she is grabbing something. She smiles deadly.]

Chorus, they sing together:

We understand what they failed

We're someone not of their kind

[Animals of Prideland run in panic, seeing Outlanders.]

We are the ones from other tale

*

Lioness of Priderock were returning from hunting. It was a lucky day, because Nala’s pack got two adult gnus, that would make a decent feast for all pride. At the foot of Priderock, they were greeted by those who stayed at home. Elder lioness, king himself and royal children.

“Hi, mommy.” Exclaimed Kiara and licked queen in forehead. Nala dropped gnu’s carcass and hugged daughter.

“Hi, my sweet. How was your day?”

“Unexpectedly expected.” Replied Tanabi, younger brother of princess. Adolescent lion looked bored and angry. “We was hunting on most dreadful bugs, that uncle Timon could imagine.”

Queen went to her son and tried to lick him to, but annoyed lion gave to this caress unwillingly. “Watch out, I’m dirty of this all mud.”

Nala smiled, and licked son on side, pretending, that she was cleaning him, like small cub. Tanabi shivered from shame. But his mother just turn to Simba and lick her mate.

“King of the Past blessed us.” She said. “It was good hunting.”

Some lioness from hunting pack dragged preys on Priderock’s ledge and all pride went to cave. All, except queen and Tanabi.

“Mom... wait a second.” Asked prince. Lioness turned to son and sit, while others was ascending on rock’s slope. “Mom... I want to ask you for something.”

“All right!” laughed queen. “I won’t clean you in from of the pride...”

“Mom... I must hunt.” Said lion.

Nala looked on him with surprise. Tanabi was just an almost three years old adolescent, with half-grown mane and still cubbish stare. But this time, he was looking on his mother seriously. This silly request seemed to be important to him.

“What?” amazed queen.

“Let me assist you in hunting.” Asked Tanabi with pleading voice. “I’m rotting here! Dad doesn’t want to take me on his patrols, Kiara even doesn’t want to practice fighting. Whole days I’m hanging with uncle Timon and uncle Pumbaa and with all due to them respect, I’m slowly becoming half-meerkat and half-warthog!”

“Tana! What are talking about?” said Nala, laughing, but she noticed, that her son was serious. “It’s not a duty of lion to hunt...” she stroked his mane.

“Yes, I know. Role of lion is to rule or to be kicked out from pride.” Nala narrowed her brow, hearing this. “But we already switched roles with Kiara. Dad say, that she will be in charge, so I want at least find here some place and reason to live here.”

“Ow, Tanabi...” said queen, stroking her son, but looking somewhere at horizon. “We are living in hard times... Father says, that war with Outlanders is coming. We must be prepared to fight... and beware of it. That why we are so worried about you two. I promise, that when this war will be over... everything will change.”

Tanabi jumped back and looked on mother with irritation in stare. He said with tensed voice.

“I just don’t get it. You and dad scare us with visions of those legendary “Outlanders” from cubhood. I’ve never seen one and most likely I won’t. What we fear of? Pack of starving lionesses, whose only quest and crime is loyalty to long dead leader? This is ridicules! We are scared of ghost! Why dad haven’t solved this problem?” asked with curiosity. Nala sighed and started to hill nearby. Her son followed.

“My dear... this is not so simple... Outlanders, led by Zira, hate us. They want to drive us from Prideland.”

“And I want to be king.” Replied Tanabi. “And so what? If they haven’t even tried to attack us, that means that they are too weak.”

“So what would you do, if you were your father?” asked Nala.

“Well...” prince was wondering for few seconds, but then replied with certain voice. “That what would be necessary. I would propose them to surrender under honourable conditions and if they accept, take them to our pride. If they not... I just would drive them somewhere further, that they wouldn’t be threat to us.” He looked on his mother, waiting for some reaction. But she was still silent, so he continued. “And it’s quite unanimale, anyway. To keep them next to our fertile land and don’t let them hunt here or use our waterholes. I guess, that life on Outlands during dry season must be... harder than we could imagine.”

Nala came to top of hill and sit on the ground. Tanabi joined her and looked on north.

“Ow, Tanabi... You don’t know, what you are taking about...” replied queen. “I know well, what hunger is. During Scar’s reign, we were starving for almost three years. And then was a drought...”

Lion narrowed his brow and asked, surprised.

“A drought? Dad said, that you were starving, because hyenas was stealing all the preys.”

“Well... never mind.” Muttered Nala. “I just wanted to say, that I know, what hunger and thirst is... But I suffered it because Scar’s errors...”

“...and a drought.” Added Tanabi.

“Yes... and a drought. But they...” she pointed on distant Outlands. “...got it thanks to own pride and hatred. If Zira paid homage to your father, they wouldn’t be exiled.”

Tanabi was gazing on mysterious land ahead. It looks scary, but in the same time, beautiful. Golden rock and giant termite mounds were seen even from that distance and were tempting with promise of adventure. Some dry wind blew from north and prince felt chocking dust in throat. “Who are they?” he asked himself. “They are living in this hell, just to be close of Prideland.” He added aloud. “Why father haven’t convinced Outlanders to join us?”

“Because he banished them himself.” Whispered Nala’s mind, awaking flood of memories. But she replied with calm voice. “It would be useless. Zira is pure hatred herself. She wouldn’t bow to the king.”

“But rest of the pride?” inquired Tanabi.

“Well... They are hardheaded too.” Said Nala.

“Whole pride?” amazed lion. “They must have a good reason... or at least, they must think, that they have... Why they supported Scar?”

“Ow... Talk with father about that.” Proposed Nala. Words of son awakened very unpleasant memories... and felling of guilt.

“But mom... Dad was not here, during Scar’s reign! You know much more than he!”

“King knows better.” Interrupted queen. “Always.”

“Well...” muttered Tanabi. “So probably that why I’m rotting in cave, when you are hunting. I’m too stupid to understand this masterplan.” Finished with anger and turned back.

He started to run in Priderock’s direction, and Nala stayed on top alone. But she didn’t even notice it. Pictures from her past clouded her mind and heart. At the first time, since banishing Outlanders, she recollected her cubhood. But not those early days with Simba, but some later times... When she thought, that she regained father. She was scared by such a thoughts, because she considered them as disloyalty to Simba... But... “Nala... I have mate and son, but this is not all my family. You all are my kins and friends. I’m king and want to be as father to you... If I even failed, that don’t mean, that I don’t want to.” Said Scar some day. When that was? Nala remembered, that those days she was exhausted, hungry and thirsty... but happy with all her heart. And if history went some other way... “No!” she whispered and shook her head, just like she wanted to shock those memories of. “I’ve made right choice. Simba is the rightful king and nothing would change it!”
She followed her son.

*

“What a feast!” smiled Hawaa, looking on Nuka’s preys.

That were two mongooses, about ten desert rats and ten or some quails. In call of lioness there was no sarcasm – for Outlanders such a meal was real score. Of course, it was just a after-training snack, on the real hunt, they all used to come at dusk, but some energy after exhausting practice was necessary.

Outlanders were lying before entrance to Golden Hall, resting and chatting quietly. Only Nuka was walking and serving them meal. Because he hadn’t participated in skirmishes, he was quite refreshed and vigorous. Lionesses were receiving portions of meat with gratitude.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t get more, but those sneaky rodents seem to be dried out during last season...” when he came to his mother, he whispered her to ear. “And if Kovu helped me in hunt, we would brought twice a prey.” Zira pretended, she didn’t hear him.

When meal was over, all lionesses went to Hall, in order to rest before evening hunting. Only Nuka and Hawaa stayed outside. Lion came to lioness and gentle bit her in ear.

“Come on, I got a dessert for you.” She followed but asked with uncertain voice.

“But Nuka... Shouldn’t you share it with all pride?”

“Whole pride?” amazed lion. “They must have a good reason... or at least, they must think, that they have... Why they supported Scar?”

“Ow... Talk with father about that.” Proposed Nala. Words of son awakened very unpleasant memories... and felling of guilt.

“But mom... Dad was not here, during Scar’s reign! You know much more than he!”

“King knows better.” Interrupted queen. “Always.”

“Well...” muttered Tanabi. “So probably that why I’m rotting in cave, when you are hunting. I’m too stupid to understand this masterplan.” Finished with anger and turned back.

He started to run in Priderock’s direction, and Nala stayed on top alone. But she didn’t even notice it. Pictures from her past clouded her mind and heart. At the first time, since banishing Outlanders, she recollected her cubhood. But not those early days with Simba, but some later times... When she thought, that she regained father. She was scared by such a thoughts, because she considered them as disloyalty to Simba... But... “Nala... I have mate and son, but this is not all my family. You all are my kins and friends. I’m king and want to be as father to you... If I even failed,