burst in tears. Lioness hugged her child and sighed. She didn’t know, what to say.

“My dear... they had to leave... because Scar did something wrong.”

“No... I don’t believe it! He was so good to us!” Kilia said nothing, waiting for her daughter to stop crying. “But even so... aunt Zira and Nuka not. Why they had to...” she turned her wet eyes up and looked on mother. “How it was possible? Mister Scar is our king and only he can punish someone. So why he had to go?” and again started to sobbing.

“We have a new king know.” Said lioness. “His name is Simba.”

“I DON’T WANT SIMBA!” cried Hawaa. “I WANT MISTER SCAR, AUNT ZIRA AND NUKA!” screamed cub and added quieter. “And this funny dog, that was always smiling.”

“Hush my child... please...” asked Kilia and started licking her child.

After some time, cry stopped and Hawaa felt asleep. So Kilia grabbed her in jaw and carefully carried out from cave. So Sakia could stand up.

Lioness was there all the time. She came there in morning to hide her own cry. She laid behind Scar’s bed and remained unseen, where mother and daughter came. But while she was listening complaining of Hawaa, only thing she wanted was to join this yelling. Small cub expressed exactly what she wanted to say and what for she wanted to ask. But at least, small cub had more courage than she. Hawaa dared to ask, she was silent all the time. “O, Scar!” whispered lioness. “You deserved for better and more loyal subjects than me!” She once again licked bed of dead king and went out from cave. Someone would notice her absence.

*

Nuka was lying in den with Vitani. Only lioness there was old Rama, guarding her queen’s cubs. But she was so silent, that Scar’s son thought, that she was frightened by something.

“Why we are so quiet?” asked, whispering.

“They can’t hear us!” replied Rama. Nuka decided, that he wouldn’t discover, who were <they>, so asked another question.

“Where is mommy?”

“She will be here soon.” Said Rama, sighing and cuddling Nuka and sleeping Vitani. “She went for help. She will be back, when she will find someone who assist us.”

“We won’t back on Priderock?” inquired cub.

“No, we won’t.” replied lioness. “At least not now.”

“But... but...” it was too much for small cub. “So... we must go for Yakta and Hawaa! We can’t left Hawaa with those brutes that killed daddy!” he burst in tears.

“Hush, my dear.” Whispered lioness with fear. “Hush now! They are coming!” Cry finished at once. “Sorry... but we must be quiet. And when mommy find some help, we will back on Priderock and save Hawaa and Yakta. But now, you must be brave and speak nothing. Right?”

Nuka nodded and hugged harder lioness’s paw. He cried with silent cry for few minutes, but then he felt asleep too. Rama sighed with relief, but new troubling minds came to her.

“Stars!” she prayed. “Help Zira! Help us all! We need a miracle... and we need it fast. Kings of the Past... Ancient Ones. Help!”

Tarki was standing near, but he was, of course, unseen. He came closer lioness and sit next to her place, supporting his head with paws.

“It’s easy to say, miss...” he muttered with unheard voice. “But much harder to do. Any new ideas would be welcome.”

Outside once again rain started.

*

Drops of rain awoke sleeping lions. First opened his eyes Amini... to recognize, he was still dreaming. In front of him stood most beautiful lioness he ever saw. Despite of rain... or maybe because of that, her fur seemed to glaring gold, outshining grey-green background. Her perfect-shaped, wilful face and red, mysterious eyes were staring at lion with curiosity and... hope? Amini as rouge lion, long earlier banished from his pride, had no idea, what such a extraordinary lioness could expected from him. He slyly opened his jaw and asked.

“Who are you, lady?”

Countenance of strangeress was tensed because of sorrow and weariness, but hearing this, she smiled. Amini’s heart stood.

“Someone, who need your help.” Said lioness. “We all need your help.”

In that moment, lion noticed, that golden-fured beauty didn’t come alone. Pack of other females was waiting behind her. They were too exhausted, some of them wounded, but also ready to help theirs leader in troubles.

“Hunt me down!” yawned Horen. “At first a drought, then a flood. The Circle of Life requires to be aligned.” Rouge lion opened his eyes and discover nine lionesses, standing on top of <his> hill. He immediately stood and turned to newcomers. “Daki, Laki... wake up!” he gasped.

Golden lioness came closer to rouges, almost toughing Amini. She estimated whole pack, for few seconds she stopped her stare on Horen, but then turned to Amini.

“I’m Zira, queen of Golden Sands and Priderock. And this is my pride.” She pointed friends behind her.

“Nice.” Replied redmaned one. “We are Windy Rouges pack, my name is Horen. What is your business here?”

“I’m Amini, my lady.” Added younger lion. Lioness smiled.

“I don’t know, who is in charge here, Horen, but only your friend behave as leader should. He have appropriate manners...”

“He is our leader, miss.” Said Amini with polite voice.

Twin-looking lions stood to and looked on quest.

“Look, Laki.” Said Daki.

“Quite a nice awakening.” Replied Laki, looking on lionesses.

“Ow, yes...” added Horen. “These are brothers, Daki and Laki. So, we know each other, but I still have no idea, why have you came here.”

Amini looked on leader with anger, then turned to Zira.

“What happened? I see, that you are wounded...” he noticed cut on Zira’s ear and other injures among Golden Ones. “How we could help?”

Rain grown heavier and grass beneath their paw started do become mud. On faces of newcomer lionesses fatigue was seen. Only Zira was standing straight, but even in her eyes, carefully beholder could notice fear and exhaustion.

“Let go to some shelter.” Ordered Horen. “And you...” turned to Zira. “Say something more.”

So, mixed group started to descent from hill. Nearby was only one place, that could use for shelter – it was old baobab, from unknown reason, growing on slope of height. Slowly, lions because of sleepiness, lionesses because of general fatigue, they came under tree’s leaves. There they crowded on limited space and Zira, Horen and Amini came to trunk. Queen jumped on dent in thick trunk and looked on lions.

“So... we came here for your help. I believe, that Stars shown us you four, because we found you almost immediately after we started seeking. So...”

“Yeah, Stars.” Interrupted Horen. “But they haven’t show us anything!”

“Sssshhh!” gasped Amini. “Let her speak!” Leader was surprised by such a arrogance of his charge, but he stopped.

“So we are here.” Continued Zira. “We are the Golden Pride of Golden Sands, but after refuge from our homeland, we came to Prideland. And there... I’ve made an alliance with lions of Priderock, by marriage with king Scar the Wise.” Hearing this, Amini unwillingly narrowed his eyes. “And so we survived the Great Drought, thanks to my mate’s wisdom and courage. I’ve became mother of king’s children...” Amini breathed a little too loud. “...and the queen of Prideland. But it all finished with attack of usurper. Simba, nephew of Scar, returned from exile and kill my beloved.” Dark lion gulped. “And then, he broke the alliances and banished my pride from Priderock. We are here to find assistants for retake our home and avenge killed monarch.” she added with quieter and more tensed voice. “We desperate need this. We have two cubs... royal cubs to raise and our friend is hostage of those brutes. We beg for your help.”

Amini was gazing in Zira’s eyes, but Horen and brothers were staring on themselves with doubts.

“For usual fee?” asked Daki.

“Marriage with queen and half of kingdom?” added Laki and turned to brother. “Geez, it’s bad business... It comes... one eight of kingdom for each!”

“And queen is rather hard to portion.” Noticed Daki. Both brothers started to laugh, but discrete kick from Amini’s rear leg cease it at once.

“I know, I ask for great efford.” Said Zira, looking on Horen. “And I can promise no reward except one. Home.”

All rouges looked on themselves, even Amini turned his eyes from queen and pointed stare on his leader. Horen felt uncertain. He was angry, that this lioness bothered him and his companions, but word <home> appealed to him too. Since he was banished from his pride, three years earlier, he haven’t heard this word. A place, where he belong? For wandered and rouge it was an tempting offer.

“Horen... Is this not, what we are looking for?” whispered Amini.

“Just help us restore justice and repress this mutiny.” Added Zira. “And you will be able to settle in Prideland, being praised as heroes and benefactors of our pride.

“Please...” yelled Doria, looking in Horen’s eyes.

“Well... we must consider it.” Replied leader and nodded to his companions. “Gentlemen, outside.” He ordered.

Four lions went out from baobab’s shelter and went about hundred meters from tree. Rain ceased almost totally so walk wasn’t so unpleasant. And proposition of lioness was tempting rouges and keeping them excited. So they sat in round on mud of wet grass and started to talking one to other.

“Did you hear that?” exclaimed Amini. “That is what we hoping all the time!”

“Boss, those chicks look really nice.” Said Daki with smile.

“And this keep also seems to be great... at least from this distance.” Noticed Laki.

“And she asked us... we must help lionesses in distress!” added Amini.

“Shut up!” called Horen. “Gentlemen, easy!” but his own voice was tensed from excitation. He raised his paw, to draw attention of companions. “We must think logically! Look! They are so desperate... Yes.” Turned to Amini, who wanted to interrupt him. “They are desperate. I saw those wounds too. They are scared, exhausted, crestfallen because lost of