07 – Bloody tracks

Hell began just at morning – they awoke him terribly early.

At least, Tanabi thought that was hell. His dreams were ceased by anxious voices of lionesses and at first he just covered his ears with paws to sleep longer, but shortly after, he decided to opened his eyes.

Tanabi was... well, doesn’t matter, how much we like him, we must face the truth – he was lazy. Or, better to say, he liked to sleep long. Opposite to Kiara, who used to be busy until dawn, prince usually overslept departure of hunting team and got up when sun was high on the sky. Of course, Simba said once, his son was making up lost time by being twice time more unbearable during day, but at least he allowed his father to rest at morning. So that day father and son opened their eyes at the same time and were confronted with the same problem.

“Sir!” reported Sorphi with breaking voice. “Our meat is gone.”

Tanabi raised his head to see lioness before royal bed. King and queen had just awoken, staring on subject with surprised stare.

“Well...” muttered Simba. “Maybe I ate a little about midnight, but surely I left about quarter.”

“Simba?” asked Nala with sleepy voice. “You ate at night again! Do you know, how it’s unhealthy?! You are not youngster, who...”

“Hush!” gasped king. “They’re all hearing.”

Timon and Pumbaa were there too, probably alarmed about all thing long before. Timon heard words of queen and caught up her mind.

“What I hear, mon Capitan!” she exclaimed with terrified voice. “Unhealthy? Late eating is deadly! Even for us, Insectivores! And what about you? So big predator!” she jumped off Pumbaa’s back and ran to Simba. “Don’t you understand? Diabetes!“

„Awful!“ added Pumbaa. “Painful injections!”

Timon climbed by Simba’s mane and stood on friend’s back. He whispered him to ear, but loud enough for Nala, Sorphi and Tanabi to hear.

“We are in Africa! Do you know, how difficult to store insulin in this climate?!”

“Timon! Stop it” gasped king. “Not in front of subjects!”

Merkaat narrowed his eyes and replied with regret.

“Ow... sorry! But they all had know about theirs monarch health...”

“I’m not sick!” exclaimed Simba. “I just felt hungry last evening. Is this so strange?” finished, shouting. He noticed amazed faces of lioness and felt in silence, ashamed.

“Yes... of course!” agreed Timon.

“But you gotta lose some pounds.” Whispered Pumbaa.

“Yeah!” added Timon. “He could help ya!”

Simba didn’t respond and just stood with monarch’s dignity. He started to cave’s entrance, followed by Sorphi and lionesses stares. He went on ledge and looked on bloody spot on the rock. Yes, definitely there once was wildebeest carcass.

Nala and Tanabi stood right after and followed king. Prince noticed, that all hunting pack was sitting before entrance, waiting for king’s explanations. Pride was uneasy, rumours already had started. Of course, not about gluttonous monarch, but about nightly visit of some mysterious enemy. Elder lionesses, queen-mother and Sakia were looking on king without fear of younger ones, but with heavy curiosity. Simba sighed and said.

“Listen to me... I don’t know, what has happened, but we soon find it out. Sorry for that, but I must ask you, just in case. If anyone of you took meat from the ledge? Be honest, this is no crime to be hungry from time to time.” Timon and Pumbaa, standing nearby, narrowed theirs eyes and murmured significantly. “Well... I eat from pride’s resources, between meals... sometime.” But no one answered to that. Tanabi went to father and he whispered. “Tanabi... Did you? Just tell us.”

“No.” replied prince. “Dad, I strongly suggest, to examine this place and routes, where meat could be taken away. If you dismiss lioness from ledge and path downhill, I’ll do it.”

“Sir Tanabi is right.” Added Zazu, who just had flown from morning patrol. “It’s good to know what really happened, from own investigation. You know, you majesty... king should know everything.”

Simba looked on son, then looked on majordomo and turned to lioness.

“All right, if that was one from us, there must be some other explanation. Please, go back to your duties. Let hunting team starts hunt. We will check this case and tell you at dinner.”

“If it not disappear too” replied Timon, but heavy stare of Pumbaa made him stop.

King turned to his mate.

“Could you lead hunting team today? They are very uneasy, so you might...”

“Yes, I know.” Smiled Nala. “Boys must do their job. I’ll leave you with this <mystery>.” She said with sarcastic voice and went down to lionesses. “Right, ladies. Let go to work.” They departed.

“Well...” muttered Simba. “Boy’s job? We’ve got Kiara here so...”

Tanabi interrupted with surprise.

“Here? I haven’t seen her in cave. I thought, she went somewhere with grandma Sarafina...”

Simba ran into cave.

“Kiara!” he called. But there was no one inside... except Sarafina, still sleeping next to wall. “Kiara... Ow, sorry!” said king, when he noticed, that he had awoken old lioness. “But Kiara is gone... again!”

Sarafina raised her head and took a look aroa didn’t respond and just stood with monarch’s dignity. He started to cave’s entrance, followed by Sorphi and lionesses stares. He went on ledge and looked on bloody spot on the rock. Yes, definitely there once was wildebeest carcass.

Nala and Tanabi stood right after and followed king. Prince noticed, that all hunting pack was sitting before entrance, waiting for king’s explanations. Pride was uneasy, rumours already had started. Of course, not about gluttonous monarch, but about nightly visit of some mysterious enemy. Elder lionesses, queen-mother and Sakia were looking on king without fear of younger ones, but with heavy curiosity. Simba sighed and said.

“Listen to me... I don’t know, what has happened, but we soon find it out. Sorry for that, but I must ask you, just in case. If anyone of you took meat from the ledge? Be honest, this is no crime to be hungry from time to time.” Timon and Pumbaa, standing nearby, narrowed theirs eyes and murmured significantly. “Well... I eat from pride’s resources, between meals... sometime.” But no one answered to that. Tanabi went to father and he whispered. “Tanabi... Did you? Just tell us.”

“No.” replied prince. “Dad, I strongly suggest, to examine this place and routes, where meat could be taken away. If you dismiss lioness from ledge and path downhill, I’ll do it.”

“Sir Tanabi is right.” Added Zazu, who just had flown from morning patrol. “It’s good to know what really happened, from own investigation. You know, you majesty... king should know everything.”

Simba looked on son, then looked on majordomo and turned to lioness.

“All right, if that was one from us, there must be some other explanation. Please, go back to your duties. Let hunting team starts hunt. We will check this case and tell you at dinner.”

und.

“No... I’m sorry, Simba.” Replied queen’s mother. “I was sleepless tonight, so I’m weary as usual...”

“Just rest.” Said king and checked second chamber of cave. His daughter was definitely gone.

Tanabi, who had entered sleeping chamber right before, looked on his grandmother.

“So... Didn’t you sleep tonight, grandma?” asked.

“Tanabi!” ordered Simba. “With Zazu, I’ll go look for your sister. Just stay in place and let her rest!”

“I will check those track with uncles.” Said prince to exiting father. He heard something like agree-murmur.

“Tracks?” inquired old lioness. She stood and came to grandson.

“No, rest, grandma...” replied Tanabi, but seeing her awake, added. “Or came with us, if you are curious.”

*

Before main entrance three old lionesses, young prince and king’s friends were looking on spot of blood. Timon was sniffing intensively, until Sarabi said.

“Well, I’ve never expected, that meerkats have a so fine sense of smell.”

“We have not.” Replied Timon. “I just coming in this role! We are investigating, right?” she sniffed once more but suddenly froze with disgusted face.

“Ow... sorry!” whispered Pumbaa.”

“Just think a while.” Said Tanabi. “Grandma.” He turned to Sarafina. “You said, that you were on walk in night. Haven’t you noticed anything unusual?”

Queen’s mother froze in almost fear. “No, I can’t say them about Hawaa!” thought “This is all my fault and my duty to mend this terrible mistake.” She replied with uncertain voice.

“As I said, I was on long trip. I went... before midnight and got back an hour before dawn. I saw nothing strange... but for most time I wasn’t here.”

“My dear!” surprised Sarabi. “Have you told this Rafiki. Maybe he have some herbs for sleep?”

“Right, you should be examined.” Agreed Tanabi. “We’ll send Zazu for Rafiki. If you want to sleep, just go...”

“No!” interrupted old lioness.” I’m not sure, but I think, when I was going out, meat was on place. But when I was back, I saw no carcass, for sure. I remember, that I stomped in this bloody pool and got dirty.”

Tanabi wondered for a while and replied.

“So, we know approximately time of this... missing, but it gives us nothing...” Then he smiled. “I know! Tracks! Or pawprints, if that one stepped in blood.”

So all lions, meerkat and warthog started to search for any blood-spots. Tanabi saw it first.

“Here! A path downhill.” He pointed it with paw. “No pawprints, but red marks.” He licked one of spots. “Fresh ones.”

“Oy!” called Timon and Pumbaa, disgusted, but lionesses went to smell spots.

“Gnu.” Said Sakia. “Our girls got gnu yesterday. That’s it.”

Prince went downhill, still sniffing low, on the ground. He turned back to lionesses and called.

“There are more... a sure track. I’ll follow it. I’m good in this stuff.”

Sarabi and Sarafina looked on themselves with anxiety.

“My dear...” said queen-mother. “You can’t go away from Priderock alone...”

Tanabi narrowed eyes in irritation but replied with calm

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