O Brother, Where Art Thou?

(ooc: Date is March 6th and open to only Kula. Sorry if this post sucks too, my muse pooped out halfway through uwu)

It had been a while since he'd been here last. Correction; it had been quite a while since he was here last. Chumvi's eyes scanned the Pridelands as he padded along, taking in everything. Many things had changed, the most notable being the darkness. During his extravagant travels, trying to find himself all while being lost, he had encountered quite a bit of light. However, with every passing day the light would become dimmer and dimmer, especially when he made his way back towards his home in the Pirdelands. Like the majority of inhabitants under this dome of darkness, Chumvi wondered as to why it came about, but soon figured that it didn't concern him in the least bit. 

That was until he realized all of the natural damage it was causing. Many of the trees had withered away, the crops were beginning to wilt, and all foilage was falling into near extinction. Granted, he view was slightly dramatized, but it was a drastic change compared to being surrounded by light and various shades of green. With this lack of green around him, the prey herd were starting to move on or simply die out. Chumvi had heard rumors about the encroaching food shortage the heroes were beginning to experience, but he would've never thought that it would happen. That Simba would allow it to happen. Even though Chumvi was the rightful heir to the Pridelands, he saw that his younger brother was more fit to rule, given the darker male's commitment issues, but there were still moments that he still craved to stand upon that rock and fill the lands with love and peace and order. Unfortunately, love was the last thing that the heroes needed. They needed leadership. Badly.

Which went hand in hand with the other rumor Chumvi had heard throughout his travels. The fact that his beloved sister was steadily beginning her rise to power and forming her own pride. As if he couldn't be more proud of her, he was once again proven wrong. He had always known that his sister was destined for greatness, and who knows? Maybe her rise to power will be exactly what the heroes needed, maybe it would lead to her becoming the head of the army. If there was anyone Chum would've liked to see become leader over Simba, it was definitely Kula. She was smart, independent, and knew exactly what to do and when to do it. A little rash at times, but everyone has a flaw! Although, in his eyes, she could have no real flaw, just minor blemishes in her personality. Regardless, Chumvi made it his personal mission to seek out and catch up with the Red Queen herself. Partially to get filled in on the current situation regarding the war, but also to catch up and visit. 

It was hard to believe, not really, but he missed his sister. Dearly. Almost as much as he missed Zukki and the kids. The dark male had made his way towards Kula's headquarters, trying to avoid coming into contact with her followers as much as possible. He wanted to make his presence a surprise, whether it be a welcome one or not. But with each step he took, be became more nervous. What if she wasn't happy to see him? What if she was angry about his sudden disappearance and failure to be present during her time in the spotlight? What if she wasn't going to be happy about possible leaving the 'lands to be with Zukki for a while? All those answers would come in due time, but for now, he had to focus on finding her first. He came close to where he believed she would be resting, after sweet-talking one follower for some information, and sat right outside. "Seeeeester? Are you home? Guess who's baaaack?" he called out in an obnoxiously sing-song whisper.

A rough tongue swept over the fur of the pale cub held between Kula's paws, swiping through the thick curly fur and displacing strands of it every which way. Kosa stared forward with bleary eyes, a blink disrupting her gaze every now and again. Nearby Doa was dozing, kept company by the still forms of Kula's own litter as well as their 'siblings' Gwandoya and Duni. It had been three days since the death of Kosa and Doa's father, and still the lioness hadn't heard a peep out of either. She'd taken them into her care almost immediately upon returning to Pride Rock, concerned that Sabini might accidentally cause them harm in the grief that had overtaken her mind. Said lioness was under careful observation, kept somewhat sedated in Mekonnen's lair while she contemplated her sorrow.

Kula sighed and paused a moment to observe her handiwork on the female cub. With both children being so silent Kula couldn't tell whether or not they were handling the loss well at all -- but Doa at least was able to sleep. Kosa seemed either unwilling or unable to rest and was constantly awoken from what little she was able to grasp by nightmares. Hearing the approach of a lion the queen flicked her ears towards the cave entrance -- one of her Mbala subjects, in all likelihood. The queen nudged at the cub before her with a gentle nuzzle, prodding her towards the sleeping cubs. "Try to get some rest, Kosa. I'll be back in a little while."

Without acknowledging her temporary caretaker the girl plodded over to the pile and settled in, draping herself across Doa and Uhuru and causing both to utter brief noises of discontent. Crimson eyes regarded them all sadly for a moment, searching each little face. Mbala's cubs had been born into the pride and had bonded with almost every member in their short lives. Though Rijali hadn't been her cubs father, they'd loved him all the same. He'd been their uncle Rijali, a fun babysitter and playmate for both litters. The sudden loss of friend and father had been a harsh lesson for them all. Even Naanda's cubs seemed much more subdued than usual, though they'd barely known him.

Heaving herself to her paws Kula padded to the entrance of the cave in preparation to greet whoever it was approaching her personal den. Unexpected was a voice more familiar than any in her pride, one that stole the wind from the lioness' sails and crashed through every defense she'd built up. "Chumvi..."

Quickening her pace the lioness rushed from the den to press her head against her brother's in a lion's embrace, purring deeply as she lowered her neck and buried her face in his mane. It'd been so long since she'd seen the chocolate male, and his presence now seemed like all too perfect timing. His presence softened the Red Queen's visage to one of the young lioness she'd been before the war, open and fresh and happy. Tears pricked at Kula's eyes as she breathed in Chumvi's scent and let it wash over her. "Spirits, I've missed you...!!"

Being a lion of love, Chumvi can happily claim that his heart and bloomed quite a few times from the sheer happiness he experienced. The first time was playing around with Kula when they were cubs, the second, proclaiming his love for Zukkiza, the third was when his cubs were born, and the fourth was recently when he was reunited with the loves of his life. While he thought he was full then, the chocolate male knew that something was wrongfully missing from that happy picture. Sure, this was his family that he had created, but it wouldn't match up to the family that he was created with. Being without Kula for so long, he never realized just how lost he was. His little sister, although little, was older to him in many ways. For one, she had extreme discipline and a love for taking on responsibilities. He had never known anyone so independent and punctual as she. He looked up to her in that respect, as he did in many, but now that he was trying to change his life around, that had meant something more to him. 

When he heard her voice echoing through the walls of the den, his heart swelled. She was here, and she sounded excited. But seeing her, wow, his heart had blossomed so much that his chest was aching. Partly because he was so happy to see her, but also a little saddened. It wasn't a bad thing that she looked happy, but it looked as though she hadn't been for quite some time. Was it because of him? That would definitely make him feel awful if it was. However, if it was about something else, it would make him feel worse because he wasn't there to be with her, to comfort her when she needed someone who really knew her. Pushing the sadness aside, Chumvi focused on the happiness and the love, a deep laugh rumbling from his chest as a result of the overflow of said happiness and love. As the red queen buried her face into his mane, he pressed his cheek against the top and sides of her head, nuzzling and purring wildly. 

The lion sighed deeply and smiled, his grin nearly sawing his maw in half, as he closed his eyes and pressed his nose behind her ear, taking in her scent where it was strongest. It was then that he knew he was home and, hopefully one day, he would stay permanently. "Ya really missed me? Gee..I couldn't tell," he teased, rumbling a laugh from his chest, "don't get all soft of me now, sis." The male nuzzled his sister once more before pulling back from the feline embrace and aimed his warm crimson gaze into hers, the jovial nature of his heart making them sparkle. "Spirits know I've missed you more. I've been gone for way, way too long," Chumvi purred, reaching out and rubbing the top of her head playfully.