AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, this book is getting SUPER good right now. Like I seriously cannot stop writing/posting new chapters! XD haha. A lot of "what the hell?!" And "Omg's" are happening right now. Prepare to say it again cause this chapter is going to be juicy! ~^.^~

I haven't done Zawadi's POV in a loooooong time. (Remember, she is Jengo and Zaina's daughter, Princess of the Sky Leaf Pride. Uru's birth pride). Now she gets the spotlight with a longer chapter :D you may enjoy!

Xoxo,

Skyy15<3
*****************
Zawadi

Rewinding to the past...

"She's perfect. Where did you find her?" Said a female voice.

"North close to the mountains. She was alone. I didn't see a pride." Said a deep voice.

"I start to worry that you wouldn't return. The job is now complete. My son must meet her tomorrow, his future Queen."

I felt the large stranger sat me down. I open my eyes with a yawn. How long have I been sleep or blacked out? Most of been a day or two.

My eyes open. I look around, where am I?

I'm inside a wide open cave surrounded with unique lions at every corner. In front of me sits a lioness with almond shape eyes. Her eyes are colored Persian blue, nose colored dark brown.

She lean down giving my head a sniff. "Humph, she's already a royal."

"How can you tell?" The deep voice asks behind me.

I turn around. It's the guy with the huge tan mane and lime green eyes who kidnap me.

I snarl, "You took me away! Where am I? I want to go back home."

The lioness laughed. "This is your home, young one."

"No it is not. My pride is called the Sky Leaf Pride. I'm Princess Zawadi! When my daddy and mommy find me here, you'll regret keeping me here."

The male lion laughed. Why are they laughing at me? Is everything I'm saying is a joke?? My parents are strong rulers. They'll kill them in a instant!

"Your parents are never going to find you here kid. Your too far away from home." Said the male.

I sat crying a few tears. The lioness rub my head roughly with her paw.

"Don't worry, we'll take great care of you." She said.

With that, she walked off into the dark shadows. The male lion left going in a opposite direction with evil laughter. I lay down covering my eyes with my small paws.

I gotta get out of here...

••••••••

Morning arrived shifting to a brand new day. I open my eyes with a yawn and stood slowly up. The smell of food filled the air. I follow it outside the cave.

"Morning Princess, I see your finally awake. Come and join me for breakfast." Said the lioness I met yesterday with the almond shape eyes and brown nose.

I walk slowly forward and sat down. Between us lays a large piece of zebra meat. Mmmh!

I was about to dig in but the lioness tap my head with her paw. "Not yet. We're waiting patently for my son to get here. He was training!"

I raise a brow. "Training? Like while the sun was coming up??"

"Yep."

"Shouldn't he get some rest?"

"Rest?" She laughed, "You are funny, Princess."

"I'm here mama, sorry for my late attendance!" Said a voice.

I look over my left shoulder and see another lion cub. It must be her son. He rush forward taking a seat beside me. I eye him carefully studying his facial looks and fur. He's a bit older than me and looks nothing like his mother. Very different...

"Be on time next time!" She frown at him. Her frown quickly went back to a smile once she had saw my face filled with fear. "Well, introduce yourself son."

The cub nods and hand out his paw to me. "Hello, my name is Mansa! You are?"

I shyly smile and shake his paw. "Zawadi...Princess Zawadi."

He return the smile then turn back to his mother.

She nods, "Good. We may now eat!"

The three of us dig our faces in the zebra meat enjoying every bit of taste. I was so hungry. I didn't eat anything last night going to bed with an empty stomach. When we finished, his mother got up and left without a word going some place further away. I look confused.

"Do we suppose to follow her?" I ask Mansa.

(SHORT AUTHOR'S NOTE: Mansa means King in Swahili if no one doesn't know :D).

He shook his head. "No. You and I stay, my mama wants us to become friends!"

"Oh, cool."

Mansa got up and start walking. "So where are you from, Zawadi?"

I trot to his side. "Sky Leaf Pride. I was kidnap and brought here last night. I'm not sure how I'll get back home."

"You won't."

"What do you mean?"

"My mother and her suppose friend kidnap Cubs all the time and bring them here. Once here, you stay forever. There's no going back. If your caught trying to escape, you face death."

Wow...

"Why me? I don't belong here!" I say panicking.

Mansa roll his eyes then chuckled. "Relax Princess, it's not so bad here. You just have to follow every rule and do what my mama tells you. It's that simple! Only if you want to stay alive..."

"I'll try to remember..."

"Good."

I look at him, meeting my eyes with his bluish green ones. "So, your a Prince huh?"

He puffs out his small furry chest. "Yep! More like a future King."

I giggle. "Awesome!"

"But it gets annoying sometimes..."

"How come?"

We stop walking. Mansa sat down and played with a pebble.

"Mama never let me have fun. When I try to play with the other Cubs, she gets angry and tells me to go train. All I do everyday is train, train, train. Sleep, train. Eat, train. Drink, train! So...ugh!"

"Have you tried telling her?" I ask.

"I'm scared too, Zawadi. Seeing my mama angry or hearing her yell is frightening. I try to push myself by keeping her proud. She wants me to become a great King."

"But Mansa, you can't continue stressing and putting more pressure on yourself. I'm sorry but this sounds like abuse! I'll go speak with her."

I turn around walking back to the cave. Something got a hold to my tail, gripping me backwards. I fell on my butt.

"Zawadi, please don't!"

I thought about it and stood up shaking myself from dirt. "Fine. I won't say anything."

Mansa smiled. "Thank you."

"So. Mind showing me around here since I'll be staying forever?"

"Yeah, sure! Follow me."

I follow behind Mansa. After walking and talking for what seem like an hour, we head back to the cave where we met his mother. She stood there with seriousness in her eyes. But it change to a happy smile when she had saw us.

"Mama!" Mansa greet.

He rub against his mother's legs purring. I watch behind. It made me think about my own mother.

I miss her warm touch and soft welcome kisses...

"How was today?" She asks us.

"Fun!" Mansa happily replied. "I show Zawadi around the whole pride. Then we wrestled and play tag!"

"That does sound fun. Well, it's time for your other training. Nahabi is in the cave waiting for you."

I watch Mansa's happy face turn sadden as he sigh. He walked slowly inside the cave.

Poor Mansa...

He just wants to grow up to be a normal lion...

Why doesn't his mother see that?

I got to say something!

"Why do you force Mansa to train like that? Everyone deserves a break." I start off to say.

Her brows furrow. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying let him rest. He's stressed out. All Mansa wants to do is play with the other Cubs. But you won't let him."

"You sure talk a lot for a cub your age!"

She growls and grab me roughly with her paw extending out her claws. I felt her claws dig inside my back.

I yell with pain, "Argh!"

"Zawadi!" I hear Mansa call from inside the cave.

He rush out and gasp.

"Don't you darn move an inch forward." His mother warn him with a snarl.

Mansa stayed put obeying his mother's demand and watch with fear.

"Listen to me carefully Princess. I make the rules here. I am the Queen! No one tells me otherwise. If you don't control that little mind or mouth of yours, you'll meet your grave early and painfully. Do I make myself clear?"

I quickly nod.

"Good."

She release me as I fell on my side. Tears stream down my cheeks as I watch her go to the cave.

"Mansa, come NOW!" She shouts.

Mansa startled jumps and rush behind his mother's tail.

Mansa was right...

His mother is frightening...

I'm in the wrong place to be...
••••••••••••

Fast forwarding to current time...

"Hurry up Zawadi!"

"I'm coming Mansa, chill."

Today Mansa and I are going to test out our roars by trying to scare away birds. For some reason, Mansa thinks he's the best at everything which isn't true. He's terrible at swimming and giving directions.

We both stand on top of a grassy hill. The cool winds blowing through our furs. Mansa and I are now teenagers. I've grown very pretty looking much like my mother with my father's colored eyes. Mansa grown a mane tuft on his head and behind his neck too with extra cheek fur. His body is getting big and muscular, leaving the weight of a chubby cub. He still has the childhood face though which I find pretty adorable.

He look at me and smirk, "Ready?"

I nod. "Ready."

Mansa goes first sticking out his chest and roars. All of the birds flew up to the afternoon sky.

"Still got it! It's your turn, prepare to lose Zawadi."

I roll my eyes and move up one step. "Pssh, stand back and listen to a real roar, Mansa."

I stand fully straight, close my eyes tight, and let out a very loud powerful roar. The ground rumbles, leaves from trees shake, and the birds flew higher in the sky.

Mansa's mouth is hung open with shock. I chuckle and put my tail underneath his chin to close it.

"Ha, beat that!"

"B-But...that's cheating!"

"How so?"

Mansa push me playfully. "You've been practicing while I was training earlier. That's how!"

"And?" I shrug. "Just admit that I won."

"Nope. I cannot accept that I got beaten by a girl."

He reminds me of Dayo, one of my old childhood friends back at the Sky Leaf Pride...

Dayo definitely would of said that!

"Is that a rematch?"

"Yep."

I smirk. "Alright, let's do it!"

"Mansa!" A voice call.

It's Nahabi...

"Ugh, training again?" I ask.

Mansa nods. "Yeah. Be back later, I promise Zawadi!"

"That's if you come back, Mansa."

"Hey, in a few years I'll be your King. Let me practice being perfect for you!"

Mansa gave me a grin then run down the hill over to Nahabi. I watch him with a chuckle shaking my head.

Oh Mansa...