Roar

by Natavia

  Ryson helped me out of the tub while I held our cub. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around me so I wouldn’t get water everywhere. I was already healed from giving birth but I was completely drained. Ryson followed me into the bedroom and grabbed a blanket for Nafari.

  “What happened to your real parents? You don’t talk about them much,” I said.

  “I have these dreams of being kicked out of my real world. My father was a tiger from a place called Tiban and my mother was a lion from Y’kiki forest. Her father didn’t want her mating outside of their pride so after she had me, she sent me through a portal and humans found me while camping. I know it sounds crazy but that’s the only story I have because I don’t know what happened to them. Y’kiki and the lost land is a myth, so I know my visions are just make-believe,” Ryson said. I wanted to tell him it wasn’t a myth and I knew who was possessed by Y’kiki’s spirit but I couldn’t. I was afraid of him leaving me to go to his world, the world he really belonged to, the same world Eze abandoned me for.

  “Now we have a family of our own,” I replied and he kissed Nafari’s head. All that mattered to me from that moment on was Ryson and Nafari.

  Epilogue

  Asha

  Three weeks later…

  I gave up the search for Mekah. I looked for him every day and all day and came up with nothing. My heart was torn to pieces because I was afraid he was dead. I stopped looking because I feared I’d come across his body. In Africa, male lions killed wandering cubs from other prides. I knew we weren’t the only shapeshifters in the area and that was the reason for living deep in the woods.

  “Are you ready?” Conda asked me.

  She was teaching me the religion of Y’kiki. She was right about it, it brought peace into your life. After all of these years, I finally figured out what I never had and that was love for myself.

  “Yes, let’s go,” I replied. While my cubs were sitting down at the table eating, me and Conda left the cabin and went further into the swamp to pray. While we were praying, Conda’s sister intervened.

  “What are you doing?” Lila asked Conda while rubbing her swollen belly. A month after we found Conda and Lila in the woods, Lupe mated with her. I knew he was going to and I was actually happy about it. We had sex one day out of the week because I was still considered his pride wife but it was only for pleasure.

  “I’m praying. Something you need to be doing,” Conda spat.

  “Whatever, bitch,” Lila said and walked away.

  “Why don’t you return home?” I asked Conda.

  “The sabers are guarding the portals,” she said sadly.

  “I can help you get back home. You don’t belong here,” I replied.

  “Who will pray with you every day?” she asked.

  “I know the way now and I’m going to repay you by sending you back home. Tonight, while everyone is asleep, we will leave,” I replied.

  “What about Lila?” Conda asked.

  “We both know she was kicked out for good reason. But you need to go back,” I replied and she hugged me.

  “Thank you so much, Asha,” she replied.

  We headed back to the cabin after we prayed. Night time was approaching and it was bedtime for my cubs. I kissed their faces before I pulled the sheet over their bodies. By the time everyone in the cabin was asleep, it was midnight. Conda quietly followed me out of the cabin, and once we were out, we ran through the woods.

  “How far is this place?” I asked.

  “A few hours away from here but if you want to get there sooner, you gotta run faster,” I replied, leaping over a tree log.

  ***********

  “Wow, what is this place?” Conda asked when we approached the estate.

  “This is where Sy’noba’s mate lives,” I replied, walking up the long driveway. By the time we reached the door, we were out of breath and in need of water. I rang the doorbell of the castle-sized house and waited for someone to open it.

  “The homes in the forest look nothing like this,” Conda said. I rang the doorbell again and seconds later Toyi snatched the door open. As soon as she saw me, she attacked me. We rolled around on the ground and Conda tried to break us up. Sy’noba’s mate ran out of the house with another male to break up the fight. Toyi bit my shoulder and wouldn’t let go. Sy’noba’s mate pulled me up and pushed me away from their door.

  “What in the fuck are you doing here and who is this?” he asked about Conda.

  “I come here in peace,” I panted.

  “Bitch, you never come with peace! Let me at her!” Toyi screamed.

  “Calm down!” the familiar man said.

  “Get away from me, Quanir. That bitch has some nerve coming here after what she did to me. I’m going to kill you!” Toyi roared as Quanir dragged her into the house.

  “Sy’noba is resting, Asha,” her mate said.

  “We’ve come here because Conda deserves to be in her home. She’s not like the others. I will never return again but I will not leave until you send her back. This world is not for her. She’s still a cub,” I replied.

  “Are you a part of Karu’s bloodline?” he asked Conda and she nodded her head.

  “Then you can’t go back. Your family has caused great pain to the lost land,” he replied.

  “She’s not like them,” I said.

  “I don’t trust you. What you did to Toyi was pretty fucked up. Now get the fuck off my property before I snap your neck,” he gritted as his eyes glowed.

  “Come on, Conda,” I said and grabbed her hand. Tears fell from her eyes as we walked away.

  “WAIT!” a familiar voice called out. When I turned around, Sy’noba was standing in the doorway.

  “Let her go,” her mate said to her.

  “I can handle this, Eze,” Sy’noba assured him and he angrily stepped back. Sy’noba wobbled down the driveway and she looked beautiful. Her wild mane hung past her hips and her skin was glowing. Conda kneeled when Sy’noba walked past.

  “I will make sure she gets home safely,” Sy’noba said.

  “Thank you so much,” I replied.

  “Go in the house and wait for me,” Sy’noba said to Conda. Conda hugged me and thanked me again before she ran towards the house.

  “You’re more beautiful now than ever,” I said to her.

  “Self-love looks good on you. I’ve heard your prayers,” she replied.

  “Conda taught me the way,” I said.

  “I know she did. Where are the cubs?” she asked.

  “Syra and Ji-Ji are sleeping but Mekah ran away almost a month ago,” I replied.

  “Mekah wants to follow his father’s footsteps. There is nothing you can do about that. Even though he’s a cub, you allowed Koja to fill his head with deceit for a long time and it made him age beyond his years. What’s done is done,” she said.

  “I know I’m the one to blame. I’m sorry, Sy’noba. I’m sorry for neglecting you and I’m sorry for what I did to Toyi. Neither one of you deserved it and my apology is coming from a good place,” I replied.

  “Get your cubs and come back to the house. I will send you to Y’kiki’s forest. Being taking out of captivity can make us vulnerable to a lot of things. Some lions just can’t live the human way. In the forest, you can roam freely and be who you really are,” she said.

  “I don’t think Lupe will allow me to do that,” I replied.

  “I’d love to come with you and snap his neck but I will be giving birth any day now. You can find a way and I will be waiting for you,” she said and I hugged her.

  “Thank you,” I replied and ran off.

  When I made it home, Lupe was standing in the kitchen with a scowl on his face.

  “Where were you, huh? And where did you take Conda?” he yelled.

  “I took her home!” I yelled back and he wrapped his hand around my throat.

  “I see why my brother stayed in Toyi’s bed. You’re a disobedient old bitch!” he yelled and slapped my face. Blood dripped onto the t
able from the open wounds on my cheek. My cubs ran into the kitchen to help me and Lupe tossed them into the wall. I shifted and jumped on him, sinking my teeth into his neck. He roared and scratched at my face.

  Follow my scent and it will lead you to Sy’noba’s house! I shouted at my cubs. They ran out of the cabin and into the woods because I knew Lupe would’ve killed them after he was finished with me. He shifted into his lion and slammed me against the frail wall of the cabin, landing us outside. We rolled around in the mud, clawing and biting each other. Lupe’s teeth clamped down on my throat and he didn’t let up until he crushed it. He pulled away from me as my body slowly turned into my human form. I laid in the mud, gasping for air, trying to stop the blood from pouring out of my neck.

  “Nooooo, Asha! I was only trying to discipline you,” he cried. Lila came out of the cabin and kneeled next to me. She squeezed my throat and Lupe tried to stop her.

  “She’s dying anyway so I’m putting her out of her misery. Go get the gasoline so we can burn her,” was the last thing I heard before I stopped breathing…

  Sy’noba

  I stood in the window looking out into the woods, waiting for Asha to return with her cubs. Asha had a bad spirit but as their goddess, I couldn’t turn my back on her after she asked for forgiveness.

  “Conda made it through the portal,” Eze said when he came into our bedroom.

  “Asha is taking too long,” I said.

  “It’s only been four hours,” he replied.

  “She’s a fast runner. She would’ve been here by now,” I replied.

  “Maybe the cubs slowed her down,” Eze said.

  “Maybe you’re right,” I replied and laid across the bed. Eze rubbed my stomach and our cub kicked at him.

  “She’ll be here in a day now,” he said excitedly.

  “I think I should’ve gone with her,” I said and Eze pulled away from me.

  “I think we would’ve been arguing because I’m not letting you put yourself in danger. Asha can handle herself I’m sure,” he said. He turned the light off on the nightstand and pulled me against him.

  “Go to bed, Sy. I have to get up in a few hours,” he yawned. Eze went to sleep and I laid wide awake. I waited until Eze was snoring before I climbed out of bed and went downstairs for a glass of milk. When I turned on the light in the kitchen, Toyi was sitting at the kitchen table.

  “I can’t believe Asha is coming here,” she said.

  “She asked for forgiveness,” I replied.

  “She tried to kill me,” Toyi said.

  “You don’t have to forgive her. She’s going to Y’kiki’s forest,” I said.

  “Good, I’d rather visit Camden anyway. I can’t be around Asha,” Toyi said.

  “That’s your choice. I’m not mad at you for expressing yourself,” I replied.

  “Did she say how her cubs were doing?” Toyi asked.

  “Mekah ran away,” I replied.

  “He’ll resurface, male cubs run away a lot anyway,” Toyi said. Quanir walked into the kitchen half-asleep, dragging his feet. He opened the fridge and guzzled down the rest of the milk in one gulp.

  “Wow, really?” I asked and he dropped the jug.

  “Oh, what’s up, Sy. I didn’t see you sittin’ there. This jug was already empty,” he said and Toyi giggled.

  “Liar,” Toyi said.

  “Damn, how can you rat your man out like that?” he asked and kissed her lips. Over the past few months, Quanir and Toyi became serious. For a while, they slept in separate rooms, but the past few weeks they were sleeping together.

  “I can’t defend you when Sy’noba gets mad about her milk. I just want you to know,” Toyi said.

  “I got something for that,” Quanir said and left the kitchen. Seconds later, he came back into the kitchen with a gun.

  “Eze used to use these when he captured animals. This is called a tranquilizer gun. It can take down a grizzly bear in a matter of seconds. I won’t use it on you now because he’ll kill me, but after you give birth, it’s on, baby,” Quanir threatened me.

  “Are you challenging me?” I asked and drew a dagger from my hair.

  “I’m going to bed, so hurry up,” Quanir said to Toyi and rushed out of the kitchen.

  “I gotta be up in an hour to go into the office. I might as well get ready now,” Toyi said and left out of the kitchen. When I stood up from the table to go to the bathroom, fluid mixed with blood splashed onto the floor and I slipped. I groaned from the excruciating pain that shot up my spine and the pressure in my lower-abdomen. Toyi ran into the kitchen when she heard the loud bang from my fall. She almost slipped on my blood but caught herself.

  “EZE!” Toyi roared. She lifted up my silk gown and opened my legs.

  “EZE!” Toyi yelled out again and I heard him jump down the stairs. He came into the kitchen and froze when he saw me lying in a puddle of blood.

  “Don’t stand there! Help us,” Toyi yelled at him.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Eze panicked.

  “Males always use their dicks but can’t help during the aftermath,” Toyi complained and ran out of the kitchen. Eze ran over to console me. His hands were trembling and he was sweating.

  “How do you feel?” he asked, and when I screamed from the contractions, he got really nervous.

  “Push, Sy,” he finally said. I began pushing and it wasn’t getting me anywhere. Toyi came back into the kitchen with towels.

  “Okay, Sy, you gotta squat and push if you want the baby to come straight out,” she suggested. Eze helped me up and held me under the arms as I squatted. Quanir came into the kitchen and froze when he saw us. Toyi was holding her hands out underneath my vagina to catch the cub. I held onto Eze for dear life as I pushed.

  “Her teeth are ripping my pussy!” I screamed.

  “She doesn’t have any teeth yet, baby,” Eze said.

  “Shut up! You don’t know what she has!” I yelled at him.

  “She’s coming,” Toyi said and I pushed. I passed gas in Toyi’s face and she backed away.

  “Eeewwwwww, Sy! You pooped a little bit,” Toyi said.

  “That’s it, I will push later! Just get me back to bed before I crap everywhere,” I cried.

  “We all shit, now push!” Eze yelled at me.

  “It’s on my arm,” Toyi gagged.

  “Lions eat corn?” Quanir asked and we told him to shut up.

  “ARRGHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I roared in Eze’s face as I pushed. My vagina ripped as I continued to push. When I heard soft wails, I fell into Eze and he kissed my forehead.

  “You did good, baby,” he said. He sat me on the chair and Toyi wiped our cub off. Her wild mane was all over the place. Eze cut the umbilical cord and Toyi placed Sabra in my arms. Eze kissed her forehead and she yawned. She was already sleeping.

  “She looks just like you, Sy,” Toyi said.

  “She’s got Eze’s nose and complexion,” Quanir said, peeking over my shoulder.

  “Sorry about that, Toyi,” I said and she laughed.

  “I crapped everywhere when I gave birth, but after you see their little faces, it doesn’t even matter anymore,” she said.

  “Me and Quanir can clean the mess up while Eze cleans you off,” Toyi said and Quanir growled at her.

  “No sex in the woods for a month if you don’t help me,” Toyi said.

  “I’ll go get some gloves,” Quanir said.

  “What happened to putting your foot down, bruh?” Eze called out and Quanir gave him the finger as he left the kitchen.

  *************

  The next day, I stayed in bed with Sabra in my arms. She suckled on my nipple as she stared at me. Sabra had one emerald-green eye and one that was gray-hazel. She had rich dark skin like her father but her hair was brown. She was uniquely beautiful, the same as me. Eze came into the room and laid across the bed.

  “I’m surprised her eyes are open already,” I said.

  “That’s saber blood,” Eze bragged.


  I passed Sabra to her father and his eyes glowed in excitement. He kissed her cheeks and bragged about him doing all the work.

  “We are going to fight later on,” I joked.

  “You’re not with child anymore so I ain’t running this time,” he said. The doorbell rang and I told Eze I would get it since we were the only ones at home. Toyi and Quanir went to the office. The doorbell rang again and I ran down the stairs, hoping it was Asha. When I opened the door, Ji-Ji and Syra were crying with dirt covering their clothes. I pulled them into me and wrapped my arms around them.