the only lioness I will ever love. Anything you will see with Nala will only be an act.”

Utterly alarmed and angered by what she had heard Zola jumped out from her hiding place causing both to turn around in surprise. Zola’s eye brimmed with fury as she stared at her parents.

“I cannot believe what heard you planning, how could either of you consider? Daddy I thought you loved….”

“For the good of the kingdom,” Scar sighed with regret. “I love your mother Zola, the thought of betraying her is painful but Nala is a threat.”

“Zola the plan was my idea. You are every young. A lioness will sacrifice everything protect her cub at all cost. If Nala had your father’s cub she would remain loyal to us. I know it may seem hard to accept,” Zira replied walking forward and gently placing a leg around Zola’s shoulder.

“Nala is my friend. I know the difference between right and wrong,” Zola replied shrugging Zira’s leg away.

Turning away Zola bounded away from Pride Rock her heart full of conflict. Her parent’s words made perfect sense in terms of security, friend thought Nala may be, Zola was no blind to the trouble she had been causing. Yet another side thought that manipulation on that level was wrong and Nala should be told of Scar’s plot. For the first time in her life Zola felt torn between loyalty to her parents and the friendship she had with Nala. Wondering through the land Zola stopped as she reached the opposite side of the river, the one magnificent river was desolate with little water running through it and little vegetation.

“Nala could be right, this land is barren, perhaps my parents are misruling. If it is just a difference of opinion, I could talk to them about the situation with the hyenas. I can help resolve things, act as an intermediary between the two groups. No….there has to be more to the conflict then that.......something in the past.......only the past would explain Sarabi’s attitude. She acts like she is queen or she knows better at times.”

Walking back home a few hours later Zola stopped when she saw the lionesses that were friends of Sarabi gathered on the hill above the river along with Rafiki. Hesitantly she approached the group. Nala stood in the middle a look of confusion, sadness and anger in her eyes. The other lioness looked angry and shocked. Seeing her the tension rocketed as their angry eyes locked onto her.

“Has something happened?” Zola asked nervously.

“Your father has just flirted with my daughter and suggested she become his second queen,” Sarafina spat, glaring at Zola accusingly.

“I cannot believe he would suggest it, I though he loved your mother,” Nala said in a hollow voice.

“He he does love her….they planned…..they think if you have his cubs then you will never betray him,” Zola whispered hanging her head in shame.

The lionesses gasped in utter amazement and revulsion, the fact it was a deliberate plot made an already terrible situation worse. Nala’s stepped back in horror, her mind reeling and panic surging through her veins. Among monarchs of all species the bond between a king and queen was sacred, for a king or queen to mate with another was deeply frowned upon. Rouges were welcomed because each brought fresh blood into a pride or herd, providing they obeyed the rules laid down for them.

Looking around at the land Nala’s eyes fills with tears while her heart was leaden with regret. Her eyes took in the dry river, barren grassland, bare tress, cracked soil, dark sky and few grazing herds. Her eyes stopped on Pride Rock with the hyenas surrounding it. Memories of the past stirred in her heart, blinking back tears she turned back to her mother and friends.

“Shadowland

The leaves have fallen

This shadowed land

This was our home

 

The river’s dry

The ground has broken

So I must go

Now I must go,” Nala sang looking at her family, tears running down her cheeks.

 

“And where the journey may lead me

Let your prayers be my guide

I cannot stay here, my family

But I’ll remember my pride.”

Gently Nala nuzzled each of the lionesses’ checks. Tama and Kula looked deep into her eyes, gently placing their paws on her shoulders in a gesture of understanding and acceptance.

Lionesses Nala

“Prideland “I have no choice

My land I will find my way

Tear stained What lies out there?”

Dry land

Take this prayer

With you.”

 

Lionesses

“And where the journey may lead you

Let this prayer be your guide

Though it may take you far away

Always remember your pride.”

Sarafina and Nala nuzzled each other, tears falling from both their eyes. Her heart shattering into a million pieces, Nala turned away from her family. Rafiki walked over and hugged her before drawing a star on her for head in blue paint. With a last look at her family Nala turned to leave.

“I WILL RETURN!” Nala roared.

Turning on her heal Nala ran off through the savannah. Watching her go Zola hesitated for a second before racing after her. Her heart pounding Zola ran as fast as she could. As they neared the boundary Nala stopped at last, turning around to face Zola with a look of fear and confusion.

“Nala please be careful. I promise never to tell my parents I saw you go,” Zola said gasping for breath.

“Zola you don’t have to be your parents. I can see something good in you. The fact you told me about their plan proves that,” Nala said looking at her.

“How can I be anything different? I don’t know another away to be.”

“You are different to them as well. You could come with me, you could help this land.”

“I cannot leave. Something happened to you Nala before I was born,” Zola replied flicking her tail. “I don’t care what it was but you need to get over it.”

“Zola you don’t understand. Scar is forcing us to over hunt, the hyenas.”

“Are my friends. You need to leave Nala and never come back. I cannot protect you if you keep opposing my parents.”

“No matter what I think of you parents I have always counted you as a friend, I will never forget you Zola,” Nala replied hugging the young lioness.

“Good luck Nala,” Zola replied softly, watching as her friend crossed the border.

Turning her back on the border Zola walked through her kingdom, her mind so preoccupied with Nala that she barely took any notice of where she was walking. After a few hours she came to the plateau above the gorge where wilder beast used to gather, now barren wasteland. Standing on the rocks, Zola saw Sarabi and Rafiki stood silently near a broken tree. Tears fell freely from both their eyes, Rafiki’s left hand caressed Sarabi’s head. Confused at the sight Zola climbed down to the bottom, the pair looking at her as she approached.

“Sarabi are you all right? I wasn’t snooping, I was up on the top playing, but I saw you.....”

“I know Zola you would never pry, it is the past,” Sarabi whispered before walking away from the scene.

“Rafiki, why was Sarabi so upset?”

“The truth is from before your father reigned. Your father has forbidden that time to be spoken of.”

“I AM TIRED OF SECRETS! I am not a cub,” Zola snarled circling Rafiki. “I can make my own decisions. I order you to tell me or face the consequences.”

“As you wish Princess,” Rafiki replied, a slight tremor in his voice, Zola’s sharp teeth had not gone unnoticed.

For the first time the old baboon felt slightly scared of the young princess. Rafiki felt fear for his own life, if Scar found out there would be sever punishment. Mentioning the events had contributed heavily to Malka and Togo’s exile and had been the reason why Zazu had been imprisoned. Given the history between Scar and Rafiki the consequences would be sever.

“Four years ago King Mufasa died here trying to save his son Simba from a herd of stampeding wilder beast. Mufasa was Sarabi’s mate and brother of your father,” Rafiki said looking directly at Zola.

“Daddy never told me he had……..” Zola stammered wide eyed. “Why would he keep something…….what happened to Simba?”

“He was killed along with Mufasa. Simba was Nala’s best friend,” Rafiki said softly with tears in his eyes.

“That explains why she was unhappy here……….” Zola replied stepping back. “The conflict has been over………”

“Nala never forgot Simba,” Rafiki replied sadly shaking his head.

Days passed, on hearing of Nala’s vanishing act, Scar and Zira were angry yet relieved she had gone. The pair believed she would never come back or last long on her own. Zira’s announcement of her pregnancy was greeted with welcome by her friends but resentment by Sarabi and Sarafina’s friends. Zola and Masika found themselves caught in the middle of every increasing tensions that would soon reaching breaking point. During hunts Zira took a less active part with Scar becoming increasingly protective of her. Zola took on the role of heir yet knew she would never rule.

“Zola how did we get caught between caught in a fight that seems to be about events before we were even born?” Masika asked as they lay on a rock one night.

“I don’t know Masika. When I told my father that I’d

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