya' so close ta' Kela now, hm?"

[saraiya]

Kela blushes underneath her fur and grins a bit. "Wapo chose to stay with me." She answers, a bit vaguely.

[abalancedbreakfast]

Mlezi looked at Kela, and then back down at Wapo. "OOoh, boy, ya' betta' not 'ave gone an' tricked t'is poor yo'ng lady inta' fallin' for ya'!"

"I didn't trick her, Ma! She told me she was into me first!"

"Oh, is t'at so? I thought ya' told me the lioness neva' makes ta' first move!"

[saraiya]

"I had to, Ma. It was your advice." Kela giggles. "It would have been to late if I kept my mouth shut."

[abalancedbreakfast]

"Well, ho'ny, I'm glad ya' did it! I knew you two was' gonna' be somethin' tha' moment ya' walked in 'ere togetha'!" she said, hugging the lioness closely.

"Bo't where ya' plannin' on headin' off ta' now? Ya' know ya' gonna get a reputation fa' t'is bloodbat' ya' got 'ere."

[saraiya]

Kela hugs her back. "We're running West. We can start over there. Be free."

[abalancedbreakfast]

"Oh, the west, hm? Ya' 'eard about ta' beaches? I 'ere they lovely in t'a dry season. An' lot's of rivers ta' catch fish in, too. S'not often a lion can get a delicacy like t'at, but i's a normal meal o'va there."

She turned to Wapo, nuzzling under his chin. "My boy... you make me so proud... Ya' 'ave no idea how much it means ta' me to 'ave ya a happy lion. I'm happy ya' found ya' peace wit' Kela. I hope you two have a wonderful life togetha'" she said, starting to tear up. "Ya' got me all emotional now, boy, ya'd betta' come see me at least once a year!"

"Okay, ma, I will! Wouldn't miss it fo' the world."

"There's a good lad" she said, nudging his shoulder.

[saraiya]

"Of course we'd visit you, Ma. We would miss you too much not to." Kela grins and looks at Wapo. "When would you like to leave?"