After the issue was reported, the king and queen headed up the territory to see what they could find out about the dead piece of prey. Indeed, it was killed by a lion on Jabari's territory, but when the lionesess scouted the area, any other lion scents were disguised by the pride's odor.

The sun once again completed its journey across the scarlet sky, the brightest stars already beginning to twinkle in the distance. Addie sighed, leaning onto Kasim for comfort. The male gave off an exaggerated sigh and leaned off farther away from her. Stumbling, Addie tumbled over, and she could swear that she saw a glimmer of amusement in his eyes as Kasim snorted and helped her back up to her feet.

"You just can't have a moment of seriousness, can you?" She asked playfully.

The golden lion twisted his face into an expression of mock surprise. "Of course I can!"

Addie rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but grin at Kasim's imitation of complete innocence. "Well..., goodnight." She said reluctantly, knowing another night of night terrors was yet to come. "Night, Sunny." Kasim replied happily, swinging into the den and towards his nest. This'll be one long night, Addie though, not knowing how right she could possibly be.
. . .
Addie blinked sleepily at the sound of a stone skipping on the stone somewhere outside the cave and sighed. She hadn't slept a wink yet, and her whole pride was asleep. ....or all except one, She thought, carefully stepping out of her nest and creeping up to the front of the cave. Maybe Kefira was up again, the little one seemed to be very tired in the mornings lately.

Addie shivered as the cold night air swept through every hair on her pelt, skillfully crawling up her skin just soft enough to tickle. She batted her eyes a few times, trying to adjust to the lighting when something struck the side of her face, making it jerk painfully to one side. She let out a yelp of pain, trying to dart back into the cave but failing miserably as a pair of paws roughly dragged her back out into the open, keeping her silent with a second whack to the face.

Addie swallowed back a wail of fear, bile rising in her throat as a voice as thick as mud sounded from behind her shoulder. "Shut up, cub, we're only here for your leader." It growled. Jabari!? He can't mean Jabari! "Adebowele?" Mohini called into the night air, stepping out of the cave hesitantly. "Are you alright?"

The lion's grip tightened around her with a snarl. "Ah, you're the pretty pretty princess, I see?" A female purred tauntingly. "Just a moment more, then you may run free."

They're treating me like a piece of prey! Despite this defiant thought, Addie felt more terrified than she ever had in her life. Searing white-hot pain ripped through her side, causing her to emit a breathless cry of pain as she toppled onto the ground, her world spinning. "Adebowele!" Makenna exclaimed, her head whipping from the cave of lions to the group of intruders. The lionesses' decision was blocked from Addie's bleary view as a dark figure of gold and brown darted in past her...towards.....towards....

Where are they going? Who are these lions? She wondered, suddenly tired of struggling to sit up. It's nice out here....I can lay here for a while. A thundering roar shattered her drowsy thoughts, and with a start Addie realized that the roar belonged to Jabari. Despite all of her pain, she managed to sit up and lumber over to the fighting. You can get through this...it's nothing severe....get there, and fight for the ones you love.

Addie dashed at an amber-eyed male with a snarl, catching him off-guard. Seizing the moment, she raked her long, sharp claws down his hind leg before it escaped her grasp. The golden lion rounded on her with narrowed eyes, and all of the sounds of battle faded from Addie's hearing range; all she could hear was her racing heartbeat and quick, ragged breaths.

"Jabari, look out!" Namusa cried from in front of Adebowele, her eyes wide. Jabari spun around, only to face the largest intruder lion. "This is your end, Jabari." He spat out the king's name like he had mistaken a piece of dung for fresh meat. "Azazel, you know I can't turn my pride over to you." Jabari muttered, turning his gaze to the ground. The lion that had previously been fighting Addie turned away from her, along with the other lions. They stood in a semi-circle around Jabari.

"Run," Azazel growled slowly. "Or die."

Jabari sighed, his water-filled eyes flicking around his pride, knowing there was no other way. He turned away, his head and tail drooping. Addie realized she had been holding in her breath, but she was afraid of making any sudden noise such as releasing it. "Kill him!" Azazel roared, surging towards the king and leaping onto his back, ripping at his flesh with thorn-sharp claws. "Dad!" Addie cried, running towards him with clouded vision. A furry lump stopped her in her tracks. "Addie, this isn't a battle we can fight for your father." Eshe whispered, her voice breaking.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air. A dark lion backed away to reveal Jabari, stained with blood to the point Addie was unable to distinguish where it was flowing from, only that it was pooling the ground below him. The king shuddered one last time until falling limp. Azazel grinned, revealing blood-stained fangs. "My coronation will begin immediately."

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