Raziya had never felt so alone.

As her paws cracked against the hard, dry ground, tears rolled down her cheeks, wetting her scorched fur. Her breath rattled in her lungs and every so often, a cough shook her body. Her once bright green eyes were now dull and showed nothing of the strength she once had. She looked up, down, side-to-side, all around, but all she could see was the walls of the gorge.

This place brought back many painful memories. She remembered Sly-Eye, old now and withered, running to her and bringing news of the deaths of Zira, her mother, and Nuka, her brother. She remembered feeling broken, torn apart, and worst of all, lonely.

Raziya had once lived in the northern part of the Outlands, with Adui, the son of Nala, who she had spirited away as a young cub. She had raised him as her son and she'd been proud of him when he left her, set on joining Tojo's Valley Pride. And she had been alone again.

Oh yes, she had been alone before. She had wandered by herself, for days on end in the Outlands, which were even more barren than the gorge. She had almost starved, passed out from dehydration, and nearly died at the paws of wandering rogues. And she had been expecting a cub as well, and had almost lost him. He was Kovu, the Chosen One of Scar, and he had betrayed her.

She felt hate for the Pridelanders, the Usurper King Simba and his mate the White Queen, Nala. She despised the False Princess Kiara, and wished death and plague upon all of the pridesisters. They had once been her pridesisters, but no longer.

Her father, Scar, was the one she knew would guide her. She could feel his presence all around her, feel his eyes burning within. She would be strong for him, and she would survive. She was ageing now, and weak, but she would live on.

She broke into a trot, tongue lolling, and ignored the aches in her ankles, the dust that billowed around her paws. Her eyes were wide and her nose stung with the stench of death and emptiness. The end of the gorge was close, she could feel it.

She could see light, shining into her eyes, blinding her, and she knew it to be sunlight. It had to be!

She collapsed, eyes rolling back in her skull, the only sign of life being the slow rise and fall of her sides as breath rattled through her body.

 

The first thing Raziya saw when she woke was water.

There was a small pool beside her, where her head lay cushioned by a pile of leaves and her sore ankles were dressed with healing plants. She tried to rise, to look down into the water, but she failed.

She heard paws padding on the rocks beside her, and she growled. If it was a lion, he or she was probably a threat, even though they had done all this for her. Even though Raziya was alone, she preferred it that way.

Nobody could hurt you.

“You're lucky I found you.” A voice rolled into Raziya's ears. “You would have died if I hadn't.”

Raziya snarled. “You've no right to do this. You're keeping me prisoner here.”

There was a laugh. “Prisoner? You must be more dumb than I thought.”

The old lioness sighed. “Your attempts at humour are insulting.” She softened. “Why am I here?”

“I found you in the gorge while I was patrolling. There was no-one around, so I took you on my back. I saw that your ankles were sore and worn, so I dressed them, and I poured water into your mouth so you stayed hydrated.”

Raziya's eyes widened. “Thank you. You saved me.”

The stranger laughed again. “Much obliged, my fair lady. And here, you might want to drink up. I killed a hare for you, so get it eaten. We're travelling.”

Raziya growled. “Thanks for the help, but I don't appreciate being dragged around the land by a lion I don't even know.”

The stranger sighed. “I need to get you to my pride. We can protect and help you there.”

Raziya tried to rise again, and this time, she felt the shoulder of the stranger, there for her to lean on. She swayed on her paws, dizzy, and looked at the lion.

He had dark brown fur, with a dark brown mane. She could have mistaken him for Kovu, if not for his bright blue eyes, like a sunlit river. He smiled. “My name is Mwokozi.”

Raziya smiled as well. “Raziya.”

“Where do you come from?”

“The Pridelands. I was born there, daughter of --” She broke off, hesitating. Her father had been known as a menace to some. “I was the daughter of a prince, brother of the King.”

Mwokozi bowed low, a mocking grin on his face. “Then do I have the right to call you princess?”

Raziya scowled. “No. Keep it at Raziya.” She looked around. She was in a small valley, with few trees and bushes with nothing in sight at all. “Where are we going.”

Mwokozi bounded off northwards, smiling. “This way. The pride will meet us on their border, they said.”

Raziya nodded. “Well, let's hurry. Is it far?”

“Not very, but I'd prefer to move fast.”

Raziya began to pad forwards, after snapping down a few pieces of the hare and drinking up some of the water in the pool. She wasn't alone any more, but she was wary of this Mwokozi. Could she trust him? Or would he betray her like the son her reminded her so much of?

 

The moon hovered low in the sky as Raziya trotted forwards, far in front of Mwokozi, eager to get to where she was meant to be. The young lion was quiet, and said nothing to object Raziya's statements. So far, he had told her nothing of his past or his pride, but Raziya was fine with that. She would get to know her saviour later.

The pair came to a large dip in the valley, that could have been used as a shelter or even a dwelling place. Raziya turned to Mwokozi. “How much farther?”

Mwokozi opened his mouth to speak, then looked up, eyes wide. “We're here.”

Raziya looked up and felt her heart quicken. Up on higher ground, six or seven lionesses were crouched ready to spring. Mwokozi raced up the side of the hole and joined the lionesses. Raziya narrowed her eyes. “Traitor.”

Mwokozi laughed. “I'm not so much of a traitor as you think. This is my pride, or some of it anyway, and we're waiting for our leader to come and assess you.”

“Assess me?” Raziya snarled, outraged. “How dare you?”

There was a growl from the higher ground and a dark furred lion stepped forwards from behind his pridesisters. His mane was matted and dark, and his eyes were red, with drooping eye-shades. On his chin grew a small tuft of fur, the same colour as his mane.

“Lionesses,” the dark lion growled. “Stand down. This lioness is no threat to us.”

One lioness snarled. “Even if Lord Mwokozi did rescue her, she is still a trespasser. I say we tear her apart.”

“You will do no such thing,” the dark lion hissed. “She is my sister.”

 

Nuka looked down into the hole, eyes narrow with satisfaction. “I have missed you, dearest Raziya.”

Raziya lowered herself to the ground, eyes clouded with disbelief. “I thought you were dead. Sly-Eye said --”

“Not dead, dear sister,” Nuka said softly. “Only unconscious. Mwokozi here rescued me. He really gets around.”

Raziya laughed. “Then it looks like we both owe him our lives.”

Nuka smiled. “Come out, sister. Be one of the pride.”

The old lioness looked up, eyes wide. She had never truly had a pride, not a pride with friends or lions to confide in. Now, she wanted nothing more than a place to call home, and pride to call hers.

“Yes,” she said, smiling. She gripped onto the edges of the hole and hauled herself out, Nuka grabbing her scruff and helping her. When she was safe on solid ground, she nuzzled her little brother. “I'd love to join you.”

Nuka looked out into the distance. “Good.”

Raziya looked at him. “Nuka, are you all right?”

Nuka smiled. “Yes, I couldn't be better.” His smile turned into a grin, lips peeling back from razor fangs. “I was just thinking of what to say when we make our grand entrance.”

“Grand entrance into where?”

“The Pridelands.”

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