Darkness, an endless expanse of emptiness, devoid of all light and life; at least that’s all his eyes could describe. Tahnari knew vision was but one tool at his disposal. He still had four others. 
Splash…splash…splash…the sound of sloshing liquid echoed amidst the silence with every step forward. Is it water? He lifted a paw to his lips and lapped at the leathery pad. A familiar warmth trickled down his muzzle and the taste of iron stung his tongue. Not even close. He took another step. Ripples bounced off his feet, as though he had disturbed the calm surface of a glassy lake. If prior experience taught him anything, it’s that all blood had a source, and this one had to be huge. Tahnari raised his head and took a few inquisitive sniffs. The overwhelming smell of ichor flooded his nose, but there was something else, another fleeting scent struggling to make itself known. Freshly fallen rain, and a burning sky. Tahnari followed the calling aroma.
His mane fluttered and whipped at his face. A subtle squall stirred within the void, growing stronger and stronger. Each step forward was becoming a task. The churning foundation tugged at Tahnari's feet and slowly crawled up his legs, as if he were fighting quicksand. His heart quickened, flooding his veins with adrenaline. Tahnari snarled and grunted as he pushed deeper into the howling shadows. The hungering ocean now lapped at his belly. The eye of the storm, I have to reach the eye! Pain shot through every muscle and his chest felt like it was being constricted; every breath was agonizing, but necessary. A final desperate gasp of air filled his lungs before his head was pulled under.
Tahnari kicked and flailed, grasping for what he assumed was the surface. His jaws clamped shut, knowing that a single breath would spell the end. Something was dragging him deeper, a force that his teeth and claws were useless against. Not like this. His gory prison squeezed harder, trying to wring the life from his body. Tahnari threw a paw past the watery barrier. Someone…please. That last gasp of precious air pushed from his mouth and bubbled away. A paw clasped his own.
Tahnari’s eyes shot open and his head sprang up with a sudden forceful wheeze. Cool air inflated his chest. He could see stone, both smooth and jagged, painted with the first glimpses of dawn. His paws flexed, as if to reassure himself of the solid ground supporting his body.
“You okay big guy?” Vitani yawned, voice still laden with sleep.
Panic steadily receded, and his breathing slowed to normal. “Y-Yeah, just a bad dream,” he answered. The lioness’ warmth was the last piece of confirmation Tahnari needed for his heartbeat to steady. 
Vitani rubbed her heavy eyes. “Does that happen often? Because I may go back down to the main den if you’re going to jolt me awake every morning,” she groaned.
“If we had slept in the main den, we would’ve kept all of Pride Rock up for most of the night,” Tahnari chuckled. He gave her a playful nip on the cheek. “Besides, I like having you all to myself,” he purred.
Vitani rolled her eyes and shoved his muzzle away. “Well I would like to have sleep all to myself lover boy,” she crossed her front paws, “so why don’t you go run laps somewhere else.”
Tahnari’s joints crackled like tumbling rocks as he rose to his feet. Radiant beams of sunlight slapped him in the face, forcing him to shield his eyes momentarily. “I suppose I do have a date with the new queen today. It would be rude to keep her waiting,” he hummed, instantly remembering Yuri’s sharp voice, and ferocious gaze. He couldn’t help but lick his chops.
“Just don’t get yourself killed,” Vitani mumbled with another yawn, before resting her head on her paws.
The sunrise at Pride Rock was always a sight to behold; a great golden sphere surrounded by a bleeding skyline, slowly ascending to convert the heavens back into a vibrant blue. Tahnari stood like a proud king at the overlook, mane fluttering in the morning breeze as the curtain of shadow slowly peeled away. A small herd of buffalo meandered across the great green landscape in the distance, and a pair of lanky birds fluttered toward the horizon. He inhaled the refreshing fragrance of morning dew and lush grass, then released it with a satisfied sigh.
“You know, with the dawn at your back, you actually do look handsome,” Yuri’s voice called, snapping him from his daze. Her long, brown braid swayed with her proud strut, mildly disheveled but still tightly bound. Not even a day into her reign and Yuri’Tab already carried an aura of royalty. She puffed her chest and held her head high, locking eyes with the male standing at the king and queen’s peak. “But that’s my spot, so move,” she demanded.
Tahnari smirked and shuffled to open a space by his side. “Of course, far be it from me to hoard this view for myself,” he offered.
Yuri mirrored his grin and brushed her body against him as she approached the precipice. She could feel every rippling muscle in his legs and chest, giving clarity to the aching in her paw. Her purrs rumbled in sync with his own as she nuzzled under his chin. “Nice try,” she paused, “but now you’re in his spot.” Her shoulder shoved into his chest, pushing him away from the peak.
Tahnari dusted off his mane with a light hearted chuckle. “Harsh, did you bring me out here just to taunt me?” He wondered.
Yuri turned with a coy cock of her head. “Why would I give you a spot you haven’t earned? I’m not taunting you, I’m being honest,” she clarified. Another gentle gale whirled by, tugging at her serpentine braid. Yuri lifted her paw to her muzzle to groom away the sting of their tussle. "You have my curiosity though, which is not easy,” she flexed her paw and planted it back on the ground. “Let’s take a walk. You owe your queen that much.” Yuri didn’t wait for an answer, before gracefully descending the cliff.
I hope she doesn’t expect me to bow. I would certainly hate to break her heart. Tahnari glanced over his shoulder to the mouth of the den. Every lioness inside remained fast asleep, with the new king slumbering heavier than the stone beneath him. Terr'Kar must not have felt the need to play escort to his queen, and from their brief encounter, it was easy to see why. “Just don’t expect me to go easy on you if you attack me again,” Tahnari quipped before following behind her.
The grass nearly reached their elbows, sparkling in the cascading sunlight. It hissed and crunched beneath the lions' paws, soaking their short fur with dew drenched blades. Grasshoppers and other bugs chirped and fled to avoid being trampled, and a family of gazelles kept a cautious eye on the pair of predators. Verdant acacia trees stood stranded amidst the swaying plain, playing roost to colorful birds that filled their canopies with a cacophony of songs and screeches. A well worn dirt path snaked its way through the meadow like a stream of dust and pebbles, with the occasional branch that split off and vanished into the vegetation. Yuri paused in a small rocky clearing, where the grass was short and patchy, and a large boulder sat firmly planted in the ground.
“This spot looks nice and private,” she remarked.
Tahnari flicked a braid from his face with a curious smirk. “An early morning stroll to a nice secluded spot, you certainly know how to charm a guy,” he muttered, admiring the scenery while flaunting his body with an overt swagger.
The tranquility was broken by the tumultuous sound of claws raking against stone. Yuri inspected her toes before admiring the five gashes carved into the rock’s rough, gray face. “You have no idea,” she muttered.
“I take it you weren’t planning on a wild tumble in the field,” he chuckled. Tahnari had a feeling this wasn’t just some friendly tour through the Pridelands, filled with witty wisecracks and flirtatious banter, ending with a fervorous romp under the sun.
“That depends on you handsome,” Yuri purred while pacing about, as if she were stalking prey. “See we got interrupted yesterday before I had a chance to really figure you out,” she crouched and licked her chops, “and something tells me you’re the type to sing while you dance.” Her claws unfurled and she flashed her teeth with an eager snarl. “So dance for me pretty boy!”
A sharp roar boomed from her throat as she pounced, kicking a cloud of dust into the wind. A bellow of exhilaration rumbled in Tahnari’s chest. His legs flexed and launched his body forward, meeting Yuri in a concussive arial collision of heads. The impact forced the air from their lungs and threw them to the ground with a heavy thud. 
“You know…” Tahnari twisted his neck, cracking it like a dry twig, “as much as I want to ram into you, that's not exactly how I would do it. Shall we try again?” He could feel his own heartbeat pounding in his skull, and his eyes duplicated everything in his surroundings with blurry mirages. 
Yuri played with her lower jaw to ensure it was still properly affixed. “What the hell was that?! Most folks move or hold their ground, not go for a headbutt!” She groaned, shaking some functionality back into her senses. "You are probably the most reckless male I've ever seen."
Tahnari rubbed the haze from his vision and fixed his ruffled braids. “Maybe I was going for a kiss and missed,” he chuckled.
Yuri clicked her tongue and lunged with a rapid swipe, but this time Tahnari danced away. The wind of her paw yanked at his mane, and a tuft of blond hair fluttered to the ground. She followed his steps and swung for his left again, only for Tahnari to raise a paw and intercept her. All of Yuri’s momentum halted, but her claws hooked into his fur, staining it with speckles of crimson.
“Using your claws? Now you’ve really got my blood pumping,” he muttered through a strained grunt.
“It will pump right into the dirt if you keep holding back, pretty boy,” she sneered.
The purchase was all Yuri needed to drive his imposing paw into the packed rubble, clearing the path for her to slam a heavy jab into the bend of his right foreleg. Tahnari uttered a surprised yelp and his posture collapsed, toppling him like a tree. He struggled to regain his footing, only to catch a glimpse of Yuri’s hind paws crashing into his face. When he opened his eyes again the world was sideways. The sky opened on his right, powdered earth stung his left eye, and Yuri seemed to defy gravity.
“Speaking of dirt, how does it taste?” She heckled.
Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty. Tahnari’s tongue fished about in his mouth, taking a full count of all his teeth. Patches of upturned earth clung to his whiskers and caked his mane, scattering about when he rose to his feet and shook himself straight. 
Yuri'Tab rolled her shoulders with an audible crunch, posturing for another assault. "Whatever happened to 'not taking it easy on me?" She egged.
“I’ll admit gorgeous, that hurt. The last one to kick me like that was a zebra,” he hunkered into an aggressive stance and released a low, guttural growl, “but it didn’t save him from being pinned to the ground with his neck in my teeth!”
His roar echoed like a clap of thunder, sending a flock of birds fleeing into the sky. The dirt beneath his feet ruptured as Tahnari charged like a stampeding buffalo. Yuri sidestepped the rush and drove back with a slash at his muzzle. Tahnari pressed his attack, sacrificing a whisker and a few drops of blood. Yuri dodged to her left, but Tahnari pivoted to cut her off, forcing her back the other way, his heavy paws droning through the air with every strike. Yuri had no choice but to give ground, not wanting to challenge him to a contest of strength. A look of dread spread across her face when her rump pressed against a rough barrier, and a glance over her shoulder reminded her of the boulder seated in the clearing. With her escape cut off, Yuri had no choice but to meet him head on. Tahnari smirked and sprang his trap, and both lions reared up in a tangle of claws and teeth. Their bodies thumped on impact. Yuri shoved with all her might but Tahnari was too strong, and within moments the ground was rising up to meet both of them.
A hush settled over the Pridelands and time seemed to stop. Dusty clouds dispersed, revealing the full weight of Tahnari’s body pinning Yuri to the ground with his jaws wrapped around her throat, fangs prodding her short, coarse fur. Yuri’s mouth hung open and she stared at the clouds, as if she thought the slightest movement meant death. 
Tahnari giggled and released her from his maw. "Thank you for the reminder, my memory isn't the best in the morning," he whispered.  He purred and gave her neck a tender grooming, feeling the tension melt from her muscles.
“You…” she finally spoke, acknowledging the male on top of her. “You knew you couldn’t catch me. Your strikes were meant to manipulate my movements until I trapped myself.” Her muzzle curled into a curious smirk and her forelegs embraced him. 
Deep purrs vibrated in Tahnari’s chest, trilling in her ear while he playfully nibbled at her cheek. “Well, you did ask me to stop holding back. Far be it from me to deny your request,” he murmured.
Yuri’s breath caught, followed by a sigh of delight at the firm presence pressing between her thighs. “You’re not just some ronin. Someone taught you how to fight.” Her muzzle nestled into his mane, and she inhaled his scent. “Do you have something you want to share with me?”
A familiar wetness kissed his grinding arousal, fanning the flames of his desire. There’s a lot I want to share with you. He wanted more than anything for her to let him in, his pride being the only thing restraining him from begging. “You have to earn the right to ask me those questions,” he answered.
Yuri hummed. “Is that right?” Her paws pressed against his chest, and humbly pushed him away.
They stared at each other for a moment, a tinge of disappointment swimming in their collective eyes. Tahnari couldn’t help but admire her body sprawled out in front of him, and based on her wandering gaze, he knew she was drinking him in as well. “Too much?” He finally asked.
Yuri chuckled and shook her head. “Not even close,” she answered while rising to her feet.
“I thought you said you didn’t bring me out here just to taunt me?” He joked half-heartedly.
“And nothing has changed. You see Tahnari, you may have my curiosity, but you certainly don’t have my trust, and there is no room in my heart for a faceless male,” she explained, brushing the dirt from her shoulders. “Like I said, I’m being honest. You should try it sometime.”
Her words stung more than the scratch on his cheek. For the first time in a while, Tahnari found himself lacking a response, even a snarky one. He sat on his haunches and fought to rid himself of the lump in his throat when another voice beat him to the punch.
“That was certainly entertaining. I’d ask for a shot at the winner, but that would hardly seem fair.” Terr'Kar’s mellow voice cut through the tension, and pulled Tahnari from his stupor.
“You could’ve joined us if you didn’t sleep like a log every morning,” Yuri mocked while approaching him. “You probably only caught half of our little spar, didn’t you?”
Terr'Kar hid his mouth and chuckled. “Guilty as charged my love. In my defense though, yesterday was quite tiring,” a hint of lust snaked into his tone, “that evening, more so.”
“Yes well, since you’re the energized one, you can take over from here.” She gave him a lick on the cheek, but her muzzle lingered by his ear, far too long for a kiss or a mischievous nibble.
“Right, go rest up. You’re going to need your strength later,” he urged, watching her strut off into the grass.
Tahnari didn’t hear anything, but he was positive she whispered something to Terr'Kar before leaving. He watched Yuri shrink into the distance, hoping that she might glance back at him at least once, but that wish never came to pass. 
Had Terr'Kar been present for as long as he said, there's no doubt he would have witnessed the climax of their furious tango. Most kings wouldn't take kindly to seeing their queen wrestled to the ground and nearly bred by a rogue, but there was no air of hostility around the new sovereign of Pride Rock, no murderous intent hiding in his eyes to justify keeping his guard up. A sting of pain made Tahnari’s paw twitch, so he lifted it to his lips and licked the red stains in his fur. The metallic flavor painted his tongue.
“I must admit, I’m impressed. I haven’t seen anyone match Yuri’Tab step for step since, well, me.” He smiled.
 Tahnari’s battle blood was dying down, and every hit he sustained was beginning to throb. The pulsing in his skull reminded him of all the times he watched the monkey crack open those round fruits on his stick. It was enough to distract him from his paw and focus his efforts on massaging his aching head. “She’s strong. I’m definitely going to have a few bruises,” he confessed.
Terr’Kar’s laugh was deep and guttural. “Just a few? She must have gone easy on you,” he cackled.
My headache says otherwise. “How long have you been here?” He asked. Yuri didn’t seem surprised by his arrival in the least, as if she had been expecting him. It seemed too convenient that he happened to show up not long after their departure, and Yuri'Tab was not subtle in her efforts to gather information. At least her method was more fun than Simba's.
Terr’Kar’s laughter gradually dwindled until his composure returned. “I arrived right as she kicked you in the face,” he ran a paw through his mane, as if reminded of a past injury. “Last time she did that to me, I dunked my head in a cool spring to dull the throbbing.”
“I think I’ll pass on that,” Tahnari groaned. Fortunately Yuri didn’t have hooves; it took nearly three days for his ear to stop ringing after that one.
“Well at least join me for a drink. You look thirsty,” Terr’Kar observed.
That Tahnari couldn’t deny. Strings of both his and Yuri’s fur still clung to his tongue, and he could feel dirt crunching between his teeth. “Was it that obvious?” He asked with a casual raise of his brow. “Sure, my mouth feels like the desert in dry season,” he joked.
An awkward pause hovered in the air. “Do you…happen to know where the closest watering hole is?” Terr’Kar asked in a subtly embarrassed tone. 
Laughing only amplified the pounding in his head, but Tahnari did it anyway. “You had best learn the layout of your kingdom. I won’t always be able to hold your paw,” he chuckled before giving another wince of discomfort.
Despite its numerous forking paths, the well trodden trail carving through the grass terminated at the largest water source Tahnari could recall. During his time as Simba “guest,” he was able to frequent this particular pond, but not without an escort. Tahnari almost thanked the former king for that caveat; Vitani was all too eager to be his chaperone at every opportunity, and it wouldn’t be long before they were expecting a litter. The water hole was seldom unoccupied. Even from a distance Tahnari could see clusters of the Pridelands’ various denizens, gathering to quench their thirst or cool off on a dry, scorching afternoon. Tall, tan boulders lined the shore and jutted from the murky water, faces almost melted together from years of waxing and waning floods. Each one offered a lounge for those seeking to bask in the sun, or a shield from those looking to escape it.
The walk there took a bit longer than normal. An acute pain jolted through Tahnari’s right leg with even the slightest pressure, forcing him to hobble most of the way. A small herd of wildebeest lined up to dip their lips into the glassy water, and a family of elephants plunged their trunks into the murk before spraying a mist over their backs. The snouts of skulking crocodiles peeked just above the surface, waiting to pick off an unsuspecting victim. Tahnari locked eyes with one and hurled a threatening roar. The reptile immediately wheeled about and dove beneath the water.
“Friend of yours?” Terr’Kar quipped.
“One of them had a go at me when I first came here,” Tahnari shifted his posture to reveal an ugly scar on his inner, right thigh. It looked as though something tried to shave a large patch of skin from the bone. “It clamped down on my leg and tried to drag me underwater,” Tahnari reminisced, stirring circles in the water. “I managed to dig my claws into its eyes and yank myself free from its jaws. It wasn’t until after I dragged it ashore and tore open its belly that I noticed the blood pouring down my thigh.” Tahnari dipped his head and lapped up a few gulps of water.
“I’m surprised they let you go,” Terr’Kar said. “Typically a predator sees an opportunity when they sense weakness.”
Tahnari lifted his head and water trickled from his chin. “Some battles are pointless,” he wiped his muzzle clean, “even the greatest of opportunists know that much.”
Terr’Kar sated his morning thirst with a brief drink. “Is that why you refused to overthrow the previous king?” He wondered, sitting on his haunches with a tall, rigid posture.
Tahnari paused halfway through a second drink. So that’s what this is about. His attention slowly drifted to the king and he rose back to a standing position, despite the pain in his leg. “I believe I answered this question yesterday,” he muttered.
“Don’t misunderstand me Tahnari, I admire your backbone, and it seems Yuri does as well.” The casual tone of Terr’Kar’s voice slowly drained away, revealing his stern resolve. “However, that doesn’t mean I’m going to willingly expose my back to a potential challenger.”
Tahnari chuckled softly. “Believe me, if I ever intend to knock you off your throne, you’ll see me coming.” Terr’Kar was a far cry from Simba, built powerful, with an unwavering will to match. A fight with him would certainly be one to remember. Were it not for the dilemma of Yuri and the throne, Tahnari would’ve been salivating at the idea. “I could’ve slashed Simba’s throat at any time, yet I chose not to,” Tahnari shrugged and began to meander back toward Pride Rock, “I have no desire to be chained to one place, simple as that.”
Terr’Kar let out an audible grumble and bounded ahead of him. “And yet you’re still here,” he gave an irritated huff and imposed himself in Tahnari’s path. “Where I come from, the law of the land is ‘eat or be eaten,’ and if you refuse to be honest with us, I have no choice but to consider you a threat.”
Tahnari sighed. “We all have our own reasons driving our actions. I’m sure you and Yuri had a motive behind seeking out this place and overthrowing its king, but you don’t see me prying.” He wanted to shove Terr’Kar aside, but his right leg still refused to cooperate.
“We came here seeking a better life. We look out for each other, and now we have a kingdom to protect,” Terr’Kar took several imposing steps closer, until the two lions were staring eye to eye. “It’s no longer just us. The whole pride has a role to play, including you.”
Tahnari remained stoic. “Is that an order?”
“It certainly can be,” Terr’Kar threatened.
“I’ve sworn you no fealty,” Tahnari growled. “Everyone asked why I refused to bow to Simba, and they all got the same answer. I will not play servant to a king that is weaker than me,” he explained slowly.
Terr’Kar’s eye twitched with irritation. “Are you insinuating that I’m the weaker of the two of us?”
Looks like I struck a nerve. A smug grin spread across Tahnari’s muzzle. “I’ve implied nothing. I don’t know if you’re weaker than me, but you certainly haven’t proven yourself stronger either. We haven’t established that pecking order, so as far as I can see, you and I stand on level ground.” Much like himself, Terr’Kar’s pride as a warrior was practically carved into his brow. In a way, Tahnari felt like he was staring at his own reflection. “Of course, that’s not to say I’m unwilling to find out who the better lion is. We can do this right now if you want,” he provoked.
The universe itself seemed to hold its breath as they stared each other down for what felt like hours, neither one willing to back down. Their claws laid bare, ready to hack and carve. Terr’Kar finally released a steadying sigh and relaxed. “If a fair fight is what you want, then I’m going to be the one to decline,” he reasoned. “Maybe one day you and I will establish who is the strongest, but it will be when you can stand on four legs rather than three.”
A sense of honor. That’s certainly rare. Tahnari’s heartbeat leveled out and he casually pushed past the king. “You and I aren’t so different after all,” he admitted.
Terr’Kar ignored his passing rival, continuing to gaze out at the expanse of his new kingdom. “Be that as it may, that doesn’t mean you get to simply linger,” he barked without turning around. “I have no intention of keeping you prisoner, but I also know that the former princess and the leader of the guard,” Terr’Kar paused to rummage through his memories, “Vitani, I believe her name is. The cubs they’re bearing belong to you, do they not?”
Tahnari froze in his tracks and a pit formed in his gut. He felt as though he might retch, but he refused to show it. “What of it?” He wondered.
This time the king wore the triumphant grin. “Everyone has a weakness Tahnari, and I think I just found yours.” He pivoted and sauntered up to Tahnari’s side. “So I’ll make this crystal clear. You can stay, and raise your cubs as you see fit, but you will also cooperate as a member of the pride,” Terr’Kar shrugged. “Otherwise, I will force you to watch as I kill each of your cubs, one by one. Then you’re free to go.”
Tahnari remained silent. Is he trying to provoke me now? For a moment he forgot about the pain stinging his body. All he wanted was to lash out with every ounce of fury in his being, but something held him back. He clicked his tongue and met Terr’Kar’s stare again. “Alright then, we have an accord,” Tahnari agreed while flexing his paw in plain sight, “so long as you also understand, if you go back on your word, I will kill you and it will not be quick.”
Terr’Kar beamed an unexpected bright smile and slapped Tahnari on the back. He immediately grunted with discomfort. “Agreed, welcome to the fold my friend,” he announced. “You may wish to have the monkey look at that leg of yours, we’re going to need your strength later tonight.”
That was a sudden change of tone. Tahnari had half a mind to chop him in the leg and return the sentiment, but at the moment he could only think about rest. “What’s happening later tonight?” He asked in a strained tone.
“I understand that a sudden exchange of crowns can be hard to accept, especially when the victors are a pair of wandering vagabonds. You and I both know that actions speak louder than words, so Yuri and I came up with an idea.” Terr’Kar elaborated, stepping ahead to admire the majesty of Pride Rock. “Since the quickest way to any lion’s heart is through their stomach, a bountiful feast would show the pride that we hold everyone’s best interests in mind, not just our own.”
Tahnari’s belly rumbled at the mention of food. He couldn’t help but glance back at the wildebeests and even the elephants at the water hole, licking his chops at the idea of tearing into one. For a moment he nearly forgot that Terr’Kar was standing right beside him, trying to draw his attention.
“What do you say Tahnari, care to join Yuri and I on a hunt?” He wondered.
Tahnari snapped from his trance and wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth. “I do know where the buffalo love to gather.”