Chapter 8 – New Life
Dafina gave birth to two beautiful female cubs. She decided to name one Halima and Ajali named the other Sakina. Ajali and Dafina didn’t let them out of their sights and they were their pride and joy! Ajali would go out hunting, as he felt he needed to provide for his family. Kiara also found a new purpose in life after Kovu’s death and would often cub sit in order to give Dafina some rest.
One day, Ajali was joined on his hunt by Vitani, who wanted to talk to him. They talked about the future and about Halima and Sakina until they came across a herd of zebra. Vitani told Ajali the plan and they went into the herd to hunt.
Ajali was attentive to every little move and how Vitani was such a skilled hunter, even in her old age. Then he heard her cry out in pain. He ran towards her and saw her get kicked by an angry male zebra. Ajali roared and scared the herd, giving him time to rescue Vitani and take her back up to Pride Rock.
Vitani knew that her time was coming and told everyone that she wasn’t scared, but happy as she would see her mother and her brothers again.
So when she died a few days later, the Pride mourned for Vitani, but knew that she was in pain no longer. Kopa wouldn’t stop crying and he and Kiara would often lean against each other for support, being the only ones left in their generation. Dafina and Ajali nuzzled each other often and even Siri had a few tears.
However, their mourning wouldn’t last for ever. Nabii was pregnant, as was Wema. It was a joyous time on Pride Rock, with Chimalsi and Kabili running around getting advice and Nabii and Wema comparing cub names.
Very soon, the day came and the two lionesses went down to the birthing cave together. It used to be Scar’s old cave, but thanks to Kabili, it now had lots of lovely decorations of flowers and lions, including a whole roof painted to look like the Great Kings of the Past. They gave each other support as each one gave birth, and then emerged a few days later to join with their worried mates.
Wema had given birth to a beautiful light brown cub with sea green eyes. Kabili said that he had almost got their daughter coloured correctly in his story cave and that he would have to do a touch up. They named their daughter Amani and they greeted the rest of the Pride.
Nabii had given birth to three male cubs, one pure white like her, another very light brown and the last a mixture of both. Chimalsi was over the moon seeing his healthy mate and his perfect cubs. They decided to call the white one Jabari, the brown one Zuberi and the last one Bakari. Although the Pride was filled with happiness and congratulated their King and Queen, some of them remembered a story of Uru’s cubs Mufasa and Taka and how having two male cubs at the same time split apart the Pride. They kept whispering to each other, wondering what the consequences would be this time.