The Pride of Trinity

          "Rowanmane huh? Sounds a bit like my name." Bouncefoot commented. Rowanmane didn't agree or deny her words and instead glanced hungrily at the two rabbits that were at her paws. The rosy brown lioness rolled her eyes and tossed one towards him, which he hungrily devoured. It wasn't the largest meal he had ever had, but he would have been thankful of anything by that point.

          Simply having water and food in his belly and his ankle wounds treated did wonders for him, and Rowanmane recovered his old strength quickly, or at least some of it. Bouncefoot explained that something in his ankle seemed to have been permanently damaged. He would never run as fast as he used to again. For a while he felt bitter and closed himself off from Jamar and Bouncefoot and was unthoughtfully rude to them for a while and drowned in self pity. He had already been robbed of the good looks his brothers possessed, and now some of his physical abilities were being taken from him as well?

          It took Bouncefoot giving him a harsh lashing with her tongue to snap him out of his self-pity, and he hated himself for even falling into it. How was Rowanmane supposed to build his own pride from scratch if he kept giving up so easily?

          After around six weeks with the two Rowanmane decided that he needed some alone time to think about what he was going to do. He bid the two farewell with the promise to return, and asked if they would be open to him staying with them again if he were to return.

          Jamar had readily assured him that he was welcome back anytime, to his relief, and Bouncefoot added that she wouldn't mind the company. With that Rowanmane headed out on his own once more, but this time he was more prepared to survive on the savannah. With his stamina back he could wear out his prey and make them easy to catch, and Bouncefoot had been kind enough to show him various water sourced littered throughout the savannah.

          For a week he returned to his roots and rebuilt his confidence from the ground up, and readied himself to try and bring lionesses into the folds of his new pride. While remaking himself he also thought of a worthy name for his new pride, and was disappointed to be unable to come up with anything. He would be stuck with it so he knew it had to be good.

         It was then that he realized something essential. In his time spent thinking his mind wandered over tactics and shortly followed by old Jamar. He possessed wisdom and could no longer protect any pride in his state. Back in the Pride of Red Reeds he would have become an Elder who entertained the cubs when the mothers wanted to get a bit of time to themselves. But other lions that he had known had shown wisdom and a knowledge of tactics..But tactics alone couldn't decide the outcome of a battle, one also needed power and courage. The three together gave anyone a viable chance at victory, and Rowanmane wanted to be able to harness those three things.

          He decided to talk with Bouncefoot and Jamar about his ideas and risk them calling him a fool. Rowanmane knew that he alone couldn't flesh out what he was trying to create. He simply wasn't the best thinker.

          The lion returned with a young deer he had easily caught. It had a somewhat deformed leg which slowed it, and it was easy to split it from the herd and kill it after that. Rowanmane dragged the meal into the den he had grown to think of as home and let it rest on the floor while he took a moment to stretch out his limbs. He found his left hind leg got a bit more stiff than usual at times, but it was nothing unbearable.

          To his shock the scent of his kill had temporarily incapacitated his nose, so he had been absolutely clueless of the extra lions in the den. "I was unaware that such an able huntress was waiting just outside our lands." Samuel commented and he cleaned his claws. He purposefully was putting them on display, as they were a bit longer than the norm.

          "Not much of a looker though, King Kama wouldn't let her in." Dillon pointed out, his tone was one of faint disappointment. "What did you say your name was again doll?" He asked after blowing a strand of his mane out of his face.

          Their advances were met with wary hostility from Bouncefoot, who stood protectively before her old and practically defenseless father. "I didn't." She replied sharply. Her amber eyes flitted between the two, and the piebald's mane shape seemed a bit similar to someone she knew, along with the second's base coat minus the vitiligo.

          The brothers shared a look, before Dillon scoffed, "Doll we're offering to get you into the Pride of Red Reeds, where only the most handsome and beautiful lionesses and lions belong." He stated with a shake of his mane.

          Jamar's nose scrunched in disgust, "I've heard of your pride all right, and they'd do best to stay away from here." He said. The old lion was obviously displeased by the two unknown lions, but they simply ignored him.

          "Your feisty, and plain is so hot these days. Not many can pull it off, trust us we know firsthand, but you rock it Sunshine." Samuel noted as he began to circle her. He drew his tail under her chin and lifted it so that she would meet his gaze, "Are you sure that you want to pass this up?" He pressed. Samuel lowered his voice to a deeper and more soothing tone to play with her a bit.

          By then Rowanmane had certainly had enough. They had first hand experience?! He knew that they were referring to him, the brother who 'got the short end of the stick.' It made him angry how they spoke to Bouncefoot, who had only treated him kindly thus far, and hadn't been afraid to snap him back into reality when he need it.

          Many things raced through his head, but it didn't take him long to focus his mind. In these sorts of situations he had always been able to focus his thoughts and concentrate on what was truly important. Perhaps he had been born to be a king after all. Rowanmane padded towards his brothers and didn't bother to keep his pawsteps silent. He wanted them to notice his arrival.

          The four took notice of Rowanmane, who had a serious gleam in his eye and a frown that clearly passed along his displeasure. "Why are you so far from your pride's lands?" He asked smoothly. He held his head high and refused to back down from the challenges that lurked in his brothers eyes.

          "Rowan-I never expected you to be around here. I figured you went off begging to some other pride by now." Samuel commented lazily. His brother thought that this was like the times when they were cubs and he could get away with dodging his questions.

          Samuel would soon find out that Rowanmane wasn't a cub anymore. Behind them Bouncefoot glanced at her father with an confused expression and mouthed, 'Rowan?'. Jamar shook his head to dismiss it for now. "My name is Rowanmane now, and your avoiding my question. I would advise you against testing my patience, unless you would like a repeat of the last time we sparred. Both of you." He warned.

          Rowanmane tapped his claws on the dirt to draw his brothers attention to them for emphasis. This wouldn't be like their last spar if they pushed him, because this time he would be allowed to use his claws. There were no longer rules to bind him except the way his mane bound him to his Pride. After a moment he tacked on friends as well.

          There was a pregnant pause, before Dillon burst out laughing. "Did the life of a lone lion burn up a few of your brain cells or something? It's two on one Rowan, and don't give us any of this Rowanmane dung, it sounds ridiculous. Besides Rowan does suit you bro." He stated, not entirely unkindly.

"Just give us a few more minutes with this lioness and then we'll be out of your fur Rowan, unless you wanna talk and catch up. We might not get another chance for a while." Samuel interrupted, and whapped his tail over Dillon's mouth to quiet his laughter. The three did all have their differences, and while Samuel and Dillon had never been close to their other two siblings they still did care in their loose disconnected way.

Rowanmane quickly dismissed their words with a calm, and dare he say regal shake of his head. "I'm asking you to leave." He firmly said, and positioned himself between his brother and his friends. He even dared to take a step forward.

"Rowanmane we'll be fine, after they're done bothering me you three can catch up. I won't mind." Bouncefoot piped up from behind him. She emphasized bother, in an attempt to get it across to Samuel and Dillon, but as Rowanmane expected it flew over their heads. That or they ignored it.

The two seemed to take that as acceptance and refocused on claiming their 'prize'. "So what about it doll? Wanna come run with the best of us? I promise that there's more handsome faces back at camp." Dillon pressed with his best winning smile.

Before any more words could be exchanged Rowanmane planted his paws and let out a ferocious roar. "I warned you two, but it seems that I will have to prove to you that I will carry through on my threats. These two are in MY pride, and you have crossed not only your brother but the King of the Pride of Trinity. Leave this den at once or face the consequences." Rowanmane's voice grew commanding and unrelenting, and he let his heart speak for him. In his heart of hearts Jamar and Bouncefoot were apart of his Pride, and had always been since the latter had rescued him when he was in need.

It took a moment for his brothers to snap out of their stupor, and Samuel's brilliant smile turned into a scowl. "Your a fool if you think that your a king, and your Pride is a joke." He spat.

A silent agreement passed between Dillon and Samuel, and the two stalked forward and prepared to show their pitiful brother who held the power. The rosy brown lioness moved to stand by Rowan, to their surprise, and fell into an offensive stance while Rowan remained firm and commanding with his chest puffed out confidently and his head held high.

It wasn't like all those times where Rowan had strut about with his chest puffed out and his head held high. There had always been a sense of arrogance with that cub behavior, and while the two sensed an underlying hint of that, the overwhelming feeling of authority washed over they.

"You are not worthy of the manes you bear. They bind you to your pride, and you are bound to protect your pridemates and friends, but instead all you do is care about how attractive your pelts are. There is no power in that, and no meaning besides genetics. What matters is what is underneath, and you two are shallow. You would be as plain pelted as me if you were to drink from the pool of legend." Rowanmane stated with absolute certainty. His brothers never seemed to care about anything else except impressing those around them for the adoration of their good looks, and for those who were beautiful to adore them as well. Jamar's story had changed his viewpoint, and he hoped that one day his siblings might change their ways.

But there was nothing he could do about it but hope. To his surprise recognition sparked in his brothers eyes at the mention of being bound by their manes to their pride and the pool of legend. "You know the story of Mane and Isabelli?" Samuel asked hesitantly.

Rowanmane didn't trust himself to speak, and didn't wish to give them anything that they could use to try and confuse his thoughts, so he simply nodded. Dillon's eyes lit up, "King Kama told everyone about them, and how the pool granted them power. He said that their handsome and beautiful pelts respectively displayed their power. It's why you were chased out brother, I hope you understand. You are not powerful enough to be in the pride. I wish that you were, even if it was just by the skin of your teeth like I did." He explained, and looked at his paws sadly.

"Your cutting yourself short Dillon." Samuel muttered as he rolled his eyes, before returning his gaze to Rowanmane.

The King was about the retort, but Jamar angrily limped forward. "Kama you called him? I remember that insolent cub. My pride was raised on the story of Isabelli and Mane, but he never understood the story and twisted their tale into something despicable. When it was destroyed those of us that survived were scattered, and Kama must have found his way into your lands. He has spread this-these filthy lies!" Jamar shouted angrily. The old lion seemed like he wanted to mourn, or continue to rant, but he broke into a fit of coughing.

Bouncefoot soothed her father while Rowanmane stared down his brothers, "Enough has been done today. Leave now and return to your Pride. I never want to see you two trying to tempt my pridemates to join the Pride of Red Reeds ever again. Pass along the message to Kama, because a new King rules the Savannah." He ordered, and felt a deep satisfaction when his brothers turned tail and fled with wide eyes. Jamar really had put some fright into them.

He turned back to them, and offered a sheepish grin as an apology. Jamar's coughing fit had subsided, and the elder stewed silently. "So this Pride of Trinity you mentioned. I'm assuming that you wanted us to join?" Bouncefoot asked.

Rowanmane sucked in a breath and nodded. He had almost forgotten about his huge assumption. Bouncefoot smiled, "Well I guess I shot down two birds with one stone. I checked off saving a stranger from my bucket list and found a decent pride. Not bad." She commented with a coy smirk. Jamar nodded his assent.

His Pride, the Pride of Trinity, was small, but he was confidant that it would grow.

He would foster Wisdom, Courage, and Power as three major principles, the corners of his trinity, and teach his pride the importance of what was on the inside all in due time.

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