Ch 16 Reunited at Last

Reunited at Last



It was a stunning day, free from rain clouds and pesky hyenas. The brothers were beginning to adjust to their new forms as they journeyed in search of their long-lost family. Zarda and Meeku were running across the open plains with open minds and hearts. They could hardly believe it; their new forms were astonishingly fast and agile. They felt perfectly suited for sustained, steady running, allowing them to cover distances far greater than what their lion forms could manage. They were able to scale obstacles they had never adventured to do in their lion forms. Crossing alligator infested rivers, always were alarming as a lion, but now with the ability to cross with more efficiency they conquered the waters with no fear.

Zarda and Meeku found themselves racing neck and neck as they made their way back to Pride Rock. But could they truly call it that anymore? Zarda wondered if his mother had been wise enough to relocate the pride. He knew she had been aware of his abduction to the warthog burrows long ago, and after endless days of searching in vain, she would have likely accepted the loss and moved on. He trusted her wisdom to guide her in the right direction. The only thing that separated them from their former home—beyond the warthog territory—was a distant memory for Zarda. He was just a young cub back then, and the darkness of their departure many moons ago made the image even harder to recall.

He attempted to visualize the landscape in his mind. "What lay between the warthog territory and us?" he kept asking himself repeatedly.

Suddenly, an idea struck him: "THE JUNGLE." It was the ideal refuge—an excellent place to seek shelter and rest. The jungle was abundant with resources to rejuvenate their pride and provided ample protection from the elements and other apex predators. However, the brothers were starting to tire; they had pushed themselves too hard for too long. This wasn't their only challenge, though. Their legs often felt stiff, their chests ached, and they struggled to find the right position for their arms while running. To make matters worse, they were frustrated by the lack of control over their lower bodies during their escape. The makeshift sarongs fashioned from palm branch leaves weren't doing much to help either.

They required a solution to keep their manhood secure and prevent any side-to-side movement, as the discomfort was starting to cause painful bruising.

"How do humans manage this every day?" Zarda pondered to himself.

He gradually transitioned to a gentle jog before settling into a calm, steady walk. His chest rose and fell as he struggled to draw in cool air for his overheated lungs. Meeku felt a sense of relief as he noticed his brother's pace slow down. His own body felt like it was ablaze, with painful spasms rippling through his feet and legs. Even his lungs felt like they were engulfed in fire. It brought back memories for Meeku of their childhood, when they first encountered a mound of fire ants. The excruciating pain had been overwhelming, marking their first lesson in navigating the wild on their own: understanding what was safe and what was not.

As if reading his mind, Meeku shouted out through deep long breaths.

As though he could sense his thoughts, Meeku exclaimed with deep, labored breaths, "I can't stand these coverings! What purpose do they serve? We might as well be going bare. They offer no support at all. My inner thighs ache from the heavy beating between my legs." He paused for a moment to catch his breath. He took a deep breath and started to speak once more.

"Just explain what was wrong with our old groins. When we were on all fours, they didn't cause anywhere near this level of pain," Meeku expressed, clearly frustrated.

Zarda didn't raise any objections; he fully agreed with his brother. He held back a small chuckle and placed his hand on his brother's right shoulder to soothe him.

"When we reach the jungle, I think we can create better coverings there," he said with a smile.

Ahead, the blurred silhouette of the jungle loomed large. The brothers looked for a shady tree to rest under before continuing their journey. They arrived at an umbrella thorn tree, seeking respite in its shade. Zarda crouched down first, resting his back against the trunk's right side. With his eyes closed, he took deep, steady breaths. Meeku, always a step behind, settled onto the opposite side, looking to unwind. He craved relief from the sweltering heat and was nearly tempted to plunge into a warthog's wallow to escape the relentless warmth. Sweat dripped down his body in beads, and for a brief moment, the breeze provided a refreshing chill against his skin. Meeku constantly felt overheated, while Zarda managed to stay relatively composed. He found that the cold bothered him more, though in Africa, there were only a few months of noticeably chilly nights each year. They decided it was time to move on. Though they sensed a slight unease, it didn't deter them as they pressed forward. So far, the run had been uncomplicated. Oddly, they noticed a complete absence of leaping gazelles and galloping zebras, creatures they typically spotted with ease, usually dotting the horizon. In fact, the Savannah was devoid of any animals at all. Had the transformation impacted them too? Were all the creatures hiding away in reaction to the unfamiliar changes? Zarda, ever the inquisitive one, contemplated these questions. His curiosity was among the few admirable qualities he possessed.

At that moment, the temperature was the least of his worries. Something else felt wrong, and he realized that the master had unleashed a change that echoed throughout the universe. Zarda stayed vigilant, keenly aware of his surroundings. There were no chirping crickets, no singing birds, and not even the faint laughter of hyenas. Where had everyone gone? he wondered. Suddenly, in the distance, he heard the desperate cries of female voices. At first, he thought he might be dreaming, but the voices were too real to be mere figments of his imagination. It grabbed his attention enough to stop him in his tracks. He focused on the surroundings, meticulously studying the landscape. Noticing the absence of any distinct shapes, he paused to take a deep breath, hoping to detect any familiar scents. At first, he found nothing, but soon he picked up a faint trace of a smell that stirred memories from his cubhood. Zarda's eyes widened in surprise. Could it actually be? Meanwhile, Meeku dashed over to Zarda, intrigued by his brother's sudden halt. His gaze followed Zarda's.

"Can you smell that, Meeku? Look over there," Zarda said.

Meeku couldn't wrap his head around it. Was it truly their mother? He was struggling to comprehend everything that was befalling them.

"What are you looking at? I see nothing that you speak of. Wait, that's not them—it's just a mirage, Zarda," said Meeku.

He questioned whether they were truly witnessing such a sight; they weren't that fortunate. His brother had a different opinion. A gentle whisper carried on the breeze seemed to echo the voice of the master.

Both of them could distinctly hear the voice speak, "Go to your mother."

Zarda had stopped walking and gazed up at the sky, certain that his master was guiding him straight to them. With unwavering confidence, he took a deep breath before launching into a full sprint towards the shadowy figures ahead. There was only one way to discover whether they were real or just a mirage. Suddenly, Meeku was thrown off by his brothers' abrupt departure. He stood there in disbelief, paralyzed by astonishment, as he watched his brother race ahead like a flash of lightning. After a brief moment of hesitation, he finally sprang into action, racing after him and quickly disappearing into his dust trail.

As Meeku chased after Zarda, he yelled, "You better be right, Zarda! Or I swear I'll..." His voice trailed off as he continued to run after him.

He realized that Zarda was right, when the figures started to look remarkably familiar. In disbelief, they observed two unfamiliar figures rushing toward them—members of their long-lost family. Meeku instantly recognized his mother's cherished face. Zarda watched as their mother looked on in shock while they hurried to embrace her. He recognized once more that the creator had been accurate in proclaiming that she and their tribe members had changed just like them. Saharrah stood tall and proud, exuding grace and strength. Her long gray hair fluttered in the breeze, framing her face. The lines on her face told stories of time, marked with age and sorrow. Could she truly trust her own eyes? Or did she harbor doubts like Meeku? Was she seeing a mirage of hope or ghosts of her past.

She gazed in astonishment. Zarda thought he saw tears beginning to fall from her eyes, though he couldn't be sure. His own vision was becoming blurry, and he needed to suppress his emotions to run safely. Meeku sprinted hard, crying and struggling to catch his breath. His arms reached out toward their mother. Upon realizing who was approaching, Queen Saharrah erupted into deep sobs. She opened her arms wide to embrace her sons. Their bodies collided in a heartfelt reunion, and Saharrah couldn't stop kissing their foreheads, shoulders, arms, heads, and necks, enveloping herself in their scents all at once.

Zarda cried like a young cub cradled in her arms. His brother nestled against their mother, wrapped in a warm embrace. Tears flowed freely, leaving no one untouched. Saharrah took Zarda's face in her trembling hands, gripping it firmly.

"My sons, is it truly you? Just look at you both—you're all grown up! My handsome boys. I want you to know how long I searched for you. Every day, I spent hours seeking out the abandoned burrows, and there were times when I felt all hope was lost. But now, my prayers have been answered. You're here with me. Is this a dream? If it is, then it's a wonderful one," Saharrah said, her voice filled with emotion.

Pausing to catch her breath during their conversation, she pressed on with more grave questions. "Who did this to us, son? Do you have any idea? Why and how did we end up in this form? I'm sure it was that witch Lilith, wasn't it" Saharrah said, her confusion evident.

Zarda had the answers, but he wasn't ready to share them just yet. Instead, he gently nuzzled his head against her soft cheek, savoring the moment for as long as possible before finally choosing to explain.

"You might want to take a seat for this. It's quite a lengthy explanation," Zarda suggested.