Never Enough Pride [Ash]

Kovu smiled and licked along Kumba's head, he chuckled and launched forward, pressing his chest to the ground, inviting the Cubs to play. Given his isolation he was willing to express some energy whereas usually he would be much too preoccupied with sleeping. Merely putting up with the Cubs playfulness.

"Little Kumba has been holding his own against his brothers, and the other lionesses tell me that he's the only one with a little tuft of mane on his head" She chuckled softly as she laid down. The other two cubs ran out and climbed on their mother.

Kovu lurched forward and chuckled nuzzling his son, he layed down and began to groom him that mostly found it amusing that Kumba seemed to disappear within his mane. His tail flicked as he playfully batted his son with his large paw.

She rubbed herself against him and sighed softly, walking to the cave, she chuffed softly once at the cave and Kumba was the first cub to run out.

Kovu moved and nuzzled her, resting his flank against her so she knew where he was before he led the lioness to the cave.

She purred and nuzzled him back, smiling softly, "They should be in the cave, I don't let them leave much... I never really left the den either... For one I cant see... And I don't trust the humans" She sighed.

Kovu nodded moving to his mate and nuzzling her, "can I see them?"

"He misses you, they all do" She said softly, her ears twitching when he spoke.

Kovu turned abruptly, hearing the name he knew he'd given, he smiled. "How is he?" He asked, Kovu's personality had changed after the attack, some how he'd managed to block his mate and children from his mind during his weeks of isolation.

"Kovu, they put us together because they wanted more cubs like us, we had cubs, one was like us, don't you remember Kumba?" She managed to catch up to him.

He turned and furrowed his brows, "they don't smell like me" he growled, smelling the air.

Her ears pinned back and she tried to follow him, "Kovu they're yours" She called to him, panicking from his tone, she tried to catch up to him.

Kovu narrowed his eyes, "your not my mate, you have cubs" he says accusingly, backing off. His ears pressing back, as he turned his back and ran to the rock.

She frowned and squirmed out from under him, "What's wrong Kovu? You aren't the same... Where's the Kovu I hated when I first showed u" She mewed.

He didn't answer, instead he set about marking her so that his scent overwhelmed that of the Cubs.

"Kovu, what's wrong?" She whimpered toward him, looking up toward her mate with dull eyes.

He continued to groom her, remembering her scent, he purred and nuzzled into her neck inhaling her scent, but frowning when he picked up the Cubs scent, growling.

She flinched when he pounced and she trembled under him, though she relaxed when she felt him grooming her and she purred, softly grooming him back.

Kovu had growled and unshealthed his claws when she approached him but purred when she touched him, relaxing. He pounced and groomed her lovingly.

"Kovu... That's where you killed Kiara, and attacked me... Why are you like this?" She asked, inching closer to her mate and softly nudging his face.

His growl this time was a little less aggressive, whining lowly as he rubbed against the grass again, sulking.

"Kovu? Kovu what's wrong? You haven't growled at me like that since we met and I kept hissing at you" She murmured and tried to get closer to him, "Its me, Sasha" She mewed.

Kovu rolled in the grass for several minutes before he noticed Sasha, growling softly, he look a protective pose, snarling heavily.

Sasha smelt her mate and she jumped up, purring and chuffing out to her mate, following his scent and getting within sight, but not close enough to where he could reach, incase she got in his way again.

It had been determined that Kovu had a brain snap, believing that the lioness he had murdered had been his mate and the lionesses that were still alive were responsible for her death. Within the next few days Kovu was let out, supporting a metal electric collar. The keepers wanted to see if the breeding program would work or they would transfer Kovu to another zoo that had expressed interest. He ran out and immediately went to where kiaras body had been, rubbing his cheek on the grass and laying on his side.