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Large paws stepped through the grassy plain, dwarfing the small paws at his side. The red maned male had taken his son out for a walk away from the den, separating the little bundle of energy from his sister and given both he and Mosi a break from cubbish fights. Juhudi was a wonderful father and cherished his children dearly, but sometimes their squables wore on his nerves.

But now it was time for father-son time, and being ever the cub at heart, a mischevious grin crossed the lion's maw. Crouching, tail flicking impishly, Juhudi stalked his son. Paws moved silently, and then he sprang, seizing his son in his paws and tickling him, a bright laughter echoing from his jaws, nearly drowing out his own voice.

"Gotcha!"














The little cub pranced through the grass, his tail flicking about behind him. The sulk he had worn after being pulled away from his latest argument with his sister had now faded, replaced by cubbish glee at spending time with his father. As cubs often did, Shin idolized his parents, especially his father, his young mind imagining how he would look with a mane like his father's. But his father was more than that, his father was also fun, acting like a cub himself in play with his children.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

A startled squeal followed by hysterical laughter, the little cub found himself swept off his feet, squirming against the soft paws that tickled his sides.

"Yipe! Dad, that's no fair!"

"Ah, but all is fair in tickling"

Laughter fell from the lion's jaws, blanketing the savanah in the joy of a father with his son, soft furry paws dancing over the squirming form of his son, tickling the little one until he was sure he'd had enough, or at least until the large lion was tired, so much energy his son had.

Releasing the young cub to stand on his own paws again, Juhudi grinned, lowering his head to gently nuzzle against his son's cheek, purring lightly, a smirk on his maw as he thought of what game to play next.














The small cub giggled and squirmed, desperate to escape his father's grasp and the tickling paws.

"Nu-uh! No fair tickling!"

But the cub's expression showed that he wasn't really complaining, simply playing along with his father's game. When at last his father released him, the cub sat back on his haunches, panting to catch his breath and calm his body from so much laughter. Then his father was at his side again, soft mane brushing against his dark fur, small paws raised to push against the large lion.

"Ewwwww, dad, what if someone's watching?"

There was a playful smirk on his maw despite his words, and without warning he suddenly pounced at his father, paws searching for ticklish revenge.

Juhudi was far larger than his son, and his eyes keener. He had seen that look of mischief in his son's eye, a look that normally meant he was about to get into something he shouldn't have. But this time it was simply in harmless play, with another burst of laughter, the lion rolled onto his back, playing along with the cub's game and allowing himself to be tackled.

'Ack! Now who's not playing fair."

One ear flicked at the sound of his name, paw pausing in the ruffling of his son's 'mane'. But that wasn't Mosi's voice, who was calling him? Pale eyes looked over the grass, falling on the form of the white lioness and then drifting to the red pelt at her side. There was something familiar about that lioness, but he couldn't quite--oh wait, now he remembered, the lioness he had caught the rabbit for several months ago.

"Oh, hi there, it has been a long time."











The little one laughed, batting playfully at his father, his tail flicking with cubbish delight, orange eyes shining brightly.

"Hah! I got you now dad! Ack, no, you'll mess up my mane!"

Shin squirmed, batting at his father's paw, rolling onto his paws when he was at last released. His hind end coiled, rear end wiggling, his tail flicking over his back, the small cub prepared to pounce, but suddenly stopped when his father's attention was drawn to something else.

"Who's that, dad?"

Orange eyes blinked, finding the red cub that was more on his level than the white lioness, though she was still bigger than him. He stuck out his tongue in a 'bleh' gesture, scooting closer to this father.

"Ewwww...a girl."

The lion settled back on his haunches, shooting a glance at his son as if telling him to behave, but at the same time a faint smile tugged at his maw.

"I see, that must be an important job."

Or at least he supposed it was with such a big pride, he was sure there were many members he had yet to meet himself. He remembered the last time he had seen this lioness, new to the pridelands, hungry, and unable to hunt for herself. It seemed like so long ago, perhaps it was, back then he had been so skittish around adults and now he was one himself.

"This is Shin'Jougen. He and his sister were having a fight so we're out spending some time with just the two of us."















Unintimidated, Shin hissed right back, his tongue stuck out much more maliciously, his 'mane' ruffled.

"What do you know, you're just a stupid girl!"

It was meant to be an insult as much as her words had been. He didn't care that she was older or bigger than him, she was just a stupid girl, and all girls were stupid and gross.

"Da-ad, don't use my full name! It's embarrassing."

Juhudi blinked, tufted tail flicking in the grass behind him. The lioness' question seemed a bit forward, even if she was a record keeper, and he wasn't sure he liked it. But he supposed she needed to know, and he was proud of his family, there was no reason not to answer. Still he would have preferred she'd chosen a better way to ask.

"My mate is Mosi, and our daughter is named Sheshe'kani."

There was a tone of pride in his voice as he spoke, the young father cherished his family and the home that he had found in these lands, and he beamed when he spoke of them.

The question answered, Juhudi turned to his son, a silent look and a flick of his tail told the young one to behave himself. But his child had grown restless, and he could no longer expect the energetic cub to stay still. The meeting would have to be cut short for the father to spend time with his son.

"It's seems our children have grown impatient, and it would be unfair to keep them waiting."












Shin'Jougen snorted, orange eyes narrowed, tiny fangs bared as he growled in retaliation, though not as viciously as the female had. He didn't like girls, but he didn't hate them either, and it just wasn't in him to be truly mean. But now he'd had enough, and he no longer wanted to see or be anywhere near the brat in red fur.

Turning to his father, the young cub nudged the lion's foreleg with his small body, a pleading gaze and a faint sound telling that he wanted to leave. He didn't want to sit here with that stupid girl and listen to boring adult talk; he wanted to go play with his father as he had been promised.

As his father spoke, Shin nearly jumped to his paws, his posture instantly changing, excitement in his posture as he turned in preparation to leave.

"Bye!"

Finally they were leaving and it was time to play. In all his cubbish energy, the cub bounded around his father's paws, laughing as father and son continued their games through the tall grass of the pridelands.