thunder. His eyes burned again, his heart trying to force its way out of his chest.

            Etana… please hold on!

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

She staggered backward, the blow near sending her to the earth. She tried to imagine the scene without rain. Hasira was in front of her, waiting. Etana growled and ran toward Hasira who ran at her. They had done this so many times since the attack began.

            Hasira pushed Etana to her back, her claws again inches from her neck. She extended a foreleg but before she could draw blood, a loud clap of thunder filled her ears followed by the roar of a voice… a lion’s voice.

            “Hasira!” it yelled.

            She turned her head only to be knocked off the gray lioness. The impact sent her and her attacker sprawling in the wet grass. She looked at her assailant, eyes wide. “Baraka?”

            Another flash of lightning told her that it was the king. The silver glow fell on his face, which had a look of deep hatred and fury. “How is she?” he asked, referring to the other lioness, the one he traveled so far to find. An edge of fear was heard in his voice.

            Takata ran to his daughter and nudged her. There was no response. He quickly looked on her injuries. There were so many and with her being in the rain so long… His stomach twisted and he wanted to rip his claws into the lioness responsible for her condition.

            “We have to get her back to Pride Rock now, sire!” the black lion yelled.

            Baraka shut his eyes. He didn’t want to hear that, and if it meant… “You and Mabaki take Etana home and tell Arif to get Rafiki,” he said then he opened his eyes to look at Hasira. “I need to take care of something.”

            The two guardians looked at each other and did as told, Mabaki gently lifting the wounded and unconscious lioness on his friend’s back. A few minutes later they were off, leaving Baraka and Hasira alone.

            When they left, Hasira rose, smiling. “I’m surprised you’re here. How’d you find me?”

            “It wasn’t that hard. Njozi’s gift comes in handy.”

            “Stupid cub,” she muttered.

            Baraka growled and hit her in the face. “Don’t you ever call her that again!” he snarled. “What gives you the right to attack Etana and in this weather? She could’ve died; she still could because of you! She never did anything to you!”

            “Yes, she did! She stole you from me!”

            “How, we were never together! You turned the words I spoke to you as a cub and made them into this fantasy that you and I would become mates!” His breathing grew. “I was only being nice to you. You and Dailia were in a difficult situation. I, like my parents, were only trying to be gracious and give you time away from your mother. She’d have killed you when you were a cub.”

            “You’re right, she would have! And it was your words that kept me from losing my mind all those times my mother beat me!”

            He felt half guilty. She had suffered so much… was it really wrong for her to make a fantasy that could never be just to keep and make sure she wasn’t insane? Then why was she – Before he could ask the question, the fury in him had to cool. It did, barely. “Then why harm Etana?” he asked through clenched teeth.

            She was about to speak, but turned away. “When she came and you started spending time with her, I saw my fantasy die.” She turned back to him, her eyes afire. “I don’t know what your problem is, Baraka, but it hurt me to see you withdraw yourself. We all believed that you didn’t like lionesses, then she came and you –”

            The fury came back and he exploded. “I can’t explain it, okay?” he roared, the desire to hit her again now so strong. Jealousy was such an ugly thing. It was the reason he didn’t lose himself when Arif married Akase and had cubs. He didn’t want to be jealous. It had such terrible thoughts, such grave consequences. His heart hammered. “She makes me feel, is that what you want to hear? I feel good when I’m around her!”

            She growled. “It should be us… you and me!”

            “I can’t spend the rest of my life in your fantasy of lust, Hasira.” He looked almost pained. Her mother messed her up badly, maybe beyond repair.

            “Well, I can’t see you with that blind rogue!”

            But he could. “You would kill her to keep your fantasy of us?” His voice was hard, strained. He wanted to say that Etana was not a rogue but held his tongue. It would only infuriate her anger and cause him to show violence. He was trying to hold himself.

            She looked up at him, her eyes cold. “I would.”

            Baraka’s hold broke and he jumped at her. He landed easily, his forepaws hitting her chest, the force and weight of his body making her fall. He stared down at her. How could her mother do this? Give her a name that held no light, a name she lived up to, and then treat her like a piece of meat? Weusi had torn and shredded Hasira’s innocence fully. It would never come back.

            “If she dies –” he snarled.

            “What, you’ll kill me? My poor sister would have a fit.”

            “Your sister is alive because of Etana!”

            She ignored his sentence and tried to touch his cheek with a paw. “It’s you I worry about.”

            He pulled his face back. “I will not allow you to make me drop my guard again.”

            “Yet, you can drop your guard when you’re with her!”

            He shrugged and got off her, his body weakened. “It’s different with her… I can be myself.”

             “And give yourself to her, too, I bet!” she intoned, rising to her feet.

            He stared at her, appalled. “No, not in the way you’re suggesting!”

            “Then what are you saying?”

            There was a loud clap of thunder and a flash of lightning. “I’m in love with her!” Baraka roared.

            Hasira looked at him, stunned. The look in his eyes and face when the flash of silver light lit the lands told her he meant it. Now, she lost him. She wasn’t sure what to feel. She was angry and hurt.

            Baraka’s heart pounded harder than it had all night. He couldn’t believe what he’d said, but… But it’s true, he said to himself. It’s true… Now, more than ever, he wanted to get home and see how she was. Lord, please let her be alright. He felt relieved but only for a second. “Hasira… you tried to kill Etana tonight. I can’t let that go unpunished…”

            She huffed. “Right, you’re the king. Do what you must and will.”

            He flinched, suddenly remembering the night she – No, no use thinking of that again. “You know attempted murder is a serious offense. There are two ways –”

            “Why don’t you just banish me,” she suggested,