As the months went by, the mutated lions grew alongside the regular ones. Feral, Harley and Starshine were all adolescents of the Spotted Pride and Sunbeam had grown into Akirl's respectable sub male. However, some lions still held resentment towards the mutated lions... (AHEM VALENTINE)

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Valentine had grown into an adult at the same time as cubs grew into adults, and she caused as much havoc as she did when she was younger, but Akirl did notice how her aggression brought in the big portions of prey back to the Pride and he saw some hope for her. She also seemed to enjoy the time she spent with Sunbeam, yet when a lion came up to them directly she'd be as aggressive as she always was.

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Feral took notice of this in his mind, yet shook his head. Her weird ways weren't worth fighting over...

Harley and Starshine came back from a patrol, laughing and playing. They then bolted over happily to Feral. Starshine especially seemed overjoyed with the two other mutated lions of the Spotted Pride.

Harley purred, rubbing her head against his somewhat grown mane. "How was the patrol?" Harley asked. Feral puffed up pridefully. "I took down a buffalo!" He then shook himself, pushing back his ego. "Well... Moon DID help."

Starshine smiled. "It's still impressive!" Harley nodded in agreement, making Feral smile wider. "Thanks!" He looked over to the other lionesses from the hunt. "You lionesses are doing well in hunting! It's suprising with all the starving going on!"

Starshine purred. "Thanks! It seems Blizzard is doing a good job picking the areas we hunt in, and Cobra's wrath has come in handy with aggressive prey!"

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Akirl slowly got up from his slumber to see Stalker staring at him intensely. He got up and asked: "Is there something you need?"

She shook her head, then ran over to her mother, where Forbidden was sleeping close to her. Akirl shrugged and looked around, then felt anger pierce into him as he was Sermin eating a chunk of meat. He looked up at the sky and grumbled; 'The sun's directly up. He should be patrolling.'

"Sermin," Akirl roared and the sub male flinched, turning and trotting over to him. "What are you supposed to be doing right now?"

The male shrugged, then glanced up and his eyes widened, stuttering: "I-I thought I had time to eat-"

Akirl roared furiously. "You ALWAYS say that! You've been slacking while Sunbeam, "He looked around and saw the primal was nowhere. "Is out on patrol FOR you!" He raised a claw and slapped the male to the side, snapping: "You're out of the Pride!"

Sermin stammered and stepped backwards, roaring back; "I didn't mean it, I'm sorry!"

"LEAVE!" Akirl roared, leaping onto the male and ripping fur from his back until the cub male got the Kings grip loose and he flung away, turning and roaring in rage before running off. Akirl watched him leave, then growled; "Good riddance." and he got up, shaking his mane and looking at all of his Prides' faces; none looked too shocked, and Valentine looked amused, yet Bristled trembled.

Akirl slowly went over to the cub and said quietly; "I'm sorry you had to see that."

Crossfire nudged the cub. "It's what has to happen sometimes. Do you want that to happen to you if you don't pull your weight and eat instead of patrolling?"

"N-no..."

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Feral was taken aback by Akirl's brutalness. Sure, slacking off on patrolling is bad, a punishment is deserved, but a whole exile? He shook his head. The other two seemed a bit offput about it aswell. "You think Rustymane would ever do that?" Starshine whispered to Feral. "Not so harshly, if at all..." He muttered back.

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Valentine pricked her ears and growled, eyeing the adols. She jumped up from where she was sitting and snapped; "Laziness gets a Pride nowhere! Akirl knows that, unlike some other King." She huffed angrily then pointedly turned away.



Akirl licked the blood from his claws as Blaze came over and licked his ear. "Do you think that was a good decision?"

"Of course it was." He glanced at her stomach and said cautiously; "And be more careful. I don't want our future cubs to be deformed because you lay down so recklessly."

She purred. "I'm fine, really. I'm not even that noticeable."

Akirl huffed jokingly, letting Blaze sit her head on his shoulder for a long moment before he heard a faint; "I'm back!"

Blaze jerked up and laid her head onto the ground as Akirl got up and turned to see Sunbeam dragging a zebra carcass. He gleamed and ran over to help the Felis until they dropped it onto the ground in the middle of the Prides. "Food for whoever's hungry!"

Akirl looked at the primal proudly, then glared at Bristle. He just had to hope the male cub was just as great at patrolling as Sunbeam was.

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The three looked at each other before Harley whispered quietly. "She wouldn't know. She'd get away with it, Akirl wouldn't dare mess with her temper by trying to kick her out." The other two tried not to laugh. "Harley, you're gonna start a fight!" Feral quietly replied, a bit stern yet cautious at the same time. Harley shrugged, letting the two calm down from the small whiplash it gave them.

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Valentine stopped and kicked dirt at the adols before saying aloud: "Whoops! My pads were feeling a bit itchy." She smirked and gave one last kick before she trotted over to Sunbeam's prey with some more lionesses.



Forbidden and Stalker were loudly laughing at the dirty adols. "That was so great!" Stalker giggled and Forbidden nodded, still giggling with her sister until Spice huffed; "What's with the laughing?"

"Nothing!" Forbidden purred innocently and Stalker nodded.

Spice frowned, yet laid her head onto the ground again.

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"Hey Spice! Look at what that CUB did to us!" Harley challenged, pointing to Valentine. "How immature!" Feral and Starshine were taken aback and didn't even chuckle.

Feral stood up. "Harley!" His worry shook his voice. "Don't get into a fight!" He pleaded. "I won't! Valentine will be the one to throw the first punch, she'd be the one to start it!"

Feral pushed her away from them to talk. "Harley please! I don't want you getting yourself hurt!"
"I won't get hurt!"
"Even if you don't, Akirl and Rustymane will be angry! We're staying completely at Akirl's mercy!"
"We'll be able to find somewhere new, Feral!"
"If we would, then why haven't we yet?"
Harley didn't have a reply.

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Spice looked up at the adols then shook her head, putting her head back onto the ground as Forbidden and Stalker looked around at the lions around then innocently.

Queen, the one that took in Valentine and took care of her, sighed and came up to the cubs before Valentine got to them first, roared; "Stay back and keep those teeth and claws to yourself."

The lioness roared back and stomped off. The lioness looked at the adols and said softly; "Please don't mention anything she does out loud. Noone can control her and she will try to attack you if you get her upset. Akirl sees use for her and unless you're ready to leave his territory there's nothing you or anyone else can do about her, and if she stays, she stays."




Forbidden snickered and whispered to her sister; "I wanna see their faces when they have to leave. What if Akirl drives them out?"

"That'd be hilarious!" Stalker sneered back.

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The adols rolled their eyes at Forbidden and Stalker. "Won't be so funny when you become our enemies..." Harley muttered.

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Valentine ate silently, and Sunbeam looked at her, worried. What had happened before he showed up? He decided to make her more important than his appetite and asked; "What's wrong?"

"STUPID-" Queen was now staring at her intensely and Valentine quieted down; "Stupid adols are what's wrong."

"What happened?"

She then explained, more in her favor obviously, about the situation, and at the ends she spat; "Then those adols started crying for no reason! I accidentally kicked dirt in there face, everyone believed me but them! They're brats!"

Sunbeam looked at the adols and seemed to know what really happened as they cleaned themselves of the dust. "I see you didn't claw their eyes out so that's gotta count."

"I would have but Queen didn't let me."

"I would think she didn't."

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"If you want to claw out some lion's eyes then maybe you should rethink your current standing." A voice sounded from behind the lions and a Leopon emerged. A goose had run into the heart of the territory and she was chasing it down.

"Ah, my companion! There you are." She dipped her head at the group of lions. "Please excuse me, I just have to get my goose. I promise I will be on my way soon." The Leopon walked towards the goose, but Rustymane approached her. "I haven't seen you around here much. Do you happen to be from around here?" Rustymane asked, seemingly a bit entranced by her Leopon mutation. So he DID take interest in muties...

"Why, I've journeyed countless territories, but never settled somewhere for long. After all, I have eternity to spend on this earth, why not explore it to the fullest?" Rustymane laughed, thinking the Leopon was joking. She just shook her head though. "Why no, I am not joking."

Rustymane looked intruiged, yet a bit skeptical. He huffed. "Alright, 'wise immortal Leopon,' prove to us that you ARE immortal then!" The Leopon nodded and sat down. "If that's how you shall act, then watch me sit here with no food. I will not move a muscle until you are convinced." Rustymane looked to Akirl, a bit embarrased that he let this get ahead of himself. "Well..?"

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Akirl was awaken by this commotion and got up, stretched, and slowly made his way to the others, looking at the Leopon, then at Rustymane, then said absently; "Oh well, she's here now. I would drive her away but I'm too tired for that. You do what you want, Rustymane." He turned and layed back down, Blaze looking at him with a raised eye-brow before she leaned back onto his mane.


Valentine almost roared. ANOTHER dumb mutation? What was Akirls Pride coming to?! If she was King she's rip them all apart! Yet Sunbeam caught her attention with a light puff of air and she looked over at him. He gave her a small nod and laid down. She looked at him and felt a stab of guilt. He was a mutation, why didn't she hate and want to kill him? She shook her head, suddenly confused.

"Relax." Sunbeam said simply and she opened her eyes wide and stared at him, suddenly furious. "You're a mutation, just like those other dumb lions. Stop talking to me." She moved away from where she was and sat back down.

Sunbeam frowned.

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Rustymane nodded. "Very well. If you can prove your immortality, I will leave you be. Maybe we can even be friends. But if it is a bluff, you will be chased away. I will have several trusted lionesses watch your every move through certain parts of the day." The leopon nodded in agreement. "Fair enough. I am Sunset Over The City, or Sunset for short. May we become close friends in the future if you so desire." The two nodded and her goose sat next to her.

Sunset glanced at Valentine once more before looking to the mutated adols and smiling. 'So it seems these prides accept mutated lions. Well, atleast most lions in the prides.' She remembered Valentine's harsh words and glances. 'Seems she has some issues with mutated lions. Maybe she just needs to talk to somebody.'

She shook her head. She couldn't really talk to these lions, not yet. They probably think she's a cold liar, seeking even more attention she already gets. Seeking more glory than just her mutation. Sunset knew the truth was not that, though. She was fine with whatever they would do with her.

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