stopped almost at Priderock’s foot. Lioness froze in place, scared, she went so far. Because of tracking Nuka, she hadn’t noticed, where she was going. And she went just... to the lion’s den. This bad lion’s den.

Nuka started to climb on Priderock slope and Hawaa stood with burning dilemma. She knew, she wasn’t agile enough to climb soundlessly. Climbing on termite mound, where strength and endurance was important, was something completely different, that creeping on thin path uphill. But she couldn’t just leave Nuka alone. If she followed... “No, I will endanger myself and him too. We can’t be detected.” So she was watching with terror to snaking Nuka. Lion went on Priderock’s ledge, was standing there for few minutes (for Hawaa, those where the longest minutes in her life.) and started back. Without any sound, he returned to Priderock foot with some load in mouth. Hawaa failed to discover what it was, but cargo seemed to be heavy even for a lion.

Lioness crouched, for not being seen by Nuka. She waited, until he passed by and followed. This time, it was easier. Lion was walking slower, probably due to his load. After some time, lioness discovered strange, dark spots on the grass. She lowered her head, smelled and...

...in last second stopped her scream. It was a blood.

“Ow, Stars!” she thought. “He is hurt!” and she began to speed. But just after few jumps, she again froze in place. “You idiot!” she whispered to herself. “It’s a zebra’s blood! Nuka is carrying wildebeest’s carcass.” She returned to she carefully walk, right in time, because Nuka turned his head back, looking for danger. She in last moment crouched to the ground, so lion started again. “It was close.” She thought.

Some time later, she noticed, that those bloody spots was marking the path and Nuka spots from time to time and shook his load. Illumination came to Hawaa. “He is marking the route with blood... but why? He took meat from Priderock, this lost will be probably soon discover by Simba’s lionesses... I know!” she thought. “They will think, that some scavengers are stealing food from them. They will find clear tracks... probably will organise an ambush... Ow, Stars!” she yelled in mind. “And what Nuka wants to do with that?”

They were running to North Waterhole then further to the border zone. Clearly in Elephant Graveyard’s direction. Was Nuka planning to prepare an ambush on Simba there? It was brilliant plan, of course under condition, that Simba would be prevailed there. Hawaa thought, that Nuka had something more on his mind. Lion suddenly turned in Border River’s direction and ran there without any fear. He stopped marking his path, probably satisfied with earlier actions. Track was clear, suggestion was clear. Pridelanders would suspect some remaining hyenas pack from graveyard. But Nuka had this giant portion of meat.

“No!” muttered lion and dropped carcass fragment to river. “I’m not a thief! Nor scavenger.”

Hawaa in first impulse, crouched to jump for floating meat. But she calmed down in next second. “No! Nuka is too proud to eat from Simba’s table... He rather would spend all days on hard hunting that swallow any portion of it.” Carcass floated away with river’s stream and Nuka went into water. Short after that, he started to swim to Outland’s bank. Hawaa had to wait some time, to pass the torrent unseen. So she sir on the grass and closed her eyes, just for a while...

*

Zira, Hawaa and Nuka weren’t only ones, who weren’t sleeping that night. Sarafina had a terrible dream. At first she saw in her sleep a black maned lion with terrible scars on his chest. He was somehow similar to Scar, but lioness knew, that wasn’t him. This lion was speaking about some terrible things that would came to Prideland, if she don’t do something. Sarafina didn’t understand single word from this speech, but she awoke with cold sweat on her back. She sneaked out from main cave and started to walk on north, in order to calm down. But she hadn’t calmed down until she reached Border River.

It was a dangerous place for both Pridelander and Outlander. For Pridelander, because Outlanders sometime was hunting there, for Outlander, because this was still Simba’s terrain. But old lioness hadn’t noticed where her legs had taken her. She stopped just when...

*

Hawaa jumped up, when lion’s foot stomped on her tail. In first impulse, she extended her claws and attended for unknown enemy. She felt asleep and that was usually a fatal mistake. But she wished to take as much of persecutors with her, as she could.

“Die, Pridelander!” she called and hit with paw.

She hid her claws in last moment. If she didn’t, Sarafina’s throat would be ripped off in one, fatal blow. But lioness stopped her fury, seeing old caretaker.

“Sarafina!” she whispered. She knew, that this moment of hesitate would cost her life. But she was unable to kill her. Not this way. Maybe, on battlefield in honour combat but not at night, not in accidental fight. And she saw no others Pridelanders. Old lioness seemed to be alone.

“Who...” yelled Sarafina, knocked down by Hawaa pounce and having her paw next to throat. “Hawaa?!” she whispered with amaze. “It can’t be... you are dead.”

“No, if you didn’t take any help with you!” replied young lioness with smile. Suddenly, she lowered her head and licked lioness in forehead. “Good to see you, aunt Sarafina!”

*

Nuka heard Hawaa’s call and froze. He was already on the other bank, just climbing on Outland’s cliff. But on the sound of his beloved voice, he turned back and jumped to water once again. He knew, that it was too late to call for help. Only thing, that he could do, was fight for himself. “First time, I really want to have Kovu at my side.” He whispered, swimming desperately. But when he made to Prideland’s bank, he stopped, listening. He heard no fight’s sounds or call for help. No other Pridelanders could be notice. Just... talk.

“How it is possible?” asked voice of old lioness. Nuka tied to recall all Pridelanders known to him. It was probably Sarafina, mother of usurper’s mate. “What Hawaa could have with her?” wondered lion himself and sneaked nearer to lionesses. He crouched in bushes to hear as much as he could.

“What is impossible?” said Hawaa with irony. “That I’m alive? Maybe I’m not a Outlander by blood, but I’m made from the same hard stuff, they are. I’ve survived the battle... because my pride saved me...” she took a deep breath and continued with pride in her voice. “And who personally? If you want know, that was son of Scar, Nuka. He was just a cub then, like me, but he shown more courage and sympathy, that all your cursed pride!”

Nuka, waiting in cover, gave up idea about instant rescue. He understood, that Hawaa was safe. Sarafina was old lioness, clearly poor fighter, comparing with young Outlanderess. Also, Nuka noticed, that this particular enemy was somehow close to Hawaa. “Right... she born and at first was raising on Priderock. If this Pridelander was good to her... I’m in her debt.” He was wondering, if he should to draw back, not to interrupt private talk. But he decided to stay. It was not a curiosity but just a anxiety. However weak and helpless looked Sarafina, she was Pridelander after all.

“We... we thought, you are dead!” whispered old lioness with terror. “Ow, Hawaa... I’m sorry...”

“Save it.” Interrupted younger one. “What happened, had already happened.”

“My dear...” muttered Sarafina. “You have grown well... You are a beautiful lioness... But you are... so slim and...”

“Is that strange?” asked Hawaa. “Living in Outlands is not an easy piece of meat. I fight hard for every meal...”

“Outlands?!” exclaimed Sarafina with disbelief. “You live in Outlands?”

“I live, where I belong. With my saviours and caretakers.”

“But you was born in Prideland!” said old lioness with tensed voice. “That is your place.”

“Indeed...” muttered Hawaa. “I was born on Priderock...”

“So you will return to us?” asked Sarafina with hope.

Silent felt on river and Nuka froze in place. He was too scared to even think, but some voice in his head called alarm. Hawaa could return to Prideland. To green, fertile field, where no one was hungry and lion were living in luxury. She could forget about her pride and about Nuka. She...

Loud laughter sounded over savannah. Hawaa started to giggle and even felt to the ground (what Nuka noticed by earth shiver). She was laughing for almost minute, to answer barely.

“What? I?” she again burst in laughter and was calming down some time. “Sarafina... You don’t understand anything! I didn’t lost! I quitted by my own will.”

“What?” yeMsoNormal">“How it is possible?” asked voice of old lioness. Nuka tied to recall all Pridelanders known to him. It was probably Sarafina, mother of usurper’s mate. “What Hawaa could have with her?” wondered lion himself and sneaked nearer to lionesses. He crouched in bushes to hear as much as he could.

“What is impossible?” said Hawaa with irony. “That I’m alive? Maybe I’m not a Outlander by blood, but I’m made from the same hard stuff, they are. I’ve survived the battle... because my pride saved me...” she took a deep breath and continued with pride in her voice. “And who personally? If you want know, that was son of Scar, Nuka. He was just a cub then, like me, but he shown more courage and sympathy, that all your cursed pride!”

Nuka, waiting in cover, gave up idea about instant rescue. He understood, that Hawaa was safe. Sarafina was old lioness, clearly poor fighter, comparing with young Outlanderess. Also, Nuka noticed, that this lled shocked lioness. She felt silent, when Hawaa was still giggling. Finally, younger one said.

“Aunt Safarina... I decided to leave Priderock and join Zira myself. No one forced me, no one swayed me. I was unable to live with you, after what you had done to Scar and his family. I hope, I