No One's POV

Thick gray smoke is billowing into the skies. The once pale blue sky is now shielded by a veil of darkness as the smoke swallows up the whole sky. Fierce fire could be seen sneaking their way out from the rows of trees. Animals hurry off in random directions trying to find a safer way to escape away from the fiery hell. A lioness not from Pride Rock happens to be in the area. She was in search for someone, a friend for that matter but found herself in danger. She now realize how fast the flames are spreading. She must leave before it is too late.

The lioness runs for her life trying to escape as the flames quickly close her in. She jumps over a fallen tree and was able to luckily escape from the fiery circle. She stops running for a moment to catch her breath before taking off once again.

But then suddenly, she hears a cry for help. Her ears twitch at the voice, they move like a radar as she picks up the levels of the sound.

"Someone, please help me! My sister is in trouble!!" The voice cries.

It sound like a lost, helpless child. The lioness gasps and admittedly begin searching for the voice. She coughs due to the heavy smoke and squint her grey eyes since it is hard to see.

"Hey, where are you?" She calls back.

"Over here! Please, hurry." The child cries.

The lioness speeds up her pace. She sees fire again up ahead.

"Oh my gosh..." She says, frighten.

The child must be over here somewhere. The lioness bravely jumps over the high flames into the circle. There, she finds two lion cubs. Both are females and are alone in danger. 

"Hey, everything is going to be alright. I am here to rescue you!" She said, in a very calming and relaxed tone.

One of the cubs have already fainted due to the heavy smoke. The other just now collapsed on her side. The lioness gasp in shock.

"I have to get them out of here quick or they will die. Hm, I dont see their parents or pride anywhere."

The lioness quickly picked up the cubs placing them on her back and took off fast. The fire closes in. She ran as fast as her paws could take her which was far away from the fire. Once she made it safe on top of a cliff, she sat the cubs down by a small pond. She lays down tiredly to catch her breath from all that panicking and running. She watches over the cliff as the fire burns down every tree and blade of grass in its path.

"Wow, I wonder what could have started this fire. It seems like it had came out of no where..." said the lioness thinking out loud to her self.

She thought about the cubs. She stood up and splash some water from the pond with paw on their faces to wake them.

Both of the cubs slowly opened their eyes coughing. The lioness smiled with relief.

"Yes, they are alive!"

The cub with light gold fur wondered her eyes. "Where am I?"

"Hello little one, I have saved you two away from the fire. You girls would have been goners if I wasn't around." The lioness shortly explained.

The cub with fawn color fur (which means yellowish tan) stands up quick on her four paws. She growls, "Who are you? Our daddy told us to never talk to strangers."

The lioness chuckles, finding it amusing and adorable of the cub's reaction. "I understand that you are frightened. I mean no harm, I am also a mother except that my son is much older than you two. My name is Zawadi."

The cubs seem to relax more now. 

"Oh, well my name is Adia and this is my twin sister Chauna."

"Nice names. Where are you girls from? Its awfully dangerous for you to be out at this hour. It is almost night. Dont you have a pride or parents?"

Chauna nods. "Yes, we do. We've gotten separated away from our mom. We were playing while she went to hunt. Somehow we went off too far."

"Hm, I see. Where are you guys from? Maybe I can help bring you home. Im sure your mother is worried sick!"

"We're from the Pridelands!" Said Adia.

"Ah, that name rings a bell. I was actually on my way there to meet a friend. But somehow the fire messed my way of getting there. We must wait until it dies down. It will take hours, so we should rest here for a while. Once the fire is gone, I will walk you girls home."

"Thank you, miss!"

The cubs smile trusting her words. They're starting to feel comfortable now. After all, she did save their lives. The lioness nodded, then laid her head over her front paws as she lied down. The cubs curl up in a ball cuddling close to each other.

***********

Night...

The moon under siege by stars seemed to lighten the night bringing forth stars that shone and hung in the blackness. The fire has finally stopped, the night cooling off the now burnt land. The lioness stands up, sniffing out for any unfamiliar scents. Everything seems be clear for them to be on the move. It is now time for her to take the cubs home. They are currently sleeping from a long nap. The lioness nudges them gently with her nose to wake them.

"Come on kids, its time for you to be home."

They woke up with yawns. Adia stretches her body before getting up.

"You guys can ride on my back if you'd like."

Chauna decided to ride on her back, while Adia walked close along her left side. They are walking straight to the Pride Lands where a huge pointy rock stands.

"That's home!" Chauna points, with her paw.

Adia leaps around happily with excitement and laughter. Once they've gotten close to home, Zawadi stops. She didnt want to get anymore closer since she is trespassing in someone else's territory. Instead, she drops the cubs off at the waterhole which isnt far from their pride at all.

She must leave quick before the King or any one else sniffs out her scent.

"Goodbye girls! It was nice meeting you both. You're parents have done a good job raising you with such manners. You're going to group into beautiful, respectful ladies! Now hurry home."

"Thank you!"

The cubs wave goodbye and hurried off to the big pointy rock. Zawadi ran off to a different direction. She must leave before she is caught.

"Hey, you!" A voice calls.

"Uh, oh."

Zawadi sprints off through the tall grass. The sound of heavier and bigger paws are chasing her from behind. Suddenly, she got tackled quick on the ground. They roll around a few times until she got pinned on her back.

She looks up and gasp seeing a male lion. He shows his teeth with an unpleasant growl.

''Who are you stranger? I've seen you with my nephew's cubs." He said.

''Why do you need to know my name? So you can go back home and tell your King? I have done nothing wrong! Those cubs are brought home safe from a fire. I could have lost my life, but I couldn't see them die in front of me like that."

"A fire? So, that's was what mentioned to me earlier..."

The lion looked over to the side thinking deeply. Zawadi took this as her chance to break free. She uses her front legs kicking him from off her. 

"Hey!" he yells, falling over.

Zawadi  takes off running again. He gets up following her.

"Come back here, we are not finished here!"

"Oh yes we are, sir!"

The two run across the Pride Lands. Zawadi finally stops after coming to a dead end at a tree.

"What do you want from me?!" she growls.

She swipes her paw at him. The lion quickly dodge away from her attack.

"You look very familiar, like we have met before..." he said, squinting his eyes.

"Have we? I think not. You must have me confused with someone else. I best be going now..."

"No, wait!"

He takes cautious steps forward. Zawadi show out her claws in case he tries to do any sudden attacks. She gulp nervously and pressed herself up against the tree's bark.

His salmon colored nose is an inch away from hers. He stares deep inside her grey eyes, which is now making her feel a bit uncomfortable. 

"Z-Zawadi? Is it really y-you?"

Zawadi's body is completely frozen. Her eyes are now big. "H-How do you know my name? Who told you?!"

The lion now smiles. He jumps up with joy. "After all of these years, we finally meet again! It's me, Mansa."

"Mansa?!"

The two lions circle around each other with laughter and happy smiles.

"Wow, look at you. Last time I've saw you, you barely had a mane." Zawadi giggles.

"Ha ha, very funny..." Mansa sarcastically jokes, while rolling his eyes.

She paws at his face playfully as he nips at her ear.

"So, where did you come from Zawadi? What made you come to the Pride Lands?" Mansa asks, with curiosity.

"To find you. I've met a wise monkey and she told me that you would be here."

"A monkey? Would her name be Amwa?"

Zawadi nodded, "Yeah, how did you know?"

Mansa chuckles, "Shes a good friend to the pride. She helps us a lot!"

"I see..."

Mansa hugs Zawadi. "It's so nice to see an old friend again..."

Her cheeks blush by his surprising hug. "It's nice to see you too, Mansa. I thought we would never see each other again."

Zawadi's eyes tear up as she hugs him tight. He doesn't let go at first, but then quickly back away clearing his throat. He doesn't want to show off too much affection. After all, he is still a husband and father.

"So, Zawadi, are you married or have a family?" He asks.

"Not married, but I do have a son. I stay at his pride in the mountains."

"Wow, that's not far from here at all. That is nice that you are a mother. Im pretty sure you've turned out to be a great one."

Zawadi smiles. "Thank you! What about you? You seem to be living great and healthy."

"I am married and have a son as well. He is still a cub, his name is Mosi. This is my birth pride where I have originally came from. I have found out that I have a big sister named Nala. She use to be Queen here, but she isn't living anymore. Her daughter Kiara, my niece is the current Queen."

"Wow, so your part royalty huh?"

"Well, sort of." He laughs. "I am still the same guy that you've grew up with, nothing has changed. Oh! I have also gotten the chance to meet my real mother before she had died and what my real name is. My mother Sarafina named me Mheetu."

"Mheetu? That's a cool name."

"Thank you, but you can still call me Mansa too if you want."

Zawadi smiles. Mheetu turns around and starts to walk back home.

"Well, it was nice seeing you Zawadi. I best get back home, im sure my wife is home wondering where I am. You better go before the King or his lion guard gets a hold of you."

"Okay, it was nice seeing you too. Hey Mansa, do you think if its possible that can see each other again tomorrow? You know, like hanging out as friends and catch up more?"

Mansa stops walking and looked over his shoulder at Zawadi with a smile. "Sure, meet me here at this same spot tomorrow night."

"Alright."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

With that, the two childhood friends had went their own separate ways.