nightmare.

            The ground of the cave was cold, which was to be expected. Though Hasira’s mind told her to leave, she couldn’t. She was drawn. Chills ran over her body, cutting off her senses and instincts. Fatigue fell upon her and she walked to the middle of the chamber and lied down, her tail curled at her side, her forepaws resting atop one another, her head settling down on the left.

            Within minutes, her eyes closed, but her sleep was far from pleasant and peaceful. She was dreaming, haunted by the image of her late mother and the past. Her mother’s cruelty came back to life on the surface of her mind, but then, the pain was gone and in her mind’s eye she saw Baraka, his eyes and face concerned for her and her sister. His kindness rang through and Hasira felt her body, where it shook uncontrollably, was now relaxed and shuddering faintly.

            Before she could smile at the image, there was another and it stood beside Baraka. She growled lowly in her sleep, her bottom forepaw and back paws clawing at the ground. What she saw made her fur stand, and her eyes tighten.

            Kill… said a quiet voice in the far reaches of her mind.

            Her eyes snapped open and her head rose from her paws with a jerk. She panted, sweat covering her brow. She looked around hurriedly, like she was expecting someone else to be in the cave with her. There was no one.

            Sighing heavily, she rose. Her legs trembled but she managed to get out of the chamber. She near stumbled, walking to the middle of the large den. She stopped, setting her feet firmly on the ground. She closed her eyes, hoping to get a grip on herself. She wanted the lone image of Baraka to come back. That gave her comfort from the nightmares she’d suffered over the years, the one thing that kept her from becoming like her mother.

            The image didn’t come. She growled a little louder and hit the ground with a paw frustrated. The other image… It wasn’t what she’d seen, but whom, she’d seen. Her eyes narrowed as she walked to the royal chambers. She looked inside and sniffed the still air. Baraka’s scent was there as it always was, but it mingled with another. She sniffed harder until her eyes grew wide in realization and shock. Another growl reached her throat and the claws on both forepaws came out. The fur along her neck and back bristled.

            She understood. He has been with her, she thought angrily. He’s been with that blind rogue!

            Fury, pain, and a deep well of rage boiled inside of her and she stormed out of the den. As she ran down the stone steps, blind fury guided her anywhere, nowhere. Her eyes snapped, and a blood thirsty look crossed her face.

            The clouds above her grew with fierce intensity.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Takata eyed the Regents carefully, exhaling a long breath. He’d asked Kovu and Kiara for a private audience. Etana had been right. It was time to tell, come clean. Clean… the meaning of his name, at least part of it.

            “What is it you wanted to tell us, Takata,” asked Kovu as he faced the black lion.

            “I… have something to tell you. I thought I wouldn’t have to, but I must. I just hope it doesn’t change the way you see me… or Etana.” The look in his red eyes was pleading, desperate.

            “How would it change the way we see you, Takata?” Kiara wondered.

            He shuffled his paws. “I’m not a rogue, not by birth, at least.” He watched for facial reactions.

            They exchanged glances, but the looks on their faces held no judgment. “Go on,” Kovu said.

            “I’m a prince of a kingdom far from here. Our land was called Green Haven… which it was for many years… probably still is with my brother has king.” He stopped. The Regents didn’t speak, so he continued. “Green Haven has been ruled by my family for generations. Our first king, my great-great-great grandfather, was a kind lion and passed his goodness and way of ruling onto the next generation. My mother was queen, born of royal blood. My father was king in all but name. He wanted my mother to bear the royal title, which she was okay with. They ruled the lands peacefully and together, always helping each other and supporting. I was the third born cub, the second son. My brother was to be the next ruler. No one minded. We knew he would be a great successor. There were a few other cubs born into the pride besides me, my brother and sister. They were the sons and daughters of our guardians. One of them, one I loved like a second brother, was born blind.” He stopped again.

            Kovu and Kiara were still quiet, taking the words in.

            “Please, continue,” said Kiara.

            “His life was a little difficult, but nothing serious. His parents loved him dearly. We all helped him, even my sister and brother.” Takata smiled sadly. “My sister had a crush on this cub. It was no surprise to any of us, not even the adults. Our lives were peaceful. The guardians served my parents devotedly and we were always in contact with neighboring prides. In fact, my father was a prince of one of them. Father said it was good to have extended families… The years passed and all the cubs grew into healthy lions and lionesses. My father taught my brother how to be a good king; my mother taught my sister how to hunt, as she would take over the hunting party one day. As for me, I wasn’t sure what my future place in the pride was, but I knew that with time I would find it.”

            Takata let out a sigh and licked his lips. “My parents said I could have become a guardian, a shaman, or a healer. It wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t know what I wanted. So one day I spoke with the whole family and said that I was going to leave and find a land of my own. Mother and father were upset but also proud that I was leaving to pursue my own destiny. My sister would miss me as much as I would miss her but I told her that I would be fine. My brother offered me words of encouragement and said that if rogue life didn’t work that there would always be a place for me at home.”

            “Your brother sounds like a wise lion,” Kovu said.

            Takata smiled. “That he was. I’m sure he is still. Two weeks later, I left but spent the remaining time with my friends and family. When it was time my father and brother escorted me to one of the borders and I stepped out of the kingdom. The first couple of days were rough. I got homesick, naturally, but I got through it. The days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months but I was always careful. Somehow, and I still can’t figure it out…” He paused.

            The Regents looked at him intently. “What is it, Takata?” Kovu asked curiously.

            “I’m not sure how, but I found myself staying on the borders of a kingdom. I managed successfully to stay out of sight and hunted carefully. I made the border a temporary home, but I wanted to see for myself how the inhabitants of the lands conducted themselves. I found quickly that it was not a kingdom I wanted to be part of and decided to leave only after a week. When I prepared to leave, I was going to drink from one of the water streams that flowed through the land when I saw a lioness with a sleeping cub at her side. I approached her kindly, meaning no harm. She told me her name and her status. She was queen of the lands I was hanging around. The lands were called the North Mountains. Her name was Adila and her child, a daughter, was a princess and the heiress. Sadly, she was born blind and because of that, the king disowned the cub.”

            Takata gave another sigh, a heavy one. He felt as though he relived that day all over again, but he continued. The Regents, the parents of his king, had to know everything in full. “I could tell that she feared for her cub, and was looking for someone good to take care of her. Without thinking or hesitating, I told her that I would.”

            “That was very noble of you, Takata,” said Kiara, her eyes