[1st POV]
"That was a very good meal, my king." Nala walked up to me, her face covered in red.
Zuri was beneath me. Her head was raised as she cleaned the leftover bloodstains from my mane and my lower chin.
Nala came, her body brushing against mine, her tail flicking on my face. It was the most seductive action a lioness could do. I could smell her heated scent mixed with fresh blood, two of my favourite smells combined in a cocktail of fragrance that could drive me crazy.
She took her seat to my side, her body facing the opposite direction. I tilted my body to the side as she cleaned blood from my underbelly and the small wounds I sustained from the buffalo's horns. Her tongue travelled further than it should have sometimes, in a teasing manner.
On the other hand, I was so much longer than she was, so I could not do anything to her attractive behind.
Nala and Zuri were my old lovers who remained today. My favourites, like Eshe, Tala and the rest, had all passed. Most of them were older than I, so they had naturally died sooner. On the other hand, my heart remained wounded from Tala's passing.
The lioness whom I had claimed when I first took over the Serengeti Pride. She was a virgin who had only known my touch. She held a special place just like Zuri and Nala, but she died from childbirth two years ago.
"I didn't think the king still had it in him to do a giant," Zuri said from under me. Her tongue continued to clean me. I did the same to her, but she was already clean. A lion's mane made the process a bit difficult.
I was also the one to feast first on the beast. I ate the organs, so I was the dirtiest and required a long cleaning time.
Cleaning bloodstains after a meal was one of the most important social activities between lion prides.
"I might not have been as impressive as I used to be, but that is only in comparison to myself," I said with a vibrating growl. I bit her ears lightly. "I remain King Leo, outshone only by myself in my prime."
After she cleaned my mane, she adjusted herself under me. She slipped into the perfect position and, without much thought, I mounted her.
Zuri and Nala were both old now. Their cycles had also not been as consistent. They were 13 now, grandmas by lion standards, who lived for around 15. They didn't approve of mating anymore since they thought it would be better if I mated with younger and more fertile females.
They didn't want to waste my seed, so to speak.
But as the years passed, they knew I enjoyed doing it with them. We occasionally mated whenever I desired or when the occasion called for it. They always protested.
But today, they came and offered themselves, being greedy. I guess my hunt had been too irresistible to them.
Perhaps I should do this more often.
It was strange, really. I guess I might be the only lion who insisted that the act of sex had a deep meaning. Male lions mate purely out of instinct, while females mate to get pregnant when they come into heat.
The researchers who continued to follow us in the background till now must also be confused. Why were these old lionesses still my favourite even when I had 12 other lionesses who were fertile and breedable in their prime?
I hoped these proved to them that animals were capable of love. They were not bound solely by instinct.
The researchers had gotten relaxed after all these years. In the present, only one vehicle carrying old friends was on my tail. Technology had also improved and they weren't nearly as close to the pride as they used to be.
"Are we going to stay here for longer?"
"No," I said while humping slowly. "We shall leave tomorrow."
"I can't wait to return home." Nala suddenly jumped on my back, giving even more weight to Zuri as I was able to bury myself even deeper. She bit the dirt with low growls.
"Thank you for doing this," she said, nibbling at my ears and the side of my face.
I did it for them as much as I did it for myself.
"You don't need to thank your king," I said. "You are all part of me. You are mine, just like my limbs are mine. Everything I do, I do for me."
And they were included when I said 'me.'
Zuri rolled away and slipped out from behind me after I was done. Nala eagerly went low to the ground, ready to be mounted. Zuri did a small cleaning work as I got into position before I mounted Nala.
"If there is another life, if the circle of life comes around for me," she said from under, "I wish to be part of you again."
"Forever under you."
Nala was not one for sweet words. But whenever she said something, it carried weight that could make my heart tremble.
"Don't worry. I'll come for you. No matter the battles that stand between us."
It was a lovely way to end the day. When night came, I walked around the pride and accompanied a few of the females that were in heat.
When morning came the next day, we left Zael and his pride.
There were no departing words. There was no drama when it came to animals.
Only roars that echoed as we left. Zael and I continued to roar as the distance between us increased with each step. We roared at each other until the sound turned into echoes and the echoes faded into silence.
But it was a slow fade.
So slow, in fact, that one could be assured that it would continue forever, and we couldn't just hear each other anymore.
Of course, it was never quiet as my cubs continued roaring in a cute attempt to imitate their king. They loved walking beside me or under me as I led the pride at the front.
Two of the smaller cubs, no older than half a year, grabbed onto my front legs. They stayed there, small claws digging into my skin like they were on a tree. Their precious laughter as they swung with each step I took was enough to cross out the burden.
At my age, I did not remember the names of my cubs anymore. I differentiated them through their unique traits and smell. But the exceptional ones, I remembered.
It might seem strange for a father to not know the names of his children, but it was unavoidable when you had hundreds of children.
They grew up too fast. Too fast for me to write their names into my heart. A year slipped by and they were gone most of the time.
But I continued to hold them close to my heart, knowing that they were living legacies that now roamed all throughout the continent of Africa.
"Do you think I will be able to take down a buffalo when I grow up?" a small cub asked as he walked under the shadow of my mane.
"Of course. After all, you have my blood. And you also have my knowledge," I said. "Make sure you remember what I taught you."
"Buffaloes are separated into smaller herds when the dry season comes. Aim for the bachelors and not the vulnerable calves or females. Try to see more than what lies on the surface. Do not be blinded by first impressions," the cub began reciting bits and pieces of everything I've taught him.
I took great care of my male cubs. It might seem sexist, but that was how it worked. The female cubs were taught by their mothers. Male and female lion cubs had different roles, after all.
At this point, three cubs had gathered before me. I slowed down my steps so as to not tire them quickly. I enjoyed their company.
The scene surrounding peeled away slowly as we travelled. Soon, we went through different terrains and unfamiliar lands. The cubs released pained moans when we reached a rocky area.
"A king in an identity that is separated in greatness. A king grows just as a lion grows, from cubs, to adolescence to adult. Do not be blinded by pride. Take a hold of your pride, making sure it never grows bigger than you can protect," I taught my cubs as we travelled.
My genetics alone was a big advantage to them. But I wanted my children to straight up bully ecosystems like I did.
I made sure to always teach my children well. Most lion kings didn't bother with this, and that is why their legacy will end and mine will swallow them.
"Pride that grows too big is no longer pride, it's ego, right?" one of the cubs said.
I nodded.
"And a king must not have ego," the other two cubs said in sync.
"What about your emotions?" I asked, almost like a teacher asking his students.
"Emotions are fuels for action," they said in practiced sync. I was sure they wouldn't understand most of the philosophical things I taught them, so I had to make them memorize them until they were old enough to understand them.
"Emotions should create action. And the worst action is to cry and complain," they said.
Deep chuckles left me. I had to pat myself on the back for this. After so many children, I had gotten quite good at it, and the system I had built was good for nurturing young cubs. It was almost like a school when they spent time with me.
But it was effective. Just ask any breathing creature on the other side of the Mara River, in the Maasai Mara. My children had no one to fight but each other.
"Father. Is it true that the place where we are going is the place where you were born?" one of the cubs asked.
It was Mufasa.
The young cub whom I planned on letting become the king of the Pridelands after I was gone. He was more than half a year old now.
But, of course, his siblings would be more than allowed to fight for his rights.
But so far, he had been the most impressive and strongest. I gave him the name only after he was old enough to show competence. And also because his appearance and scent reminded me deeply of my father.
"It is. And it will also be the place where you will grow up," I said with a chuckle.
"What is it like?" the others asked quickly.
"The Pridelands is a land like no other," I said. "It is green full year round, with no migrating prey."
"Whoa..." they wowed in unison.
I told them more about the Pridelands as we continued our travel into the afternoon. I was getting a bit too carried away talking about the Pridelands, so I slowed down my pace and began walking at the centre of the pride.
So that everyone could hear the story.
Except for Zuri and Nala, no one really knew about the Pridelands, so this could be useful information.
"The king is being too humble," Nala interrupted in the middle of my story. "The hyenas numbered in the hundreds! Their sheer quantity made them look like rivers from afar."
"Really? And you took them all on by yourself?" Mufasa asked with shining eyes.
"Even a thousand jaws is far from enough to move a king from where he stands to protect his pride," I said.
"And then what happened?" the other cubs asked fast as they nuzzled on my leg.
I liked telling these stories. Not in a way to stroke my pride but as a way to reassure everyone in my pride. I had protected them, protected them now, and would do so until I died.
My death. These stories and challenges I had overcome made my death seem almost impossible.
Safety and a sense of security were rare in the wild. It was a luxury I always made sure I gave to my pride.
It was what made them so happy and content with my rule.
One of the main reasons why I decided to return to the Pridelands was also because of this. As my strength waned, I needed to find other ways to ensure this safety.
And the isolated kingdom would help me protect my pride going forward.
...
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