she did tell him about most of their problems and fears. Presence on young lion, so full of life and vigour, took unexpected effect. His word were soothing and pleasant. Zira knew that she was unable to fall in love with any lion on the world, not after her affect to Scar. But handsome blackmaned male seemed to be perfect friend and caretaker. He was willingly to help, wasn’t looking for any profits, opposite to his friends. And when they reached cub’s sanctuary, only he didn’t show any irritation.

“Fine keep, for fine queen.” Muttered Horen, looking on small den in lone rock.

“Please... quiet!” gasped Amini.

“Not too much to share.” Whispered Laki to Daki.

“Rama! We are back!” called Zira and immediately after that old lioness went out from den.

“Ow, thank Stars!” she exclaimed and ran to her queen. Lionesses hugged, then Rama noticed lions. “And those are...”

“Windy Rouges.” Said Zira. “They considering to support our cause.” Added carefully, hoping, that Horen heard that.

“They sleep, but Nuka asked to awake him when you will back.”

“All right, I’ll go there.” Said queen and started to den. Nuka was already awake. He was looking on mother with big, frightened eyes, but his voice was surprisingly firm.

“Hi mom... So good, you are back.”

Zira smiled and hugged her son.

“And now we will be hang together.” She said with gentle voice. “Nuka, we must go now.”

“To Priderock?” asked cub with. “To save Hawaa and Yakta?” Zira narrowed her eyes.

“Not now. We are weak and many of us are still wounded. We’ll go north, through Border River. There, on the other bank, Simba won’t find us. Doria will take you and take Vitani...”

“I’m old enough to walk myself.” Said Nuka with huff and stood. He exit the den and noticed newcomers. “Ow... Hi, there.” Said. “Are you here to save my friends?”

Lions came closer to cub and Amini gentle stroked his head.

“Well... something like that.” He said. “We will travel with you, to some safer place. This is my pack.” He pointed on friends. “Boss – Horen, brothers Daki and Laki.” The he pointed himself. “And my name is Amini.”

“Nice.” Said cub. “You have fine mane... my dad had black one too.” He stopped, looking uncertainly on newcomers. They were looking on him with similar uncertain stare. Rouge males weren’t used to live with cubs, so behaviour of Nuka was something new to them. “I’m Nuka, son of Scar and Zira.” he introduced himself with official manner. “You’ll probably see now my sister Vitani, but she is sleeping.”

And then Zira went out from den, carrying her daughter. She nodded to her pride and Doria came to Nuka and grabbed him in jaw. They started to slowly walk through savannah.

Night went suddenly and before they reached riverbank, there was dark. Zira put Vitani on the ground and carefully she checked stream.

“Damn!” she muttered. “It’s strong. Much water had flown from savannah. Doria, how do you think... will we get it thought?”

In fact, stream was fast and strong. Soil, dried by drought, wasn’t able to absorb so much water at once. So almost every path turned to small torrent and every torrent was running to Gorge or Border River. Level of water increased rapidly.

“I don’t know, Zira...” replied lioness. “Alone... no problem. But carrying Nuka... Sorry, I’m not sure.”

“Yes...” Queen nodded. “I’m not sure if I’ll made, even with lighter Vitani.”

Both lioness looked on cubs with wondering stare. That was real problem. Zira and Doria were the strongest lioness from pride and also they were almost uninjured. But it didn’t change the situation – they weren’t sure, if they safe carry cubs to the other bank. Then Amini came to them.

“What is the problem, my ladies?”

Zira smiled. “Yes, he was ready to every kind of help. Golden lion, in fact.” She thought. “But what he could do with that?”

“I have no idea, Amini.” Said Doria. “This stream is so fast, that we afraid of dropping Nuka and Vitani in progress.”

“Wow!” said Nuka. “I’ve never seen so much water at once! We will walk through it?”

Amini looked on cub, then looked on Zira. He came to bank and examined water with own paw. Then he turned to Horen.

“But we can do it, right?”

His leader narrowed his eyes. This was too much for him. His charge pushed him in this mess and then was trying to made him a babysitter.

“I’m not ready to take a responsibility for a cub.” He said. “Even not my cub.”

Twins burst in laughter but they immediately stopped, seeing stares of lioness. One, big request was floating in the air.

“Damn!” whispered Horen. “This is crazy!” and he added louder. “Yes, we could do that. But we must have a plan.” He turned to Zira. “Is this the best place to cross river?” queen nodded. “So river is so fast all it’s bed?”

“No.” replied Rama. “On east... that down there... is worse. There is waterfall about four miles away.”

Horen sighed and scratched his mane with extended claws.

“Goody! At least we know, how much time we have to catch those cub, if they are dropped.” He looked on Zira. “Can they... ow!” he stopped and sighed again. “Of course they can’t swim, because when this river was flowing like that last time, they weren’t yet on this world! Do you can swim?”

“Well... we are desert lions.” Said Zira. Horen clutched his fist and hit the ground.

“Nice!”

“Wait!” said Amini. He came to Nuka and asked Zira. “Can I?” queen nodded and lion gentle caught Nuka in his jaw. He raised him, to estimate weight and just to try his grab.

“Nice teeth!” noticed cub and smiled.

“I don’t know, Zira...” replied lioness. “Alone... no problem. But carrying Nuka... Sorry, I’m not sure.”

“Yes...” Queen nodded. “I’m not sure if I’ll made, even with lighter Vitani.”

Both lioness looked on cubs with wondering stare. That was real problem. e="text-indent: 9pt;">“Well... we could do it.” Estimated lion. “But in careful way. We will swim in pairs. Horen, supporting by Daki with Vitani and I, supporting by Laki with Nuka. If something goes wrong, brother are catching cubs... if they failed...” he looked on other lionesses. “...You’d better be prepared for a batch. You will all go for dropped one.” He noticed fear at their faces. “But I said that just in case... very odd case. We will manage to do it ourselves. Right, boss?”

Horen narrowed his eyes and replied with sarcasm.

“You have become <boss> recently.” Amini turned his stare to the ground. Then, leader of the rouges noticed pleading eyes of Doria. “Damn!” he thought. “No cubbish acting for chicks! This would kill you some day.” But lioness whispered.

“Horen, please...” Lion tried to refuse, but his lips disobeyed.

“Right, let’s do that!”

River was flowing as fast as their hearts were beating.

*

At first, Horen and Amini swam alone, without cubs. Both lions said with smiles that this trip was easy, but careful beholder would notice fatigue in their eyes. Leader came to younger lion and whispered him to ear.

“I hope, you know, what we are doing, because I have no idea. It’s crazy.”

“Doria thinks something opposite.” Smiled Amini, seeing stare of young lioness. “I think, her opinion is more important to you, than mine.”

“Yeah. But I doubt, if she knows much about swimming.” But in his voice Amini heard tune of satisfaction. His friend was already bitten by bound with this pride... especially with that single member. “You first.” Ordered Horen. “Go with Laki. We will stay on bank, ready... to interfere. But!” he gasped. “Don’t fail me! I don’t want any extra-bath”

“You can count on me!” smiled lion, but in his eyes blinked a spark of fear. He was afraid to fail someone else. “We’ll do it!” he turned to Laki. “Are you ready?” asked his friend. Laki nodded. “And you?” turned to Nuka.

“Don’t worry sir.” Replied cub. “I saw you swimming, it can’t be so hard. In case, I’ll made it.” He smiled, but Amini’s heart froze in fear. “Ow, Stars, help us!” whispered lion in minds.

Zira came to Nuka and said with tensed voice.

“Listen, my dear... Be brave! Amini will take care of you! Do what he and Laki say.”

“Mom. It’s better that mister Amini says nothing, during this course.” Noticed Nuka. Zira licked his head.

So Amini grabbed cub with his jaw and carefully went into river. Laki followed him and when lion with cub started to swim, twin swam to, but slightly down from there, to be ready for grab lost <cargo>. But Amini was moving fast, without any problems. Of course, this was also tiring him fast, but he had measured distance to other bank and resolved his strength carefully. Except one moment of fear, right in half of distance, Amini made it lightly something goes wrong, brother are catching cubs... if they failed...” he looked on other lionesses. “...You’d better be prepared for a batch. You will all go for dropped one.” He noticed fear at their faces. “But I said that just in case... very odd case. We will manage to do it ourselves. Right, boss?”

Horen narrowed his eyes and replied with sarcasm.

“You have become <boss> recently.” Amini turned his stare to the ground. Then, leader of the rouges noticed pleading eyes of Doria. “Damn!” he thought. “No cubbish acting for chicks! This would kill you some day.” But lioness whispered.

“Horen, please...” Lion tried to refuse, but his lips disobeyed.

“Right, let’s do that!”

River was flowing as fast as their hearts were beating.

*

At first, Horen and Amini swam alone, without cubs. Both lions said with smiles that this trip was easy, but careful beholder would notice fatigue in their eyes. Leader came to younger lion and whispered him to ear.

“I hope, you know, what we are doing, because I have no idea. It’s crazy.”

“Doria thinks something opposite.” Smiled Amini, seeing stare of young lioness. “I think, her opinion is more important to you, than mine.”

“Yeah. But I doubt, if she knows much about swimming.” But in his