anything down here. Was he here so he could sulk, let out his pain and misery? Could he return home? Did he have the strength? He didn’t want to come back weary as he was when he left… Did anyone in the pride miss him? He was their king, so, wouldn’t they miss him? Was he a failure? He had no mate, so he believed he was.

            He felt defeated and low. When exhaustion and fatigue took over he didn’t fight it. He fell asleep, feeling the fog settle down and envelop him.

            At the top of the gorge, two lions – once kings, but always brothers – stood.

            “Mufasa,” said the first lion. “Was it good for him to come here? Considering…”

            The other lion smiled gently. “This will help him. Maybe not now, but in time I think it will. He will be stronger for it.” He saw the pained look in the brown lion’s eyes. “Scar…”

            “I shouldn’t have done that, brother. You’re my flesh and blood. I shouldn’t have done it.”

            “We can’t change the past. It was meant to happen and if it hadn’t, neither he nor his brother would exist. And what he is going through, what they’re going through wouldn’t be happening either. You know the Circle isn’t always fair or kind.”

            “Still…”

            “No more stills, no more buts. Everything, good and bad, has its purpose. We cannot change it.”

            “I wish we could help him.”

            Mufasa put a paw on Scar’s shoulder. “We can, but not in the way you want. He’ll get through this on his own.”

            “You think he knows? That… he has feelings for her?”

            “I think so, but he’s afraid, just as she is. Things will work out. They always do.” Mufasa gently nudged Scar in the shoulder. “Come, it’s time to go. He’ll go home, but later.” The gold lion began to turn.

            Scar, looking on one more time, breathed a sigh into the air. “Baraka, my great-great nephew, we’re always with you and have sent help.” The former king of the Pridelands closed his eyes, pain still evident. “Please, don’t wait too long or forget entirely. Whether you know it or not, she needs you and you need her…”

            “Scar, we must go,” said Mufasa.

            Scar sighed, sniffed and turned, following his brother. They disappeared into the dusty atmosphere.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The pride rested in the coolness of the den. Everyone ate from the three kills the hunting party, under Kiara’s leadership – though the Princess Regent did not participate, but merely lead and gave directions – had brought down. No one complained and they praised the lionesses for their work and the Princess for her leadership. The lions, lionesses, and cubs talked quietly, but outside the Regents and their shaman son spoke in private.

            The lion shaman paced the floor, while his parents sat side-by-side.

            “Where is he, Dad? He never leaves without saying something. I understand why he told you, but why didn’t he come to me for help?” Arif’s face showed the hurt. “I am his shaman. How can I help him if he won’t…?” He trailed off and sat down on his haunches.

            “Arif,” Kovu spoke, “your brother told me that he needed to be on his own for the day. He said that he couldn’t concentrate, and I said that I would lead in his place. When he will return is unclear, but if I know Baraka is that he will not, under any circumstances, abandon us. He’s not that kind of lion. You know it, I know it, and your mother knows it. Whatever is bothering him, he needs to deal with it on his own.”

            “How, Dad? He doesn’t talk to anyone except…” Arif paused and slowly turned his head. Etana was in her sleeping spot beside the den eating her share of the kill. To him it was like she wasn’t paying attention. She couldn’t see, but she could hear and very well from what Baraka had told him the few times when he wasn’t wrapped in his problems. Was she listening? Did she know where Baraka was? Arif sighed. He couldn’t ask, nor would he.

            Kovu and Kiara knew what Arif was thinking. Kiara cleared her throat, then said calmly, “Arif, don’t be angry with him. Your father and I are worried just as you are but he needs his space…”

            “Mom, he’s king, our king. He’s your son and my brother. You’d think that he’d turn to his family, to me.”

            “He’s under a lot of pressure, Arif, you know that,” Kovu said, keeping his tone reasonable.

            Arif’s eyes snapped. “Yeah, well so I am, Dad.” Before his parents could speak, Arif walked back to the den, his heart beating with painful pounds.

            The Regents sat in place, exchanging glances. Neither spoke. Both their sons were suffering. Were they blind to their problems? Had they been so involved with their positions that they didn’t see it for so long until it started to come forth?

            Kiara turned to her mate. “Kovu,” she whispered.

            But Kovu didn’t speak. He moved closer and rested his head against Kiara’s. He purred softly for a moment when suddenly, his green eyes snapped. “Hasira…” he hissed quietly. That was it! Why didn’t he see it earlier? Baraka was usually soft spoken but this time he had been quiet and cold. He could only have turned that way if Hasira – Kovu shivered. Of course! Hasira tried to…

            The Prince Regent swallowed and he was so in thought that he didn’t feel Kiara move away from him. At that moment he felt sorrowful for his son. Were the ancestors keeping Baraka from having a mate, someone to support, love and care about him? Someone he could share his life with? Why? Did his son do something wrong? Did he and Kiara fail somehow? Kovu swallowed and lay on the ground. He was a strong lion and wasn’t one to show emotion unless he had to. Well, this time, he had to. He cried softly.

            Kiara, meanwhile, walked up the promontory. The stars were almost out. The crème golden colored lioness sighed heavily, her own face covered with a pain similar to her mate’s. She shuddered.

            “Dad, please… help me,” the Regent said. “I wish you and Mom were here now. I don’t know what to do.” Her heart ached. “Have Kovu and I done something wrong? Why are they going through this? Why is Arif’s mate forcibly pulling herself away from him and her children when they need her?” From behind, she heard her mate’s soft cries. She knew how he was feeling yet she couldn’t bring herself to shed any tears, though her eyes did begin to moisten.

            Kiara looked down. She felt low and irresponsible. She felt like she was failing her ancestors and parents. She couldn’t even look at the stars without feeling defeated. Had she failed? Had Kovu failed? Were their sons meant to suffer? Were they meant to pay for past sins? How, and most important of all, why? They were not Mufasa and Scar. Everyone knew that. There was no brother conflict between her sons.

            Kiara was torn to the depths of her soul. Dipping her head, she allowed herself to fall on the stone cold ground. Emotion and pain enveloped her, blocking all other senses. Like her mate, she buried her face in her paws and cried.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Baraka roused, his senses returning. He opened his eyes to see nothing but darkness. Was it night already? How long had he been down there? How long had he been asleep? Through the darkness, he couldn’t see any