Doubts

[Narifia]

Leah stretched and yawned, removing herself from her now-warmed sunning spot where she'd been laying nearly all afternoon. The day's hunt would start soon, and if she didn't want a leg cramp to creep up on her in the middle of the hunt she might as well stretch and get her muscles moving now.

Leah leisurely padded towards a small stream to get a drink of water. She bent down and lapped up a few good gulps when suddenly her ears picked up a nearby conversation.

"... Sarabi, you can't honestly mean that?"

Sarafina's voice. Leah stopped her lapping, licked her lips to remove what excess water remained, sat back and listened.

"It just spells out an ill omen for me, 'Fina. I know she's your daughter and you love her, but you must consider what has happened in the past year. She left us, came back with HIM and expected us to just fall to our knees at his heels, and then she left again, taking my great grandson and a part of our royal bloodline with her! On top of that, she's taken in those rogues, The Four...!"

"Sarabi, I know what it looks like. Narifia... she has to follow her own heart. She knows what she's doing. Narifia has a great love for others, you yourself can't deny that. She wouldn't take in those rogues without good reason, and my guess is that she felt sorry for them and wanted them to have a home. She's very loving and nurturing that way. As for... him..." Sarafina knew to never mention Scar's name in front of Sarabi. Not after what happened. She continued, "... he was her father. She... loved him. We shouldn't fault her for that. She only wanted her family to be together. She couldn't have known how deeply our pasts and emotions conflicted with that."

"Sarafina, I know you trust your daughter. I know that the Narifia we know would never back stab us. What I don't know is that our Narifia is the same as she was before she left and found that... lion... and brought him back here. We don't know how he could have influenced her."

"Sarabi..." Sarafina didn't bother saying more. She knew that only time could show Sarabi that she was wrong. Sarafina hoped that she was wrong; a little doubt inside Sarafina kept nagging at her as she feared that what Sarabi was saying made sense.

Leah let their words sink in for a few minutes before she very quietly slipped away.

Honestly, Leah didn't know what to think. She knew that Narifia was, perhaps, the best influence she'd ever had. Leah regretted all those years of following along with Sarai and tormenting poor Narifia. Leah had really wanted a chance to make up for all of that. A chance to become friends again.

Now that Narifia was gone that chance also seemed to be gone. Not only that, but although Narifia was family there were whispered, hushed conversations just like this one all over the Pridelands. The pride seemed quite honestly against Narifia, and Leah wasn't sure how to handle that.

"Sad isn't it, little Leah?"

Sarai. Leah cringed and kept walking, but looked back at the reddish-brown figure behind her.

"What's sad, Sarai?"

"Oh, don't tell me you didn't hear that just now? I heard it clear as day--they're talking about ousting Narifia. So tragic," Sarai said, letting that last line draw out in obvious fake sympathy.

Leah stopped and pivoted to face her.

"They'd never do that, Sarai. Narifia is family--"

Sarai cut her off, "Family?" She scoffed. "Family doesn't abandon family in order to revive a pride that should be DEAD."

[Kai]

A third voice interjected,

"She's not really reviving a dead pride. She's beginning her own."

It was Nala, the Prideland's resident voice of reason. She had overheard only the tail end of the conversation between the two lionesses.

"I'll admit I don't understand all of Narifia's motivations..."

At this thought she paused a moment, key events of Narifia's life running through her head before she continued.

"... but don't be so quick to condemn her. She is still family, you would do well to keep that in mind." She reminded Sarai gently.

She understood both sides of this particular conversation, so she could not entirely blame Sarai for her line of thinking, but that didn't make her right.

[Narifia]

Leah's visage brightened visibly with relief when Nala showed up. She eagerly nodded along in agreement with Nala's wise words.

"That's right! Narifia doesn't want to start a war with us the way Zira and Scar did, Sarai. She just wants to follow her own path!"

Leah inwardly sighed. Why could she never be this smart or this brave on her own? Why did she always need to rely on others like Nala or her mother to show up and help her out?

Sarai's expression softened into a thoughtful scowl. She had done well her entire life to hide her rage and her hatred towards Narifia from everyone except for Leah, whom she merely loved to torment for her own amusement now that Leah wasn't her faithful little lackey anymore. Sarai closed her eyes for a moment, seemingly considering Nala's words, before she decided to speak again.

Eloquently Sarai replied, "As always, Queen Nala, your words soothe me. Yes, perhaps we should give our little Narifia the benefit of the doubt. Yes, perhaps she is still family after all."

She opened her eyes and with them caught Nala's eyes for a brief moment as she nodded in respect and stood. As Sarai turned, she shot those same dark red eyes right at Leah, sending a very different signal indeed.

Leah didn't know why, but in the brief instant her eyes locked with Sarai's, her breath became short and her heart seemed to stop. There was something quite unsettling, and quite chilling, about that look in Sarai's eyes.

Sarai turned and began to walk away, dismissing herself. She wouldn't leave without adding in her final thoughts, however.

Her back facing them, she said, "Then again... are we to be sure that our little Narifia is the same little Narifia she was before she left us so suddenly?"

Those were Sarabi's words from earlier. Leah suppressed a growl; how dare she play on the pride's fears like that? "I really hope Nala doesn't buy into this," she thought apprehensively.

[Kai]

She considered Sarai's words for a moment before replying, she drew on her own life experience to answer questions like these.

"I'm sure you've both been told the story of Simba's journey? He left the pridelands when he was much younger than Narifia, he was gone for years and grew up away from us in a totally different world."

Nala remembered those dark years, the sadness she felt when she was told her cubhood friend was dead, and her joy at finding him again. The disspointment and confusion she felt for the time when he refused to return, but in the end he did.

"When I found him I didn't even recognize him at first, but he was still the same Simba when it came down to it. Despite years of living in a far-off jungle, raised by creatures not of our species, eating different food, while we all believed he was long dead. He was still our Simba, my mate, and our King. Why should Narifia be any different?"

Nala asked, though it was a rhetorical question.

"Everyone has their path in life, though Narifia's may seem obscured from our point of view. In time, maybe we'll be able to understand."

[Narifia]

Sarai stopped walking and looked back at Nala. She smiled, but only to mask the contempt she felt for the queen's words.

"Yes--King Simba. I know the story well. I hope Narifia's heart proves to be just as righteous as our king's."

Sarai nodded politely and walked away, this time dismissing herself for good. She silently cursed at the fact that Nala was still so trusting of the scamp. "Just be patient, Sarai," she reminded herself in an attempt to calm her growing anger, "They haven't had time to see Narifia's 'dark side' yet. An opportunity may in time rise for me to expose and exploit it.

The pride is already buzzing with doubts and fears at Narifia's recent actions. Her alliance and mergence with The Four... the last remaining faithful henchmen of Zira's old pride. Remnants of those hateful times, and carriers of Zira's ideals. They keep those dark memories alive. No, it won't take long at all for things to get hairy for dear little Narifia. Not at all."

Sarai grinned maliciously at the thought. Her blood began to boil in anticipation--she could barely stand to wait!

Leah, on the other hand, grinned triumphantly. For the time being Sarai seemed to have been put in her place. She turned to Nala.

"Thank you, Queen Nala. Sarai's always putting Narifia down, and everyone just seems to be so upset about the new Outlander pride... I just don't want anyone to be afraid for no reason."

Of course, Leah didn't understand that the Pridelanders did have a reason to be afraid. Yes, she knew the history and the stories, but she didn't live through those times so it was hard for her to feel exactly as some of the older pride members felt.

[Kai]

"Nor I, Leah."

She nodded agreeably and smiled. She watched Sarai's retreating form for a moment, and something in the back of her brain, her instinct was nagging her about that particular lioness. She quickly pushed those thoughts aside, she had sensed no dishonesty in Sarai's words and saw no reason to distrust her. She quickly dismissed it as tension from the recent events.

"I must admit I'm not entirely sure taking in The Four was a wise idea, to be honest. Due to past history, that particular decision has caused some... unrest. And that unrest is not entirely without merit, you must understand."

The queen sighed inwardly, trying to comprehend how hard those times must have been for some others. Her own mother and Sarabi in particular.

"But..."

She turned back to Leah.

"Maybe she sees something there that we don't. As our Pride consist of many former Outlanders, your father included, this Pride should know that lions can change for the better, and things aren't always what they seem. We just have to have a little faith in Narifia, although that's hard for some..."

She glanced in the direction Sarai had left.

"I just hope she knows what she's doing. I really do."

[Narifia]

Leah considered her words for a few minutes. The Four... Leah had to admit, she was afraid of them too. Especially Decimus; the one glance she'd ever had of him, he'd looked so sinister. She was only glad that he hadn't mutually spotted her that day.

"What does King Simba have to say about it? Does he believe The Four can change?" Leah asked, curious to know.

[Kai]

"I think he wants to."

Nala began.

"He's experienced a lot of extremes in his life. There are lions who have made dramatic changes, like your father, and those who seemed to have an iron will and unwavering dedication to what they believed was right."

The Queen recalled what she had seen as Zira's final words. She remembered the look in her eyes as she spoke in a voice that was barely audible and yet at the same time chilling, as she denied a chance to be saved in favor of making the ultimate sacrifice for her principles.

"No... Never."

"That's part of why everyone is so perteurbed by all this. Because we know that every once in a while there is a lion that doesn't change, one that is blinded and at the same time unerringly devoted.

But Simba's own feelings are irrelevant to him. He knows that he must do what is best for the pride, and in this case he knows it's best to be cautious right now. We need not overreact, just be on our guard."

[Narifia]

Leah looked down, reluctantly agreeing. She hated to admit it, but when she thought of The Four the image that came up in her head was downright terrifying.

Then she thought of her father Kovu and everything he'd told her about his past. He'd been very open when she and her brother Morobi were cubs; as if in telling them about his past he was somehow teaching a very important lesson as well. As she reflected on those stories, she looked up again at Nala.

"Queen Nala.... have you ever met any of The Four?" Leah asked, seemingly out of the blue.

[Kai]

She shook her head.

"No."

The Queen stood up and stretched, they had been talking for a little while.

"For the moment, I hope never to do so. Maybe that will change, but only time will tell."

[Narifia]

Leah seemed somewhat disappointed. She'd wanted a more direct opinion about them, but no one seemed to have personally met any of The Four. None of the former Outlanders that she knew of ever felt like sharing, either. Really, Leah was too timid to pry into their pasts too much because she didn't want to offend them or make them mad.

She sighed and replied, "I hope things work out, Queen Nala. I really do."

Leah, not believing that there was anything really left to say at this point, tried to find something to say to end the conversation politely, but couldn't think of anything. That's when she remembered that the hunt was to start soon and if she didn't hurry, she'd miss it and be left behind by the hunting party.

"Oh blessed Aiheu! The hunt! I nearly forgot--oh, I'm so sorry Queen Nala, but I really need to get going!"

With that she nodded in respect and frantically raced off, hoping she wouldn't miss the hunt. She stumbled somewhat clumsily along the way, but once she finally righted her footing she was off like a rocket.

Continued On: "Dinnertime Conversations"