The History Of Juris's Pride

Over the next coming days and weeks Juris and his mate Arjana where busy raising and caring for their newborn cubs. Every morning Juris would wake up and give Tonraq instructions on how to run the pride that day. He would tell him who he wanted to go hunting, who to go patrolling and he made sure Tonraq always sent at least one other lion with the lions from the East Pride. He still didn’t trust them not to try and run away. After a month had come and gone it was time for Pacific’s trial was over and Juris needed to make the decision whether to keep him in the pride, chase him off, or kill him. He wasn’t going to chase him off because he could become trouble down the line if he wanted to try and free his family. So that left him with either letting him stay… for now, or killing him. So, the day that Juris’s cubs turned one month old he decided to take Pacific and Sunset out to patrol the borders and he would decide what to do with him when they got back. He left Tonraq in charge of camp and told him to keep an eye out for danger and to protect his cubs at all cost.

After Juris left with Pacific and Sunset Arjana got up and stretched. Every since giving birth to her nine cubs she hasn’t had anytime to herself to relax and get away. Her cubs have kept her busy but now that they were a month old and she had Lila who was now seven months old she had asked Juris if she could go out and do some solo hunting before he left and he had given her his blessing. “Lila dear, I’m going to go hunting please keep a close eye on the cubs and make sure they stay put. If you need help Midnight and Ebele should be coming back from the watering hole soon.” As she began to pad away her cubs began to cry and tried to follow her. “No, no my sweets you can’t come with me but I’ll be back soon I promise. If your good and don’t give Lila any trouble I might even bring you guys a special treat.” Her cubs seemed happy to hear this and retreated back into their nest and continued playing with each other.

Arjana knew her cubs were safe with Juris there to protect them and Lila watching over them. But still she didn't want to be gone long. Padding along the plains she spotted a heard of gazelle. At that moment her stomach growled reminding her she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. Crouching low to the ground she slowly stalked forward until she was only a few tail lengths from the heard. She scanned them looking for the perfect target. Spotting a young gazelle only a few days old she charged towards it catching it by surprise. The gazelle took off running but it didn't stand a chance. Bunching her legs she leaped and tackled the young gazelle. She quickly wrestled to the ground where she killed it. She spent the next several minutes eating her fill. Once she could eat no more she nipped the tail off and headed back to her pride. Her cubs would love playing with the gazelle tail. She could see them playing catch with it right now. She may have been forced to be Juris's mate but she loved her cubs none the less.

Leaving the tree which they had been camping under since her cubs where born she began to wander farther and farther looking for something easy to hunt. Eventually she spotted a small herd of gazelle and began to slowly creep closer to them. They were so focused on eating none of them saw her. From time to time Arjana would freeze as she spotted one of the murva look up and cast its glance around until it returned to grazing. Once she was close enough she squatted down and scanned the heard until she spotted a young fawn maybe only a few days old running around the herd playing. Arjana bunched her hind quarters and sprang at the fawn causing the whole heard to scatter. She never once took her eyes off the fawn as it zipped along at its mothers side. Arjana drew close and swiped her paw at its hind legs causing it to trip. Once down the fawn had no chance, she quickly pinned it to the ground and killed it. Arjana quickly ate her fill. It had felt good to get out and hunt for the first time in over a month, able to stretch or legs and feel the pull and stretch of her muscles. Remembering her promise to her cubs she ripped the tail off the gazelle and headed back. Her cubs would have fun playing with the tail, the thought of her cubs made her purr and she quickly picked up her pace.

As Arjana drew closer to her pride she spotted a large shape hovering over Lila and her cubs and she could tell even from this distance that Lila was scared. Something wasn’t right she soon realized it was Tonraq hovering over Lila. Arjana padded stiff legged towards him. “Tonraq what are you doing, why is Lila so scared?” She growled angrily at Tonraq not liking that he was making Lila scared. The cub had become like a daughter to her even though she was Ebele’s daughter she had been placed under her care.

Tonraq spun around at the sound of Arjana’s voice and growled, “where have you been? You should be here caring for Juris’s cubs not some cub whom can’t be trusted.” He stood up and glared at the lioness and bared his fangs at her.

Arjana snorted and walked past him setting the gazelle tail down and gave Lila a nuzzle. “Are you ok? Did he hurt you?”

Lila was so relieved that Arjana was back Tonraq was so scary and he hadn’t stopped hovering over her and growling since he got back from the border patrol. She let out a whimper from time to time but continued to do her best to keep the cubs safe and entertained. Finally, Arjana returned sending a feeling of relief through her body. She shrunk back as the two growled at each other but she knew she was safe now Arjana was back. “I’m ok Tonraq never touched me just growled and glared at me while he waited for you to return.”

Nodding her head Arjana was relieved to hear that Tonraq hadn’t done anything but scare the young cub. At last she turned to him and glared, “I went and did some hunting I was hungry. I am allowed to leave for short times Tonraq. You may be Juris’s second in command but I do not answer to you no matter how much you might like me to.”

Tonraq could not believe his ears, he had expected Arjana to beg for his forgiveness and vow never to leave the cubs side again. But instead she had basically slapped him in the face saying she didn’t answer to him. He bared his teeth and growled angrily, his claws sank into the dirt and he pressed his face into hers. “You sure as hell do answer to me Arjana, I am in charge when Juris isn’t here which is the current case. So, when Juris isn’t here you might as well call me king in his stead and show me the respect that I deserve.”

Her tail flicking back and forth Arjana grew more and more agitated with Tonraq the more he spoke. “Lila, I want you to take the cubs to the creak and keep them distracted please while me and Tonraq have a talk.” Arjana didn’t want the cubs to become frightened and start crying. She returned her attention to Tonraq just in time to see him leap in front of Lila and snarl at her.

Lila swallowed nervously as she watched the two grownups, she had a bad feeling so when Arjana told her to take the cubs to the creak she gladly began to wrangle them together but she barely took a step forward when Tonraq leaped in front of her and snarled at her making her cry out in fright.

“You will take the cubs nowhere Lila,” he snarled and bared his large fangs at her and crouched low to the ground ready to pounce on her.

Acting quickly Arjana darted between Tonraq and Lila afraid he would actually attack the seven-month-old cub. She was only doing what she had told her to do and didn’t deserve to be treated this way. “Lila go I’ll make sure he doesn’t stop you again.”

Lila stood there frozen for a moment than nodded her head and quickly ushered the cubs away towards the creak. She kept glancing behind her to make sure Tonraq didn’t come after her but she noticed if he tried Arjana blocked him every time. Soon they where out of her and the cub’s sight.

Once all the cubs were out of sight and down by the creak she turned her gaze to Tonraq and glared at him baring her own fangs at him and stood as tall as she could. “You are no king Tonraq and you never will be. You can not tell me what to do with my own cubs.

Tonraq was so furious he swore he was seeing red; how dare she continue to defy him? He would teach her a lesson she would never forget. “I AM KING WHEN JURIS IS GONE, AND THAT MEANS YOU MUST OBEY ME EVEN IF I MUST MAKE YOU OBEY ME!” Juris roared angrily and crouched down ready to attack her and teach her a much-needed lesson unless right now she begged for forgiveness even then he might leave her with a scar to remember her lesson.

Arjana gave a small laugh and shook her head, “no matter how many times you say it or how loud you scream it, doesn’t make it real. I wonder how Juris would feel if he heard you claim to be king when he’s gone? I doubt he would be please in fact I’d bet he would be infuriated.” When Tonraq threatened to force her to do as he says she couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah that won’t ever happen!”

That was the last straw for Tonraq, how dare Arjana laugh at him and refuse to obey him? Without a second thought he leaped at her with his claws extended and scored his right paw across her right eye. He let out a roar of rage and tried to pin her to the ground. The two tussled and fought to pin the other.

Jupiter and Ebele returned to camp after patrolling the west border when he heard a roar filled with rage. He quickly took off at a run not even bothering to see if Ebele was following him. As he approached he saw Tonraq and Arjana fighting one another. He let out a cry of shock and raced towards them. Jupiter grabbed Tonraq by the back of his neck and pulled him of Arjana. “What is going on he…”

Just when Tonraq was about to pin Arjana he felt someone grab him from behind and pull him off of Arjana. Whipping around he realized it was Jupiter. “STAY OUT OF THIS,” he roared and turned back to Arjana to leap at her once more. But before he got the chance Jupiter leaped at him and before he knew it he was pinned to the ground. “LET ME GO I GODER YOU TO LET ME GO RIGHT NOW”, he growled with rage and tried to get free but Jupiter ham him pinned to well.

Arjana lay limp on the ground she was alive but winded and hurt. She was relieved that someone had shown up to help her. Struggling to her paws Arjana gave herself a shake than looked for her rescuer and spotted Jupiter. She hadn’t talked to him since he had betrayed her trust but after saving her life she spoke the first words to him in over a month. “Thank you!”

Jupiter looked to Arjana and saw three deep claw marks running across her right eye. Anger and hatred for the lion beneath him filled him to the core, but he pushed it down he needed to control his anger. So instead he gave Arjana a nod when she thanked him than looked down at Tonraq. “You will remain pinned until Juris returns, if you try to escape I will score my own claws across your face much like you did to Arjana. Right now, my claws are sheathed and I will keep them that way unless you give me a reason to unsheathe them.”

Tonraq growled angrily but he knew when he was beat, and there was nothing that he could do.

Thankfully the trio didn’t have long to wait for Juris was returning that moment with a delighted Pacific and Sunset. Pacific had passed his test and was allowed to stay in the pride until further notice. As they returned Juris was shocked to see Jupiter pinning Tonraq to the ground. Confusion and anger began to build up inside of him. “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE? Jupiter get off of Tonraq NOW!” He stalked forward his fur sticking up on the back of his neck when he spotted his mate had been injured and was still bleeding. “Who did this? I DEMAND TO KNOW WHO DID THIS TO MY MATE?”

Hearing the anger in Juris’s voice Jupiter quickly release Tonraq and stepped away from him and bowed his head. “My king I returned from patrol with Ebele to see Tonraq attacking Arjana so I quickly reacted and pulled him off of her and pinned him to the ground. I did not know what caused the fight but I knew I must react quickly to stop further injuries to either.”

Arjana spotted Juris and though she hated him with every fiber she had learned to act otherwise. She slowly limped towards him and pressed herself against him. “My love Tonraq claimed to be king when you were gone and I told him he was not king whether you were here or not. This enraged him, we fought verbally many things were said but when I told him I would never call him kind and would never obey him he became enraged and attacked me. Thankfully I had sent our cubs to the creak with Lila so they did not witness this and become frightened.”

Tonraq growled angrily, “what this charlatan didn’t tell you is that she left your cubs in the care of Lila while she was out hunting that is what caused the argument in the first place. I told her she was not permitted to leave the cubs side.”

Arjana glared at Tonraq but she didn’t respond for she knew she was in the right. She had gotten Juris’s permission that morning before he left.

Juris let out a roar that echoed across the African plains, “ENOUGH!” He glared at Tonraq and stepped towards him. “You are not, nor will you ever be king. One of my cubs will be king after me, and if Arjana wishes to go off and do a bit of hunting she may as long as she isn’t gone for a long time I have already given her my blessing.” He took another step towards Tonraq. “You have been like a son to me and where the first to join my pride, but it is clear now that you think to highly of yourself. From this day forward, you are banished from my pride. You have twenty-four hours to get off my pride’s territory, if I or any of my pride mates find you on our territory we will attack to kill. Now begone and never let me see you again.” This pained him to send Tonraq off like this but he couldn’t risk him becoming a threat for his cubs or his mate. He wouldn’t allow such arrogance in his pride members.

Tonraq stood there in shock as Juris yelled at him and banned him. How could this be happening? He was the most loyal lion in the pride he would do anything for Juris, anything. But now he was banished, banished… him…? Tonraq turned tail and fled he was to confused to and shocked by this outcome to register anything else other than the threat to his life if he didn’t leave Juris’s territory.

Juris watched Tonraq flee from him and his pride, sorrow and regret filled him, regret that he had let him get so arrogant and regret that he let him flee. Deep down he knew that he could become a problem in the future but Juris couldn’t bring himself to kill Tonraq he was like a son to him. So instead of killing him he banished him it might come to bite him in the tail later but for now he would try not to worry about it. He turned to look at his mate and walked closer to Arjana and inspected her injuries. “It looks like you might have a couple scars over your eye but it doesn’t look like he damaged the eye itself.” He murmured more to himself than turned to face Jupiter. “Thank you for protecting Arjana, because of this you shall become my new second in command. BUT, know this, Arjana will be above you to prevent anything like this from ever happening again.”

Jupiter glanced out the corner of his eye as Tonraq turned and fled but kept his face turned to Juris. He was shocked when Juris promoted him to second in command, he bowed his head and purred softly. “Thank you, my king I won’t let, you down.” This was perfect he was one step closer to ending the tyranny over the pride. Tonraq had done this to himself and he had pretty much sealed his fate by attacking Arjana. Now all he had to do was find a way to get rid of Juris, but that would take time and he would have to continue to gain Juris’s trust.