The Queen was curled up beside her mate, sound asleep when a soft sound made her ear twitch and her eyes opened. Kwini lifted her head to see a figure looming over the still form of her husband. Bright green eyes pierced the darkness of the small den as mother and son stared at each other. The surprise on the lioness's face slowly faded into a sad and broken expression, somehow she knew what was going to happen.
"Forgive me, my son."
Her plea came from a weak voice, her eyes looking away from the identical green eyes of the prince. She felt him grunt as if her words had snapped him back from his stupor, she felt the piercing coldness as his eyes hardened and his response was colder than the ice on Mount Kilimanjaro.
"Never."
