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The cave had seemed darker, and a lot more rugged then what Darah Raja remembered it to be only a few months ago. His ears laid flat against his skull, head dipped down so the crown of his main would soften the blow in case he ran into a piece of jagged rock. The male kept his tail curled up, for the ever restless paws of the lion Veli kept finding their way on top of it. Needless to say his tail was now swore from being stepped on so many times. Then his ears also ached from the sound of Leijona’s mane brushing up against everything. The lion was almost blinding white with a huge, fluffy mane and tail, however he had a big head to match which was filled of information that Raja could never keep track up. The only one seeming not to have annoyed the male on this journey was the small and slender Milieu. The male seemed more like a lioness then anything. He was tiny and mane less as well as very thin and slick. Yet the tiny male made up for it in cunning stealth. He was able to travel quickly and silently. Making it hard to track him and it easy for him to track others. Out of the band of bachelors he had traveled with over the past few months, Milieu was the one he was closest to.

It seemed like years since he last traveled through these caves to leave his new home lands but it had actually only been about six months. After his aunt and uncles became teens he chose to leave and set out to prove to his grandparents that he had the right makings of a king. Within a month of his journey he met the twins, Leijona and Veli. They had been loners since them where young adults and Raja would never admit it at the time but he was rather lonely after spending a month by himself so he was rather quick to make an alliance with the twins and they quickly formed a bachelor pride…Raja taking the lead just like he had hoped. The twins brought him great comfort, for it was the first time he was away from his family and they reminded him a lot of his twin uncles. However they were not quite as funny and their arguments where less than amusing. Veli was a large lion, beastly too. His body was big and stocky and every time he stepped it could be heard due to his weight from muscle. Yet the lion was also rather stupid. He seemed to have no common sense what so ever nor cared to find any. That was where his younger but even larger brother Leijona came in. Leijona was smaller in build then his twin brother, yet he was one of the fluffiest lions that Raja had ever met. His coat was blinding white and so where his eyes even though he was not blind. Packed underneath all that snow white fur was a brain compared to no other. The male was rather annoyingly smart yet when it came to fights, he would be one of the first to tuck tail and run unless it was a life or death matter.

After having spent three months with the males Raja made a discovery. He had been followed for the last three months by a small slender male who almost looked like a lioness. Milieu had traveled undecided, following Raja since he spotted him in the desert. The only reason the three males realized they were being followed was when Veli decide to take the lead for awhile and they ended up walking in a giant circle for a week. They were more than eager to let such a stealthy lion into their little pride, and after only three more short but long months Raja felt it was time to present his own pride to his family.

His thoughts finally traveled back from the past and into the present as the blinding light of the sun ahead caused him to stop in his tracks blinking quickly. “Watch it!” He roared as he was quickly pushed forward by the large body of Veli who had not realized Raja had stopped. “Well don’t stop in mid stride!” Veli snapped back. The two males got along for the most part but both of them had big heads. Raja’s was filled with more than Veli’s was but that did not stop them from getting into plenty of duals. Due to actually having some smarts Raja won most of them. But there were times when power simply won over what brains Raja had.

“I take it that is the entrance?” Leijona spoke looking over the two lions that had now looked back to the opening. “Yes.” Raja nodded. “This cave is the only way in and out…unless you’re a mountain goat.” He laughed softly before he continued walking. Milieu had sunk down on his belly to look under the legs of the lions to see the entrance seeing how having three large males in front of him blocked his view.

The light was blinding as the four males stepped out onto the ledge of the cliffs. They all lined up in a row and stood there blinking for a few moments to allow their eyes to adjust. “It’s amazing.” Milieu was first to speak as he looked out over the lands. “I herd of this place but never knew it was actually real.” He smiled with glee. Leijona nodded in agreement. “Yes this will suit me just fine.” He smiled looking to the small male then Raja. “How do we get down?” Veli’s ears went back as he looked down the cliff. It was another stupid question seeing how Veli was the one standing right where the obvious steps started. “We jump…” Sarcastily Raja rolled his eyes. Yet before the male could say another world the black brick lunged off the top cliff and started sliding down the side of the mountain. “Really?” Raja looked to Leijona with disbelief. “I have lived with him since birth and yet his stupidest still amazes me to this day. I do not see how we are related.” Leijona shake his head and waited for Raja to start descending down the cliffs. Milieu followed after Raja as this time Leijona picked up the rear. All watched as the dimwitted Veli tumbled down the side cursing along the way.

Nina’s head lifted from the water fall as she looked up, scanning the cliff tops. Even over the roar of the water the ruckuses of Veli tumbling down the mountain had caught her ears. A deep frown fell upon her face as she spotted the three strange males moving in on her family’s home. Her ears found their way back to her skull but only for a brief moment before they perked up again. “Raja…” She spoke softly with a smile seeing her son leading the way. She wished with all her heart to run and great her son, but she was weary of the strangers he was with. Slowly the lioness backed up and turned darting through the trees heading back to the den site. Once it was in view her voice could be heard hollering, “Raja has returned! He has three others with him!”

Veli finally landed after what seemed like a long tumble, blobbing onto his side with a heavy thud. Dirt and smoke clouding the area around him he cursed and groaned as he pushed himself to his paws, his brother quickly coming to his side as the others reached the bottom.”Think before you leap Veli” Leijona spoke to his brother as the black male snarled and snapped at his young twin standing up fully. “I’m fine!” The black male commented though it was a lie. His body was scratched and cut rather harshly but the lion shook it off as if it was nothing. “We are not alone…” Milieu’s voice broke through the brother’s arguing as he looked to Raja. Raja had been happily watching the brothers argue, which was always amusing to him, before he turned his head at Milieu’s words and sure enough, his “Uncle” happened out of the forest.

He huffed listing to his words as his ears turned back against his skull. “Save it Zimpo. You might be my…uncle…but I am still older then you are.” He spoke. He did not mind when his older aunt and uncle barked him around, they had right, they where older. But when aunt and uncles who where younger than him tried to bark him orders…he just found that wrong. “I only for a short time, I have always planned on returning.” He spoke to his uncle’s comment before looking to his band of bachelors who were looking at the large lion. Veli started at the male in a more mad sense. The lion looked strong and he would love to spare with him, Leijona seemed to take no interest while the little Milieu hid behind Raja rather frighten by the large male in front of them. “This is my pride so to speak. I have learned a lot while out on my own and I noticed that prides tend to be more successful when they have a male for each purpose. We can trust these three; I spent a year with them. The black one is Veli; he is strong but not much going on in his brain. The large white one is Leijona, he is Veli’s little twin brother. He might be large but it’s nothing but fur, however he is very smart, he passes grandfather when it comes to brains. Milieu is the one behind me. His size plays an important role. He followed Veli, Leijona, and me for six months before we even noticed. He might be small but he is an exact lent hunter when he has help.” He spoke naming the purpose each male would be wonderful addition to the pride.

Without much more words he started walking, passing Zimpo without even a glance. Milieu was right behind his leader, clearly very worried about the large male who was Raja’s uncle. Leijona shoved his brother in front of him with his nose as Veli snarled and started to walk with a slight limp from a back leg he must have damaged during the fall. Leijona snapped and glanced at Zimpo with a small smile. “It is very nice to meet you sir. I promise you we mean no harm.” He nodded his head. “My brother and I have been searching for a pride for some time; we were lucky t run into your nephew when we did.” He nodded and left it at that before breaking out into a trot to hurry and catch up with his “pride” mates.

It didn’t take long for Darah Raja to lead the lions through the jungle and out to the cave. Nina instantly darted out of the cave and to her son, fussing over how rough he looked but thankful he did look well fed. “If you ever plan on leaving again you best tell me!” She snapped at her son but before he could respond she quickly followed with a nuzzle to the side of his face. Raja shrugged and allowed his mother to fuss as he looked to Morzo. “What can I say, I take after my grandfather.” He spoke, in the back of his mind wondering what his mother e would like if his sister ever happens to show up since they have not seen one anther since cub hood. Shani rose up with a sigh, rather no happy that her grandson had disturbed her rest. She walked out of the darkness of the cave and into the light with a frown. “I don’t know what is going through your mind but one thing is for sure, it was not thinking about how we would feel about this.” She snarled lightly not happy her grandson brought strangers around.