Converting into lion Animalians was only the beginning for Andrew and Jeff. There was still more before they can become citizens of Animalia. There were remedial classes that told them how society worked in Animalia in general and for lions specifically. They would need to learn to become accustomed to their new bodies and the instincts that come with them. There was much they expected: their strict carnivorous diet and aggressive tendencies that they can channel into safe sports and competition. But there were a few things they didn't expect.
As the leader of Animalia's biggest pride, Aslan took the responsibility of explaining how prides worked for lion Animalians. "To really understand, you must know how prides work for wild lions," said Aslan.
"I think we know," said Jeff, "The lionesses do most of the hunting while the males watch the cubs and guard the territory."
"That isn't quite right," said Aslan, "Not all lionesses do the hunting. Some have to stay and look after the cubs. Lions don't always make tolerant fathers. Some might let cubs play with their manes and tails, but most don't want to be bothered by them."
"I think I can understand that feeling," said Andrew, "But the males obviously have an important role."
"Yes, there are many threats to cubs, such as hyenas, jackals, and leopards. The biggest threats are nomad lions without a pride of their own. Male lions have to defend their pride from usurpers who try to take them. Lionesses could repel intruders, but males are stronger than them. If a male loses, it wouldn't just mean death or exile. Once a lion has won a new pride for himself, his first order of business is to kill the previous king's cubs."
This was a bit shocking but not a complete surprise. Jeff and Andrew had read about lions before, though they hadn't gone into great depth about them. "Well, I presume things are much more civilized here," said Andrew.
"Oh, indeed, they are," said Aslan, "We are not nearly so territorial here. We can be quite content with living by human norms."
"Then why do you have prides at all?" asked Jeff.
"I'm getting to that," said Aslan, "You see, even if aren't so territorial, some instincts are still strong. While we can be satisfied with one mate, there are some lions like myself who for various reasons find themselves with multiple lionesses. For me, it was because they were already part of my pride before we were uplifted. With more lion Animalians joining, I'm able to part with some lionesses. Others can't settle for just one. Take Julius, for instance. He couldn't make up his mind about whether he wanted Bianca or Candida more, so he settled with both. Considering how strong our socializing instincts are, there are exceptions allowed for how many mates a lion may have."
"This isn't like a communal harem, is it?" asked Andrew.
"Certainly not," said Aslan, "We can have coalitions of males in the same pride, but there are boundaries between one pride and another. Am I losing you?"
"Kinda falling behind," admitted Jeff.
"You'll adapt in time," said Aslan, "Your father is only starting off with one lioness right now."
"Er, so soon?" asked Andrew, "I'm not so sure. I mean, I've only been a widower for a short while. Not to mention I'm still gay. Well, I'll be bisexual eventually, but I'm still settling into it."
"I'm not going to force you into a, what's that term, rifle wedding?" asked Aslan.
"Shotgun wedding," said Jeff.
"Right. You don't have to marry her. You don't even have to have sex with her yet. Just think of her as a...stand-in girlfriend. She'll just help you with adjusting to your new life. You don't have rush into anything you're not ready for yet," said Aslan.
"I had no idea being a lion could be so complicated," said Andrew.
"Imagine how much more complicated it would be if you were one of the herm lions," said Aslan.
"How bad is it for them?" asked Jeff.
"Well, not so bad, really," admitted Aslan, "Though they seem to be uncertain of who's dominant of who. They seem to be getting along."
"But you won't mind if I prefer other men, do you?" asked Andrew.
"I'm not here to judge," said Aslan, "Just do what feels right for you."
"So when do I get my own lioness?" asked Jeff.
"When you're older," said Andrew and Aslan at the same time.
Jeff have an annoyed moan and grumbled, "I should have gotten a double dose."