Pride of Heart

T H E  F I N A L  B A T T L E

BOOK 3: Alliances Confirmed

CHAPTER I

'Yeek! Watch out!' Kari the fennec fox gave a tremendous yell as Romy almost trampled on her.

'Oh, I'm so sorry, Kari.' Romy, the daughter of Obbler and Safi, Emperor and Empress of the Stones, blinked as she stumbled away from the small, dog-like creature that had unexpectedly appeared in her path. 'I was in such a hurry - are you okay?'

Kari laughed girlishly, shaking her fur immeditately forgiving and very cheerful. 'I'm fine, fine. How are you, Princess? What are you doing here on the Pridelands border? Just a friendly visit, I hope? All well over in your lands?'

Romy frowned, somewhat stung. Kari appeared to have forgotten what the Tribe of Stones were going through; that they had rogues giving them all the manner of trouble; that their old enemies, Jafiya and Jet, were actually alive and had challenged them to conflict; plus, the Stone lions were too few in number to deal with these problems, especially after losing two of their best military leaders, Comoros and Meno Mosso.

'Well . . . yes and no,' Romy replied a little coldy, deciding not to go into detail. 'It's nice to see you, Kari. You're just the right fox I need to talk to. I'm on my way to the Outlands west of your kingdom . . . do I have permission to cross the Pridelands?'

'Of course, Romy, o' fellow ambassador!' Kari, advisor to Queen Kiara, had worked with Romy on many ocassions. The fennec fox looked puzzled. 'You're always welcome in these lands. Why would you even ask?'

Romy smiled ruefully. 'I'm afraid I'm not sure what feelings are between the Pridelanders and my Tribe currently. If you recall, I made a journey here a few months back, asking your rulers for help against the rogues . . . Their Highnesses did not wish to help. Taking this into consideration, naturally I just want to check if terms remain - well, good.'

'As they will forever!' Kari exclaimed. 'Romy, do you really think we would treat you as enemies?'

'I'm sorry,' sighed Romy, sorry to shock her old friend. 'My parents did not take your King and Queen's refusal very well. They feel more than a little betrayed. I hope you understand our reasons for any bad feeling.'

'Oh, dear me no! I understand! Come, let us walk - I will escort you to your destination.' Kari had become very apologetic, her big ruby eyes wide and her even bigger ears lying flat across her lowered neck. 'But first, hold on a minute . . . .'

Here, Kari lifted her head and peered into the sky. She gave a shout: 'Zaa-a-a-a-zu-u-u-u-!'

Romy looked up. Two shapes could be seen gliding high above, flying south. At Kari's cry, they wheeled in opposite directions and plummeted down. They were hornbills, both blue and white with bright orange bills. One was considerably older than the other, who was a deeper shade of navy and had a pure white tail.

The older bird sighed in impatient tones. 'What is it now, Kari? Hyenas? Jackals? Zazu-look-at-this and Zazu-look-at-that. Tch! I know I've got to teach young Roho here the ropes, but I'm not as young as I used to be -'

'Grandfather,' gently said the younger bird, who Romy guessed was Roho. 'It's a lioness, grandfather.'

'Is it?' Zazu squinted at Romy. 'So it is. Apologies, madam. Eyes just aren't as good as they used to be.'

'I'm going to escort Princess Romy to the western border,' said Kari, hastily. 'Could you please inform the King and Queen?'

'I'll go!' said Roho, eagerly, doing a little hop in the air. He looked at Zazu. 'You can rest here if you like.'

'Drivel!' snorted Zazu, crossing his wings. 'I'm still the major-domo and I can still fly, you know... although, you go on ahead,' he added eventually. 'I'll be right behind you.'

Roho launched himself into the sky like an arrow from a bow. He was soon a speck in the distance. 

'Had to go fast, didn't he?' muttered Zazu with deep sigh. 'Oh well. Farewell, ladies.' Zazu took a short waddle and flapped off after his grandson, muttering inaudible words.

'Roho's taking over from Zazu at some point,' explained Kari, as she slunk along beside Romy. 'But never mind . . .  oh my, I'm sorry about your troubles, Romy. Let me explain on behalf of my people...'

'The death of King Simba was such a terrible loss that it seemed to put the Pridelands in mourning for months. All other strife we wanted far, far from our minds and this, I believe, is why Kovu and Kiara decided against aiding you. Please accept my sincere apologies!'

'It's alright, Kari - ' Romy reassured, walking slowly beside her little friend.

'No, no it's not! I don't think we understood the severity of your plite. Is it very bad?' Kari suddenly looked up, mouth wide in an exaggerated (but sincere) gasp. 'You are looking for help from the Whiteback Lions in the Outlands, aren't you!'

'That's right.' Romy gave a resolute nod. 'My father didn't want me to resume ambassador duties but in the end I had to go - we have so few lions that can do the  job.'

'Is Comoros . . . is he still gone?' Kari asked hesitantly,

Romy nodded sadly for her long-missing mate. 'Him and Meno Mosso, still gone. We think the Goldencraters turned against us and may have . . . done something to them.'

'Dead?' whispered Kari.

'I don't know. Anyway . . .  'Romy immediately halted the subject, knowing that an old traitor from the Pridelands, Ochoyo, was to blame for the Goldencraters change of heart towards the Stone Lions ... Kari was feeling guilty enough about the Pridelander's involvement (or rather lack of involvement) in things. 'Yes, anyway, Kari, the Whiteback's are old friends.  I hope they'll help us. Besides rogues, we now have Jafiya and Jet to contend with - '

'Jafiya and Jet!' Kari shrieked, ears shooting upright as she stopped short in her tracks. 'This gets worse and worse! But - but I thought they were dead!'

'We thought so too.' The news had certainly been shock for Romy's tribe. It still was. 'Or at least most of us did. Some of the Tribe suspected our old enemies could be alive but there wasn't  much chance. Anyway, here they are. We're all stunned, Father's the most so - he's livid. He was so sure he'd rid himself of them ... '

'I can't believe it! So ... so have you actually seen them, in the flesh?'

'No,' Romy said, eyes narrowed. 'Actually, no. Not in the flesh. But we know it's them. Their scent is strong and only a little changed over the past few years - everybody in the Tribe who checked could not deny it; it was Jafiya and Jet's scent. Also,' added Romy, 'they left their old markers. You know, their emblem - curving claw marks, made on a tree.'

'A challenge?'

'Yes indeed. They're back to fight.'

'I have to say, wasn't that a bit careless of them?' remarked Kari. 'I mean, I'm not exactly a battle tactic expert but they rather lost their element of surprise, leaving a marker. They could easily have snuck into your territory without you knowing anything about them being alive and you know . . . not that I'm on their side!' Kari put in hurridly, remembering what Romy had said about Obbler's feeling betrayed by the Pridelanders.

Romy laughed out loud. 'Don't worry, Kari, I know what you mean. I agree, it was a little odd, the marker. It certainly helped us get prepared. Father thinks Jafiya has just been foolish . . . but maybe there's something the enemy has in store for us . . . '

CHAPTER II

'Well, Kudan? What's the verdict? How's everyone doing?' asked Jafiya, sitting in the meagre shade of a large dead tree, rooted in the middle of bare wasteland.

Dust billowed and the sun glared. It was a blazing day, four months since Jafiya and Jet had met Mahiri and since their battle plans - to restart the war against Obbler - had really begun to form. At Jafiya's feet lay an array of claw marks scratched into the ground; a map of Obbler's territory adorned with marks of potential battle positions. Also present were small etched crosses - these were spying points.  This curious drawing was the battle layout of Jet and Jafiya's army, come to be know as the Returners. This was a plan against the Stone Lions; a plan to regain a homeland; Jafiya knew it inside out, ensuring it was burned healthily into his mind.

Kudan, a brown, green-eyed lion with a serious expression, was Jafiya's loyal and almost life-long friend. He was also his experienced second-in-command and for this reason, he'd been entrusted with organizing a miriad of secret missions that were now underway.

'All good . . . all ''Capital!'' as Ebon would say,' replied Kudan, his solemn face breaking into a smile. 'Ave and Rin are spying out Obbler's lands on the western side; Wavivu and Luna have agreed to join our side - Jet's getting them settled; Ukula - well, she's doing things her way, making sure the other lionesses aren't ''idle'' and getting them to do some training for battle . . . she's anticipating the arrival of the rogues. I do