Mates

Kosa lay down on the soon to be grass plains of the outlands. As he and his other pride members began to feed and replenish the land, his mother Arza looked after the cubs with Vitani, knowing that the cub Vitani took under her wing was Kopa's daughter. Even though he still had a lot pent up frustration at his ex-mate and Kopa, he let the cub live. He stayed far away from his pride members than usual because he noticed that someone had been watching their pride for several days and had yet to reveal themselves.

He heard the light foot steps tread over to him. Not bothering to turn his head or get up he called out to the stranger, "I hope you know that these are the Outlands, and we rule here," Kosa said as the foot steps stopped.

"Huh. So you did notice me Kosa." An all too familiar voice said as the owner of it, a prideland colored lion, came out behind the trees and stood before the darker lion.

"Kopa! What are you doing here!" Kosa snarled, glaring at the pridelander and taking an attack position.

"I did not come here to fight you Kosa, I came to talk to you." Kopa said calmly as he approached the other lion.

"Talk to me about what?" Kosa growled, holding his stance.

"I want to talk to you about Jalia." Kopa said as Kosa narrowed his eyes at him.

"Why? So you could rub it in my face of how you took her from me?!" Kosa yelled.

"No, that is not what I came here for. I came to tell you that the only reason why I let Jalia come back with me was not because I loved her, but because I loved you." Kopa said, as Kosa's stance deflated a little, but he stood there still ready to pounce.

"Me? You loved me but you ran away with my mate?!" Kosa said.

"I had no intent on being her mate at first until we went to the pride lands and then came back for you, when your grandmother threatened us, saying she would kill you if we didn't leave you alone." Kopa explained. The darker skinned lion started to back away slowly, shaking his head lightly.

"That cannot be true, Grandmother would never do something like that." Kosa said.

"Kosa, are you sure? Look at all the things she has done in the past! What would make you think I'm lying to you?" Kopa asked.

"Oh, I know," Kosa said sarcastically, "maybe the fact that you took away my loving mate from me!" He bellowed.

"Jalia never loved you Kosa, she was just using you to get to me." Kopa stated as Kosa absorbed this new information, he recalled many times Jalia would use him as leverage to talk to Kopa, but he just dismissed it at the time.

"Kosa, I know you hate me and you will probably never forgive me, but at least now you know that I honestly do love you." Kopa said as he walked towards Kosa and gave him a tender lick on the cheek before turning away and starting to leave.

"Kopa, wait. If you honestly do love me, you will stay here with me." Kosa said as he walked over to Kopa and pushed him down onto the ground to lay down beside him.

"But what about your pride?" Kopa asked. "Don't worry, I'm their alpha, they have to listen to me." Kosa said as he closed his eyes and began to fall asleep, in which Kopa followed his example.

Arza started up the hill where her son was supposed to spend the night. As she reached the peak of the small rock monument she saw her son and Kopa cuddled together like mates. Slowly and carefully she stalked over to them and began to circle around them. "Mother! What do you think your doing!" Kosa growled when his eyes snapped open, then getting up and glaring at his mother.

"I'm trying to protect you from him." Arza hissed, glaring daggers Kopa, who slowly began to wake up.

"He is my mate! Now leave!" Kosa said as he stood in front of Kopa possessively.

"What?! You can't mate him!" Arza screeched, her face depicting absolute horror.

"You cannot tell your alpha who he can and cannot mate even if you are my mother." Kosa snarled as Kopa finally awoke fully and saw the darker skinned lion was having a stand-off with his mother.

Arza stared her son in the eyes for a minute, looking at the love and devotion that they held for Kopa, then and let out a heavy sigh. "I understand. Kosa, if this is who you wish to mate, then be my guest." Arza said before walking back to the other pride members.

Kosa sighed in relief as he watched his mother walk away and he turned back around to face Kopa who was smiling at him.

"You're my hero." Kopa said jokingly before lovingly kissing the darker skinned lion.

"I'm still tired lets go to sleep." Kosa said as he laid back down on the ground. Kopa smiled and got down to cuddle with his new mate.