Kingdom and Clans, King's Destiny (Book 1)

It had been such a beautiful day and the brothers, were getting accustomed to their new bodies as they traveled in search for their family. They were amazed by the speed and agility they possessed. 

Zarda and Meeku found themselves at one point racing neck and neck, back home to pride rock. Could they really call it that anymore? they thought. Zarda pondered if his Mother had been wise enough, to have picked up and moved the pride. Knowing also, that she knew he had been taken to the warthog burrows long ago, After countless days of searching empty-pawed, she would have moved on from the effortless act. He knew her wisdom would have done the right thing. The only space between them and the old location, which was past the warthog territory, was hard for zarda to remember. He was such a young cub and it was so dark when they departed many moons ago.

He tried to imagine the landscape in his mind's eye.

"What was between, the warthog territory and us?" He asked, over and over.

Suddenly, it came to him, 'THE JUNGLE.' It was perfect. It would have been the best place to take cover and find rest in. The jungle have enough resources to refill the pride along with loads of protection from the weather, and other apex predators. The brother's bodies were starting to slow down, they were overexerting themselves for far too long. That didn't seem to be the only downfall to their new bodies.Their legs seemed to seize up often, their chest burned, they were uncertain where to place their arms when they ran. They were also quite annoyed, at the lack of control their lower half had, while running. The make shift palm branched sarong were not doing their job.

They needed something that could hold their manhood, in place, without it wagging from side to side. After all, it began to bruise their balls painfully.

"How do humans do this, on a day-to-day basis?" Asked zarda, to himself.

He slowed now to a soft jog, until he was at a calm, steady walk. His chest heaved up and down, scrambling to suck down cool air into his fiery lungs. Meeku was glad to see his brother's pace decelerate. His body felt like it was on fire. From his feet to his legs, they were having painful spasms. Even his lungs inside his chest were a furnace. To Meeku it reminded him of the time when they were younger and stumbled upon fire ants mound for the first time. The pain of flames they experienced was unpleasant. It was their first lesson in the wild on their own. What was okay and what wasn't.

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

" I hate these coverings! What good do they do? We might as well be running naked. They're holding nothing in. My inner thighs hurt, from the monstrous shaft beating between my legs." He said pausing to breathe.

He gathered more air and began to speak again.

"Just tell me what was wrong with our smaller groin, when on all fours?" Meeku asked, out of frustration.

Zarda didn't protest, he agreed with his brother fully. If nothing else, they could use them to knock someone out with. They do resemble rigid wooden clubs. Zarda chuckled inside at the thought. Zarda placed his hand on his brother's right shoulder.

" When we make it to the Jungle, I believe we can fashion better coverings there." He replied smiling a bit awkward.

Looking for a cool tree to rest under, they surveyed the land. The brothers sensed the balance was off a bit, but nothing too serious, as they traveled. The run had been a clear shot the entire way. No where, were there any leaping gazelles or galloping zebras in sight. When normally they would have passed a herd or two grazing on the horizon.

In fact, they did not see any animals on the Savannah at all. Had the transformation also hit them at the same time? Had they all hid out of fear of the strange new changes? Zarda always full of questions. It was the one good quality about him. He was inquisitive.

'Never the mind', He thought. ' I need rest.'

They came upon an umbrella thorn tree, to find rest under at the base. Zarda crouched down first and leaned his back on the right side of the trunk, closing his eyes he softly breathed in deep and steady. Meeku always one step behind sat down to join on the opposite side, relaxing. He needed to cool his temperature. He was almost tempted to go wallow in a warthogs hole, to beat the never-ending heat. Sweat was pouring down his body in beads. When the breeze blew, it cooled off his skin for a second. Meeku was always burning up, while zarda, never got overheated as bad. He stayed fairly balanced. The cold only seemed to trouble him, but in Africa, they didn't have too many cold nights except for the few months out of the year.

Right now the temperature wasn't the problem. Something else was off and he knew the master had made the change happen universal. Zarda was careful to listen to the world around him. No crickets, no birds, not even hyenas laughing. Where was everyone? Finally tired of the madness called life, he drifted to sleep. He let his desperate thoughts wander into wispy colorful clouds of endless peace.

It had been an hour since they had first laid down under the tree. Over in the distance, Zarda could hear cries of female voices. At first, he thought he was still dreaming, but the voices seemed too real to be a dream.

It drew his attention enough to make him stand straight up. He focused on the location, studying the landscape. He couldn't make out any images, so he sniffed the air for any familiar scents. There was no scent either, but then he caught a whiff of a smell that he recognized as a cub.

Zarda's eyes widened. Could it be? Zarda moved near his brother slowly. He flicked his nose hard. Meeku, immediately woke startled. He growled up at him, annoyed.

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

Meeku raised up from his comfortable bedding, peering towards the strange sounds. He couldn't believe it. Was it really their mother and thr pride? Meeku, quickly stood to his feet, rocking his foot pads left to right. He was trying to make sense of it all.

"It's not them, it's only a mirage, Zarda." Said Meeku.

He doubted they were even seeing such a sight. They were not that lucky. His brother disagreed. A soft whisper on the breeze spoke that sounded like the master.

"Go to your mother."

Zarda looked up to the sky. He knew the master was leading him right to them. With full confidence, he broke off into a dead sprint towards the dark shapes. Only one way to find out. If they were real or a mirage. Without any warning, meeku was left behind standing in shock, he watched his brother run away like a flash of light. Making a double take first, before finally chasing after him in his dust trail.

"You better be right, Zarda! Or I'm going to kick your..." he said, as his words faded.

He realized Zarda was right when the shapes grew closely familiar. It was their long lost family. He could recognize that loving face anywhere.

Zarda watched his mother staring as he ran towards her. Like the creator said, their mother had been transformed just like her son's. Saharrah was standing upright like a woman, Graceful and strong. Her long grey hair blew in the wind, across her small naked body. Her face was aged and sad. Could she believe her own eyes? Or did she too think like her son Meeku?

She stared in wonderment. Zarda, swore he could see her eyes welling with tears, but he wasn't certain. His eyes were starting to blur up his vision. He needed to hold them back, so he could run safely.

Meeku ran hard, sobbing and gasping for air. His arms outstretched towards his mother. Queen Saharrah screamed with outbursts of deep sobs when she realized who was coming. She threw out her arms towards her sons. Their bodies all collided into one. Saharrah couldn't stop kissing her sons foreheads, shoulders, arms, heads, and necks.she was taking in their scents all at once.

Zarda wept like a baby cub in her arms. His brother was pawing over his mom with his warm embrace. Not one dry eye from all the tears shed. Saharrah, grabbed zarda's face with her shaking hands and held onto it tight.

"My son, my zarda. You're all grown up. Look at you, my handsome son. I want you to know I searched for you, both of you my son's...every day, until all hope felt lost. your both here now." Saharrah, whimpered out.

"Who did this to us, son? Do you know? Why and how did we become like this? I bet it was that witch lilith." said Saharrah with confusion.

Zarda knew the answers, but didn't want to give it away yet. Instead, He found himself nuzzling his head to her soft cheek. He lingered in the moment as long as he could before he decided to explain.

"You may want to sit down for this one. It's a long explanation." Zarda Suggested.