Chapter 43. Goodbye my friend

Asafa looked at Tukufu and fully understood. As a king, Tukufu could never leave his pride.

"Then it is a loss for both your and my pride. It is unfortune that your grandchildren will never meet you." Asafa.

Tukufu nodded, agreeing. That is another wish he had, to meet the cubs of his daughter, alas, he still received a big gift. The gift of meeting his daughter a last time.

"Although, my son Tukufu carries your name, I am afraid that his personality mirrors that of my uncle." Asafa admitted, hoping for the older lion to share his wisdom on the matter.

Tukufu frowned at this.

Everyone knew of how Scar went against his father's wishes and challenged Mufasa to a fight for kingship.

But the fact that it was Scar that killed Mufasa was a scandal that only the lions of pride land were aware of.

Tukufu understood his words as Asafa's son was greedy for the throne.

"My uncle killed my father and tried to kill my brother and I." Asafa revealed the truth, that his uncle wasn't just greedy, but also had darkness inside of him.

Tukufu now fully understood Asafa's worries.

Tukufu thought it through.

"My advice is that you should speaketh with little Tukufu. Discuss his inner demons and make sure to quench it..." Tukufu said.

Asafa nodded, but his worries weren't that big since he knew that he had receive the super lion serum. So he knew that he would most likely even outlive his children. Lions didn't live longer than 15-30 years, But Asafa knew that he would most likely push that limit because of his superior body.

Although he planned to make Mohatu king at a ripe age, he would still stay around and enjoy life as he watched over them, that was his plan. But he still didn't want infighting between his sons.

And if Tukufu is as scheming as he seemed, hevmight find a way to make more trouble than Asafa was willing to face.

"Worsteth situation... Banisheth him from the pride, this is the destiny of many sons of lions..." Tukufu finally gave his last advice. Indeed for lions it was the norm to cast out the young male lions before they reached adulthood.

Then they would wander around until they find a new pride where they can either live as an underling, or they'll fight for the leadership.

Asafa nodded, hoping that it wouldn't come to that.

After waking up, Zahara spent her time around Tukufu while talking to him happily about everything.

Asafa saw this and felt that she knew that his time was soon up, she was just pretending to be happy as she wanted her last memories with her father to be positive.

When midday had come, it was Tukufu that finally told them it was time to return, Zahara looked at him like he had betrayed her.

*Come on dad, we just came here, I've missed you lots... We can go tomorrow, Right Asafa?" She said, her tone was if she was trying to be strong.

"Little flower.... A kingdom cannot function without it's kingeth... It's timeth you shall return." Tukufu answered her. This was because he knew that the longer they spent time together, the harder it would be to split apart again.

Last time when he sent her away, it was one of the hardest decisions he had to make.

Zahara's happy facial expressions finally broke like glass.

She didn't want to cry but she knew that today would the last time she would meet her father, and she did her best until the end... But there was no helping it.

Tears fell down her face as a pained expression overtook her.

"Little flower, why shalleth you waste tears?" Tukufu tried to comfort her.

"Dad... I.. I will miss you a lot." She said, trying to not face the truth of their last meeting.

"And I willeth miss you." Tukufu said in a smile as he put a paw on her head.

She nodded in understanding as she cried.

"Zahara, a day will come when you'll say goodbye to your own cubs, would you then want them to feel so pained by your goodbyes? OR would you want them to feel gratitude for every moment that you got to spend together?" Asafa said. His words echoed wisdom as they touched her heart.

She understood that being happy for the time they had together was better than being sad for the time they wouldn't see eachother anymore.

She nodded and collected herself before a bright smile overtook her face.

"Thank you daddy for everything!" She said to her elderly father, that had always seemed like an invincible hero to her, yet at this moment he seemed so.. aged and weak.

Tukufu, the man that rarely smiled, smiled more today than the last 5 years combined.

A smile graces his face.

"It was a pleasure, little flower." He said, it truly was a pleasure for him to raise such good children, Zahara included.

"I'm glad we could meet up as friends in this life." Asafa said before turning around and taking the lead in leaving.

Zahara was about to follow her king, but she turned around and rubbed her head on her father's head one last time to show her affection.

Then she hurriedly ran after her husband and king.

When Asafa and Zahara reached the borders, they found Solof Cinder waiting for them with a cub beside him.

Zahara looked with suspicion at Solof Cinder, not understanding what he was up to.

But Asafa simply nodded to Solof Cinder and walked up to him as he looked at the young cub that seemed to shiver in fear.

"What are you up to now Solof." Zahara said witch scepticism, believing he was up to no good.

Solof just looked at Asafa, for him to clarify.

"You can go now." Asafa said to the lion.

Solof nodded before turning around.

Asafa looked at Solof Cinder, and saw how the lion took strong strides. His loyalty and kindness seem to make him look a bit weak, but as he walked, Asafa saw a strong warrior in him.

'Maybe he will be the next king.' Asafa thought, indeed, Solof was in his prime and he seemed strong and kind. He would make a great leader.

"Solof!" Asafa said, halting the lion in his steps as he looked back.

"If one day, it comes to it, and you're a leader of your own pride, know that there'll be friendship between our tribes." Asafa said in support.

Even Zahara looked at him surprise. She knew Solof as a cub. He was someone that longed for "adventure and danger," always claiming that those terms were siblings, and that's why they sounded so similar.

She wasn't aware of how much the lion had matured since they lost against Asafa, nor his loyalty to her father, she only knew him as an unruly cub.

But she trusted Asafa's judgement so she said nothing of it.

"Don't worry little one. You're safe with us." Asafa said as he petted the little cub.

"So who is he?" She asked.

"The last legacy of your father, and your little brother." He said in a smile before picking him up, carrying him with his mouth.

Zahara's jaw dropped.

"What's his name??" She shouted in surprise.

"He doesn't have one, no one knew that he is Tukufu's son." Asafa mumbled, hard to speak with a cub in your mouth.

But Zahara got the gist of it.

"Then he is a precious jewel... Kito will be his name." Zahahransaid as she looked at his pure eyes, full of innocence and curiosity. He was born not long ago.

Asafa smiled in agreement to the name.

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