Baraka.”

            “Have a good rest.”

            She bowed her head. “Same to you…”

            The king continued on his way into the den. Etana put her head on her paws. Within a minute, her eyes closed.

            Baraka entered his chambers. He lay down next to the wall, his body shivering. When he slipped away, his breathing was soft and relaxed. His sleep was comforting.

Chapter 3: New Lives

Baraka walked out of the den. He stretched out and shook his mane, sighing. He was well rested for the first time in months and welcomed it. The rest of the pride was still asleep. He couldn’t blame them. They all deserved to sleep as much as they could. The sun was already up, bathing Pride Rock in its beautiful morning light. He looked around and saw someone on the promontory. Peering harder, he noticed it was a lioness. He moved closer, seeing that it was Etana. He walked up and sat beside her.

            “Good morning, Baraka,” Etana said without turning. “Did you sleep well?”

            “Morning, Etana, and yes I slept alright, you?”

            “It was an okay sleep,” she replied. “And it was enough.”

            “That’s good.” The king looked at the lands. The morning was so peaceful. The sun’s warmth caressed his face. So soothing…

            “How are the lands?”

            At the question, Baraka stared ahead, watching the animals graze. “Everything is peaceful from… what I can see.” He flinched a little. He had to be careful with his words.

            “That’s good,” she said.

            “Very.”

            “Thank you for taking me and my father in.”

            “My pleasure,” Baraka said with a smile. “It’s an honor to have you both here.”

            “We will try and do what we can to help.”

            “I’m sure you will.”

            “The Pridelands seem beautiful,” Etana said, pawing the stone ground.

            “They are.” He paused. “Are you thirsty?”

            “Yes.”

            Baraka got to his feet. “Let’s go.”

            Etana rose and followed. Baraka walked down the ramp and turned his head back every few steps to make sure she was okay. From what he could see, Etana was coming down slowly, outstretching a forepaw to feel out for the next stone. His paws touched the grass a few minutes later and when he turned back again Etana walked to him. He smiled; clearly impressed with how she managed the ramp but he didn’t speak. They started walking.

            After a minute, Baraka looked to his right. Etana was beside him, her paws in time with his as they touched the blades of grass. It was a slight shock to him that she had no trouble but he was strolling slowly. He loved doing that. It gave him time to admire the beauty of his kingdom.

            “The lands are nice,” Etana commented.

            “Yes, they are,” Baraka replied with a sigh. It wasn’t a pained sigh but one of relief. Just being in his lands was causing him to feel better but was there something else? He shook his head. It didn’t matter and he was thirsty but it would’ve been rude if he didn’t invite Etana. She was a member of his pride.

            The grass under Etana’s paws was soft. She felt that the lands were at peace with Baraka has king but she shuddered inside. The grass… its blades… its softness under her feet was enough to tell her that at one time, the first Lon King and those who came after were peaceful, but then something happened and it had caused the lands to nearly die. Then there was rebirth and the grass became normal again, the way it was now… soft and full of hope.

            This was a strange feeling and it almost surprised her that she was able to sense the Pridelands past just by walking in the grass but she’d felt it the moment she stepped onto the kingdom’s grass, walked up Pride Rock, and finally sat on the promontory stone. She’d felt the presence of dead royalty on that stone and felt the hope, sadness, sorrow and the happiness any deceased and living lion, lioness, and cub had ever gone through.

            As she walked beside Baraka she started to feel cold, her mind spinning. There was something about the king that made her instantly want to help. She glanced at him for a moment then turned her head away. The coldness increased and she shivered.

            “Are you okay?” Baraka asked, noticing her shake.

            “Yes, I’m fine,” Etana replied with a clipped tone.

            He was taken aback. “Alright, just making sure…”

            She sighed. “I appreciate that and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.”

            He smiled gently. “It’s alright. I’d have done the same.”

            She laughed softly. “That’s a relief.”

            Baraka gave a laugh of his own. They reached the waterhole. “Here we are.” He stopped at the edge. Etana did the same. Baraka lowered his head to drink while Etana walked forward, sticking her forepaws in the water. She stepped back and lowered her own head, lapping the cool liquid.

            “Good water,” she said, lifting her head afterwards.

            “I love this waterhole. My brother and I, along with our friends, used to play here as cubs.” Baraka was stunned. He found his mind reeling. Why was he suddenly so talkative? He never acted like that near his friends, at least those friends who were girls. Here he was talking with a lioness he’d only known for a day. It shocked him. But she’s not part of the pride, or she wasn’t born into it and she doesn’t know me that well… Maybe that’s why… He did a double take and took the time to examine her features while she took another drink. He’d had the day before but since they were alone with no one around, he was able to concentrate. He saw that her main fur color was dark gray but her legs were white, the color stretching up to the midsection of her legs, ending in tiny spots. Her muzzle was also white but her tail tuft was black, matching perfectly against her coat.

            “You had a nice childhood?” she asked lifting her head again.

            At the sound of her voice, Baraka snapped out of his concentration. “Yes.” He was about to ask her if she had a nice childhood but was silent. He knew she probably didn’t and not due to her blindness. Being a rogue must have been incredibly trying, always fighting to survive. He felt privileged to have grown in a good pride but felt sorrowful that she didn’t.

            “The lion guard, the one who escorted me and my father to Pride Rock, Kadiri?” Etana started. “Is he alright? I did not mean to attack